by Gina Scarpa

 

Last week, on Project Runway, the designers were paired up and ask two create two different looks relating to beachwear and swimwear.  Mitchell was chosen as one of the team leaders and decided to work with Ra’mon, who ended up taking over much of the project.  Their designs were named in the top three of the evening, but when the judges found out that Mitchell didn’t take enough initiative, they placed him in the bottom group.  When Mitchell was eliminated, it was the first time in the history of the show that a designer from a winning group was eliminated.  Mitchell was traveling for the last week but took time out of his busy schedule today to talk to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about his experiences on the show.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was your background in fashion design, prior to joining Project Runway?
A. Mitchell: I studied at Savannah College of Art and Design where I had a very successful senior show.  I worked for two higher end retail stores in Savannah.  I’ve got that design background where I work with the product.  I work with clothes every day of my life.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Was auditioning for the show something you had been thinking about for some time or is this the first thought you’ve ever had of it?
A. Mitchell: It actually fell in my lap.  The producers called the store that I work for and asked if they knew any aspiring designers in Savannah.  I hadn’t designed or sewn in 3 ½ years.  It wasn’t really on my radar but when it fell in my lap, I had to do it.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you worried at all, going into the show, since you hadn’t designed or sewed for quite some time?
A. Mitchell: I did.  I kind of went in blindly.  I haven’t really watched the show.  I watched the first season for the most part and haven’t really watched seasons 2-5.  I didn’t really know what to expect.  I probably should’ve brushed up on some sewing skills the week before we left for Los Angeles.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was the most difficult aspect of being on Project Runway?
A. Mitchell: The sewing!  That was definitely the hardest part.  Brother provided the sewing machines and they’re amazing.  They almost do it for you.  They’re computerized and after the first challenge, I got into the sewing machines.  I think I got overzealous with my designs.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you feel like you were able to show what you’re capable of doing on the show?
A. Mitchell: I think my aesthetic, however limited it was on the show, came across.  I think that my personality and my love of life came across and that’s what I was worried about - how I was going to be portrayed.  I’m super happy that I came across the way I did.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you think the judges understood your point of view and do you wish that they kept you around a little bit longer?
A. Mitchell: I think I was ready to go home.  Actually, I was definitely ready to go home.  I needed to brush up on my skills before I’m put on the same level as the 15 other designers.  They’re so talented.  It’s their passion, it’s their love.  I may have the raw talent but this is what these people do every day.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Which designer stood out the most to you from the very beginning?
A. Mitchell: The very first episode when Carol Hannah was working on her piece for the red carpet, I was totally intimidated but also impressed.  As a retail buyer, I saw something in her first design that I really think is going to serve her well in the future.  She’s a fantastic designer and sewer.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What are you taking away from this experience?
A. Mitchell: It was definitely a wakeup call for me to experience other sides of fashion.  I don’t really have a lot of exposure to avant garde pieces or conceptual designers.  Working with Malvin and Ari really taught me a lot.  Maybe America isn’t ready for them right now but in the next 5-10 years, it’s their love and talent that will serve them well.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What do you want to do now?  Will you continue to be a buyer or do you want to transition more into designing?
A. Mitchell: It really made me appreciate what I do as a buyer.  It’s funny sitting in the sewing room and watching other designers, saying, “Oh I’d buy that for the store” or “I wouldn’t buy that.”  I do think I have that raw talent and with the right direction, I think that I’ll get far.  I’ve been working with a local seamstress who has some history in the production aspect of fashion design.  I’m trying to put together a small collection, working on pieces for my boss to wear in New York.  It’s amazing what I can do when somebody else is sewing!

Project Runway airs Thursday nights at 10pm ET on Lifetime.

 

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

 

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