Her Universe Fashion Show

I’m going to talk about nerd fashion! Fair warning: everything I know about fashion I learned from Tim Gunn and Project Runway. This is not a fashion site, and if you are a fashion expert, run now. Now that that’s out of the way, I’m going to opinionate!

I’ve been missing Project Runway, and watching Her Universe Season One with its fashion show finale, has filled my fashion show need. There wasn’t Tim Gunn or Swatch, but there was daring fashion, crazy execution, and a lot of fandom talk, which Project Runway doesn’t even have!

Now watching Her Universe does require signing up for Comic Con HQ, for five dollars a month, but trust me. It is worth it and more. The show starts with a review of 100 nerd couture designs. One hundred. They are reviewed by a group of people who care about nerdom, how women are perceived, and FASHION. It is a meeting I would’ve loved to sit in on in real life, although watching on screen was a good substitute!

Next the group of designers was narrowed down, and those chosen designers were set loose to create. Now at this point in the show, I have to say a mentor figure could’ve really helped many of these designers. Sadly some of them were doing something closer to ready-to-wear, and while their designs were great, they were overshadowed by the extravagance everyone else was bringing. Some designers also were probably taking on a lot of additional work that would have minimal payoff. Now don’t think for a minute I didn’t love every single design! They were gorgeous! However, I know Tim Gunn would’ve said, is it necessary? Do you need a transforming moment? Or should you just focus on your wow dress and make it the best you can?

In any competition, there is a limited amount of time and money that can be put towards a design. I think I would’ve loved and enjoyed some of these designs even more if they hadn’t included a transformation or lighting element. Now that is ridiculous to say. Those things were an exciting wow factor, but with the venue, most of the dress lighting could only be seen if the runway lights were mostly off. So mostly you saw the lights or the dress. For the transformation dresses, besides the dress that won for its transformation, one of the designs was weaker than the other. So while the transformation was nice, there was also a slighter weaker design presented for part of the runway. Instead of a spectacular design walking the whole runway.

Now, let’s be clear, what I’m really saying is I want it all. I want a nerd project runway. I want the designers to have the help of a seasoned teacher to help them refine their designs so that they can all get to their best possible design and execution. Now if you add that, it is even more to film, but hopefully it is something they can expand into.

While I’m being greedy, there’s one more thing I want. This was a couture runway competition, but it was to find designers to make ready-to-wear clothes for Hot Topic. Now designers who make ready-to-wear can’t always succeed at couture, and vice versa. Now for pure enjoyment, I want to see a couture runway. I really really want to see it. It was beautiful this season, and I can’t wait until next season.

However, these designers are competing to make ready-to-wear, so let’s see what they would design for ready-to-wear! The Zelda dress, Princess of Legend, designed by Michelle Ramsay is something I would absolutely wear on an everyday basis. If someone were to sell it, I’d buy it today. However, in the couture line-up, it wasn’t extravagant enough to stand out. So even though that designer is probably capable of selling me a wardrobe of clothes, she wasn’t judged on her ready-to-wear skills.

So let’s have both. The designers would make one couture outfit, one ready-to-wear. We get the pure love of couture craziness, but also the practical competition to make ready-to-wear for us. Really, we are deciding who will make our nerd clothes! We should see how well they can make everyday nerd clothes.

Now let’s take this one step further. Why can’t I buy fancy nerd gowns?  I usually hate dressing up, but that is because the choices are grim. I will make up a reason to wear the gorgeous gowns created in this competition! Now maybe Hot Topic isn’t interested in selling formal nerd clothes, but if there’s a market there’s a way. Let’s not wear regular formal wear ever again! Wedding to go to? Hate all your options? Buy some nerd formal wear! Anyone who gets the reference will gather around you, and I promise that wedding will be a lot more fun!

So now the final step. Why don’t we split the competition? One runway for ready-to-wear outfits, one for couture. One competition for the Hot Topic collection, one for another that sells formal wear! Then we’d have it all. I’m just saying. It’s come this far for us. Why not a little further?

Finally, I want to stress the things I loved about Her Universe that should never change. These designers respected and loved their fandoms. They weren’t designers just trying to sneak into a contest to win. They were committed to nerd life and nerd fashion. For example Sarah Rader, who designed the Ode to the Goblin King dress, actually put the lyrics to As the World Falls Down into the lining of the jacket. Which made me tear up. Harmony Leiker was so excited about the upcoming Fantastic Beasts that she designed her dress, Newt’s Menagerie, without a single screen shot. Ericka Anguili who designed a Dean Winchester inspired outfit, The Huntress, was worried about representing Supernatural right. She really shouldn’t have been worried. Pants with a flannel half skirt dipped in blood red dye? With the supernatural symbol at the collar? You are the fandom. You represented. With Ashley Eckstein’s dedication, I know this show will continue to be about actual nerds designing, as it should be. The design is nothing if it doesn’t represent us.

I was also very proud of the designers who walked their designs down the runway. You were fierce and delivered like a pro. I really loved that touch, honestly, and I hope designers continue to be encouraged to walk the runway if they want to. This again, is about us, the nerds, and I’d hate to see it turn into an all model runway show.

Now, stop reading this silliness and go watch season one at Comic Con HQ.

Remember to vote for your favorite on the Her Universe website by midnight on 8/11!