by Gina Scarpa

Fans may be a bit worried about their beloved Project Runway making the jump from Bravo to Lifetime for the upcoming 6th season but then again, they may not notice any difference other than the channel they’ll have to flip to on Thursday nights.  Heidi Klum will return as host, along with judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.  And what’s Project Runway without Tim Gunn on board as mentor to the designers? 

Then again, it may seem that nothing and everything is changing at the same time.   The show has been moved from the backdrop of New York to Los Angeles.  (East Coasters will be happy to know that season 7 will return to NYC.)  On Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last week, Tim Gunn revealed that the winner has already been selected, marking it the first time that the show has not had their final contestants show at New York Fashion Week for their last challenge.  The show will also tell more of the story of the show behind the show – interviews with the models, as well as their journey to win the competition.

The winning designer of Project Runway will receive an editorial feature in Elle magazine, a cash prize of $100,000, and a trip for two to Paris.  The competition for the models will also return this season and the last model standing will receive a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine and a $25,000 cash prize courtesy of L’Oreal.

Things kick off this Thursday night, when Project Runway brings back 16 former contestants together to compete in an all-star challenge.  The winning designer will walk away with a $100,000 prize.  Among those competing are: season 2 contestants Daniel Vosovic and  Santino Rice, season 3 contestants Jeffrey Sebelia, Uli Herzner, and Mychael Knight, season 4 contestants Chris March and Sweet P, and season 5 contestant Korto Momolu.  A-list actress Nicole Kidman will guest judge and the 2 hour special kicks off at 8pm ET.

Following the all star challenge, it’s time for the premiere of Project Runway season 6.  Lindsay Lohan will be on hand as a guest judge.  Here is the list of designers competing for the grand prize this season:

Althea Harper, 20, Dayton, OH
Ari Fish, 26, Kansas City, MO
Carol Hannah Whitfield, 24, Charleston, SC
Christopher Straub, 30, Shakopee, MN
Gordana Gelhausen, 45, Charleston, SC
Irina Shabayeva, 27, New York, NY
Johnny Sakalis, 30, Los Angeles, CA
Logan Neitzel, 26, Seattle, WA
Louise Black, 32, Dallas, TX
Malvin Vien, 24, Brooklyn, NY
Mitchell Hall, 26, Savannah, GA
Nicolas Putvinski, 27, New York, NY
Qristyl Frazier, 42, Brooklyn, NY
Ra’mon-Lawrence Coleman, 31, Chicago, IL
Rodney Epperson, 50, New York, NY
Shirin Askari, 24, Richardson, TX

Project Runway returns Thursday, August 20, with an all-star challenge followed by the premiere of season 6, beginning at 8pm ET on Lifetime.

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

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