San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) kicked off its opening night with a superpowered fusion of fandom and fashion at the 12th Annual Her Universe Fashion Show, presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products in partnership with DC. Bringing fashion week style to San Diego, this year’s celebration centered on the theme of “spotlighting the human in superhuman,” featuring high-concept geek couture, memorable performances, and an interactive fan experience that spanned from the lobby all the way to the catwalk.
A Historic First: Exclusive DC Inspiration
For the first time in the event’s history, every competing designer faced a unified challenge: craft original couture looks inspired exclusively by DC’s iconic Super Heroes and Super-Villains. The 2026 finalist designers traveled from across the United States and Canada to debut their geek-couture masterworks on the runway.
The Judging Panel
This year’s expert panel brought together prominent voices across journalism, retail design, commentary, and previous runway champions:
Marc Malkin — Award-winning journalist
Symantha Perrera — Fashion Design Director for BoxLunch, Her Universe, and Wholesale
Frankey Smith — DC Studios Showcase co-host and pop culture commentator
Lynleigh Sato — 2025 Her Universe Fashion Show Judges Winner
Caitlin Beards — 2025 Her Universe Fashion Show Audience Winner
The Runway Roster: The 20 Extraordinary Designers
Twenty talented designers showcased their original DC-inspired creations on the catwalk:
Aibrean Glaister (they/them) – First Time Participant | Toronto, Ontario (@raven.glayster)
Ayana Martin (she/her) – First Time Participant | Maitland, FL (@ayana_destiny)
Brooke Young (she/her) – First Time Participant | Anaheim, CA (@starlinecosplay)
Cat Gravereaux (she/her) – Returning Participant (2023, 2024, 2025) | Fort Edward, NY (@kyasarin.cosplay)
Christine Geiger (she/her) – Returning Participant (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024) | Los Angeles, CA (@geigeruppercut)
Lisa Truong (she/they) – First Time Participant | Corona, CA (@supreme_leader_honeypot)
Gina Iwata (they/she) – First Time Participant | Sacramento, CA (@pixiegiftfashions)
Jax Foss (they/he) – First Time Participant | Springfield, PA (@candescent_cosplay)
Jen Wolff (she/her) – Returning Participant (2025) | Houston, TX (@jwolff501)
Katherine Everything (they/she) – Returning Participant (2025) | Lancaster, CA (@katherine_everything)
Katie Strube (she/her) – Returning Participant (2024, 2025) | Kissimmee, FL (@Kstroobzcosplay)
Ren Wilkinson (she/her) – Returning Participant (2022) | Midlothian, VA (@electricseafoam)
Maggie Walker (she/her) – First Time Participant | Clovis, CA (@maggiewalker4)
Mandy McLean Couch (she/her) – Returning Participant (2023, 2024, 2025) | Las Vegas, NV (@defiantly_mandy)
Marlena Dougherty (she/her) – First Time Participant | Valley Stream, NY (@cobaltcosplay)
Paige Campbell (she/her) – Returning Participant (2022, 2025) | Ransomville, NY (@quasar__creations)
Ramon Sosongco (he/him) – First Time Participant | Riverside, CA (@effekted)
Sean Quinn (she/her) – Returning Participant (2024) | Santa Clarita, CA (@seanquinncosplay)
Terence Johnson (he/him) – Returning Participant (2023, 2024, 2025) | Van Nuys, CA (@terencebjohnson)
The Winners & What’s Next
At the conclusion of the evening, top honors were awarded to two outstanding designers. Both winners received a cash prize and consideration for the career-defining opportunity to design a fashion collection with Her Universe.
Judges Winner: Sean Quinn (@seanquinncosplay) of Santa Clarita, CA with “Jokes on You”
Audience Winner: Ren Wilkinson (@electricseafoam) of Midlothian, VA, with “The Beast Within”
Fan Spotlight Award Voting: Fans will have another opportunity to celebrate their favorite designers by voting for the Her Universe Fan Spotlight Award at the Her Universe San Diego Comic-Con booth. The winner will be announced following the weekend voting.
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Wētā Workshop Unveils Exclusive Master Jeweller’s Collection at SDCC 2026 Preview Night
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Peanuts at SDCC 2026 with Exclusive Merch and Pop-Up Experiences
Mick Giacchino on the Complexities of Superhero Scoring | SDCC 2026
