Season 9

***Top Designer Season 9*** is the eight season of the television show *Top Designer*. The first episode aired on August 2, 2012.

Returning as judges are supermodel Karolina Kurkova, fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and *Elle* editor-in-chief Anne Slowey. Tim Gunn returned as a mentor to the aspiring designers.

The winner of this season of Top Designer will receive an editorial feature in an issue of *Elle* magazine, a cash prize of $100,000 to start his or her own line, an opportunity to sell the line on Bluefly.com, and a $50,000 technology suite from Hewlett-Packard to create, design, and run his or her business. The winning model of this season will receive a $25,000 cash prize and take part in the winning designer's fashion spread in *Elle*.

## Contestants

### **Designers**

The 16 contestants in Season 9 were:

(ages listed are the designers' ages at the time the show was taped in the spring of 2011.)

## Episodes

### Episode 1: Come As You Are

*Original Airdate:* August 2, 2012

As the season begins, the designers arrive in New York, and awoken by Tim in the early morning hours and they are given their first challenge: transform the pajamas they are wearing and one bed sheet into an outfit of their choice. Dyes, trim, and closures are provided.

* **Guest Judge:** Christina Ricci

WINNER: **Carson**
ELIMINATED: **Sonya**
### Episode 2: My Pet Project

*Original Airdate:* August 9, 2012

The designers must create an outfit using only materials found in a pet supply store.

* **Guest Judge:** Stacey Bendet

WINNER: **Christian V**
ELIMINATED: **Mamie**
### Episode 3: Go Big or Go Home

*Original Airdate:* August 16, 2012

The designers work on a challenge revolving around a theme called "Larger than Life". In teams of two with a budget of $500 and one day to work, they create outfits for professional stilt walkers. The runway show is at Battery Park, making it the first runway show to be held outside.

**Pairs:**Alec & Terri, Dominique & Sammie, Blake & Ezekiel, Carson & Dixie, Kary & Kimberly, Christian V & Nicholas, Christina S & Rebecca

* **Guest Judge:** Kim Kardashian

WINNER: **Kimberly**
ELIMINATED: **Terri**
### Episode 4: All About Anne

*Original Airdate:* August 23, 2012

The designers create a look for judge Anne Slowey that should be wearable by Slowey during work and for an industry event at night. The winning design will be featured in a Elle editorial and on a billboard atop a New York City taxicab.

* **Guest Judge:** Kerry Washington, Joanna Coles

WINNER: **Blake**
ELIMINATED: **Alec**
### Episode 5: Off the Track

*Original Airdate:* August 30, 2012

The designers meet at the New Balance Track and Field Center in New York City and are challenged to create apparel to wear with a new Heidi Klum for New Balance lifestyle sneaker from Klum's collection. The designers work in teams of three, with team leaders chosen by holding a foot race at the Track and Field Center. The winning looks will be sold as part of Klum's collection exclusively on Amazon.com.

 Rebecca
 Kary
 Christian S

* **Guest Judge:** Erin Wasson

WINNER: **Christian V**
ELIMINATED: **Sammie**
### Episode 6: The Art of the Matter

*Original Airdate:* September 6, 2012

The designers each work together with an art student to create a painting, and then must design an avant-garde look that reflects their art work. They have a budget of $300 and two days to complete their look.

* **Guest Judge:** Kenneth Cole

WINNER: **Christian V**
ELIMINATED: **Ezekiel**
### Episode 7: Fashion Technology

*Original Airdate:* September 13, 2012

The designers plug into computer technology to help create signature fabric designs in a challenge that forces them into working in two teams of five. Wielding video cameras, they also venture out into the city to capture the stories behind their inspirations.

* **Guest Judge:** Rachel Roy, Rose Byrne

WINNER: **Dixie**
ELIMINATED: **Christian S.**
### Episode 8: What Women Want

*Original Airdate:* September 20, 2012

The contestants are introduced to nine men on the runway and, in a seamless twist, discover they must design for the men's significant others. Actress Malin Akerman is the guest judge.

* **Guest Judge:** Malin Akerman

WINNER: **Kimberly**
ELIMINATED: **Dominique**
### Episode 9: Image Is Everything

*Original Airdate:* September 27, 2012

The outfitters are treated to a special performance from their new client, the up-and-coming band The Sheepdogs.

* **Guest Judge:** Adam Lambert

WINNER: **Kimberly**
ELIMINATED: **Rebecca**
### Episode 10: Sew 70s

*Original Airdate:* October 4, 2012

The remaining designers do the time warp when fashions from the 1970s inspire their creations.

* **Guest Judge:** Olivia Palermo

WINNER: **Kary**
ELIMINATED: **Dixie**
### Episode 11: This is for the Birds

*Original Airdate:* October 11, 2012

Birds serve as the inspiration for the looks in this challenge. Designers are paired up, with each pair assigned a bird. They then learn that they are not competing together, but rather head-to-head.

* **Guest Judge:** Francisco Costa

WINNER: **Kary**& **Kimberly**
ELIMINATED: **Carson**
### Episode 12: The Finale Challenge

*Original Airdate:* October 18, 2012

The remaining designers had to create 3 looks from inspirations on Governor's Island. They were assisted by the five most recently eliminated contestants.

* **Guest Judge:** Zoe Saldana

WINNER: **Christian V.**
ELIMINATED: **Nicholas**