Project Runway (season 3)

Project Runway Season 3
Host Heidi Klum and the Project Runway Season 3 contestants
Winner	Jeffrey Sebelia
Original run	July 12, 2006 – October 18, 2006
Filming dates
No. of episodes	15
No. of tasks	13
No. of designers	15
Season chronology
Previous	Season 2
Next	Season 4

Project Runway Season 3 was the third season of Project Runway, Bravo's successful reality competition for fashion designers. The third season of the show, with Heidi Klum returning as the host and Tim Gunn as the designers' guide, began airing on July 12, 2006. This broke tradition from the previous two seasons, which premiered in December, with the finales taking place at Olympus Fashion Week in February.

Season 3 brought in a new set of sponsors, notably Macy's replacing Banana Republic. NBC re-aired the first two episodes of Project Runway 3 five days after their original Bravo airings. The third season also introduced live viewer poll questions. During the second half-hour of the first airing of each episode, Bravo posed a question to viewers pertaining to the current episode. Viewers could answer through the BravoTV.com website or through cell phone text message.

The winner, Jeffrey Sebelia, received a spread in Elle magazine, a mentorship with INC (Inter-National Concepts) Design, a year of representation by Designers Management Agency, a 2007 Saturn Sky Roadster, and $100,000 to start a clothing line (furnished by TRESemmé haircare).

Season 3 contestants

Designers

Name	Age	Notable background	Residence
Bradley Baumkirchner	32	Designed for Speedo	Los Angeles, CA
Laura Bennett	42	Architect and mother of six	New York, NY
Robert Best	36	Barbie designer who also worked for Isaac Mizrahi	West Hollywood, CA
Malan Breton	32	Rejected applicant for Project Runway season 1; turned down offer to appear on Project Runway season 2	Long Island City, NY
Bonnie Dominguez	31	Athletic apparel designer; has designed tennis outfits for Serena Williams	San Diego, CA
Stacey Estrella	40	Has MBA from Harvard	San Francisco, CA
Katherine Gerdes	23	Design coordinator at Target and certified snowboarding instructor	Minneapolis, MN
Kayne Gillaspie	27	Rejected applicant for Project Runway season 2;[1] Owns a pageant boutique	Norman, OK
Uli Herzner	35	Stylist, Trained as a physical therapist and is originally from (East) Germany	Miami Beach, FL
Alison Kelly	25	Designs for her own label called Dahl Clothes	Brooklyn, NY
Angela Keslar	33	Organic farmer	Amesville, OH
Michael Knight	28	Rejected applicant for Project Runway season 2	Atlanta, GA
Vincent Libretti	49	Women's designer	Santa Monica, CA
Keith Michael	34	Menswear designer	New York, NY
Jeffrey Sebelia	36	Designed for rock musicians	Los Angeles, CA

• (ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in the spring of 2006.)

Models

Camilla Barungi modeling for Grey Ant, September 2006

The 15 models competing for an Elle spread in the third season were:

Model
Amanda Fields
Alexandra Donhoeffner
Camilla Barungi
Candace Pritchard
Clarissa Anderson
Danielle Schriffen
Javi Hairston
Jia Santos
Katia Biassou
Katie Champion
Lindsay Bien Aime
Marilinda Rivera (Winner)
Moon Yung
Nazri Segaro
Toni Heath

Season 3 challenges

Designer Elimination Chart

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11 2	12 3	13 4	14	15	Episode
Jeffrey	IN	LOW	IN	IN	HIGH	IN	HIGH	LOW	WIN	WIN	LOW	LOW	IN	IN	WINNER	15 - Finale, Part 2
Uli	IN	IN	HIGH	WIN	LOW	IN	IN	HIGH	LOW	HIGH	LOW	WIN	IN	IN	RUNNER-UP
Laura	IN	HIGH	IN	IN	HIGH	IN	HIGH	LOW	HIGH	LOW	WIN	IN	IN	IN	2ND RUNNER-UP
Michael	IN	IN	IN	IN	HIGH	WIN	WIN	HIGH	HIGH	LOW	HIGH	LOW	IN	IN	3RD RUNNER-UP
Kayne	IN	IN	WIN	IN	LOW	HIGH	LOW	LOW	LOW	LOW	OUT					11 - Black and White
Vincent	IN	LOW	LOW	IN	LOW	LOW	LOW	WIN	LOW	OUT	OUT					10 - Couture du Jour / 11 - Black and White
Angela	IN	IN	LOW	LOW	WIN	HIGH	IN	LOW	OUT		OUT					9 - High Flying Fashion / 11 - Black and White
Robert	IN	HIGH	HIGH	IN	LOW	LOW	IN	OUT								8 - Everyday Woman
Alison	IN	IN	IN	HIGH	HIGH	IN	OUT									7 - Waste Not, Want Not
Bradley	IN	IN	IN	HIGH	LOW	OUT										6 - Iconic Statement
Bonnie	IN	IN	HIGH	IN	OUT											5 - Reap What You Sew
Keith	IN	WIN	IN	LOW	DQ1
Katherine	IN	IN	LOW	OUT												4 - Designer's Best Friend
Malan	IN	IN	OUT													3 - Fit for a Queen
Stacey	IN	OUT														2 - Wall to Wall Fashion

     The designer won the challenge.

     The designer came in second for that challenge, but did not win.

     The designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge, but did not win.

     The designer had one of the lowest scores for that challenge, but was not eliminated.

     The designer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.

     The designer lost and was out of the competition.

     The designer was disqualified from the competition.

     The designer won Project Runway Season 3.

     The designer was the runner-up in the finale.

• Keith's design had high score, but was penalized because not make an outfit for the dog.
• ^Note 1 : Keith was disqualified.
• ^Note 2 : Designers previously eliminated who won a challenge were brought back to compete in this challenge.
• ^Note 3 : No contestants were eliminated, and all went on to compete at Fashion Week.
• ^Note 4 : This episode was the reunion.

Fashion Model Competition

Model Elimination Chart

Model	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Finale
Marilinda	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	WIN	WIN	IN	IN	WINNER
Nazri	WIN	IN	IN	IN	WIN	WIN	IN	IN	IN	IN	WIN	OUT
Camilla	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	WIN	IN	OUT
Clarissa	IN	IN	IN	WIN	IN	IN	IN	IN		IN	IN	OUT
Lindsay	IN	IN	WIN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Amanda	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Javi	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT					IN	OUT
Jia	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	WD
Alexandra	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Danielle	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Katie	IN	IN	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Katia	IN	WIN	IN	IN	OUT
Toni	IN	IN	IN	OUT
Moon	IN	IN	OUT
Candace	IN	OUT

     The model won Project Runway Season 3.

     The model wore the winning design that challenge.

     The model wore the losing design that challenge.

     The model was eliminated.

     The model was eliminated, but was brought back.

     The model withdrew from the competition.

Model selection process:

• Episode 1: Models were randomly assigned to designers.
• Episodes 2 and 4: Designers chose their models, with the winner of the previous challenge choosing first and the other designers choosing in random order.
• Episode 3 and 6: The winner of the previous challenge was allowed to change his model. All other designers kept their previous model.
• Episode 5: Models were chosen in random order and picked their designers. Two models were eliminated in this episode to match the elimination of one designer and the disqualification of another in the previous episode.
• Episode 7: Models are the designers' mothers and sisters; designers could not choose their own family member.
• Episode 8: Designers chose their models, with the winner of the previous challenge choosing first and the other designers choosing in random order. Two models were eliminated because no models were used in the previous episode.
• Episode 9: New models were randomly assigned in Paris.
• Episode 10: Jia was involved in a bicycle accident and was not able to walk down the runway for Vincent. Javi, a previously eliminated model, took her place. Jia was out for the rest of the competition while she recovered. All other designers used their models chosen in Episode 8.
• Episode 11: Designers chose their models from the remaining seven, with the winner of the previous challenge choosing first and the other designers choosing in random order. Because three designers were eliminated in the previous challenge, three models were eliminated for this challenge.
• Finale: Two previously eliminated models, Amanda and Alexandra, were used in two of the final designers' collections. Amanda was used in Uli's final collection, and Alexandra was used in Michael's final collection.

Episode Summary

Episode 0: Road to Runway Season 3

Tim Gunn and a panel of fashion professionals, which include previous Project Runway designers, interview thousands of possible contestants for the third season of Project Runway. Previous winners and contestants are profiled since the airing of previous seasons.

• One hour casting special before the Season 3 premiere.
• First aired July 20, 2006

Simone LeBlanc, Steven Rosengard and Jillian Lewis (from Season 4), Daniel Feld (from Season 5) and Gordana Gehlhausen (from Season 6) were semi-finalists for Season 3.

In the beginning of this episode, Gordana Gehlhausen can be seen briefly during the Los Angeles casting call, saying "literally if you give me a sheep, I'll give you a sweater".

Seth Aaron Henderson, the Season 7 winner, even though not a semi-finalist for the 3rd season, can be seen while Tim critiques his designs as "student work".

Episode 1: Wall to Wall Fashion

The designers arrive in New York and are asked to create an outfit in just two days using only materials found in their apartments. All items found in the apartment must fit into a large bag and the designer who touches the object first gets it. This challenge requires the designers to create garments that innovate, best reflect who they are as a fashion designer, and are judged accordingly. All of the designers are randomly assigned models. The winner has immunity for the next challenge and cannot be eliminated.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; and Kate Spade, fashion designer.
• WINNER: Keith
• OUT: Stacy
• First aired July 12, 2006

Episode 2: Fit for a Queen

The remaining designers are asked to create a formal evening gown for guest judge and 2006 Miss USA Tara Conner in just two days and $300 USD. The winning dress will be worn in competition by Tara in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant. This challenge requires the designers to be placed in teams of two with Tara Conner choosing seven team leaders. All of the designers are allowed to swap models. The winner has immunity for the next challenge and cannot be eliminated.

The seven teams were:

• Uli and Bonnie
• Jeffrey and Alison
• Kayne and Robert
• Laura and Michael
• Vincent and Angela
• Malan and Katherine
• Keith and Bradley

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Vera Wang; and Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006.
• WINNER: Kayne (teamed with Robert Best)
• OUT: Malan (teamed with Katherine Gerdes)
• First aired July 19, 2006

Episode 3: Designer's Best Friend

The remaining designers are asked to create an outfit and story for a dog and its owner in just two days and $150 USD. The winner has immunity for the next challenge and cannot be eliminated.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Vera Wang; and Ivanka Trump, VP Real Estate Development at Trump Organization.
• WINNER: Uli
• OUT: Katherine
• First aired July 26, 2006

Episode 4: Reap What You Sew

The remaining designers are asked to create a three-piece outfit for Macy's in-house INC brand in just two days and $100 USD. All designers are allowed to swap models. Four designers are chosen by guest judge Mehmet Tangoren as team leaders, must work in teams of three, and can choose any model in their team. The winning design will be manufactured, produced, and sold at Macy's largest stores nationwide. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.

The teams (leaders in bold):

• Angela, Laura and Michael
• Keith, Jeffrey and Alison
• Robert, Kayne and Vincent
• Bonnie, Uli and Bradley

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Vera Wang; and Mehmet Tangoren, VP of Contemporary Sportswear at Macy's.
• WINNER: Angela (teamed with Laura Bennett and Michael Knight)
• OUT: Bonnie (teamed with Bradley Baumkirchner and Uli Herzner)
• DISQUALIFIED: Keith
• First aired August 2, 2006

Designer disqualification

Keith Michael Rizza was found to have guides that could potentially be used as outside resources in a closed competition. These guides included fashion "how-to" books including basic pattern making textbooks as well as fashion history books. Additionally, Keith left production unattended for several hours during promotional filming after a quarrel with the other designers. Keith left to go to his boyfriend's apartment to send an e-mail to Bravo's producer. However, this is also a means for disqualification because he used the internet. Any contact outside the competition is prohibited unless monitored by Bravo production. Any outside documents or materials related to fashion or fashion design are prohibited during competition. Once these claims were brought to the producers' attention, it was decided Keith knowingly broke the rules stated in a signed contract and was asked to leave the show. Keith Michael is the first Project Runway contestant to be disqualified from the series. After his disqualification, Jeffrey Sebelia and Alison Kelly were the only team who lost their leader in this challenge.

Episode 5: Iconic Statement

The remaining designers are asked to modernize a look for a "fashion icon" in just two days and $150 USD. The winner of this challenge will feature their look and model in a print advertisement for TRESemmé in Elle magazine. This challenge allowed remaining models to be randomly selected to choose a designer they wanted to work with. Models would then choose a portrait which indicates the icon they want the designer to modernize. The fashion icons are: Cher, Farrah Fawcett, Pam Grier, Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Onassis, Diana Ross, and Twiggy. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.

The designers (in bold) and fashion icons:

• Bradley, Cher
• Alison, Farrah Fawcett
• Michael, Pam Grier
• Angela, Audrey Hepburn
• Laura, Katharine Hepburn
• Jefferey, Madonna
• Kayne, Marilyn Monroe
• Robert, Jackie Onassis
• Uli, Diana Ross
• Vincent, Twiggy

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; and Diane von Furstenberg, fashion designer.
• WINNER: Michael (icon: Pam Grier)
• OUT: Bradley (icon: Cher)
• First aired August 9, 2006

Episode 6: Waste Not, Want Not

The remaining designers are asked to create an outfit in just one day using only materials found at the Waste Management Recycle America Center in Port Newark, New Jersey and $25 USD for materials found at an art supplies store. This challenge requires the designers to create garments that innovate and are judged accordingly. The winner has immunity for this challenge.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; and Rachel Zoe, celebrity fashion stylist.
• WINNER: Michael
• OUT: Alison
• First aired August 16, 2006
• Michael is the third person to win 2 challenges in a row behind Daniel V. from season 2, and Kara from season 1.

Episode 7: Everyday Woman

The remaining designers are asked to create outfit for an "everyday woman" in just one day and $150 USD. The remaining designers' mothers and sisters are used as the clients and models for this challenge. Each designer cannot pick their own mother or sister. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; and Joan Kors, Michael Kors' mother.
• WINNER: Vincent
• OUT: Robert
• First aired August 23, 2006

Episode 8: High Flying Fashion

The remaining designers are asked to create and model an "international jet-set" outfit for themselves in just one day and $75 USD. This challenge requires the designers to create garments that travel well and are tested for wearability as the designers are flown to Paris. There were two runway presentations; one in Paris for Catherine Malandrino judging wearability, and the New York panel. The winner has immunity for this challenge.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; Francisco Costa, creative director for Calvin Klein women's collection; and Catherine Malandrino, fashion designer.
• WINNER: Jeffrey
• OUT: Angela
• First aired August 30, 2006

Episode 9: Couture du Jour

Jeffrey's winning dress

The remaining designers are asked to create an evening gown in just two days and 300€ Euro ($375 USD) employing Haute couture techniques. Designers workroom is held at Parsons Paris. There were two runway presentations: one for guest judge Catherine Malandrino with Parisian models, and the New York panel. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, and fashion designers Catherine Malandrino and Richard Tyler.
• WINNER: Jeffrey
• OUT: Vincent
• First aired September 6, 2006
• Jeffrey is the fourth person to win 2 challenges in a row behind Michael also from season 3, Daniel V. from season 2 and Kara from season 1.

Episode 10: Black and White

The designers are asked to create a cocktail dress using only black and white fabrics with only one day and $100 USD. An additional challenge requires designers to incorporate all of the fabric purchased into the outfit. Previously eliminated designers who have won at least one previous challenge are allowed back into the competition and are able to stay only if they win this challenge. Previously eliminated designers Angela Keslar and Vincent Libretti are invited back to compete. There was some controversy, especially towards Angela, who had won when teamed with 2 designers who were still in. Keith won the first challenge, so if not for being disqualified, he could have been eliminated and still played this challenge. Three designers are eliminated. Had one of the two previously eliminated contestants won the challenge, they would have stayed, and two designers who had not previously been eliminated would have left, along with the other who had left. However, while neither Angela nor Vincent had the worst garment, neither won. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; and Zac Posen, designer.
• WINNER: Laura
• OUT: Angela, Vincent, and Kayne
• First aired September 13, 2006

Episode 11: What the ELLE?

Uli's winning dress

The remaining designers are asked to create an outfit that expresses "their specific point of view as a designer" in just two days and $250 USD. The winner of this challenge has his or her look and model featured in US Elle magazine's "First Look" page photographed by Gilles Bensimon. All of the designers are allowed to swap models. The designers must create a photo-shoot with their models and find three words that best expresses who they are as designers. The designers are given a one-sheet for their three words and photo to be judged. The chosen designers will show a 12 piece collection during Olympus Spring Fashion Week. This is the final challenge and there is no immunity for this challenge.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; and Teri Agins, lead fashion writer for The Wall Street Journal.
• WINNER: Uli
• OUT: None: All four designers advanced to Olympus Fashion Week.
• First aired September 27, 2006

Episode 12: Reunion

• All of the Season 3 designers gathered for a reunion hosted by Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum on the eve of New York Fashion Week, at which the final four designers will display their collections. When confronted about his elimination, Keith insisted not only that the books in question were planted in his room after he had relinquished them to the producers, but that he was absent from the production with permission, thus suggesting he was sabotaged, a charge Tim Gunn dismissed as unlikely. Finalist Michael Knight won $10,000 in the "Bravotv.com Fan Favorite" contest.
• Judges: N/A
• WINNER/OUT: N/A
• First aired October 4, 2006

Episode 13: Finale - Part 1

The remaining designers are asked to create a 12-piece fashion collection featured at the Bryant Park tents for Spring 2006 New York Olympus Fashion Week with only two months and $8,000 USD. Tim Gunn travels to visit each of the remaining designers respective studios to critique each designer's progress. The designers then return to New York with a week remaining to finish their collections in a work room provided by show sponsor Macy's.

• Judges: N/A
• WINNER/OUT: N/A
• First aired October 11, 2006

Episode 14: Finale - Part 2

The remaining designers finish their collections and all of the designers show and are judged in the Bryant Park tents for Spring Olympus Fashion Week with no decoy collection. Collections were judged based on execution, innovation, and originality. The winning designer receives an editorial spread in Elle magazine, a mentorship with Macy's in-house INC (International Concepts) Design studio, a year of representation by Designers Management Agency (DMA), a 2007 Saturn Sky Roadster, and $100,000 stipend to start a clothing line. The winning model is featured and photographed in a fashion spread for US Elle magazine.

• Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, and Fern Mallis, founder of New York Fashion Week.
• WINNER of Project Runway Season 3: Jeffrey Sebelia.
• OUT: Michael (3rd runner-up), Laura (2nd runner-up), Uli (1st runner-up)
• Winner of PR3 model competition: Marilinda Rivera.
• First aired October 18, 2006

References

1. ^ Project Runway (season 2), Episode 1 "Road to the Runway", 2005.

External links

Show-related

• Project Runway official web site
• TRESemme Beyond the scenes at the Project Runway Finale

Contestant sites

• Robert Best at Angelicdreamz.com
• Malan Breton official site
• Bonnie Dominguez official site
• Katherine Gerdes official site
• Ulrike "Uli" Herzner official site
• Kayne Gillaspie official site

Preceded by Season 2	Project Runway Season 3	Succeeded by Season 4
Preceded by Chloe Dao	Project Runway winner Jeffrey Sebelia	Succeeded by Christian Siriano
Preceded by Daniel Vosovic	Fan Favorite Mychael Knight	Succeeded by Christian Siriano