Project Runway (Season 3)

Project Runway Season 3 was the third season of Project Runway, Bravo's successful reality competition for fashion designers. The third season of the show, with Heidi Klum returning as the host and Tim Gunn as the designers' guide, began airing on July 12, 2006. This broke tradition from the previous two seasons, which premiered in December, with the finales taking place at Olympus Fashion Week in February.

Season 3 brought in a new set of sponsors, notably Macy's replacing Banana Republic. NBC re-aired the first two episodes of Project Runway 3 five days after their original Bravo airings. The third season also introduced live viewer poll questions. During the second half-hour of the first airing of each episode, Bravo posed a question to viewers pertaining to the current episode. Viewers could answer through the BravoTV.com website or through cell phone text message.

The winner received a spread in Elle magazine, a mentorship with INC (Inter-National Concepts) Design, a year of representation by Designers Management Agency, a 2007 Saturn Sky Roadster, and $100,000 to start a clothing line (furnished by TRESemmé haircare).

Designers

 * (ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in the spring of 2006.)

Episode 0: Road to Runway Season 3
Tim Gunn and a panel of fashion professionals, which include previous Project Runway designers, interview thousands of possible contestants for the third season of Project Runway. Previous winners and contestants are profiled since the airing of previous seasons.


 * One hour casting special before the Season 3 premiere.
 * First aired July 20, 2006

Episode 1: Wall to Wall Fashion
The designers arrive in New York and are asked to create an outfit in just two days using only materials found in their apartments. All items found in the apartment must fit into a large bag and the designer who touches the object first gets it. This challenge requires the designers to create garments that innovate and best reflect who they are as a fashion designer. All of the designers are randomly assigned models. The winner has immunity for the next challenge and cannot be eliminated.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, and fashion designer Kate Spade.
 * WINNER: Jessica
 * OUT: Edward
 * First aired July 12, 2006

Episode 2: Fit for a Queen
The remaining designers are asked to create a formal evening gown for guest judge and 2006 Miss USA Tara Conner in just two days and $300 USD. The winning dress will be worn in competition by Tara in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant. This challenge requires the designers to be placed in teams of two with Tara Conner choosing seven team leaders. All of the designers are allowed to swap models. The winner has immunity for the next challenge and cannot be eliminated.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Vera Wang; and Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006.
 * WINNER: Dillon
 * OUT: Jayson
 * First aired July 19, 2006

Episode 3: Designer's Best Friend
The remaining designers are asked to create an outfit and story for a dog and its owner in just two days and $150 USD. The winner has immunity for the next challenge and cannot be eliminated.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Vera Wang; and Ivanka Trump, VP Real Estate Development at Trump Organization.
 * WINNER: Melanie
 * OUT: Kelly
 * First aired July 26, 2006

Episode 4: Reap What You Sew
The remaining designers are asked to create a three-piece outfit for Macy's in-house INC brand in just two days and $100 USD. All designers are allowed to swap models. Four designers are chosen by guest judge Mehmet Tangoren as team leaders, must work in teams of three, and can choose any model in their team. The winning design will be manufactured, produced, and sold at Macy's largest stores nationwide. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Vera Wang; and Mehmet Tangoren, VP of Contemporary Sportswear at Macy's.
 * WINNER: Melanie
 * OUT: Alesia
 * First aired August 2, 2006

Episode 5: Iconic Statement
The remaining designers are asked to modernize a look for a "fashion icon" in just two days and $150 USD. The winner of this challenge will feature their look and model in a print advertisement for TRESemmé in Elle magazine. This challenge allowed remaining models to be randomly selected to choose a designer they wanted to work with. Models then chose a portrait that indicated the icon they wanted the designer to modernize. The fashion icons were: Cher, Farrah Fawcett, Pam Grier, Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Onassis, Diana Ross, Grace Jones and Twiggy. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors; and fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg.
 * WINNER: Amy
 * OUT: Adam
 * First aired August 9, 2006

Episode 6: Waste Not, Want Not
The remaining designers are asked to create an outfit in just one day using only materials found at the Waste Management Recycle America Center in Port Newark, New Jersey and $25 USD for materials found at an art supplies store. This challenge requires the designers to create garments that innovate and are judged accordingly. The winner has immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, and celebrity fashion stylist Rachel Zoe.
 * WINNER: Trenton
 * OUT: Amy
 * First aired August 16, 2006

Episode 7: Everyday Woman
The remaining designers are asked to create an outfit for an "everyday woman" with just one day and $150 USD. The remaining designers' mothers and sisters are used as the clients and models for this challenge. Each designer cannot pick their own mother or sister. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Joan Kors, Michael Kors' mother.
 * WINNER: Kip
 * OUT: Dillon
 * First aired August 23, 2006

Episode 8: High Flying Fashion
The remaining designers are asked to create and model an "international jet-set" outfit for themselves in just one day and $75 USD. This challenge requires the designers to create garments that travel well and are tested for wearability as the designers are flown to Paris. There were two runway presentations; one in Paris for Catherine Malandrino judging wearability, and the New York panel. The winner has immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; Francisco Costa, creative director for Calvin Klein women's collection; and Catherine Malandrino, fashion designer.
 * WINNER: Josiah
 * OUT: Cassandra
 * First aired August 30, 2006

Episode 9: Couture du Jour
The remaining designers are asked to create an evening gown in just two days and €300 Euro ($375 USD) employing Haute couture techniques. Designers workroom is held at Parsons Paris. There were two runway presentations: one for guest judge Catherine Malandrino with Parisian models, and the New York panel. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; fashion designers Catherine Malandrino and Richard Tyler.
 * WINNER: Melanie
 * OUT: Kendra and Yoshiko
 * First aired September 6, 2006

Episode 10: Black and White
The designers are asked to create a cocktail dress using only black and white fabrics with only one day and $100 USD. An additional challenge requires designers to incorporate all of the fabric purchased into the outfit. Previously eliminated designers who have won at least one previous challenge are allowed back into the competition and are able to stay only if they win this challenge. The winner does not have immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, and fashion designer Zac Posen.
 * WINNER: Josiah
 * OUT: Kip, Amy and Dillon
 * First aired September 13, 2006

Episode 11: What the ELLE?
The remaining designers are asked to create an outfit that expresses "their specific point of view as a designer" in just two days and $250 USD. The winner of this challenge has his or her look and model featured in US Elle magazine's "First Look" page photographed by Gilles Bensimon. All of the designers are allowed to swap models. The designers must create a photo-shoot with their models and find three words that best expresses who they are as designers. The designers are given a one-sheet for their three words and photo to be judged. The chosen designers will show a 12 piece collection during Olympus Spring Fashion Week. This is the final challenge and there is no immunity for this challenge.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Teri Agins, lead fashion writer for The Wall Street Journal.
 * WINNER: Melanie
 * OUT: None: All four designers advanced to Olympus Fashion Week.
 * First aired September 27, 2006

Episode 12: Reunion

 * All of the Season 3 designers gathered for a reunion hosted by Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum on the eve of New York Fashion Week, at which the final four designers will display their collections.
 * Judges: N/A
 * WINNER/OUT: N/A
 * First aired October 4, 2006

Episode 13: Finale - Part 1
The remaining designers are asked to create a 12-piece fashion collection featured at the Bryant Park tents for Spring 2006 New York Olympus Fashion Week with only two months and $8,000 USD. Tim Gunn travels to visit each of the remaining designers respective studios to critique each designer's progress. The designers then return to New York with a week remaining to finish their collections in a workroom provided by show sponsor Macy's.


 * Judges: N/A
 * WINNER/OUT: N/A
 * First aired October 11, 2006

Episode 14: Finale - Part 2
The remaining designers finish their collections and all of the designers show and are judged in the Bryant Park tents for Spring Olympus Fashion Week with no decoy collection. Collections were judged based on execution, innovation, and originality. The winning designer received an editorial spread in Elle magazine, a mentorship with Macy's in-house INC (International Concepts) Design studio, a year of representation by Designers Management Agency (DMA), a 2007 Saturn Sky Roadster, and $100,000 stipend to start a clothing line. The winning model is featured and photographed in a fashion spread for US Elle magazine.


 * Judges: Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia; Michael Kors; and Fern Mallis, founder of New York Fashion Week.
 * WINNER of Project Runway Season 3: Melanie.
 * OUT: Jessica (3rd runner-up), Trenton (2nd runner-up), Josiah (1st runner-up)
 * First aired October 18, 2006