“Project Runway” is a well-known TV show that is famous for it’s competing designers who create a garment within a restricted amount of time.

Iowa State’s Student Union Board hosted its own 10th annual “Project Runway” fashion show competition Sept. 21.

This year was the seventh year with a celebrity guest judge. This year’s judge was Katelyn Pankoke, a contestant seen on seasons 11 and 12 of “Project Runway.” 

Deanna Le, junior in event management and public relations, is the current special events director of SUB, the event host.

Le said that this would be her first time managing an event like this. She said there were many challenges to planning and executing the competition.

“Planning is definitely hard and there’s a lot that comes with it, like having to be ready for things that go wrong and meeting with different types of people,” Le said. “They have the fashion show in the spring, but we thought it would be fun to have something in the fall.”

Le said she hoped to gain a lot of experience from the event, and so far believes that she has gained a lot of valuable skills.

“I just really wanted to know what it’s like to work in a different type of event,” Le said. “I usually work with performers and instead this time it’s actual students and they’re participating and competing.”

Kiana Roppe, senior in journalism and mass communication and apparel, merchandising and design, competed for her fourth year. She shared some of her first experiences with the annual competition.

“When I was a freshman, my roommate and I heard about it,” Roppe said. “We decided to put up a group and decided last minute.”

Alana Barnett, senior in apparel, merchandising and design, competed for her third year and said she started because of Roppe’s recommendation of the competition.

“It was different [than the first year] because, instead of making something from scratch, we had to deconstruct something, then reconstruct it,” Barnett said. “But it was a lot of fun and I kept wanting to go.”

Le shared how this year’s competition is formatted differently than past competitions.

“In the past, they did it all in one day. The work day and the fashion show, so that was a little crazy,” Le said. “We thought that if we broke it up in two days, now we have the work day on [Sept. 21] and fashion show [Sept. 26], then it must be a little better.”

Roppe explained how the design process works when students are in teams instead of working individually, which is the authentic “Project Runway” experience.

“Somehow it really works out when you’re in the moment. The night before we pick the one thing that we want go with,” Roppe said. “So then we all go in and just whoever is the strongest at something, they tend to take over.”

Barnett said group members who have different styles can mix well during the competition to create a well-designed product.

“We see different perspectives,” Barnett said. “We get a garment that’s a mix of different styles instead of it being just like all flirty and girly or all streamline and masculine.”

Roppe said that the process of design is planned out the night before. Each team member has a couple of hours to think of ideas. When the group members come together, each would pitch his or her ideas and the best idea would be executed.

The day of the competition is a rush of adrenaline, and Roppe said that competitors are expected to work long hours, starting at 8 a.m. The competition starts off by competitors running for fabric.

“Everyone is in a frenzy grabbing pieces,” Roppe said. “You bring them back to your table and then you have to sort through them.”

Barnett said each member would get assigned tasks based on his or her strengths. She said everyone would multitask by sewing different materials at the same time. When the creations were complete and time was up, each piece would be judged.

“They’re literally there counting down. ‘You have five seconds left,’ and we have to sprint and get everything done,” Roppe said. “Have the model dressed, makeup, hair, shoes and then the judges would make them stand around the room, talking to each of us and then there would be the show.”

Barnett explained how the event was run differently in the past.  

“They would have a mini-runway show, then they would judge that way,” Barnett said. “Then they walk around and talk to us.”

Roppe said after the judging period, they would then have the larger fashion show where the winner would be revealed.

This year, both Barnett and Roppe are expecting to win through hard work and determination. They shared advice to students who would want to compete in future competitions.

“Definitely be open to changing because you don’t know the fabrics that they’re going to have there — you don’t know what colors, what style — so you have to be flexible in that respect and be able to grab whatever you think might work and go with it,” Roppe said. “And just to have fun with your team.”

The fashion show, which will showcase every design created Sept. 21, will be at 9 p.m. Sept. 26 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.