Tim Gunn Wants 'Project Runway' Season With Only Size 12-Plus Models
Take note, Santa: Official national treasure "Project Runway."
Tonight (Thursday, Dec. 22), "Project Runway" Season 15 ends, and "Project Runway: Junior" Season 2 begins, but Gunn is already looking toward the future. He shared his Christmas wish list with the New York Post, and here's the second item:
2. A new season of "Project Runway" in which all of the models are size 12/14-plus.
"Isn't it time that fashion designers address the real world?"
"Project Runway" usually presents one "real woman" challenge a season, which the designers often hate, since they're only used to designing for tall, straight model forms. In the past, the show has even held schoolyard picks for the "real woman" models, leading to body shaming insults.
Season 14 winner Ashley Nell Tipton made a point to design for women with larger body types, but Gunn was not happy with that season as a whole, or Tipton as winner, because he felt the judges were making a "condescending" statement that "reeked of tokenism" by honoring designs he found unflattering. He argued that the fashion industry has failed the millions of women out there who wear size 12 or above, and now he wants "Project Runway" to lead the way in raising the bar for that demographic.
Gunn has yet to complain about Season 15, which is likely to come down to Laurence Basse vs. Erin Robertson, although Rik Villa and Roberi Parra are still in the running. (No matter what, Laurence has already won.) After the two-hour Season 15 finale from 8 to 10 p.m., "Project Runway: Junior" will introduce its 12 new designers.
"Project Runway" Season 16 has yet to be announced, but do you hope it includes all size 12-plus models?
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