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HOME > RealityTVDB > Project Runway 1

Project Runway 1


Project Runway 1 (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


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. As his prize for winning the competition among 12 designers, McCarroll won $100,000, a mentorship with Banana Republic to aid in developing his own fashion label (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.

Season 1 contestants

The 12 fashion designers competing in the first season were:

  • Mario Cadenas, 23, from Pembroke Pines, Florida
  • Nora Caliguri, 21, from Cheshire, Connecticut
  • Daniel Franco, 32, from Los Angeles, California
  • Starr Ilzhoefer, 27, from Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Kevin Johnn, 44, from New York, New York
  • Jay McCarroll, 29, from Lehman, Pennsylvania
  • Wendy Pepper, 39, from Middleburg, Virginia
  • Robert Plotkin, 28, from New York, New York
  • Vanessa Riley, 34, from London, England
  • Kara Saun, 37, from Los Angeles, California
  • Austin Scarlett, 23, from Eugene, Oregon-pictured in some episodes wearing a nightgown
  • Alexandra Vidal, 21, from Miami, Florida
(ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in the summer of 2004.)

The 12 models competing for an ELLE spread in the first season were:

  • Julia Beynon, 20, from California
  • Audrey Chihocky, 18, from Virginia
  • Erin Denardo, 21, from New Jersey
  • Melissa Haro, 17, from California
  • Mary Henderson, 19, from Texas
  • Olga Kononova, 18, from Czech Republic
  • Joy Pursell, 21, from Texas
  • Morgan Quinn, 21, from Iowa
  • Jenny Toth, 22, from Ohio
  • Allison Zebelian, 19, from Michigan
  • Martinique Mitchell, 21, from California
  • Josiane Barboza, 21, from Brazil
(ages listed are according to the profiles on bravotv.com)

Season 1 challenges

Elimination Chart
Designer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Finals
Jay IN IN HIGH IN HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH LOW WIN Winner
Kara IN WIN IN IN WIN IN WIN WIN LOW OUT Runner-Up
Wendy LOW LOW WINLOW IN LOW LOW LOW WIN OUT Third Place
Austin WIN IN LOW LOW LOW WINLOW LOW OUT Elimin: Episode 9
Robert IN HIGH LOW IN IN HIGH HIGH OUT Elimin: Episode 8
Kevin IN IN IN WIN IN LOW OUT Elimin: Episode 7
Alexandra IN IN HIGH HIGH IN OUT Elimin: Episode 6
Nora HIGH LOW IN HIGH OUT Elimin: Episode 5
Vanessa HIGH IN IN OUT Elimin: Episode 4
Starr LOWLOWOUT Elimin: Episode 3
Mario IN OUT Elimin: Episode 2
Daniel OUT Elimin: Episode 1
     Blue background and WIN means the designer won that challenge.
     Red background and OUT means the designer lost and was out of the competition.
     Light blue background and HIGH means the designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge.
     Pink background and LOW means the designers had one of the lowest scores for that challenge.
(HIGH)- In this team challenge, this designer was not the lead designer or visionary; therefore rankings should be understood accordingly. (LOW) " In this team challenge, this designer was not the lead designer or visionary; therefore rankings should be understood accordingly.

Season 1 Fashion models

Elimination Chart
Model 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Finals
Julia ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA JAY AUSTIN AUSTIN JAY JAY JAY* JAY JAY JAY
Jenny JAY KEVIN NORA KARA KARA KARA KARA KARA KARA KARA KARA
Melissa ROBERT ROBERT AUSTIN KEVIN NORA AUSTIN WENDY WENDY WENDY WENDY WENDY
Martinique KEVIN AUSTIN KARA ALEXANDRA ROBERT WENDY KEVIN AUSTIN AUSTIN OUT
Olga AUSTIN MARIO KEVIN VANESSA KEVIN ROBERT ROBERT ROBERT OUT
Erin MARIO WENDY ALEXANDRA JAY ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA AUSTIN OUT
Morgan KARA VANESSA VANESSA WENDY JAY KEVIN OUT
Joy VANESSA NORA STARR NORA WENDY OUT
Audrey STARR STARR WENDY ROBERT OUT
Josiane WENDY KARA ROBERT OUT
Alison NORA JAY OUT
Mary DANIEL OUT
     Blue background and WIN means the model wore the winning design that episode.
     Red background and LOSE means the model wore the losing design that episode.
  • Designers chose their models prior to each challenge, with the winner of the previous challenge choosing first and the other designers choosing in random order. The model who was not chosen would be eliminated.
  • Since models are eliminated at the beginning of the next episode, no model was eliminated in episode 1.
  • There are only 10 sections for models instead of 11 because no models were out in the reunion episode.

Episode 1: Innovation

  • Designers created a sexy, glamorous outfit for a night on the town made only from materials bought at a Manhattan supermarket.
  • Judges: Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Patricia Field.
  • WINNER: Austin. OUT: Daniel
  • First broadcast December 1, 2004

Episode 2: Vision

  • Designers used plain white cotton T-shirt tubing to build a garment that conveys "envy."
  • Judges: Nina Garcia, Constance White, style director at eBay; and Paul Berman.
  • WINNER: Kara Saun.
  • OUT: Mario
  • First broadcast December 8, 2004

Episode 3: Commercial Appeal

  • Designers created a holiday dress to fit with Banana Republic's current line.
  • Judges: Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Deborah Llloyd, Head Designer at Banana Republic.
  • WINNER: Wendy.
  • OUT: Starr
  • First broadcast 15 December, 2004

Episode 4: Collaboration

  • The designers created a new look for rising rock star Sarah Hudson. A team event with three teams, each with a lead designer and two assistants.
  • Judges: Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Sarah Hudson.
  • WINNER: Kevin.
  • OUT: Vanessa
  • First broadcast January 5, 2005

Episode 5: "Model" Clients

  • Working with their chosen models, the designers created a wedding dress for that model.
  • Judges: Michael Kors; Anne Slowey, Fashion News Director at ELLE; and wedding dress designer Amsale.
  • WINNER: Kara Saun.
  • OUT: Nora
  • First broadcast January 12, 2005

Episode 6: Making A Splash

  • Designers made swimsuits, then attended an evening party with their swimsuit-clad models. The winner was the designer who received a mention in the New York Post gossip column "Page Six".
  • Judges: Constance White; Anne Slowey; and Richard Johnson, editor of "Page Six".
  • WINNER: Austin.
  • OUT: Alexandra
  • First broadcast January 19, 2005

Episode 7: Design A Collection

  • Designers created a collection for the year 2055 as one team. Kevin was the team leader for this challenge.
  • Judges: Anne Slowey; Michael Kors; and Betsey Johnson.
  • WINNER: Kara Saun.
  • OUT: Kevin
  • First broadcast January 26, 2005

Episode 8: Postal Uniform Challenge

  • Designers redesigned the uniform worn by United States Postal Service workers.
  • Judges: Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and United States Postal Service worker Becky Negich.
  • WINNER: Kara Saun.
  • OUT: Robert
  • First broadcast February 2, 2005

Episode 9: Design For The Red Carpet

  • Designers created a dress for Access Hollywood reporter Nancy O'Dell to wear to the Grammys.
  • Judges: Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Nancy O'Dell.
  • WINNER: Wendy.
  • OUT: Austin
  • First broadcast February 9, 2005

Episode 10: Reunion

  • All of the participating designers gathered for a reunion hosted by Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn on the eve of New York Olympus Fashion Week at which the final three designers will display their collections.
  • Judges: not applicable
  • WINNER/OUT: not applicable
  • First broadcast February 16, 2005

Episode 11: The Runway

  • The final three designers, Jay, Kara Saun, and Wendy, were visited by Tim Gunn at their homes to show their progress of their collection. Each designer created a twelve piece collection for a showing at New York Olympus Fashion Week.
  • Judges: Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Parker Posey.
  • WINNER and Winner of Project Runway Season 1: Jay.
  • OUT: Kara Saun, Wendy Pepper
  • First broadcast February 23, 2005


This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Project Runway (season 1)". Reality TV World is not responsible for any errors or omissions this article may contain.


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