“Always special and nostalgic:” Project Runway star Tim Gunn reflects on the past 16 seasons

Project Runway is a hit reality TV series in which fashion designers showcase their skills and capabilities to compete for the winning title. They also receive the opportunity to present their collection at the New York Fashion Week. There have been a total of twenty seasons of the show.

During a conversation with People Magazine on March 15, 2025, Tim Gunn opened up about being part of the Project Runway. He recalled previous seasons revealing his favorite season as the premiere season. Tim said that looking back at the first season was "special and nostalgic," he continued:

"In many ways, season 1 will always be my favorite because it was the first. It's like your first child. I'm not a parent, but I feel like one after 32 years of teaching. It's always special and nostalgic."

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Project Runway star Tim Gunn reveals which season was his favorite

In the exclusive interview, Project Runway star Tim Gunn reflected on the past seasons while discussing how competitive season 13 was. According to Tim, the 2023 season had many "talented designers, " making it difficult for the judges to declare the winner. Gunn stated that this was the essence of the competition as emerging designers would impress the judges with their ideas and capabilities.

When asked which season was his least favorite one, the Project Runway star said season 14. He explained the reason behind his answer:

"I'm not a fan. I thought the work was very lackluster, and I kept pounding on the workroom table, saying, 'You have to raise the bar here. This is just so dull, so normal. These are clothes you could go to a store right now and buy, so who cares?' I mean, as Heidi’s always telling the designers, you need to cut through the noise so people listen to you."

Later in the interview, Tim Gunn shared that he considers himself more of a mentor who would give advice and constructive feedback to the designers. Gunn stated that it is important to go with your intuition, experiment, and not hesitate to share your ideas at any stage of the competition. The Project Runway star mentioned that he would remind others:

"I remind them all the time, 'You are responsible for your own decisions. I'm not. So you have to own whatever it is that you do as you move forward,' I would caution them: Don’t think about what the judges may like."

Tim concluded that the contestants shouldn't solely focus on impressing the judges but rather have a firm belief in what they present. He said:

"So I was always very adamant about making sure they accept responsibility for their decisions and truly express who they are. If you're not confident in what you're presenting, it doesn't matter. And then, what if you do think about what they'll like and you design for that particular genre or look, and then you win? What do you do for the rest of the season?"

Fans can follow the Project Runway star Tim Gunn on his official Instagram account.