project-runway-blog
The Project Runway Blog
Category: "season 8"
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer McKell Maddox
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer McKell Maddox may have perplexed Tim Gunn in her casting session, but this new mama is super in tune with what the modern woman wants: style and comfort, of course! The Utah-based designer is bringing her love of functional, feminine fashion (and her disdain for menswear) to this season of "Project Runway."
Meet McKell Maddox's family and look out for some of her hidden designs around the house when she gives "Project Runway" a tour of her Layton, Utah, home. Then peruse the designer's portfolio for more of her past designs.
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Casanova
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Casanova is ready to drop some jaws on the show with his line of barely-there fashions, including a little — really little — work of art he calls "the naked dress." The designer, originally from Puerto Rico, lives up to his name by winning over the judges in his casting session, and plans to steal a few million more hearts during Season 8!
Check out "the naked dress" and the designer's other pre-"Runway" fashions in his portfolio, then watch Casanova give us a tour of his closet and a closer look at himself, including his unique hobby.
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Nicholas D'Aurizio
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Nicholas D'Aurizio went from buildings to handbags when the architect and interior designer started creating clothing and accessories. His initial inspiration may have come from his grandfather, a sample maker in the ’30s and ’40s, but today he looks to the vampires to get his creative juices flowing — this Season 8 contestant’s most recent collection was made with the undead in mind.
Watch Nicholas D’Aurizio’s casting session and make sure to listen for his reaction to the news that he made it on the show. You’ll probably wish you were there for him to hug. Trust us. Then, check out the designer’s portfolio, filled with everything from past fashions to his current inspirations.
Join Us for Happy Hour 'n a Half on July 28 to Celebrate Season 8!
We are so excited about all things new for Season 8, we need to celebrate! On Wednesday, July 28, you and your friends* are invited to a special event we're calling Happy Hour 'n a Half at eight fabulous bars located in New York, Philly, Chicago and L.A.!
Join us for "Project Runway"-inspired cocktails (the first one's on us!), raffles, giveaways and 90 minutes of fashion fun. The first 100 guests receive a "Runway" goodie bag filled with some seriously fun show swag.
Want in? No R.S.V.P. is needed! Click on the invitations below for all the details in your city:
*21 and older. Please drink (and sew) responsibly.
Watch a Sneak Peek Clip of the Premiere Episode Now
Check out this sneak peek clip from the Season 8 premiere, airing July 29 at 9 pm et/pt!
Check back here on the blog tomorrow for a special post we can't wait to share with you!
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Mondo Guerra
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Mondo Guerra has an advantage over some of the other contestants when it comes to being judged. After auditioning and not making it onto Season 7, he has experience in listening to critiques and "making it work." Mondo has come a long way since his early designing days as a high school raver with a glue gun and some thrift-store finds; he's become someone who "knows how to sew" — just ask the casting-session critics!
Take a tour around Mondo Guerra's Denver, Colorado, casa — we'll let you decide for yourself (and Mondo's mom) whether his walls are "pink" or "raspberry fizz." Then, check out more of his bright, kooky designs in his portfolio and photo gallery of past work.
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer A.J. Thouvenot
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer A.J. Thouvenot is a proponent of equal-opportunity fashion, with a repertoire that includes something for everyone. The St. Louis designer first realized his true potential when people dug the costumes he created for drag queens and other local performers, and is now known for his playful dresses that just beg to be partied in. A.J. could even hold his own in a menswear challenge — the designer creates prints and duds for dudes as well!
Take a tour of A.J. Thouvenot's past collections in the designer's candy- and toy-filled "fashion dungeon." Then take a peek at his portfolio to discover his bubblegum-pop inspirations and see his former fashions on the runway.
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Valerie Mayen
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Valerie Mayen stays true to her roots — she was modeling the very first garment she made, way back in high school, when she gave us a mini swing-dance lesson and tour of her closet. The Cleveland-based designer has come a long way since that dress and is geared up (with capelets and coats aplenty) to wow on Season 8.
Don’t miss Valerie Mayen's casting session, where you'll get to see a real-life "fanny pack that doesn't suck," then check out more of her past designs and current inspirations in her portfolio!
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Michael Drummond
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer Michael Drummond has been named the Best Dressed St. Louisan, which is no surprise when you take a peek inside his closet, a.k.a. "short-short land." Spandex jumpsuits and "hilarious" vests aside, Michael is ready to carry out his vision of microdermabrasion fashion for all in Season 8! Can he do it without his trusty automatic knitting machine by his side?
See Michael Drummond's pre-"Runway" fashions in the photo gallery of the designer's past work, and take a look at his portfolio to find out what inspires him and who his dream celebrity client is.
Meet "Project Runway" Season 8 Designer April Johnston
"Project Runway" Season 8 Designer April Johnston created her first fashion masterpiece for herself — her prom dress! As the youngest contestant on Season 8, the recent college grad hails from Savannah, Georgia. But with a design portfolio including an arsenal of zippered coats and shiny black pantsuits that Gaga would go gaga over, she is no ordinary Southern belle.
Watch this contestant's "dark doll, transformed" aesthetic come to life in front of your (and Tim Gunn's) eyes and view April Johnston's portfolio to uncover her secret weapon: unstoppable sketch-to-life powers.
!["How I Met Your Mother"](http://mylt.ltcdn.com/d6/sites/mylifetime.com/files/images/imagecache/carousel_159x119/2011/01/12/HIMYM-159x119.jpg ""How I Met Your Mother"")
