Laura Bennett facts for kids

Laura Eugenia Bennett (born August 2, 1963) is an American architect and fashion designer. She became well-known after appearing on the TV show Project Runway in 2006, where she was one of the top four finalists.

About Laura Bennett

Laura Bennett was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She studied architecture at the University of Houston and later earned another degree in the same field from Columbia University in New York City.

Laura is a mother of six children. She has one daughter named Cleo (born 1988) from her first marriage. With her late husband, architect Peter L. Shelton, she had five sons: Peik (born 1996), Truman (born 1999), Pierson (born 2002), Larson (born 2003), and Finn (born December 1, 2006). She found out she was expecting Finn while she was competing on Project Runway. Her husband, Peter L. Shelton, passed away in 2012.

After her husband's passing, Laura Bennett (who sometimes uses the name Laura Bennett Shelton) moved her family and her business to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 2013. The family moved to a historic estate that once belonged to her husband's grandfather. Laura also helps manage the R.K. Laros Foundation.

Interestingly, after moving to Pennsylvania, Laura started learning archery. She became very good at it quickly! Within six months, she was competing at a high level. She even took part in the 2014 World Indoor Archery Championships. In 2018, at the World Archery Masters Championships in Switzerland, Laura won two gold medals in the Recurve Master Women category (for ages 50-59).

Laura on Project Runway

On Project Runway, Laura Bennett was known for her elegant evening wear designs. The judges often praised her glamorous style. However, they sometimes worried that her designs might appeal more to older customers. Even so, she won one of the weekly design challenges. She was also famous for how quickly she could finish her clothes!

During the show, in the episode before the finale, Laura thought that another finalist, Jeffrey Sebelia, might have gotten help from others to finish his clothing line. The show's producers looked into it, but they didn't find enough proof. So, Jeffrey continued in the competition. In the end, Laura finished as the second runner-up, meaning she came in third place after Uli, and Jeffrey Sebelia won the season.

After Project Runway

After her time on Project Runway, Laura continued her design career. In 2008, she launched her "LBD" (Little Black Dress) collection on the TV shopping channel QVC.

Laura also became an author. She started writing for the website The Daily Beast, sharing stories about her family life with her six children and her thoughts on fashion. In 2010, she published her first book, Didn't I Feed You Yesterday? A Mother's Guide to Sanity in Stilettos. In 2012, she released another book called Handmade Chic: Fashionable Projects That Look High-End, Not Homespun.

See also

In Spanish: Laura Bennett (diseñadora) para niños