Listen up people! It's that time of the year again! I know it's not Halloween yet, and not near the holidays; it doesn't even matter! Because Project Runway is out with its 15th season. If you're like me, this Emmy nominated and winning show holds a special place in your heart the same way how much a favorite holiday means to you. Following a group of aspiring fashion designers every week, host Heidi Klum and mentor Tim Gunn give the contestants different challenges, for example, make a look inspired by a Broadway musical they were taken to see, in a certain amount of time, one to three days, varying on the challenge. These looks are critiqued by judges Nina Garcia, creative director of Marie Claire fashion magazine, and fashion designer Zac Posen, along with various guest judges. Every week, the designers will get closer to their goal of showing a collection at New York Fashion Week, while others will tumble and fall, and unfortunately, be eliminated. As Heidi Klum always says, "One day you're in. And the next day, you're out."
Personally, I don't watch reality TV shows, but if I was to name my favorite reality show, it's this one. What's great about it is that you get to see artists getting to create their own art pieces, being pushed to their limits expressing themselves, and contributing their own aesthetic to the fashion world. And the short amount of time that they have to spend making their looks is admirable. Watching the first episode, I noticed that this year's contestants are a very talented and diverse group.
For me, the best way to start off a new season of Project Runway is by watching the audition before the first episode. This way, I become acquainted with the contestants before they start competing, so I can get a sense of who they are as a person and get a taste of their personal style and design when they showcase their work. After watching this season's tryouts, I have to say, I am impressed! There's a designer that has his own company, a former model that has started to make her own designs, two mothers that are going after their own dreams, and so many other people with great backstories and personalities.
The second thing that I noticed was that they stared off with the unconventional challenge first! This is the most dreaded challenges for the designers, hands down; using unconventional materials for a look in place of fabric. Usually, the designers aren't given this challenge until much later in the season, whereas this year they were immediately thrown into it. Surprisingly, the results were spectacular. There was a dress made out of Polaroids, pants sparkling with actual glitter, a dress entirely made of Chinese lanterns, and a dress made of yellow wigs and gum balls. There is so much talent and I can't wait to see more as the show moves forward.
And as another season starts up, viewers and fans of the show begin to relieve all of the feelings and emotions when watching Project Runway. These include:
1) When you start picking out your favorite designers.
2) When you see Mood (plus Swatch).
3) Anytime Tim Gunn is on screen (because he's amazing!).
4) When you critique each designer's look as if we are experts (because the show makes us feel like experts).
5) When drama happens (because what would a reality TV competition be without some drama?).
6) When you see the finished looks walk down the runway (because #flawless)
7) When you become irritated or mad when a designer you don't like gets good reviews from the judges and/or wins a challenge.
8) When you get stressed out over the fact that a designer you really like might be eliminated and you start praying that it won't happen.
9) When your favorite designer gets eliminated and it DESTROYS you (then you start praying for Tim Gunn to save them).
10) When a designer you don't like gets eliminated.
Plus so many more that were not mentioned above, but trust me, there are so many.
Being the 15th season of this show, I can tell that there is going to be a lot of surprises waiting for us viewers and the designers. As New York Fashion Week came to a close this week, and as the show started up again, us viewers wonder which of these 16 contestants made it to fashion week and who won this year. Soon, we will find out, but now it is time for the designers to "make it work" and start sewing! Till next time, we'll see them on the runway.





















