Hurry, Project Runway is casting now for season 7

Wannabe fashion designers – here’s your shot. Project Runway is casting for season 7 right now and the deadline is, eeks, April 30. We caught up with Alissa Haight Carlton, the supervising casting director for the show who told us they are looking for, “Talent, talent, talent. That is what matters most. Of course, we need to have a mix of personalities and maintain diversity on all levels too, but first and foremost, they have to have talent.”

There’s a whole auditioning process, that you can read all about at bunim-murray.com.

Among other things, you need a portfolio and an audition tape. And here’s a little word to the wise from Carlton. “We want people to be themselves and not to put on a show or pretend to be something they’re not. From a fashion perspective, we want them to show us what they have.”

If you make this cut, you are "in" for one of five closed casting calls in Seattle, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta where you’ll be judged by a panel of three including our fave Tim Gunn.

Sew get on it, designers. Lovers of the show will be happy to hear that season 6 will finally begin airing on August 20 on Lifetime after a prolonged legal dispute with Bravo. Mighty Heidi and company will all be there, but this time around, it’s filmed in LA. We shall reserve judgement. – Anne Bratskeir

The Project Runway finale for a season we haven't seen yet

(AFP/Getty Images)


By Anne Bratskeir

If you're looking forward to a suspenseful season 6 of Project Runway…whenever and wherever it finally airs…please don't read this.

The show has been mired in contract disputes between Bravo and Lifetime for months, so while production has continued, no one has seen an episode or has any sense of the players and their personalities. Which brings us to the finale show at the tents Friday morning.

Heidi Klum and company were all on hand. Heidi, who spoke briefly, said she felt "a little bit sad for our designers," for not getting any recognition. To keep the finalists secret, the collections came out like headless horsemen, no inspirational information, no designer intro. Who will the winner will be? Kind of obvious, though we could be wrong...but we sincerely doubt it.

Here we go:

Out of the three, the best was by far, the third shown, which began with a stitched leather corset-sweater over leggings and featured fabulous outerwear, many with strips of fabric encasing the waist or stitched over the back. The knitwear – cushy sweaters, one cocoon-like hooded job in creamy camel, another slouchy sweater coat – absolutely fabulous.

For evening the crisscross effect was taken to another level – black dresses and a gown wrapped in strips featured sparkly fabric insets. Overall, an obvious wow with a touch of rocker luxe.

Even Season 4 winner Christian Siriano, who sat front row, looked impressed. Now all we need to know is whodunit? And in the interest of not being mean (yet), we'll only say that the first two collections, which both had some good pieces, were underwhelming.

Maybe this is too much information for Project Runway lovers but Suzy Menkes, the famed fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune, is the guest judge for the finale. And we're thinking based on other show attendants, that Marc Bouwer will be a guest judge on the show, as will hip-hop singer-songwriter Akon. C'mon Project Runway, bring it on.

>> Photos: "Project Runway" finale at Fashion Week

How do the Season 6 final designs compare?

>> Season 5 finale
>> Season 4 finale

'Project Runway' will tape finale of unaired season at Fashion Week

BY ROBERT KAHN
robert.kahn@newsday.com

You're not watching "Project Runway” on TV because of a nasty lawsuit, but fashion hangers-on will still get a glimpse into Tim Gunn's natty world next month when the program films its traditional season finale during Fashion Week.

"Project Runway” completed taping in the fall -- its first season in Los Angeles. But the popular show hasn't aired because of a battle between Bravo, program producers the Weinstein Co. and Lifetime, which purchased the rights to air "Runway” when its deal with Bravo expired.

The Lifetime deal ended up on life support when NBC-owned Bravo sued the Weinstein Co., claiming they were never offered a contractually promised chance to match the competing offer.

The "Runway” season finale will tape Feb. 20 among the Bryant Park couture-ati, with one major change from past tapings, intended to conceal finalist's identities -- not even audience members will know whose collections they're seeing paraded down the runway. The designers won't be introduced.

"The producers made that decision because we want to keep the finalists a secret for fans,” said Emily Feingold, a spokesperson for the Weinstein Co.

The move adds another level of cloak-and-haberdashery secrecy to the whole shebang. In past seasons, designers would introduce their collections, and a "decoy” or two would be among the so-called "finalists,” keeping the actual finalist lineup vague, but somewhat decipherable.

Producers have booked the Tent, the largest of three Bryant Park venues, for the three-hour taping.

The pending suit includes an injunction keeping Lifetime from marketing or selling advertising for the show. The case is in state court, with no trial date set.

Until the matter is resolved, no one can say when "Runway” might air. One rumor making the rounds has the season eventually going straight to DVD.

Michael Kors Meets Us In Manhasset

His Highness, Michael Kors, turned up in Manhasset tonight at the opening of the newly expanded Michael Kors store -- (beyond gorgeous, the store that is, and Michael looked pretty darn good too) -- located at the Americana shopping center there. It must have been fated - we spent some one-on-one time with the designer-cum-Project Runway judge right on the heels of the finale episode.

We had to ask. How's the new season going? "The commute could kill you," he said laughing and referring to the fact that the show is being filmed in LA. He says the shooting progresses despite contract disputes between the show, Lifetime and Bravo, and he's actually wowed by the new scene. "Oh my God, we have dressing rooms," Kors said. "And there are flowers, and bottled water." Compared to the no-frills aura of Parsons School of Design, which Kors has spent many hours around and in, well, let's just hope it hasn't all gone too, too Hollywood. There is something to fashion and our gritty NY city. Are you ever coming back Michael? "Well, of course we'll be back for New York Fashion Week," he said.

In the meantime, you'll all just have to get your dose of him at the store. Trust us. It's going to cost you. -
Anne Bratskeir

5/ The Finale

It is “sew over.” Now we all know that sweet, gangly, self-admitted nerd, Leanne took the win. Did she deserve it? We honestly think so.

For the first time, the women dominated, and, you know what? Their collections were darn good. Kenley didn’t win in part, because she was, to put it nicely, imitative. To put it not so nicely, she was a copycat. And to be mean, there was an element of knock-off artist with at least two of her dresses identifiable as other – famous – designers’ looks. Add to that the attitude factor. When Tim Gunn became the fill-in judge for Jennifer Lopez who had “a foot injury,” (uh, yeah, that’s why our spies told us they saw her wearing five inch high heels later that day) she said, “Okay, maybe I should have improved my attitude.” That said, her collection featured sublime fit and much whimsy.

As for Korto, her collection was stunning, though one of the criticisms was that it was overboard with decoration. We didn’t see that. But perhaps the judges believed that brainy Leanne, who approached each garment with an architect’s eye and had such a unique vision, was the most talented and promising of the bunch.

If you read the last entry, you know we had a little chitchat with Leanne this afternoon. The girl was positively overjoyed. But when we asked her who the meanest judge was, she did not hesitate for a second. “Nina was the toughest critic by far. But you know when you impress Nina, you’ve done something really good.”

As for the show tonight, here’s a rundown of highlights:
-Korto’s gutsy move making two new dresses before the big gig
-Kenley getting Tim visibly mad – ouch.
-Kenley and Leanne throwing barbs at each other on camera. Kenley, “Leanne does not know how to use color.” Leanne, “Kenley’s collection looks like Holly Hobby. It’s so amateurish.”
-In the why- must- we- witness this category, Sophie the dog, relieving herself near Leanne’s gown, and the model who was wearing it cleaning it up. Uuchh.
Sorry, to leave you on that note. Let’s all join figurative hands and make a little fashion wish together…here’s hoping next season (whenever it comes) is as good as Bravo’s five seasons of Project Runway. See you soon. - Anne Bratskeir

Leanne Marshall wins Project Runway

REVENGE OF THE NERD: Leanne Marshall Wins Project Runway
By Anne Bratskeir

It all came down to girl power in Project Runway’s Season Five finale.

And of the last three female designers standing, Leanne Marshall, 28, of
Portland, Ore., who was the show’s definitive shrinking violet, proved that
beneath the nerdy glasses and the goofy demeanor, her talent loomed largest. She
was the mouse that roared.

"I am a fashion nerd," said a very happy Marshall in a phone interview Wednesday. "I just love to have fun, and I’m not afraid of kind of being a dork.”

As for the whole Project Runway shebang, she said, “Without a doubt it’s been the most amazing experience. I would
do it again in a heartbeat.”

Armed with $8,000 for materials and the directive to incorporate a wedding dress into a 12-piece final collection, Marshall’s vision played like a dream sequence on the runway at Bryant Park’s Fashion Week in September. Inspired by rippling water, her two-color palette was soft aqua and cream with a distinct architectural feel including details such as fan-like pleats.

Neither a favorite nor a dark horse, Marshall was a solid contender, who, during the season’s 14 episodes won two challenges -- one using seat covers from a Saturn
car, and another for creating a look for Diane von Furstenberg’s fall collection.

During the finale, the judges took Marshall to task for being "borderline on a one-note," she said. "But I knew I needed my collection to fit together."

Though her two co-finalists, Korto Momolu, 33, of Little Rock, Ark., and Kenley Collins, 25, of Pompano Beach, Fla., exhibited much stronger personalities throughout the season (in fact, Collins was the show’s prerequisite villainess), their collections fell short of Marshall’s, both lacking the cohesiveness and technical skill. As for that evidently hostile relationship with Collins, Marshall said, “We started off as friends but the competition became kind of cutthroat. All Kenley’s relationships kind of deteriorated. There’s a level of respect that she didn’t really have all the time. But
I don’t hate her. I wish her the best.”

Marshall’s Project Runway booty includes $100,000 seed money from Tresemme to start a clothing business and she is doing just that. She’ll soon be
moving to New York to start her new label, “Leanne Marshall.” Musician boyfriend Nathan McKee, who composed her runway music at the finale, is coming
along. “I guess I’m going to have to buy a lot of fabric with it,” she said. She also wins a 2009 Saturn VUE hybrid, a spread in Elle Magazine and a chance
to sell her fashion line on bluefly.com

As for season six? The hit show will go on but will not be aired on Bravo. Instead it moves to a new location, Los Angeles, and a new network, Lifetime -- depending on the lawsuits still at play with the Weinstein company and the two networks. It was originally scheduled to premiere in November but may be pushed back to January.

We’re kind of wondering if without the New York backdrop and Parsons School of Design . . .well, will it be in or out?

Week 13 poll results

Hooray, you finally agreed with the judges. After a consistent disagreement all season between the judges' aufings and our readers' aufings, both sides are in synch.

40% - Jerell (270 votes)
33% - Kenley (222)
21% - Korto (143)
3% - Leanne (25)

Tim Gunn

We weren't the only one thinking Tim Gunn was a prime candidate for prez. Reader Molly's boyfriend Duncan did this rendering and we love it.

5/13 Tim Gunn For President

First off, just when we thought that Bravo had totally turned their backs on the show – the new season already being filmed in L.A. for Lifetime – well, they pull out one of the best episodes of the season. Bravo, Bravo.

The four finalists, Jerell, Kenley, Korto and Leanne, are sent home with an $8,000 budget and two months time to create their own collections, which, Heidi dictates, must include a wedding gown that represents them as a designer. Tim Gunn visits each one, and quite frankly, is more charming, more diplomatic, more helpful and more informed on his issues than any candidate for president we’ve seen buzzing around lately. At Korto’s home in Arkansas, he sweetly engages her shy daughter and seems enchanted by Korto’s African drumming. In Portland, he warns Leanne that her wedding dress might miss, and then, despite his formal demeanor, rides a bicycle built for two with her, and (heavens) sits on the grass. With Jerell, he counsels that the overwrought collection has a “lot of look,” and then mingles easily with Jerell’s friends and family who are obviously nervous. His greatest feat may have occurred in Brooklyn, where he meets with Kenley, who has been incredibly rude to him. Here, he leaves it all behind, encouraging and praising her. And then, before the going gets really tough, he sheds tears – he’s embarrassed but tells them all, “I care deeply about each of you.” And you believe him. This is an extraordinarily graceful and gracious person. He’d be an asset in the White House.

Okay, so back to the show. The kids think they’re home free but alas, there’s one more challenge… make a bridesmaid’s dress to go with the wedding dress. Leanne, who totally redid her collection’s wedding dress, aces it with a pale turquoise and cream short strapless number that repeats her wave motif at the top. The judges are swooning. Kenley, too, does a fabulous job. Her navy blue poufy mini dress is the perfect combo with her “crazy good,” as Heidi puts it, feathered wedding dress. Jerell’s stuff – scary – we told you once before – too tricked out, including some styling errors such as “a flower pot growing out of her head,” says Michael Kors. We didn’t much like Korto’s gown either – over-pleated and kind of bulbous or her bridesmaid’s dress…Banana Republic sale rack.

Allow us, for one brief moment, to gloat…we called it…Jerell goes, the women dominate. And now, we’ll go out on a limb. We think it comes down to Leanne and Kenley, and we think that Leanne will take it all. Stay tuned.

Readers choose Leanne

Waaaaaaay back on Sept. 12, we posted videos off the six remaining designers' collection at Fashion Week in Bryant Park and asked you to choose the winner.

Granted, three of those shows were decoys to keep the integrity of the competition alive (even though the Bravo people refuse to consult a calendar when deciding when to air each season). But alas, it gave you more to look at.

Here are the results of that poll:

57% Leanne Marshall (1,843 votes)
30% Korto Momolu (989)
6% Kenley Collins (197)
4% Jerell Scott (131)
1& Joe Faris (36)
0% Suede (19)

5/12 NATURE CALLS, NO ONE ANSWERS

Yay. Boo. Once again Project Runway judges, who tonight included Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman -- her dramatic evening gowns virtually rule the red carpet these days -- could not make a decision. It’s déjà vu all over again – remember last season when they couldn’t auf Chris March?

So here it is Runway followers: Jerell, Leanne, Korto and Kenley will all make final collections (we know this because we’ve already shown them to you), but one of them will be out before the show at New York Fashion Week. We always feel sad when someone goes…but you gotta make a choice and that should have been tonight.

This show did nothing to enhance our opinions of any of the designers. As Michael Kors noted, “I don’t think this was their best moment.” The challenge was to create an evening gown inspired by flowers at the New York Botanical Garden. They had a budget of $250 and two days to work their magic. And honestly, if this had been last year’s crew, Rami, Jillian, Christian and even Chris, it would have been a total wow. But instead it was mediocre at best.

Jerell won the challenge with an empire gown of plums and purples that was badly constructed though somewhat interesting. Trust us, anybody with more than A-cup would have had to figure out another way to harness the girls. Leanne came in second with a lavender and blue job that had a pleated embellishment. The judges thought was soft and pretty but again, not well made (as in what the heck was the blue dust cloth aka bustle hanging off the model’s rear?) Korto’s gold and lace number seemed inspired at the start but turned out to be what Kors called a pageant dress, not even good. Kenley, who refused to take any mentoring from Tim Gunn, created an old-fashioned siren dress of snakeskin fabric with leaves hanging off the bottom…the Muppets meets creepy.


The underlying theme of the night? Hate-fest. Leanne, Korto and Jerell ganged up on Kenley, whose nasal whine, annoying cackle and inappropriate defensiveness almost, but not quite, made her deserving of their abuse. She’s an easy target, and we would hope that since they’ve all fought their own life battles (they all cried at one time or another), maybe they could have shown a little restraint in the meanness department. That said, she is hard to like. She behaved so horribly on the runway that Heidi chastised her, and Michael wondered allowed, “Imagine if a buyer says, ‘I don’t like that sleeve. What will she do? Take out a knife and kill them?” In the end, Kenley broke down too and you had to feel a little bit sorry for her, like when all the finalists had a group hug with Tim…except her. She sat in a chair by herself and watched them. Fashion can be pretty ugly. – Anne Bratskeir

Project Runway 5/11: Make the music with your clothes

I'd whine about not having all the excitement in the world to watch these shows before the actual finale after six designers actually showed at Fashion Week, but I think Kenley did all the whining for everyone for rest of the season on this episode.

We saw a pretty neat challenge in Week 11 as the designers had to create something for one another using a musical genre as the inspiration. Tim Gunn pulled their names out of a bag and then the type of music out of another of those magical Project Runway bags.

It may have seemed random on air, but it's waaaaaaay too coincidental some of the pairings. Little '50s Betty Boop girl Kenley Collins getting hip hop as her genre? And turning Korto Momolu into a country gal? C'mon.

But I digress. Back to the show.

Here's a look at the pairings and the genre and our thoughts:

Kenley for Leanne - Hip-Hop

I think guest judge LL Cool J said it best when he tried to cover up from laughing his swagger off as Leanne made her trip down the runway with some wannabe hip-hop outfit and a wannabe old-school Pepa hairdo. Those high-waisted jeans -- called "Mom jeans" by LL Cool J, "the most unflattering pants I've ever seen in my life" by Heidi Klum and "just God awful" by me -- looked um, well, I think LL, Heidi and I explained it perfectly. The leather jacket was nice, but as someone who grew up in the so-called "Hip Hop Generation," it was absolutely nothing close to anything resembling hip or hop.



Leanne for Korto - Country

The pink top was nice, as was the skirt that hugged the patoot and flared out at the bottom. Other than the cowboy boots and the neckwear accessory, Leanne's country outfit was made for walking . . . back into the design room.



Jerell for Kenley - Pop

Jerell nailed this challenge and had a legitimate gripe when not winning, not that he griped at all -- at least not on camera. The fishnet top and silver cups covering the goods combined with a mad short bottom and a blue short vest was quite cool. And all the way pop star. Jerell had Kenley looking like Ashlee Simpson impersonating Britney Spears trying out for the Pussycat Dolls, making it to the final cut before losing and then trying out for Danity Kane. Yes, that's a good thing.



Korto for Suede - Punk

Great pants. "I think it's right on the money," my boy LL Cool J said of Korto's work. She did a brilliant job of bleaching the pants. Can't really argue her victory on this challenge since she pretty much nailed the punk look for Suede.



Suede for Jerell - Rock 'n Roll

Not altogether sure what went on here. Suede made some sort of pants and a shirt that still baffles me. The vest was supposedly rock 'n roll, but after seeing this whole thing move down the runway, I started thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder what Stella Zotis is throwing at the television as she watches this episode."



- La Monica

Photos from BravoTV.com/runway

Project Runway 5/11: Honest Abe Jerell

Gotta love Jerell's honesty this week, suggesting he'd have no problem sabotaging Suede and letting Kenley go on with what her notion of hip-hop is in terms of fashion.

Well, played Jerell.

This is indeed a competition, and regardless of Bravo's ability to completely botch the calendar each season of this show and let nearly everyone show at Bryant Park, you still have to be in it to win it.

- La Monica

Project Runway 5/11: Leanne goes G

And we thought we'd hit the high point of ridiculously funny quotes when Tim Gunn learned a little "Holla at your boy!"

Well, in this week's fairly unique challenge of designing for each other based on a music genre pulled out of a hat, the quiet and reserved (at least on the show) Leanne Marshall was the client for Kenley Collins. The genre? Hip Hop!

Kenley asked Leanne what she'd like. And then Leanne strung these words together for us: "I'll totally do all gangster."

Such genius in this unscripted world these days.

- La Monica

Peace out, Joe Faris

And there we have it, folks, an official 0-for-3 for us in our predictions after 5 episodes. In fact, we basically put the kibosh on whoever we picked, seeing how they all got booted once we made our predictions. Oh well, at least we went 3-for-3 last season.

Jillian Lewis' thoughts on Season 5 at Bryant Park

We cornered (stalked?) Jillian Lewis after the "Project Runway" fashion show at Fashion Week on Friday and got her thoughts on what she just saw. We also asked for an update on her designs. Watch the video below.

VIDEO: Leanne Marshall's collection at Fashion Week

Lots of pleated things and a nice color palette in this Fashion Week collection from Leanne Marshall, the odds-on favorite to win Season 5 of Project Runway

VIDEO: Kenley Collins' collection at Fashion Week

Kenley Collins loves dresses and colors and her unique point of view. That's what you're about to get in this video of her runway show from the Season 5 finale of Project Runway at Bryant Park.

VIDEO: Korto Momolu's collection at Fashion Week

Korto Momolu is definitely one of three legitimate finalists on the show, and her collection at the Project Runway Season 5 finale at Bryant Park during Fashion Week proves it.

VIDEO: Joe Faris' collection at Fashion Week

Joe Faris went with an "Americana" theme for his collection shown in Bryant Park at the Project Runway Season 5 finale during Fashion Week.