Project Runway (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Project Runway is an American reality television series on the Bravo network 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 eliminated each week. The third season winner received a spread in ELLE magazine, a mentorship with INC (Inter-National Concepts) Design, a year of representation by Designers Management Agency, a 2007 Saturn Sky Roadster, and $100,000 to start a clothing line furnished by TRESemmé professional haircare.

Format

Project Runway is hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and judged by a panel that usually includes Klum, American designer Michael Kors, ELLE magazine fashion director Nina Garcia, and a fourth judge - typically a fashion designer (e.g. Diane von Furstenberg, Vera Wang), critic (Teri Agins of the Wall Street Journal) or model (e.g. Iman), a celebrity (Nicky Hilton, Nancy O'Dell) , or a professional from an industry related to the challenge (Sasha Cohen). Tim Gunn, Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne Inc, acts as mentor to the designers. Mr. Gunn has proved to be so popular that his role has been expanded. Project Runway takes place in New York City (and a short stop in Paris in Season 3) with designers using a workroom at Parsons School of Design, shopping for materials at a fabrics store in New York's Garment District (usually Mood Designer Fabrics on W. 37th Street " unless the challenge calls for an unusual material or the fabric is provided, as in the Banana Republic challenge from Seasons 1&2), and living together at Atlas New York (an apartment building near Parsons).

At the beginning of each challenge, the designers are given the outlines of their assignment, usually to create a garment from non-traditional materials, such as recycled materials (Season 3) or items from a grocery store (Season 1) , or to design for a certain person (such as figure skater Sasha Cohen or Miss USA Tara Conner), corporate fashion line (Banana Republic or Macy's INC), or specialized theme (such as a "cocktail party"). The designers are given a stipend and limited amount of time to finish each garment. Often the designers work independently, although on some challenges contestants must work in teams. 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 judged by a panel of judges. The judges then interview the designers and share their opinions before conferring as a group and selecting winning and losing designers. Generally, the loser of each challenge is eliminated from the competition. Season 2 contestant Daniel Vosovic has won the most challenges with five, followed by Kara Saun of Season 1, who won four.

Episodes featuring challenges, winners, and eliminations continue until only a small number of designers remain. These finalists are then given 12 weeks and $8000.00 to complete an all-new, 12-piece fashion collection to present for judging at New York's Olympus Fashion Week at Bryant Park. Again the judges"including Klum, Kors, Garcia, and a guest judge"evaluate the collections and select one of the designers as the winner. Past finale judges have been Parker Posey (Season 1), Debra Messing (Season 2), and Fern Mallis (Season 3).

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, with one model remaining at the end. At the start of a new challenge, the winning designer of the last challenge has the opportunity to drop their current model for the eliminated designer's model. Included in the prize package for the winning model is coverage in the American edition of ELLE magazine, featuring the winning designer's designs as part of his or her prize.

Season 1

In its first 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 hit. Project Runway gave Bravo one of its most successful series since Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

The winning designer of the first season was 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, who placed in fourth, produced a decoy collection for Olympus Fashion Week after being eliminated in the "Nancy O'Dell Grammy Challenge." 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.

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 Dao, 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. The winning model paired with designer Chloe Dao was Grace Kelsey, beating out models Rebecca Holliday (for Daniel Vosovic) and Heather Brown (for Santino Rice), and landed the spread in ELLE Magazine.

Kara Janx, who placed fourth in the competition after having been eliminated in the "Iman Challenge", produced a decoy collection which served as a distraction at Olympus Fashion Week before the finale aired.

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's replacing Banana Republic, in advance of Macy's conversion of former May Company department stores.

In this season, designer Keith Michael became the first designer to be asked to leave the show for multiple rule violations. He was found in possession of prohibited pattern-making books and left the production for several hours, during which time he used the Internet. Also, for the first time, the last four designers were selected as finalists (Jeffrey Sebelia, Laura Bennett, Ulrike "Uli" Herzner, and Michael Knight), with no decoy collection to serve as a distraction before the finale aired, and allowed to compete at Olympus Fashion Week.

In a "Reunion" episode that aired on October 4, viewers voted Michael Knight as their favorite designer, earning him a $10,000 prize.

The season finale aired on October 18, 2006 with Jeffrey Sebelia voted winner by the judges. Winning alongside with designer Sebelia was his model, Marilinda Rivera, edging out models Nazri Segaro (for Ulrike "Uli" Herzner), Camilla Barungi (for Laura Bennett), and Clarissa Anderson (for Michael Knight), to take the coveted ELLE fashion spread.

Jeffrey Sebelia was accused of having outside help to finish his garments by fellow competitors. The issue was investigated, and it was determined that he had followed the guidelines and did not violate any rules that would prevent him from continuing in the competition at Fashion Week.

Uli was the runner up to the title, also highly praised by the judges for her collection. Designer Michael Knight was first eliminated in the season finale for his collection titled "Street Safari." Michael was a fan favorite, but his line did not appeal to the judges in Olympus Fashion Week. Designer Laura was second eliminated in the finale for her collection of cocktail dresses. At the time Laura was pregnant with her 6th child. Jefferey won the competition, and his girlfriend and son were there to celebrate his win with him. He was also the winner of a 2007 Saturn Sky Roadster.

Season 4

Casting auditions for Season 4 of Project Runway began in April 2007 and filming wrapped in July 2007.

Tim Gunn will be returning for the series' fourth season, rhetorically asking: "Do I have even one iota of a doubt that I'll be back for season four? No. Not one iota." He has since been named Chief Creative Officer for Liz Claiborne Inc., leaving his position at Parsons.

The fourth season premieres Wednesday, November 14th, 2007.

According to a Bravo Press Release, the fourth season will premiere after Top Chef 3, breaking the trend of Top Chef following Project Runway.

While many websites say that season four begins November 14th, Bravo said that such a date was not yet firmed up.

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