"I am inspired by the beautiful curves of a woman′s body and by gorgeous colors and fabrics."
Kayne Gillaspie was born March 14, 1979 in Nashville, Tennessee. Growing up in a large family with five sisters and two brothers, Kayne as everyone knows him, realized at a young age the importance of standing out.
Starting his education with a full scholarship to Volunteer State College, Kayne′s career aspirations began in pre-veterinarian medicine. While working at a vet clinic for four and a half years, he also took a design job as a sketch artist at a local pageant boutique in Tennessee. Kayne quickly became enamored with fashion, changed his major and transferred to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
In 2002, Kayne won the Critics Choice Award for evening wear and graduated magna cum laude. He moved back to Nashville after graduation and opened Kayne′s Clothing Boutique. This afforded him the opportunity to create custom ballroom dance costumes, eveningwear, and wardrobe for the country music industry.
In 2003, Kayne met his partner Warren and bought Southern Charm, an established formal wear and pageant store in Norman, Oklahoma. Within three years, Kayne′s success in the pageant industry soared. In December of 2005, he dressed the entire top five teens and the winner and first runner up in the Miss Oklahoma U.S.A. pageant.
He cites Bob Mackie and Roberto Cavalli as major influences on his work. His gowns encompass originality, attention to detail and a young femininity with an edge.
Ulrike "Uli" Herzner, 35, Miami Beach, FL
"My parents are my mentors."
Ulrike Herzner, who goes by the name "Uli," is a 35-year-old German native who currently resides in Miami Beach.
Trained as a physical therapist, Uli eventually decided that she wanted to enter the world of fashion. For the past eight years, this freelance stylist has dreamed of taking part in New York′s Fashion Week and is inspired by nature as well as the innovative designs of Kenzo and Roberto Cavalli. "My parents are my mentors," Herzner said. "They have stood by me since I began creating my first designs at two and a half years of age and they continue to stand by me as I go for my dreams."
Alison Kelly, 25, Brooklyn, NY
"Inspiration comes from everywhere, especially nature. I think through our designs, most artists are trying to reproduce the complex patterns and beauty we find in nature."
Originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Alison Kelly, 25, has been making her own clothing since she was 14-years-old. She also designs jewelry and has incorporated her own sterling silver clasps and notions into her garments.
Alison′s line of women′s wear, Dahl, made its debut in Los Angeles during the summer of 2005. The first collection titled "origami" consisted of one-of-a-kind dresses, tops and jackets made from single rectangles of silk draped one at a time. She recently relocated from Los Angeles to New York City and continues to design.
In 1998, Alison migrated to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she pursued her studies in fine arts and metal smithing at the Instituto de Allende. Her love for designing and creating wearable pieces of art guided her to Florence, Italy, where she attended Lorenzo de Medici Scuola de Arte and intensively studied the art of fashion design. She later graduated from Massachusetts College of Art with a degree in Fashion Design and moved her career to California where she freelanced for various designers including Freddi Rojas and Punk Empire and also collaborated with Fred Segal on a project.
After moving to California, Alison introduced her first line, titled Run R1ot, which consisted of hand-made, one-of-a-kind mini collections, which were sold in various locations across Los Angeles. As Alison grew, Run R1ot transformed into Dahl. Celebrities such as Juliette Lewis, Anne Heche and Hilary Duff have donned her creations.
Angela Keslar, 33, Amesville, OH
"Leonardo Da Vinci valued experience as the truest arbiter of knowledge and learning... I completely agree and value PROJECT RUNWAY as an unparalleled experience and opportunity."
A Pennsylvania native, Angela Keslar, 33, conducted her first two years of liberal arts education at Carnegie Mellon University′s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania campus and Centre de Tours campus in France. She completed her education at Penn State University, graduating with a degree in Integrative Arts, with an emphasis on Costume Design.
Angela has designed and manufactured her own line of clothing since 1999. She is inspired by the design work of John Galliano, Alber Elbaz and Pheobe Philo, but credits her brother, and the possibility of working with Tim Gunn, as the primary motivators in her decision to try out for PROJECT RUNWAY. She enjoys yoga, gourmet cooking, anything Elvis, snorkeling, visiting the elderly, working with children, high bush hiking and caving in southern Belize. She also loves flower and vegetable gardening, mushroom hunting, solitude, laughing, and any activities that extend her limits and annihilate her pre-conceived notions of possibility.
Angela currently lives on an organic farm in southeastern Ohio with her husband and scores of other wildlife. A glimpse into their self-sufficient lifestyle would show them gardening and preserving their harvest, chopping wood to heat their home, and living entirely off-the-grid with a sophisticated system of solar technology. Angela handcrafts each product in her solar-powered studio to reflect the quality of her work and lifestyle, which is unique, vibrant, visionary.
Michael Knight, 28, Atlanta, GA
"Love, life and sex inspire my designs."
Michael Knight is not one to mince words about why he entered PROJECT RUNWAY. "I wanted to win the competition and take over the world," claimed the 28-year-old designer. Inspired by the artistry of the late Gianni Versace, Knight was born in Nuremberg, Germany and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. Currently a resident of Atlanta, Georgia, Knight is a self-employed fashion designer and stylist who says that his passion, are food and music when he′s not eagerly anticipating his next fashion move. Knight has a degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising.
Vincent Libretti, 49, Santa Monica, CA
"I have unfinished business regarding fashion design... let′s say I still haven′t truly expressed my talents."
Vincent Libretti, 49, was born and raised in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Now living in Santa Monica, California, he recently cashed out his 401k to restart the self-named design company that he ran in New York during the 80′s.
Libretti received his Associate Degree in Liberal Arts and has taken various courses in Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Parsons School of Design. His passion is women′s high-end fashion and he is most inspired by the work of Alexander McQueen. Vincent responds to vitality, enjoys truth, love and subtle expression of self. He loves to create in various art forms and feels that his style carries across in all that he does.
When he′s not working on his designs, Vincent is in Santa Monica, staying spiritual, playing guitar, and spending time with his wife and daughter.
Keith Michael, 34, New York, NY
Born in Brooklyn, New York, 34-year-old Keith Michael is a freelance designer currently creating his own line of clothing. Keith′s aesthetic of urban sophistication rings a fresh point of view to modern American design. The focus: reinterpreting true cosmopolitan style for a new generation.
Keith draws inspiration from a background in fashion photography. His work has been published in W, Elle, GQ and Blackbook. It was after working alongside top-tier designers that the multi-talented Michael was motivated to strike out on his own and develop his distinctive and tightly tailored style.
Keith′s fashion forward men′s clothing is already found in exclusive boutiques in Los Angeles and Manhattan and he looks ahead to an expanded modern luxury and lifestyle brand. His clean, unfettered clothes have been winning accolades from buyers and critics alike, which are accolades Keith continues to build upon. Most recently, Sportswear International has nominated him as "Best Newcomer of the Year" and in an article entitled "Genius News," Andrea Cusick of Nylon Magazine described Keith′s designs as "natural, organic and lovingly hand finished." He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
Jeffrey Sebelia, 36, Los Angeles, CA
"What I hope to create are clothes for those who relate to freedom, rebellion, creation, and self-expression. What it might look like if the world were dressed in slightly mind-bending colors and shapes, smartly designed prét-a-porter and then experienced an apocalypse."
"Music is in my blood, as well as art and fashion," says Jeffrey Sebelia, 36, the founder and designer behind clothing label Cosa Nostra. At age 16, Jeff left home to live in a garage with his punk band where he fell into a life of music, art and fast times, all supported by a mild criminal habit. It was, according to Jeff, "A lifestyle of freedom, rebellion and self-expression. Working for little money and ′trade.′"
Jeff supported himself by adorning leather and denim jackets with patches for his father′s San Bernardino County chapter of the Hell′s Angels. During this time, he lived primarily on the streets where he obtained garments from churches and the local Salvation Army. Jeff transformed ill-shaped military jackets, wool and leather blazers into celebrated masterpieces, reconstructing them to fit perfectly and covering them in patches, his design signature.
Jeff finally began to focus, market, and legitimize his love for art and fashion when Interscope records discovered his band, LIFTER, and signed them for six years beginning in the early nineties and ultimately Cosa Nostra was born. The label has a long line of celebrity clientele, including Gwen Stefani, Billy Bob Thornton, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more. Cosa Nostra is sold exclusively at limited high-end designer stores such as Maxfield in Los Angeles, BNY in Santa Monica, Patch in St. Tropez and Harvey Nichols in London and Hong Kong.
"I′ve grown to love fashion, namely John Galliano, Comme Des Garcons, Vivienne Westwood, Ann Demeulemeester, Junya Watanabe, Rick Owens, and Yohji Yamamoto," says Jeffrey, but it was watching his friend Santino that inspired him to try out for season three. He says, "It seemed fun and challenging." Jeffrey currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Photo Credit: Bravo TV
The views, comments, suggestions, and opinions available throughout do not neccesarily reflect the views of the ownership of RealityTVWebsite.com and are provided for information use only.
![[Valid RSS]](valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed"){kind=small}
Kayne Gillaspie, 27, Norman, OK
Ulrike "Uli" Herzner, 35, Miami Beach, FL
Alison Kelly, 25, Brooklyn, NY
Angela Keslar, 33, Amesville, OH
Michael Knight, 28, Atlanta, GA
Vincent Libretti, 49, Santa Monica, CA
Keith Michael, 34, New York, NY
Jeffrey Sebelia, 36, Los Angeles, CA
