Season 1

**Top Designer Season 1** was the first season of Top Designer.

The season featured 12 designers from all over USA.

The winner, Zac MacCrum, of the first season received the winning prize of $100,000, a mentorship with Banana Republic to aid in developing his own fashion line, and a feature and a six page fashion spread in the *Elle* Magazine.

The judges for the first season were model and host, Karolina Kurkova, fashion designer, Marc Jacobs, and editor in chief of *Elle* Magazine USA, Anne Slowey.

## Contestants

The 12 fashion designers competing in the first season were:

(ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in the winter of 2006.)

## Episodes

### Episode 1: Welcome to the Runway

*Original airdate:* March 15, 2007

Designers created a sexy outfit for a night out on the town representing who they are as designers.
The designers had a budget of $70 and one day to complete the challenge. The winner received immunity and could not be eliminated for the next challenge.

* **Guest Judge:** Patricia Field.

WINNER: **Valerie**
ELIMINATED: **Boris**
### Episode 2: Be Jealous of My Style

*Original airdate:* March 22, 2007

Designers used plain white cotton jersey to build a garment that conveys "envy." They had a budget of $50 USD and one day to complete the design.

* **Guest Judges:** Constance White & Paul Berman

WINNER: **Irena**
ELIMINATED: **Alisha**
### Episode 3: Commercial Appeal

*Original airdate:* March 29, 2007

Designers created a holiday dress to fit with Banana Republic's current line. They had to pick their fabrics at the studios and had two days to complete their designs.

* **Guest Judge:** Deborah Lloyd

WINNER: **Zac**
ELIMINATED: **Andrei**
### Episode 4: Collaboration

*Original airdate:* April 5, 2007

The designers created a new look for rising rock star Sarah Hudson. A team event with three teams, each with a lead designer and two assistants. Each team had $150 USD and one day to complete the design.

 2
 3

* **Guest Judge:** Sarah Hudson

WINNER: **Irena**
ELIMINATED: **Ken**
### Episode 5: "Model" Clients

*Original airdate:* April 12, 2007

Working with their chosen models, the designers created a wedding dress for that model. The designers had a budget of $300 USD and two days to complete the design.

* **Guest Judges:** Amsale Aberra

WINNER: **Sara**
ELIMINATED: **Totty**
### Episode 6: Making A Splash

*Original airdate:* April 19, 2007

Designers made swimsuits, then attended an evening party with their swimsuit-clad models. The designers had a budget of $75 USD and five hours to complete their garments. The winner was the designer who received a mention from New York Post reporter Richard Johnson on "Page Six," the newspaper's gossip column.

* **Guest Judges:** Constance White & *New York Post* reporter Richard Johnson

WINNER: **Randel**
ELIMINATED: **Sidney**
### Episode 7: Design A Collection

*Original airdate:* April 26, 2007

Designers created a collection for the year 2055 as one team. Randel was the team leader for this challenge. Each designer had a budget of $50 USD and one day to complete the collection.

 Zac
 Matt
 Sara
 Irena
 Valerie

* **Guest Judge:** Betsey Johnson

WINNER: **Valerie**
ELIMINATED: **Sara**
### Episode 8: You've Got Mail

*Original airdate:* May 3, 2007

Designers redesigned the uniform worn by United States Postal Service workers. The designers had a budget of $100 USD and one day to complete the design.

* **Guest Judge:** United States Postal Service worker Becky Negich.

WINNER: **Zac**
ELIMINATED: **Randel**
### Episode 9: The Red Carpet

*Original airdate:* May 10, 2007

Designers created a dress for Access Hollywood reporter Nancy O'Dell to wear to the Grammys. The designers had $300 USD and two days to complete the design.

* **Guest Judge:** Nancy O'Dell

WINNER: **Valerie**
ELIMINATED: **Matt**
### Episode 10: Reunion

*Original airdate:* May 17, 2007

All of the participating designers gathered for a reunion hosted by Tim Gunn and Karolina Kurkova on the eve of New York Olympus Fashion Week at which the final three designers displayed their collections.

### Episode 11: Finale

*Original airdate:* May 24, 2007

The final three designers—Irena, Valerie and Zac, were visited by Tim Gunn at their homes to show the progress of their collections. Each designer created a twelve piece collection for a showing at New York Olympus Fashion Week.

* **Guest Judge:** Parker Posey

WINNER: **Zac**
ELIMINATED: **Irena** (1st Runner-Up), **Valerie** (2nd Runner-Up)