FASHION’S PREMIER COMPETITION SERIES PROJECT RUNWAY RETURNS TO NEW YORK WITH STYLE ICONS HEIDI KLUM, TIM GUNN, MICHAEL KORS, NINA GARCIA AND 16 EXCITING AND TALENTED NEW DESIGNERS, BEGINNING JANUARY 14Lifetime Television and The Weinstein Company heat up winter with the return of 2009’s highest rated cable reality program among Women 18+ and in Households, Project Runway, as the series heads back to New York for an all-new season.  Premiering on Thursday, January 14, 2010, at 10PM ET/PT, host Heidi Klum, mentor Tim Gunn, judges Michael Kors (leading designer) and Nina Garcia (fashion director for Marie Claire magazine) will be joined by 16 new designers vying for a shot to make their way to Bryant Park and show their collection in front of top industry insiders during New York Fashion Week.

For Project Runway Season Seven, designers return to the Atlas apartments, Parsons work room and revisit the Manhattan Mood as they create their couture visions for the runway.  As part of the winner’s prize package, the victorious designer will receive an editorial feature in Marie Claire magazine, the opportunity to sell their line on Bluefly.com, a $50,000 technology suite by HP and Intel to create, design and run their business, and a cash prize of $100,000 from L’Oréal Paris to launch their own fashion line.

L’Oréal Paris cosmetics line and the haircare, styling and haircolor brand Garnier will return to serve as the official category partners for Project Runway and Models of the Runway series. 

In addition, Project Runway and Models of the Runway will be in High-Definition, where available, for the first time.  Both series are produced by The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture.

The Project Runway Season Seven designers are:

• Amy Sarabi, 26 – Hometown: Plano, TX; Resides in Oakland, CA
• Anna Lynett, 23 – Hometown: Whitefish Bay, WI; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
• Anthony L. Williams, 28 - Hometown: Birmingham, AL; Resides in Atlanta, GA
• Ben Chmura, 30 – Hometown: South Meriden, CT; Resides in Tampa, FL
• Christiane King, 30 – Hometown: Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivorie/Resides in Los Angeles, CA
• Emilio Sosa, 43 – Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Resides in New York, NY
• Jay Nicolas Sario, 31 – Hometown: The Philippines; Resides in San Francisco, CA
• Janeane Marie Ceccanti, 28 -Hometown: Willows, CA; Resides in Portland, OR
• Jesse LeNoir, 25 - Hometown: Painesville, OH; Resides in Orlando, FL
• Jesus Estrada, 21- Hometown: Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico; Resides in San Diego, CA
• Jonathan Joseph Peters, 29 - Hometown: Woonsocket, RI; Resides in Providence, RI
• Maya Luz, 22 – Hometown: Santa Fe, NM; Resides in New York, NY
• Mila Hermanovski, 40 – Hometown: Dallas, TX; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
• Pamela Ptak, 47 – Hometown: Pittsfield, MA; Resides in Riegelsville, PA
• Ping Wu, 33- Hometown: Chendu, Sichuan Province, China; Resides in Chicago, IL
• SethAaron Henderson, 38 – Hometown: San Diego, CA; Resides in Vancouver, WA

Lifetime Digital’s Project Runway Season Seven and Models of the Runway Season Two web sites launch with robust content offerings to introduce the new designers and models. The Designer Portfolio highlights the designers’ work and inspirations before their participation in the series – and will feature sketches and final designs for each design in every episode once the season begins.  The sites will also feature a series of short-form videos that give a glimpse into the lives of the designers and models.  Each designer will be highlighted in four videos including a home visit, a closet tour, the audition tape and the casting tape.  Model videos include a home visit and closet tour.  Additional details about Lifetime Digital’s in-season offerings for Project Runway and Models of the Runway will be announced in January.

Photo Credit: Kannie Yu LaPack, Lifetime Entertainment Services

Tags: Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, New York, Nina Garcia, Project Runway, Tim Gunn