From the Mailbox

Click here for a great post about the Los Angeles season seven finale party from Nick Verreos.

Jillian Lewis has designed the costumes for the world debut of a new ballet, Ghostown. Click here for more information.

Jay Nicolas Sario will be the guest designer at San Francisco's "Discarded to Divine" on Thursday night April 29th. Click here for more.

How Well Do You Know... Season Seven of Project Runway? This quiz is a lot of fun. Worthy of devoted fans.

Monday Mailbox

Chris Farina/WireImage.com, Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com

Christian Siriano will dress Whoopi Goldberg for the Tony Awards Show on June 15th. Click here for more. Thanks Lisa.

Remember Project Prom? The winning dress has been determined. Newsday readers selected this dress, custom designed by Jillian Lewis.



There is still time to vote in the Which Challenge Would You Like to See Again? poll.

Monday Morning Mailbox

Jillian Lewis is designing a prom dress for the lucky winner of Project Prom.

Malan Breton is serving on the judges panel for the MyItThings "It Designer" contest. Please let us know if you plant to enter this.

There is still time to vote in our "Favorite Challenge of Season Four" poll.

A Note From Jillian Lewis

BPR asked Jillian Lewis her advice for Season Five hopefuls and this is her response:

I will be at the casting in Miami this week. I am really excited especially because I've never been there before. Charleston was amazing. What a beautiful city filled with so many beautiful, nice people.

Advice for season 5 hopefuls:

Bring your best work, represent it with pride and integrity. If the judges respond negatively, defend your point of view professionally and responsibly. If the judges respond positively, be humble and grateful. Keep in mind that it is about the designing but it is also a television show, so present yourself well, look your best and bring your personality. If you make it onto the show, prepare yourself with focus and stamina because it is NOT easy. Best of luck to season 5 hopefuls.

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.

From The Mailbox

Fred Flare has posted a new interview with Kit Pistol. Thanks Icraig.

Attention Minneapolis/St. Paul: (Hi Katy Gerdes!) Meet Tim Gunn at Herberger's next Wednesday. Click here for more information.

More from Tim Gunn in Jacksonville here. Thanks Maryellen.

Click here to listen to an interview with Tim Gunn on Mark Kaye's morning radio show on WAPE in Jacksonville. It's great! Thanks Mark.

Attention Little Rock: Mychael Knight will be in town on March 29th. We'd love a field reporter. Click here for more information.

For more about Tim Gunn in Charlotte, click here.

Jillian Lewis and Laura Bennett will be attending Charleston Fashion Week.

Wonder what Paul Abdul would look like wearing Rami's Hershey challenge dress? Click here for the answer.

BPR Podcast - Jillian Lewis

This week BPR interviews Project Runway Season Four finalist Jillian Lewis. She tells us about her plans for selling her other collection and she answers questions from readers of Blogging Project Runway. Click here for the podcast.

Photo by BPR at the TRESemmé finale party, March 5th 2008.

Finale Collection Auctions

This is the last day to bid on the Season Four Finale Collections from Jillian and Rami! Christian's collection will be up for another week.

Click here to bid on Jillian Lewis's designs.











Click here to bid on Rami Kashou's designs.











Click here to bid on Christian Siriano's designs.








Just for fun, try to predict which design will sell for the highest bid. Right now it is Rami's olive green gown modeled by Amanda Fields - but by the time you read this, it could change!

Of course, we would love to continue to feature photos of our readers wearing their Project Runway designs. Please send in your stories. Thanks!

Congratulations, Jillian - 'Sew Not Over' Winner

Project Runway Season Four finalist Jillian Lewis was named the 'Sew Not Over' $10,000 winner sponsored by L'Oréal. You can see her winning collection of three garments below:



We will be conducting a BPR podcast with Jillian later today for our Friday feature. Click here (before 3:00 PM Eastern) if you have any questions for her - make the subject line 'Question for Jillian.'

Congratulations, Jillian, on your win!

BPR Love To Rami and Jillian

Rami Kashou and Jillian Lewis have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about today. Their respective finale collections were stunning in both execution and detail and an argument could be made for either to have walked away with the prize. "Chacun a son gout", as Tim has said many times this season.

And even though you leave us without the title, we can be comforted by the wisdom Elisa Jiminez shared with us when she said that "winning may not always look like winning." Your talents and spirit shined through the end.

Send your love to Rami and Jillian here. Please, only positive comments under this thread.

While You Wait...

There is some excellent reading material out today to help you pass the time:

• Christian Siriano in an excellent interview with the Washington Post. Thanks Annette!
• Christian again in the Baltimore Sun where we learn how he used to do his teachers hair. Thanks Sharon!
• Jillian Lewis is featured in Newsday...
• The Magical Elves speak! Thanks Frank!
• This is big news: Jay McCarroll's blog is back up and he dishes on the finale runway show.
• More Jay: The trailer for his new documentary, ELEVEN MINUTES is now up, check it out!

ETA: Nick Verreos sends us a heads up that he will be on Reality Chat tonight at 8:00 p.m. on the TV Guide Channel talking Project Runway!

ETA again: Christian's blogger sister Shannon will be sweating it out. Send her some love!

BPR Top 5 Looks: 2nd Place

Every season of Project Runway brings with it a certain number of elements guranteed to raise our ire. Less talented designers last long past their time, a fan favorite gets eliminated just before making it to fashion week, someone breaks a rule or two, the list goes on. Perhaps the biggest boil on our collective butts has been the team challenge concept. We love to complain about them!

But in Season 4, the producers somehow managed to get it just right for one glorious episode that produced some of the most inspired work we've seen on any season.

In "En Garde", the final 8 designers were paired off in teams of two to produce an avant-garde look using the models hairstyle as their inspiration. Victorya Hong and Jillian Lewis went against popular convention as they both wanted to be team leader. Neither headstrong designer would give in and Victorya got the nod by a flip of the coin.


Although Victorya earned praise from the judges on the runway for her ruffled top and jodhpurs, it was Jillian's stunning trench that was the show-stopper. Using a midnight colored fabric with red tartan lining, the coat spoke perfectly to the rebellious theme sported by model Jacqueline's faux-hawk hair. It was a breathtaking showing that demonstrated two heads were sometimes better than one.

Victorya's successful run would soon come to an end as she fizzled out in the denim challenge. But Jillian continued to deliver week after week, showing off her formidable style with a consistency that earned her a spot in the finals. Congratulations Victorya and Jillian - you landed in the #2 spot on the BPR Top 5!

More From The Mailbox

Catch up with Nick's recap of the Reunion episode.

This Los Angeles Times Magazine article contains an interview with Rami Kashou.

An excerpt: Not everyone understands his decision to do “Project Runway,” but, Kashou says, “I did the show knowing it would expose my work and lead to more opportunities.” Conversations, in fact, have begun with a potential investor and a hair-care company keen on sponsoring a New York runway show next season.

Here is the Entertainment Weekly Exit interview with Chris March.

Second City Style presents this week's most memorable quotes.

Mo Ryan's look at the Final Three.

Newsday offers a great new interview with Jillian Lewis.

Fan Giveaway and Auctions

Our friends at SeenOn.com have an Ultimate Fan Giveaway from February 21st through March 5th. Enter daily for chances to win Project Runway swag including Heidi Klum jewelry, Tim Gunn Talking Bobbleheads and t-shirts designed by the contestants.

SeenOn also hosts the Project Runway auctions at ProjectRunway.com. They are excited to announce that the garment designed by Jillian Lewis for Episode 11 for "The Art of Fashion" was auctioned off for $4950., a record (so far) for Season 4! You can click here to see sketches that are now up for auction and to browse the auctions from the other episodes and see how much the other outfits fetched.

From The Mailbox

Photo from Kaylin Bowers

Tim Gunn recently spoke at the University of Virginia.

TV Guide interviews all four of the finalists.

The New York Post looks forward to the Reunion Episode tonight.

The Rocky Mountain News makes some predictions about the finalists.

Project Runway Fashion Week Hi-Res Photos

For those of you craving more detail in the garments, Sparklies.org has hi-resolution images of each collection. Click here to view Sweet P, click here to view Chris March, click here to view Jillian Lewis, click here to view Rami Kashou and click here to view Christian Siriano; then click on each thumbnail.

Don't forget to vote in our Poll and scroll down the page for more discussion about the collections.

Jillian Lewis - Collection- Fashion Week

Click here for the collection.

Click here to watch a slideshow.

Wednesday Mail

Here we are on a lovely Wednesday smack in the middle of a new season of Project Runway. So why are we so depressed? Oh, yeah. Nevermind.

No new episode this evening, but we do have some mail to share:

BPR reader Thereza sends along the above photo from Valentino's couture show at Milan Fashion Week. She asks: Team Fierce or Valentino?

Don't miss this great interview at Newsday with Jillian Lewis that shows her at her most humble, honest, likeable self.

Looks like SJP loved her Project Runway experience so much, she wants to get in on the action herself!

Here's an interview at Bluefly with Zulema Griffin who plans to debut her new collection.......on YouTube!

From The Mailbox

This image has been blatantly stolen from Midseasonreplacements.

VH-1's Best Week Ever notes that Project Runway is fun again, but no one cares... Hey, WE care.

Buzzsugar predicts that Sweet P is next to go. NO!!!!!

Newsday has posted a fabulous new interview with Jillian Lewis. Stirrups and a bra? What would Tim Gunn say?

Second City Style is keeping a running tally of memorable quotes from each episode. Before you click on the link, try to guess the selections from last night. Thanks Lauren.

Malan Breton interviewed Luca Orlandi for La'G Magazine. Thanks Nancy T.

Entertainment Weekly posts "Wrapper's Delight."

Finally, BPRs, here is a direct link to Tim's Take.

What a fun episode!

Poll Results - Who Will Go To Fashion Week?

With just over a month until Fashion Week(!), we asked you to tell us the four designers that you think will make it to the tents. Your answer was Jillian Lewis, Christian Siriano, Kevin Christiana and Rami Kashou (click here for the results). In just a few weeks we'll learn if your predictions were accurate.

Check back tomorrow for our usual 'who should have won' and 'who should have been auf' polls.