Project Runway: Where Are They Now?

Jay's inventive designs and original point of view made him the season-one winner. After the show, he began teaching at Philadelphia University and started a fashion line on QVC. He continues to do both today. In 2010, Jay won season seven of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, losing a grand total of 40 pounds. Today, he continues designing; recently, Jay designed an eco-friendly dress for an animal activist campaign, Gabby Wild, and has been named fashion ambassador of Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ.

Kara may have come in second on the first season of Project Runway, but the show has totally catapulted her career. She has worked as a costume designer for America's Best Dance Crew, working closely with well-known crew Jabbawockeez Mus.I.C. She also designs for stars like Heidi Klum, Vanessa Williams, Queen Latifah, and Mary J. Blige. In 2010, she left costume designing to focus on her personal line, Kara Saun LLC.

Mario is still designing — he created CLASSIC, a collection of ladylike cocktail dresses, as well as Vanity Circus, a fashion, photography, and graphic design company. His work explores sustainability and gender norms.

Wendy's personality was a major reason for the show's success. After her departure, Wendy opened a showroom in Middleburg, VA, where she sold her own designs. Because of her lasting impression, Wendy reappeared on various Bravo shows, including Celebrity Poker Showdown and Battle of the Network Reality Stars. Wendy passed away on Nov. 12, 2017, surrounded by family in her home in Washington DC and will always be remembered for her inventive designs.

After the show, Starr worked as a corporate attorney for five years. She owns her own real estate company, Starters2Skylines LLC, and lives in uptown Charlotte, NC. Starr faces federal charges of mortgage fraud for allegedly stealing more than $1 million.

Kevin lives in New York City and currently designs a high-end line called the Kevin Johnn Collection, as well as KJeans&Knits, premium denim and a contemporary knitwear line. Kevin has created a diverse clientele including Mary-Kate Olsen, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Jessica Alba, and Drew Barrymore.

Daniel is best remembered for returning as a contestant on season two of the show after being voted off the first episode of season one. In 2010, he auditioned for American Idol but did not make the age cutoff. He was, however, featured during the Adam Lambert look-alike montage. Franco is now the owner of Albertson Chapel in Los Angeles and plans to release his own bridal line.

Vanessa was season one's cheeky British designer, whose brief moment of nobility on the runway cost her the competition early on. After the show, Vanessa sold her designs in a 2,500-square-foot store in Houston called Vanessa Riley London.

Alexandra was known for her itty-bitty bikinis and sexy Miami aesthetic but has now made herself a force to be reckoned with in the world of high-end cocktail and evening gowns. Her current collection is sold in Bergdorf Goodman and has been featured in Vogue and WWD, and two of her dresses are worn by Blair Waldorf on Gossip Girl. From the beach to the big time!

After the show, Robert dabbled in interior design before he returned to fashion. He worked for Laundry by Shelli Segal, then helped a fellow designer launch the line Haute Hippie. Currently, he works in portfolio management and has a wife and young son.

After the show, Nora designed for the contemporary eco-conscious line Larsen Gray. She enjoyed huge success with the line but started Authentic Lifestyle Products, a company that specializes in providing apparel solutions.

Chloe's career has skyrocketed since winning season two. Her designs were featured in the Smithsonian Museum's Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon exhibit. In May 2007, she premiered a 13-piece collection on QVC called Simply Chloe Dao, which sold out during the televised broadcast. In March 2008, she debuted her wholesale line, Dao Chloe Dao, at the Dallas Market Center. Today she continues to remain in the public eye, running her Houston-based store, Lot 8, as well as fashion lines Dao Chloe Dao, Dao Chloe Dao for Nuo, and Simply Chloe for QVC. She then returned to the show, this time as a judge on Project Runway Vietnam. Go, girl!

After the show, Kara sold hundreds of her signature kimono wrap dress, even building a celebrity fan base including Julia Roberts, Rihanna, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Although she gained much success with her designs, Kara found herself struggling with taking her business to the next level. In April 2011, Kara appeared on the Sundance Channel reality series All on the Line with Joe Zee. She then worked as a design director for Elie Tahari and launched a new line, Tenby.

The designer has been sewing up a storm these days, showing his last four collections at New York Fashion Week. Daniel has also continued to expand his design expertise by working within multiple New York design houses, as well as engaging in art directing, celebrity dressing, and custom design projects, the latest of which has been designing a collection of clothes, accessories, and staff uniforms for the urban hotel brand NYLO. In 2008, Daniel released a book titled Fashion Inside Out. Then in February 2010, he launched The Kit, a sustainable clothing line fighting the fast-fashion model. More recently, Vosovic was accepted into the CFDA Incubator, the council's prestigious business development program.

Heidi launched her bridal line, Heidi Elnora, in 2006 and has dressed brides all over the world for their big day. You can now find her collection at 23 boutiques and 14 Nordstrom locations. Her work has been shown in numerous magazines including Brides and Martha Stewart Weddings.

Nick continues to be a spokesperson for Macy's and FIDM in Los Angeles. He was featured in the Virgin Mobile and Sears Holiday National Commercial campaigns. Under his label NIKOLAKI, Nick has dressed celebrities like Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood, Heidi Klum, and Eva Longoria. His line sells in over 100 stores across the country. Verreos has also expanded his expertise to television, where he is often brought on as a fashion commentator/expert for programs and events.

Guadalupe now designs a "lush, feminine, trippy, and otherworldly" collection called Plain Lucid.

Kirsten now designs her own swimwear line, called Belusso, designed to "fit perfectly into a laid-back luxe lifestyle." She has gained a celebrity following, which includes Eva Longoria, Mariah Carey, Audrina Patridge, and Brooke Burke.

Project Runway fans loved watching Santino, best known for his imitation of guru Tim Gunn, complete with a fictional storyline about Tim and Andrae Gonzalo having romantic dinners at Red Lobster. In 2010, he teamed up with fellow PR alum Austin Scarlett for a show on Lifetime, called On the Road With Austin and Santino, where they traveled to small towns to create fresh, new looks for local women. He's now a resident judge on RuPaul's Drag Race.

Andrae captivated us with his endless sobbing and nonresistance to being the butt of Santino's jokes. After the show, he competed in Project Runway: All Stars season two but did not make it as far as his first season. He now works as a visual artist designing costumes for theater and art in the New York area.

Coined "Dirty Diana" by fellow contestant Daniel Vosovic after seeing her dance at a party for Nicky Hilton, season two's resident oddball has gone on to help popularize the term "Fashion Nerd," writing a book called Fashion Geek: Clothes Accessories Tech. She is a cofounder of NYC Resistor and in 2010 started her ready-to-wear line, Diana Eng.

After the show, Baltazar founded his own line, Young.Balls, then he was the head stylist for an Ed Hardy fashion show. Today, he works at UCLA Arts.

Zulema was pretty much the Wendy Pepper of season two, best remembered for not only switching models before the "Photo Inspiration" challenge but also forcing three of them to do a "walk-off" for her. Since the show, she's worked as a costume designer.

Emmett owned EMc2, a 750-square-foot Nolita boutique that sold his collections as well as some designs by Project Runway costars Kara Janx, Nick Verreos, Alison Kelly, and season two winner Chloe Dao.

In 2010, Jeffrey became the head designer for LA-based line Fluxus. In 2011, he launched his own kids line called La Miniatura. Then he returned to the Project Runway catwalk on season three of All Stars. He's maintained his killer rock-and-roll 'stache along the way.

Mychael originally auditioned to be a contestant on season two but was rejected. He appeared on season three, going on to win the Fan Favorite Award and a $10,000 cash prize, which he used to launch his unisex fragrance MajK. He created custom designs for celebrities such as Patti LaBelle and Jennifer Hudson, then debuted his own line during Charleston, SC's F/W2010 Fashion Week. Mychael returned to Project Runway: All Stars for season three. He passed away on Oct. 17, 2017, in Atlanta. In an interview with NBC News, Mychael's friend Jerris Madison said, "he died doing what he loved."

After the show, Laura started writing for The Daily Beast. Her article topics ranged from family life with her six children to fashion on the red carpet. She also wrote a book, titled Didn't I Feed You Yesterday? A Mother's Guide to Sanity in Stilettos. She also designs a line of sophisticated separates, LBD by Laura Bennett, for QVC.

Now going by Johnathan Kayne, the former pageant dress designer has established shoe and dress lines and a thriving design studio in Nashville. He became the spokesperson for the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank and was named Mr. February in the 2010 Men of Oklahoma charity calendar. He also was a contestant on Project Runway: All Stars season two. In 2012, he launched Jonathan Kayne, an eveningwear line that focuses on prom dresses and shoes.

Vincent started his own fashion company, Akcpt., that teaches, trains, then hires those in need.

Since the show, Malan has dressed celebrities from the worlds of television, music, film, and Broadway; stars like Ariana Grande, Lorde, and Kerry Washington have all worn his designs. In 2011, he became the first designer ever whose collection was part of a deal with Nintendo Wii systems and ZOO for the video game Minute to Win It.

Bonnie now resides in San Francisco and divides her time between her painting studio and work as a freelance designer.

Robert returned to his prior position as a designer at Mattel and in 2010 collaborated with Lionsgate and AMC to create a line of Mad Men Barbie dolls.

Best remembered for her signature flowy, floral dress, Uli hosted her own web series, It's Very Uli, on Plum TV. Now she works as a freelance stylist and continues to advance her line. Uli sells her line at boutiques in Palm Beach, FL, and on her website.

Alison's sweet-as-pie demeanor earned her the "most liked" title during season three. Kelly has dressed celebrities, including Anne Heche and Hilary Duff. She also coauthored the book The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook and served as creative director for the BurdaStyle site.

According to her website, Stacey now spends her time writing, traveling, and working on her photography. She splits her time between New York City and San Francisco.

Angela became known for her infamous rosettes, which inevitably got her sent home from the show. Her last-known project was teaching a rosette-making class in the New York borough of Brooklyn.

Bradley was sent home from the show when his poorly fitted, unattractive Cher pants failed to impress the judges. In 2007, he showed a collection of womenswear and is now found painting and sculpting.

Since the show, Katherine (who now goes by Katy) moved back to Minneapolis and designs a collection of casualwear that is sold in local boutiques, as well as on her online store. She is currently focusing on her career as a pastry chef for Angel Food Bakery & Donut Bar in Minneapolis, MN.

The youngest winner of Project Runway, Christian has enjoyed lots of success thanks to the show. He remains a fixture on New York Fashion Week runways, designing a high-end, couture-inspired line, as well as a shoe collection for Payless. In April 2009, Christian partnered with Victoria's Secret on a line of makeup called Christian Siriano For VS Makeup. Later that same year, he released a book titled Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self, with a foreword written by his PR mentor, Tim Gunn. Since the show, Christian has become a fashion superstar. In 2012, he opened his first standalone flagship store on Elizabeth Street in NYC, and in 2013, he became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). He will return to Project Runway's 17th season, this time as a judge.

Kit's rocker-chic aesthetic was well-received on the show. These days, Kit lives in Los Angeles and works as a stylist, designer, and costumer for her company, Kit Pistol. (Get it?)

Carmen is still designing the line that she started (CW Conscious Threads) and has designed custom pieces for Erykah Badu and Alicia Keys. Following the show, Carmen wrote, designed, and illustrated books.

Chris is remembered as season four's class clown (as well as for his "human hair" collection). Chris continues to create costume and fashion designs for some of the biggest celebrities in the business, including Madonna, Prince, Beyoncé, and Meryl Streep — Meryl's dress for the 2010 Academy Awards resulted in rave reviews as well as placement on many a best-dressed list. In June 2017, Chris fell in his home and was unconscious for four days. He was placed in a medically induced coma for two months. Today he is recovering in a medical facility in California.

Jillian may have had a time-management problem while on the show, but these days, she sells her ready-to-wear collection in stores around the country, as well as on her website.

After a promising start in season four, including a win in a menswear competition, Jack abruptly decided to withdraw from the show due to a serious MRSA staph infection. In 2008, Mackenroth partnered with Merck & Co. Inc. to launch a national HIV and AIDS education campaign called Living Positive by Design. He continues to design and be highly involved in activism surrounding AIDS.

Remembered for being a little obsessed with drapes, Rami launched his first pieces in his Spring/Summer 2010 collection. Known for his bridal and red carpet designs, Rami has dressed the likes of Penélope Cruz, Malin Akerman, Dita Von Teese, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez, and Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan. Kashou also designed a bridal line for the popular retailer Bebe.

Upon his return to his hometown of Chicago after leaving the show, Steven designed "The Perfect Rose Dress" for Gaga's, a Chicago-based boutique specializing in children's formal attire. The dress was featured on In the Loop With iVillage.

Being "auf"ed from season four didn't stop Victorya from staging a full-fledged runway show at New York Fashion Week in 2008. Hong is still designing and working in NYC and sells her line in stores across the nation.

Sweet P may have easily been one of the most likable designers in Project Runway history — she was sweet, quirky, and supportive and acted as a mother hen to her fellow contestants. In 2010, Sweet P signed on as a lead designer for Trixxi Clothing Company, a moderately priced dress and sportswear company based in LA.

Kevin has been featured multiple times on The Rachael Ray Show and worked alongside Adam Levine to develop The Adam Levine Men's Collection for Kmart. He headed menswear design for Andrew Charles, Rolling Stones by RIFF, and American Idol brand Authentic Icon.

Simone now owns her own boutique gifting studio, which she opened in 2011, and she shares her daily inspiration on a very cute blog.

Remembered for using saliva to measure her polymorphic clothing, Elisa now continues creating fashion and writing poetry. She was given a second chance in Project Runway All Stars but was eliminated in the first episode. Her main ongoing project is called The Hunger World, a world of marionettes ranging from two inches to 30 feet in height.

OK — so Ricky was a bit of a crier. But now he lives in Queens, NY, with his partner of 12 years and his dog, Shortie. His designer lingerie brand, Lizalde Designs, received widespread success due to the show and was sold at high-end department stores.

Since walking away with the title of season five winner, Leanne has been a busy little bee. She created an eco-friendly line for Bluefly.com that debuted in July 2009 and showed her Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, and Fall 2011 collections at New York Fashion Week. As of late, she creates one-of-a-kind, custom wedding gowns for clients in her Brooklyn studio. She sells her collection on her website and in boutiques throughout the US and Canada.

Self-professed "tanorexic" Blayne is still designing.

Emily designed her own boho-chic line called Smoke & Mirrors. Her line was popular with celebrities, like Paris Hilton.

Kenley, who was best remembered for her brash manner and 1940s style, was charged with two counts of assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and harassment after attacking her sleeping ex-fiancé with her pet cat, water, several apples, and a laptop in 2009. As for her role in the fashion world, she's still designing and freelancing.

Season five's runner-up, Korto, has enjoyed much success since her stint on the show. She showed her Spring 2011 collection at New York Fashion Week, was named "the fashion designer to watch" by New York Magazine, and even designs for the president of Liberia. Momolu appeared on Project Runway All Stars and, after, partnered with Madera Exotic Woods to design an eco-friendly jewelry line. She also launched her own eco-line called Green Love.

Terri still designs for her line, Funkin Beautiful.

Jerell continues to design his namesake collection, which has been worn by celebrities like Christina Milian and Shayne Lamas. He also appeared on Project Runway All Stars.

Suede was best remembered for speaking in the third person for the entire season of Project Runway. In 2009, he was inducted into the Kent State University Fashion Hall of Fame, and he continues to design his collection, aptly titled SuedeSays.

Keith is now working as a fashion and hair photographer, designer, and filmmaker.

Kelli (pictured right) launched her own clothing collection, Anti.Label, inspired by everything from 1940s pinup girls to late-'70s punk. She now lives in Columbus, OH, and sells her designs on Etsy.

The brash, outspoken, leather-lovin' Stella is now designing custom-made pieces from her collection, Custom Rock Regalia.

Wesley, along with fellow PR alum and real-life love interest Daniel Feld, created the line WesFeld in 2010. Their collection won Gen Art's New Garde Award that same year. WesFeld's designs included plastic boning for structure, as well as materials like poly-organza and poly-taffeta. Later in 2010, Nault launched his own line, Wesley Nault.

Daniel launched his own mens- and womenswear line called Kymerah. Now he is a fashion design consultant in the Los Angeles area.

Irina debuted her Fall 2010, Spring 2011, and Fall 2011 collections at NY Fashion Week. In November 2010, she launched a line on the Home Shopping Network featuring knitwear and outerwear, with a few coats thrown in. She debuted a capsule collection for Macy's and designed one-of-a-kind dresses for Campbell's Soup. Then, in 2013, she returned to the show for season three of Project Runway All Stars.

Althea's career shows no signs of stopping since she left the show. She has debuted the collections for her eponymous line at New York Fashion Week, the most recent being Summer 2015. Tommy Hilfiger called her a "genius," and her designs have been worn by Heidi Klum, Eva Longoria, and Kerry Washington.

Ari now works as an artist — she's created pieces for musicians like Peaches, Jesse Small, and Ssion.

Christopher has released a line of accessories through his personal website. In 2011, he appeared as a celebrity guest at a Home & Garden Show in Minnesota, where he created a garment with materials from a home improvement store. Straub's most recent line was created exclusively for the popular department store Maurices.

Louise now has an Etsy shop, where she sells her custom-made jewelry and corsets.

After being eliminated, Rodney showed his pieces at the second-annual Harlem Fashion Row. He most recently moved his design studio from Harlem to Hoboken, NJ.

Ahh, Logan. The season's resident ladies' man took the world (and fellow contestant Carol Hannah's heart) by storm during his time on the show. These days, he can be found in New York City heading Not Just a Label, a design platform that showcases pioneers in the fashion industry.

Ra'mon was a contemporary fashion designer. His work can be seen on his website. In March 2010, Ra'mon helped Lauren Conrad design her collection for Kohl's. Today, he lives in California with his partner and two adorable sons.

Since the show, Shirin has been busy designing her ready-to-wear collection and running her personal blog.

Dubbed "The People's Champion" during her season of Project Runway, Carol has since relocated to New York City and designs not only a stellar bridal collection but also some pretty gorgeous ready-to-wear pieces, available on her Etsy shop. In her free time, she enjoys searching for the perfect cupcake.

Since the show, the Bosnian-born designer has launched her own line, called One Trieu Yeu. Gordana also competed in season one of Project Runway All Stars. Most recently, she designed Carrie Underwood's dress featured on the album cover of Cry Pretty.

Qristyl has made a name for herself in the world of "plus-sexy" designs — her pieces have been featured in Essence and Jet, and she has created designs for Janet Jackson, Queen Latifah, Wendy Williams, and Angie Stone.

The judges raved about Seth Aaron's impeccable tailoring and craftsmanship. Michael Kors called his winning collection "exhilarating and powerful, but still filled with clothes people could wear." Seth Aaron debuted his first full ready-to-wear collection for Fall 2011 at LA Fashion Week. In 2010, Henderson was voted My TV's best male reality star, and in 2011, he launched a fashion collection of iPad cases with Maroo. He reappeared on Project Runway All Stars season three and won.

Nobody captured America's attention during season seven more than Anthony. The hilarious chatterbox continuously kept his fellow designers — as well as the usually stoic judges — in stitches during his time on the show, sending out hysterical one-liners in his sweet Southern drawl. Williams continued his hilarious rants as a contestant on Project Runway All Stars season one. He currently resides in Atlanta and is working as a freelance fashion designer. We imagine he's still cracking people up as well.

Anna is now working as a printmaker and independent designer based in Los Angeles. She presented her Summer 2010 collection at Project Ethos in the city. Lynett is currently teaching a fashion theory course at the women's prison on Rikers Island while running her line, Chiyome.

Maya may have shocked viewers when she withdrew from the competition, but the NYC-based designer isn't quite done with the fashion game. She lives and works in New York City working on her accessories line, Mayaluz.

Since the show, Mila launched her own line of leggings and fingerless leather gloves, which launched for the last season in 2015. Mila has since returned to working in costume design.

Ping sells her line in various modern art museums across the country, as well as in upscale boutiques overseas. She specializes in transformable accessories and lives in California.

Jay is currently working on launching his namesake collection and in the process hopes to "solidify San Francisco's position in the fashion world." He may have to do that remotely, however, as Jay moved to New York City as a visual merchandiser for Gap.

In 2011, Jesus debuted his collection, Haus of Estrada, in New York City. Currently he works as a designer, celebrity stylist, and runway coach.

Christiane helped to launch Diddy's clothing line, Sean John, before exiting the fashion world and focusing on her illustrations. Currently, she is based in Los Angeles and updates regularly on her Twitter page.

The actor and designer had a custom-made t-shirt line called House of Kilroy. In 2011, he starred in a short film called Like Prey They Stand. He is now based in Los Angeles, working as an actor and model.

Known for his use of bold, bright colors and designs emblazoned with his "E.Sosa" logo, Emilio is still designing, as well as staying very active in musical-theater costuming. Sosa served as vice president and creative director for Grace Costumes and received a Tony Award nomination for best costumes. He also worked on costumes for Motown: The Musical.

Janeane designed her namesake womenswear collection based in Portland, OR, and is designing apparel for Li & Fung USA.

Following the show, Jonathan has been working as a designer, photo stylist, and art director. Peters's most recent showing was at StyleWeek Northeast.

Pamela has been working on her ready-to-wear collection, as well as her fashion illustrations. Her drawings were featured in exhibitions at Le Musée des Arts Asiatiques in France, the Puck Gallery in NYC, and on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Ptak and her husband, Scott Hanna, opened the Arts and Fashion Institute in Riegelsville, PA.

Gretchen's win was one of the most controversial in Project Runway history. Many fans pledged to boycott the show if she won (oops). Gretchen now owns her own clothing line, MothLove, which she launched nationally in 2010. She has been featured in many magazines including Glamour, Lucky, and Elle. Gretchen's line is also associated with Save the Garment Center, a NYC-based organization supporting local and international craftspeople.

The San Francisco-based designer sold his one-of-a-kind pieces at his namesake boutique in the city. His Fall '11 collection was full of luxe Japanese silks, leopard-print coats, and wrap dresses. He's now a head designer for Byer California, which is sold at retailers like Macy's, Kohls, and J.C. Penny.

After Project Runway, South went through gender transition and is now living her life as Nong Ariyaphon Southiphong. Her Fall 2011 collection debuted in March, and her line is now available for sale at Neiman Marcus. Recently, she opened a flagship store in Honolulu's Chinatown.

Kristin launched her own contemporary women's line, Kyrs Design and Manufacturing.

A.J. resides in St. Louis and works as an independent designer.

Though Mondo's runner-up status remains a sore subject for many Project Runway fans, the charismatic Denver resident has no plans to stop designing — or traveling the world for AIDS advocacy. Mondo has committed most of his time since the show to working for AIDS awareness charities — he designed t-shirts for the commemoration of World AIDS Day, and he even rang the bell ushering in the event at the New York Stock Exchange in 2010. In 2012, Guerro won the new series Project Runway: All Stars, which launched his success even further. He now helps select contestants for new seasons of PR and has just released his own exclusive eyewear collection at the optical boutique SEE.

Nicholas presented the Fall 2011 collection for his line, Nicolena, at the Chelsea Art Museum during New York Fashion Week.

Michael was pretty much a magnet for controversy during season eight. Ivy accused him of cheating, Gretchen accused him of being "either an idiot savant or an idiot," and the judges' continuous praise of his work baffled some of his fellow designers. Michael debuted his Resort collection and opened a showroom in the garment district of Downtown LA. He dressed Beyoncé for the 2014 Grammys and, as a result, his career has taken off.

You could say that Ivy's career is growing like, well, ivy. The New York City-based designer launched her own contemporary womenswear line before becoming a senior designer at Donna Karan. She now freelances as a design specialist.

The Illinois-based contestant, who was the eldest and funniest member of the cast, designed her own tennis and sportswear collection for both adults and kids.

Sarah's classy, down-to-earth attitude made her a fan favorite on season eight. She now works as a costume designer in Los Angeles.

After the show, April Johnston participated in Project Runway: All Stars, season one. Johnston resides in Savannah, GA, and started her own line of couture-inspired pieces called Mangled Courtesan. She then worked for Urban Outfitters leading their swimwear collection and now is a senior designer for Spiritual Gangster.

Valerie designs a line called Yellowcake, which donates five percent of all profits to a different nonprofit organization each month.

While on the show, Casanova veered wildly from looks that Michael Kors called "Dubai pole dancer" to ones that the judges thought were more suited for a 70-year-old. He participated in Project Runway: All Stars, season two but unfortunately did not win. He continues to design in NYC.

Winning season nine of Project Runway was just the beginning for this former beauty queen. Having gained an even larger fan base after the show, Chee signed a one-year contract with Tourism Development Company to act as travel ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago. Though Chee took on this task, she continues to design her line.

Fans probably remember Olivier Green for his big fall during the New Balance race challenge. Since then, Olivier has bounced back and now lives in Brooklyn, NY, working on his own brand, Olivier Green.

Bryce Black's designs certainly caught the judges' attention with his alternative design aesthetic. After the show, Black moved to Portland, OR, where he was a stylist for Iridio Photography. Black launched his own collection, Bryce Black.

After competing in season nine, Laura Kathleen started her own fine jewelry line, Love Amour. Kathleen then joined the cast of Project Runway: All Stars, season two. Though she progressed far in the competition, she was cut after her flapper fashion fell flat with the judges. Kathleen got married, is a mother of three, and teaches fashion design at a high school in St. Louis, MO.

Becky Ross has been busy working after making it into the top 10. Despite not making it to the finale, Ross is still designing looks with her notable color addiction. She designs clothes and handbags to empower women and considers all shapes and sizes in her designs. Ross resides in Portland, OR, and is a soon-to-be author.

Joshua Christensen needed something to do for the six months in between his undergraduate degree and his graduate program — obviously Project Runway was the right choice. Christensen specializes in menswear and launched his line, Joshua Christensen. He lives in Los Angeles and continues to work as a designer.

After placing seventh in season nine of Project Runway, Anthony came back and won season two of Project Runway: All Stars. Auld's winning collection focused mainly on colorblocking and cutouts. Following his win, Auld stated that he plans on working with fellow Project Runway contestant Joshua McKinley. Currently, Auld's clothing line is featured in stores throughout Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

With all the judges raving about Kimberly Goldson's "must-have" pants, it's a surprise that she was not the winner of season nine. Even though she didn't win, Goldson still continues to grow and evolve her brand today. When she is not designing, Goldson has been known to give talks at colleges and universities and give back to local charities.

After his stints with Halston, Holly Harp, Bill Blass, and Arnold Scaasi, it is no surprise that Keeter made it into the top six designers. Today, Keeter still creates his minimal yet luxurious women's designs in Los Angeles. Keeter says that he shies away from the trends and gimmicks of today and focuses on the silhouette, creating garments that will become a client's "go-to" pieces.

After placing second in season nine, Joshua McKinley returned to season two of Project Runway: All Stars. After making it to the final four, he was eliminated in a dramatic one-hour design tiebreaker with fellow contestant Uli Herzner. McKinley produced a runway show that featured unique Cleveland boutiques and designers for DARE2CARE, an antibullying organization, and collaborated with fellow Project Runway designer Johnathan Kayne to create an eveningwear line.

Following her time on Project Runway, Danielle Everine (right) returned to Minneapolis, MN, to get back to her roots and continue her Midwest designs. Everine creates womenswear inspired by menswear that is both utilitarian and beautiful. She still shows at local events and is working as a design manager at Clothier Design Source, a company that helps new designers establish their collections.

Dmitry Sholokhov was the winner of season 10. His sophisticated and architectural designs won him the recognition he deserved. Following his win, Sholokhov created a collection of dresses that were exclusively sold at Lord & Taylor. Sholokhov has stayed in New York and continues to design his elegant gowns for women.

Lantie Foster remains in New York City working on her own line and as a freelance illustrator and consultant for various companies.

The judges were always very impressed when they saw a jacket by Melissa Fleis. Time and time again, she created jackets with precise and unique structure. After the show, Fleis moved back home to San Francisco and has been designing her own custom leather jackets and clutches.

Christopher Palu was known on the show for his amazing designs but more so for his humorous quips and expressions (many of you will remember his distaste for "blood orange"). Palu is still designing and living in New York City.

Buffi Jashanmal has been leading quite the interesting life since leaving Project Runway. Jashanmal moved to Dubai and has been featured in various magazines as a fitness expert. She also founded her own fitness studio, ROAR Fitness Health.

Kooan Kosuke was the second designer of season 10 to leave voluntarily. Kosuke said he could not handle the pressure and felt like he shouldn't be there. Kosuke is still in New York designing and produced a free runway show in Central Park in honor of Japan Day.

After two designers dropped out of the competition of their own will, Raul Osorio was brought back to the show for a second chance. He was glad to receive the second chance but did not advance to the finale. Currently, Osorio is living in Minneapolis and still designing his collection. He was part of the 2013 Heathrow Fashion Show in Honduras.

Sonjia (Sonji) Williams consistently wowed the judges with her amazing tailored pants. Her attention to form and detail were so precise and constantly had the judges saying, "I would wear this." Williams now has her own personal line Something by Sonjia.

Elena Slivnyak rarely showed much emotion on season 10, but we could see her passion in the clothes she created. After the show, Slivnyak started a couture line called IIMUAHII.

Ven Budhu was most known for his rose obsession and impressing the judges with his vortex-style pleating. But as the competition went on, the judges saw the same concept over and over, and eventually, Budhu was voted off. Budhu remains true to his aesthetic and designs gowns with his new line, Gavaskar.

Once gaining recognition from season 10, Beatrice Guapo returned home in Los Angeles. Guapo continues to run her line, GG Collective, with her sister Luvi, a company they had started before Project Runway, and started her own design consulting business.

Alicia Hardesty caught the judges' attention with her tomboy look and large dreadlocks. After she showed many looks that impressed the judges, it was obvious that Hardesty was a force not to be messed with. Her personal style shows in her line that she has started: Original Tomboy. Hardesty says that she designs for women who want to redefine what it means to dress "like a girl."

Fabio Costa was known for his organic fabrics and hippie-like style. Costa's unique aesthetic brought him far not only in the competition but also with his new brand, NotEqual, which he started with friend and designer Rebecca Diele.

Following the show, Nathan Paul went back to his job at Jones Apparel Group as a business analyst consultant. He continues to create custom designs for his clients.

When he was eliminated in the first episode of season nine, we thought we had seen the last of Gunnar Deatherage — but we were wrong. Deatherage came back for season 10 and proved to the judges and fans that he had a right to be there. After his time at the show, Deatherage moved back home and started his own salon. After some time, Deatherage was discovered by NFocus Louisville Magazine and became their creative director.

Michelle Lesniak Franklin was the winner of season 11. Following the competition, Franklin changed the name of her line Michelle Is Well to Au Clothing. Her line is currently being sold in two boutiques in Portland and on her website.

When Matthew Arthur was eliminated, the judges said he did not have enough confidence in his work. Not discouraged, Arthur returned to New Orleans, where he continues to design his edgy street style.

Cindy Marlatt loves designing comfortable business attire for women. After spending many years in business attire, she realized that there was no label that suited her, so Marlatt decided to design her own. She continues to live in Kent, WA, designing her personal label.

Being cut early in the competition did not stop James Martinez from his dream of becoming a designer. He cofounded BARRON & J in 2008 and continues to grow the brand in the Dallas area.

This experienced Aussie designer came into the competition for only a short time, but many of his fellow designers were impressed by his gowns and loved his personality. Mach has moved from London to New York and has been creating his own line, Benjamin Mach. He has also been a consultant for various womenswear brands.

After season 11, Emily Pollard headed back home to Washington DC and now works as a graphic designer and communications specialist at Professional and Scientific Associates. Pollard continues to design her line, Emily Claire, in her spare time.

Even though Kate Pankoke did not win season 11, the show launched this young entrepreneur into the design spotlight. Pankoke has expanded her line, Elaya Vaughn Bridal, in Chicago and bases her company at the State Street Macy's. Pankoke has been so successful that she was featured in Crain's Chicago Business's "20 in their 20s."

Just like in the competition, Joseph Aaron Segal continues to experiment with techniques and uses unconventional materials as he develops his line, World of JAS. He has developed many collections since the show, some that are available on Etsy.

Patricia Michaels caught the judges' attention with her designs inspired by her Native American heritage. She advanced all the way to the finale but, unfortunately, did not win. She moved back to Taos, NM, where she designs her line, PMWaterlily.

Strict attention to fit and detail is the practice that Richard Hallmarq followed throughout the competition with his designs. Hallmarq has advanced his line, Richard Hallmarq, to eyewear and uses a signature jersey fabric that can take women from the office to a night on the town. His collection can be found at retailers in New York and California.

Daniel Esquivel made it all the way to the top four before being eliminated from season nine, but then returned for season 11. Esquivel won many challenges with his structure and the artistic quality of his clothes. Although he didn't win, Esquivel still designs his line in Austin, TX, and was part of Austin Fashion Week in 2012.

Layana Aguilar's style for empowering women has led to much success in her professional life after the show. After creating many of the top looks during the competition and collaborating on a design worn by Heidi Klum in a commercial, Aguilar stayed in New York to grow her brand, Layana Aguilar New York. When Aguilar is not designing, she is taking care of two children.

Being another favorite of her fellow designers, many were sad to see Samantha Black go home. This sweetheart stayed positive and continues to design her line, Sammy B. Designs, in Brooklyn, NY. Celebrities including Beyoncé and Keri Hilson have worn her designs.

Tu Suthiwat Nakchat gained international fame as the first Thai to ever appear on Project Runway. Nakchat was part of a double elimination with fellow contestant Kate Pankoke but has since persevered and is designing his line, Tuera, at home in Springfield, VA.

Dom's graphic prints based on her paintings are what made her stand out among the rest of the designers. Today, Dom continues to practice her art while incorporating it into her clothing pieces.

This New Zealand native was always the favorite among the judges and still is — spending the holidays at Tim Gunn's and hanging with Zac Posen. After his win, Sean used the spotlight to launch a luxury men's swimwear line. Now, he has returned and is on this season's Project Runway: All Stars.

Amanda Valentine is living in Nashville and working on her new collection, Amanda Valentine. She also works as a freelance wardrobe stylist and costume designer for area companies. The Nashville Scene, an alternative weekly, named Valentine 2012's Best Fashion Designer. She returned to Project Runway for season 13, after being voted back on by fans and made it all the way to the finale as the runner-up.

Ashley Nell Tipton brought curve fashion to Project Runway, crowning her season 14's winner. She gained success from the show and launched a curve clothing line for J.C. Penny. Apart from launching her own line, Ashley hosts sewing classes at her studio in San Diego.

Edmond Newton was a fan favorite, known for his formal eveningwear looks. He continued his fashion career following his departure from the show and opened a store in Atlanta, GA. He returned to the runway for season six of Project Runway: All Stars.

Known as Kelly from the Deli, Kelly's eclectic designs brought her to the New York Fashion Week runway. She now designs accessories for her brand, Rack Addik, including sequined fanny packs and furry earrings.

Candice's leather working skills and daring designs are what carried her to the season finale. Although she lost to Ashley Nell Tipton, Candice's success in the industry continues to grow. She has since relocated to Los Angeles and launched her own eponymous brand, with showings at fashion weeks around the world.

You may remember Kentaro for his minimalistic and futuristic designs that helped crown him the season winner. He now lives in California and teaches at the Fashion School of Los Angeles. Kentaro continues to design while on the side, composing music as a trained classical pianist.