David Bromstad — From Design Star to Shoe Mogul

Photo by Andrew Aronsohn

We've been big fans of David Bromstad's ever since he won HGTV Design Star back in 2006. From the moment he used items purchased at a pet store to decorate a room any human would be proud to live in, he stole our hearts. He's gone on to become an HGTV darling, as well as a successful interior designer and fine artist. This month his career took another twist when he launched a brand of women's shoes for Naturalizer.

We had a chance to meet David at a recent press event to promote the new line. And he did not disappoint. He was charming, funny and confidant with just the right amount of humble to make him blush whenever he got a compliment.

He told us he had never considered expanding into the fashion world but, "When Naturalizer came to me they wanted to revitalize their brand. Everyone loves comfort and they obviously have that down… But they wanted to make it a little more fresh and I was like, 'Hell, yeah! Let's do this.' I love a challenge and working with this team has been the best experience I've ever had with a collaboration."

David, whose original paintings are always a feature in his HGTV show Color Splash, created a work of art called North Meets South featuring peonies and hibiscus. The image is used as the print for an entire collection of wedges, sandals, ballet flats and even handbags.

It’s Time for Teens to Take the Duck Tape Challenge

Courtesy of Lifetime

We remember it well. Going into the Corner Mall in downtown Boston. Walking into the hottest cheap but trendy clothes store and finding the perfect prom dress — a tea length black and dark blue iridescent taffeta number with enough netting to give it that perfectly poufy kick. Hey, it was 1985. Give us a break. 

Needless to say, we were thrilled. No other girl at Braintree High was going to show up on that special night in the same outfit. And the best part was that it only cost $35. 

Flash forward almost three decade later and we realize that their could have been an even better way to get the ultimate inexpensive gown with an even greater degree of creative flair — duct tape. Anyone who watched the most recent season of Project Runway saw the challenge in which the contestants had to create gowns out of the sticky substance. The formidable frocks were then scrutinized by a group of fashion forward teens.

Naomi Campbell Starts Her Search for The Face

Photo by Laspata DeCaro/Oxygen

As far as modeling reality TV shows go, it’s hard to beat America’s Next Top Model. But fashion super star Naomi Campbell is ready to give Tyra Banks’ series a run for it’s money with her new offering The Face. In a recent conference call interview she talked about what sets her competition apart from those that have come before.

When asked how she and The Face will be different from Tyra’s and America’s Next Top Model, Naomi responded, “Well first of all I am different. I’m before Tyra and I have a lot of respect for Tyra and what she’s done with ‘America’s Next Top Model’ and taking it all over the world and what she’s done for young women out there who want to be in the fashion industry. I don’t like to compare anything that I do. This show is a completely different type of format.’

One of the main differences between the two series is that The Face will feature three super model mentors — Naomi, Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha. The 42-year-old described her personal style, “I’m very honest and I’m quite tough with my girls because I won’t be with them to hold their hands going through castings and going out there in the real world. So I praise them when they do things great and coach them.

Pregnancy Isn’t Slowing Down Project Runway’s Georgina Chapman

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 Courtesy of Lifetime

Georgina Chapman has it all. After a successful stint as a model, she teamed with her Chelsea College of Art and Design classmate, Keren Craig, to launch the Marchesa fashion line. These days she’s a judge on Project Runway: All Stars and on December 20, Lifetime will air a half-hour special about her company, Project Runway Spotlight: Marchesa.

To top it all off Georgina is married to media mogul Harvey Weinstein. Despite their 24-year age difference, the couple has a two-year-old daughter, India, and another baby on the way.

In a recent conference call interview she talked about balancing her personal life and career. Georgina explained, “I make sure I carve out time to be with my daughter. She’s my number one priority, my family.”

That includes including her little girl in her daily duties. “India comes into the office with me most days. She has her little area with a desk and everything where she draws… I leave later in the mornings now and spend the mornings with her. So I do see her. She spends a lot of time with me at work.”

Twilight’s Christian Serratos Designs Jewelry in Angela’s Honor

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Photo courtesy of Christian Serratos

Fans flocked to theaters recently to catch the final installment of the Twilight Saga. True, most of the attention is focused on the romance between Bella and Edward, and the off-screen relationship of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson — but they have been surrounded by a strong supporting cast throughout the franchise.

Among those stalwart co-stars was Christian Serratos, who played Bella’s BFF Angela in all of the films. In a recent exclusive interview the 22-year-old actress talked about working on the movies and her new jewelry line.

When looking back on the Twilight experience, Christian recounted, “It’s been incredible. It’s been a big chunk of my growing up. I started on the movie when I was 18. So traveling and filming was great for me. And working with incredible directors and cast was just the icing on the cake.”

Tim Gunn Pulls Back the Curtain on Project Runway — Part II

Courtesy of Lifetime

We love listening to Tim Gunn talk so much that we wanted to share more of our recent conference call interview with him. Here’s what he had to say on some of the Project Runway’s hot topics. Here’s what he had to say about using accessories “thoughtfully” and his most uncomfortable home visit in part two of our two-part interview:

On Season 10 Contestant Christopher Palu’s Love of Real Fur
“I didn’t know about his interest in fur. It’s never once come up in a conversation with him… I’m very respectful of people’s life and proclivity. However I would suggest that he visits the PETA website… I would suggest that he just see another point of view. With so many options for fur these days, so many faux fur options I just profoundly believe that it’s entirely unnecessary and, frankly, rather vulgar.”

On Season 8 Winner Gretchen Jones’ Home Visit
“The editing of the show was kind to everyone, kind. And the home visit that was so dramatically edited was Gretchen, the winner of Season 8. Her mother — I mean we’re playing crochet — you don’t see any of this in the edit — and her mother kept knocking my crochet ball across the street into the traffic. So I had to run across the street and retrieve it. I’d bring it back and she’d slam it again. It was so hostile and angry I couldn’t believe it and I thought, ‘Well, the mess doesn’t fall from the tree.’”

On the Importance (or Not) of Accessorizing Thoughtfully
“To hear the judges talk about it it’s the most important thing in the world. Generally speaking, I’ll just be blunt, I feel that they’re an enhancement, the accessories are, to whatever the garment is and the same with the hair and makeup is. But for me it’s all about that garment. Unless the accessorizing is an extraordinary distraction in a bad way I would never comment on it at all. But the judges seem to have a very different take. They are times when it’s all they talk about is the accessorizing, and I just want to say, ‘Be quiet. Look at the clothes.’”

Tim Gunn Pulls Back the Curtain on Project Runway — Part I

Courtesy of Lifetime

There is no more fabulous human being on TV than Tim Gunn. Not only has he been telling Project Runway hopefuls to “make it work” for ten seasons, but he’s each and every one’s biggest cheer leader — even when he finds them a bit frustrating.

In a recent conference call interview we spoke with our favorite fashion guru about the latest installment of the show and winner Dmitry Sholokhov. Here’s what he had to say in his oh-so inimitable way in part one of our two-part interview:

On Season 10’s Final Four

“I don’t always feel close to the designers but this was a really difficult season. It was as though it was always stormy, as though there was a rain cloud over that workroom and, accordingly, I was able to explore levels or dimensions of emotions with these designers that I really hadn’t fully explored with the finalists in previous season. I have to say I was rooting for all of them. This is not a Miss America response. I want to assure you. I would have been happy with any of the designers winning, any of the final four winning.”

On His Moment of Silence During Fabio’s Home Visit

“I thought it was one of the worst collections of clothing that I’d ever seen in my entire life. I was just mystified. He’s so incredibly talented that that palette is so juvenile and so junior. I was just mystified. I mean to me he’s incredibly smart and incredibly knowledgeable and I thought maybe he was really, in a manner of speaking, pulling my leg and he was going to say, ‘Guess what, this isn’t really it.’ I just don’t know what happened. I was hugely relieved that he passed through the judges’ analysis last week, and I was especially pleased to hear the feedback that the judges gave him because it was so similar to what I gave him when I had the home visit.”

Melissa Rivers Brings Her Fashion Sense to the Masses

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Each week on Fashion Police, the show that Melissa River’s executive produces, Joan Rivers and her crew critique celebrity style. The sometimes merciless reviews of red carpet and runway haute couture brings the designs of Paris and Milan into living rooms in the good old U.S. of A.

But in a recent exclusive interview Melissa admitted that her personal style tends to come from American lines by the likes of Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. Still when talking about her current favorite pieces, she managed to give equal time. She disclosed, “My favorite dress right now is Lanvin, which is ironic. But my other favorite dress is a Michael Kors dress that I’ve had for years that is my go to perfect dress.”

She described her two top picks saying, “The Lanvin is grey, sleeveless with just a little bit of soft draping. But it’s got this really cool, pretty neckline with an edge to it. And the Michael Kors is one shoulder, black, short. Just the cut of the fabric and the way it fits on the body, there’s a little bit of ruching. It’s just been my go to dress forever.”

Lauren Bedford Russell Designs Jewelry for Good Causes

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Photo courtesy of Lauren Bedford Russell

Written in Conjunction with ScreenPicks

Season 3 of Showtime’s The Real L Word featured returning stars like Kacy Coccumini and Whitney Mixter. But it also welcomed some fresh faces including jewelry designer Lauren Bedford Russell. And while many now know her for her struggles with her roommate Amanda or her budding relationship with Kiyomi. Yet long before Lauren became a reality star, she was already a successful entrepreneur.

In a recent exclusive interview she talked about her jewelry line and the good causes that benefit from her gorgeous designs. Born in La Jolla, California, Lauren was interested in accessories from an early age. After getting a degree in Business and Gemological studies, she decided to work in a jewelry store.

After deciding she wanted to pursue the specialty for her career, Lauren worked for a year as sketching designs for Ivanka Trump. But she soon decided to start her own line and Lyon Fine Jewelry was born. As she recounted, “I noticed I had something there and I decided to start my own business and I didn’t see anything else like mine out there. “

Heidi Klum Reveals Season 10 Guest Judges on Project Runway

  

                                   Photo by Robert Erdmann ©2012 A&E Television Networks, LLC

Even after nine seasons we can’t get enough of Project Runway. So we tuned in for the premiere of the series’ tenth installment last Thursday. And as has always been the case, the fashion design show will be calling on a long list of famous guest judges to help weed through the good and the bad styles on the catwalk.

In a recent interview with the show’s host Heidi Klum, she talked about a few of the show’s special guests. Fans who watched the season premiere saw a familiar face from Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. Klum remarked, “For our very first challenge that we did in Times Square we had Lauren Graham.”

And a famous designer joined the judges panel in Times Square as well. Klum revealed, “Obviously I can never give too many guest judges away, but some people that I was allowed to mention was Patricia Field. She has been a stylist. She has a store here in New York City. She’s very well known for doing Sex in the City, The Devil Wears Prada. She does a lot of full movies and television.”

Austin Scarlett Brings Back Couture to Project Runway

 Photo Credit Barbara Nitke

If someone asked us which movie star we’d most like to interview, we’d pick Robert De Niro or Meryl Streep. When it comes to TV, we’ve been fortunate enough to speak with two of our idols — Bob Newhart and Dick Van Dyke. But in reality TV, there was one “get” we’ve been dreaming about for a while now — Austin Scarlett. This week we finally chatted with the Project Runway All Stars runner-up about his couture aesthetic.

Austin was our favorite designer from the debut season of Project Runway in 2004. He was so talented that sometimes we have to remind ourselves that not only didn’t he win, but he came in fourth. Jay McCarroll took home the prize and Austin took the rear behind Kara Saun and Wendy Pepper — two designers we had to Google because we just couldn’t remember who they were.

For his part, Austin spun his 15 minutes of fame. His follow up series with fellow Runway designer Santino Rice, was a bit of bust but we loved it nonetheless. And his gorgeous gowns have adorned a celebrity or two during red carpet events. But we were sure that Austin would finally score a crowning accomplishment and be named winner of Project Runway.

Jessica Simpson Draws Inspiration from Fashion Star Designers

  John Russo/NBC 

 

Jessica Simpson has come a long way from Newlyweds “buffalo wings” days. The mother to be has turned a pop career and reality TV show into a brand that includes a clothing line. So she was an obvious choice for Fashion Star Executive Producer Ben Silverman when he was looking for mentors for his new design show. In a recent conference call interview, Jessica talked about the new series.

Jessica explained why she chose to participate, “I was on [the producers] radar because of being involved with fashion and developing the Jessica Simpson Collection from the ground up. And now it’s got amazing legs to run on and I’ve had such a great time just diving in and seeing what I can do and what I can make of it.”

The 31-year-old star feels like she’s found a good home for her interests. She acknowledged, “Me teaming up with this show was a perfect fit. I couldn’t turn it down because I felt like it was great for my collection, but it was also important for me to talk to these up and coming designers and mentor them and kind of show them the ropes and really try and lead them in the right direction.”

Modeling Agent Extraordinaire, Paul Fisher, Hope to Change the Industry

Photo by CW

The new CW series Remodeled, which premiered on Tuesday night, features Paul Fisher, former agent to the supermodels. Paul has started a new endeavor — to change the shape of the modeling industry, one pound at a time. In a recent conference call interview he talked about why the fashion world needs a makeover and how he plans to repent for his former sins.

Back in the '90s Paul was an agent who represented fashion stars like Naomi Campbell, Carre Otis, Carla Bruni, Kimora Lee Simmons and Brooke Burke. But he admitted that he got into the business accidentally and he is not proud of his past. "I was 21-years old... I had the opportunity to move to New York and get involved in the modeling industry. I did not even know how to spell the word Vogue, but I was a young boy and I loved girls, and I wanted to meet more girls. And I wasn’t a good looking guy or anything like that, so I figured why not have a lot of power and I could meet more girls."

But once Paul began to transform unsure young girls into confident supermodels, he realized he was good at the job he had stumbled in to. Still he acknowledged, "But back then, I was just an idiot. I was a jerk... I’m not proud of the man that I was before, but now I’m trying so very hard to right the ship and trying to do things the right way. I try every day to believe in the kids, support the kids, respect the kids, have integrity, and I’m trying real hard to do it the right way this time."

After a ten year break he decided to give it another go. He explained, "I became this famous, famous modeling agent guy. My ego became very, very large... I believe I’ve created more models than any single person on the planet before. And so I thought to myself, 'What am I going to do with my life?' So I thought, 'I’ll jump back into the modeling industry and I’ll see if I could repent for my sins from the past and at the same time see if I could fix the modeling industry and try to transform the modeling industry, and try to bring in the world of health and wellness into the world of the modeling industry.'"

Gordana Gehlhausen on Her Reason to Sign-Up for Project Runway: All Stars

  2011 Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, All Rights Reserved 

When Gordana Gehlhausen made her first run at the top prize on Project Runway, she came in fourth place to Irina Shabayeva. In a recent exclusive interview the Yugoslavian born designer explained why she decided to give it another go on Project Runway: All Stars.

Gordana confessed, “I wanted to return because I felt that that season I was a little bit robbed, because there was a situation between Bravo and Lifetime in my season. That’s exactly when Lifetime had taken over the show from Bravo. And even if I made it to fourth place I was really hoping to have the opportunity to create a line and show at [New York Fashion Week in] Bryant Park even if it wasn’t televised. But see I didn’t have the opportunity because of the switch in the networks.”

She continued, “So when that opportunity came for All Stars, obviously I’m pretty successful in my business, in my private life so I gained confidence, too. So I was actually thinking I would make it farther than I did.”

This Week's Inspirational Moments in Pop Culture

Musicians give their strings for charity, a TV icon shares her personal story and a fashion designer doles out blessing marks. Here are this week's most inspirational moments in pop culture.

Musicians Give Their Strings for Charity

Thanks to Wear Your Music, fans can own a little piece of their favorite artist while donating to charity. The organization collects used guitar strings from some of rock's biggest and brightest stars and recycles the materials to make the Original Artists Bracelets.

Each bangle is crafted using discarded strings wrapped in sterling silver. They are packaged in old DVD jewel cases and come complete with a certificate of authenticity. Princes range from $25 to $300 depending on the musician.

The bracelets feature tossed strings from legendary players like Brian May, Carlos Santana, Willie Nelson and Pete Townshend. Each artists picks the charity that will receive the proceeds from the sale of his or her bracelets.

For example, if you buy a Peter Frampton bracelet for $150, all of the money goes to the Music Resource Center in Cincinnati. A $250 bracelet featuring strings used by Kirk Hammett of Metallica will benefit Musicares. And purchasing a $175 Jason Mraz bangle will help a charity called Surfrider.

Other artists contributing strings include Avril Lavigne, Bob Wier, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Biaz, John Mayer and Mark Knopfler. But with over 150 musicians to choose from, and a roster that changes regularly, it's worth visiting the site to see for yourself.

If the artists bracelets are too pricey, the company also sells similar items that are not made from famous players' cast-offs for $20, as well as record bowls and 45 coasters using discarded LPs and singles from some of rock's best known acts.

For more inspirational pop culture moments visit Beliefnet.com.

For more stories like this check out:

Liam Neeson Named Goodwill Ambassador
 

Liz Taylor's Humanitarian Legacy

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Brian Burkhardt Talks About His Project Accessory Win

  Photo by Richard McLaren © 2011 Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, All Rights

When the victor was declared at the end of the first season of Lifetime’s Project Accessory, perhaps no one was more surprised than the winner himself — Brian Burkhardt. In a recent exclusive interview, the sculptor-turned-jewelry designer talked about taking home the title.

The 40-year-old Floridian recalled, “To be honest with you, I was shocked. I thought that I had the ability and the skill enough to win and the vision to win. But I wasn’t sure, because there was other people there that did more commercially viable things.”

A fine artist with a penchant for crafting one-off pieces in resin, Brian acknowledged, “People are always like, ‘Oh my god, I love your stuff.’ But I don’t think that everyone would wear my stuff maybe. So I didn’t know if [I was] what they were looking for.”

But the grand prize wasn’t Brian’s ultimate goal. He revealed, “It’s not that I would say that I didn’t care, but I didn’t go on the show to win. I went on the show to do what I do. And I’m like, ‘If they think that’s wonderful, then great. And if not, then okay.’”

You Can Be Fierce with the Help of Send the Trend

Send the Trend is the like the Columbia House for fashion accessories. For those of you too young to remember when you purchased music on vinyl, Columbia House was a mail order music service that delivered a new record to your door once a month for a small membership fee. Send the Trend is now doing that for jewelry, scarves, belts, hats and more. And for all the pop culture junkies out there the site is curated by Project Runway's Christian Siriano.

For a monthly fee of just $29.95, Send the Trend provides you with one accessory item per month, preselected by Siriano and his team to fit your taste and lifestyle. The items are created by current designers and follow the latest fashion trends. No more wasted time scouring magazines or mindlessley wandering through stores to find the perfect necklace. Let Send the Trend do it for you. We may be Passionistas, but we're not really fashionistas, so with a little help from Christian and the team we, too, could be fierce.

Here's how it works:

1) STYLE SURVEY: Log on to the site at sendthetrend.com and take their style survey. This will determine your personal profile and which accessories best suit your tastes. You'll be asked to select items and celebrities that best reflect your everyday look.

2) STYLE SUGGESTIONS: Once Set the Trend knows your style personality, they will customize your monthly collection.

3) CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE: Pick the piece you like best from the suggested items and it will be delivered to your doorstep that month. And shipping is free.

You can skip a month at a time, return anything you don't like and will only be charged for items you order. What have you got to lose? Get started today.

For related stories check out:
"Project Runway" Stars: Where Are They Now?
Nina Garcia Discusses Project Runway


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Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic Create Their Own Pageants

 

This past weekend Donald Trump once again mounted the annual Miss USA Pageant. Bravo’s Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic from E! hosted the event, which was broadcast live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas! Although they were both new to NBC and the competition, they each have experience with The Donald. In a recent conference call interview they discussed their connections to the real estate mogul and what pageant they’d create if they could make their own.

Cohen is not only Bravo’s main programming executive, but he’s become an on air personality in his own right. He moderates the Real Housewives franchise reunion shows and his own live series Watch What Happens: Live, which airs on his network twice a week.

He recalled what impressed him most when he met Mr. Trump. The host, known for asking the hard questions of his stable of reality TV stars said, “I hosted a Q&A with him in Vegas a few years ago. And the thing that I found amusing and that I liked about him was that I found that you really can ask him anything and he’ll answer it. So I found that quite entertaining.”

Rancic has an even more personal connection to The Donald. She remarked, “My husband [Bill Rancic] was the first Apprentice. Donald hired him. And so if it wasn’t for Donald I would, gosh, who was the runner-up, Kwame Jackson? I would be Mrs. Kwame Jackson. So I owe Donald basically my marriage and my future children. I owe him everything.”

Thanks to her hubby, Rancic has come in contact with Trump and his third wife Melania. She recounted, “I have met Donald several times throughout the years. And what I love most about him is he is such a fan of pop culture. He knows everything going on in entertainment news and so does Melania. And I just think it is hilarious. So I’m a big fan. And I’m very excited that he asked me to do this with Andy.”

So what would these two pop culture gurus come up with if they could create their own pageants? Rancic had an idea to incorporate all of her entertainment network co-stars. She suggested, “I will do Miss E! We’ll put all the E! people into one pageant and just kind of see where it goes, men and women.” The name of her show might be a little misleading but the idea is money in the bank with a list of competitors that could include Joel McHale, Kim Kardashian and Ryan Seacrest among so many others.

Andy, being the programming genius that he is, came up with a surefire hit on the spot. He brainstormed, “I would like to do maybe The Ultimate Housewife Pageant. I think that would be fun. Just throw all the housewives up on a stage and whittle it down.” Even he seemed impressed with his ability to be able to come up with something so marketable without any forethought adding, “I think we just spit-balled ourselves into a great idea. It might be a little shark jumpy but I like it. I’m going to think about it.”

And if he does decide he likes the idea, he can just go ahead and give himself a green light. Cohen talked about balancing his time between being Bravo’s programming head and one of its biggest on-screen talents. He confessed, “It’s not easy…. I’m lucky, because I love live TV. And my show is live. And so I really just spend a few hours after work, after my day job is over, doing my live duties.”

Andy seemed to have a very clear delineation of his dual roles, saying, “From morning until night, I’m focused on Bravo programming. And then after hours is when I have a little fun in the Bravo Clubhouse. The reunion shows really only wind up being seven or eight days out of the year.”

And despite a little bit of added pressure, he seems to be taking it all stride. He admitted, “So far it’s okay. It can get a little hairy and a little stressful. But it’s all fun. And I happen to have two great jobs that I love very much. So I am very lucky.” Mazel, Andy!

Catch Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens: Live every Thursday and Sunday night at 11 p.m. PST/10 p.m. Central on Bravo and Giuliana on the Fashion Police at 10:30 p.m. EST/9:30 p.m. Central on E!

For other pop culture stories check out:

An Interview with the Judges from The Glee Project

You Can Audition for Glee

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Elle Macpherson Says Fashion Star Is No Project Runway

 

There are lots of reasons that the upcoming NBC series Fashion Star is different than Project Runway and any of its reality TV bastard children. In a recent conference call interview series star Elle Macpherson and executive producer Rick Ringbakk discussed what will set their show apart.

Ringbakk explained that the contestants will not unveil their creations on a typical runway. He revealed, “We’re going to be seeing these designs being presented in big exciting presentations. And these buyers are going to be choosing the items they like from the very first week forward, buying these items.”

When asked to compare Fashion Star with Heidi Klum’s mother of all catwalk obsessed reality TV shows, Macpherson was quick to point out, “It’s not another Project Runway. It’s actually great. It’s something completely new. We haven’t seen a show like this on American TV, which is so immediate where Americans will be able to buy the designs that they see straightway. But it’s not only about design, it’s about brand and marketing and business, and that’s what’s exciting for me.”

Competitors will be asked to do more than just create clothing. These contestants need to have a head for business as well. Elle noted that the show will force the hopefuls to answer some hard questions. “It’s how do you present these brands to America? What does a billboard look like? What does your logo look like? How is your advertising campaign? How do you touch the heart of America with a product that you think is really good?”

These added business elements, give Fashion Star an edge over the glut of design shows on TV. As Elle noted, “It’s more well-rounded. It’s going to be sexy. It’s going to be exciting. There’s going to be many elements from the fashion element, but also business and branding and advertising and marketing and is very visual.”

As a result, the casting process is going to be a bit different than it has been on what might be considered similar shows. Elle remarked, “What makes this show really interesting is that the kind of designers and kind of contestants we’re casting for at the moment, the people that are making very accessible products from lingerie to swimwear to denim products that are very accessible [to] America. We’re not looking for somebody to kind of create a couture dress for the Oscars; although, they may be a contestant as well.”

Ringbakk agreed, adding, “In terms of level of expertise, we’re looking at designers that are from all levels. It could be somebody who has owned their own boutique for years and has been successfully selling their wears on a small level. It could be a soccer mom who’s been working two jobs and secretly designing an amazing swimwear line in her basement that this is the opportunity that she’s going to have for that dream to come true, and to finally see her vision realized.”

But the final contestants will have a few things in common. Ringbakk acknowledged, “We’re looking for somebody that’s got something that is new, something that is different and something that we want to see and that we want to wear. Again in the past a lot of the fashion shows have really focused on the kinds of clothes that very few of us will ever put on, the $10,000 red carpet dress.”

Since each episode’s winning pieces will be available in retail stores the day after they air, the fashions will actually be obtainable. Ringbakk noted, “We’re looking for somebody who’s got a fresh take and a unique vision on the clothes that most Americans wear. Leather jackets, denim, t-shirts, swimwear, lingerie, that type of things. But they’ve got to have their own unique take on it. It’s got to be something that we haven’t seen before.”

There’s no better host/mentor for Fashion Star than Macpherson, who admitted, “This is my specialty. There’s no point just having a good product, it’s how you present that to America.”

Of her own entrepreneurial endeavors she recalled, “We’ve been in business for 20 years and we made a difference in the type of design we started creating together, bringing it into markets where lingerie wasn’t particularly prevalent, in the U.K. market particularly. And in the American market when we started doing lingerie it was a very utilitarian-type of just bras and knickers that you need to have, not fashion statements as we’re doing now.”

She explained how they grew the business and the Elle Macpherson brand, saying, “We did it through creative advertising, through creative marketing. We tapped into a market trend before it was really obvious, and so we were able to get great position in department stores.”

And for that reason Elle confessed that she will be able to relate to the contestants that get cast on the series. “This is partly my own journey and it’s just so wonderful to have this project that isolates this part of the business that people don’t really see.”

Check back for more details about the upcoming NBC series Fashion Star.