As fashionistas everywhere eagerly await the beginning of Project Runway Season 16, many may wonder what some of the former realty show designers are doing now.
You may be surprised to learn that you have already seen many of their designs on red carpets, talk shows, music videos and magazine covers.
Christian Siriano, winner of Project Runway Season 4, has been the most successful designer from the show. He has dressed everyone from Michelle Obama, to Jennifer Lopez, a frequent Project Runway designer customer.
According to Elle, his business is worth between $10 and $20 million dollars. Was it all because of his Project Runway success? Neiman Marcus fashion director, Ken Downing, confessed "I didn't care for his attitude" on the show. But after a few years, he discovered that Siriano was quite different in person, than in how he was portrayed on the reality show. Downing could see that Christian knew how to create garments that women want to wear.
"I have customers who fly in from all over the country to his trunk shows. For them, it's all about his success on the red carpet and how easily those dresses can translate to cocktail parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs. Unlike some designers who get more press and praise, 99 percent of what Christian sends down the runway ends up at retail. His clothes are designed to sell."
