Surprisingly, Project Runway didn’t figure into the ‘conversation’ until 56 minutes had slipped away. Even the most diehard PR fans were not disappointed as Tim shared with us (not the audience anymore, just us – his friends) how he came to be “the most gracious man alive”! Starting with his candor about the isolation he experienced as a child growing up in Washington, DC (“not just antisocial; NON-social,”) through his years at the Corcoran School for Art and Design where his foundation of integrity, design sense, ethics, and humility were laid, crediting his many fabulous mentors at the Corcoran for his successes. His self-effacing humor made his years at the Corcoran come alive – like how he boycotted his graduation, even though he was to receive an award at the ceremony, because of a disagreement with the senior thesis jurors over which one of his pieces of sculpture should be shown at the final juried show. Tim worked as the Director for the Admissions Departments at both the Corcoran and Parsons – skills he says he uses during the long, long, long days of auditions for Project Runway. As you might guess, Tim tries to use those three minutes with each hopeful to educate them about how to be a better designer. Then we followed him from Admissions Director to Head of Fashion Design at Parsons – another great journey laid out with wit and wisdom! It was a wonder-filled trip through a remarkable life…
And then came Project Runway…..
Tim shared how he loves that the show has made fashion accessible and has demystified the world of design – prompting parents of design students to write to him, thanking him for helping them to understand what their kids “do all day and night” in those workrooms! He told us how he watched the premiere of the show peering out from under the sheets of his twin bed (how cute is that) terrified of seeing himself on TV.
Tim dished the inside scoop about Vincent’s win on the ‘Every Day Women’ challenge – “What was THAT about? He made Uli’s mom look like a pilgrim!” (the crowd erupted!); how the producers really don’t have any voice in the judging – despite the disclaimer at the end of the show – as evidenced by the fact, as Tim pointed out, that Malan was axed early on; and how he loved, loved, loved Season 1 and that he attributed the relative absence of risk-taking in Season 2 to the lack of immunity of the challenges – making the designers not want to win but rather just not lose.
He shared with the audience how he was chosen for the PR position including his mother’s incredulousness at the producers wanting “someone so old” – Tim had just turned 50! He also described the precarious position of the show in the first few months of Season 1 when ratings were abysmal – until Bravo brilliantly started playing the show in marathon fashion. Rating soared. Tim’s mother even told him, “If I see that show one more time I am going to scream” (ouch - two for two Mrs. Gunn!).
The 90 minutes were full of Tim’s wit, his candor and his clear love for what he does, for the people with whom he works and the fans of Project Runway. After both lectures, he did what he always does – he talked to every person that wanted to speak to him, signed every piece of paper placed in front of him, and made each one of us feel happy to have been there with him.
Here are a few “Gunnisms”……
Dictionary please (we can’t ignore Tim’s uncanny command of the English language after the montage on the Reunion Episode):
Waxing rhapsodic
Muddy confluence
Infantilized
Regurgitating
Seismic
Purging and cathartic
Epiphany
Incredulity
Self eviscerate
Serendipitous
Quotes of the night:
Winning on the show, and in the design world, demands discipline and fortitude and stamina but also creativity with quality construction and production
The show makes fashion accessible and demystifies the world of design
It’s not all glamour – there’s a lot of grit
The design world is whack
Designers need to look at the world of fashion through the lens of commerce
If your model can’t get into a taxi in your dress – forget it!
If you have two days to make a wedding dress; well then, you make a two-day wedding dress!
I felt like a mongrel at the Westminster Kennel Club
HUGE thanks go out to the Corcoran Gallery of Art for sponsoring the evening – especially the lovely ladies of the Public Programs shop. (Kudos to Sara Durkee and Michelle Clair)!!!!
Also to Capital File Magazine for hosting the reception and to Cristina DePaul – Dean Corcoran Gallery of Art www.corcoran.edu for leading such a great organization.
Tim and Cristina
Loads of Blogging Project Runway Fans – both old and new! Here are a few!
Signing , signing, signing
The Claire Family – ALLLLLLL of them are PR fans!!!
Adam and Patrick…. BPR is Adam’s homepage
Amy and Diane D. Amy drove up from Radford University!
Angela M and Susan H from Arlington VA
Heather and Mary Beth from Valise.
Corey H, Kate B and Jessica K. Rockin’ dress Kate B!!!
Jessica and Tim
New BPR recruits: Diane S and Jennifer M from DC
More BPR fans!
Sketches from a 13 year old fan of Tim’s
Laura L shares some quality time with Tim (actually showing him the “Tim about Town” pics)
A rejected bobble-head design?
Tim – the most gracious man in the world!
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