Who Will Be the 'Project Runway' Winner?
NEW YORK—“Project Runway,” the cable television show that has taken the fashion world by storm, hit the runway again for the filming of the Season 3 finale.
The city’s Bryant Park was bustling on Sept. 15 as the four remaining contestants—Jeffrey Sebelia, Laura Bennett, Uli Herzner and Michael Knight—presented their finale collections. Each is vying to be named this season’s winner.
The final challenge in the Bravo network’s design competition reality series was for each of the four contestants to present a 12-piece collection on the runway during New York’s Olympus Fashion Week. At stake is $100,000 to start a clothing line, a Saturn roadster and a spread in Elle magazine.
After weeks of immense stress due to a grueling filming schedule and critiques by show host Heidi Klum and fashion judges Michael Kors, Elle magazine’s Nina Garcia, and several guest judges, the finalists faced their biggest challenge. They had to present their own design perspectives on the runway while pleasing the judges to score the coveted win. The winner will be announced on Oct. 11 during the season’s final episode.
Los Angeles–based Sebelia was up first. The designer channeled a light rock ’n’ roll version of his Cosa Nostra line but surprised the audience with its feminine twist. A red-and-white polka-dot baby-doll dress had a white chiffon overlay. A chic green-and-white blazer was paired with a white sequin top and a distressed skinny jean, and a red-and-white polka-dot swimsuit was paired with a sheer white jacket. Sebelia also sprinkled in a couple of darker Gothic looks: a gray silk dress with a couture bib-like front, an edgy half black-and-white and half red-and-white stripe dress, and a black dress with a pleated skirt.
Herzner, known on the show for her breezy printed dresses inspired by her Miami Beach base, presented a modern safari collection on the runway. Although the designer pushed herself to diversify her look with a few sportswear pieces, such as tops paired with skirts and shorts in khaki and metallic silver, she reverted to what she knows best—the dress. Splashes of colorful leopard and tropical prints in blue and green dotted the runway to complete the safari look.
Known for a somewhat conservative and mature design approach, a very pregnant Bennett applied a younger edge to her sophisticated evening collection. A beige sequin cocktail dress had an Empire waist trimmed with a black belt; a long, black lace gown was layered over skinny pants; and a tan satin blazer was paired with black shorts. Overall, the Manhattanbased designer went for classic glamour with clean lines and elegant fabrications. Feathers, beading, fringe and a fake fur shawl dressed up the collection with panache.
Although Knight’s chic design aesthetic has been a favorite of the judges, the Atlanta-based designer chose a much more daring approach this time on the runway. He presented an ultra-sexy Miami Beach vibe with dresses that were ultra short, tops with sexy lace-up fronts and dresses with daring crisscross straps. The vivid colors on a fuchsia short jumper and orange mini-dress and racy leopard fabrications on gowns were equally daring. And there was plenty of bling with gold buttons and belt buckles, a liquid gold swimsuit, and accessories including evening clutches and chic status bags.
—N. Jayne Seward
