Bravo launched the third season of the Emmy-nominated reality series PROJECT RUNWAY tonight on July 12th at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT with a new cast of fifteen talented fashion designers.
Selected from thousands of hopefuls, the designers will compete for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show in the world-renowned Bryant Park tents during New York′s Fashion Week. PROJECT RUNWAY will provide the opportunity for these budding designers to break into the notoriously exclusive fashion business. The wildly successful competition reality series has proven to be one of television′s most talked-about shows and produced some of TV′s most memorable personalities and unforgettable moments.
The PROJECT RUNWAY season three designers with biographies of each designer are:
Bradley Baumkirchner, 32, Los Angeles, CA
Bradley, a 31-year-old professional designer, was born and raised in Lake Havasu City, Arizona and has more than six years of experience in the design industry. Bradley has completed courses in Fashion Design and Production at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California as well as Fashion Digital Design at the Otis College of Art and Design. He has designed for the Speedo Girls Division creating a new brand concept and collection and is experienced in pattern making, creating design concepts and unified collections. Bradley is inspired by the work of legendary fashion designer Bill Blass and currently resides in Los Angeles.
Laura Bennett, 42, New York, NY
My designs are inspired by New York City -- the architecture, the pulse of the city, the people, the glamour!
Born and raised in New Orleans and currently living in Manhattan, Laura Bennett, 42, has come a long way. In the past, Laura was a single mother who struggled to make ends meet. Now the matriarch of a large family, she has never given up on her dream of becoming a great designer.
Laura is not formally trained in clothing construction, but has designed and sewn her own clothes for her entire life. She designs and makes her own fine jewelry and believes the principles of design are universal. According to Laura, "My husband is my design mentor. His level of taste and use of restraint produce an unmatched elegance in all areas of design." Laura is also inspired by designers such as Vionnet for her innovative construction, and Oscar de la Renta, Valentino and Galliano for their sexy opulence.
Laura received her undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of Houston, and received a graduate degree in architecture from Columbia University. An architect for the last 15 years, Laura currently works part-time at her husband′s design firm, Shelton Mindel and Associates, designing product. She spends her spare time researching and studying 19th and 20th century jewelry, and follows international jewelry auctions and museum exhibits. Laura is the mother of five children.
Robert Best, 36, West Hollywood, CA
"In the end I think most women want to look pretty, the same can be said of most dolls."
Robert Best, 36, is a Principal Designer at Mattel where he has worked for Barbie Collectibles for ten years. Prior to Mattel, Robert worked in New York for such fashion luminaries as Isaac Mizrahi, Anne Klein and Donna Karan.
Robert grew up in Utah and was schooled in New York City at Parsons School of Design where he was awarded the "Student Designer of the Year" award upon graduating. He resides in West Hollywood, California and has designed hundreds of dolls while at Mattel including the "Best Models" collection featuring the completely new Model Muse body, and exciting, hot off the catwalk clothes and accessories. Some of the other Barbie dolls that Robert has created include Millennium Bride Barbie Doll, Crystal Jubilee Barbie Doll, Billions of Dreams Barbie Doll, Wedgwood Barbie, and the Fabergé series. He has also designed such celebrity dolls as the Audrey Hepburn series, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.
Oscar De La Renta continues to be an inspiration to Robert, whose own design theory is based in simplicity: good fabrics, classic lines, and feminine details with a touch of whimsy. "I basically think of Barbie as if she is real and even though there is fantasy in my work, I always think of what a real woman would wear and then translate that into doll-scale."
Malan Breton, 32, Long Island City, NY
"I enjoy competition and I feel the world has something to see in my art."
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Malan, 32, traveled the globe as a child, living in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, California, Hawaii, Utah, Georgia and elsewhere. Named as one of 12 new designers to watch for on the New York runway by Women′s Wear Daily in February 2005, Malan has been designing since the age of 11. Inspired by a friend, one of America′s foremost couturiers, he decided to create his own line drawing on the vast influences and experiences of his life.
Malan has also been a part of the entertainment industry since an early age, learning his craft from costume mistresses along the way. He has appeared in theatre, film, and television, worked as a professional model and has danced with Paula Abdul and others.
His voiceover work can be heard on ESPN and ABC. Malan will soon be art directing and directing a series of thirteen short films to be released in 2008, as well a CD of jazz standards and original music.
A self trained designer, Malan′s influences stem from Asia, Australia, Europe, and Hollywood. He has designed wardrobes for Megu restaurant and has a growing clientele with a strong visual esthetic. He is inspired by Arnold Scaasi, Charles jams, Adrian, and Alexander McQueen, among others. Malan currently resides in Long Island City, New York.
Bonnie Dominguez, 31, San Diego, CA
"I have always been fascinated by the body. It is only appropriate that my design and art revolves around the human form in one way or another."
Bonnie Dominquez, 31, grew up right outside of Philadelphia, in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. She is the second born of five children in a self-described quirky American family, complete with many a family photo album of ′National Lampoon-like′ family vacations throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada. She said, "My father refused to buy a new car until we were all out of the house. So, all of our vacations were spent in what was the Dodge Van equivalent of the Mir space station."
While in high school, Bonnie was given scholarships to study at Moore College of Art and Design as well as Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. She was trained in apparel, footwear and accessories design at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. After college, she became an apparel designer for Nike and later moved on to PUMA, working on women′s footwear and apparel. While at PUMA, she lived in a variety of locales, including Los Angeles, Nuremburg, Germany and Boston. Bonnie currently heads up women′s design for Reef footwear in San Diego.
According to Bonnie, one of her main sources of inspiration is her husband. She says, "Alex is one of the most talented graphic designers I know, and is the one of the best DJ′s to ever come out of the UK. He shares my love of being a modern day gypsy and living all over the world."
Stacey Estrella, 40, San Francisco, CA
"If I win, it will help me build a significant brand awareness in my target demographic while also providing seed capital to build a multi-national fashion house and investment firm."
"Curiosity, a desire to challenge myself and grow and to see what I′m made of" is what inspired Stacey Estrella, age 40, to head to the open calls for Project Runway. She quickly adds, "And to meet Tim Gunn!"
Currently a marketing executive at a high-tech company (FoxT), specializing in Corporate Identity and Communications, Stacey is a California native, who now lives in San Francisco. She has an impressive educational background holding a bachelor′s degree in American Studies from Stanford and a Masters in business from Harvard. In addition to 12 years experience in a high tech industry, Stacey has two years of design and pattern-making experience, which she feels give her a fighting chance on PROJECT RUNWAY.
Estrella is her mother′s maiden name, which she began using at the age of 11 to honor her mother′s role in her life. She loves traveling, Spain, the Spanish language, writing journals, reading, Flamenco dancing, and shoes. Life experience, music, literature, nature and shoes inspire her designs.
Katherine Gerdes, 25, Minneapolis, MN
"I believe that no matter how creative and original designs are, if the person wearing it isn′t comfortable, it defeats the purpose. If it feels good, you′ll look good. It′s that simple."
The very last thing Katherine Gerdes, 24, could ever claim is to "have always dreamed about becoming a designer." It′s quite the opposite. As a preschooler, growing up in Minnesota, her mother couldn′t even bribe her into a dress. While other little girls wore frilly "fancy nancy" clothes, her mother couldn′t beg her out of her old non-descript jeans or overalls. In elementary school, while others begged their parents for the latest brand name jeans, Katherine′s uniform was a basic T and non-descript black leggings. And when her photography skills got her into the prestigious Minnesota State Arts High School, Katherine hated all the cool "must have" clothes everyone else was wearing. To rebel against all the "sameness," she simply started making her own clothes, and in turn, developing her own style. Yet, she was still fascinated by the world from behind the lens of a camera.
Katherine began her studies at Rhode Island School of Design as a Photography Major. She signed up for a clothing design class as a lark, but the turning point came when an instructor insisted she take a closer look at switching her major to Apparel Design. From that point, Katherine immersed herself in clothing design and found her true calling. Immediately upon graduation, she landed a plum job as Design Coordinator at Target Corporation′s headquarters in Minneapolis, and was then was promoted to Associate Textile Designer at the trend-defining retailer.
Katherine also produces her own line in her private studio tucked behind Hell′s Kitchen, a breakfast hot spot owned by her family. The Katherine Gerdes line sells at sDesign Collective, a Minneapolis showcase for local talent.
Katherine′s lines are focused, functional, and above all, designed for real people and mandated to be comfortable. "When I′m designing," explains Katherine, "I try to keep the thought ′would I wear this?′ in the back of my mind. It′s not that I design with the intention on making a new wardrobe for myself, but I like to think that if I would be uncomfortable wearing it, then maybe I should re-think the design." Katherine currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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The PROJECT RUNWAY season three designers with biographies of each designer are:
Laura Bennett, 42, New York, NY
Robert Best, 36, West Hollywood, CA
Malan Breton, 32, Long Island City, NY
Bonnie Dominguez, 31, San Diego, CA
Stacey Estrella, 40, San Francisco, CA
Katherine Gerdes, 25, Minneapolis, MN
