‘Project Runway: Season Eleven’ designers head to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

While only two “Project Runway” designers have been eliminated so far on air in real life the competition is almost over and the designers are scrambling to prepare for their final runway shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

The ‘Project Runway: Season Eleven’ finale runway shows are scheduled to begin at 10:00 in the theater on February 8. While many media outlets will be live tweeting and steaming on the various Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week shows what goes on at the ‘Project Runway’ shows will not be reported on until the final episode airs. As in previous years of “Project Runway” many designers from the season will be showing collections in order to act as decoys so the final designers are not revealed early.

As always Nina Garcia and Heidi Klum will be in the front row to judge the looks while Tim Gunn continues his role as mentor backstage. Zac Posen, who is a new judge this season, will also be at the show. Zac Posen will be showing his new collection the next day at the Plaza Hotel.

Early reports have said that Michael Kors, whose place at the judges table was taken by Zac Posen this season, will be the celebrity guest judge at the “Project Runway” finale show. On February 13 Michael Kors’ signature line will be shown on the same runway as the “Project Runway” designers.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the lead event of New York Fashion Week, is one of four major world-wide fashion events. In recent years the show has moved from its traditional home at Bryant Park and is now held at the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts. This is an invitation only show. Tickets cannot be purchased for the shows and only press and fashion industry insiders are given invitations to attend.

The chance to show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is often considered to be one of the unsung prizes of ‘Project Runway’. Few designers ever get the chance to show at this event and the cost of showing there usually stops all but the most established designers from being able to show. It has been estimated that it costs about $750,000 to create a quality fashion show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. $50,000 to $100,000 is spent just on buying a space in the show. The rest is spent on things like hair stylists, models, and the like.

The winner of “Project Runway: Season Eleven” will receive $100,000 to start their own fashion line, an editorial spread in Marie Claire magazine, a 2013 Lexus GS 350, a $50,000 technology suite from HP and Intel, and the chance to sell an exclusive collection at Lord & Taylor. This year fans have the chance to win big from Lord & Taylor as well with the luxury department store giving fans the chance to win a $2,500 gift card to the store.

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