Many prestigious reality TV shows, including Project Runway, feature aspiring fashion designers. The aforementioned show challenges all qualified, competent designers on a weekly basis to create outstanding and creative designs based on a specified criteria and theme. They get very limited time and materials in and with which to really showcase their creativity and resourcefulness. A board of three judges determines the best creations, sending home one designer each week. Interested and ready to take the challenge? Here’s what you need to know before you audition.
- Register for the Project Runway newsletter. They will notify you once they pool for the next cast for their next season.
- Visit an open casting. To do this, you have to keep track of the tour schedule. The tour stops may change from season to season, but for Season Four the show stopped in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Miami.
- Bring three of your best creative designs that represent and showcase your skill and talent as a designer. The variety should include swimwear, a sample of couture and a menswear item. Your own creation provides a glimpse of your talent and skill. So give it your best shot when you select your samples; after all, you have no room for mistakes here.
- Take your portfolio. It should look very professional and contain an intelligent story line. It should be neat and easy to flip from one page to the next with no unnecessary papers in between pages. Do not forget that you’re creating an impression to sell and establish yourself.
- Bring your complete and ready Project Runway application; you might need this just in case. You can download this application from the Project Runway website. Fill out the application neatly and legibly.
- Exercise creativity and resourcefulness. Project Runway judges are very keen and observant when it comes to potential market capability. Creativity means taking risks; playing safe will not take you to the next level. Always grab every opportunity as if it’s now or never. Focus intently on your goal. This is a competition, not just a simple job application.
- Know the basics; that means you should know the basic principles of every celebrated designer. Prepare to work hard and sew a lot. Project Runway wants competent, experienced and hardworking, risk-taking designers—not someone fresh from high school who has only impulsive, abrupt and cute ideas. Train yourself well, charge the learning to experience and prepare your heart, body and mind to compete. As they say, “if you failed to prepare, you prepared to fail.” Remember, the greatest competitor you will have to face is yourself.