Press Release
International superstar Heidi Klum and mentor Tim Gunn are back for an 11th season of the hit reality series Project Runway, which moves to Wednesday nights at 8.30pm, premiering August 7 on Arena.
And this season there is a twist; all 16 designers will be participating in the series’ first-ever teams edition. The controversial team challenges are taken to a whole new level as the designers must work together for every challenge while ensuring their own garments stand out on the runway.
In another first, Australian contestant Benjamin Mach will compete against some of America’s best designers in a bid to become winner of Project Runway and vie for the chance to win $100,000 from L’Oréal Paris, a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine, a 2013 Lexus GS 350 plus an opportunity to design and sell an exclusive collection at Lord & Taylor.
Sydney-born Benjamin Mach said "Being chosen to join Project Runway as the first featured Australian designer was an absolute honour. It was a unique experience that I will always remember."
Mach is a highly-qualified and well-rounded designer whose work has graced the runways of Sydney, London, Paris, Madrid and Miami. His love of fashion began at an early age and after graduating from The Sydney Institute of Technology – Fashion Design Studio he immediately started showing his own line at Australian Fashion Week, before moving to London where he worked with major brands Marchesa, WINTLE and the Spanish label Roberto Torretta. Benjamin is currently based in New York.
Joining Supermodel and fashion maven Klum on the judging panel is Marie Claire's Fashion Director Nina Garcia and award-winning fashion designer Zac Posen. Tim Gunn will once again mentor the designers, as they sew their way to New York Fashion Week at Lincoln Center where Michael Kors will serve as the finale guest judge.
Project Runway's 11th Season also features guest judges from the world of film, television and music including the legendary Bette Midler, Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, Grammy-winning singer songwriter John Legend, red-carpet fashion experts Joan and Melissa Rivers and actresses Emmy Rossum, Kristin Davis and Jordana Brewster.