Season 5

Top Designer season 5 premiered January 14, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.

Returning as judges were supermodel Karolina Kurkova, fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and Elle editor-in-chief Anne Slowey. Tim Gunn returned as a mentor to the designers.

The final four designers all produced collections for Bryant Park Fashion Week.[3] The winner, Julian Bobrov, of this season of Project Runway received an editorial feature in an issue of Elle magazine, a cash prize of $100,000 from TRESemmé hair care to start her own line, the opportunity to sell a fashion line on Bluefly.com, and a new 2009 Saturn Vue automobile.

Season 5 was the first season to feature a designer from a former season return to the competition. An online vote was held between three former designers, Traian Goode (Season 2), Oswald Kartal (Season 3) and Yan Ma (Season 4). Ultimately Traian Goode received the most votes and joined the designers to compete in Season 5.

Contestants
The 13 contestants in Season 5 were:

(ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in the spring of 2010.)

Episode 1: Let's Start From The Beginning
Original Airdate: January 14, 2010

Repeating the first challenge on Season 1 of Top Designer, the designers were asked to create a look using only materials purchased from a Gristedes grocery store. The designers were given 30 minutes and $75 to shop for items, and then one day to complete the outfit. Most designers were criticized by mentor Tim Gunn for utilizing fabric-substitutes such as tablecloths in their looks, which wasn't what the challenge was about. The winner received immunity for the next challenge. The guest judge, Valerie Scott, competed on Season 1 of Project Runway and won this same challenge with a dress made of corn husks.


 * Guest Judge: Valerie Scott


 * WINNER: Arnaldo
 * ELIMINATED: Patrycja 

Episode 2: Grass Is Always Greener
Original Airdate: January 21, 2010

The designers were asked to create a cocktail dress with their models as their clients. They were asked to use environmentally friendly or conscious fabrics from Mood, with their models doing the fabric selections without their consultations. They were given $75 and one day to finish their garments. The winner did not receive immunity, but did get to sell their garment on Bluefly.


 * Guest Judge: Natalie Portman


 * WINNER: Arnaldo
 * ELIMINATED: Luke 

Episode 3: Bright Lights/Big City
Original Airdate: January 28, 2010

The designers were tasked to create a look of their choice inspired by the vibrant nightlife of New York City. Tim Gunn drove the designers around the city via a sightseeing tour bus, then provided them with digital cameras to take photographs of their inspiration. They were given $100 and one day to complete their design. The winner received immunity for the next challenge.


 * Guest Judge: Sandra Bernhard


 * WINNER: Traian
 * ELIMINATED: Codi  & Leila

Episode 4: Rings of Glory
Original Airdate: February 4, 2010

The designers were brought to the Armory Track and Field Training Center by their mentor, Tim Gunn, and were introduced to U.S. Olympian and speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno. Their next challenge was to design a womenswear look for the 2010 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies. They were given 30 minutes to sketch and draw inspiration from the National Track and Field Museum, after which they were given $150 and one day to complete their designs. The winner received immunity for the next challenge.


 * Guest Judge: Apolo Anton Ohno


 * WINNER: Victoria
 * ELIMINATED: Uki

Episode 5: Welcome To The Jungle
Original Airdate: February 11, 2010

Working in teams of two, designers were asked to make an outfit that could transition from day to night for Brooke Shields's character Wendy Healy on the television show Lipstick Jungle. The winning design was to be worn by Brooke Shields on Season 2 of Lipstick Jungle. Each team was given a budget of $150 and one day to complete their designs. After sketching individually for 30 minutes and pitching their ideas to Shields, six designers were picked by Brooke as team leaders. The team leaders were picked in a random order and selected a teammate. (Team leaders are shown in bold above.)
 * Peter and Victoria
 * Julian and Arnaldo
 * Traian and Mayhew
 * Anne and Madihah


 * Guest Judge: Brooke Shields


 * WINNER: Julian
 * ELIMINATED: Peter

Episode 6: Fashion That Drives You
Original Airdate: February 18, 2010

The designers were required to make an outfit made entirely out of the spare parts and raw materials from a Saturn hybrid car. They were told to walk to 142 West 31st Street in Manhattan. After taking an elevator to the roof of the building, they were instructed to collect as much of the recycled car parts from within the parked Saturn vehicles. They had four minutes to collect the materials and one day to complete their outfits. The winner did not receive immunity for this weeks challenge, and there would be no more immunity going forward in the competition.


 * Guest Judge: Rachel Zoe


 * WINNER: Victoria
 * ELIMINATED: Madihah

Episode 7: Transformation
Original Airdate: February 25, 2010

The designers were assigned recent college graduates and were given the task of giving them a fashion makeover to help them enter the workforce. Each designer was to gear their look to their client's specific profession, whilst keeping their style and pleasing both the clients and their mothers. The clients wore the outfits down the runway; the models were not used in this challenge.


 * Guest Judge: Cynthia Rowley


 * WINNER: Anne
 * ELIMINATED: No one

Episode 8: What's Your Sign?
Original Airdate: March 4, 2010

The designers had to create an avant-garde garment around their astrological sign. They had one day and 8 hours to complete the look.


 * Anne (Sagittarius)
 * Arnaldo (Gemini)
 * Julian (Aries)
 * Mayhew (Capricorn)
 * Traian (Pisces)
 * Victoria (Taurus)

The designers also had to create a complimentary ready-to-wear look inspired by their avant-garde garment.
 * Guest Judge: Francisco Costa


 * WINNER: Mayhew
 * ELIMINATED: Arnaldo

Episode 9: Nature Calls
Original Airdate: March 11, 2010

Drawing inspiration from nature, the remaining designers headed to the New York Botanical Garden to design an evening gown.


 * Guest Judge: Georgina Chapman


 * WINNER: Anne
 * ELIMINATED: Victoria

Episode 10: Finale, Part I
Original Airdate: March 18, 2010

The designers were given the task, prior to leaving to create their collections, of creating a wedding dress for their collections. In addition to the wedding dress, they were judged on an 11th look, a bridesmaid dress to go with it.

Episode 11: Finale, Part II
Original Airdate: March 25, 2010

Prior to the runway show, the finalists, who each had twelve outfits ready for the runway, were informed that they would only be able to show ten, forcing last minute editing of their collections. The guest judge was originally scheduled to be Jennifer Lopez, but she was unable to participate due to a foot injury and was replaced by Tim Gunn. Following the presentation of all three collections, the judges stated that Julian Bobrov had created the best collection and named her the winner of Season 5 of Project Runway.


 * Guest Judge: Tim Gunn


 * WINNER: Julian
 * ELIMINATED: Traian (Runner-Up), Mayhew (3rd) & Anne (4th)