At the 50th-annual San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC), actress, author, entrepreneur and fashion designer Ashley Eckstein revealed an On Our Sleeves™ themed dress at The Her Universe Fashion Show. -Photo Credit: Mark Edwards
COLUMBUS, Ohio – At the 50th-annual San Diego Comic-Con International (SDCC), actress, author, entrepreneur and fashion designer Ashley Eckstein revealed an On Our Sleeves™ themed dress at The Her Universe Fashion Show yesterday. The self-proclaimed “epicenter of the geek fashion movement,” the yearly fashion show is a key attraction of the four-day international convention.
The whimsical, color blocked dress designed and made by 2014 Her Universe Fashion Show Winner Andrew MacLaine, features a custom printed fabric with various On Our Sleeves symbols. Eckstein completed the look with heels adorned with a butterfly, the main icon of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
The On Our Sleeves movement was created by Nationwide Children’s in the fall of 2018 and aims to transform children’s mental health by raising awareness about the one in five children living across America with a mental illness and ending the stigma often associated with these conditions.
“The theme of this year’s Her Universe Fashion Show was “The Power of Fashion. All of the designs were inspired by something powerful and it’s very important to me to use our platform to make a powerful statement,” said Eckstein. “I am proud to join the On Our Sleeves movement with Nationwide Children’s to help break the stigma surrounding mental health. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health and I’m extremely passionate about using our platform to be a voice for mental health advocacy and education.”
Additionally, a t-shirt with an On Our Sleeves motif and designed by Eckstein is on sale exclusively at The Her Universe Booth #1321 at SDCC, which runs through this Sunday, July 21. The t-shirt will also be available for purchase soon on the Her Universe website. Each t-shirt costs $30 and all proceeds from the sales will support the movement.
Eckstein has been a dedicated ambassador for the On Our Sleeves platform. During the past two years, she has been a guest at the hospital, meeting with behavioral health experts and hospital officials to learn more about the On Our Sleeves movement. In addition to participating in a live hospital Instagram chat centering on behavioral health education and advocacy, Eckstein served as a featured expert for 700 Children’s, Nationwide Children’s blog that offers current pediatric healthcare information and research from physicians and specialists. When On Our Sleeves launched nationally this past May 9 on National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, Eckstein shared information about the movement, including supportive and educational resources to her thousands of followers via her personal social media platforms.
“We are so grateful for Ashley and her support for On Our Sleeves and changing how we talk about mental illness,” said Steve Testa, president, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation. “To share this important message on not just a national, but an international stage, will have a tremendous impact on how we support those living with a mental illness and we cannot express our gratitude enough for Ashley’s commitment to this cause.”
Eckstein created Her Universe, the groundbreaking fangirl fashion company and lifestyle brand in 2010. She is also known for voicing the popular Star Wars character Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.
If you or your child need immediate help due to having suicidal thoughts, go to your local emergency room immediately, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or you can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741-741.
About On Our Sleeves™
Because kids don’t wear their thoughts on their sleeves, we don’t know what they might be going through. That’s why Nationwide Children’s Hospital launched On Our Sleeves™ to build a community of support for children living with mental illness through advocacy, education and fundraising for much-needed research. For more information about children’s mental health and to help break the silence and stigma around mental illness, visit OnOurSleeves.org.
About Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2019-20 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.5 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.
About Her Universe
Her Universe was launched in 2010 by actress, entrepreneur and author of “It’s Your Universe,” Ashley Eckstein. Her Universe markets to female sci-fi and fantasy fans by developing and producing collections of female-centered apparel and accessories for top franchises including Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Doctor Who, DC Comics and Studio Ghibli. In 2018, Eckstein launched Our Universe, fashion for men and boys with the mission to offer fashion for all. You can learn more about Her Universe and Our Universe and purchase the current line of apparel and accessories by going to www.heruniverse.com and by following Eckstein @ashleyeckstein on Instagram & Her Universe online @HerUniverse on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.