Iowa State’s Project Runway, now in its fourth year, is getting help from an actual “Project Runway” contestant, Kit Pistol.

Pistol, who appeared on the fourth season of Bravo’s popular reality series, will be one of the show’s three judges Tuesday night.

“We hopefully vamped it up a little more this year, especially with Kit coming,” said Christian Vandehaar, senior in integrated studio arts, who is one of the two individuals in charge of the event.

Letitia Kenemer, program coordinator for the Memorial Union, is also in charge of the event. Kenemer called around and said she really wanted someone from “Project Runway” to appear at this year’s ISU Project Runway. Pistol was available and accepted the invite.

“Kit being here is huge — she’s in the industry, in the media, she has a higher profile, and she’s been through a similar situation as these students are going through,” Kenemer said.

There are 20 groups competing in this year’s event, which is five more teams than any of the previous years. Teams can include up to six members and must provide their own model.

“We have a lot more people competing this year, which is exciting,” Kenemer said.

The outfits the designers create are always based on a theme. The theme is not given to the groups until the night before the show.

Then the groups have nine hours to create their garment — from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The South Ballroom in the Memorial Union is reserved for the work and participants must complete all work there.

The Student Union Board provided three sewing machines, thread, needles, fabric glue, tape measurers, scissors and a variety of fabric and other material to use. Groups can spend up to $30 on other materials if needed. But at least 50 percent of the garments have to be constructed from the materials provided by SUB.

The winner receives a photo shoot and feature in Trend magazine.

Last year’s challenge was to create a poem and then make an outfit based on the poem. SUB always chooses the show’s theme.

“It’s really exciting when we open the doors at 8 a.m. to let all the contestants into the room,” Vandehaar said. “They all run in as fast as they can and grab as much as they can. It’s pretty intense.”

“Most of the teams are apparel majors, but sometimes we have the random teams full of English students or engineering students,” Kenemer said. “I get really excited to see what they come up with.”

One of the contestants competing in this year’s event is Vanessa Pflug, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production.

“My most creative moments are when I’m designing clothes,” Pflug said.

Pflug has competed in Project Runway all four years she has attended Iowa State. She did not place her freshman year, was first place her sophomore year and placed third her junior year.

“I am really excited for this year’s event,” Pflug said. “It is my last year, and I am also thrilled to meet Kit.”

Pflug met her six teammates through classes and because they get along well, they decided to team up for this event, she said.

“My favorite part of this event is seeing our design go down the runway,” Pflug said. “I get the most nervous right before the runway walk.”

Pflug’s team met Monday night to find out the theme of the event. They brainstormed, sketched and decided on a creative direction for the theme.

Catch the runway show

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Great Hall of the Memorial Union

Cost: Free