Tim Gunn

Infobox Person
name = Tim Gunn

---

caption = Tim Gunn at the
Baltimore Book Festival, October 2007
birth_date = birth date and age|1953|07|29
birth_place = Washington, D.C.
death_date =
other_names =
known_for =
occupation = Fashion consultant and television personality; Chief Creative Officer at Liz Claiborne, Inc
nationality =

Timothy M. Gunn (born July 29, 1953) is an American fashion consultant and television personality. He was chair of fashion design at Parsons The New School for Design from August 2000 to March 2007 and is well-known as on-air mentor to designers on the Bravo reality television program "Project Runway". Gunn's popularity on "Project Runway" led to his spin-off show, Bravo's "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style", as well as his book "A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style".

Biography

Gunn was born and raised in Washington, D.C.. His father was an FBI agent under J. Edgar Hoover.citeweb|url=http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/03/tim-gunn-style-heidi-klum-project-runway.php|title=10 Things You Need To Know About Tim Gunn|publisher=Radar Magazine] Gunn was a championship swimmer throughout high school, and later attended the Corcoran College of Art & Design, receiving a BFA in sculpture. [cite news |url= http://metroweekly.com/feature/?ak=2990 |title = Naked Gunn: Bravo's style maven and gay icon, Tim Gunn |publisher = Metro Weekly |author = Randy Shulman |date= 27 September 2007 |accessdate = 2008-03-13 ] He came to Parsons in 1982 and served as Associate Dean from 1989-2000, becoming a department chair in August 2000. He was credited with "retooling and invigorating the curriculum for the 21st century".citation |title=Tim Gunn's Bio|url=http://www.bravotv.com/Project_Runway/bio/heidi_and_tim/Tim_Gunn |periodical=Bravo |publisher=Project Runway |accessdate=2007-10-31]

Gunn began appearing on "Project Runway" during its first season in 2004, and is known for his catchphrases, "Make it work", "This worries me", "Don't bore Nina", "That's a lot of look", "Talk to me," "Designers, gather around", "Don't defend the shoe", and "Carry on". "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style", a reality show in which Gunn gives advice to the fashion-challenged, debuted September 6, 2007 on the Bravo television network. The show is slated to run for eight episodes.citation |url=http://www.bravotv.com/Tim_Gunn/about/index.php |title=Official site for 'Tim Gunn's Guide to Style' |periodical=Bravo |publisher=Tim Gunn's Guide to Style |accessdate=2007-10-31]

Gunn also played a version of himself as a reporter for the fictional "Fashion TV" on the ABC television series "Ugly Betty" on February 1, 2008 and February 8, 2007.citation |date=January 18, 2007 |title=Tim Gunn and Kathy Griffin to guest-star on Ugly Betty |periodical=The Advocate |url=http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid41161.asp |accessdate=2007-10-31]

Gunn joined Liz Claiborne as the company's chief creative officer in March 2007.citation |url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=82611&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=956778 |title=Liz Claiborne Press Release |date=February 1, 2007 |periodical=Liz Claiborne, Inc.: Press Release |accessdate=2007-10-31]

In April 2007, Abrams Image Publishers released Gunn's book "A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style", co-written with Kate Moloney. While on tour in Palm Springs, California, the nearby city of Palm Desert honored him with an official resolution declaring April 27, 2007 (the day of his visit) "Timothy M. Gunn Day". He was also presented with a certificate by the city of Palm Springs and a plaque by the nearby city of Rancho Mirage in recognition of his career achievements.citation |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/eNewsletter/CA6437972/2286.html |title=California Gunn |date=April 27, 2007 |periodical=Publishers Weekly, Inc.: Article |accessdate=2007-04-27]

Gunn lives in New York City.citation |title=Get Used To It |first=a.j. |last=Frutkin |date=October 15, 2007 |periodical=MediaWeek |accessdate=2007-10-31 |url=http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/current/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003658137] In a 2006 interview with "Instinct", Gunn stated that he had not been in a relationship since the abrupt end of a six-year relationship, and that he still loves his former partner, though they are not in touch. [Citation |last=Daw |first=Robbie |title=Tim Gunn - The Mentor |url=http://instinctmagazine.com/celebrity-interviews/tim-gunn.html |publisher="Instinct" |date=2006-11-01 |accessdate=2008-08-06]

Published works

*citation |title=Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style |first=Tim |last=Gunn |first2=Kate |last2=Moloney |year=2007 |publisher=Harry N. Abrams, Inc. |isbn=0810992841

References

External links

*BravoTV.com Project Runway [http://www.bravotv.com/Project_Runway/ Official Web Site]
*"Chicago Tribune" (December 1, 2005): [http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2005/12/a_chat_with_tim.html "A chat with Tim Gunn of 'Project Runway'"]
*"The New York Times" (Apr. 12, 2007): [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/fashion/12GUNN.html "The Headmaster of Fashion"]
* Interview: Sarah's Backstage Pass: [http://sarahsbackstagepass.com/pages/interviews/timGunn.html "Style for the Suburban Woman"]