Project Runway finally gets winner
NEW YORK (AP) — New York designer Irina Shabayeva's collection took the gold in "Project Runway," winning $100,000 toward her line, an agent and a trip to Paris.
Judges Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia and Susie Menkes chose Shabayeva over Carol Hannah Whitfield, who came in third, and Althea Harper, the runner-up.
The three women all showed strong collections at February's fashion week in Bryant Park.
The Lifetime show's finale was shown on Thursday night.
The delay came because "Project Runway" — the cult series that transformed Bravo into a hot destination for addictive reality TV — lacked a home base. Trapped in lawsuit limbo, the series was mired in a dispute involving NBC Universal, which owns Bravo, the Weinstein Co. and Lifetime.
Shabayeva's collection was inspired by New York, right down to the detailed T-shirts worn beneath knitwear armour.
Harper's vision was a look toward the future, inspired by science fiction; Whitfield was somewhat dreamy with her soft draping and airy fabric.