AOA, a leading immersive experience design, production, and project management company, has engineered a magical entrance for Wicked's Glinda in the Her Universe Fashion Show at San Diego Comic-Con.
Presented by Universal, the 11th annual Her Universe Fashion Show brought fantasy and fashion together in a stunning celebration of creativity and craft.
On the theme Defying Fashion: Fashion That Defies Expectations, the show was hosted by Ashley Eckstein, Her Universe founder, entrepreneur, and actor known as the voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars.
25 designers were invited to create couture gowns inspired by Universal and DreamWorks classics, such as Wicked, Jurassic World, How to Train Your Dragon, and Trolls.
Creating 'Glinda's Bubble'
With the upcoming release of Wicked: For Good this November, fans are getting ready to return to Oz, and the Her Universe Fashion Show offered some a head start.
A showstopping feature of the event was Eckstein's entrance as Glinda, in which she floated in on a bubble-shaped chariot.
This was engineered by AOA and constructed at the company's Orlando facility.
A feat of design, fabrication, and precise control, 'Glinda's Bubble' featured a fully remote-controlled platform that would elegantly carry Eckstein down the runway.
This element reimagined an electric wheelchair base as a mobile robotic stage, with integrated lighting and a trigger for a bubble-blower effect.
A primary challenge of the project was creating the illusion of Glinda floating through the air, while also ensuring that the entire mechanism remained structurally sound, safe, and visually cinematic.
The design included pink and gold curved accents, iridescent materials, and a sculptural wand that functioned as a safety railing.
Denise Hatcher, AOA’s managing director, says: "Every part of it was intentional. The colors, the motion, the finish - it all had to feel like magic. These kinds of projects move fast, but that’s what makes them fun for the team.
"It’s a sprint of imagination, engineering, and then a full project launch in just a few weeks’ time."
The AOA team created two small prototypes prior to manufacturing and tested their mobility and control systems indoors and outdoors. As the concept evolved, they checked every weight adjustment, curve, and shimmer to make sure Glinda’s entrance was seamless.
Storytelling & technical expertise
Eckstein founded Her Universe to create a place where fans, particularly women, can express themselves through fashion.
With this collaboration with AOA, she sought to raise the standard of this spectacle.
"Just like Glinda made a grand entrance in the movie Wicked, I wanted to appear on stage in a bubble and then I wanted to float down the runway!" says Eckstein.
"Most companies would say that my idea was impossible, but AOA leaned into the challenge and made all of my bubble dreams come true!"
The project marks AOA’s second year as the Her Universe special effects partner.
In 2024, the show was presented by Mattel and had a Barbie theme. AOA helped bring this to life through projection mapping, creating seven virtual looks that turned Eckstein into a living digital Barbie, before unveiling a pink couture finale.
Although AOA is best known for its theme park projects, collaborations like the Her Universe Fashion Show illustrate how its expertise can create immersive moments for stage and audience, as well as between attractions and guests.
By leveraging this storytelling and technical precision, the team brings cinematic universes, like Wicked and Barbie, to life in live experiential settings.
"This was a big idea on a short timeline, and the pressure was high," says Eckstein.
"But when my bubble started moving and the crowd reacted, like I had truly just drifted down from Oz, that’s when I knew we achieved our goal. Through visual and practical effects, we created magic onstage."
Earlier this month, AOA announced the appointment of acclaimed creative director, Nova Han.
