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ZAP2IT ON THE SCENE: REALITY ROCKS EXPO 2011
'Project Runway's' Michael Costello defends Season 8's controversial winner, Gretchen. Gasp!
Look who we ran into at the Reality Rocks Expo in Los Angeles on Saturday (April 9): From Last season's "Project Runway," Michael Costello.
He was the target of lots of criticism from his competitors who believed he lacked the skills to compete on the same level with them. Regardless, he went on to win several challenges and their respect.
"I have my process," he tells Zap2it. "I taught myself how to sew. My mom taught me a few different things, but I taught myself by taking clothes apart, playing with fabric, and I created my own kind of crazy sewing technique that works for me and it works for my customers, too. And I'm able to use that to make functional clothing. And it worked on the show. The judges really showed me a lot of support with what I did."
The season was also marred by a controversial win by Gretchen Jones. And despite the fact that she was one of his biggest detractors and that Michael is BFFs with fan favorite Mondo Guerra (the quirky second place designer who gained a lot of fan support after admitting he was HIV positive on the show) the designer says he can see why Gretchen deserved the win.
"I think she's a great designer, actually," he says. "I'm going to lose a lot of fans for saying that, but honestly I'm telling you the truth. I know that she can design modern day clothing and it's cute. There are some things that are cute."
He also tells us that he and Gretchen have become friends since the show ended. Double gasp! Plus, don't miss Michael's Tim Gunn impression. It's just too spot on.
Watch our chat below:
Note: Mature language.
Do you agree with Michael or do you think Gretchen is still the devil incarnate?
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Photo/Video credit: Rick Porter, Zap2it
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I did not prefer her clothes. They did nothing for me. Aside from what I thought of her personality on screen, I didn't like her designs. period.
See, this is why I always liked Michael C. He's a great designer but also a stand-up guy. No one was as disrespected by the other designers as he was and he still made friends with Mondo and made it to the final 4. And he isn't going around trashing Gretchen, even though she would deserve it. She was a predictable designer and a horrible person on the show. Michael C and Mondo were classy.
Great interview. Michael is hilarious. He's obviously a good sport, too.
Terrible use of the word "admitting" re: Mondo's HIV status. Being positive is not a crime. "Sharing" that he is positive, or some similar phrase, would be much more appropriate.
This was the biggest mistake in Project Runway history. If ever there was a clear winner - it was this year and it was MONDO! I've never been so excited about a designer on the show. Mark my words- we will all know Mondo 5 years from now and what's her name - will not be a top designer. Her clothes were frumpy and ugly - plain and boring. Mondo is where I'd put my money! He's going to have a fabulous career! GO Mondo!
We see the kind of stuff she designed at street fairs being sold out of the trunks of cars...sloppy and boring. Mondo deserved to win.
loved seeing michael, and he won't lose fans by saying something nice about gretchen. he didn't say he liked her and neither do we. i'm done with pr after last season. it was just wrong.
Mondo had some interesting pieces but his final collection had too many HORRIBLE pieces. Nobody that puts out more than two bad final outfits deserves to win, and Mondo had like FOUR. I was hoping for him to win, but he refused to listen to Tim, and anyone that refuses to listen to Tim doesn't deserve to win. PERIOD.
I thought Gretchen had a few good pieces but there were many that I thought did not look like high fashion. Yeah, recycling and sustainable clothing are "in" but so is style, and I just don't think she had it. She was extremely focussed and kind of hard-headed, but she did listen to the judges and jazz up her looks by having the models wear funky shoes and lots of make-up.
Gretchen is a B****