A wickedly brilliant mix of tech and couture on the San Diego Comic-Con runway

The Her Universe Fashion Show, now in its 11th year, has become a cornerstone of San Diego Comic-Con, celebrating fandom through fashion. Presented by Universal and hosted by Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein, the 2025 edition was themed “Defying Fashion: Fashion That Defies Expectations” inspired by the popular Wicked franchise. This year’s show reached new heights in creativity, inclusivity, and visual spectacle - thanks in part to Barco’s cutting-edge projection technology.

Context

Held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt’s Seaport Ballroom, the audience members experienced a Wicked-themed immersive lobby featuring pop ups such as a KISS nail booth, photo ops, film props and costumes, and LEGO big builds. From elaborate couture fashion and musical performances to a magical runway entrance by Eckstein herself, the event was designed to captivate and inspire. Central to this vision was the transformation of the stage into the World of Oz, a feat made possible by ALTRD Projections and Barco’s state-of-the-art projectors.

The runway serves as the stage for a group of selected designers who created and showcased their designs inspired by the Wicked fandom during the 2025 Her Universe Fashion Show! At the end of the night, Lynleigh Sato and Caitlin Beards were chosen by both the audience and an expert panel of judges as the winning designers. They will be awarded a cash prize of $2,000 USD and have been offered the opportunity to design a fashion collection with Her Universe!

Challenge

This year’s production presented a unique spatial and creative challenge: how to deliver high-impact visuals across four separate projection surfaces. The team needed a solution that could deliver consistent brightness, sharp resolution, and vibrant color across each of the four side screens – two on each side of the stage – while maintaining visual cohesion with the central LED display. Ensuring seamless integration and high performance across these distinct surfaces was critical to the immersive experience.

Solution

Barco stepped in with four units of the UDX-4K40 projectors. Known for their unmatched brightness, 4K resolution, and color fidelity, these high-performance projectors were instrumental in creating a cohesive, large-scale projection canvas of the four side screens that framed the runway.

The UDX’ ability to deliver consistent, vibrant imagery across wide surfaces allowed the creative team at ALTRD Projections to design and execute a fully immersive runway backdrop. The visuals were crisp, dynamic, and emotionally resonant, bringing the magical world of Oz to life. The projectors handled complex motion graphics and color-rich content with ease, ensuring that every detail was rendered with cinematic precision.

Barco’s technology didn’t just support the show’s visuals - it elevated them, enabling a level of storytelling and spectacle that matched the ambition of the designers and performers. The result was a flawless fusion of fashion and technology that left audiences spellbound.

Results

It was a wickedly memorable evening. The visuals created by the Barco projectors elevated the entire production, immersing the audience in a fantastical experience that matched the creativity of the designs on the runway. The show drew record attendance and rave reviews, with fans and judges alike praising the visual storytelling and technical excellence. By blending creativity and innovation, Barco was a committed technology partner enabling Her Universe to push the boundaries of fashion and fandom once again.