Project Runway
Encyclopedia
Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television
, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum
. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme. Their designs are judged, and one or more designers are eliminated each week.
On July 4, 2006 the show's producers, Weinstein Company, announced a five-year deal that would relocate the show to Lifetime Television
, beginning with Season 6. In response, NBC Universal
filed a lawsuit against the Weinstein Company for violating its contract rights. A September 2008 court decision granted NBCU's request for an injunction, preventing Lifetime from promoting or exhibiting "Runway" until further notice.
On April 1, 2009, the lawsuit between Weinstein Co. and NBC Universal was settled, with Weinstein agreeing to pay NBC an undisclosed sum for the right to move the show to Lifetime. Season 6 began airing on Lifetime on August 20, 2009. On August 27, 2009, NBC Universal wound up gaining partial ownership of Lifetime, when A&E Television Networks
, which was already partially owned by NBC, acquired the channel's parent company, Lifetime Entertainment Services. It premiered on the Slice channel in Canada September 12.
. The challenges range in creative diversity to test the designers' ingenuity while maintaining their personal design aesthetic. These challenges may include creating a garment from non-traditional materials, such as: apartment furnishings (Season 3), recyclable materials (Season 3), items from a grocery store (Seasons 1 & 5), edible food items (Seasons 1 & 4), plants and flowers (Season 2), using their own clothes that they happened to be wearing (Season 2), designing clothing with materials from a party store (season 8) ; or designing for a certain high-profile person (such as actress Brooke Shields
, figure skater Sasha Cohen
or Miss USA
Tara Conner
); or designing for a corporate fashion line (e.g., Banana Republic; Diane von Fürstenberg
; Macy's
; or Sarah Jessica Parker
's Bitten); or centered around a specialized theme (such as "cocktail party", "wedding gown", "female wrestling outfit
", or "prom dress
").
The show took place in New York City for Seasons One through Five (with a short stop in Paris in Season 3) with designers using a workroom at The New School
university's Parsons The New School for Design
. They shop for materials at a fabric store in New York's Garment District
(usually at MOOD
Designer Fabrics) – unless the challenge requires otherwise (e.g., denim jackets and jeans from Levi's, confectionery and souvenirs at the Hershey's
Store in Times Square
, or fabric at Spandex House in Season 4). The designers live together, grouped by gender, at Atlas New York (an apartment building near Parsons) during Seasons 1–3 (back again at Season 5) and at New Gotham during Season 4. Along with the network change to Lifetime, the location changed from New York to Los Angeles for Season 6. While on the show, the designers are prohibited from leaving the apartments without authorization, making unauthorized communication with family or friends, or using the Internet to research designs. Designers are also forbidden to bring pattern books or similar how-to materials with them during the show, or risk being disqualified from the competition (as was the case of Keith Michael
in Season 3).
The designers are given a budgeted stipend to select and purchase fabric and notions
, and then provided a limited amount of time to finish their designs (the shortest being 5 hours and the longest being to two or three days, with the exception of fashion week when they are given 12 weeks). Often, the designers work independently, although on some challenges, contestants must work in teams or as a single collective group. Once the deadline is reached, the designers must dress their models and select their hair, make-up, and accessories. Each model walks down the runway, and the garment the contestant made is rated by a panel of judges, who score each look in several categories from 0 to 5, and often provide personal annotations and comments regarding the presented designs. The judges then interview the six remaining designers who garnered the highest and the lowest scores (usually a top 3 and a bottom 3), and share their opinions while listening to the designers' defense of their outfits, then confer as a group in private. The panel then announces the winning and losing designers based on their scores and other considerations. Typically, the winner receives immunity
for the next challenge, and therefore cannot be eliminated. As the season progresses, immunity is disregarded during later challenges to prevent the designers from getting an easy pass to make it into the final round. Other incentives given to the contestants aside from winning immunity
include: The winning garment may be featured in print media, integrated into a limited edition look for a particular clothing brand, or sold at an online fashion store (e.g., BlueFly.com
beginning in Season 4 onwards). Generally, the loser of each challenge is eliminated from the competition, with host Klum giving him or her a double air kiss
on the runway and wishing the eliminated designer her catchphrase, Auf Wiedersehen, before they depart. Thus, elimination from the show is sometimes called "being auf'd"--a play on words as it can be interpreted as offed.
After the final challenge, the remaining three designers are then told to prepare a complete fashion collection of twelve looks to be presented at New York Fashion Week
in Bryant Park
. The finalists are given 12 weeks and $8000 for this task, which they perform at their own homes or studios. While some construction work can be outsourced, the majority of the garments must be created by the designers themselves. Prior to the show, the finalists must return to New York City to oversee model casting, hair and make-up consultations, finishing touches to their clothes, final fitting on their models, and possibly an additional challenge, such as designing another outfit to blend in with the collection (Season 2). Their receipts are also handed over to the producers of the show to determine if they went over budget or had outsourcing done as favors, both of which are against the rules. If rules are violated, they may be forced to eliminate a crucial aesthetic factor in their presentation (e.g., Jeffrey Sebelia
's blond wigs and pleated leather shorts in Season 3); or the judging panel might lower their scoring, if they insist upon using a forbidden item (e.g., Kara Saun
's outsourced footwear in Season 1). The ultimate winner is selected by the judges, and receives $100,000 to start his or her own design line, a feature spread in Elle
magazine, and a mentorship from a design firm (ended on Season 3). The winner is also given the optional opportunity to sell his or her collection on bluefly.com. Subsequent seasons have also included a new car as part of the prize package, courtesy of the automobile company Saturn.
Female fashion models, who work with the designers throughout the season, are also in the competition. Each week, as the number of designers dwindles, the number of models is also reduced. Models are randomly pre-assigned to a designer during the first challenge, but from the second challenge onwards, the designers are able to choose the model with whom they wish to work. During weekly model eliminations, the models stand on a runway with Klum, in front of the seated group of designers. The models always appear in barefoot, hair tied back and wearing a little black dress. The designers then pick their models in sequence, based upon their respective scores in the previous design competition. Originally, model selection happened at the start of every episode save for the first. The winner of the previous challenge receiving first pick, and the other designers picking models in order through Klum's random draw of large red shirt buttons with their names stored in a black velvet bag. However, there were times when only the winning designer was given the choice to pick with the following choices: either keep his or her previous model, take the losing designer's model from the last challenge, or switch models with another competing designer. Beginning with Season 6, model selection appears on a companion program, Models of the Runway
, usually near the end of that show. At the end of the weekly model selection process, the one unpicked model is sent home. This losing model is also given host Klum's air kiss and Auf Wiedersehen before leaving the runway. Included in the prize package for the winning model is coverage in Elle magazine, featuring the winning designer's twelve-piece collection as part of her prize. However, certain challenges may not require the models at all, such as: giving a competing designer a head-to-toe makeover (Season 2 and 5), designers creating their own looks (Season 3), designing menswear (Season 4), or creating a garment for a specific client (e.g., reconstructed outfits for women who lost weight, or wrestling
costumes for the WWE Divas in Season 4).
Joining Klum in judging duties are American top designer Michael Kors
, Marie Claire
fashion director Nina Garcia
, and a fourth judge – typically a fashion designer (Diane von Fürstenberg
, Vera Wang
, Zac Posen
, Austin Scarlett
, Francisco Costa, Betsey Johnson
, Alberta Ferretti
, Roberto Cavalli
, Monique Lhuillier
, Catherine Malandrino
), a supermodel
(Iman
or Alessandra Ambrosio
), a celebrity (Victoria Beckham
, Sarah Jessica Parker
, Christina Aguilera
, Nicky Hilton
, Natalie Portman
), or a professional from an industry related to the challenge given (Nancy O'Dell, Rachel Zoe
, Tiki Barber
, Apolo Anton Ohno
, Patricia Field
, Ivanka Trump
). Tim Gunn
, former faculty member of Parsons The New School for Design
and now Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne
Inc., acts as mentor
to the designers and does not participate in the judging. Instead, he visits the designers midway through each challenge to comment and suggest improvements for each design, as well as announcing additional challenge updates and enforcing the time limit before each runway show. Gunn also usually announces the design challenges along with from Klum, and accompanies the designers during their fabric shopping at MOOD or on field trips related to a particular challenge. Gunn serves other functions as well, including bidding farewell to each eliminated designer and model, and visiting the homes of each of the three finalist designers.
. Project Runway gave Bravo one of its most successful series since Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
The winning designer of the firstwas Pennsylvania
-based designer Jay McCarroll
. Second place was Kara Saun
, and third was Wendy Pepper
. As his prize for winning the competition among 12 designers, McCarroll was eligible to receive a $100,000 cash prize, a mentorship with Banana Republic to aid in developing his own fashion label (both of which he turned down), and display of his work in the American edition of Elle magazine. The winning model of the first season, selected by McCarroll, was Julia Beynon, who beat out models Jenny Toth (for Kara Saun
) and Melissa Haro
(for Wendy Pepper
).
Austin Scarlett
produced a decoy collection for Fashion Week after being eliminated in the controversial "Nancy O'Dell Grammy Challenge", causing outrage among fans. His appearance at Fashion Week was an 11th hour decision made by the show's producers who were concerned that the identity of the three finalists would be revealed before the Project Runway Season 1 finale aired. The ploy was later adopted for the show's succeeding seasons.
In 2008, Jay McCarrol, in conjunction with Here! Films released the feature length documentary "11 Minutes". The feature documentary chronicles his year-long post Project Runway journey preparing his first independent runway show for New York's Fashion Week in Bryant Park and the subsequent selling of his line to stores. Also in 2008, Jay McCarroll
launched his own online fashion boutique, The Colony.
The cast members were Jay McCarroll, Kara Saun, Wendy Pepper, Austin Scarlett, Mario Cadenas, Nora Caliguri, Daniel Franco, Starr Ilzhoefer, Kevin Johnn, Vanessa Riley, Robert Plotkin, and Alexandra Vidal.
, received $100,000 in seed money to help launch her own line, a one year contract with Designers Management Agency
, a 2007 Saturn Sky roadster, a spread in Elle magazine, and a mentorship with the Banana Republic Design Team. Michael Kors
and Nina Garcia
returned as judges for the second season. The final judging seat rotated each week, based on the challenge. Tim Gunn
, fashion chair at Parsons The New School for Design
, returned as a mentor for the designers. Chloe Dao (paired with model Grace Kelsey) beat out rivals Daniel Vosovic
and Santino Rice
.
Season 2's competitors were Zulema Griffin, Santino Rice, Raymundo Baltazar, Marla Duran, Kirsten Ehrig, Guadalupe Vidal, Emmett McCarthy, Diana Eng, John Wade, Daniel Vosovic, Chloe Dao, Kara Janx, Daniel Franco, Andraé Gonzalo, Heidi Standridge, and Nick Verreos.
replacing Banana Republic, in advance of Macy's conversion of former May Company
department stores.
The season finale aired on October 18, 2006. Mychael Knight was the first to be eliminated in the season finale for his collection titled "Street Safari." Knight was a fan favorite, but his line did not appeal to the judges. In a "Reunion" episode that aired on October 4, 2006, viewers voted Mychael Knight as their favorite designer, earning him a $10,000 prize. Laura Bennett was the second eliminated for her collection of cocktail dresses and evening wear, though the judges praised her for how expensive her items looked. During taping, Bennett found out she was pregnant with her sixth child. Jeffrey Sebelia was voted the winner by the judges. His model was Marilinda Rivera. Jeffrey's designs edged out fellow designers Uli Herzner (with Nazri Segaro), Laura Bennett (with Camilla Barungi), and Mychael Knight (with Clarissa Anderson), to take the coveted Elle fashion spread. Uli Herzner was the runner-up and was also highly praised by the judges for her collection. Sebelia's girlfriend and son were there to celebrate his win with him.
There were many dramatic scenes which played out this season. Designer Keith Michael
became the first designer to be asked to leave the show for multiple rule violations. He was found to be in possession of prohibited pattern-making books and left the production site for several hours, during which time he used the internet. Sebelia was accused of having outside help to finish his garments by fellow competitor Laura Bennett. The issue was investigated, and it was declared that he had followed the guidelines. Because he could not produce a receipt for a pair of leather shorts he had sent out for pleating, he removed that item from the show. In addition, because he had gone over budget by $227.95, he removed the blonde wigs he had planned for his runway models in order to drop below budget. Also, for the first time, the last four designers were selected as finalists (Jeffrey Sebelia
, Laura Bennett
, Ulrike "Uli" Herzner
, and Mychael Knight), with no decoy collection to serve as a distraction before the finale aired, and allowed to compete at New York Fashion Week
.
During Season 5, there was a poll consisting of the most memorable moments of Project Runway. Among the most notable were Keith's disqualification, Sebelia's issues with competitor Angela Kesler's mother, and the controversy about Sebelia's final collection.
returning as host and Tim Gunn
returning as design mentor. Earlier in the year Gunn was named Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne Inc. Cast members for Season 4 were revealed during episodes of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style
.
This was the first season a designer was compelled to quit the competition for medical reasons. Jack Mackenroth left in Episode 5 and was replaced by Chris March, who had been the most recently eliminated designer.
This was also the first season in which four designers were chosen to prepare collections for Fashion Week, but only three proceeded on in the competition to show their collections at Fashion Week
. Christian Siriano
, who had won the last challenge, was assured of presenting his designs at Fashion Week. Jillian Lewis, the runner up in the last challenge, was also guaranteed a spot. In a new finale twist, Rami Kashou and Chris March had to show the three best pieces from their collections to the judges. Kashou was selected.
Kathleen "Sweet P." Vaughn, the last designer eliminated before the finale, produced a decoy collection for Fashion Week, along with Chris March. Siriano won $10,000 as the Project Runway Season 4 Fan Favorite. Season 3 Fan Favorite winner Mychael Knight brought out the check to Siriano during the Reunion episode. Siriano became the fourth and youngest winner of Project Runway. His model, Lisa Nargi, won the Elle fashion editorial featuring his winning designs at Fashion Week, over fellow models Sam Ruggiero (for Rami Kashou) and Lauren Browne (for Jillian Lewis). This was also the first season of the show in which the final three models did not wear the finale pieces of their respective designers.
Season 5 had a series poll consisting the 22 most memorable moments of Project Runway. The season 4 moments consist of Michael Kors losing it during a competition, designer Elisa Jimenez
's spit marks, the designers talking about their wrestling names, Mackenroth's departure/March's return, Siriano's drama with a teen, Sarah Jessica Parker
surprising the designers, and Victoria Beckham
telling Siriano she would love to wear any of his clothing.
"It's Sew Not Over", a post-show competition, designers were asked to create a three piece collection that would be voted online by the viewing public. Jillian Lewis was chosen as the winner.
Seasons cast members: Christian Siriano, Ricky Lizalde, Steven Rosengard, Carmen Webber, Kevin Christiana, Marion Lee, Rami Kashou, Elisa Jimenez, Victorya Hong, Simone LeBlanc, Kathleen Vaughn, Christina Scarbo, Jillian Lewis, Jack Mackenroth, and Chris March.
This first episode was the first time that they repeated a challenge from a previous season: the Gristedes
challenge, in which the designers had to make a design of their choice using what they could find at a grocery store. The episode, featuring a special guest judge appearance by first season competitor Austin Scarlett, was intended as an homage to the glories of past seasons, the fifth season being the last on Bravo and by original producers Magical Elves.
This season also featured more stars from the acting and music industries than usual. Natalie Portman
, Sandra Bernhard
, Apolo Anton Ohno
, Brooke Shields
, RuPaul
, LL Cool J
all acted as special guest judge in a challenge. Jennifer Lopez
also was supposed to be the guest judge in the finale, but bowed out at the last minute, so Tim Gunn took her place.
For the first time, six people showed collections for Fashion Week. Joe Faris and Stephen "Suede" Baum, the last two designers eliminated, and Jerell Scott, who was eliminated in the first part of the finale, showed decoy collections.
For the first time, all of the finalists (Kenley Collins, Korto Momolu and Leanne Marshall
) were female. The second part of the season finale was aired October 15, 2008. All three collections were well received. Kenley was praised for her well-tailored designs, but was eliminated first for some of her designs were reminiscent of other professional designers' collections. The judges admired Korto's ethnic touches on her designs, but thought that a few were overworked. Leanne was declared the winner for her wave patterns. Her model, Tia Shipman, received a spread in Elle magazine. The other models were Katarina Munez (for Korto) and Topacio Pena (for Kenley).
For the first time since Season 1, there was no reunion or opening introduction due to time restraints. However, Bravo continued to stage the fan favorite contest, with Momulu winning.
The sixth season had been announced to begin airing in January 2009 on Lifetime, but was delayed due to legal issues. The announcement occurred before NBC Universal sought preliminary injunctive action effectively enjoining production. The launch was further delayed due to Lifetime's request that the suit between NBC Universal and The Weinstein Co. be removed
to federal court.
The three finalists of the sixth season showed their collections at New York Fashion Week
at Bryant Park on February 20, 2009, but the finalists were not named and did not appear onstage that day. Irina Shabayeva
won the competition with her model Kalyn Hemphill. Althea Harper and her model Tanisha Harper placed second in the competition, followed by Carol Hannah Whitfield and her model Lisa Blades.
On April 1, 2009, the lawsuit between Weinstein Co. and NBC Universal was settled, with Weinstein agreeing to pay NBC an undisclosed sum for the right to move the show to Lifetime. The season began airing on Lifetime on August 20, 2009 and featured guest judges such as Christina Aguilera
, Eva Longoria
and Lindsay Lohan
.
The designers were: Nicolas Putvinski, Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman, Shirin Askari, Qristyl Frazier, Malvin Vien, Louise Black, Mitchell Hall, Epperson, Althea Harper, Ari Fish, Carol Hannah Whitfield, Johnny Sakalis, Irina Shabayeva, Gordana Gehlhausen, Christopher Straub, and Logan Neitzel.
The show returned to New York City for Season 7, and premiered on January 14, 2010. Nina Garcia and Michael Kors are returning as judges for the entire length of the season, along with mentor Tim Gunn and host Heidi Klum.
The cast members were: Amy Sarabi, Seth Aaron Henderson, Emillio Sosa, Jonathan Joseph Peters, Jay Nicolas Sario, Maya Luz, Mila Hermanovski, Christiane King, Pamela Ptak, Ping Wu, Jesus Estrada, Anna Lynett, Janeane Marie Ceccanti, Jesse LeNoir, Ben Chmura and Anthony Williams.
Seth Aaron Henderson
was declared the winner of Season 7 on April 22, 2010, who beat out rivals Emilio Sosa and Mila Hermanovski.
The designers were A.J. Thouvenot, Andy South, April Johnson, Casanova, Christopher Collins, Gretchen Jones, Ivy Higa, Jason Troisi, Kristen Haskin Simms, McKell Maddox, Michael Costello, Michael Drummond, Mondo Guerra, Nicholas D'Aurizio, Peach Carr, Sarah Trost, and Valerie Mayen.
This winner of Project Runway season eight received $100,000 from L'Oréal Paris, a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine, a $50,000 technology suite by HP and Intel, and the opportunity to design and sell an exclusive collection on Piperlime.com. The model paired with the winning designer won a designer's editorial feature in Marie Claire magazine and received $25,000 from L'Oréal Studio Secrets Professional.
Gretchen Jones
was declared the winner of Season 8 on October 28, 2010.
The desigers of Season 9 are Anthony Ryan Auld, Anya Ayoung-Chee, Becky Ross, Bert Keeter, Bryce Black, Cecilia Motwani, Danielle Everine, Fallene Wells, Joshua McKinley, Joshua Christensen, Julie Tierney, Kimberly Goldson, Laura Kathleen, Olivier Green, Rafael Cox, and Viktor Luna.
Anya Ayoung-Chee
was declared the Winner of Project Runway Season 9 on October 27, 2011. Anya won over rivals Joshua McKinley, Viktor Luna, and Kimberly Goldson.
On August 8, 2011, the cast of "Project Runway All Stars" was announced: Angela Lindvall will host and join Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman as judges. Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles will serve as mentor. Designers include: Austin Scarlett (Season 1), Kara Janx (Season 2), Elisa Jimenez (Season 4), Rami Kashou (Season 4), Sweet P (Season 4), Jerell Scott (Season 5), Kenley Collins (Season 5), Gordana Gehlhausen (Season 6), Anthony Williams (Season 7), Mila Hermanovski (Season 7), April Johnston (Season 8), Michael Costello (Season 8), and Mondo Guerra (Season 8).
Both a PC
and Wii
video game were released in 2010.
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum
Heidi Samuel , better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and occasional singer. In 2008 she became an American citizen while maintaining her native German citizenship...
. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme. Their designs are judged, and one or more designers are eliminated each week.
On July 4, 2006 the show's producers, Weinstein Company, announced a five-year deal that would relocate the show to Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
, beginning with Season 6. In response, NBC Universal
NBC Universal
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
filed a lawsuit against the Weinstein Company for violating its contract rights. A September 2008 court decision granted NBCU's request for an injunction, preventing Lifetime from promoting or exhibiting "Runway" until further notice.
On April 1, 2009, the lawsuit between Weinstein Co. and NBC Universal was settled, with Weinstein agreeing to pay NBC an undisclosed sum for the right to move the show to Lifetime. Season 6 began airing on Lifetime on August 20, 2009. On August 27, 2009, NBC Universal wound up gaining partial ownership of Lifetime, when A&E Television Networks
A&E Television Networks
A&E Television Networks is a U.S. media company that owns a group of television channels available via cable & satellite in the US and abroad...
, which was already partially owned by NBC, acquired the channel's parent company, Lifetime Entertainment Services. It premiered on the Slice channel in Canada September 12.
Format
Project Runway uses progressive elimination to reduce the initial field of 12 or more fashion designers down to 3 before the final challenge. Each non-finale challenge (the scope of one episode) requires the designers to develop one or several pieces of new clothing to be presented at a runway showFashion show
A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase his or her upcoming line of clothing during Fashion Week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons. This is where the latest fashion trends are made...
. The challenges range in creative diversity to test the designers' ingenuity while maintaining their personal design aesthetic. These challenges may include creating a garment from non-traditional materials, such as: apartment furnishings (Season 3), recyclable materials (Season 3), items from a grocery store (Seasons 1 & 5), edible food items (Seasons 1 & 4), plants and flowers (Season 2), using their own clothes that they happened to be wearing (Season 2), designing clothing with materials from a party store (season 8) ; or designing for a certain high-profile person (such as actress Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
, figure skater Sasha Cohen
Sasha Cohen
Alexandra Pauline "Sasha" Cohen is a U.S. figure skater. She is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World Championship medalist, the 2003 Grand Prix Final Champion, and the 2006 U.S. Champion.-Personal life:...
or Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
Tara Conner
Tara Conner
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
); or designing for a corporate fashion line (e.g., Banana Republic; Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg, formerly Princess Diane of Fürstenberg , is a Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon of Fürstenberg...
; Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
; or Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
's Bitten); or centered around a specialized theme (such as "cocktail party", "wedding gown", "female wrestling outfit
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
", or "prom dress
Prom
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
").
The show took place in New York City for Seasons One through Five (with a short stop in Paris in Season 3) with designers using a workroom at The New School
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
university's Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School For Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City's Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane...
. They shop for materials at a fabric store in New York's Garment District
Garment District, Manhattan
The Garment District, also known as the Garment Center, the Fashion District, or the Fashion Center, is a neighborhood located in the Manhattan borough of New York City. The dense concentration of fashion-related uses give the neighborhood, which is generally considered to span between Fifth Avenue...
(usually at MOOD
Mood
Mood may refer to:*Mood , a relatively long lasting emotional state*Grammatical mood, one of a set of morphologically distinctive forms that are used to signal modality*Mood , a city in Iran*Mood District, a district in Iran...
Designer Fabrics) – unless the challenge requires otherwise (e.g., denim jackets and jeans from Levi's, confectionery and souvenirs at the Hershey's
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
Store in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, or fabric at Spandex House in Season 4). The designers live together, grouped by gender, at Atlas New York (an apartment building near Parsons) during Seasons 1–3 (back again at Season 5) and at New Gotham during Season 4. Along with the network change to Lifetime, the location changed from New York to Los Angeles for Season 6. While on the show, the designers are prohibited from leaving the apartments without authorization, making unauthorized communication with family or friends, or using the Internet to research designs. Designers are also forbidden to bring pattern books or similar how-to materials with them during the show, or risk being disqualified from the competition (as was the case of Keith Michael
Keith Michael
Keith Michael is an American fashion designer based in New York City. Michael participated in the third season of American reality show Project Runway.-Education & Career:...
in Season 3).
The designers are given a budgeted stipend to select and purchase fabric and notions
Notion (accessory)
In sewing and haberdashery, notions is the collective term for a variety of small objects or accessories. Notions can include items that are sewn or otherwise attached to a finished article, such as buttons, snaps, and collar stays, but the term also includes small tools used in sewing, such as...
, and then provided a limited amount of time to finish their designs (the shortest being 5 hours and the longest being to two or three days, with the exception of fashion week when they are given 12 weeks). Often, the designers work independently, although on some challenges, contestants must work in teams or as a single collective group. Once the deadline is reached, the designers must dress their models and select their hair, make-up, and accessories. Each model walks down the runway, and the garment the contestant made is rated by a panel of judges, who score each look in several categories from 0 to 5, and often provide personal annotations and comments regarding the presented designs. The judges then interview the six remaining designers who garnered the highest and the lowest scores (usually a top 3 and a bottom 3), and share their opinions while listening to the designers' defense of their outfits, then confer as a group in private. The panel then announces the winning and losing designers based on their scores and other considerations. Typically, the winner receives immunity
Immunity (reality television)
Immunity in reality television is a concept that is widely used in weekly elimination-type reality television shows by which a contestant participating in such a show may not be "kicked off" or eliminated from competition in a particular time period...
for the next challenge, and therefore cannot be eliminated. As the season progresses, immunity is disregarded during later challenges to prevent the designers from getting an easy pass to make it into the final round. Other incentives given to the contestants aside from winning immunity
Immunity (reality television)
Immunity in reality television is a concept that is widely used in weekly elimination-type reality television shows by which a contestant participating in such a show may not be "kicked off" or eliminated from competition in a particular time period...
include: The winning garment may be featured in print media, integrated into a limited edition look for a particular clothing brand, or sold at an online fashion store (e.g., BlueFly.com
Bluefly
Bluefly, Inc. is an American electronic commerce company. Headquartered in New York, New York, it was one of the first online retailers to sell fashion in a sophisticated manner. Ken Seiff and a team of six founded Bluefly.com, Inc. in 1998 and built it in less than four months from the time it...
beginning in Season 4 onwards). Generally, the loser of each challenge is eliminated from the competition, with host Klum giving him or her a double air kiss
Air kiss
The air kiss is a ritual or social gesture whose meaning is basically the same as that of many forms of kissing. The air kiss is a pretence of kissing: the lips are pursed as if kissing, but without actually touching the other person's body. Sometimes, the air kiss includes touching cheek-to-cheek....
on the runway and wishing the eliminated designer her catchphrase, Auf Wiedersehen, before they depart. Thus, elimination from the show is sometimes called "being auf'd"--a play on words as it can be interpreted as offed.
After the final challenge, the remaining three designers are then told to prepare a complete fashion collection of twelve looks to be presented at New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week
The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...
in Bryant Park
Bryant Park
Bryant Park is a 9.603 acre privately managed public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan...
. The finalists are given 12 weeks and $8000 for this task, which they perform at their own homes or studios. While some construction work can be outsourced, the majority of the garments must be created by the designers themselves. Prior to the show, the finalists must return to New York City to oversee model casting, hair and make-up consultations, finishing touches to their clothes, final fitting on their models, and possibly an additional challenge, such as designing another outfit to blend in with the collection (Season 2). Their receipts are also handed over to the producers of the show to determine if they went over budget or had outsourcing done as favors, both of which are against the rules. If rules are violated, they may be forced to eliminate a crucial aesthetic factor in their presentation (e.g., Jeffrey Sebelia
Jeffrey Sebelia
Jeffrey Sebelia is an American fashion designer and founder of the clothing label Cosa Nostra, which he headed from a loft on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles...
's blond wigs and pleated leather shorts in Season 3); or the judging panel might lower their scoring, if they insist upon using a forbidden item (e.g., Kara Saun
Kara Saun
Kara Saun is an American fashion designer who participated in the first season of American reality show Project Runway.-Career:Saun was a contestant on the first season of the series Project Runway. She is the costume designer for MTV's hit series America's Best Dance Crew and the Jabbawockeez...
's outsourced footwear in Season 1). The ultimate winner is selected by the judges, and receives $100,000 to start his or her own design line, a feature spread in Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
magazine, and a mentorship from a design firm (ended on Season 3). The winner is also given the optional opportunity to sell his or her collection on bluefly.com. Subsequent seasons have also included a new car as part of the prize package, courtesy of the automobile company Saturn.
Female fashion models, who work with the designers throughout the season, are also in the competition. Each week, as the number of designers dwindles, the number of models is also reduced. Models are randomly pre-assigned to a designer during the first challenge, but from the second challenge onwards, the designers are able to choose the model with whom they wish to work. During weekly model eliminations, the models stand on a runway with Klum, in front of the seated group of designers. The models always appear in barefoot, hair tied back and wearing a little black dress. The designers then pick their models in sequence, based upon their respective scores in the previous design competition. Originally, model selection happened at the start of every episode save for the first. The winner of the previous challenge receiving first pick, and the other designers picking models in order through Klum's random draw of large red shirt buttons with their names stored in a black velvet bag. However, there were times when only the winning designer was given the choice to pick with the following choices: either keep his or her previous model, take the losing designer's model from the last challenge, or switch models with another competing designer. Beginning with Season 6, model selection appears on a companion program, Models of the Runway
Models of the Runway
Models of the Runway was a television series on the Lifetime network. It was an off-shoot of Project Runway appearing each week during seasons when Project Runway aired, generally immediately following the broadcast of the latest episode, and following the experiences of the fashion models on...
, usually near the end of that show. At the end of the weekly model selection process, the one unpicked model is sent home. This losing model is also given host Klum's air kiss and Auf Wiedersehen before leaving the runway. Included in the prize package for the winning model is coverage in Elle magazine, featuring the winning designer's twelve-piece collection as part of her prize. However, certain challenges may not require the models at all, such as: giving a competing designer a head-to-toe makeover (Season 2 and 5), designers creating their own looks (Season 3), designing menswear (Season 4), or creating a garment for a specific client (e.g., reconstructed outfits for women who lost weight, or wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
costumes for the WWE Divas in Season 4).
Joining Klum in judging duties are American top designer Michael Kors
Michael Kors
Michael Kors is an American fashion designer. He is best known for designing classic American sportswear for women.-Personal life:...
, Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and...
fashion director Nina Garcia
Nina Garcia
Nina García, is a Colombian fashion journalist and critic who has held the post of Fashion Director at Elle and Marie Claire magazines, and is currently a judge on the Lifetime reality television program Project Runway....
, and a fourth judge – typically a fashion designer (Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg, formerly Princess Diane of Fürstenberg , is a Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon of Fürstenberg...
, Vera Wang
Vera Wang
Vera Ellen Wang is a Chinese American fashion designer based in New York City and former figure skater. She is known for her wide clientele of couture bridesmaid gowns and wedding gown collections.-Personal life:...
, Zac Posen
Zac Posen
- Early life :Posen was raised in the SoHo neighborhood of lower Manhattan, the son of artist Stephen Posen and corporate lawyer Susan Posen. His interest in fashion design started early, and as a child he would steal yarmulkes from his grandparents' synagogue to make ball dresses for dolls...
, Austin Scarlett
Austin Scarlett
Austin Scarlett is an American fashion designer and artist most popularly known for his appearance the first season of Project Runway and his recent series, On the Road with Austin and Santino.-Early life and education:...
, Francisco Costa, Betsey Johnson
Betsey Johnson
Betsey Johnson is an American fashion designer best known for her feminine and whimsical designs. Many of her designs are considered "over the top" and embellished...
, Alberta Ferretti
Alberta Ferretti
Alberta Ferretti is an Italian fashion designer and dressmaker. She designs for Alberta Ferretti and Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti. Her showroom is in Milan, Italy but her studio is in the picturesque village of Cattolica, near Rimini, Italy....
, Roberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli is an Italian fashion designer from Florence.-Biography:Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence, Tuscany. His grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi, was a member of the Macchiaioli Movement, whose work is exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery. Cavalli decided to enroll at the local Art Institute,...
, Monique Lhuillier
Monique Lhuillier
Diane Monique Lhuillier is a fashion designer most prominently known for bridal wear. She owns a couture fashion house based in Los Angeles, California....
, Catherine Malandrino
Catherine Malandrino
Catherine Malandrino is a fashion designer. She was born in Grenoble, France and now works in New York City as well as in Paris.-Profile:...
), a supermodel
Supermodel
The term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
(Iman
Iman (model)
Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid , professionally known as Iman , is a Somali-American fashion model, actress and entrepreneur. A pioneer in the field of ethnic cosmetics, she is also noted for her charitable work. She is married to David Bowie.-Early life:Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Iman is the daughter...
or Alessandra Ambrosio
Alessandra Ambrosio
Alessandra Corine Ambrósio is a Brazilian model. Ambrosio is best known for her work with Victoria's Secret and was chosen as the first spokesmodel for the company's "PINK" line...
), a celebrity (Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
, Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
, Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Nicky Hilton
Nicky Hilton
Nicholai Olivia "Nicky" Hilton is an American businesswoman, fashion model, socialite, celebutante, heiress and fashion designer. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton and younger sister of Paris Hilton....
, Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
), or a professional from an industry related to the challenge given (Nancy O'Dell, Rachel Zoe
Rachel Zoe
Rachel Zoe Rosenzweig , also known as Rachel Zoe, is an American fashion stylist best known for working with celebrities, fashion houses, beauty firms, advertising agencies, and magazine editors. In 2008, the first season of her Bravo reality television series The Rachel Zoe Project debuted...
, Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber
Atiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
, Apolo Anton Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno is an American short track speed skating competitor and an eight-time medalist in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time....
, Patricia Field
Patricia Field
Patricia Field is an American costume designer, stylist and fashion designer.-Life and career:Field was born in 1941 in New York City to Greek and Armenian parents, who emigrated from Lesvos, Greece. She was raised in Astoria, Queens and has claimed credit for inventing the modern legging for...
, Ivanka Trump
Ivanka Trump
Ivanka Marie Trump is an American businesswoman, socialite, heiress, and fashion model. The daughter of Ivana and Donald Trump, she is Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at The Trump Organization...
). Tim Gunn
Tim Gunn
Timothy M. "Tim" Gunn is an American fashion consultant and television personality. He was on the faculty of Parsons The New School for Design from 1982 to 2007 and was chair of fashion design at the school from August 2000 to March 2007, after which he joined Liz Claiborne as its chief creative...
, former faculty member of Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School For Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City's Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane...
and now Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne
Liz Claiborne
Anne Elisabeth Jane "Liz" Claiborne was a Belgian-born American fashion designer and entrepreneur. Claiborne is best known for founding Liz Claiborne Inc. which in 1986 became the first company founded by a woman to make the Fortune 500...
Inc., acts as mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
to the designers and does not participate in the judging. Instead, he visits the designers midway through each challenge to comment and suggest improvements for each design, as well as announcing additional challenge updates and enforcing the time limit before each runway show. Gunn also usually announces the design challenges along with from Klum, and accompanies the designers during their fabric shopping at MOOD or on field trips related to a particular challenge. Gunn serves other functions as well, including bidding farewell to each eliminated designer and model, and visiting the homes of each of the three finalist designers.
Overview
| Season | Season Premiere Date | Season Finale Date | No. of Designers |
Winner | Runner-up | 2nd runner-up | 3rd runner-up | Designer Prizes | Model Prizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 1, 2004 | February 23, 2005 | 12 | Jay McCarroll Jay McCarroll Jay McCarroll is a fashion designer who gained fame after winning the debut season of the competitive reality show Project Runway in 2005.-Career:... & Julia Beynon |
Kara Saun Kara Saun Kara Saun is an American fashion designer who participated in the first season of American reality show Project Runway.-Career:Saun was a contestant on the first season of the series Project Runway. She is the costume designer for MTV's hit series America's Best Dance Crew and the Jabbawockeez... & Jenny Toth |
Wendy Pepper Wendy Pepper Wendy Pepper is a fashion designer who appeared on the first season of the reality television show Project Runway, which aired on Bravo, from December 2004 through February 2005.-Early life and education:... & Melissa Haro Melissa Haro Melissa Rose Haro is an American model who appeared in the 2008 & 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Her 2008 photo shoot was set in the Cayman Islands during the Pirate Week festival and included many photos in keeping with its motif... |
N/A | – $100,000 to start his own line - a mentorship with Banana Republic - an editorial feature in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine |
– a spread in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine |
| 2 | December 7, 2005 | March 8, 2006 | 16 | Chloe Dao Chloe Dao Chloe Dao , is an American fashion designer of Vietnamese ancestry who lives and works in Houston, Texas. She was the winner of the second season of the reality show Project Runway with a collection of women's evening wear... & Grace Kelsey |
Daniel Vosovic Daniel Vosovic Daniel Vosovic is a fashion designer and a finalist in season 2 of the reality show, Project Runway. He was the winner of the Project Runway All-Star Challenge, which aired on August 20, 2009.-Biography:... & Rebecca Holliday |
Santino Rice Santino Rice Santino Quinto Rice is an American fashion designer and television personality. He is best known for his appearances on the reality television programs Project Runway, RuPaul's Drag Race, and On the Road with Austin and Santino.-Early life:Rice was born and raised in St. Charles, Missouri... & Heather Brown |
N/A | – $100,000 to start her own line - a mentorship with Banana Republic - an editorial feature in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine - one year of representation with Designers Management Agency Designers Management Agency Designers Management Agency is the first talent representation agency to provide new business development services to designers and brands within the luxury sector... - a 2007 Saturn Sky Saturn Sky The Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT... roadster |
– a spread in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine |
| 3 | July 12, 2006 | October 18, 2006 | 15 | Jeffrey Sebelia Jeffrey Sebelia Jeffrey Sebelia is an American fashion designer and founder of the clothing label Cosa Nostra, which he headed from a loft on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles... & Marilinda Rivera |
Uli Herzner Uli Herzner Ulrike “Uli” Herzner is a fashion designer originally from East Germany, currently living in Miami Beach, Florida. She was a contestant on the third season of the Bravo network reality television series Project Runway, where she finished runner-up to Jeffrey Sebelia. She is now the star of her own... & Nazri Segaro |
Laura Bennett Laura Bennett Laura Eugenia Bennett is an American architect and fashion designer and one of the four finalists on Bravo's July 2006's Project Runway .-Biography:... & Camilla Barungi |
Mychael Knight & Clarissa Anderson |
– $100,000 to start his own line - a mentorship with INC (Inter-National Concepts) Design - an editorial feature in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine - one year of representation with Designers Management Agency Designers Management Agency Designers Management Agency is the first talent representation agency to provide new business development services to designers and brands within the luxury sector... - a 2007 Saturn Sky Saturn Sky The Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT... roadster |
– a spread in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine |
| 4 | November 14, 2007 | March 5, 2008 | 15 | Christian Siriano Christian Siriano Christian Siriano is an American fashion designer. Siriano first gained attention after winning the fourth season of American reality show Project Runway, becoming the series' youngest winner... & Lisa Nargi |
Rami Kashou & Sam Ruggiero |
Jillian Lewis & Lauren Browne |
N/A | – $100,000 to start his own line - an editorial feature in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine - the opportunity to sell a fashion line on Bluefly Bluefly Bluefly, Inc. is an American electronic commerce company. Headquartered in New York, New York, it was one of the first online retailers to sell fashion in a sophisticated manner. Ken Seiff and a team of six founded Bluefly.com, Inc. in 1998 and built it in less than four months from the time it... .com - a 2008 Saturn Astra Opel Astra The Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America... automobile |
– a spread in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine |
| 5 | July 16, 2008 | October 15, 2008 | 16 | Leanne Marshall Leanne Marshall Leanne Marshall is a fashion designer from Portland, Oregon. She was the winner of season 5 of Project Runway.... & Tia Shipman |
Korto Momolu & Katarina Munez |
Kenley Collins & Topacio Pena |
N/A | – $100,000 to start her own line - an editorial feature in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine - the opportunity to sell a fashion line on Bluefly Bluefly Bluefly, Inc. is an American electronic commerce company. Headquartered in New York, New York, it was one of the first online retailers to sell fashion in a sophisticated manner. Ken Seiff and a team of six founded Bluefly.com, Inc. in 1998 and built it in less than four months from the time it... .com - a 2009 Saturn Vue Saturn VUE The Saturn Vue is a compact crossover SUV that was sold by General Motors' Saturn marque, and at one time was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2002. A second generation model was launched in 2007 for the 2008 model as a... Hybrid |
– a spread in Elle Elle (magazine) Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in... magazine |
| 6 | August 20, 2009 | November 19, 2009 | 16 | Irina Shabayeva Irina Shabayeva Irina Shabayeva is the winner of the sixth season of Project Runway along with her model, Kalyn Hemphill. Shabayeva is originally from the Republic of Georgia and is of Russian heritage... & Kalyn Hemphill |
Althea Harper Althea Harper Althea Campbell Harper is an American fashion designer. She was a contestant on Season 6 of Project Runway in which she finished as the runner up... & Tanisha Harper |
Carol Hannah Whitfield & Lisa Blades |
N/A | – $100,000 to start her own line - an editorial feature in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine - an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Paris |
– $25,000 - a spread in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine |
| 7 | January 14, 2010 | April 22, 2010 | 16 | Seth Aaron Henderson Seth Aaron Henderson Seth Aaron Henderson is the winner of the seventh season of Project Runway along with his model, Kristina Sajko.He currently resides in Vancouver, WA, with his wife, Tina, and two children, Aaron and Megan.-References:... & Kristina Sajko |
Emilio Sosa & Lorena Angjeli |
Mila Hermanovski & Brandise Danesewich |
N/A | – $100,000 to start his own line - an editorial feature in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine - the opportunity to sell a fashion line on Bluefly Bluefly Bluefly, Inc. is an American electronic commerce company. Headquartered in New York, New York, it was one of the first online retailers to sell fashion in a sophisticated manner. Ken Seiff and a team of six founded Bluefly.com, Inc. in 1998 and built it in less than four months from the time it... .com -a $50,000 technology suite from Hewlett-Packard |
– $25,000 - a spread in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine |
| 8 | July 29, 2010 | October 28, 2010 | 17 | Gretchen Jones Gretchen Jones Gretchen Jones is an American fashion designer, who won the eighth season of Project Runway.-Project Runway:During her run in Project Runway, Jones placed in the top two in the first three challenges, winning the first two. Throughout the season, she admitted she got tired, and lost some of her... & Millana Snow |
Mondo Guerra Mondo Guerra Armando Thomas “Mondo” Guerra is a Mexican-American fashion designer who appeared on Season 8 of Project Runway. Guerra came in second place in the finals of the competition, which included Gretchen Jones and Andy South. In his run on the show, he won three challenges in a row.Guerra was also the... & Tina Marie Clark |
Andy South & Lenka Dayrit |
N/A | – $100,000 to start her own line - an editorial feature in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine - the opportunity to sell a fashion line on Piperlime Piperlime Piperlime is a San Francisco, California-based online retail company. Founded as a spin-off in 2006 by Gap Inc., Piperlime offers a selection of footwear and handbags for women, men and children... .com -a $50,000 technology suite from Hewlett-Packard |
– $25,000 - a spread in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine |
| 9 | July 28, 2011 | October 27, 2011 | 16 | Anya Ayoung-Chee Anya Ayoung-Chee Anya Ayoung-Chee is Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe 2008 and was a contestant in the Miss Universe 2008 pageant, and also the winner of Project Runway's ninth season in 2011.- Early life :... & Sveta Glebova |
Joshua McKinley & Sonia Nieklasz |
Viktor Luna & Erika Kimberly Jones |
Kimberly Goldson & Bojana Draskovic |
– $100,000 to start her own line - an editorial feature in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine - the opportunity to sell a fashion line on Piperlime Piperlime Piperlime is a San Francisco, California-based online retail company. Founded as a spin-off in 2006 by Gap Inc., Piperlime offers a selection of footwear and handbags for women, men and children... .com -a $50,000 technology suite from Hewlett-Packard |
– $25,000 - a spread in Marie Claire Marie Claire Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and... magazine |
Season 1
Project Runway premiered its first season on December 1, 2004. During this season, Project Runway received critical acclaim, including an Emmy nomination for outstanding competitive reality series. Growth in audience popularity was also dramatic from its debut to the season finale, making it a sleeper hitSleeper hit
A sleeper hit, a.k.a. surprise hit , refers to a film, book, single, album, TV show, or video game that gains unexpected success or recognition...
. Project Runway gave Bravo one of its most successful series since Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
The winning designer of the firstwas Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
-based designer Jay McCarroll
Jay McCarroll
Jay McCarroll is a fashion designer who gained fame after winning the debut season of the competitive reality show Project Runway in 2005.-Career:...
. Second place was Kara Saun
Kara Saun
Kara Saun is an American fashion designer who participated in the first season of American reality show Project Runway.-Career:Saun was a contestant on the first season of the series Project Runway. She is the costume designer for MTV's hit series America's Best Dance Crew and the Jabbawockeez...
, and third was Wendy Pepper
Wendy Pepper
Wendy Pepper is a fashion designer who appeared on the first season of the reality television show Project Runway, which aired on Bravo, from December 2004 through February 2005.-Early life and education:...
. As his prize for winning the competition among 12 designers, McCarroll was eligible to receive a $100,000 cash prize, a mentorship with Banana Republic to aid in developing his own fashion label (both of which he turned down), and display of his work in the American edition of Elle magazine. The winning model of the first season, selected by McCarroll, was Julia Beynon, who beat out models Jenny Toth (for Kara Saun
Kara Saun
Kara Saun is an American fashion designer who participated in the first season of American reality show Project Runway.-Career:Saun was a contestant on the first season of the series Project Runway. She is the costume designer for MTV's hit series America's Best Dance Crew and the Jabbawockeez...
) and Melissa Haro
Melissa Haro
Melissa Rose Haro is an American model who appeared in the 2008 & 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Her 2008 photo shoot was set in the Cayman Islands during the Pirate Week festival and included many photos in keeping with its motif...
(for Wendy Pepper
Wendy Pepper
Wendy Pepper is a fashion designer who appeared on the first season of the reality television show Project Runway, which aired on Bravo, from December 2004 through February 2005.-Early life and education:...
).
Austin Scarlett
Austin Scarlett
Austin Scarlett is an American fashion designer and artist most popularly known for his appearance the first season of Project Runway and his recent series, On the Road with Austin and Santino.-Early life and education:...
produced a decoy collection for Fashion Week after being eliminated in the controversial "Nancy O'Dell Grammy Challenge", causing outrage among fans. His appearance at Fashion Week was an 11th hour decision made by the show's producers who were concerned that the identity of the three finalists would be revealed before the Project Runway Season 1 finale aired. The ploy was later adopted for the show's succeeding seasons.
In 2008, Jay McCarrol, in conjunction with Here! Films released the feature length documentary "11 Minutes". The feature documentary chronicles his year-long post Project Runway journey preparing his first independent runway show for New York's Fashion Week in Bryant Park and the subsequent selling of his line to stores. Also in 2008, Jay McCarroll
Jay McCarroll
Jay McCarroll is a fashion designer who gained fame after winning the debut season of the competitive reality show Project Runway in 2005.-Career:...
launched his own online fashion boutique, The Colony.
The cast members were Jay McCarroll, Kara Saun, Wendy Pepper, Austin Scarlett, Mario Cadenas, Nora Caliguri, Daniel Franco, Starr Ilzhoefer, Kevin Johnn, Vanessa Riley, Robert Plotkin, and Alexandra Vidal.
Season 2
The series' second season began on December 7, 2005. Following a nationwide search earlier in the year, sixteen designers were chosen as semi-finalists and brought to New York City in June 2005. After the first challenge, called Road To The Runway, fourteen went on to compete as finalists. The winning designer, Houston-based Chloe DaoChloe Dao
Chloe Dao , is an American fashion designer of Vietnamese ancestry who lives and works in Houston, Texas. She was the winner of the second season of the reality show Project Runway with a collection of women's evening wear...
, received $100,000 in seed money to help launch her own line, a one year contract with Designers Management Agency
Designers Management Agency
Designers Management Agency is the first talent representation agency to provide new business development services to designers and brands within the luxury sector...
, a 2007 Saturn Sky roadster, a spread in Elle magazine, and a mentorship with the Banana Republic Design Team. Michael Kors
Michael Kors
Michael Kors is an American fashion designer. He is best known for designing classic American sportswear for women.-Personal life:...
and Nina Garcia
Nina Garcia
Nina García, is a Colombian fashion journalist and critic who has held the post of Fashion Director at Elle and Marie Claire magazines, and is currently a judge on the Lifetime reality television program Project Runway....
returned as judges for the second season. The final judging seat rotated each week, based on the challenge. Tim Gunn
Tim Gunn
Timothy M. "Tim" Gunn is an American fashion consultant and television personality. He was on the faculty of Parsons The New School for Design from 1982 to 2007 and was chair of fashion design at the school from August 2000 to March 2007, after which he joined Liz Claiborne as its chief creative...
, fashion chair at Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School For Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City's Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane...
, returned as a mentor for the designers. Chloe Dao (paired with model Grace Kelsey) beat out rivals Daniel Vosovic
Daniel Vosovic
Daniel Vosovic is a fashion designer and a finalist in season 2 of the reality show, Project Runway. He was the winner of the Project Runway All-Star Challenge, which aired on August 20, 2009.-Biography:...
and Santino Rice
Santino Rice
Santino Quinto Rice is an American fashion designer and television personality. He is best known for his appearances on the reality television programs Project Runway, RuPaul's Drag Race, and On the Road with Austin and Santino.-Early life:Rice was born and raised in St. Charles, Missouri...
.
Season 2's competitors were Zulema Griffin, Santino Rice, Raymundo Baltazar, Marla Duran, Kirsten Ehrig, Guadalupe Vidal, Emmett McCarthy, Diana Eng, John Wade, Daniel Vosovic, Chloe Dao, Kara Janx, Daniel Franco, Andraé Gonzalo, Heidi Standridge, and Nick Verreos.
Season 3
Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia, and Michael Kors returned for season three, which began airing on July 12, 2006. Season 3 introduced a new set of sponsors, notably Macy'sMacy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
replacing Banana Republic, in advance of Macy's conversion of former May Company
May Company
May Company may refer to several American businesses:*The May Department Stores Company, a defunct retail company acquired by Federated Department Stores in 2006**May Company California, a defunct California department store that merged with J. W...
department stores.
The season finale aired on October 18, 2006. Mychael Knight was the first to be eliminated in the season finale for his collection titled "Street Safari." Knight was a fan favorite, but his line did not appeal to the judges. In a "Reunion" episode that aired on October 4, 2006, viewers voted Mychael Knight as their favorite designer, earning him a $10,000 prize. Laura Bennett was the second eliminated for her collection of cocktail dresses and evening wear, though the judges praised her for how expensive her items looked. During taping, Bennett found out she was pregnant with her sixth child. Jeffrey Sebelia was voted the winner by the judges. His model was Marilinda Rivera. Jeffrey's designs edged out fellow designers Uli Herzner (with Nazri Segaro), Laura Bennett (with Camilla Barungi), and Mychael Knight (with Clarissa Anderson), to take the coveted Elle fashion spread. Uli Herzner was the runner-up and was also highly praised by the judges for her collection. Sebelia's girlfriend and son were there to celebrate his win with him.
There were many dramatic scenes which played out this season. Designer Keith Michael
Keith Michael
Keith Michael is an American fashion designer based in New York City. Michael participated in the third season of American reality show Project Runway.-Education & Career:...
became the first designer to be asked to leave the show for multiple rule violations. He was found to be in possession of prohibited pattern-making books and left the production site for several hours, during which time he used the internet. Sebelia was accused of having outside help to finish his garments by fellow competitor Laura Bennett. The issue was investigated, and it was declared that he had followed the guidelines. Because he could not produce a receipt for a pair of leather shorts he had sent out for pleating, he removed that item from the show. In addition, because he had gone over budget by $227.95, he removed the blonde wigs he had planned for his runway models in order to drop below budget. Also, for the first time, the last four designers were selected as finalists (Jeffrey Sebelia
Jeffrey Sebelia
Jeffrey Sebelia is an American fashion designer and founder of the clothing label Cosa Nostra, which he headed from a loft on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles...
, Laura Bennett
Laura Bennett
Laura Eugenia Bennett is an American architect and fashion designer and one of the four finalists on Bravo's July 2006's Project Runway .-Biography:...
, Ulrike "Uli" Herzner
Uli Herzner
Ulrike “Uli” Herzner is a fashion designer originally from East Germany, currently living in Miami Beach, Florida. She was a contestant on the third season of the Bravo network reality television series Project Runway, where she finished runner-up to Jeffrey Sebelia. She is now the star of her own...
, and Mychael Knight), with no decoy collection to serve as a distraction before the finale aired, and allowed to compete at New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week
The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...
.
During Season 5, there was a poll consisting of the most memorable moments of Project Runway. Among the most notable were Keith's disqualification, Sebelia's issues with competitor Angela Kesler's mother, and the controversy about Sebelia's final collection.
Season 4
Casting auditions for Season 4 of Project Runway began in April 2007, with production taking place in June and July. The fourth season premiered on November 14, 2007, with Heidi KlumHeidi Klum
Heidi Samuel , better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and occasional singer. In 2008 she became an American citizen while maintaining her native German citizenship...
returning as host and Tim Gunn
Tim Gunn
Timothy M. "Tim" Gunn is an American fashion consultant and television personality. He was on the faculty of Parsons The New School for Design from 1982 to 2007 and was chair of fashion design at the school from August 2000 to March 2007, after which he joined Liz Claiborne as its chief creative...
returning as design mentor. Earlier in the year Gunn was named Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne Inc. Cast members for Season 4 were revealed during episodes of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style
Tim Gunn's Guide to Style
Tim Gunn's Guide to Style is an American reality television series, hosted by Project Runway's Tim Gunn and cohosted by model Veronica Webb in the first season, and cohosted by Gretta Monahan in subsequent seasons. It focuses on style and fashion. The first episode aired on September 6, 2007 on the...
.
This was the first season a designer was compelled to quit the competition for medical reasons. Jack Mackenroth left in Episode 5 and was replaced by Chris March, who had been the most recently eliminated designer.
This was also the first season in which four designers were chosen to prepare collections for Fashion Week, but only three proceeded on in the competition to show their collections at Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week
The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...
. Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano is an American fashion designer. Siriano first gained attention after winning the fourth season of American reality show Project Runway, becoming the series' youngest winner...
, who had won the last challenge, was assured of presenting his designs at Fashion Week. Jillian Lewis, the runner up in the last challenge, was also guaranteed a spot. In a new finale twist, Rami Kashou and Chris March had to show the three best pieces from their collections to the judges. Kashou was selected.
Kathleen "Sweet P." Vaughn, the last designer eliminated before the finale, produced a decoy collection for Fashion Week, along with Chris March. Siriano won $10,000 as the Project Runway Season 4 Fan Favorite. Season 3 Fan Favorite winner Mychael Knight brought out the check to Siriano during the Reunion episode. Siriano became the fourth and youngest winner of Project Runway. His model, Lisa Nargi, won the Elle fashion editorial featuring his winning designs at Fashion Week, over fellow models Sam Ruggiero (for Rami Kashou) and Lauren Browne (for Jillian Lewis). This was also the first season of the show in which the final three models did not wear the finale pieces of their respective designers.
Season 5 had a series poll consisting the 22 most memorable moments of Project Runway. The season 4 moments consist of Michael Kors losing it during a competition, designer Elisa Jimenez
Elisa Jimenez
Elisa Jimenez is an interdisciplinary artist, primarily in fashion design but also including writing, drawing, painting, performance art, and art installation. Her main ongoing project is called "The Hunger World," a world of marionettes ranging from 2 inches to 30 feet in height...
's spit marks, the designers talking about their wrestling names, Mackenroth's departure/March's return, Siriano's drama with a teen, Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
surprising the designers, and Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
telling Siriano she would love to wear any of his clothing.
"It's Sew Not Over", a post-show competition, designers were asked to create a three piece collection that would be voted online by the viewing public. Jillian Lewis was chosen as the winner.
Seasons cast members: Christian Siriano, Ricky Lizalde, Steven Rosengard, Carmen Webber, Kevin Christiana, Marion Lee, Rami Kashou, Elisa Jimenez, Victorya Hong, Simone LeBlanc, Kathleen Vaughn, Christina Scarbo, Jillian Lewis, Jack Mackenroth, and Chris March.
Season 5
Season five began on Wednesday July 16, 2008 at its new time of 9/8c on Bravo with Heidi Klum returning as host and Tim Gunn returning as design mentor with 16 new designers: Jerell Scott, Korto Momolu, Leanne Marshall, Kenley Collins, Daniel Feld, Joe Faris, Keith Bryce, Kelli Martin, Stella Zotis, Jennifer Diederich, Stephen "Suede" Baum, Emily Brandle, Terri Stevens, Wesley Nault, and Blayne Walsh.This first episode was the first time that they repeated a challenge from a previous season: the Gristedes
Gristedes
Gristede's is a New York City-based chain of small supermarkets. It serves a mostly urban customer base.-History:The first Gristede's [grih-STEE-deez] was founded by brothers Diedrich and Charles Gristede in 1888...
challenge, in which the designers had to make a design of their choice using what they could find at a grocery store. The episode, featuring a special guest judge appearance by first season competitor Austin Scarlett, was intended as an homage to the glories of past seasons, the fifth season being the last on Bravo and by original producers Magical Elves.
This season also featured more stars from the acting and music industries than usual. Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
, Sandra Bernhard
Sandra Bernhard
Sandra Bernhard is an American comedian, singer, actress and author. She first gained attention in the late 1970s with her stand-up comedy in which she often bitterly critiques celebrity culture and political figures. Bernhard is number 97 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of...
, Apolo Anton Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno is an American short track speed skating competitor and an eight-time medalist in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time....
, Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
, RuPaul
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
all acted as special guest judge in a challenge. Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
also was supposed to be the guest judge in the finale, but bowed out at the last minute, so Tim Gunn took her place.
For the first time, six people showed collections for Fashion Week. Joe Faris and Stephen "Suede" Baum, the last two designers eliminated, and Jerell Scott, who was eliminated in the first part of the finale, showed decoy collections.
For the first time, all of the finalists (Kenley Collins, Korto Momolu and Leanne Marshall
Leanne Marshall
Leanne Marshall is a fashion designer from Portland, Oregon. She was the winner of season 5 of Project Runway....
) were female. The second part of the season finale was aired October 15, 2008. All three collections were well received. Kenley was praised for her well-tailored designs, but was eliminated first for some of her designs were reminiscent of other professional designers' collections. The judges admired Korto's ethnic touches on her designs, but thought that a few were overworked. Leanne was declared the winner for her wave patterns. Her model, Tia Shipman, received a spread in Elle magazine. The other models were Katarina Munez (for Korto) and Topacio Pena (for Kenley).
For the first time since Season 1, there was no reunion or opening introduction due to time restraints. However, Bravo continued to stage the fan favorite contest, with Momulu winning.
Season 6
The sixth season was the first season of Project Runway to be filmed in Los Angeles, at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, rather than New York. The pre-finale filming concluded on Friday, October 17, 2008.The sixth season had been announced to begin airing in January 2009 on Lifetime, but was delayed due to legal issues. The announcement occurred before NBC Universal sought preliminary injunctive action effectively enjoining production. The launch was further delayed due to Lifetime's request that the suit between NBC Universal and The Weinstein Co. be removed
Removal jurisdiction
In the United States, removal jurisdiction refers to the right of a defendant to move a lawsuit filed in state court to the federal district court for the federal judicial district in which the state court sits. This is a general exception to the usual American rule giving the plaintiff the right...
to federal court.
The three finalists of the sixth season showed their collections at New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week
The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...
at Bryant Park on February 20, 2009, but the finalists were not named and did not appear onstage that day. Irina Shabayeva
Irina Shabayeva
Irina Shabayeva is the winner of the sixth season of Project Runway along with her model, Kalyn Hemphill. Shabayeva is originally from the Republic of Georgia and is of Russian heritage...
won the competition with her model Kalyn Hemphill. Althea Harper and her model Tanisha Harper placed second in the competition, followed by Carol Hannah Whitfield and her model Lisa Blades.
On April 1, 2009, the lawsuit between Weinstein Co. and NBC Universal was settled, with Weinstein agreeing to pay NBC an undisclosed sum for the right to move the show to Lifetime. The season began airing on Lifetime on August 20, 2009 and featured guest judges such as Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...
and Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
.
The designers were: Nicolas Putvinski, Ra'mon-Lawrence Coleman, Shirin Askari, Qristyl Frazier, Malvin Vien, Louise Black, Mitchell Hall, Epperson, Althea Harper, Ari Fish, Carol Hannah Whitfield, Johnny Sakalis, Irina Shabayeva, Gordana Gehlhausen, Christopher Straub, and Logan Neitzel.
Season 7
The casting process for Season 7 began in May 2009.The show returned to New York City for Season 7, and premiered on January 14, 2010. Nina Garcia and Michael Kors are returning as judges for the entire length of the season, along with mentor Tim Gunn and host Heidi Klum.
The cast members were: Amy Sarabi, Seth Aaron Henderson, Emillio Sosa, Jonathan Joseph Peters, Jay Nicolas Sario, Maya Luz, Mila Hermanovski, Christiane King, Pamela Ptak, Ping Wu, Jesus Estrada, Anna Lynett, Janeane Marie Ceccanti, Jesse LeNoir, Ben Chmura and Anthony Williams.
Seth Aaron Henderson
Seth Aaron Henderson
Seth Aaron Henderson is the winner of the seventh season of Project Runway along with his model, Kristina Sajko.He currently resides in Vancouver, WA, with his wife, Tina, and two children, Aaron and Megan.-References:...
was declared the winner of Season 7 on April 22, 2010, who beat out rivals Emilio Sosa and Mila Hermanovski.
Season 8
The eighth season of Project Runway began airing July 29, 2010 on the Lifetime network with a new 90 minute format for each episode and in a new time-slot, 9pm PT/ET. Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, and Nina Garcia returned as judges. Tim Gunn returned to mentor the 17 competing designers, the most in the show's history.The designers were A.J. Thouvenot, Andy South, April Johnson, Casanova, Christopher Collins, Gretchen Jones, Ivy Higa, Jason Troisi, Kristen Haskin Simms, McKell Maddox, Michael Costello, Michael Drummond, Mondo Guerra, Nicholas D'Aurizio, Peach Carr, Sarah Trost, and Valerie Mayen.
This winner of Project Runway season eight received $100,000 from L'Oréal Paris, a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine, a $50,000 technology suite by HP and Intel, and the opportunity to design and sell an exclusive collection on Piperlime.com. The model paired with the winning designer won a designer's editorial feature in Marie Claire magazine and received $25,000 from L'Oréal Studio Secrets Professional.
Gretchen Jones
Gretchen Jones
Gretchen Jones is an American fashion designer, who won the eighth season of Project Runway.-Project Runway:During her run in Project Runway, Jones placed in the top two in the first three challenges, winning the first two. Throughout the season, she admitted she got tired, and lost some of her...
was declared the winner of Season 8 on October 28, 2010.
Season 9
Season 9 of Project Runway premiered on July 28, 2011.The desigers of Season 9 are Anthony Ryan Auld, Anya Ayoung-Chee, Becky Ross, Bert Keeter, Bryce Black, Cecilia Motwani, Danielle Everine, Fallene Wells, Joshua McKinley, Joshua Christensen, Julie Tierney, Kimberly Goldson, Laura Kathleen, Olivier Green, Rafael Cox, and Viktor Luna.
Anya Ayoung-Chee
Anya Ayoung-Chee
Anya Ayoung-Chee is Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe 2008 and was a contestant in the Miss Universe 2008 pageant, and also the winner of Project Runway's ninth season in 2011.- Early life :...
was declared the Winner of Project Runway Season 9 on October 27, 2011. Anya won over rivals Joshua McKinley, Viktor Luna, and Kimberly Goldson.
All Stars
Lifetime is working on "Project Runway All Stars", a series of twelve one-hour episodes featuring past contestants competing in a series of challenges. An airdate was set for November 3, 2011, but it will now premier in 2012.On August 8, 2011, the cast of "Project Runway All Stars" was announced: Angela Lindvall will host and join Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman as judges. Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles will serve as mentor. Designers include: Austin Scarlett (Season 1), Kara Janx (Season 2), Elisa Jimenez (Season 4), Rami Kashou (Season 4), Sweet P (Season 4), Jerell Scott (Season 5), Kenley Collins (Season 5), Gordana Gehlhausen (Season 6), Anthony Williams (Season 7), Mila Hermanovski (Season 7), April Johnston (Season 8), Michael Costello (Season 8), and Mondo Guerra (Season 8).
Project Accessory
Project Accessory will air directly after the season finale of Project Runway Season 9, premiering October 27, 2011. The show will feature 12 contestants who participate in challenges to design and display the most amazing accessories. With the help of their mentor, Eva Jeanbart-Lorenzotti, they’ll need to impress host Molly Sims and judges Kenneth Cole and Ariel Foxman, editor of InStyle. Kelly Osbourne and Debra Messing will be among the guest judges appearing this season.Home media
On November 29, 2005, Miramax released season 1 on DVD. The Weinstein Company released DVDs of seasons 2–8 between 2006 and 2011.Both a PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
video game were released in 2010.
Project Runway around the world
| Country | Name | Host | Channel | First Premiere | Regular Judge | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Arab League Arab World |
المصمم العربي El Musamim El Arabi Project Runway Arab World Project Fashion: El Musamim El Arabi is the Arabian Version of the successful American reality TV show "Project Runway". The show was premiered on February 26, 2006 to May 7, 2006 on Future TV. The show features 12 Arabian designers who compete to become "the next big Arab designer"... |
Norma Naoum | Future TV Future Television Future Television a television station broadcasting from Lebanon. It was founded in 1993 by Rafik Hariri, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon. Future TV is also available via satellite in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Politically, the channel supports the views of the Future... |
February 26, 2006 |
|
2 |
 Australia |
Project Runway Australia Project Runway Australia Project Runway Australia is a reality television show based on Project Runway wherein fashion Designers compete by making specific garments for specific challenges. All contestants appearing on the show are designers residing in Australia. The show features Megan Gale as the host, and Kirrily... |
Kristy Hinze Kristy Hinze Kristy Hinze is an Australian model, actress and television host. Hinze has appeared in Sports Illustrated as well as the Victoria's Secret catalogue.-Life and career:... (2008–2009) Megan Gale Megan Gale Megan Kate Gale is an Australian model and actress.- Career :Born in Perth, Western Australia, Megan Gale's father is English and mother is part Maori and is the youngest of three children with two older brothers.-Modeling:... (2011–present) |
Arena | September 15, 2008 |
|
3 |
 Belgium |
De Designers | Evi Hanssen | VTM VTM The abbreviation VTM may refer to::* Vampire: The Masquerade, a popular role-playing game* Virginia Tech massacre* vtm, the main commercial television station in Flanders, Belgium... |
December 16, 2008 |
|
2 |
 Brazil |
Projeto Fashion | Adriane Galisteu Adriane Galisteu Adriane Galisteu is a Brazilian model, actress and TV host. She was born on April 18, 1973, in São Paulo, Brazil. She has appeared in the Brazilian edition of Playboy magazine on a number of occasions and was a VJ for MTV Brasil... |
Band Rede Bandeirantes Rede Bandeirantes , officially nicknamed Band or Band Network, is a television network from Brazil, based in São Paulo. Part of the Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação , it aired for the first time in 1967... |
September 11, 2011 |
Alexandre Herchcovitch Alexandre Herchcovitch is a Brazilian fashion designer. He's of Jewish descent, his grandparents emigrated from Poland and Romania.-Overview:... (mentor) |
1 |
 Canada |
Project Runway Canada Project Runway Canada Project Runway Canada is a Gemini Award-winning Canadian television adaptation of the American reality television series Project Runway, which debuted on the Slice network on October 8, 2007. The second season aired on Global. The series' host is fashion model Iman, while Canadian designer Brian... |
Iman Iman (model) Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid , professionally known as Iman , is a Somali-American fashion model, actress and entrepreneur. A pioneer in the field of ethnic cosmetics, she is also noted for her charitable work. She is married to David Bowie.-Early life:Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, Iman is the daughter... |
Slice Global |
October 8, 2007 |
|
2 |
 Finland |
Muodin huipulle | Minna Cheung (season 1) / Nora Vilva (season 2) | MTV3 MTV3 MTV3 is a Finnish commercial television station owned by Bonnier. It had the biggest audience share of all Finnish TV channels until Finnish Broadcasting Company’s YLE1 took the lead. The letters MTV stand for Mainos-TV , due to the channel getting its revenue from running commercials... |
November 1, 2009 |
|
2 |
 Hong Kong |
時裝世界精英大獎 Fashion World Talent Awards |
Terence Yin | TVB Pearl | 2009 |
|
1 |
 Israel |
פרויקט מסלול Proyekt Maslul Project Runway Israel Proyekt Maslul is the Israeli Version of the American reality TV show "Project Runway". The show was filmed during the winter of 2008-2009 and premiered on June 17, 2009... |
Shiraz Tal Shiraz Tal Shiraz Tal is a Israeli fashion model.Tal began her modeling career at age 15 in Paris. She was discovered by the Image Models modeling agency of Israel. She is best known for her work as a model in Armani Exchange advertisements, but she was also featured in the spring/summer 2000 Louis Vuitton... |
TVA TVA (TV network) TVA is a privately owned French language television network in Canada. The network is currently owned by Groupe TVA Inc. , a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media... |
June 17, 2009 |
|
1 |
| Latin America | Project Runway Latin America Project Runway Latin America Project Runway Latin America is a Latin American reality television series on Glitz* which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Rebecca de Alba. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are usually restricted in time, materials and theme... |
Rebecca de Alba Rebecca de Alba Rebecca de Alba is a Mexican model and TV presenter. She dated Mexican actor Guillermo Capetillo and Mexican singer Leonardo de Lozanne... |
Fashion TV Fashion TV Fashion TV is an international fashion and lifestyle broadcasting television channel. It was founded in France in 1997 by its Polish-born president Michel Adam Lisowski, Fashion TV is the only 24/7 international TV network exclusively dedicated to fashion, beauty, glamour and style and has become... |
September 20, 2010 |
|
1 |
 Malaysia |
Project Runway Malaysia Project Runway Malaysia Project Runway Malaysia is a Malaysian reality television series on 8TV that focuses on fashion design. Its contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are usually restricted in their time, materials, and theme. Their designs are judged and one or more designers are... |
Bernie Chan | 8TV 8TV (Malaysia) 8TV is a private Malaysian Chinese television station, previously known as MetroVision Channel 8. Metrovision closed on 1 November 1999. 8TV was officially launched on Thursday, 8 January 2004 as 8TV after being acquired by Media Prima Berhad.... |
August 3, 2007 |
|
1 |
 Netherlands |
Project Catwalk Project Catwalk (Netherlands TV series) Project Catwalk is the Netherlands version of the reality show Project Runway. It was shown in 2007 and was won by Django Steenbakker.-External links:*... |
Renate Verbaan (season 1 & 2) Stacey Rookhuizen (season 3) |
RTL 5 RTL 5 RTL 5 is the 2nd channel of the RTL Group in the Netherlands. The channel mainly broadcasts American films and hit series but also local productions including Jensen! and Holland's Next Top Model, a Dutch version of America's Next Top Model. RTL 5 recently started airing the Dutch version of... |
October 8, 2007 |
|
3 |
 Norway |
Designerspirene Designerspirene Designerspirene is a Norwegian reality television series that focuses on fashion design. The show is aired on TV3 and is based on the American format, Project Runway hosted by Heidi Klum. Project Runway has been Emmy-nominated for "Outstanding reality-competition program" in 2005 and 2006... |
Vendela Kirsebom Vendela Kirsebom Vendela Maria Kirsebom is a Norwegian-Swedish model and actress living in Nesodden, Norway.-Early life and career:Vendela Kirsebom was born in Stockholm, Sweden to a Norwegian mother; her Swedish father was of Turkish descent. At age 13, Kirsebom was discovered in a Stockholm restaurant by Eileen... |
TV3 | February 26, 2007 |
Vendela Kirsebom Vendela Maria Kirsebom is a Norwegian-Swedish model and actress living in Nesodden, Norway.-Early life and career:Vendela Kirsebom was born in Stockholm, Sweden to a Norwegian mother; her Swedish father was of Turkish descent. At age 13, Kirsebom was discovered in a Stockholm restaurant by Eileen... |
1 |
 Philippines |
Project Runway Philippines Project Runway Philippines Project Runway Philippines is a Philippine adaptation of Project Runway. This reality television series, which aims to find "the next big Filipino fashion designer," is produced by Solar Entertainment Corporation and Unitel Productions. It is shown on ETC Entertainment Central... |
Teresa Herrera (2008–2009) Tweetie De Leon (2011–present) |
ETC ETC Entertainment Central ETC Entertainment Central is a Philippine television channel produced and founded by Solar Entertainment Corporation which also created its sister stations,Solar TV, Universal Channel, Diva Universal, 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, Basketball TV, & Solar Sports... SBN 21 Southern Broadcasting Network SBN is a Philippine television network owned by Filipino-Chinese tycoon Lucio Co, the owner of Puregold Price Club Inc., a supermarket chain. Its main broadcast facilities at 5/F Summit One Bldg, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City... |
July 30, 2008 |
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3 |
 Portugal |
Projecto Moda Project Runway - Projecto Moda Projecto Moda , is a TV-show that premiered in 25 July, on public network RTP1. This will be the Portuguese version of Project Runway.... |
Nayma Mingas | RTP1 | July 25, 2010 |
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1 |
 Russia |
Проект Подиум Project Runway Russia |
Anna Sedokova Anna Sedokova Anna Sedokova is a Ukrainian-Russian pop singer, actress and presenter, and with now also a writer.-Childhood:... |
MTV Russia MTV Russia MTV Russia is a Russian language free-to-air 24 hour entertainment and music service seen in 22 million households in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Omsk, Voronezh, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, among other cities.-History:... |
October 8, 2011 | TBA | 1 |
 South Korea |
프로젝트 런웨이 코리아 Project Runway Korea Project Runway Korea Project Runway Korea is the Korean version of the American reality show Project Runway. It is Korean television's first localized franchise from a foreign-language reality competition, and the third Project Runway version in Asia after Malaysia and the Philippines.The winner of Project Runway... |
Lee So-ra | TVA TVA (TV network) TVA is a privately owned French language television network in Canada. The network is currently owned by Groupe TVA Inc. , a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media... |
February 7, 2009 |
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2 |
 Republic of China |
Super Designer | Li Jing | TTV Taiwan Television Taiwan Television Enterprise, Ltd. , commonly known as TTV is launched), is the first television broadcast station in Taiwan... |
August 26, 2010 |
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 Turkey |
Proje Moda | Güzide Duran | Star TV | July 9, 2007 |
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 United Kingdom |
Project Catwalk Project Catwalk For the Dutch version of Project Catwalk, see Project Catwalk Project Catwalk is a competitive reality television series focusing on fashion design. In the UK it is shown on the digital station Sky One. The show follows a group of fashion designers as they compete against each other to avoid being... |
Elizabeth Hurley Elizabeth Hurley Elizabeth Jane Hurley is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los... (2006) Kelly Osbourne Kelly Osbourne Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne... (2007–2008) |
Sky One Sky One Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two... |
2006–2008 |
Julien MacDonald Julien Macdonald OBE is a Welsh fashion designer.Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Macdonald attended Cyfarthfa High School in Merthyr Tydfil. Macdonald was taught knitting by his mother, and soon became interested in design... Ben de Lisi Ben de Lisi is an American born fashion designer based in London. He is best known for his collections with high street store Debenhams, and as a mentor and judge on the television series Project Catwalk. He has also appeared on UK television show Come Dine With Me.Born in New York and raised in... (mentor) |
3 |
 United States |
Project Runway | Heidi Klum Heidi Klum Heidi Samuel , better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and occasional singer. In 2008 she became an American citizen while maintaining her native German citizenship... |
Lifetime | December 1, 2004 |
Nina Garcia Nina García, is a Colombian fashion journalist and critic who has held the post of Fashion Director at Elle and Marie Claire magazines, and is currently a judge on the Lifetime reality television program Project Runway.... Michael Kors Michael Kors is an American fashion designer. He is best known for designing classic American sportswear for women.-Personal life:... Tim Gunn Timothy M. "Tim" Gunn is an American fashion consultant and television personality. He was on the faculty of Parsons The New School for Design from 1982 to 2007 and was chair of fashion design at the school from August 2000 to March 2007, after which he joined Liz Claiborne as its chief creative... (mentor) |
9 |
External links
- UK version at myLifetime.com
- Project Runway Official Blog