September 13, 2006

Behind the Scenes of Project Runway

Want to see the most fantastic show on TV and Cable - and regain your faith in reality shows? Check out Project Runway. Season 3 is down to five clothing designers, from 16, competing each week for loads of prize money, a new car and lots of goodies.

There are so many great features about the show. First of course is Heidi Klum who is a knockout. Not only is she beautiful but she has humor, grace and tons of style. Tim Gunn, Chair of the Department of Fashion Design at Parsons The New School for Design, is the reality-check during the show. Unlike other reality shows who feature talking heads with no relevant skills, Tim is a design expert and teacher. It shows.

Beyond what you can see on TV are the online feaures. You can own one of the fashions by bidding in the online auction, listen to Tim's engaging podcasts, register for RSS feeds, listen to the full exit interviews with all the "aufed" designers, create your own runway video mash-ups, and countless other features that I haven't yet discovered and probably won't understand for about two more years.

Although the show is edited down to capture as much back stabbing as possible, it is clear from the podcasts and exit interviews that these people respect each other. Talent, respect and teamwork are the bottomline for these artists.