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 14

 

16 New Models to Walk the Catwalk on Second Season of MODELS OF THE RUNWAY

Lifetime 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'Oreal Paris to launch their own fashion line.

Season Two of Models of the Runway launches at 11:00PM ET/PT, beginning January 14, 2010, with 16 fresh faces aspiring for their chance at being paired with the last Project Runway designer standing on the catwalk. Models of the Runway provides a back-stage look at Project Runway from the models' perspective. The winning model will receive a $25,000 cash prize from L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional make-up line and will also be featured in the designer's fashion spread in Marie Claire.

    L'Oreal Paris cosmetics line and the haircare, styling and haircolor brand Garnier will return to serve as the official category partners for both 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
   

The Models of the Runway Season Two contestants are:

    --  Alexis Broker - Hometown: Denver, CO; Resides in Highlands Ranch, CO
    --  Alison Gingerich - Hometown: Leesburg, OH; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Brandise Danesewich - Hometown: Saskatchewan, Canada; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Brittany Oldehoff - Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL; Resides in Miami, FL
    --  Cerri McQuillan - Hometown: Dublin, Ireland; Resides in New York, NY
    --  Elizaveta Melnitchenko - Hometown: Salzburg, Austria; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Holly Ridings - Hometown: Roscoe, IL; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Kasey Ashcraft - Hometown: Salisbury, MD; Resides in Los Angeles, CA/Miami, FL
    --  Kelly Gervais - Hometown: Livingston, NJ; Resides in Haledon, NJ
    --  Kristina Sajko - Hometown: Zagreb, Croatia; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Lorena Angjeli - Hometown: Albania; Resides in New York, NY
    --  Megan Davis - Hometown: Des Moines, IA; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Monique Darton - Hometown: Brainerd, MN; Resides in New York, NY
    --  Sarah Bell - Hometown: Cincinnati, OH; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Sophia Lee - Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
    --  Valeria Leonova - Hometown: Tula, Russia; Resides in New York, NY
   

Lifetime Digital's Project Runway Season Seven and Models of the Runway Season Two web sites launch today 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.

    ABOUT PROJECT RUNWAY AND MODELS OF THE RUNWAY

    Hosted by supermodel and fashion maven Heidi Klum, the hit series Project Runway provides budding designers with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion, under the watchful eye of mentor and Liz Claiborne Chief Creative Officer Tim Gunn. The wildly successful competition reality series has proven to be one of television's most talked about shows and, during its first season on Lifetime, Project Runway is cable's most watched reality program in 2009 among Women 18+, Women 25-54 and in Households.

    Models of the Runway, an exciting new companion series to Project Runway, gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the reality competition - from the models' perspective. Viewers experience the drama, anxiety, joys, tears and frustrations as the models themselves face elimination each week and compete for a cash prize and photo spread in Marie Claire magazine.

    Project Runway and Models of the Runway are produced by The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture. Executive producers include Bob and Harvey Weinstein (Co-Chairmen of The Weinstein Company), Jon Murray and Sara Rea of Bunim-Murray Productions, Heidi Klum, and Jane Cha and Desiree Gruber of Full Picture. Barbara Schneeweiss oversees the production on behalf of The Weinstein Company.

    The Weinstein Company (TWC) was created by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films Corporation in 1979. TWC is a multi-media company that officially launched on October 1, 2005.

    About Lifetime Networks

    Lifetime Networks is a diverse, multi-media company, committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming that
celebrates, entertains and supports women. Through its award-winning public affairs initiatives, the Company also advocates a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television(®), Lifetime Movie Network(®), Lifetime Real Women(®) and Lifetime Digital(TM) (which includes myLifetime.com, LMN.tv, Lifetime Games, Roiworld.com, DressUpChallenge.com, MothersClick.com and LifetimeMoms.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A&E Television Networks, LLC. A&E Television Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal.

Photography is available at http://www.lifetimepress.com.