Her Universe Fashion Show 2026 Reveals Star-Studded Celebrity Judges for SDCC
Image: Fashion and Fandom
San Diego Comic-Con is packed with blockbuster panels, exclusive collectibles, and can't-miss experiences—but for fashion fans, few events are as anticipated as the Her Universe Fashion Show. Returning for its 12th annual runway spectacular, the fan-favorite event has officially revealed the celebrity judging panel that will help crown this year's winning designers.
Hosted once again by actress, bestselling author, and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein, the fan-favorite event inspired by the legendary heroes and villains of DC takes place Thursday, July 23 at 6:00 p.m. PT in the Manchester Grand Hyatt's Harbor Ballroom, where 20 talented designers will debut original geek couture creations before a panel of industry experts and a standing room only crowd.
Meet This Year's Celebrity Judges
This year's expert panel brings together leaders from entertainment journalism, fashion design, and pop culture.
Returning to the judges' table is Marc Malkin, the award-winning, Emmy-nominated entertainment journalist and Variety's Senior Editor of Culture and Events. After serving as a judge in 2025, Malkin returns with more than 30 years of experience covering Hollywood's biggest stars and entertainment events.
Images: Mark Malkin/Variety; Symantha Perrera/Sam Cannon; Frankey Smith/Warner Bros.
Joining him is Symantha Perrera, Fashion Design Director for BoxLunch, Her Universe, and Wholesale. Perrera's career spans luxury fashion, sustainable design, and mass-market apparel, making her uniquely qualified to evaluate the creativity, craftsmanship, and wearability of this year's couture creations.
Also making her judging debut is Frankey Smith ("Fantastic Frankey"), the energetic co-host of DC Studios Showcase. Known throughout fandom as a host, producer, and pop culture personality, Smith has interviewed some of DC's biggest names—including James Gunn, Jim Lee, Milly Alcock, and Jason Momoa—and brings her deep passion for comics, film, gaming, and fandom culture to the runway.
Image: Mark Edwards Photography
Rounding out the panel are the 2025 Her Universe Fashion Showwinners themselves. Lynleigh Sato, last year's Judges' Winner, and Caitlin Beards, the Audience Winner, return in a new role as first-time judges, offering invaluable insight after experiencing the competition from the designer's perspective.
DC Takes Center Stage
This year's competition challenges the 20 selected designers to transform iconic DC Super Heroes, Super-Villains, and legendary stories into wearable works of couture.
Each designer will present their one-of-a-kind runway creation before both the celebrity judges and a live Comic-Con audience. At the end of the evening, two winners—one selected by the judges and one by audience vote—will each receive a $2,000 cash prize and may earn the opportunity to collaborate with Her Universe on an official fashion collection.
Image: Fashion and Fandom
"The Her Universe Fashion Show has always been about celebrating the creativity and passion of fans, and this year's DC theme takes that celebration to an entirely new level," said Jillian Wendt, Vice President of Marketing for Her Universe and BoxLunch. "Marc, Symantha and Frankey each bring a unique perspective that represents the very best of entertainment, fashion and fandom, while Lynleigh and Caitlin offer invaluable insight as past winners who have experienced this competition firsthand."
One of Comic-Con's Must-See Events
Images: Fashion and Fandom
Over the past twelve years, the Her Universe Fashion Show has become the ultimate celebration of geek couture, spotlighting the incredible creativity of fandom while giving aspiring designers an opportunity to transform beloved franchises into breathtaking couture fashion. Every year, the show blends cosplay, high fashion, storytelling, and craftsmanship into a runway experience unlike anything else at Comic-Con, inspiring both fans and industry professionals alike.
With this year's DC-inspired theme and an all-star judging panel, the 2026 edition is shaping up to be another unforgettable night celebrating where fashion and fandom collide.
Stay tuned to Fashion andFandom. We’re heading to San Diego Comic-Con and will be covering the show in person again this year! Don’t forget to follow @HerUniverse across social media and use #HerUniverseFashionShow for behind-the-scenes coverage throughout Comic-Con.
Are you heading to the Her Universe Fashion Show this year? Let us know in the comments below or over on FACEBOOK or X!
