Meet Project Runway's New Crop Of Contestants

You may not realize it, because Bravo seems to be too busy licking its wounds to launch a PR blitz, but the new season of Project Runway is premiering in two days. The 5th season will be its last with not only Bravo, but also with its production company, Magical Elves. The 6th season of the design competition show will be on Lifetime. Nevertheless, the hosts are promising a great season filled with the requisite special guests and surprises.

The gang’s all here in the 5th season. Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Michael Kors are all manning the judge’s chairs and the dulcet tones of Tim Gunn will be on hand to offer guidance and support to the design ducklings. In addition to the regulars, some of the guest judges for this season have already been announced. They include Natalie Portman, Brooke Shields, LL Cool J, Rachel Zoe, RuPaul, Apolo Anton Ohno and Sandra Bernhard.

Of course, it’s not just going to be celebrities who shoulder the judging responsibility; designers will be making appearances as well. Diane von Fürstenberg, Cynthia Rowley and Calvin Klein creative director Francisco Costa are all signed on for season 5.

While the beginning of each season is marked with effusive praise and statements along the lines of “this is the best season yet” from the judges, Heidi Klum says that in addition to the bar being raised, we can expect PR’s most diverse cast, which includes “everyone from a rocker chick who mostly works with leather to a more bohemian surfer boy, and everything in between.”

The season 5 contestants are listed below:

Blayne, 23; Seattle
Daniel, 25; Brooklyn
Emily, 27; Los Angeles
Jennifer, 27; Pistoia, Italy
Jerell, 28; Los Angeles
Jerry, 32; New York City
Joe, 41; Troy, Mich.
Keith, 26; Salt Lake City
Kelli, 27, Columbus, Ohio
Kenley, 25; Brooklyn
Korto, 33; Mabelvale, Ark.
Leanne, 27; Portland, Ore.
Stella, 42; New York City
Suede, 37; Barryville, N.Y.
Terri, 39; Columbus, Ohio
Wesley, 23; New York City


For my completely random, uneducated pick of the season, I have to go with Jerell. As you can see above, he showed up to the promo shoot without a shirt on. That dude is so confident in his ability to make clothes that he doesn’t even have to wear them. Now that’s a winner.