“Project Runway” starts next Wednesday and the people over at Bravo have been way hush about who the designers will be.
Luckily, they have announced that the designers will be named on Monday. Two days to anticipate and judge on no information who will be the first to be kicked off. And I can’t help but wonder if we have any locals on the show. You’d tell me, right?

WHAT? “Project Runway” starts on Wednesday, July 16 at 8 p.m. Yes, 8 p.m. It’s still on Bravo for one more season and then the legal battles will determine if the move to Lifetime is a done deal.

In the meantime, last night’s A-List Awards on Bravo closed with a runway show, featuring celebrities in dresses by “Project Runway” alums. Now through next Thursday, you can bid on them online. I’m quite partial to the dress that Laura Bennett designed for Niki Taylor. It’s a size 8/10.

The biggest bid-getter so far is this dress by Michael Knight, worn by Karina Smimoff (Mario Lopez’s ex). Check out the entire auction here.

Who’s scared that “Project Runway” is in big-time trouble? I sense recent developments may be a harbinger. Here’s the short version of the story:

1. Bravo lost the show to Lifetime.

2. NBC/Universal is suing because they want to keep their “Project Runway.”

3. Then Nina Garcia is apparently out at Elle and who knows if she’s in or out on “P.R.” (That cameo on “Ugly Betty” was taped a million years ago in fashion-world time.)

4. According to Tim Gunn–Christian is the next great American fashion designer. So why keep searching? He already has a mini-collection coming out for Puma. The first piece debuted on Estelle, an R&B singer who collaborates with Kanye West.

5. NOW…Entertainment Weekly reports that the fifth season of “Project Runway” will start in July (oooo–soon!) on Bravo and the sixth season will be partially filmed in Los Angeles. L.A.? That’s short for L.A.M.E..

6. Not news, but it’s Friday–let’s watch the exclusive “Free Association with Tim Gunn” video again…it helps me find calm in the midst of this “Project Runway” chaos.

This is not a late April Fool’s Day gimmick. Yesterday, Lifetime announced plans to air the sixth season of “Project Runway.”
Bravo, the network that made the show wants to keep the show that made the network. “Project Runway” had over 3.5 million viewers per episode. Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn have agreed to flip networks.
HOWEVER, NBC Universal (which owns BRAVO) filed suit against the Weinstein Co. (which wons “Project Runway” saying they had right of first refusal. That’s a lot of off-the runway drama.
The best news to come out of this? The agreement with Lifetime is for five years. That’s right–at least five more years of “Project Runway.” Here’s the Reuters story for more details.

So Tim Gunn gave me a full run-down of a feud he had with Anna Wintour. When I asked him during the “Free Association” portion of our interview, he said about Wintour: Can’t live with her, can’t live without her.”
Once we were done, he said: “Was that too horrible? It wasn’t so bad.”

When I tried to console him (who could hate Tim Gunn?), he replied: “Oh, no, she hates me.”

This is the tale that followed:
I was asked what’s the one thing in fashion I’ll never forget as long as I live. I said, that’s easy—it was Anna Wintour being carried down five flights of stairs from a fashion show. And I did. At the Metropolitan Pavilion [for the Peter Som show]. She won’t ride in an elevator with mere mortals and there’s only one freight elevator. It was the days when I was standing room and there she was in the front row. She had her bodyguards with her and I thought how is this going to happen—maybe the bodyguards are going to block the elevator. Well, they didn’t. When they got to the stairs, they got in a fireman lock and she sat on their arms. She put her arms around their necks and down they went these five flights of stairs. I still remember it vividly. I went to the window to see if they would put her down when they reached the sidewalk or if they’d take her to the car. They took her that way to the car. So the New York Post printed it on Sunday. Monday she calls.”

From there, threats of legal action ensued when Gunn refused to retract untill Gunn produced a witness.

Then, Gunn sent Anna Wintour a huge bouquet of flowers with the note:
“Dear Miss Wintour, I never intended to upset you with this story and I apologize for the fact this has disturbed you so. Sincere regards.”

Then (yes, there’s always more), when Gunn was appointed Chief Creative Officer of Liz Claiborne, it got back to him that Anna was overheard in her office: “This is brilliant! This is brilliant! They’ve made a great decision.”

Ah, all is well in the land of fashion.

Want more Gunn? In case you’ve decided it’s too snowy to go out for today’s newspaper, here’s the full story about Tim Gunn’s visit online and the full free association video.

Here’s a clip from the Liz Claiborne fashion show at Herberger’s last night. Gunn narrates with Leah Caruso, the company’s director of marketing.

The clever twist on this show? Every item was shown at least twice on different body types and styled in different ways–an exercise in versatility! There’s even menswear.

That’s it on Tim Gunn in Minnesota… until next Monday’s story in the Star Tribune, of course!