Auditioning for Project Runway

The TV reality show, based on the top design skills of a group of individuals, Project Runway, is hosted by famous supermodel Heidi Klum and offers grand prizes including $ to start your own fashion collection.

The auditions are announced via their newsletter, so it is a good idea to sign up for it. There are various open casting calls held around the country in major cities where you must bring along three garments that you have personally deigned yourself. These should reflect a creative flair, good structuring, and demonstrate diversity in your designing skills. For example you can bring a men’s wear garment, an artistic couture design, and a swimsuit. You must also bring a professional portfolio of your work with plenty of pictures in an easy to look at format, following some kind of story flow. See this website for current details. The producers are looking for fully trained designers with a passion and eye for artistic detail, ready to work hard, not someone fresh out of high school.

The open auditions take about 4 hours or so until you get to see the judges, who are the same judges that are on the show. You are given a microphone and sent into the room in front of the panel to show them your designs. They tell you straight away if you go through or not.

After you have been cleared to the next round, you will have to make sure you can get to one of the call back locations, which are normally held in only 4 or 5 cities (for season 7 it is New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle).

You have to be 21 years of age and a U.S. citizen to audition. After the last round of auditions, a final group of 16 will be chosen to participate in the televised competition, where you will have to live together and compete in various design challenges each week.

If you want to send in an audition tape you can do so to:

Project Runway Casting
Bunim-Murray Productions
6007 Sepulveda Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91411

Include your application form and photos.

The preferred video formats are VHS and VHS C, but you can also send in DVD, Mini DV, and Hi 8.

Some application questions include, “Do you prefer designing for men or women and if so why?”, “What are the specific challenges or rewards of designing for a specific gender?”, Describe your design philosophy”, “Who do you think are the worst or most overrated designers and why?”, “Describe your living situation and how you get on when living with other people?”, and “What is your greatest regret?”

The 20-page application form will contain a number of questions which might seem strange, but make sure that you fill in everything in detail so that the producers can get a good idea about you and your personality.