Between dressing celebrities, writing his own book and working on a huge designer collaboration with Payless, there hasn't been a dull fashion moment for Christian Siriano since winning "Project Runway."

Read on as the fashion prodigy and fierce fashionisto reveals what it's really like to be one of the youngest designers on the runway, and leave a comment for a chance to win your very own Christian Siriano for Payless "Bianca" handbag (full details below).

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your journey from "Project Runway" to where you are now?

A: "Project Runway" was a wonderful experience and it was a great way to find out about my creativity and my abilities. I am happy and proud I completed the show and I’m happy to move on after.

Q: You were the youngest competitor to ever win the competition in the show's fourth season. Can you describe some of the challenges and/or advantages to being so new to the designer's game?

A: Being a young designer is very hard and there is so much work, time, and money that goes into it, which most people don’t understand. It takes a strong person to survive this business. I think being young lets me make mistakes and learn from them. It’s an honor to be a young designer and hang in stores next to great brands like YSL and Armani but it’s also a lot to live up to.

Q: If there's one word that comes to mind when people think of Christian Siriano, it's "fierce." Are there any tricks to being so confident in yourself and designs?

A: No tricks to being confident – it should be natural and one’s work should speak for itself.

Q: We love what we've seen so far in your shoe and handbag collaboration with Payless. What drew you to working with the Payless brand?

A: The Payless brand has been so wonderful in helping to make a dream become reality. They are such supporters of my brand and really help keep my business running strong. It is wonderful that I’m able to reach such a wide customer base and being a young designer it’s so important to continue to build and reach a larger consumer audience.

Q: Can you reveal a little bit about what's in store for the spring season?

A: I loved showing spring – it was feminine, romantic and very cool. It was all about style and the idea of getting dressed up for day and evening. The new fall collection is all about dark glamour and strong shapes that are powerful but soft.

Wait! There's more! Read what Christian Siriano had to say about some of his favorite red-carpet designs in Christian Siriano's Favorite Celeb Looks.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: Answer the question "What item do you always carry in your handbag?" in the comment section below through Jan. 31, 2010 to be entered to win the sold out Christian Siriano for Payless "Bianca" tote. Once you've commented your answer, you can continue to leave more comment entries as long as you include your answer in BOLD in each additional comment (For example, my answer is FASHION MAG, so I'd end each comment with that). See the official Christian Siriano for Payless giveaway rules.

Note: The Christian Siriano for Payless "Bianca" tote is no longer available in stores, but is being given away by Payless as a special privilege for myLifetime.com and AlltheLooks.com users.

Photos: Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Inset/Courtesy of Payless

Posted in: expert advice, project runway, giveaways, christian siriano, designer q&a

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