“Designers, make it work!” Project Runway contestants have been sewing up a storm since 2004 — and some of the winners are still changing the game of the fashion industry to this day.
The long-running reality series challenges up-and-coming designers to create original garments restricted by time, material and theme. From 2004 to 2018, the show was hosted by Heidi Klum with fashion guru Tim Gunn acting as a mentor for the competitors. The longtime costars confirmed in September 2018 that they would not be returning for the show’s 17th season after signing onto Amazon Prime’s Making the Cut. They were replaced by Karlie Kloss and season 4 Project Runway winner Christian Siriano.
“We were in lockstep … I never dreamed that [Project Runway] would have a second season,” Gunn told Variety in a joint interview with Klum in March 2020. “Who knew? … There’s a love and respect there that we’ll always have.”
Through its more than 250 episodes, Project Runway has been a champion for diversity and innovation in the fashion industry. Despite facing “stigma” for his unconventional rise to the top of the design world, Siriano credited his time on the series with helping him become a household name.
“Right now, in our world, with what’s happening in our culture and everything, I feel like you just have to find new ways to support your company and your brand. Young designers and young businesses are going under every single day,” he told the Washington Post in April 2019. “So I really treated it as, ‘I can show the world what I can do — and maybe bring a new generation of customer to us.’ And I mean, obviously, when I was on that show, I was 21 years old — an actual child! And now, having a business, 40 employees, a real company, people can see what you start with and what you can turn it into.”
In July 2025, Project Runway kicked off season 21 on Freeform with Klum, Siriano, Nina Garcia and Law Roach serving as judges.
To this day, contestants like season 3 winner Jeffrey Sebelia remain grateful for the show and all its positive effects.
“Winning Project Runway nearly 20 years ago revolutionized my career by providing a powerful platform to showcase my talent on a national stage,” the new design director at Urbane & Gallant told Us Weekly in July 2025. “This exposure elevated my visibility within the fashion industry, unlocking opportunities for collaborations, partnerships and business growth.”
Scroll down to take a look back at Project Runway winners through the years.
