Where Are They Now?
Los Angeles — Although Project Runway brings talented designers to the front of the fashion world, past season winners and finalists have not had an easy time making their fashion statement. Truth is that the fashion world is very hard to break into, and even if you are a star, there are already so many people trying to climb up the same mountain and get to the top. As Heidi Klum loves to say, "In fashion, one day you’re in, one day you’re out." These contestants seem more in the "out" than in the complete "in."
Season 1
Season 1 winner, Jay McCarroll has been the quietest since taking the show’s first title. McCarroll turned down the $100,000 seed money from Project Runway to start his own line, but nevertheless debuted his Spring-Summer 2008 collection at New York Fashion Week this past September. "I took my time," the 31-year-old told People Magazine.
Fellow finalist, Kara Saun, has enjoyed the spotlight since the show more than three years ago. "It's been great exposure and great visibility," Saun told People Magazine. The 39-year-old showed her own line at L.A. Fashion Week earlier this year.
As for the infamous mad woman everyone loved to hate, Wendy Pepper has had more of a life-changing experience since the show finale. The designer mom has shed 40 pounds and said goodbye to her husband of five years. The 41-year-old is currently designing clothes for private clients and has appeared on Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown. Not bad for someone who was thought of as a long shot.
