| Project Runway is a competition-based show that | | | | The competition is based in New York City, and much |
| features a group of talented clothing designers who | | | | of the design work and judging take place at Parsons |
| are competing to show their own fashion collection at | | | | School of Design. The Chair of Fashion at Parsons, |
| New York City's Fall or Spring Fashion Week at | | | | Tim Gunn, has become a figurehead for the show and |
| Bryant Park. The honor of showing in one of the | | | | serves as a mentor to the contestants. His oft |
| primary tents at Bryant Park is an honor that cannot | | | | repeated reminders to the designers to "Make it Work" |
| be bought or quickly earned. Famous designers like | | | | and "Carry On" have become two of America's most |
| Vera Wang, Dolce and Gabanna, or Calvin Klein are | | | | famous catch phrases. Tim Gunn's sophisticated and |
| the top-attended shows at Fashion Week; however | | | | calm approach to the design process enables the |
| since the first airing of Project Runway in December | | | | designers to turn out couture clothing on a small budget |
| of 2004 the competing designers have brought in huge | | | | and even smaller time schedule. Frequently, each |
| audiences. | | | | designer is given $100.00 to spend at Mood Designer |
| The Project Runway series is hosted by German | | | | Fabrics in the Garment District in order to make a |
| supermodel Heidi Klum and can be seen on the Bravo | | | | dress that would appear to a consumer to be well |
| cable television network. The judges are pulled from | | | | over $1000.00 retail. The time constraints placed upon |
| some of the top fashion design houses or fashion and | | | | the designers are stress-inducing. Merely a day or two |
| beauty magazines that America has to offer. Michael | | | | is given to create, shop for and construct tailored and |
| Kors is a famous American designer and has served | | | | unique pieces that speak to each designer's particular |
| as a judge on the show during all three seasons. The | | | | aesthetic sensibility. Each look is then worn on the |
| other primary judge, besides Kors and Klum, is Nina | | | | runway by a group of fashion models selected to |
| Garcia who is the Fashion Director for the top-rated | | | | appear on show. While the look is paraded down the |
| Elle magazine. While Kors, Klum and Garcia make up | | | | runway, the judges take notes and ascribe a score to |
| the core of the judging panel, there is always a third | | | | each design. Once all looks have been shown, the |
| guest judge who is brought in according to the style or | | | | designers are told whether they received a high, middle |
| challenge of each episode. For example, in Runway's | | | | or low score and are eliminated accordingly. Typically |
| Season Two, world-class Olympian figure skater | | | | one or two designers are eliminated per episode. |
| Sasha Cohen served on the panel to help judge the | | | | When the last three designers remain, all three are |
| skating costumes that had been designed and | | | | given a budget of $8000.00 and sent home for three |
| constructed by the design contestants. Other guest | | | | months to construct a collection of 12 pieces to be |
| judges included: the legendary Diane Von Furstenberg, | | | | shown at Fashion Week in New York. Once the |
| musician Sarah Hudson and Tara Conner, Miss USA. | | | | collections have been shown, one designer is chosen |
| One of the recent Project Runway challenges | | | | as the winner of Project Runway. He or she wins |
| instructed the contestants to sketch, design and | | | | $100,000 to start their own collection, a new car, and |
| construct Tara Conner's evening dress for the Miss | | | | an apprenticeship at a major fashion house. |
| Universe pageant. | | | | |