'The Fashion Show' is no 'Project Runway'

TV industry watchers have long known that "The Fashion Show" is Bravo's replacement for "Project Runway."

With Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum and the gang en route to Lifetime, "The Fashion Show" team was left to explain to a room of reporters at NBC's summer press day how their series was not simply a copy cat.

"It's more competitive," host-judge Isaac Mizrahi said. Like "Top Chef," each episode of "The Fashion Show" will consist of both a mini challenge and an elimination one. The latter will be a "big set piece fashion show that takes place in front of an audience."

The winner each week will also have their winning garment manufactured and sold on BravoTV.com.

And, "America votes for the final winner," added host-judge Kelly Rowland.

Anything else?

"It's all taken up a few notches," added IMG senior vice president of fashion Fern Mallis.

To be sure, "The Fashion Show" covers the same ground: Fifteen designers compete to have their designs sold in the retail market and win a $125,000. The real question is if Mizrahi and Rowland can, as Gunn would say, "make it work."

"The Fashion Show" premieres May 7 at 10 p.m. on Bravo.

-- Denise Martin

Photo: NBC