Project Runway Season 16 is the sixteenth season of the television show Project Runway, appearing on Lifetime. The season began on Thursday, August 17, 2017. There are 16 designers competing to become "the next great American designer." Supermodel Heidi Klum, Marie Claire creative director Nina Garcia, and fashion designer Zac Posen are all returning as judges this season. Tim Gunn maintains his role as the workroom mentor. This was the last season to air on Lifetime and the last to feature Klum, Gunn, and Posen.
Season 16 was the first time the show emphasized diversity and inclusivity in the size of its models, who ranged from sizes 0 to 22.
Contestants + Vincent "ChaCha" Yu 24 Taipei, TaiwanEpisode 116th place Sentell McDonald 33 New York City, NYEpisode 215th place Kudzanai Karidza 32 Atlanta, GAEpisode 314th place Deyonte Weather 36 Lynnwood, WAEpisode 413th place Aaron Myers 23 Brooklyn, NYEpisode 512th place Samantha Rei 36 Minneapolis, MNEpisode 611th place Shawn Buitendorp 27 Grand Ledge, MIEpisode 710th place Claire Buitendorp 27 Grand Ledge, MIEpisode 8 Batani Khalfani 32 Inglewood, CAEpisode 97th place Amy Bond 46 Los Angeles, CA Michael Brambila 25 Oakland, CAEpisode 106th place Kenya Freeman 37 Atlanta, GA Episode 135th place Margarita Alvarez 30 San Juan, Puerto RicoEpisode 144th place Brandon Kee 24 San Francisco, CA3rd place Ayana Ife 27 Salt Lake City, UT Kentaro Kameyama 38 Los Angeles, CA
Batani was originally eliminated after Shawn, but returned to the competition following Claire's disqualification.
Designer progress Designers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Kentaro IN IN LOW HIGHIN WIN HIGH HIGH IN LOW LOWADVADV Ayana IN WININININ INININ HIGH WIN HIGHADVADVBrandon HIGH HIGH WININ WININ HIGH IN HIGH HIGH WINADVADVMargarita ININ HIGH ININ LOW WIN LOW HIGH HIGH SAFEADVADVKenya HIGH HIGH IN LOW HIGH HIGH LOW HIGHIN HIGH HIGHADVOUTMichael INININ WIN HIGHIN IN LOW WINOUTAmy IN LOW INININ IN LOWIN OUTBatani LOW HIGH HIGH IN IN IN HIGHOUTOUTClaire IN LOW IN IN LOW LOW LOWDQShawn LOW LOW IN HIGHIN HIGH WD Samantha IN LOWININ LOWOUTAaron IN HIGHIN LOW OUTDeyonte WININ LOW OUTKudzanai IN INOUTSentell INOUT ChaCha OUT
: Claire and Shawn were the losing team, but the judges were unable to decide whom to eliminate, so they were tasked with creating a look in one hour to decide who is eliminated. Shawn forfeited the challenge to Claire and was eliminated. : Claire won the challenge but was caught breaking the rules and was disqualified. The losing designer, Batani, was spared elimination. Due to Claire's disqualification, there was no winning designer. Though Brandon’s print will be available on coffee cups. : Samantha was given positive critique despite being in a losing team.
The designer won Project Runway Season 16. The designer advanced to Fashion Week. The designer won the challenge. The designer came in second but did not win the challenge. The designer had one of the highest scores for that challenge, but did not win. The designer had one of the lowest scores for that challenge, but was not eliminated. The designer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated. The designer lost and was eliminated from the competition. The designer lost, but was brought back to the competition by Tim Gunn. The designer was disqualified from the competition. The designer withdrew from the competition.
Model progress Model Progress Table Model 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Sanita MB SM AM AB BT KF CB – BK KF MA AI KT KT Meisha AB AI BT BK KT KT MA – MB AI BK KT AI AI (2ND) Liris BK CB DW KT MB MB SB – AI KT KF MA BK BK (3RD) JazzmineBT BK CB DW MA SR MB – AB BK KT KF MA MA (4TH) Christina SB AM AB AI BK MA BK – KF MB AI BK KF Janine KF MA MB SB AI SB KT – KT MA OUT Sian AM AB AI BT CB CB KF – MA OUT MoniqueDW KF KD MB AM BT AI – BT OUT Colleen CB KT KF MA SB BK AB – OUT Lena KT KD MA SR AB AI BT – OUT Marsha AI BT BK CB KF AB OUT YordanosCC DW KT KF SR OUT Samantha MA SR SB AMOUT Liz KD MB SR OUT Kylie SM SB OUT Katie SR OUT
: In episode 8, the designers had other clients as their models.
The model was paired with the winning designer of Project Runway Season 16. The model wore the design that advanced the designer to fashion week. The model wore the winning design. The model wore the design with the second-highest score. The model wore the design with one of the highest scores but did not win. The model wore the design with one of the lowest scores. The model wore the design that landed in the bottom 2. The model wore the losing design. The model was eliminated.
Model assignments
Designer Legend Aaron Myers: AM Amy Bond: AB Ayana Ife: AI Batani-Khalfani: BT Brandon Kee: BK ChaCha: CC Claire Buitendorp: CB Deyonté Weather: DW Kentaro Kameyama: KT Kenya Freeman: KF Kudzanai Karidza: KD Margarita Alvarez: MA Michael Brambila: MB Samantha Rei: SR Sentell McDonald: SM Shawn Buitendorp: SB
Episodes Sources:
Episode 0: Road to the Runway Original airdate: August 10, 2017 (présentation des candidats)
Episode 1: One Size Does Not Fit All Original airdate: August 17, 2017
The designers enter Season 16 in style as they must create a red carpet look that demonstrates their fashion point of view. But the real surprise comes when the designers learn they will be working with models of all sizes!
Challenge: Create a red carpet look with your own signature style. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Olivia Munn WINNER: Deyonté ELIMINATED: ChaCha
Episode 2: An Unconventional Recycling Original airdate: August 24, 2017
In their first team challenge, the designers struggle to make their voices heard. However, this is an unconventional materials challenge and many of them stumble when forced to create a fashion forward look out of recyclable materials.
Team NameTeam MembersBallin' on a BudgetBatani, Aaron, Kenya, Brandon, AyanaWabi-SabiMargarita, Kentaro, Deyonté, Kudzanai, MichaelTsunamiSentell, Samantha, Amy, Shawn, Claire
Challenge: Create a high fashion mini collection from recycled materials. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Maggie Q & Anne Fulenwider WINNER: Ayana ELIMINATED: Sentell
Episode 3: A Leap of Innovation! Original airdate: August 31, 2017
The designers are treated to a private screening of the film Leap! as well as a performance by Hiplet and must draw inspiration for an innovative and edgy design in order to survive another week.
Challenge: Create a look inspired by dance, movement and innovation. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Maddie Ziegler WINNER: Brandon ELIMINATED: Kudzanai
Episode 4: We're Sleeping Wear? Original airdate: September 7, 2017
It’s the Heidi Klum Sleepwear Challenge and the designers are feeling on top of the world, literally. If a slumber party on the roof of the Empire State Building doesn’t bring them the inspiration they need to impress Heidi, nothing will!
Challenge: Create a sleepwear look for Heidi Klum Intimates. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Demi Lovato WINNER: Michael ELIMINATED: Deyonté
Episode 5: Descending into Good and Evil Original airdate: September 14, 2017
Drawing inspiration from the hit film Descendants 2, the designers visit Lyndhurst Castle and are tasked with creating a look that represents “Good” or “Evil.” Most of the results are angelic, but as always, the devil is in the details. InspirationAssigned DesignersGoodAmy, Brandon, Kentaro, Aaron, Ayana, Claire EvilMichael, Kenya, Samantha, Shawn, Margarita, Batani Challenge: Create an evening wear look inspired by good or evil. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Dove Cameron & China Anne McClain WINNER: Brandon ELIMINATED: Aaron
Episode 6: Models Off Duty Original airdate: September 21, 2017
The models become much more than runway eye candy as they serve for inspiration to the designers to create a street style look, to be featured in a photo shoot. But ceding creative control to the models proves to be a difficult chore for some designers.
Challenge: Create a streetwear look for models on their day off. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Georgina Chapman & Kelsea Ballerini WINNER: Kentaro ELIMINATED: Samantha
Episode 7: The Ultimate Faceoff Original airdate: September 28, 2017
It’s the JC Penney Challenge and the designers must use men’s fabrics and designs to create a fashion forward look for their female models. Not only that, they must work in teams to do it, leading to a runway elimination that no one saw coming! TeamsKentaro & BrandonAmy & KenyaClaire & ShawnMargarita & BataniMichael & Ayana
Challenge: Create a stylish fall outfit inspired by menswear. Guest Judge: Asia Kate Dillon WINNER: Margarita ELIMINATED: Shawn In a twist, after Claire and Shawn are declared the losing team, they are given one hour to create all-new looks, in competition against each other. Shawn forfeited the challenge and was eliminated.
Episode 8: Client on the Go Original airdate: October 5, 2017
The designers are tasked with creating an on-the-go look for friends and family of the Project Runway crew, but the good spirited challenge takes an ugly turn when accusations of cheating cloud the results of a contentious runway.
Challenge: Create a print and head-to-toe look. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Sophia Stallone & Yolanda Hadid DISQUALIFIED: Claire Claire was disqualified for breaking the rules and her win was rescinded. Although Brandon's print was announced to be put into print for Dixie cups, there was no replacement winner for the challenge and Batani was spared elimination.
Episode 9: A "Little" Avant Garde Original airdate: October 12, 2017
The dramatic fallout from the cheating scandal rocks the designers and leaves everyone wondering how they’ll move forward in the competition. But the show must go on and the designers rally to create an Avant Garde look inspired by Shopkins characters.
Challenge: Create an avant garde look inspired by Shopkins Shoppies. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Kate Upton WINNER: Michael ELIMINATED: Batani & Amy
Episode 10: Driving Miss Unconventional Original airdate: October 19, 2017
It’s the Lexus Challenge, but this one is Unconventional and nobody is safe! The designers must use safety materials to create a look that wows the judges as Fashion Week is right around the corner.
Challenge: Create a runway look using unconventional materials. Guest Judge: Carly Chaikin WINNER: Ayana ELIMINATED: Michael
Episode 11: Warrior Fashion Original airdate: October 26, 2017
It’s an emotional Runway as the designers create looks inspired by “Warrior Women” — women who have battled breast cancer.
Challenge: Create an editorial look inspired by Warrior Women. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Rachel Brosnahan WINNER: Brandon SAVED: Margarita
Episode 12: There's Snow Business like Sew Business Original airdate: November 2, 2017
The runway is converted into a Winter Wonderland as the designers are tasked with creating a winter-themed look that will decide who goes to NY Fashion Week and who gets left out in the cold.
Challenge: Create a high fashion winter look. Judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen Guest Judge: Katie Holmes ADVANCED TO FASHION WEEK: Kentaro, Brandon, Ayana, Margarita, & Kenya ELIMINATED: None
Episode 13: Finale Part 1 Original airdate: November 9, 2017
After heading home to work on their Fashion Week collections, the five finalists are visited by Tim who is not impressed with everything they have created so far. The designers return to New York and present the judges with 2 pieces from their collection. With only four designers remaining for the second part of the finale, everything is on the line.
Challenge: Present two pieces from your final collection.