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In the latest episode of Portrait of a Fangirl podcast, host Jenna Wrenn spoke with Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano, Star Wars) about the 9th annual Her Universe Fashion Show.
Interview with Ashley Eckstein
Jenna Wrenn spoke to Ashley Eckstein about the origins of the Her Universe Fashion Show and the impact it has had on both the contestants and fans.
Where it all started
Jenna Wrenn: How did this journey begin for you? What did it look like at the very beginning?
Ashley Eckstein: Well, as with everything with Her Universe and with my own kind of personal journey, it’s always been inspired by the fans, sometimes my own personal fandom, and sometimes by, you know, the fan community. And the Her Universe Fashion Show was directly inspired by the fans. I’ve been going to San Diego Comic-Con since 2007, and over the years I was just absolutely in awe and inspired by these one-of-a-kind couture-level looks that fans would create and walk the halls of San Diego Comic-Con, showcasing these looks.
Ashley: And, you know, this wasn’t cosplay. These were couture-level fashion looks and so I was like, you know, what a shame that, you know, the fans don’t have an actual runway to showcase these couture designs on. And so it became my dream to create a fashion show straight out of New York Fashion Week for fans to showcase their couture-level designs on.
Ashley: And, you know, I wanted to stay true to the foundation of Comic-Con, which is education. And so I wanted to create a competition-style show where we pick, you know, winners. But also anyone who participates in our show can learn and have real professional opportunities given to them because of our show. And so it’s wildly exceeded my expectations over the years, how fans have, you know, literally been given professional opportunities with her universe and hot topic. And they’ve also gotten jobs with studios like Disney because of our show. It’s just something I’m very, very proud of and very grateful that the legacy continues.
Jenna: As you look back on your journey with the show, what are some of the things that stand out for you?
Ashley: I think the things that stand out for me with the whole universe fashion show, continuing with what I just shared is the fact that our show is truly changed lives. And I don’t say that lightly. You know, our show is open to everyone, whether you’re an up-and-coming or professional designer or whether you’re just a fan who does fashion design as a hobby, you know, the runway is open to everyone.
Ashley: And, you know, our show has literally changed so many lives with the designers who have participated, You know, several designers who are doing fashion design as a hobby have gone on to change their careers and become professional fashion designers. Some of them are working on shows that are on Disney Plus, some are now working for, you know, Disney merchandise or, you know, Universal.
Ashley: And they’re actually doing it professionally. You know, several designers put the Her Universe Fashion Show on their resumé, and it means something. It matters. It gives a level of credibility that helps them get jobs professionally in the industry. So to see that our show has built up a reputation where it’s actually, you know, changing lives for these designers is incredibly humbling. And again, it’s all I ever wanted. You know, I just wanted to create opportunity. And, you know, our show continues to do that. And it’s something I’m extremely proud of.
A message from Ashley Eckstein to inspiring designers
Jenna Wrenn: You’ve managed to turn fandom and the things people love into a career, not just for yourself, but for these designers and these artists. What would you say to aspiring designers to inspire them to get into pursuing geek fashion?
Ashley Eckstein: You know, I you know, one of the things that we’re celebrating this year with our show is 100 years of Disney. You know, that’s that is the theme of our show this year. The entire show is going to be Disney. It’s a personal dream come true of mine because I grew up in Orlando, Florida. My dad was a Disney cast member.
Ashley: Disney is literally a part of me. It’s my fandom. It’s a part of literally I like to say my DNA and the fabric of my entire being and the inspiration of Disney. The fact that the impossible can become possible, that a dream is a wish your heart makes, and the dreams that you wish can and do come true is the theme and the message not only of this year’s show, but of our show in general.
Ashley: I hope that anyone that is a part of our show or literally that just comes to our show or watches our show online, I hope that they understand and believe that it starts with the dream and that you can do it and that it’s just it’s possible one step at a time. And that’s what we’ve seen unfold in our show year after year that these designers and several of them, several of them didn’t know how to sew.
Ashley: There’s one designer that won our show, and she taught herself to sew from YouTube. She literally didn’t know how to sew it all, and she taught herself to. So because of YouTube and not only did she win our show, but she went on to get her Masters in fashion design and now she does it professionally. So anything’s possible. You just have to believe and you just take things one step at a time. And truly, the dreams that you wish can and do come true.
You can listen to the rest of the Interview on the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast directly on this page or stream it on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcast / iHeart Radio / Stitcher / Spotify and wherever you stream your podcast. You can even watch it on our YouTube channel.
The Her Universe Fashion Show
Ashley Eckstein and Michael James Scott will host the Her Universe Fashion Show 2023 at San Diego Comic-Con on July 20th.
The 9th annual Her Universe Fashion Show is free for San Diego Comic-Con attendees and all ages are welcome. The event will celebrate 100 Years of Disney and feature a geek couture fashion competition.
What to Expect at the Her Universe Fashion Show 2023
The Her Universe Fashion Show will be held on Thursday, July 20 at 6 p.m. PT in the Harbor Ballroom of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel.
Check-in begins at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 20th, with doors open at 4:15 PM. In past years, fans have lined up for hours before the show to try and get a good seat. By the time last year’s event started, there was only standing room left. I definitely recommend showing up for check-in at 11 am. And be sure to get in line early for a good seat.
Audience members help choose one of the winners, as well as an expert panel of judges. It’s easy to be blown away by these one-of-a-kind designs. Each year we are consistently blown away by the contestants and their passion for their fandoms. I do not envy the tough decisions the judges will have to make.
Hot Topic will transform the lobby into a whimsical fan experience in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Disney’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Fans will have the opportunity to embark on a winding path through the Cemetery, take photos, spin Oogie Boogie’s prize wheel, and more.
Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast
The “Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast” is a new series from the team at the Temple of Geek. Portrait of a Fangirl initially began as a web series and has now expanded into a podcast series as well. You can watch and listen to the series both here and on our YouTube channel. Hosted by Jenna Wrenn, at the core of the project is the importance of telling the stories of women who have found inspiration, growth, and power through fandom.
You can listen to the Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast directly on this page or stream it on Apple Podcasts / Google Podcast / iHeart Radio / Stitcher / Spotify and wherever you stream your podcast. You can even watch it on our YouTube channel.
About our Host
Jenna Wrenn is a podcast host and entertainment correspondent for Temple of Geek. She has also written several articles covering conventions, anime, and much more. Jenna is a historian by trade, writer by passion, and cat mom by birthright.
Jenna loves all things nerdy and can be found playing D&D with her long-standing Sunday night group. Equally important to her, Jenna loves cosplaying, reading, and rewatching Star Wars: Rebels.
For more Fangirl stories, check out:
Elevating Fandom Through Fashion
Creating a Safe Space in Fandom
Integrating Fangirl Culture into Everyday Life
Fangirling to the Best Version of Yourself
Anne Yatco on Embracing Your Inner Fangirl
The Positive Impacts of the Cosplay Community
How Portrait of a Fangirl Came to Be
The Portrait of a Fangirl Podcast is executive produced by Monica Duarte, Nathaniel J. Peinado, and Madison Morrow. In addition, it is produced by Jenna Wrenn and Tiffany Cagle. Hosted by Jenna Wrenn and was created under the umbrella of the Temple of Geek Podcast, as an ongoing series. Originally created by Monica Duarte and Emily Schuck for Temple of Geek.
