Project Runway (season 2)

***Project Runway Season 2*** was the second season of Bravo's successful *Project Runway*, a reality competition for fashion designers. Season 2 began airing on December 7, 2005. Following a nationwide search earlier in the year, sixteen designers were chosen as semi-finalists and brought to New York City in June 2005. After the first challenge, called "Road To The Runway", fourteen went on to compete as finalists.

The prize for winning this season was $100,000 to start their own line, a 2007 Saturn Sky roadster, a spread in ELLE magazine, and a mentorship with Banana Republic Design Team. The model paired with the winning designer would receive a spread in ELLE magazine.

The winner of this season was 28-year-old Melanie McMillan of Brownsville, Tennessee. The winning model was 23-year-old Carlena Besecker of Houston, Texas.

This season was preceded by Season 1, and followed by Season 3 on July 12, 2006.

## Contestants

The 16 fashion designers competing in the first season were:

(ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in the summer of 2005.)

The 16 models competing for an *ELLE* spread in the first season were:

## Model Elimination

**Designer legend:**

* **Barton Tumelle:**BT
* **Carlos Para:**CP
* **Danny Royals:**DR
* **Georgia Lafever:**GL
* **Isaiah Keefer:**IK
* **Jeanne Hindle:**JH
* **Jeremy McClung:**JM
* **Kaylene Pons:**KP
* **Kerrie Choiniere:**KC
* **Lina Dumas:**LD
* **Marcelo Selvey:**MS
* **Margaret Hovland:**MH
* **Melanie McMIllan:**MM
* **Shawn Jessie:**SJ
* **Tamala Polk:**TP
* **Van Rolfe:**VR

## Episodes

### Episode 1: Road To The Runway

*Original Airdate:* December 7, 2005

Before arriving in New York, the 16 contestants being considered for positions in this season's competing cast were given six yards of plain white muslin, $20, and one week to create an outfit that best represents who they are as a fashion designer. After arriving, the 16 contestants found that only 14 positions were available in the Parsons workroom and thus two would be eliminated at the runway judging.

WINNER: **Georgia**
ELIMINATED: **Barton** & **Kerrie**
### Episode 2: Clothes Off Your Back

*Original Airdate:* December 15, 2005

Designers made an outfit using only the clothes they were wearing at the moment the challenge was announced. They had one day to complete their designs.

* **Guest Judge:** Diane von Fürstenberg

WINNER: **Danny**
ELIMINATED: **Jeanna**
### Episode 3: All Dolled Up

*Original Airdate:* December 14, 2005

Designers created a life-sized outfit for the My Scene Barbie collection. The winning designer's outfit would be duplicated for the My Scene Barbie collection. The designers had a budget of $150 and two days to complete the design.

* **Guest Judge:** Lily Martinez

WINNER: **Georgia**
ELIMINATED: **Marcelo**
### Episode 4: Team Lingerie

*Original Airdate:* December 21, 2005

Designers created a lingerie line consisting of three looks. A team event with four teams, each with a lead designer and two assistants. The designers had a budget of $200 and one day to complete the collection.

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* **Guest Judges:** Cynthia Rowley & Alessandra Ambrosio

WINNER: **Shawn**
ELIMINATED: **Lina**
### Episode 5: Social Scene

*Original Airdate:* January 4, 2006

Designers created a party dress for socialite Nicky Hilton. The designers had a budget of $150 and two days to complete the designs.

* **Guest Judge:** Nicky Hilton

WINNER: **Jeremy**
ELIMINATED: **Carlos**
### Episode 6: Window Shopping

*Original Airdate:* January 11, 2006

Designers created a day-to-evening ensemble for Banana Republic. A team event with five teams of two. Both designers on the losing team were eliminated. Each team had to finish their garment in one day. After that, all teams went to Banana Republic and each had to make a window that showed the idea of the dress; they had 30 minutes to buy all the materials they needed for the display and an hour to finish. The winner was chosen by votes from Banana Republic clients.

The teams were:

* **Guest Judge:** Deborah Lloyd

WINNERS: **Melanie** & **Shawn**
ELIMINATED: **Margaret** & **Van**
### Episode 7: On Thin Ice

*Original Airdate:* January 18, 2006

Designers created a figure skating outfit for 2006 Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen. The designers had a budget of $150 and two days to complete the design.

* **Guest Judges:** Anne Slowey & Sasha Cohen

WINNER: **Shawn**
ELIMINATED: **Danny**
### Episode 8: Inspiration

*Original Airdate:* January 25, 2006

Designers took photos around New York and picked one to be an inspiration for an outfit. The designers had a budget of $100 and one day to complete the outfit.

* **Guest Judge:** Ben Cella

WINNER: **Melanie**
ELIMINATED: **Tamala**
### Episode 9: Flower Power

*Original Airdate:* February 1, 2006

Designers created a dress using only natural materials purchased in the New York Flower District. The designers had a budget of $100 and one hour for the purchases.

* **Guest Judges:** Mark Badgley and James Mischka.

WINNER: **Isaiah**
ELIMINATED: **Shawn**
### Episode 10: Makeover

*Original Airdate:* February 8, 2006

Designers created a new look to make over a fellow contestant, who then modeled the new look on the runway.

* **Guest Judge:** Freddie Leiba

WINNER: **Jeremy**
ELIMINATED: **Kaylene**
### Episode 11: What's Your Line?

*Original Airdate:* February 15, 2006

Designers made an evening dress for supermodel Iman. The evening dress also reflected the line which the designers will show at Olympus Fashion Week.

* **Guest Judge:** Iman

WINNER: **Melanie**
ELIMINATED: **Isaiah**
### Episode 12: Reunion

*Original Airdate:* February 22, 2006

All of the designers gathered for a reunion hosted by Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum on the eve of New York Fashion Week at which the final three designers will display their collections.

### Episode 13: Finale - Part 1

*Original Airdate:* March 1, 2006

The three final designers were shown at home when Tim Gunn visited them, and then returned to New York to prepare their collections for showing at New York Olympus Fashion Week. Back in New York, they were surprised to find out that they had to complete one final challenge: an additional garment that they each had to design with the aid of one eliminated designer of their choice.

### Episode 14: Finale - Part 2

*Original Airdate:* March 8, 2006

* **Guest Judge:** Debra Messing

WINNER: **Melanie**
ELIMINATED: **Georgia**(1st Runner-up) & **Jeremy**(2nd Runner-up)