“Designers, make it work!” Project Runway contestants have been sewing up a storm since 2004 — and some of the winners are still changing the game of the fashion industry to this day.
The long-running reality series challenges up-and-coming designers to create original garments restricted by time, material and theme. From 2004 to 2018, the show was hosted by Heidi Klum with fashion guru Tim Gunn acting as a mentor for the competitors. The longtime costars confirmed in September 2018 that they would not be returning for the show’s 17th season after signing onto Amazon Prime’s Making the Cut. They were replaced by Karlie Klossand season 4 Project Runway winner Christian Siriano.
“We were in lockstep … I never dreamed that [Project Runway] would have a second season,” Gunn told Variety in a joint interview with Klum in March 2020. “Who knew? … There’s a love and respect there that we’ll always have.”
Through its more than 250 episodes, Project Runway has been a champion for diversity and innovation in the fashion industry. Despite facing “stigma” for his unconventional rise to the top of the design world, Siriano credited his time on the series with helping him become a household name.
“Right now, in our world, with what’s happening in our culture and everything, I feel like you just have to find new ways to support your company and your brand. Young designers and young businesses are going under every single day,” he told the Washington Post in April 2019. “So I really treated it as, ‘I can show the world what I can do — and maybe bring a new generation of customer to us.’ And I mean, obviously, when I was on that show, I was 21 years old — an actual child! And now, having a business, 40 employees, a real company, people can see what you start with and what you can turn it into.”
As Kloss and Siriano step into their new roles on the runway, they’ve brought along bright new voices on the judges’ panel, like designer Brandon Maxwelland former editor-in-chief of Teen VogueElaine Welteroth.
“I think it’s been cool to transform the legacy brand of Project Runway into something that feels really relevant for this moment, this time,” Welteroth told Parade magazine in April 2020. “We all had a say and had input. It felt like there was no reason to continue on with a legacy brand like Project Runway if it wasn’t going to really reflect what’s happening in the world right now and if it wasn’t going to be inclusive.”
Scroll down to take a look back at Project Runway winners through the years.
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'Project Runway' Winners Through the Years: Where Are They Now?
"Designers, make it work!" Project Runway contestants have been sewing up a storm since 2004 — and some of the winners are still changing the game of the fashion industry to this day.The long-running reality series challenges up-and-coming designers to create original garments restricted by time, material and theme. From 2004 to 2018, the show was hosted by Heidi Klum with fashion guru Tim Gunn acting as a mentor for the competitors. The longtime costars confirmed in September 2018 that they would not be returning for the show's 17th season after signing onto Amazon Prime's Making the Cut. They were replaced by Karlie Klossand season 4 Project Runway winner Christian Siriano."We were in lockstep ... I never dreamed that [Project Runway] would have a second season," Gunn told Variety in a joint interview with Klum in March 2020. "Who knew? ... There's a love and respect there that we'll always have."Through its more than 250 episodes, Project Runway has been a champion for diversity and innovation in the fashion industry. Despite facing "stigma" for his unconventional rise to the top of the design world, Siriano credited his time on the series with helping him become a household name."Right now, in our world, with what's happening in our culture and everything, I feel like you just have to find new ways to support your company and your brand. Young designers and young businesses are going under every single day," he told the Washington Post in April 2019. "So I really treated it as, 'I can show the world what I can do — and maybe bring a new generation of customer to us.' And I mean, obviously, when I was on that show, I was 21 years old — an actual child! And now, having a business, 40 employees, a real company, people can see what you start with and what you can turn it into."[jwplayer KBWRAaHk-l3ahXupL]As Kloss and Siriano step into their new roles on the runway, they've brought along bright new voices on the judges' panel, like designer Brandon Maxwelland former editor-in-chief of Teen VogueElaine Welteroth."I think it's been cool to transform the legacy brand of Project Runway into something that feels really relevant for this moment, this time," Welteroth told Parade magazine in April 2020. "We all had a say and had input. It felt like there was no reason to continue on with a legacy brand like Project Runway if it wasn't going to really reflect what's happening in the world right now and if it wasn't going to be inclusive."Scroll down to take a look back at Project Runway winners through the years.[podcast_block]
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Jay McCarroll, Season 1
The show’s first winner was awarded $100,000, a mentorship from Banana Republic and a chance to show off his work during New York Fashion Week in 2005. He later turned down the money and the mentorship, citing contractual issues. McCarroll went on to teach at Philadelphia University and had his own fashion line on the QVC network. In 2010, he appeared on MTV’s Celebrity Fit Club and lost a total of 40 pounds.
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Chloe Dao, Season 2
Dao is currently based in Houston, Texas, and has continued to run her boutique fashion house since taking home the $100,000 prize in 2006. In 2013, she joined the judges’ panel on Project Runway Vietnam.
The edgy designer went on to work with Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Marilyn Manson, Jennifer Lopez and the late Chester Bennington after winning the third season of the reality show. He was named head designer of Fluxus in 2010 and later left the position to start a punk-inspired kids’ fashion line, La Miniatura. Sebelia came in 7th on the third season of Project Runway: All Stars, which aired in 2013.
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Christian Siriano, Season 4
At just 21 years old, Siriano was one of the youngest designers to compete on the reality series and took home the win in 2008. Later that year, he started his own namesake brand. His designs have been worn by Michelle Obama, Billy Porter, Leslie Jones, Danielle Brooks and Taylor Swift. In 2018, it was announced that Siriano would be taking over for Gunn as Project Runway mentor, with Kloss replacing Klum as the show’s host.
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Leanne Marshall, Season 5
In October 2008, Marshall became the fifth Project Runway champion and moved to New York City soon after. The Oregon native has dressed Julianne Hough, Paula Abdul, Ariana Grande, Solange, Jane Fonda and more. She launched her signature bridal collection in 2011 and collaborated with BHLDN on an exclusive line of wedding dresses three years later.
The Parsons graduate designed for Selena Gomez and Carrie Underwood after being crowned Project Runway champion in 2009. She has since competed on Project Runway: All Stars twice: first on season 3 in 2013 and again on season 7 in 2019.
The California-based designer won the seventh season of the fashion competition in 2010 and returned to take home another win on Project Runway: All Stars in 2013. He launched a line with QVC one year later. The sustainable fashion guru collaborated with Feetz shoe brand on the world’s first 3D-printed shoes in 2019.
Jones moved to New York City to work on her personal brand after her controversial win over fan-favorite Mondo Guerra on season 8 of Project Runway. She became fashion director of womenswear at Portland-based Pendleton Woolen Mills in 2013 and received an MBA in fashion from the University of London College of Fashion five years later.
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Anya Ayoung-Chee, Season 9
Ayoung-Chee earned $100,000 from L'Oreal Paris to begin her own women's line after leaving Project Runway victorious in 2011. She named her line after her brother, who died in 2007. The former Miss Universe competitor joined Gunn on the Project Runway spinoff, Under the Gunn, in 2014 and later returned for season 7 of Project Runway: All Stars in 2019. She was recently named a travel ambassador for her home country of Trinidad and Tobago.
Before auditioning to be on the reality competition show, the Belarus native received his BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York City. He returned to his alma mater as a teacher after winning both Project Runway season 10 and Project Runway: All Stars season 4. In October 2019, L.A.’s Metropolitan Fashion Awards named him Fashion Designer Of The Year.
The former reality contestant won the show’s first ever teams edition and has since returned to Portland, Oregon, to create "small production and emotive clothing" with her own brand. After winning Project Runway, she told the Hollywood Reporter that she was ready to build a bigger company. "I'm a one-woman show right now, and I can't do it anymore," she said in 2013. "It's too tough. It's time for an expansion and to take over the world."
Credit: Shutterstock; Courtesy Dom Streater/Twitter
Dom Streater, Season 12
The Philadelphia-based designer walked away with the win in 2013 and continues to create work inspired by "global textiles, travel and history." Although her path to victory wasn’t easy, she came away from the competition feeling stronger than ever. "I knew why I was there and I knew how important this was to me," she told Today at the time. "I made sure to keep that as my main focus, everything else was background noise to me."
Credit: Courtesy Sean Kelly/Instagram; YouTube
Sean Kelly, Season 13
The New Zealand native showed off his latest looks during New Zealand Fashion Week in 2015 and was nominated for the prestigious honor of Young New Zealander of the Year in 2016. He now designs for men's apparel brand Hercules New York.
After her big win, Tipton went on to design for J.C. Penney's plus-size fashion line and later created her own jewelry line for K&M Accessories. In November 2017, she released her first line of apparel and eyewear and became a consultant for other plus-size brands. In September 2020, the designer announced that she was pivoting away from fashion and launching her new “Love You” show on YouTube.
“The past three years I have been working on changing the way I think,” she said in her first episode of her series, noting that she was “depressed” when she was on Project Runway. “I’m excited and inspired to share with you how I’ve changed my life and how I think about my life.” The series will teach the concepts of “self-love, self-care and self-acceptance” with the assistance of Tipton’s manager and life coach Andrew Bisaha.
Robertson’s work has been featured in Marie Claire, Nylon, Teen Vogue, Forbes, Elite Daily and more high-profile fashion magazines. Along with her Project Runway win, she was the recipient of the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Teen Vogue Scholarship in 2016. She has curated events for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and worked on styling content for Perrier and Starburst.
The Japanese designer stunned the judges with his minimalist, high-fashion work and was awarded a spread in Marie Claire magazine in 2018. He now designs collections for his eponymous brand, Kentaro Kameyama, and teaches at L.A.'s FCI Fashion School, where he was recently promoted to fashion design chair.
Grey beat out finalists Hester Sunshine and Garo Sparo after a sophisticated final runway show during New York Fashion Week in 2019. The next year, he debuted his Fall/Winter 2020 Lineage collection at NYFW as an homage to his Colombian roots.
Credit: YouTube; Courtesy Geoffrey Mac/Instagram
Geoffrey Mac, Season 18
Mac's innovative designs and long history in the fashion world scored him an impressive win in early 2020. "It's been a life-changing experience for sure, hands down," he told Decider after the finale aired. "I'm officially #TeamGeoffrey now. I'm very excited about that."
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Kors, who has been a judge on the show since its inception in 2004, said that he was quitting in order to focus on his own business. Project Runway premiered in 2004, with Gunn, 67, serving as a mentor to the designers.
Runway doesn't pay the contestants, and many must quit their jobs to be on the show. The winner may get a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine, a new car, $50,000 in design software, and $100,000 in seed money to start a new clothing line, but not a cent for groceries.
Christian Vincent Siriano (born November 18, 1985) is an American fashion designer and member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Siriano first gained attention after winning the fourth season of American design competition show Project Runway in 2007, becoming the series' youngest winner.
Brooklyn, N.Y., native Keith Michael, 34, was asked to leave because he had pattern-making books in his room – a violation of the contest's rules – and at one point had gone AWOL from the production.
We have been in love ever since! I always say we're the oldest married couple in 18 years, ever. We learned a lot about each other along the way — what works, what doesn't work, and how we can evolve, especially from the TV show we did before [Project Runway].
Additionally, fashion designer Brandon Maxwell and former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Elaine Welteroth were joining Nina Garcia as permanent judges. As of Season 19, Karlie Kloss was no longer the host and Christian Siriano was handling both hosting and mentoring of designers.
In the first ever outdoor challenge, the runway show is held outside in New York for all to see. Kim Kardashian serves as guest judge. The designers are broken into teams of two to create a design that's larger than life--their models are stilt walkers!
While just on Project Runway to be a clothes horse, Morgan Quinn stole the limelight after a succession of tantrums and tears. But it seems the stunner has made an even less positive impression on the New York Police. The model was arrested for filing a false report last month.
Argentina native Cecilia decided to quit the show on the fourth episode. That was after she alienated Marie Claire's fashion director Nina Garcia in a challenge that involved making the judge an outfit that she could wear both at work as well as at an industry event at night.
He is currently developing his own line and continues to design for his private clients. Joshua McKinley became the latest designer to be eliminated from Project Runway: All Stars season two in one of the design competition's biggest twists ever.
Jay's inventive designs and original point of view made him the season-one winner. After the show, he began teaching at Philadelphia University and started a fashion line on QVC. He continues to do both today.
You could earn between $200–$1,000, or, instead of payment, get to keep some clothing from the show. Gabriela Pierantoni, the owner of Corestone Models, says experienced runway models could earn $500–$2,500 per show. Supermodels, on the other hand, could make up to $20,000 for a runway show.
Citing the “intensity of the competition,” Ferguson then decided to leave the show for the sake of her mental health. Jean-Baptiste went on to win the competition at the end of the episode. “Project Runway” first premiered in 2004.
Editorial models fall under different requirements for catwalk models and will be paid differently. You can expect around $100 per hour if you are doing well. Starting model salary may be much lower, even $20 per hour, and you may have to work for free at first to get your portfolio.
When Nancy Volpe-Beringer was announced as a contestant for “Project Runway” season 18 at age 64, she made history as the show's oldest designer ever. I honestly wasn't sure how far she'd make it in the competition, since the winners skew young and fashion is all about what's modern and now.
At age 64, Nancy made history as the oldest ever designer on the show and paved her way to the Project Runway finale through her creativity, determination, and quest for melding sustainability and inclusivity.
The winner of Project Runway: Junior received a full scholarship to the prestigious Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in California, a complete home sewing and crafting studio provided by Brother, a feature in Seventeen Magazine and a $25,000 cash prize to help launch their line plus a Visionworks shopping ...
Claire Buitendorp was disqualified from the competition after she admitted to using measuring tape outside of the work room, which was expressly against the rules. However, now Claire and her twin sister Shawn Buitendorp seem to be changing their story.
Project Runway premiered in 2004, with Gunn, 67, serving as a mentor to the designers. Klum, 48, judged alongside Michael Kors and Nina Garcia. In September 2018, the pair announced they were leaving the Bravo series after 16 seasons. Their newest venture, Making the Cut, debuted on Amazon last year.
GRAND LEDGE - Claire Buitendorp said she didn't mean to cheat. One week after her twin sister Shawn tearfully bowed out of a head-to-head challenge against her on the latest season of Lifetime's "Project Runway," Claire was booted from the show.
Klum shares Leni, 18, Henry, 17, Johan, 16, and Lou, 13, with her ex-husband Seal. The children also spend time with Klum's current husband, musician Tom Kaulitz, who considers himself an "extra dad" to the four kids. They even helped Kaulitz plan his surprise proposal in 2019.
“My friend Nina's name has deservedly become synonymous with elegance and style. Her stellar reputation in the industry is only overshadowed by her impeccable taste and generous spirit. Nina's impact on the fashion industry is immeasurable.
She said "I had a really bad experience with a casting director who was very important. He said something to my agent that shook my confidence when it came to the catwalks." She added, "I don't want to feel bad about myself in this space because I feel really good about the other jobs I do.
Project Runway has begun its 17th season on Bravo. Iconic mentor Tim Gunn, however, is no longer part of the show. Tim left the show to partner with his Project Runway cohost, Heidi Klum, on a new Amazon Prime Video series.
Dmitry Sholokhov now holds the title of both Project Runway winner and Project Runway All Stars winner. His business today focuses on private commissions and pursuit's of partnerships with major retailers. He also recently unveiled his new affordable high-fashion brand to the world.
Author. After her appearance on Project Runway, Bennett started writing for the Web site The Daily Beast. Her article topics ranged from family life with her six children to fashion on the red carpet and a wide range of other topics.
In October 2022, Mood Fabrics released a statement about Swatch on its Instagram account. The post confirmed that Swatch died in his sleep. “It's with heavy hearts that we inform you our beloved Swatch passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday morning at 15½ years old,” the team captioned under Swatch's photo.
While the dress eventually fit, they weren't able to zip it up so, Kim concealed her bare behind with a furry coat at the May 2 event. Kim also changed into a replica of the gown for the rest of the evening after the red carpet. One thing that she didn't conceal?
Sixty years later, Kardashian worked with Ripley's to wear it to the Met Gala. According to Vogue, she only wore the dress for a matter of minutes before changing into a replica so as not to damage the original. “I'm extremely respectful to the dress and what it means to American history.
But a new teaser from Keeping Up With the Kardashians explains why Jenner may have avoided the runway: she suffers from panic attacks—and her anxiety is at its worst during fashion week. The link to this photo or video may be broken, or the post may have been removed.
In a Project Runway testimonial, Jimenez disclosed that she was the victim of a motor-vehicle impact as a pedestrian. She ran into the path of a Peugeot 205 and cracked her skull open "3, almost four inches". She made a significant recovery.
Since winning Project Runway season 6 (the first season on Lifetime) and coming in third on All Stars season 7, Shabayeva has built a custom bridal and eveningwear business. She sells her designs to high-end boutiques around the world.
She was ultimately diagnosed with dysautonomia, a condition that exhibits difficult-to-pinpoint symptoms like digestive problems and chronic fatigue and had gone undetected for about five years.
She tried out for Season 6 of the show but was told she needed more experience. She returned three years later and was a finalist in Season 9. In Season 6 of Project Runway All Stars, she was eliminated in episode 7.
Ari South, whose fashion line uses her former name, Andy South, was a top three finalist on season eight of Project Runway. Since her success on the show, she has been designing for Neiman Marcus in Hawaii and has opened her own store in Honolulu.
Chasity Sereal grew up in Houston, Texas, and prides herself on problem solving. As a high school junior, she got her start by designing senior prom dresses. Nicknamed “Lady Godiva” by her father, she suffered the tremendous loss of his death at the age of 12.
Saun specializes in designing for music and dance-driven projects, such as working as the costume designer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew and Comedy Central Roasts. Now, Saun has a Los Angeles-based fashion and costume design house called Kara Saun.
GRAND LEDGE - Claire Buitendorp said she didn't mean to cheat. One week after her twin sister Shawn tearfully bowed out of a head-to-head challenge against her on the latest season of Lifetime's "Project Runway," Claire was booted from the show.
Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for death. Results: During follow-up, there were 3,290 deaths in individuals with IBS (9.4/1,000 person-years) compared with 13,255 deaths in reference individuals (7.9/1,000 person-years), resulting in an HR of 1.10 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-1.14).
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