L.A. Designer Wins 'Project Runway'
And the winner ishellip;Jeffrey Sebelia.
Los Angeles–based Sebelia took home the top honor on “Project Runway” Season 3 in the Oct. 18 finale episode of the hit Bravo network show. Sebelia became the guy the viewers loved to hate with his rebellious antics and ongoing battle with fellow contestant Angela Keslar. Adding fuel to the fire, finalist Laura Bennett accused Sebelia of breaking the show’s rules by contracting out the construction of his finale collection. Sebelia was cleared of all accusations, and when his collection hit the runway of Olympus Fashion Week in New York last month, he rose above the reality show drama to become a real life success story. The designer edged out Miami-based Uli Herzner, New York–based Laura Bennett and Atlanta-based Michael Knight to win $100,000, a Saturn Sky Roadster, a spread in Elle magazine and an internship with Macy’s International Concepts (INC) division.
Sebelia first arrived on the L.A. design scene in 2004 with an edgy, post-apocalyptic showing of his dark rock ’n’ roll line, Cosa Nostra, at Gen Art’s “The New Garde” event. The line was picked up by high-end Los Angeles stores such as Maxfield and Fred Segal, and Sebelia’s rock ’n roll style quickly became a favorite of celebrities such as Aerosmith’s Stephen Tyler, the Rolling Stones, Marilyn Manson and No Doubt. Over the past three years, Sebelia’s line has evolved from the dark gothic look to the refined, feminine, yet avant-garde rock ’n’ roll style seen on “Project Runway.” In his finale collection, a red-and-white polka-dot baby-doll dress was right on target with dress trends for Spring. A green-and-white striped blazer was paired with a sequined top and skinny distressed denim jeans for a chic city look. And a green-and-white striped dress trimmed with zippers was perfect for any red-carpet fashionista. The palette in red, black, white, navy and green showed a modern slant to Sebelia’s gothic roots. Other pieces included an edgy half red-and-white and half black-andwhite striped dress, a gray silk dress with a pleated bib-front, and a red-and-white polkadot swimsuit paired with a sheer white jacket. Sebelia’s innovative style impressed the judges, who encouraged designers to find their own look throughout the show while keeping their style fresh, current and original.
And for the next challenge? Sebelia, who has already been flooded with calls and offers since his win, will have to find time to balance celebrity/designer status as winner of the show, do an internship with Macy’s and continue designing his Cosa Nostra Fall collection.
In the meantime, “Project Runway” fans can go to www.cosanostrainc.com, where Sebelia will be selling his clothing at special wholesale prices. —N. Jayne Seward
