New York Fashion Week's Project Runway Facts

"Project Runway's" season finale ready-to-wear fashion show has become a staple of New York City's Fashion Week in Bryant Park. The show has attracted increasing numbers of celebrities and fashion insiders as "Project Runway" has gained popularity, leading to further opportunities for winners, such as Christian Siriano, in the fashion industry.

History

1. "Project Runway" has filmed six seasons, the last of which is being shown on Lifetime Television after a lengthy legal battle between the Weinstein Company, which produces the show, and NBC Universal, the show's previous home network. After five years at NBC---and, specifically, the Bravo channel---the Weinstein Company sold the broadcast rights to Lifetime in a new, five-year deal.
   
   Every "Project Runway" finale for six seasons has featured a competition runway show at Bryant Park between the final three contestants. Usually, the three finalists (and sometimes a decoy contestant, included in the finale to throw off the viewing public and the media) are named and allowed to take a bow after their clothes are modeled down the runway, though the Season Six finalists were not disclosed at the Fall 2009 runway show in February 2009, due to the ongoing litigation in the case. Instead, the three final collections were shown and judged, without credit being given t o their designers.

Significance

2. Showing at Bryant Park as part of New York's Fashion Week is an enormous opportunity for the amateur designers of "Project Runway," and can lead to exposure that has the potential to launch the careers of finalists, even if the judges do not choose them to be the season winner. Past winners, such as Season Four's Christian Siriano (who designed a shoe line through Payless Shoesource) and runners-up, such as Season One's Kara Saun (a popular red carpet designer among the celebrity set), have gone on to great success in the industry.

Features

3. The "Project Runway" season finale runway show takes place in Bryant Park, traditionally toward the end of Fashion Week. The three finalists each produce a show of 12 looks with a limited budget and numerous constraints (almost no outside help, a 12-week design and construction period, etc.). After "Runway" host Heidi Klum introduces the finalists, they send their looks down the runway using models they have cast. The designer also choose the make-up and hair to complement their clothes. The judges---Klum, fashion editor Nina Garcia, designer Michael Kors, and a surprise celebrity judge---score the collections, with the winner being announced later at the "Project Runway" studios.

Praise

4. "Project Runway" has received numerous kudos for bringing popular attention and interest to fashion design; it was consistently Bravo's top-rated show when NBC owned the broadcasting rights. Many fashion insiders have credited the "Project Runway" fashion show at Bryant Park with breathing new life and energy into New York's Fashion Week, and many in the field look forward to it as an enjoyable close to a grueling, whirlwind week.

Considerations

5. In addition to being a launching pad for the careers of the contestants, "Project Runway" also rewards the model who is teamed with the winning designer---designers work with one model consistently throughout the season, though this can be subject to change---by granting her a prominent role in the designer's post-victory Elle magazine spread. Exposure through the show, the runway finale at Bryant Park, and the Elle spread can have a substantial impact on the model's career.