On March 14, Project Runway returns to Bravo with a new host (Karlie Kloss) and mentor (Christian Siriano)—and with ELLE’s own Nina Garcia as a judge. Here, a sneak peek at the new class of designers and the work that landed them on the show’s seventeenth season.
Tessa Clark
Hometown: Greenville, Ohio
Currently: Cincinnati
Instagram: @grindandglaze
The Look: Minimal, elevated casualwear; unrefined luxury.
My biggest strength as a designer: Choosing quality textiles, understanding a woman’s shape, and having a less-is-more approach to styling.
My biggest weakness: Fear of the sequin.
A look from Tessa Clark
Style icon: [Professor and influencer] Accidental Icon, because she is complete goals.
I’d love to dress: Emma Watson, Rooney Mara, Tracee Ellis Ross, Solange, Meghan Markle, and Margaret Zhang.
Jamall Osterholm
Hometown: Cranston, Rhode Island
Currently: Providence, Rhode Island
Instagram: @jamallosterholm
The Look: Futurism that draws from the past. I am obsessed with reinterpreting different time periods where I can insert myself in a position of power.
What inspired me to become a designer: Before I began using fabric and thread as a medium, I was making art that I wasn’t connected to. Creating clothing gave me the ability to ask myself questions about my identity.
I’d love to dress: Naomi Campbell; that would be a dream. She’s an icon.
A look from Jamall Osterholm
Trend I’m loving: Cheetah prints!
Trend I cannot stand: I’m really not into the Crocs craze.
Bishme Cromartie
Hometown: Baltimore
Currently: Baltimore
Instagram: @Bishme_Cromartie
The Look: Clothes that are conversation starters. This allows designers to act as activists and bring attention to causes they’re passionate about.
What inspired me to become a designer: Fashion started out as a way for me to escape reality. Growing up in Baltimore was hard, but fashion helped me expand my imagination and blur what was happening in my neighborhood.
It started with me sketching designs, and then my great-aunt showed me how to use a sewing machine. Fashion was a diary for me to get through tough times, a way for me to get my frustration out through my garments.
A look from Bishme Cromartie
Trend I cannot stand: Kitten heels. I will never like them. You can’t make me!
Style icon: Rihanna, because she takes risks effortlessly.
I'd love to dress: Beyoncé!
Afa Ah Loo
Hometown: Lotopa, Samoa
Currently: Orem, Utah
Instagram: @afa.ahloo
The Look: Sweetly bold!
Fashion hero: Myself.
A look from Afa Ah Loo
Style icon: Iris Apfel, because the woman is a goddess. She knows style, and she is style.
I’d love to dress: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer.
Sonia Kasparian
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Currently: Portland, Oregon
Instagram: @soniakasparian_urchin
The Look: Sculptural, sometimes edgy, romantic, and feminine.
Trend I’m loving: Individuals wearing whatever the hell they want, and identifying themselves however the hell they feel.
A look from Sonia Kasparian
Trend I cannot stand: The white orthopedic nurse shoes worn with sportswear trend. It’s atrocious.
Biggest weakness: I have no desire to do mass production. So I stupidly make everything one of a kind. Not the most efficient business model.
Frankie Lewis
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Currently: Los Angeles
Instagram: @Frankiee_Leww
The Look: I like to use texture and shape to celebrate the female body.
What inspired me to become a designer: I spent much of my life dabbling in different areas of art, but it wasn’t until I found costume and fashion in college that I truly found the kind of creation I could be passionate about.
A look from Frankie Lewis
Trend I’m loving: Women of all sizes feeling free to wear what makes them happy.
Trend I can’t stand: Making brand-new clothes look distressed, and charging an arm and a leg for it.
Fashion heroes: Iris Van Herpen and Elie Saab.
I’d love to dress: If I could get Beyoncé onstage in a leotard I designed, I’d be ready to pack my bags and go on home to Jesus.
Jhoan "Sebastian" Grey
Hometown: Cali, Colombia
Currently: Fort Lauderdale
Instagram: @iamsebastiangrey
The look: Strong, sexy, soft, and educated.
What inspired me to become a designer: While preparing for ballet performances, I began paying close attention to the details of the outfits being constructed.
Style icon: Lady Gaga. She defies boundaries and isn’t afraid to try something new.
A look from Jhoan "Sebastian" Grey
My biggest strength as a designer: I work well as part of a team. Designing a garment for production involves the work of many, from pattern making to sewing to shipping. I pride myself in working well with all involved.
My biggest weakness: Overthinking.
Nadine Ralliford
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
Currently: Stone Mountain, Georgia
Instagram: @RallifordHall
The Look: I love volume, ruffles, and garments that have structure and form.
What inspired me to become a designer: I wanted to look a certain way but could not find what I was looking for.
My mission: Empowering women to look and feel beautiful.
A look from Nadine Ralliford
My biggest strength as a designer: Patience.
Trend I’m loving: Head-to-toe prints.
Style icons: The stars of Empire.
Rakan Shams Aldeen
Hometown: Homs, Syria
Currently: Chicago
Instagram: @rakanshamsaldeen
Design philosophy: Every item from the collection is a piece of the puzzle, and putting them together helps you get the greater image.
What inspired me to become a designer: Since I was five years old, I’ve wanted to be a fashion designer. It chose me!
Trend I can’t stand: People wearing yoga pants and gym clothes everywhere. It’s not fashion!
Mantra: Work hard in silence, and let your successes make the noise.
A look from Rakan Shams Aldeen
My biggest strength as a designer: Creativity and imagination. Few people have it now in the industry.
Biggest weakness: Being stubborn.
Style icon: Afef Jnifen. She is one of the most iconic fashion stars. She is a muse to me!
I'd love to dress: Jessica Kahwati.
Renee Hill
Hometown: Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania
Currently: Philadelphia
Instagram: @harx4
The Look: Luxury streetwear.
What inspired me to become a designer: My mother was a seamstress who made gowns. I guess those beautiful dresses stayed in my subconscious.
A look from Renee Hill
Trend I’m loving: Layering.
Trend I can’t stand: Exposed shoulders.
My biggest strength as a designer: Since I don’t sketch, I’m able to visualize my concepts and bring them to life.
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