From the Mailbox

Austin Scarlett looks divine!

Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

The Project Runway Season One designer was at a shopping event in NYC on May 10th.

More Season 8 audition stories, here, and here.

Aspiring designers please note that The Fashion Show is now casting for season two. Iman is joining Isaac Mizrahi as the new host. Click here for more information.

Michael Kors hosted a fashion show of his Fall 2010 collection yesterday in Connecticut. Click here for the story.

Project Runway Season 8 Now Casting - Will be in NYC!

Season 8 will definitely be in New York. Also a new "open casting call" has been added on May 7th in NYC. Click here for more information.

Project Runway Auditions in NY and Interview with Jack Mackenroth

BPR's intrepid NYC correspondent Nancy T checks in from the Project Runway Season 5 auditions where she runs into an old friend:

Dateline: Saturday, April 5. There was a line around the block at the Times Square Starbucks. New flavor of Frappacino? Not quite. Instead, about 60 people were waiting to get into the W Hotel for their Project Runway interviews. Along with their portfolios, dress racks, and mannequins, they brought their friends and well-wishers. This group consisted mainly of talented amateurs, rather than the more experienced participants of Season 4.

But, there was one familiar face in the crowd. We caught Jack Mackenroth surveying the incoming talent at the Saturday auditions. Eying his competition perhaps? If so, he’s the most gracious (and buff) competitor we’ve seen in a while. He was wishing everyone good luck, posing for pictures, and giving helpful audition advice to nervous designers.

When asked if he was planning on coming back for Season Five, he said "Well, Heidi asked the same question on the reunion show. Since then, I've come to realize how important it is for me to finish what I started. It was so amazing the first time around. So, I've expressed my interest in coming back. I'm really excited about the possibility, and just have my fingers crossed for it to all work out again."

Click here to continue reading Nancy's report from NYC and hear more from Jack!

Oprah!

Big News from the PR5 auditions in Chicago today - Oprah Winfrey has joined Tim and Uncle Nick on the judging panel! Here's Project Runway's Executive Producer Jane Lipsitz:

...we were contacted by the folks at Harpo Productions to let us know that Oprah was a big fan of the show and she wanted to stop by at the auditions to say hello. I suggested that she could sit on the panel, and she agreed!

Tim Gunn is beside himself:

I keep pinching myself every 5 minutes, 'I can't believe I'm sitting next to Oprah!'. Of course she epitomizes my mantra of quality, taste and style. It's a thrill to have her on board with our team.

Having Oprah affiliated with Project Runway brings a new dimension to the future of the show. What does this mean?

Click here for more.

Advice To The Season Five Hopefuls From Executive Producer Rich Bye

Executive Producer of Project Runway - Rich Bye - offers his advice...

1. In choosing 3 looks, make sure they’re recent. The more current they are, the better. Also, the 3 looks should ideally express a consistent, compelling, and fresh point of view. We’d like to be able to see all 3 looks and be able to tell immediately they came from the same designer. Ditto for the portfolio.

2. Be confident and be passionate. Contrary to what some may think, the judges want you to succeed. They want to get excited and engaged but it’s hard to do when someone comes in the room and is unable to talk intelligently and passionately about their work. This is your chance, what do you have to lose? Be loose, be confident in yourself and “knock our socks off!”

3. You need to have a base-line level of technical skills to be able to compete on the show, ie: sewing... If you’re cast on the show, you WILL have to create something in a day, sometimes two, and you can’t be constantly struggling to figure out how to pull it off technically because it detracts from your ability to be creative from a design standpoint. We don’t want to put anyone is a position to fail so if your technical skills aren’t there, it’s difficult for us to move you forward.

4. We love potential. Even if you’ve just graduated from design school, if you have potential and are able to demonstrate it through the looks you bring in, it will intrigue us enough to roll the dice. Look at Christian Siriano, Daniel Vosovic, Nora Caliguri...

5. The quality of the designs you bring in the room is the most important thing but we love designers with great personal style and compelling life stories. Think about what you wear and how you present yourself to the judges. Remember, first impressions do count.

6. Have fun! Remember, as Andrae Gonzalo once said (quoting Nina Garcia): “lighten up, it’s only fashion.”

Advice For Season Five Hopefuls

We're back with advice for the season five hopefuls!

First, from Tim Gunn:

The season five auditions are upon us! Incredible isn't it? I still feel as though Rami, and Jillian, and Christian were just battling it out on the runway at Bryant Park -- because they were!

Anyone coming to the auditions should:
1) follow the rules as posted on the bravotv.com website,
2) be confident about who they are as a designer and be equally confident that that message resonates in their work,
3) have IMPECCABLE examples of fabricated work,
4) be professional and responsible in their presentation, both personal and as a designer.
At this first stage of the auditions, we are looking for talent, only. Personality assessments come later. Without the talent, who cares about the personality?

Individuals who presented at previous auditions (or didn't make it past the first screening) should be encouraged to try, again, providing that their presentation is different and/or enhanced.

Furthermore, we bought 120 individuals forward to "the next round" last season. 105 of those individuals were not on the show. Therefore, there are 105 people who already know that they were a close call. Please encourage any or all of them to return.

And I need to assert that with each successive season, my fellow judges and I are more informed about what individual characteristics are critical and what are impediments. That means that we bring an enhanced "lens" to this entire process. Consequently, someone who auditioned for season three, for example, and was moved forward in the process may not be as capable of competing for season five. But I try never to assume!

I don't know who will be joining me for the auditions. I fully expect a number of the designers from previous seasons to be there, as well as representatives from ELLE. And, of course, none of this can be achieved without the masterful organization and facilitation of the fabulous Magical Elves.

I look forward to seeing the BPR readers who brave the throngs! Wish us all luck!

Tim

Next, from Rami Kashou:

I would suggest the following:
Be as prepared as possible! The whole idea is that you stand out "in a good way" :)
Bring whatever you think will help the judges see something special about you and your work.
Samples, portfolio, look book, model etc...
Do not be afraid or intimidated.. just be ready to answer any question thrown at you.
Above all Be yourself and give it your all!

Good luck to all of you and I will see you soon!
Rami

From Christian Siriano:

I really want to wish season 5 the best of luck and i just hope it can bring as many great opportunities to them as project runway has given me!
I loved almost every second and I am still loving it!
But they need to bring it hard because they have big stilettos to fill!!!
hugs and kisses
christian


Click here for season four advice from Team BPR.

Here is advice from Nick Verreos.

Here is advice from Malan Breton.

Here is advice from Robert Best.

Here is more advice from Daniel Vosovic, Laura Bennett and Emmett McCarthy.