As we were walking through the lobby of the Standard, she informed me that both the other reporter and I would have five minutes each with Tim Gunn to interview him one-on-one. All of a sudden I got REALLY nervous, and extremely excited!
She guided us upstairs to the platform where many hopefuls were waiting and then into the area where Tim Gunn was interviewing with TV Guide Channel. The Bravo representative asked us which of us would like to interview first, and I turned to the Entertainment Weekly reporter next to me and said "You can go first." I needed time to calm down and evaluate this whole interviewing thing from afar. I also wanted to listen to her questions so that I would not repeat any. While waiting for my turn to interview Tim one of the questions was "What could we expect from Season 4?" Since it has not been cast yet, Tim responded that we could expect a whole new group of designers with their own style and point-of-view. Some other standard questions were also asked, most of which any Project Runway fan already knows the answers to, like "Have there been designers you have enjoyed or did not get along with on the show?"
Next the EW reporter sat down with Tim and began her five minutes. She asked a couple of interesting questions, one of which was about Tim's book. Tim's face lit up when she asked about the book, and he responded that it is at the warehouse being printed at the current moment. He also informed her that he had seen a copy of the book and it was so beautiful. He then went on to say it was one of his proudest accomplishments, since it took so much time and effort to get it published. She then asked about Liz Claiborne and what his role was there, and he told her that he loved his new job, which has him as the Chief Creative Officer. He then went on to tell her that he was not designing for the brand at all, but he was the creative head of certain lines that the company produced including the major "Liz Claiborne" line. She finished by getting Tim Gunn to record her friend or boyfriend's voicemail for him.
Finally I got my turn to interview Tim Gunn. Let me emphasize again, one-on-one. I was introduced as the Blogging Project Runway field reporter, to which Tim lit up again and said, "I love BPR!" Then he asked, "Where is Laura?" I told him, "Well she is driving from Arizona, leaving this afternoon and will be here late tonight." As we were sitting down, Tim looked at me and said, "I just talked to Robert Best about the fact that I loved what he suggested to the hopefuls on BPR and that some of these people should have read it before trying out." I responded jokingly by saying, they should make it a requirement for every applicant to read the suggestions on BPR, and he agreed. He then said, one of the biggest problems they have had with contestants was that they did not know how to respond to the question, "Why do you want to be on Project Runway?"
My first question was an extension of the EW reporter's question, which was, "What is the difference, if any, in mentoring for Liz Claiborne and for the students at Parsons?" He began by talking about the difference being in the size of the corporation and the scope of of the number of people he was mentoring. Then he started talking about the idea of taking risks in fashion. He discussed how taking calculated risks that will provide the consumer with pieces that will not be repetitive, but will stay inside their comfort zone of the Liz Claiborne aesthetic. To this response I quickly asked, "What happens when risks go bad?" because we know when risks go well it results in a huge payoff.
He stated that by calculating and offering risk in small doses you can better adapt to missteps in risking. My next question kind of tied into this same idea of business, money, and risk taking, was "How does the business side of fashion play into Project Runway since the winner gets the $100,000 to start their own line?"
He responded by saying that as they are casting and as the show continues forward, they are always looking for contestants and keeping contestants that they feel can honestly grasp the business side of fashion. He stated that fashion is not only about the design and artistic nature, but also the ability to build a brand and a business. It is important for the contestants to understand how to do this and how to go into the world and make a career in this field.
Then I asked how to the younger contestants just out of school can prove themselves. He stated that it will be hard for a younger designer, like Daniel Vosovic or Diana Eng to get onto the show. They would not be completely disregarded if they could wow the judges with their designs and catch their interest, but it will be much harder than in past. He said it would be harder for the younger group because the show took a turn during Season 3 with the casting, in which they cast all seasoned and veteran designers.
Finally, I asked how he felt arts-and-crafts fashion (since I had seen so much of it in line) fit into the nature of Project Runway.
He responded by saying that much like an inexperienced designer, it would be hard for arts-and-crafts designer to get on the show because the idea behind fashion is to catch an audience and to be relevant to current trends. He said that it is hard for the arts-and-craftsy people to fit into this show as PR is looking for a designer who was more into the current trends of fashion. [Editor's note: What? Crafty fashion isn't current?] With that, my one-on-one ended faster than my whole wait to get up there, but Tim had to grab lunch before getting back to panel. In all of this nervousness and because the space was so poorly lit, I did not even get a photograph with Tim (which I am sure I will regret forever).
I headed back downstairs to which I found the same people waiting in line as before I left to go up to meet with Tim. I said my goodbyes and good lucks and left back for school for my studio review.
I have to thank Laura K. many times over for allowing me to do this as such a young inexperienced reporter.
It was too wonderful for words. -JRT
More from Jonathan about the "hopefuls" that he interviewed in line as well as his lunch with "the gang" tomorrow! Thank you Jonathan for representing BPR so professionally. Imagine - Entertainment Weekly, TVGuide, and BPR!
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