Project Runway (2004–)

What is the Premise of Project Runway?

Aspiring fashion designers compete for a chance to break into the industry. Each week, a designer is eliminated from the competition after exhibiting their work in front of a judges’ panel. Premiering on Bravo in 2004, the fashion reality show has since been remade numerous times in over 30 countries.

In every episode, contestants showcase their fashion ingenuity by designing and creating the best outfits. More than creative challenges, their best outcomes are hindered by time and material restrictions. There’s also a theme that needs to be followed, which, most of the times, are tougher to execute. One or more designers, unfortunately, are booted out of the competition each week.

Challenges then get harder as the competition progresses. While every round involves the high-pressure moments of creation with limited time and materials, the finalists are rewarded by getting their collections into New York Fashion Week. A winner is selected after the exhilarating runway shows.

Crew Spotlights

• Heidi Klum was the host of Project Runway from its debut in 2004 until 2017.
• Klum and designers’ mentor Tim Gunn left the series to start their own fashion competition show, Making the Cut, which streams on Amazon Prime Video.
• Model Karlie Kloss replaced Klum as program host, while Christian Siriano, who won Project Runway Season 4, replaced Gunn as mentor. Kloss only hosted season 17 and 18.
• Klum returns as Project Runway Season 21 host. The latest season also welcomes the return of longtime judge Nina García, fashion stylist Law Roach, and Elaine Welteroth. Celebrities like Sofia Vergara and designer Michael Kors appear as guest judges.
• Nina Garcia is the only judge who’s been with the show since 2004.

Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Project Runway

• Project Runway won a Peabody Award in 2008, a rare feat for a reality competition series.
• The first five seasons aired on Bravo. It transferred to Lifetime for its subsequent seasons, where it was co-produced by The Weinstein Company. The company’s bankruptcy led for the program to return to Bravo in 2018 where it aired until 2023. As of 2025, Project Runway now belongs to Disney.
• A video game of the same name, based on the competition, was released in 2010.
• Season 4 winner Christian Siriano became the most successful fashion designer to emerge from the show. He has worked with celebrities like Lady Gaga and Michelle Obama. He currently serves a mentor on Project Runway too.
• Project Runway has featured over 300 fashion designers since 2004.