August 21, 2009
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Last
night "Project Runway" premiered on its new network
with its highest-ever first-night ratings -- a 3.3 household
rating -- but before the new season got underway, Lifetime
TV aired a one-time-only, two-hour "Project Runway: All
Stars" with some of the top designers from past seasons,
including Santino Rice, Jeffrey Sebelia, Chris March, Sweet
P, Korto Momolu, who finished second, and the champion and
winner of the $100,000 prize: Daniel Vosovic.
The morning after his win, ET spoke with Daniel about how
he will spend his cash, and if Nicole Kidman will be wearing
his winning design on the red carpet for the premiere of her
upcoming movie.
ET: Congratulations. Does this win mean more than it would
have to win your season, since the competition was the best
of the best?
Daniel Vosovic: I will be honest; it felt really good. Like
you said, the bar was raised with this group and this challenge.
I don't know if I would have felt the same if I had won. Looking
back, I am happy I didn't win my season. It really was an
ego check. It was a way for me to take a step back and say,
'You know what, Daniel? You have more learning to do.' Now,
I am here four years later able to stand on my feet and really
be confident as a designer and in whom I am designing for.
It is a good place to be.
ET: So who are you are designing for?
Daniel Vosvoic: There are certainly women out there that
respond to my confident, sexy, urban, edgy designs. Of course,
that is, I would hope, international and ageless, but anyone
who responds to those adjectives will enjoy what I will come
up with next.
ET: The question on everyone's mind: Will Nicole Kidman wear
your dress on the red carpet, or will it be someone else?
Daniel Vosovic: I don't know! They are not telling me yet.
It is so frustrating! Can we here and now start a petition:
Nicole Kidman needs to wear Daniel's dress.com. We need to
start it. I understand that as someone who has an international
presence -- let's be honest, "Project Runway" has
certainly sent a few [ugly] outfits down the runway before
-- I think she was protecting herself. I hope that she sees
the show, she sees the dress and says, "Let's do this."
But I would be happy if someone else wore the dress.
ET: I can totally see her in that dress.
Daniel Vosovic: You better print that because I also can
totally see her in that dress!
ET: The accolades are great, but now you have this cash prize.
How are you going to use the $100,000 prize?
Daniel Vosovic: I don't have it yet. The boring thing is
it will probably go into the company. What is so funny and
serendipitous about this is I have been working four years
to get my own money and my own team, to get this whole company
started on my own. We have a plan, we are showing in February,
blah blah blah, and I get a call from the "Project Runway"
producers. I am sure it will go somewhere in there. The fun
thing is my boyfriend has never had a chance to go to Europe
yet. I lived over there for a while and I would love to be
able to take him to Paris. He is Irish by heritage, so I would
love to spend some time in the UK.
ET: Is he anyone we would know?
Daniel Vosovic: Rob Pattinson ... Rob and I have been dating
for a while, I thought you guys knew. [HE JOKES] No, he is
an actor here in New York and he is adorable.
ET: Do you ever get tired of Santino's antics?
Daniel Vosovic: I do, I think I just have tougher skin than
other people who haven't worked with him before, having gone
through a whole season of it. I work with people I don't like.
I work with people who have attitude and are loud and sometimes
obnoxious, so having to work with a person who loves the camera
and gets off on it is not a problem for me. I can honestly
tell you that I am happy that he did the show. He brings some
entertainment and some craziness to an already crazy, entertaining
experience.
ET: I was surprised to see Jeffrey back. He won his season.
Daniel Vosovic: He did win, but that doesn't mean he can't
go for round two. After taxes, $60,000 isn't a lot of money
in the fashion industry to run and maintain a business. I
think he paid off a lot of debt and then got another loan.
To me, he will always be the winner of season three, and that
is something you can't wipe away.
ET: Your Web site says you have a line coming out in 2010.
Tell me about that.
Daniel Vosovic: The new studio that we have been working
on should be up and running in a month or so, and new employees
in their seats by this fall. We are going to begin working
on February 2010. It is going to be smaller and well edited,
but an exclamation point. I know New York Fashion Week is
moving locations, so I can't say in what capacity I will be
showing, but I am definitely in for Fashion Week.
ET: Not in Bryant Park?
Daniel Vosovic: Bryant Park is no longer. They are moving
it up to Lincoln Center. I don't know if that will be in February
or the season after.
ET: Can you describe your upcoming line a bit more?
Daniel Vosovic: I think that the common thread that runs
through all of the stuff I have done is there is a modern
feel. You can tell, even from four years ago, I love clean
lines and I love that confident, downtown, edgy feel. The
clothes will be an evolution of that. But, it is fashion and
stuff moves so fast, so I haven't started designing yet, and
I am sure I won't for a few months. But it will be representative
of what you saw last night and images from my Web site.
ET: Can you talk about how you got involved in your book
project: Fashion Inside Out: Daniel V's Guide to How Style
Happens from Inspiration to Runway and Beyond.
Daniel Vosovic: I had a blog on Bravo and this editor cold-called
me and said, "You have an amazing writing voice. Have
you ever thought about writing a book?" I said, "I
am 26 years old. What am I going to write a book about?"
I went in and they originally wanted a straight-forward, how-to
guide. I hated that idea. I said, "Let's evolve that
idea." That is how :Fashion Inside Out came about. What
is out there that is not being said? What would I want to
hear as a designer? That is the in-depth process of design:
From the beginning concept of putting it on paper, evolving
onto a mannequin and even further, promotions, shooting, production,
all that stuff. I did over 20 interviews with people like
Nina Garcia and Diane von Furstenberg, but also pattern makers,
seamstresses and casting agents: all these people that are
a big part of the fashion world that people don't know about.
ET: And how did you get Tim Gunn to write the forward?
Daniel Vosovic: Tim is a good friend and continues to be.
When he read the book, he absolutely loved it, especially
as a former educator. He thought this would be a good tool
to have out there.
ET: If you got one wish, what would your dream design job
be?
Daniel Vosovic: Honestly, I am doing it.
ET: Do you ever talk to Chloe Dao -- even though she did
win your season?
Daniel Vosovic: All the time. We talk all the time. She texted
me almost immediately after [the show] aired: "Congratulations.
It was amazing." She is coming to New York for Fashion
Week this season, so I know we will meet up. She is a very
nice supporter.
Season six of "Project Runway" airs Thursday nights
at 10 p.m. on Lifetime TV.