The final winner of season 19, Shantell has been crowned, making her the 10th female to win. But what happened to all the others in an industry that thinks all women are models and everyone else are men?
By Yvette E
We love that over half the winners of project runway have been women in an industry in which only 20% of women are designers. This phenomonon proves that their must be predjudice in the industry that woman face between the classroom and forging a career in fashion.
In fact, it made me think about where the other 9 had done with thier wins and how the CFDA had guided thier careers (if at all). So, this is part 2, following the winners of season 8, 9, and 11.
Gretchen Jones – Season 8
Orginally, Gretchen Jones moved to Brooklyn to launch Gretchen Jones NY. However, she soon choice to be a voice for other talents and launched a business consulting firm called Weird Speciality. She modeled some clothes for Doen back in 2015 and the blog for the brand outlined her role as an activist for female rights.
Her firm also provides forecasting services and her clients include Converse, Brand Assembly and Create + Cultivate among others.
Anya Ayoung-Chee, season 9
Our trindad winner that was Ms. Trinadad and Tobago universe (2008) before she went on to win Project Runway in 2002.
Anya was on track to be a NY based designer until the death of her brother, Pilar, made her decide to return home in 2009 and launch a collection in his name, followed by lingerie in 2010.
She has followed the path of activism and launched Together WI (WI meaning West Indies) which is a group of creatives initiating change in society, one poster, tshirt, video, photo, song, conversation at a time. The focus of the group is social change and sustainablity.
Anya has since hosted several Caribbean television and web-based events and live shows, including movie premieres, fashion shows, and her own fashion program “Make It Yours.”
She launched a limited edition collection during the pandemic that includes face masks.
Michelle Lesniak – season 11
Winner of Runway Allstars Season 12 as well, we expected alot from Michelle Lesniak Franklin.
In 2016, she opened her design studio to teach fashion 101 classes such as “The art of the skirt”.
She acted in the film “This Ends Badly” in 2017, then went on to win 2019 Project Runway Allstars (its final season).
She debuted her collection the same year [she won Allstars] at FashionNXT in Portland (her home town).
A website puts her net worth at $13 Million dollars however her website has expired.
It seems so far, that few of its female winners had stuck with strikely designing and have embrace comradery and social change.
Sign up to learn about the final 3 female winners.
Happy Monday,
TFG💋
