Designers Announced for Project Runway Season 11

Top row (from left): Richard Hallmarq, Cindy Marlatt, Michelle Lesniak Franklin, Samantha Black, Daniel Esquivel, Layana Aguilar, Stanley Hudson, Patricia Michaels

Second row (from left): James Martinez, Kate Pankoke, Benjamin Mach, Matthew Arthur, Amanda Valentine

Third row (from left): Joseph Aaron Segal, Emily Pollard, and Tu Suthiwat Nakchat

Photo: Lifetime

The eleventh season of Project Runway starts in just one week. On January 24 on Lifetime, viewers will meet the 16 designers, hailing from every corner of the United States--and find out how they react to the news that this season is the first ever Teams Edition of Project Runway. During season 11, every runway challenge will be a team challenge, and the designers will have to collaborate and work constructively together.

But it's still a competition, so there should be some interesting personality clashes in store. With any luck, the fashion will be as inspiring as the interplay of personalities is fascinating. Alongside brilliant strokes of creativity, we'll be sure to see utter challenge failures--but will they come from teams whose members are totally in sync or from teams whose members just can't help fighting each other every step of the way?

Ahead of next week's season 11 premier, the 16 designers have been announced. They are:
Amanda Valentine, 31--Hometown: Lincoln, NE; Resides in Nashville, TN
Benjamin Mach, 35--Hometown: Sydney, Australia; Resides in London, England
Cindy Marlatt, 59--Hometown: Kent, WA; Resides in Kent, WA
Daniel Esquivel, 48--Hometown: Austin, TX; Resides in Austin, TX
Emily Pollard, 24--Hometown: Richfield, OH; Resides in Falls Church, VA
James Martinez, 29--Hometown: Dallas, TX; Resides in Dallas, TX
Joseph Aaron Segal, 30--Hometown: Framingham, MA; Resides in Providence, RI
Katelyn Pankoke, 23--Hometown: Parkland, FL; Resides in Chicago, IL
Layana Aguilar, 28--Hometown: Valadares, Brazil; Resides in New York, NY
Mat Arthur, 30--Hometown: Hammond, LA; Resides in New Orleans, LA
Michelle Lesniak Franklin, 34--Hometown: Portland, OR; Resides in Portland, OR
Patricia Michaels, 46--Hometown: Taos, NM; Resides in Taos, NM
Richard Hallmarq, 40--Hometown: Sacramento, CA; Resides in Sacramento, CA
Samantha Black, 28--Hometown: Bronx, NY/ Fairfield, CT; Resides in Brooklyn, NY
Stanley Hudson, 45--Hometown: Pomona, CA; Resides in West Hollywood, CA
Tu Nakchat, 26--Hometown: Chacheangsao, Thailand; Resides in Springfield, VA

And don't miss Threads' recap of the final episode of Project Runway All Stars tomorrow!

What do you think of the season 11 all team-challenge format? Do you think the team challenges push the designers to do better work or do you think it sets up an artificial design environment?

Stephani Miller, associate editor
Posted on Jan 18th, 2013 in sewing, fashion, Project Runway, sewing

Comments (3)

LorraineD1963 writes: I am looking forward to this season. Working in teams is more like real life. How often does a professional designer go lone wolf to create a full runway show? They need to work with a large staff. The ability to build strong interpersonal relationships and professional courtesy in the workplace is a key component in any successful business The team challenge should prove who has the ability to really "make it work" outside their own private sewing studio. After all, fashion is also a business.
Posted: 1:39 am on January 23rd

iamnewsewer writes: I prefer seeing what the indiviual designers can do. On most of the previous Project Runway shows the designers presented better looking garments when they worked alone. Some prior teams did not work together very well and there was back biting and some disagreeing. don't know if this will work but I will watch the show. Hoping for the best.
Posted: 6:41 pm on January 22nd

hazelspi writes: I'm not fond of the teams episodes because it takes away from the fashion and design aspect and creates an atmosphere of sniping, childish, arrogant and nasty behavior. You might lose me as a fan of Project Runway this season...I'll give it a try.
Posted: 6:52 am on January 20th

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