By Lindsay Strouse

Only one episode in and we’re already knee-deep in wacky personalities, intense amounts of pressure and, of course, some serious fashion. Last night on Project Runway, we said good-bye to the Atlanta-native designer Rafael Cox after he sent an ill-fitting (and just plain strange) top and shorts along with a leopard print bib-like necklace down the runway. Today, Rafael spoke with RealityWanted about his brief time on the show.

Q. Lindsay, RealityWanted: Over the past few seasons, we’ve seen quite a few things that either made our jaws drop in awe or scratch our heads in confusion. What were you most excited about coming into the show, and what were you most afraid of encountering?

A. Rafael: I was most excited coming onto the show because being a designer, you always hear about Project Runway and people asking if you’re going to audition. I was mostly excited to live out the dream and apply and to make it so far on the show. Most people try out 4 or 5 times, but this was my first time trying out, and I was just so excited to be there and continue the legacy of Atlanta designers. I was most nervous because you don’t really know what challenges there are. The nervous part comes when you don’t know what tomorrow has to offer. Who would have thought Tim Gunn would wake us up at 5am and tell us to make something out of our pajamas?

Q. Lindsay, RealityWanted: Last night, it initially it seemed like you were hesitant to utilize your leopard print headscarf because of a bad hair day. Was there something else going on that made you hold back?

A. Rafael: It was a gift given to me from an old friend that had a lot of value to me. It’s almost like a child giving away their first blanky. It is what it is, but it really had a lot of value to me. It was hard to separate myself from it. But I did what I could and I’m happy with what I did with it.

Q. I wish for personality purposes you would have stayed, because you were really funny on the show. If you were there longer, what would you have wanted to design to wow the judges?

A. Rafael: If I had to choose something or a challenge I would have liked, it would have been a real woman challenge. Give me a woman who’s a size 14, 16 or even 22. That’s who I love designing for. If I were really given the opportunity, I would want to make something for the everyday woman and create something that fits any body.

Q. Is that what you tried to do with the first challenge?

A. Rafael: This show is a fashion show, but let’s be honest here.  Every woman wears tights. I don’t think I created a pair of pants that anyone hasn’t seen before. The tights I made were clearly for my model, but I think everyone knows there are restrictions on their body type. In reality, I design for the realistic woman and realistic women wear tights.

Q. Tim was so horrified about Anya. Can she really not sew?

A. Rafael: You know what’s funny? To be honest, I think there are a lot of questions there. I went to school for fashion design and I know what it takes to make clothes, and I would say personally there are a lot of questions in my head. I could see that being a great topic to keep addressing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they prolong that and milk it. Anybody who’s gone to school for fashion knows how much really goes into it. But I don’t know, maybe she’s a super fashionista woman!

Q. Who do you think is the best designer left?

A. Rafael: I felt like everybody has very different perspectives. I would probably say I like Viktor. Me and him really bonded during the show and I think he has a really good eye for fashion.

Q. Did you get to keep the leopard scarf at the end of the challenge since it meant so much to you?

A. Rafael: That was the most bittersweet part. Whatever goes on the model’s back belongs to Project Runway. I not only had to butcher my scarf, but I also had to bury it and kiss it goodbye. I’m sorry, I’m being dramatic. But yeah, I had to say my goodbyes on that challenge.

Tune in next week at 9/8c to watch an all-new episode of Project Runway on Lifetime.

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

Follow Lindsay on Twitter @LindsayStrouse