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Project Runway (season 5) facts for kids

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Project Runway
Season5Cast.jpg
Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia, and Michael Kors, with the contestants from Season 5.
No. of tasks 13
No. of contestants 16
Winner Leanne Marshall
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 14
Release
Original network Bravo
Original release July 16 (2008-07-16) – October 15, 2008 (2008-10-15)

Project Runway Season 5 was a super exciting TV show about fashion design! It started filming in June 2008 and first aired on July 16, 2008. This was the last season of Project Runway that was shown on the Bravo channel. After this, the show moved to Lifetime.

The judges for this season were the famous supermodel Heidi Klum, awesome fashion designer Michael Kors, and Elle magazine editor Nina Garcia. Tim Gunn was also back as the helpful mentor, guiding the designers through their challenges.

The top four designers got to show their amazing fashion collections at Bryant Park Fashion Week in New York City. The winner of Season 5, Leanne Marshall, received some fantastic prizes! She got a special article in Elle magazine, $100,000 from TRESemmé hair care to start her own fashion line, a chance to sell her designs on Bluefly.com, and a brand new 2009 Saturn Vue car.

Some designers from this season later returned for Project Runway: All Stars. Jerell Scott and Kenley Collins competed in 2012, with Jerell finishing 5th and Kenley 4th. Stephen "Suede" Baum was in the second All Stars season, placing 11th. Korto Momolu came in 2nd place in the third All Stars season. Stella Zotis also appeared in the fifth All Stars season, finishing 11th.

Meet the Designers and Models

The Talented Designers

Here are the 16 designers who competed in Season 5:

Contestant Age Hometown Occupation Place Finished
Jerry Tam 32 Butte, MT Owner/Design Director, Form 16th
Wesley Nault 23 Blackstone, MA Freelance Designer 15th
Emily Brandle 27 Sacramento, CA Freelance Designer 14th
Jennifer Diederich 27 East Syracuse, NY Freelance Designer 13th
Kelli Martin 27 Columbus, OH Boutique Owner 12th
Daniel Feld 25 Great Barrington, MA Freelance Designer 11th
Keith Bryce 26 Salt Lake City, UT Boutique Owner 10th
Stella Zotis 42 Astoria, NY Freelance Designer 9th
Blayne Walsh 23 Yakima, WA Freelance Designer 8th
Terri Stevens 39 Chicago, IL Freelance Designer 7th
Joe Faris 41 Troy, MI Senior Designer, Schott Brothers 6th
Stephen "Suede" Baum 37 Seven Hills, OH Freelance Designer 5th
Jerell Scott 28 Houston, TX Freelance Designer 4th
Kenley Collins 25 New York, NY Freelance Designer 3rd
Korto Momolu 33 Monrovia, Liberia Freelance Designer Runner-up
Leanne Marshall 27 Portland, OR Freelance Designer Winner

The Fashion Models

These 16 models helped bring the designers' creations to life:

Contestant Age Hometown Place Finished
Janine Bell 24 Maryland 16th
Runa Lucienne 19 Ohio 15th (Quit)
Leslie Manzano 19 New Hartford, New York 14th
Alex Arace 24 New Jersey 13th
Shannone Holt 21 Brooklyn, New York 12th (Quit)
Elena Abete 19 Austin, Texas 11th
Alyssa Aparicio 18 Bronx, New York 10th
Kendall Hightower 19 Houston, Texas 9th
Polina Frantsena N/A Boston, Massachusetts 8th
Karalyn West 21 Columbus, Ohio 7th
Germaine Volorioz 27 New Jersey 6th
Xaviera Tytler 22 Phoenix, Arizona 5th
Nicole Zaager 20 New York, New York 4th
Topacio Pena 22 Dominican Republic 3rd
Katarina Munez 20 New Jersey Runner-up
Tia Shipman 21 Maryland Winner

Exciting Challenges and Episodes

Each week, the designers faced a new and exciting challenge to test their skills!

Episode 1: Let's Start from the Beginning

The first challenge was to create an outfit using only items bought from a Gristedes grocery store. Designers had 30 minutes and $75 to shop.

Episode 2: Grass Is Always Greener

Designers had to make a cocktail dress using eco-friendly fabrics. Their models picked the fabrics for them! The winner got to sell their design on Bluefly.

Episode 3: Bright Lights/Big City

Designers created a look inspired by the exciting nightlife of New York City. They took photos around the city for ideas.

Episode 4: Rings of Glory

The challenge was to design a women's outfit for the 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony. They got inspiration from the National Track and Field Museum.

Episode 5: Welcome to the Jungle

Designers worked in teams to create an outfit that could go from day to night. The winning design would be worn by Brooke Shields on her TV show Lipstick Jungle.

Episode 6: Good Queen Fun

Designers had to create an outfit for a drag queen. Chris March from Season 4 helped deliver the challenge.

Episode 7: Fashion That Drives You

This challenge was super creative! Designers made an outfit using only spare parts and materials from a Saturn hybrid car.

Episode 8: Double 0 Fashion

Designers created a look for designer Diane von Fürstenberg's Fall 2008 collection. It was inspired by the movie A Foreign Affair. The winning design was sold to American Express cardholders.

Episode 9: What's Your Sign?

Designers teamed up with past eliminated designers to create an avant-garde (very artistic and unusual) outfit. The theme was based on astrological signs. This episode had a surprise double elimination!

  • Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors
  • Guest judge: Francisco Costa
  • WINNER: Jerell (with Jennifer Diederich)
  • OUT: Blayne (with Stella Zotis) and Terri (with Keith Bryce)
  • First Aired: September 10, 2008

Episode 10: Transformation

Designers gave recent college graduates a fashion makeover to help them get ready for their new jobs. The clients wore the outfits on the runway.

Episode 11: Rock N' Runway

Designers created outfits for each other, inspired by different types of music. The designers themselves wore their creations on the runway!

Episode 12: Nature Calls

The remaining designers went to the New York Botanical Garden to find inspiration from nature and design a beautiful evening gown.

  • Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors
  • Guest Judge: Georgina Chapman
  • WINNER: Jerell
  • OUT: None (all four designers moved on, but one would be eliminated in the next episode)
  • First Aired: October 1, 2008

Episode 13: Finale, Part 1

Before the final runway show, the designers had to create a wedding dress and a bridesmaid dress for their collections. This was the first time all the finalists were female designers.

Episode 14: Finale, Part 2

For the grand finale, each finalist had 12 outfits, but they could only show 10 on the runway. They had to make some tough last-minute choices! The original guest judge, Jennifer Lopez, couldn't make it, so Tim Gunn stepped in. After seeing all the amazing collections, the judges decided that Leanne Marshall had the best collection and she was named the winner of Project Runway Season 5!

  • Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors
  • Guest judge: Tim Gunn
  • First Aired: October 15, 2008
  • WINNER of Project Runway Season 5: Leanne Marshall
  • OUT: Korto Momolu (Runner-Up), Kenley Collins (3rd Place)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Quinta temporada de Project Runway para niños

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