Season 16 of Project Runway premiered August 17, 2017 on Lifetime. This season designers will design for various sized models (from 2-22 Tim announces in the first episode). The designers will work with a different model on each challenge. They’re also incorporating a model mirror where the models comment about the designs and the designers. Another season featured model “confessions” and I think it didn’t carry over to the next season as its a design show and focus is on the designers not necessarily the models.

The first episode featured a red carpet challenge. Amy stated: “My trunk is packed full of wisdom so I don’t think this is going to be that hard.” Brandon, who designs menswear, said: “I’m out of my element. It’s got me questioning myself and my abilities.”

Deyonte won. ChaCha lost and was eliminated.

Deyonte’s winning design:

ChaCha’s losing design:

On the second episode designers worked in teams on an unconventional materials challenge using recycled materials. Why do they do unconventional and team challenges so early on? During the judging, Claire said: “I’ve never designed for a curvy girl.” Maggie Q whispered to Marie Claire‘s Anne Fulenwider:  “She’s totally normal.” Anne replied: “I think she’s skinnier than I am.”

Ayana won. Sentell lost and was eliminated.

Ayana’s winning design:

Sentell’s losing design:

Here are the designers:

AARON MYERS

Age: 23

Hometown: Sevierville, Tenn.

Resides in: Brooklyn, New York

Education: Columbia College Chicago

Style Icon: Alanna Pearl

AMY BOND

Age: 46

Hometown: Idaho

Resides in: Los Angeles, Calif.

Education: MFA in fashion design

Style Icon: Tilda Swinton

Current: professor at Otis College of Art & Design

AYANA IFE

Age: 27

Hometown: New York, New York

Resides in: Salt Lake City, Utah

Education: Middle Tennessee State University– textiles, merchandising and design

Style Icons: Chriselle Lim, Rihanna

BATANI-KHALFANI

Age: 32

Hometown: East Los Angeles, Calif.

Resides in: Inglewood, Calif.

Style Icons Rihanna, Janelle Monáe

BRANDON KEE

Age: 24

Hometown: Murray, Utah

Resides in: San Francisco, Calif.

Education: Art Institute of San Francisco

Style Icon: Rihanna

CHACHA

Age: 24

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan

Resides in: Chicago, Ill.

Education: Art Institute of Chicago– masters in fashion design

Style Icon: Miley Cyrus

CLAIRE BUITENDORP

Age: 27

Hometown: Grand Ledge, Mich.

Resides in: Grand Ledge, Mich.

Style Icon: Katy Perry

DEYONTE WEATHER

Age: 36

Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

Resides in: Lynwood, Wash.

Style Icon: Beyonce

 

KENYA FREEMAN

Age: 37

Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia

Resides in: Atlanta, Georgia

Style Icon: Tracee Ellis Ross

KENTARO KAMEYAMA

Age: 38

Hometown: Gifu-Ken, Japan

Resides in: Los Angeles, Calif.

 

KUDZANAI KARIDZA

Age: 32

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Resides in: Atlanta, GA

Style Icons: Pharrell, A$AP Rocky, David Beckham

MARGARITA ALVAREZ

Age: 30

Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Resides in: Los Angeles, Calif.

Style Icon: Iris Apfel

MICHAEL BRAMBILA

Age: 25

Hometown: Oakland, Calif.

Resides in: Oakland, Calif.

Style Icons: Tilda Swinton, Panos Yiapanis

SAMANTHA REI

Age: 36

Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.

Resides in: Minneapolis, Minn.

Style Icon: Janelle Monae

 

SENTELL MCDONALD

Age: 33

Hometown: New York, NY

Resides in: Bronx, NY

Style Icons: Tracee Ellis Ross, Corinne Bailey Rae, Solange Knowles

SHAWN BUITENDORP

Age: 27

Hometown: Grand Ledge, Mich.

Resides in: Grand Ledge, Mich.

Style Icon: Gwen Stefani