By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, August 4, 2015
More than a decade has passed and Lifetime’s “Project Runway” remains a reliable home for would-be designers to break out and find a place in the ultra-competitive fashion world.
Two staples remain: the irrepressible Tim Gunn as coach and the classy Heidi Klum as lead judge. Over the years, several Atlantans have attempted to take home the top prize ($100,000 and a raft of additional prizes) but nobody has pulled it off yet.
Could Atlanta resident Edmond Newton beat out 15 others this time around? Here’s a thumbnail sketch of him:
Age: 37
Home: Atlanta
Status: Single
Designing clothes since: 2005 ("Within the last year or two, this has been my sole base of income.")
Formerly: a licensed barber stylist
Fashion design preference: On the show, he calls himself a "fashion rebel." In an interview, he said, "I do gowns. I do cocktail dresses. I do specialty items. I have private clients who specify what they want. We sketch and create one-of-a-kind garments and bring them to life."
Try, try again: He has auditioned for "Project Runway" every season and said each time, he would get closer and closer until he finally broke through this time around: "It was pretty much trial and error."
Not a smooth ride: Newton opened his first design studio in downtown Atlanta a decade ago but after the recession hit, he lost it. He kept creating clothes out of a friend's living room. "Anyone can get into a limo," he said, "but you need friends who will ride the bus with you."
Strategy to win: "Leave everything back at home. Remain focused. Don't get off track. Listen to exactly what the challenge is and what they are requesting. And if you feel distracted or frustrated, think back on the sacrifices you made to get here."
Personality clashes? Inevitably, the show will feature personality clashes. "I tend not to surround myself with negativity. It's a matter of realizing everyone is different but you can always find common ground with other designers."
Favorite past contestant: The colorful, voluble Santino Rice from season two. "I actually named my godson after him," he said.
On Gunn: "You cannot help but love the guy." (That doesn't mean he has to love Gunn's critiques. Gunn's initial impression of the dress Newton worked on in the first episode: "This is the antithesis of joy." Ouch!)
On Klum: "Drop dead gorgeous. Youthful vibe."
On Anthony Williams, the best performing Atlantan on the show who finished fifth season seven: "I met him. He used some of my designs when he worked on VH1's 'Single Ladies.' He's a personality! He had me cracking up!"
Teaser from episode one: With 16 designers, nine make it through without critiques. Newton's look makes either the top three or bottom three. I won't say which.
TV PREVIEW
"Project Runway," 9 p.m. Thursdays, Lifetime
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