BPR: This is Laura Kluvo from Blogging Project Runway and I'm on the phone with All-Star designer, Jeffrey Sebelia - Hi Jeffrey!
JS: Hello Laura.
BPR: When they announced the cast of designers for this season, I was most excited to see your name. Not only are you a winner, but season 3 was the best.
JS: Thank you very much.
BPR: Which was your favorite challenge?
JS: I think the first one. It was a punk-rock challenge. It was just thrilling. I hadn't really sewn in so many years. Right out of the gate I just felt comfortable with it.
BPR: Part of the prize for your win in the Bonnie and Clyde challenge was something about designing for a Lifetime movie event. Do you know more about that?
JS: Yes, it was really awesome. I created a costume for Heather Graham to wear in "Flowers in the Attic." She really liked it and asked if she could keep it. It was a great experience. I travelled to Canada for the fitting and finishing. My only regret is that I had to leave the next morning because my son had a football game.
BPR: Oh- you are such a good dad! That turned out to be an awesome prize. Will she be wearing it in the movie? Or was it for an event?
JS: She will be wearing it in the movie.
BPR: Well, we will certainly be on the lookout for it!
BPR: Who are your best friends from the cast?
JS: All of them really. Seth Aaron was my roommate and we got along great. This was the first time we had met. Mychael of course, and I did an event in Austin with Daniel. That was really fun. Honestly one of the best things about doing the show was getting to know the other designers.
BPR: Have you remained in touch with any of the other designers from season 3?
JS: I was in touch for a while, but it's been eight years, as time has gone by, we have lost touch... Bradley Baumkirchner - he is from Silverlake and we kept in touch for quite a while before he moved to New York.
BPR: Please tell us about La Miniatura.
JS: It is a higher-end kids clothing line. I try to keep it accessible to most everyone, but keep the quality high. It was a crazy thing. People had asked me for years about kidswear and I would say no, I love the womenswear and the menswear. About two and a half years ago, I was the creative director working for someone who had opened four stores and it was kind of crazy and I was ready to get out. A friend, Melissa Bochco, called and said, "You know, our sons are the same age. I was thinking about producing a contemporary kids line. Would you be interested in partnering up?"
At the time, I wasn't sure, but I designed the line in the evenings and weekends and called in sick to my job and we took it to a trade show in New York and it really blew up.
It's amazing, I've been working with the kids - the models - my son. It's really fun.
It's so fun to be able to say at this point in my life, I am 43 years old, that I have done so many things, menswear, womenswear, couture, celebrities and now kidswear
We are in Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Bergdorfs, Fred Segal, Kitson, Barney's, Harrah's in London. How many people get to say "I'm in all of these stores at once?"
BPR: What is the most popular item in the line?
JS: We started as a boys collection and then last season we introduced the girls. We are known I would say for our suits. We launched with what we call the Crayon denim which is just an array of colored denim for boys. I mean there are colored jeans everywhere now, but at the time in the kids market it was new.
BPR: How old is Harrison now?
JS: He will be nine on December 23rd.
BPR: Wow. Times flies.
JS: Can you believe it? He was a year and a half when I did season three.
BPR: Is he the muse for your line?
JS: For the boys I would say yes. Wes, Melissa's son, also, and It's so fun to watch them put on the clothes and just light up. Oliver - another model is an artist. They are all so inspiring.
BPR: Are you designing for adults as well?
JS: Not really. I get requests but the company is very busy and we are planning to expand into a lifestyle brand. It's such a fun company and it has grown so quickly. It really demands all of my time. If you look at the website, you can see what I would do for adults. Of course more sophisticated for the men and more elegant and sexy for the women.
I am busy traveling to Vietnam every season, and I am skyping every night from 7:00 - 11:00. I mean I didn't even watch the episode last night. It takes a lot of time.
BPR: Did I see you wearing one of your t-shirt designs on the show last night?
JS: Yes, actually all season...I had taken some of our graphics and put them on t-shirts...shameless self-promotion.
BPR: Jeffrey, we are almost out of time, is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?
JS: A big big thank you. Doing All-Stars was a real thrill ride. I don't know if I was exactly there to win because I really haven't touched a sewing machine in so long, but I wanted to do it for the fans. It was a lot of fun. Thanks everyone!
BPR: Thank you!
JS: Thank you and Happy Holidays!
