Tim Gunn and me

I had the loveliest chat not long ago with Tim Gunn, the heart and soul of "Project Runway." If you didn't see it originally, you can read it here.

Gunn occupies the role on "Project Runway" that the Queen of England holds constitutionally in her realm: to advise, to warn, to be consulted. It's a wonderful role, and an influential one, which is why I was all the more delighted with this part of my exchange with Gunn:

Do we have you to thank for the fact that there is no fur in the challenges?

Yes, thank you! I was called a fool when I was chair of fashion at Parsons and I invited PETA to speak to students. The industry went crazy. I said: "Wait a minute. The International Fur Trade Commission is coming here. I have a responsibility to bring another point of view, let the students decide." I would say if you're going to use fur, you have a responsibility to know its origins. At Liz Claiborne, every brand is now fur-free. A woman assaulted me verbally for my fur position. She said one of [her] favorite items is a mink coat, and that furthermore, it's sheared mink, so people wouldn't even know it's fur. I said: "Then you have even less of an excuse. Sheared fur looks like velvet. You could wear a velvet coat." I'm also not a great fan of faux fur that looks real -- I'd much rather have it look fake.

Q&A: 'Project Runway's' Christian Siriano talks Starbucks, Payless, more parts of his fashion empire

What's pocket size, full of energy and can be everywhere at once? These days, both fashion designer Christian Siriano and his new Starbucks holiday gift cards fit the bill. As if the mini-mogul doesn't have enough on his plate with projects such as a Saks clothing line, a more affordable capsule collection for his own website, www.christianvsiriano.com, a maternity line for Moody Mamas, his Payless shoes and a new book on fashion tips ("Fierce Style: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self"), he also has a thirst to get his name in the restaurant industry.

Siriano is the first designer outside the company to create a Starbucks holiday gift card (which hits stores Nov. 17). And just like its soon-to-be-24-year-old designer, the shiny silver card is compact and ready to go at a moment's notice, as it can be attached to a key chain for on-the-go swiping. In honor of the collaboration, Starbucks has made a $50,000 donation to the Art of Elysium, a nonprofit that brings working actors, artists and musicians together with children who are battling serious medical conditions. For his part, Siriano is working with budding fashionistas in the program to design their dream dress.

Despite his hectic schedule (he's also busy with his coinciding "dark, edgy" Fall 2010 ready-to-wear runway and his "really, really fabulous, you're-gonna-die-over-it" Payless collections), Siriano found the time to chat with All the Rage about the Starbucks partnership and his other endeavors.

Fashion Group International hosts a soiree for L.A. designers in time for Fashion Week

A clutch of L.A. designers and fashion industry professionals crowded onto the rooftop bar at the downtown Standard hotel Monday night for "Meet the Designers," a cordial cocktail party hosted by Fashion Group International's Los Angeles chapter.

The event, timed to the start of L.A. Fashion Week, was very "Model as Muse" in concept -- designers were meant to turn up with their creative muses, decked out in an original design. And while there were a few gussied-up models floating around, others interpreted the theme more casually.

"This is my daughter, my muse!" said Nony Tochterman, the pink-coiffed designer for Petro Zillia, pointing to her grade school-aged daughter sitting next to her, looking cute as a button in a sequined striped cardigan.

Meanwhile, "Project Runway" alum Rami Kashou went all out -- creating a structural black-and-white checkered dress for his (grown-up) model that was "inspired by Frank Gehry and Disney Hall."

Designer Randolph Duke, looking dapper in a dark suit and tie, said he felt the FGI event was prudent because the L.A. fashion scene "needs some coddling right now -- it's really important to nurture talent."

He added that creating a fashion week in L.A. that would be worthwhile "all comes down to talent. If there are enough good people showing, you'll get the Anna Wintours getting on a plane."

-- Emili Vesilind

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Photo: Rami Kashou, left, with a model in one of his designs. Credit: Emili Vesilind / For The Times

'Project Runway' to become a Wii video game

"Project Runway" fans will soon be able to "make it work" themselves -- in the virtual realm. TV's top-rated fashion competition will be fodder for a new Nintendo Wii game, developed by Atari Inc. and slated for release next year, the Associated Press reports.

The game will be modeled after the reality show, with players competing as aspiring fashion designers charged with various sartorial tasks (making gowns out of mangled motherboards?). But wait -- there's more. Gamers will then be able to show off their fashion on a model sashaying down a catwalk, using the ever-unwieldy Wii Balance Board.

The gaming industry has targeted fashion followers for years -- creating all manner of fashion competitions and dress-up-doll games (females are the industry's final frontier, after all). But the "Project Runway" collaboration will by far be the splashiest fashion-themed diversion to hit the racks yet. Though I'm wondering how scintillating virtual sewing can be.
-- Emili Vesilind

Photo: "Project Runway's" Tim Gunn walks with Heidi Klum on the runway during New York Fashion Week in September 2008. Credit: Richard Drew / Associated Press

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Photo: Project Runway's Tim Gunn walks with Heidi Klum on the runway during New York Fashion Week in September 2008. Credit: Richard Drew / Associated Press

Surname Swap: Klum to Seal the deal

On Monday, after four years of marriage and two kids with singer Seal -- and reportedly just one day before checking into the hospital to prepare for number three -- "Project Runway" host and German-born über-model Heidi Klum has apparently filed court papers to kick "Klum" to the curb and settle down with "Samuel," the surname of her husband whose full name is Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel.

But if the newly minted Ms. Samuel hopes to hang out a cyber shingle under her made-over moniker (as she has done at heidiklum.com), she apparently hasn't locked up the equivalent domain name just yet.

Currently, clicking on heidisamuel.com takes you to the website of a very different Heidi Samuel -- this one a 2007 Republican candidate for Columbus, Ohio, City Council (she didn't win).

Contacted by phone this afternoon, that Heidi Samuel said that as someone who has run for public office in the past, she had found the vanity URL helpful, and had no immediate plans to abandon it.

She also told me that no one has yet offered to buy it out from under her. "I'd entertain the idea," she told me, "at the same time I'd find the idea entertaining."

Sounds like the perfect baby gift to me.

-- Adam Tschorn

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Photo: Heidi Klum and Seal at the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre in September. Credit: Jay Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

Help a charity, bid on EBay for a Christian Siriano or Lauren Conrad dress

Let's say you've got a lavish affair coming up, and you're the arm candy. It would be a faux pas to steal the spotlight from the main attraction, so yours must be the right mix: elegant enough to make the coworkers and wanna-bes jealous, yet creative enough to get their attention. It must give a glimpse of deja vu: Where have I seen that dress before? Why didn't my stylist show it to me? Then they'll come to you, their legs shaking as they gain the courage to approach your ravishing beauty, their words barely a whisper from their lips when they utter those four fabled words you've longed to hear: "Who are you wearing?"

'Project Runway' all-star line-up includes Sebelia, Santino, Sweet P

As promised, the eight contestants for "Project Runway: All-Star Challenge" were revealed in the pages of the Aug. 3 issue of Us Weekly, which hit stands this morning.

Those getting a do-over in pursuit of glory (and a $100,000 cash prize) are:

• Santino Rice (Season 2)
• Sweet P (Season 4)
• Mychael Knight (Season 3)
• Korto Momolu (Season 5 runner-up)
• Chris March (Season 4)
• Uli Herzner (Season 3)
• Jeffrey Sebelia (Season 3 winner)
• Daniel Vosovic (Season 2 runner-up)

Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are all slated to return, and the show will air as a two-hour special on Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. PDT on Lifetime -- right before the long-awaited 10 p.m. debut of Season 6.

-- Adam Tschorn 

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Photo: Jeffrey Sebelia Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times

'Project Runway' all-star lineup to be announced in US Weekly

Apparently we won't have to wait much longer to find out which stitch is which -- the contestant lineup for the  long-rumored all-star installment of "Project Runway" will be revealed in the pages of US Weekly magazine scheduled to hit the street Wednesday.

'Project Runway' returns Aug. 20

"Project Runway" fans can now breathe a sigh of relief.  The show’s sixth season has an official air date of Aug. 20 -- that’s just 42 days, 6 hours and 13 minutes (from the time this post went up) away, according to the Countdown to the Premiere Clock on Lifetime's website. 

Project Runway Season 5 winner Leanne Marshall's debut collection hits bluefly.com Wednesday

Leanne Marshall, the soft-spoken winner of Project Runway season 5 will launch her debut collection on bluefly.com next Wednesday. 

Much like her finale presentation in the show, Marshall’s line features delicate, layered ruffles; impossibly long strapless gowns; and an aquatic color palette.

See pictures from Leanne Marshall’s collection here.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Photo: Leanne Marshall and a model during the final of Project Runway Season 5: Getty Images