by Gina Scarpa

 

Last night, on Project Runway, the designers were asked to create a signature red dress for Campbell's Dress Your Heart Program.  Besides incorporating they color, they'd also have to use the logo as part of the dress. After the runway show, the judges told Jesus that his dress tried to be too many things and came out cheap and tacky. It was not the first time they had questioned his taste but it would be the last, as they eliminated him from the competition. Today, Jesus spoke to reporters in a press conference call about his experiences on the show, his level of taste, and which former Project Runway designer he's shackin' up with.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What do you think about designers on the show who talk trash about other designers?
A. Jesus: To me, we're living with each other for five weeks. I think we become a family and, in the end, it's a competition. We're not there to make friends. I saw that I was there to make friends but sometimes, it doesn't happen that way. Everybody wants to win and people feel like they have to say something. At the end, it's a reality show and in order for the show to get ratings, people have to be bitches. I'm actually shocked that they showed me so well on the show because I spoke the truth.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Whose work were you a fan of?
A. Jesus: I'm a fan of Maya. I love her creativity. I love her imagination and I can compare with her because she has a dark side about her. I mean, I love her work. I absolutely admire Emilio too. I really got along with him on the show. Amy, too. I think Amy is absolutely fabulous. I think she can create beautiful stuff.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What are you up to now? Anything exciting come up?
A. Jesus: I have plenty of things happening in my life! You can visit my website at houseofestrada.com. There are a lot of magazines who are interested in showcasing my work. I also try to really be involved in the community. I did get invited as a guest celebrity to show in L.A. Fashion Week with Gordana Gehlhausen (season 6). Starting next month, I'll be selling my items in Gordana's boutique. I live with her! She adopted me!

Q. Tim felt that Anna's dress was one of the lowest points in the history of the show and felt that Janeane would be going home.
A. Jesus: I would absolutely shocked. I don't know if it had to do with the fact that I was in the bottom in the beginning of the show. I love that Janeane said that she was worried about me because she didn't have a complete garment. Her dress had a water stain that didn't come off. I think I satisfied Trisha, my client. After watching the show and the other dresses, I was sitting with my family and they were absolutely shocked because I hadn't told them I was eliminated. When I was on the stage, a lot of people, my fans, thought I was going to be in the top 3.

 

Q. What was your reaction when Heidi questioned your taste?
A. Jesus: I came into the competition thinking that I was going to try to do my best. I wanted to play it safe in the beginning and I didn't want to do anything over the top and send an unfinished garment on the runway. She questioned my taste but it was still me. At the end, I think her questioning me... I came back home and I sat down and came up with the idea that I was stuck in pressure. You only get a certain amount of time for your garment. What didn't help me was the fact that, in my state of mind, I wanted to play it safe and do something I knew I was going to be able to finish and send down the runway. Still something good but her questioning my taste but, for me, it was absolutely ridiculous. A lot of people loved my first dress. There's always gonna be people who have positive things to say and always people that have negative things to say.

 

Q. How did you feel when you found out you would be working with real women this week?
A. Jesus: I loved it! In San Diego, my clientele is real women. Women who have busts, women who have hips. I make clothes for my mom and Hispanic women and they have hips, you know? I was confident and I felt like the more confident I was, the more they were gonna put me in the bottom.

 

Q. Tim didn't tell you to change the crystals on your dress, yet, it's the thing that the judges got on you most about. Were you upset that he didn't tell you to change it?
A. Jesus: When I started designing the dress, I wanted to put the crystals into the stripes. It's one of those things where... I actually never really listen to Tim Gunn. I was a fan of Project Runway but every time I saw someone listen to Tim, they ended up going home. I wanted to design what I wanted to design. I didn't want anyone else telling me what to design. I was shocked because Tim had said that the dress was nice. I don't know. It was just one of those things where you never know what to expect. No, I wasn't upset because it's what I wanted to design.

 

Q. Did the experience of being on Project Runway change the way you approach design?
A. Jesus: After the show, I didn't absolutely change my aesthetic but I realized that I need to be me. I'm so thankful for doing the show because I found myself a designer. I felt like I was in this hole that I couldn't get out of. I felt I was stuck with evening gowns. I've always had this dark side of me. I went through the emo phase, the rocker phase. I've been inspired by the rocker, 80s, rock and roll phase. When I came back from the show, I started designing what was more youthful and me.

 

Project Runway airs Thursdays at 10pm ET on Lifetime.

 

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

 

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

 

For more Project Runway links, visit SirLinksALot.net