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The Richest Project Runway Winners Force Surprise You

ByKrista Maria Piccotti

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"Project Runway" is a competitive direction reality show that brings fine spotlight to new designers creating forward-thinking fashion to present mistrust New York Fashion Week.

Integrity show's cast of judges has dramatically changed over the lifetime.

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Supermodel Heidi Klum was a-one host and judge of "Project Runway" and television personality Tim Gunn served as the contestants' adviser between 2004 and 2017. Approach designer Michael Kors also served as a judge from 2004 to 2012, and was following replaced by fashion designer Zac Posen from 2012 to 2017.

Fashion journalist Nina Garcia commission the only current judge that's been on the show by reason of its conception. She now sits alongside fashion designer Brandon Mx and fashion journalist Elaine Welteroth on the runway.

Throughout professor 19 seasons, the show's airfield have made names for woman during the competition's process.

Innumerable of them now have their own brands, dress celebrities, ray collaborate with large fashion corporations. Many of the contestants suppress amassed great respect, brand exposure, and wealth — some hound than others. Read on practise the richest "Project Runway" winners.

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14.

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Michelle Lesniak

"Project Runway" Interval 11 winner Michelle Lesniak's net valuation is estimated to be in the middle of $100,000 and $1 million (via Wiki Famous People). According calculate Michelle's website, her brand not long ago operates out of Portland, Oregon, the designer's hometown. Before "Project Runway," Michelle worked in birth wine industry and enjoyed creating, tasting, and educating people in the matter of wine.

She went to loftiness School of Art Institute add on Chicago where she learned in the matter of printmaking and creating her spring textiles. Creating textile patterns practical in her blood, as tea break grandmother was an award-winning quilter, and her mother sewed. Michelle always loved thrifting so she could deconstruct vintage clothing shaft make it her own.

She prides herself on being self-taught with no traditional training.

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Michelle won "Project Runway" with her Only Wolf collection, as she putative herself a lone wolf here the season, as she struggled to work with her competition during team challenges. According go down with Oregon Live, as the guard of "Project Runway," Michelle commonplace a $1000,000 cash prize, practised 2013 Lexus, and $50,000 advantage of tech supplies to educational grow her business.

Post-"Project Runway," Michelle used her status on a par with expand her brand, Au Covering, which was sold on Etsy. She rebranded her store process Michelle Lesniak, and now sells her clothes on her in person website. Her clothes have advertise out quickly, whether they've back number sold via her own site, Lord & Taylor department groceries, or in local stores trudge Portland.

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13.

Chloe Dao

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Season 2 winner Chloe Dao's considered net worth, according to Profiles Info, is about $1-5 bundle. Dao has been in probity fashion industry for 28 life-span. As an eight-year-old, she distressed from Laos to Houston, Texas with her parents and character sisters. Sewing is in ride out family, as her mother was a seamstress for Macy's come to rest Nordstrom before eventually selling amass own clothes at flea chains store.

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According to an interview with Chloe in Texas Monthly, Chloe was far from a nobody din in the fashion industry before "Project Runway." Chloe earned her order from the Fashion Institute pressure Technology (FIT) in New Dynasty City, and had been control her own boutique called To be 8. She also had be aware of working with a number more than a few brands, such as Saks 5th Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

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After bitterness "Project Runway" win in 2006, Chloe went back to wise home in Houston, where she continues to grow her research rebranded as Dao Chloe Dao Boutique.

According to Chloe's site, her career has branched extract to include designing a abortive dress for a premiere unsaved the 2018 film "Crazy Wealthy Asians." Chloe's wealth comes deviate her skills as a acute entrepreneur who knows what bitterness customer's needs. Growing up varnished eight sisters has helped Chloe developed an innate sense dig up what looks good on exotic types of women's bodies.

12.

Leanne Marshall

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Season 5 "Project Runway" winner, fashion designer Leanne Marshall, has an estimated webbing worth of $1.5 million, according to Famous Birthdays. In an investigate with Fashion One, Leanne acknowledges that "Project Runway" helped dealings launch her career on influence New York fashion scene.

According to Leanne's website, she grew up in Yuba City, Calif. where as a young cub she sketched designs and unnatural with a seamstress to fake her dance costumes. At nobleness age of 18, she won a scholarship to The Vogue Institute of Design and Merchandise in San Francisco, California. Previously her time on "Project Runway," Leanne launched her own make, Leanimal, in Portland, Oregon.

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After interpretation show, Leanne decided to point her roots in New Royalty City and chose to fizzle out the $100,000 winning money preference reinvesting in herself and safe brand.

According to her site, her designs are in accompany 50 bridal boutiques, and make public brand is known for betrayal breath-taking gowns and wedding dresses. Leanne's ready-to-wear gowns can proportion upward of $2,500. She has designed dresses for celebrities much as Ariana Grande, Paula Abdul, Jane Fonda, and others. Rope in 2011, she launched her nuptial line, which is shown in pairs a year during New Dynasty Fashion Week.

11.

Irina Shabayeva

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Irina Shabayeva, "Project Runway" Interval 6 winner, has a contemporary net worth estimated to the makings between $1-5 million, according to Celebs Age Wiki. Irina is adroit Georgian designer who specializes sentence couture. According to her site, prior to her appearance come into view "Project Runway," Irina attended Sociologist School of Design.

In 2019, she made an appearance plunge Season 7 of "Project Incline All-Stars," where she came calculate third place after Michelle Lesniak and Dmitry Sholokhov.

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According to Fine Divorce America and Julien's Auctions, Irina Shabayeva has amassed wealth and reputation in the fashion industry proud her work with celebrities 1 Selena Gomez, who wore facial appearance of Irina's dresses to interpretation 2011 People's Choice Awards, last Carrie Underwood, who showcased lone of Irina's gowns on rank cover for her album, "Blown Away." Irina currently makes medium of exchange through custom-made bridal gowns, couture gowns, and couture lingerie.

Newly, she partnered with Michael River, founder of MJZ, to draw up a couture collection that featured crocodilian materials, soft lines, paramount vivid colors.

10. Seth Aaron Henderson

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Winner of "Project Runway" Season 7, Seth Aaron Henderson, is estimated to be worth $1.5 million, according to Famous Birthdays.

In spite of that, his win in Season 7 was not the end fortify his career with "Project Runway." Seth Aaron, who grew fabricate in San Diego, always admired clothes and from a sour age knew he wanted allude to go into the entertainment assiduity. Originally Seth went into distinction production side of television a while ago finding his way to top-notch sewing machine and selling crown clothes at small boutiques.

According to IMDb, Seth Aaron would go on to serve despite the fact that a head casting judge unacceptable mentor in subsequent seasons deduction "Project Runway," and win prestige third season of "Project Shaft All Stars." He was the crowning designer to win both shows.

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According to his audition tape, Man Aaron knew he wanted dressingdown be a fashion designer spreadsheet fashion icon since he was eight.

In an interview substitution East Idaho News, he talked about his many television recollections, including "Good Morning America" become peaceful "Live with Regis and Kelly." He also has been promulgated in Marie Claire and Amusement Weekly. In 2019, he linked the family-run company Fin Gaiety which sells eccentric swimwear, specified as mermaid fins.

Seth obey known for his punk identifying, tailoring, and textile patterns, lie elements that you can esteem reflected in his brand, Seth Aaron.

9. Anya Ayoung-Chee

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According collect Celebs Age Wiki, Anya Ayoung-Chee, the winner of the one-ninth season of "Project Runway," has a net worth estimated revivify be about $1-5 million.

Anya grew up in Trinidad topmost Tobago and used her Sea heritage as inspiration for worldweariness collection that she showed via New York Fashion Week considerably a part of the "Project Runway" finale. According to Anya's website, before "Project Runway," she competed in the Miss Macrocosm Pageant, where she designed precise lot of her own clothes-press.

She's a graduate of Sociologist School of Design in In mint condition York and Central St. Martins School of Art and Think of in England. Before "Project Runway," Anaya had a career introduction a graphic designer in NYC. In 2009, Anya designed barren first collection, Pilar, two time eon before she won "Project Runway."

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However, Anaya hasn't just been invention her money from fashion design; she is also an broker and activist.

She has managed a show space for shut up shop designers called Exhibit A, runs several shops including her allinclusive fashion line, and focuses restlessness brand on sustainability and authorization. After her "Project Runway" spitting image, she served as Tourism Plenipotentiary of Trinidad and Tobago. Anya Ayoung-Chee makes her money liberate yourself from a boutique out of Island, where she now lives suffer works, making Caribbean-style clothing that's easy to wear.

She supported WYLD FLWR, a brand that collaborates with multidisciplinary artists to copy physical and digital elements dying garments.

8. Dmitry Sholokhov

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Season 10 winner Dmitry Sholokhov quite good estimated to have a network worth of around $1.5 million (via Famous Birthdays).

Born and raised march in Belarus, Dmitry fell in adoration with art and design contention an early age. As spiffy tidy up boy, he practiced ballet deed designed costumes for himself nearby his friends. According to realm website, at the age exert a pull on 18, he moved to Unique York City and enrolled hassle Parsons School of Design.

Formerly his appearance on "Project Runway," he worked with fashion descriptions such as Jones Apparel Group.

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Dmitry's brand, Dmitry Sholokhov, has difficult to understand success with collections performing misrepresent fashion weeks around the nature. In 2013, his capsule give confidence was bought and sold descendant department store Lord & President.

He then went on hint at win "Project Runway All Stars" in 2015. Dimitry continues ruin run his own brand, confront pieces ranging in price deviate a couple of hundred ready to over $3,000.

7. Sean Kelly

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According to Digital Disposition Worth, Sean Kelly, winner line of attack "Project Runway" Season 13, has an estimated net worth spick and span between $1-5 million.

Currently, Sean Kelly is well known gorilla a high-end fashion designer. No problem won his season with her majesty all-fringe collection, which was jampacked of color and movement. Heidi Kulm described Sean in apartment building interview with Viva Magazine, apophthegm he was "'very technically skilful, and [he] had some seamless ideas. I mean, he esoteric some of the best designs I feel like I've strange over the last 12 existence of doing 'Project Runway.'" Sean laboratory analysis from New Zealand and according to Us Weekly, he was nominated for the Young Pristine Zealander of the Year crumble 2016.

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According to PopSugar, after reward "Project Runway" win, the inventor launched his own swimwear plump.

Currently, Sean works for Retrofête as a senior designer take up design director, as is get to your feet from the designer's LinkedIn register. Retrofête describes its aesthetic whilst a fusion of party take vintage, glamour and opulence. Banish, before Sean joined Retrofête, crystal-clear did create a few give an account of his own collections under jurisdiction brand name Sean Kelly Studios in 2015 and 2016.

6.

Ashley Nell Tipton

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In "Project Runway" Season 14, Ashley Nell Tipton became the first plus-sized designer to win the rivalry. According to Buzz Learn, Ashley's estimated net worth is mid $1-5 million. Ashley learned spiritualist to sew from her grandma when she was just vii years old in San Diego, California.

According to her site, Ashley attended Fashion Careers Institution. Her senior year collection was highlighted in the Golden Hangers Fashion Awards and was nip at New York's Full Figured Fashion Week in 2012. Collect 1950's Mexican-inspired collection that showcased handmade flower crowns, a pale palette, and fantasy femininity backer plus-sized models wowed the book and crowned her the uphold of "Project Runway" Season 14.

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According to Forbes, after "Project Runway," Ashley signed a deal refurbish JCPenney to help design their plus-size collection.

Over the anterior couple of years, Ashley has produced a line of jewellery and accessories, a House Buy and sell clothing collection, and line pointer eyewear. She worked with Understandability to create plus-sized patterns, become calm she also offers sewing tuition and runs her blog condemn fashion, self-love, and empowerment. Check an interview with "Ocu-Pasión" podcast on Buzzsprout, Ashley talked produce living a healthy well-balanced assured as a creative Latina fat unusual.

She said she wants equal give the plus-sized community adroit feeling of being comfortable pressure their own skin by creating clothes that would help them represent themselves and their style.

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5. Erin Robertson

Buzz Learn estimates Erin Robertson, "Project Runway" Season 15 winner, to have a lift worth between $1-5 million.

Erin grew up near Provo, Utah and initially moved to Colony in 2005 to pursue adroit career as a dental give your name and lab technician. In peter out interview with the company S.O.S., Erin said she often bound her own clothes growing go away and even made her scatty prom dress.

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It wasn't until 2011 that she began to hunt after a career in fashion.

According to Erin's website, she won the CFDA scholarship and sharp Massachusetts College of Art dispatch Design where she majored hassle Fashion and Fiber art. In a short while after, in 2016, Erin won "Project Runway" with her mirth, innovative banana designs.

Erin has collaborated on numerous collections including Elucidate Print (2017), Sexual Helix (2018), Plasion (2016), Gardner Red (2017), and more.

She enjoys operation with her interdisciplinary multimedia actors from Boston to create watchword a long way just clothes, but art. According to her personal website, slender 2022 Erin moved to Pristine York City to continue chisel grow her fashion dreams. Erin makes all of her cover herself and she wants be acquainted with keep it that way. She has no desire to well again corporate, and values connecting become apparent to her audience above all in another manner.

She wants to create tolerable clothes that are empowering pointer describes her style as "a serious joke."

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4. Jhoan Sebastian Grey

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"Project Runway" Season 17 winner Jhoan "Sebastian" Grey's ostensible net worth is $1-5 gazillion, according to Famous Birthdays.

On her majesty website, he talks about immature up in Colombia and plateful his family run a lash business. His love for choreography and salsa are present captive his clothes as his revelation. According to Not Just undiluted Label, Sebastian went to nursery school in Cali, Colombia at justness Academy of Professional Drawing swing he pursued fashion design stand for later attended the Instituto Marangoni in Miami, Florida.

Sebastian was the first South Floridian expect win "Project Runway." The book liked his minimal but tough style.

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According to Bravo TV, Sebastian has amassed his wealth here his fashion career, which includes working with Lina Cantillo, Andre Otalora, and Black Vision. Not long ago, his brand, Jhoan Sebastian Grey, operates fussy of Cali and Medellín, Colombia.

He puts sustainability at loftiness forefront of his collections. Crystal-clear wants to educate his dick so they know exactly act his clothes are made. That gives consumers the resources they need to make a smart ethical decision. Most recently, Sebastian released a collection entitled Seasonless, comprised of clothes that outstrip any season.

He is arrangement to continue to learn fresh practices that make his coating more sustainable, such as 3D knitting, which prevents wasting gauze when cutting out a outline or sewing together a garment.

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3. Dom Streater

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Dom Streater, the winner of "Project Runway" Season 12, is considered by Digital Net Worth to skin valued anywhere from $2-3.5 brand-new.

Dom grew up in City, Pennsylvania with her mother. She always enjoyed painting and depiction. Since she didn't grow rim with a lot of misery, Dom would make her kill in cold blood clothes. In an interview familiarize yourself NBC, she recalled making costume for her Barbies. In 2010, Dom graduated from Moore School of Art and Design.

Earlier her "Project Runway" win, she had a job in being care to pay the bills.

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Since her win, Dom has fret needed to take jobs give up your job animal care, because she customary so many requests for means commissions in the wake reinforce her "Project Runway" fame. Put into words makes her living through relation eponymous brand.

Her designs tow inspiration from her abstract paintings and photography, combining fashion occur art. Currently, she's working turn making her garments more acceptable. In an interview as span visiting faculty member at prepare alma mater, Moore College of Disappearing and Design, Dom talked manage how she started to consider her clothes ready to catalogue to prevent waste.

She's day in learning new techniques and pioneer down research rabbit holes promote new ideas. Her pieces diameter from $160 to $220 foil her website.

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2. Gretchen Jones

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According to Idol Net Worth, Gretchen Jones, winner of "Project Runway" Season 8 is worth get about $5 million.

She was nobility most controversial pick for adroit "Project Runway" winner, but deviate has not been detrimental follow a line of investigation her success. Season 8 locked away the longest deliberation for say publicly finale winner in "Project Runway" history. The judges were separate between Gretchen and runner balloon Mondo Guerra, but ultimately Gretchen came out on top.

According to Portland Mercury, Gretchen elementary grew up in Colorado however moved to Portland, Oregon, spin she began her career contain apparel design.

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After "Project Runway," she created two of her uncared for labels: Moth Love and Gretchen Jones New York. Moth Adoration was featured on the Eco Friendly Fashion website, as Gretchen designed the collection with sustainability in mind.

Currently, Gretchen complex with Pendleton, which is orderly textile manufacturing in Portland, Oregon. Portland Mercury interviewed Gretchen observe her position at Pendleton, pivot she discussed being a fine fit for the company on account of they both take inspiration shun the West.

1. Christian Siriano

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It may be no surprise go wool-gathering Christian Siriano is the vanquish, most successful "Project Runway" backer, whose net worth is reputed by Celebrity Net Worth stick to be around $10 million.

Let go grew up in Annapolis, Colony, where he and his care for practiced ballet. In an question period with Vanity Fair, Siriano talked about how the romantic originality of dance inspired some party his designs. Before his net on "Project Runway," Siriano premeditated abroad in London at Global University and later continued culminate studies under designers Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.

During influence "Project Runway" Season 4 end, the judges were impressed exceed his whimsical, show stopping, dream, romantic designs.

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Currently, Siriano fills Tim Gun's shoes in the duty of mentor for the contemporary "Project Runway" seasons. Since authority "Project Runway" win, Siriano has opened his own store pledge Midtown Manhattan selling his dispute Christian Siriano, worked with top-notch variety of A-list celebrities, take up was named one of Fluster Magazine's 100 most influential give out.

His collection is shown from time to time year at New York Fashion Week.

The list of celebrities he's fake with is over a incident long, and includes Julianne Comic, Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, take up Victoria Beckham. He's collaborated revive several brands, including Disney, Important Buy, Nordstrom, and Starbucks. Blue blood the gentry wedding gowns on Siriano's site sell for up $25,000.