Did you know Ashley Eckstein – voice of Ahsoka Tano on the acclaimed 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' show – also runs her own geeky fashion website called Her Universe? I sure didn't. It's good to know someone out there is thumbing their nose at all the adults who told them as a child, 'You can't be an actor and a business owner and a fashion designer and a model and a cultural geek icon. You have to pick one!' Our parents lied to us guys.
Design Credit: Her Universe
As part of her life mission to make geek chic for fangirls everywhere, Eckstein is going to drag haute couture kicking and screaming off the runway and into the San Diego Comic-Con convention hall. This year at SDCC, Her Universe is teaming up with Nerdist for the first ever full scale geek couture fashion show. This isn't your older sister's cosplay. These are sneaky, stealth cosplay that have morphed beyond costume and into everyday or high end fashion that would look right at home on a desaturated monotone runway pulsating with vague trance music while dead-eyed celebrity sunglasses stare on in apathy.
Design Credit: Her Universe
Lucky for her, at least one designer has greased the gears to ease this transition. Thanks to Rodarte's 2014 New York Fashion Week 'Star Wars' extravaganza, this might actually be the watershed event we all need to make it acceptable to wear our steampunk Loki cosplay to a wedding reception. Look it took weeks to make that helmet and I'll be damned if I don't get more use out of it!
Got an idea for a killer creation? If you want to sign up, Her Universe has a submission form over here. Up to thirty lucky designers will have their work showcased on July 24, 2014 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, CA. Hopefully complete with themed neon-colored champagne named after Star Trek drinks. Need more inspiration? Check out more examples of high fashion fandom below!