Her Universe Fashion Show 2025: Geek Couture and Winners revealed
Several moments in the 11th Annual Her Universe Fashion Show brought tears to our eyes, especially since the theme, “Defying Fashion: Fashion That Defies Expectations”, ran throughout every designers’ couture designs. Each finalist shared an emotional video, sharing how they created something beyond their own expectations. Some taught themselves animatronics, others combined fabric in a unique way.
Co-host and founder Ashley Eckstein defied her own expectations by singing in public with her “hypefriend” and co-host Michael James Scott – they performed a duet medley of songs from WICKED culminating in a finale by Scott of Elphaba’s anthem, “Defying Gravity.”
The Finalists and Their Couture Designs
Aspiring designers compete with looks inspired by their favorite fandoms. They or their models walk the runway while judges and audience members vote on the Judge’s Winner and Audience Winner. The two winners will then have the opportunity to design a collection for Her Universe, plus $2,000! Here are the final geek fashion designs walking the runway:
Her Universe Fashion Show Winners
And now….the winners!
Judges Winner – Lynleigh Sato for her Poppy’s Hues of Happiness look inspired by Dreamworks Trolls. This colorful outfit was the first to walk the runway, and was so bubbly it took our breath away.
Sato lives in Redondo Beach, CA. She grew up in an artistic household, so her passion for creating evolved into an eagerness for sewing. Cosplay sparked her interest in geek couture, which amplified her playful side in designing. Sato graduated from Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Textile Design and American InterContinetal University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion/Costume Design. She started a Lolita fasion business and has worked backstage at Diseyland as a seamstress. Presently, she works for a small business producing designer dog clothes.
Audience Winner – Caitlin Beards for her Couture of the Dead look inspired by The Mummy (1999). This is at least her 3rd time in the Her Universe Fashion Show. She was my pick last year, but did not win – so to see her take the Audience Win this year was a thrill!
Beards has been a seamstress for over 20 years and a multi-award-winning cosplayer. She is self-taught, and started with a focus in sewing, then expanded to 3D printing and laser cutting. She has worked with the Rebel Legion, Saber Guild and Off-Broadwayt theater productions. Currently, she is a cosplay department head and has been both a performance and craftsmanship judge up and down the East Coast. Caitlin is constantly challenging herself by designing original pieces inspired by her favorite fandoms.
Congratulations to the winners! They have already begun work with HER UNIVERSE on next year’s collections.
Leading up to the Fashion Show this year, Her Universe rolled out the yellow brick road to tie in with WICKED: FOR GOOD coming out later this year. Here’s a bit of the road:
Then flip through these images to see the Fashion Show goody bag and setup:
We can’t wait for next year and the 12th Annual Her Universe Fashion Show!
