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The new season of Project Runway is here, and there are some big changes heading into tonight’s premiere episode.
The show has been airing on television since 2004, and is still going strong, gearing up for its seventeenth season. This year, the show will be airing on Bravo once again (where it first premiered), and Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum will no longer be in the spotlight. Last September, the pair announced they would not be returning to Project Runway because they are developing a fashion series with Amazon Prime Video.
Klum announced the news last fall, saying, “After 16 incredible seasons, I am saying ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ to Project Runway, a show that I was honored to host and help create… I am incredibly proud of the show, and it will always have a special place in my heart. I am so appreciative of the dedicated fans, and most of all, I am grateful that we could shine a light on creativity and help launch so many talented designers’ careers. I’m most excited that my journey with my dear friend and colleague, Tim Gunn, is far from over. We will be partnering with Amazon for a new show, and we’re excited for everyone to see what we’re designing next!”
EW reports that the series will be a “fresh take” in the reality space and will include competition, storytelling, and authenticity.
In announcing his departure from the show, Gunn shared, “I am grateful to Project Runway for putting me on a path I never, in my wildest dreams, thought my career would take me! I am so proud to have been a part of the groundbreaking process that showcased talented young designers as never before. Most importantly, I am indebted to our incredible fans, they are the heart and soul of what we do, and continue to inspire us to raise the bar in this arena. I’m excited for them to see what’s next, as I partner with Amazon and Heidi Klum on our next great ‘fashion’ adventure.”
Amazon seems excited to have Gunn and Klum call their platform home. Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, describes the pair as an “iconic pop culture duo”, adding, “Their drive to deliver fashionably entertaining, engaging and trendsetting content speaks for itself, and we believe their next iteration in this space will find an even larger audience on our global Prime Video runway.”
Who will be taking over Klum and Gunn’s roles? Karlie Kloss will host the new season of Project Runway, with Christian Siriano mentoring. Siriano won Project Runway back in season four. The judge’s panel will consist of Nina Garcia, Elaine Welteroth (the former editor of Teen Vogue) and designer Brandon Maxwell. Special guests this season include Cardi B and Dapper Dan.