And the winner is...

One creative clothing line, a two-hour episode, three final contenders, four semi-celebrity judges (if you include host Heidi Klum and you count Elle fashion director Nina Garcia as a celebrity), and five months of preparation later... And the flamboyant, fushia-shades-wearing Jay McCarroll, 29, was finally declared the winner of Project Runway last night. The former "porn industry worker" and vintage shop owner from tiny Lehman, Pennsylvania, wins a management contract, an apprenticeship with Banana Republic, and $100,000 to launch his own clothing line.
Jay beat out long shot Wendy Pepper, the 40-year-old "mother from a small town in Virginia" (as she kept reminding the TV audience and judges over and over again), and resident villain, who barely slid into the final three by winning the final challenge. And Kara Saun, 37, the L.A. costume designer who seemed well on her way to winning--particularly after two of the judges pronounced her clothing line "amazing" and her execution "perfect"--until Michael Kors mentioned offhandedly that her dresses were "too Gucci-like" (judge for yourself). In the end, Jay won on originality, and rightly so, with his "Stereotypes" line, which featured oversized headphones painted to match his brilliantly colored concoctions, distinctive in their detail, design and difficult construction (a hand-quilted wrap, for example, and delicate scarves woven with beads).
Can't wait for season 2! Though I might have to--assuming it happens at all. It seems that Bravo executives aren't sure who will have the rights to "Project" next year if Disney and Miramax split up as expected. So there's no guarantee that the show will go on--especially since the first season started filming last summer, and had all the cast, challenges, and prizes in place beforehand.
But it's hard to believe that Bravo would let a hit like this slip away without sequels. And this is one reality show that'd be worth repeating.