From Jay McCarroll to Christian Siriano to Leanne Marshall, which designers' classic looks remain memorable?
(AP) Project Runway, that fabulous reality show zombie that will
keep making it work no matter what it takes, premieres its 13th season
tonight. Like most long-running reality shows, it is well past its
prime. Though the show's been on an upswing during the last season or
two (after the talent level fluctuated wildly during seasons 6-10), it
will never again be the zeitgeist-y hit of its moment.
But think back to when it was! It was a time when we could quote
"It's a motherf*cking walk-off" at each other like it was from a Will
Ferrell movie. When we hated Wendy Pepper's guts, even while bitterly
admitting she was right about Kara Saun's free shoes. When we tolerated
Christian Siriano's catchphrases because damnit, he was a truly great
designer in the making. Though
there were plenty of factors for the show's breakout success – the
judges and mentor Tim Gunn; the creative nature of the challenges – a
huge part was the fashion being created. There were some
crash-and-burns, of course, but there were designs that inspired, that
excited, that showed off the contestants' original perspectives. You can
think the food on Top Chef looks pretty, but you can't taste it. Watching Runway was like being on the front lines at Fashion Week.
In honor of tonight's season premiere, we decided to take a look back
at some of the best outfits in series history. Since there have been
well over a thousand looks over the past 12 seasons, we decided to group
them by challenge. Which designer took best advantage of unconventional
materials? Which looks were most inspired? Which final collection was
the best? We've got your answers below.
Best Unconventional Materials Challenge Look
Lifetime
Standard bearer: Austin Scarlett's corn husk dress from season 1 showed viewers that Project Runway would be so much more than a flash in the pan. Something special was happening here. Other standouts:
Best of the best: The Project Runway judges'
major criterion for an unconventional materials challenge tends to be
whether it could pass for real fashion. There's no question Sonjia Williams'
aquatic-inspired candy dress from season 10 looked like a costume. But
she incorporated so many different and difficult-to-manipulate materials
– jellybeans, almonds, gummy sharks, rock candy – and still presented a
stunning, whimsical, complete vision. Who cares if it looks like a
costume? Sonjia lost to fellow contestant Ven Budhu's entry, largely
because his looked like a real, if dull, dress, and that's a shame. These challenges should be about creativity, and this dress is pure imagination.
Best Inspiration Challenge Look
Bravo
Standard bearer: Andrae
Gonzalo was known more for his tears than his fashion in season 2. But
when he found inspiration in New York City gutter water, he knocked it out of the park. Other standouts:
Best of the best:Mychael Knight's Pam
Grier-inspired look from season 3 was a hot pink hot pant – in other
words, a disaster in the making. But Mychael, who cheered for the chance
to create a look inspired by "Pam motherf*cking Grier," was up to the
challenge. Mychael had the perfect mix of an understanding of the woman
he's designing for and an ability to turn the volume knob up without
going overboard. Nothing in his portfolio demonstrates that better than
this look – still the hottest design ever featured on Project Runway. (His model, the sensational Nazri Segaro, certainly didn't hurt, either.)
Best Sponsored Challenge Look
Bravo
Standard bearer: The
best entries in the sponsored challenges are both incredible in their
own right and keep the client in mind. Nick Verreos' colorful,
stimulating Barbie challenge dress in season 2 fits both those criteria
to a T. Other standouts:
Best of the best: Jay McCarroll's Chrysler
Building dress from season 1. It's not even close, honestly. The
Chrysler Building dress is iconic in the same way Austin's corn husk
dress is, perhaps even more so. Jay was always a talented designer, and
his skill took him all the way to the winner's circle, but this was the
first sign that he had something truly special in him. The look was
created for a Banana Republic challenge – and, unfortunately, the level
of detail in the dress prevented it from winning, since the winner would
be mass-produced and sold by the chain – but it's an exquisite melding
of client need and personal design philosophy. It's a standard bearer
not just for this kind of challenge, but for the series as a whole.
Best Celebrity Client Challenge Look
Lifetime
Standard bearer: Kit Pistol's look for Tiki Barber
in season 4 fit the client's need, with fabrics that would look good on
TV, and managed to actually look like sellable menswear (an issue for
most of the designers, who seemed to have never heard of menswear). Other standouts: There aren't many! These challenges
tend to trip up even expert hands (see: season 1's Nancy O'Dell Grammy
Awards dress challenge).
Amanda Valentine's concert outfit for Miranda Lambert (season 11)
Best of the best: Getting to design a dress for
a Marie Claire billboard in Times Square is a dream. Getting to design
for supermodel Coco Rocha is also a dream. So it's only fitting that Mondo Guerra's
season 8 entry was pretty goddamn dreamy. Mondo described it as Mary
Tyler Moore-inspired, and that's clear from head-to-toe in the final
look. This lost to Gretchen Jones's jumpsuit – a sad foreshadowing of that year's finale – but it was our first taste of the crazy cute aesthetic that defines Mondo's work.
Best Uniform Challenge Look
Bravo
Standard bearer: Kara Saun's postal uniform
from season 1 surpassed snail mail utility and managed to be capital-F
Fashion. Kara was a standout all season, but seeing her step out of her
comfort zone and hit a home run was all the more delightful. Other standouts:
Best of the best:Chloe Dao's
ice skater uniform from season 2 was flawless. Chloe used her signature
blue to create an ethereal effect. The dress looks effortless, both
beautiful enough to be worn off the ice and yet totally appropriate for
the sport. This didn't win, but to be fair to guest judge Sasha Cohen,
who opted for another look, this probably wouldn't have looked good with
silver anyway.
Best Specific Design Challenge Look
AP
Standard bearer: What
we mean by "specific" here is anything that wouldn't be worn every day,
be it for a wedding or for prom or for the boudoir. Working on such a
specific design prompt can often lead to compromising one's own design
aesthetic or, at worst, a fashion catastrophe. Jay McCarroll's swimsuit in season 1 is the prototype of keeping point of view steady even in the face of a challenge. Other standouts:
Best of the best: To get into the season 5 finale, the remaining designers were charged with creating a wedding dress. Leanne Marshall responded
by designing one of the most incredible dresses in all 12 seasons of
the show. Dreamlike and strikingly beautiful, it was a prelude to her
final collection – which was similarly stunning. This was a showstopper. *NOTE: Ari South transitioned after her season, where she
was referred to as Andy. She returned for the third All-Stars season and
competed as Ari.
Best Non-Model Challenge Look
Lifetime
Standard bearer: The
dreaded real person challenge could strike fear into the greatest
contestants' hearts. That's why someone like Uli Herzner, who
effortlessly combined her design aesthetic with her client's needs in season 3's mom challenge, is so impressive. Other standouts:
Melissa Fleis and Dmitry Sholokhov's gorgeous Emmy gown for Runway alum April Johnston (season 10)
Best of the best: When designers were tasked
with designing for a mother and child in season 7, most struggled on one
of the two looks. Eventual season champion Seth Aaron Henderson
barely broke a sweat and won the challenge in a walk. His jacket for
the mother was striking and innovative, while his child's outfit was
adorable. A positive attitude is key in these challenges, and Seth Aaron
had optimism in droves.
Best Intensive Challenge Look
Bravo
Standard bearer: We're
defining this as "intensive," though most of the looks considered were
from avant-garde challenges, because the original standout was from a
couture challenge. That'd be Jeffrey Sebelia's couture gown from season 3, which masterfully avoided becoming a mess despite a lot going on. Other standouts:
Jillian Lewis and Victorya Hong's gorgeous avant-garde coat (season 4)
Best of the best: This one is easy: Christian Siriano and Chris March's
avant-garde gown in season 4 was the absolute best. This is the only
look that could challenge the Chrysler Building dress for the top spot.
It's intricate, high fashion, actually avant-garde, and simply
breathtaking.
Best Print Design Challenge Look
Lifetime
Standard bearer: The
"design your own print" challenge wasn't introduced until season 7, but
it's appeared in almost every season since. Gotta make those folks at
HP happy! The first to really do something dynamic with the print
challenge was Maya Luz, who used her print to emphasize the design, not the other way round. Other standouts:
Best of the best: The later seasons of Project Runway are light on iconic looks and moments – most of the best memories from the show are from the first five seasons. But Mondo Guerra's
look in season 8, episode 10 is the rare exception. A gorgeous print
well-executed in its design, Mondo's entry would have been enough to win
no matter what. The fact that it had an inspiring story attached –
Mondo coming out as HIV-positive on the runway – was all the more
empowering.
Best Individual Look in a Final Collection
Bravo
Standard bearer: Jay McCarroll's final collection in season 1 was a knockout in so many ways, but one of his blue looks
– a deep blue sweater that looked simultaneously cozy and high-fashion –
stands out. The beauty of Jay's collection is in how it all comes
together, but he still managed to make a few pieces showstoppers. Other standouts:
Best of the best:Rami Kashou's technical skills stand out in Project Runway history – though he had a tendency to return tothe samedraping welltoo often
in season 4. But nothing showed off his status as a technical expert
than his finale collection gown. The reaction in the Bryant Park tent
was palpable and enthusiastic. This was the look people had been dying
for him to design. It was the definition of a showstopper.
Best Final Collection
Standard bearer: Colorful, surprising, exciting and
unique, Jay McCarroll's final collection was an easy choice for the win
in season 1. Much of the knitwear would still have a place in our
closets – that's exactly how timeless his point of view is. Jay's output
during the show was a bit limited by the dictates of the challenges,
but given time and money, he really made his talent sing in a beautiful,
heretofore unseen way. Other standouts:
Best of the best: A great Project Runway final collection can stand next to the greats of New York Fashion Week and look right at home. Leanne Marshall's waves-inspired
collection not only had a home under the tents in Bryant Park, it shone
brighter than any other final collection had – or has since then.
Leanne had a mastery of color, technique and material that sometimes
didn't all come together during the rigors of the show. Leanne may not
have been the most successful designer to come from Runway, but at least in this moment, her point of view never seemed more important.
Take a look at the Project Runway winner's designs and workroom.
"So many women are afraid of the bitch word, but you've got to go for what you want. It's not going to be handed to you."
ON HEMPHILL: Shoes, $890, Barbara Bui; dress & hat, Irina Shabayeva.
ON SHABAYEVA: Top, $96, Kain; leggings, $265, Helmut Lang; shoes, $1095, Barbara Bui; scarf, Irina Shabayeva.
"I am fascinated with flight! Planes, birds, butterflies — I love the freedom that they symbolize." -Irina
"I always want things to look luxe, so my biggest challenge was
stretching the $9000 we'd been given to make it seem like I'd spent
$20,000." -Irina
Top, $96, Kain; leggings, $265, Helmut Lang; scarf, Irina Shabayeva.
"I love this sketch. I have a special affinity for lingerie; nothing makes a woman feel more beautiful." -Irina
"I wore this mask for Halloween. I like mystery and anonymity. It's the
only way people won't be prejudiced when meeting you." -Irina
"The workroom was always tense, but then Kalyn would come in all
smiles, and I was like, 'I want to live in your world!' She gave me a
sense of relief and hope." -Irina
ON HEMPHILL: Top,
skirt & boots, Irina Shabayeva. ON SHABAYEVA: Top, $96, Kain;
leggings, $265, Helmut Lang; necklace, $175, 3.1 Phillip Lim; bracelet,
$48, Hayden-Harnett; ring, Shabayeva's own.
"I research everything on YouTube, like how to crochet a flower
or knit a certain stitch. For my collection, I YouTube'd how to make
hand-blocked felt hats, then made each one." -Irina
- Have you ask yourself question what happens with winner of "Project Runway"? I know i did.. Being such a big fan of this show I was carious if the actually can make it in the industry or no. And seems like they did. - (from author)
Jay McCarroll
As the winner of the
show's first season, McCarroll was awarded $100,000, a mentorship from
Banana Republic and a spot in the prestigious 2005 New York Fashion Week
event, but the gregarious designer turned down the money and the
mentorship, citing contractual issues. After leaving New York, McCarroll
taught at Philadelphia University and had a fashion line on QVC. In
April 2008, he launched his blog and designer fashion boutique, The Colony by Jay McCarroll. In 2010, McCarroll won the seventh season of Celebrity Fit Club on VH1, having lost 40 pounds on the reality show.
Chloe Dao
Since beating out Daniel Vosovic and Santino Rice
on the second season of the reality show -- then airing on Bravo -- Dao
has continued to expand her Houston-area clothing boutique Lot (later
renamed Chloe Dao boutique). Recently, Dao acted as judge for season one
of Project Runway Vietnam.
Jeffrey Sebelia
Sebelia’s Cosa Nostra was a favorite among such stars as Gwen Stefani, Elton John, Madonna and Tommy Lee even before his time on Project Runway.
After his season three win, and during a tumultuous financial time for
Cosa Nostra, Sebelia took the position of head designer with a new
fashion house named Fluxus. In 2011, he debuted a kid’s clothing line
called La Minitura, a fun mix of British posh and pop-punk that can be
found at Kitson and Barney’s New York.
Christian Siriano
Probably the most well-known Runway
alum, Siriano was just 20 years old when he competed on the television
program, and his ultra-feminine designs and trademark catchphrase
“fierce” made him a fan favorite. Siriano's eponymous fashion line,
Christian Siriano, debuted at New York Fashion Week in September 2008.
His collection is available at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, and
he has a popular line of footwear for Payless Shoesource. He also has
designed for multiple celebrities, including Taylor Swift and Kaley Cuoco.
Leanne Marshall
The Portland, Ore., native
stills maintains her familiarity with the fashion world. Most recently,
Marshall can be found designing wedding gowns in her Brooklyn, N.Y.,
studio. She even had a spring/summer wedding dress collection that was
shown at 2013's New York Fashion Week.
Irina Shabayeva
A graduate of Parsons School of Design, Shabayeva is originally from the Republic of Georgia. After her Project Runway win, She designed Selena Gomez’s dress for the 2011 People’s Choice Awards and the ombre gown worn by Grammy winner Carrie Underwood on the cover of her album Blown Away. Shabayeva launched a limited-edition collection exclusively for Macy's INC in February 2011.
Seth Aaron Henderson
Henderson's most recent
show was at Portland Fashion Week in October 2011 and featured
sustainable fabrics made from recycled plastic bottle, reinforcing his
philosophies on "clothing with a conscience."
Gretchen Jones
Jones’ victory over Mondo Guerra is considered the most controversial win the show has ever seen, with judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia clearly in favor of Jones' collection and Heidi Klum and guest judge Jessica Simpson
favoring Guerra. Jones now lives in Brooklyn, where she runs her
ready-to-wear women’s line, Gretchen Jones NYC, and consistently shows
at New York Fashion Week. For the spring-summer 2013 season, she was
chosen as one of GenArt's Fresh Faces.
Anya Ayoung-Chee
After winning a coveted spot in New York Fashion Week, Ayoung-Chee has showed her Project Runway
collection at Jamaica Fashion Weekend. Recently, the former Miss
Trinidad and Tobago Universe accepted a yearlong position as travel
ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago.
Dmitry Sholokhov
The ballroom dancer-turned-fashion designer was crowned the season 10 champion and has created a collection of eight cocktail and evening dresses exclusively for Lord & Taylor.
Michelle Lesniak Franklin
The Portland, Ore.-based designer survived the first-ever "teams" edition to become the 11th-season winner. In April, she toldTHR
that her immediate plans were "to get an accountant to figure out how
to do my taxes with all that money [prizes included $100,000 in cash],
and start hiring help and building a team. I'm a one-woman show right
now, and I can't do it anymore. It's too tough. It's time for an
expansion and to take over the world." She also was planning on taking
part in a couple fashion shows this year, with a bigger launch in spring
2014.
Mondo Guerra
After coming in second to Gretchen Jones in season eight of the reality competition, Guerra was the winner of the first Project Runway: All-Stars
in 2012. In commemoration of World AIDS Day, the openly gay
Mexican-American designer -- who revealed his HIV-positive status on Project Runway --
created a limited edition of T-shirts. He also designed a limited
edition "Movers & Shakers" T-shirt to benefit Dining Out for Life
and introduced his "Haute Dog" spring line at Fashion Week El Paseo in
March. His exclusive collection of eyewear with national optical
boutique SEE hit stores this fall, and he partnered with Merck for "I
Design," a national HIV/AIDS education campaign. Guerra also recaps Project Runway for THR.com.
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Anthony Ryan Auld
As the winner of the second All-Stars
season, Auld will create a custom-branded capsule collection for Nine
West and was awarded a cash prize of $150,000, a sewing and embroidery
studio provided by Brother Sewing and Embroidery, an all-expenses paid
trip around the world to attend fashion weeks in cities such as Paris,
London, Milan and Tokyo. In January, he toldTHR
he had plans to show at several fashion weeks throughout the year and
planned to invest part of his $150,000 cash prizewith fellow All Stars competitor Joshua McKinley. "I
really believe in what he does with tanks and how innovative he can be,
and we'll be working together more," he said. "This seed money will
help him push his business. I really believe in him and the passion
behind everything he does."
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Dom Streater
Dom Streater went from working two jobs to support herself to winning season 12 of ProjectRunway
and a $500,000 prize package -- the biggest in series history. She has
since been able to quit one of those jobs and work full-time as a
designer. She's currently at work in her fall/winter 2014 collection
with plans to show at Philadelphia Fashion Week in February. "I was very
inspired by Russian ballet, and I'm excited about the softer side of
design that I don't get to access," she told THR after her win.
