Threading A Way to Success: A Passion For Fashion

                                                                 

The Lifetime hit, Project Runway, recently ended its 13th season with a bang, proclaiming promising fashionista, Char Glover, its winner and introducing her into the ever expanding world of the fashion industry. Providing fans with an emotional airbag to its finale, the show then immediately premiered its new series, Project Runway: Threads. The charming new show takes an incredible twist on the original, taking the ever expanding fashion world to a whole new level.

Borrowing aspects of its mother series,Threads features intense weekly fashion competitions in which three ambitious teens and tweens present their unique design styles to the judges and battle it out on the runway for the chance to win $25,000 and a name in the fashion world. Each contestant is allowed one adult assistant, and with their help must either prove their designs are better than the rest or stumble into last place.

For those who are thirsting for a fun, new show to watch, Threads is the perfect series. The panel of judges alone is enough to turn heads. They range from previous Project Runway winner and prominent fashion designer, Christian Siriano, to special celebrity guests like Zendaya and Kelly Osborne, to Ingrid Nilson, who has gained fame and followers as a Youtube style guru.

If its premiere is any indication, this show promises to be entertaining and intense and have its audience rooting for 11 to 16 year-olds whose only dream is to be in fashion.

The first three contestants in the pilot, Bradford (13), Cambria (12), and Kenzie (12), who were first welcomed by host Vanessa Simmons, showcased some of their homemade designs and explained their fashion background. Once they introduced themselves and their passion for fashion, the competitors were given their task: create a chic-red carpet dress. The episode immediately went from polite and cordial, to fast-paced and thrilling as the tweens, engrossed in fabricating gorgeous gowns, shocked the audience with the quality of their work.

Simmons mentions in an interview with the music and entertainment magazine VIBE, “these kids were super advanced and I absolutely believe that we will be seeing their collections in stores and magazines in the next few years because of how dedicated and how passionate they are… these kids are the full package”.

Viewers may very well find themselves emotionally invested in one or two particular contestants as the episodes progress, especially when surprise twists turn the competitions on their heads, just like in the premiere. Not even finished with their first challenge and with the clock counting down, Bradford, Cambria, and Kenzie were faced with making a completely different street styled outfit.

“All the work they’re doing is strictly on-camera, no help and they made some really good stuff. It’s impressive. Crazy to watch, honestly,” explains Simmons.

In the end, young thirteen year-old Bradford of Birmingham, Alabama won the $25,000 prize package, sweeping the rug out from under the judges’ feet with a stunning black gown and what judge Ingrid Nilsen described as, “ something that I don’t think any of us were expecting”.

The Threads premiere gives us just a taste of the excitement and suspense viewers can expect from other promising young hopefuls every Thursday on Lifetime at 10/9c.