“Designers, make it work!” Project Runway contestants have been sewing up a storm since 2004 — and some of the winners are still changing the game of the fashion industry to this day.
The long-running reality series challenges up-and-coming designers to create original garments restricted by time, material and theme. From 2004 to 2018, the show was hosted by Heidi Klum with fashion guru Tim Gunn acting as a style savvy mentor for the competitors.
Through its more than 250 episodes, Project Runway has been a champion for diversity and innovation in the fashion industry. Despite facing “stigma” for his unconventional rise to the top of the design world, Christian Siriano credited his time on the series with helping him become a household name.
“I really treated it as, ‘I can show the world what I can do — and maybe bring a new generation of customer to us.’ And I mean, obviously, when I was on that show, I was 21 years old — an actual child!” he told the Washington Post in April 2019. “And now, having a business, 40 employees, a real company, people can see what you start with and what you can turn it into.”
In July 2025, Project Runway kicked off season 21 on Freeform with Klum, Siriano, Nina Garcia and Law Roach serving as judges.
To this day, contestants like season 3 winner Jeffrey Sebelia remain grateful for the show and all its positive effects.
“Winning Project Runway nearly 20 years ago revolutionized my career by providing a powerful platform to showcase my talent on a national stage,” the new design director at Urbane & Gallant told Us in July 2025. “This exposure elevated my visibility within the fashion industry, unlocking opportunities for collaborations, partnerships and business growth.”
Scroll down to take a look back at Project Runway winners through the years.
