Tim Gunn is making it work without Project Runway.
Though his longtime friend and collaborator Heidi Klum is returning to host the fashion design competition’s 21st season after nearly a decade away, the 71-year-old said he didn’t make the casting cut.
“Heidi sent me a text saying, ‘There’s talk about bringing Project Runway back with us, with you and me, and would you do it?'” Tim told People in an interview published Feb. 14. “And I said, ‘Would I do it? Of course, there’s not a moment of hesitation in me.'”
But despite his interest, the style guru said he did not receive an invite from producers. He only realized that the show—set to air on Freeform, Disney+ and Hulu—was moving on without him when Heidi reached out several months later.
“She sent me a text asking, ‘Are you happy with your contract?'” recalled Tim, who co-hosted 16 seasons of Project Runway with Heidi from 2004 to 2017. “I said, ‘Well, I haven’t seen a contract.'”
He continued, “So, I called my agent and he knew things were going on, but he contacted the executive producers of this new show, and they said, ‘We don’t want him.'”
Tim said his agent even tried reasoning with the producers by pointing out that he and Heidi won an hosting Emmy together in 2013, but the most they allegedly did was offer him a “small cameo” in the first episode of the new season.
“What do I do? Wave from a bus?” Tim quipped. “Heidi comes to see me at the retirement home and we play croquet No, thank you. And as Heidi would say, ‘You’re either in or you’re out.'”
He added, “And I’m out. So, I wasn’t asked to join.”
E! News has reached out to Project Runway, Disney and Heidi for comment but hasn’t heard back.
Mark Sagliocco/Getty ImagesAnd though Tim said he was “initially devastated, then kind of humiliated” by the alleged snub, the Under the Gunn alum is now using the situation as a way to reflect on “how lucky am I to have had the experiences that I’ve had over the last 20 years.”
“I stopped the boo-hooing,” he noted. “I’ve come to terms with it. Am I disappointed? Sure. And most of all, it’s about not working with Heidi, but we move on and things happen for a reason.”
If anything, it’s also shown him just how strong of a bond he shares with Heidi, 51.
“She was really upset and she kept saying, ‘I’m fighting for you, I’m fighting for you,'” the fashion mentor said. “Which is lovely of her and nothing that I should expect. And I said, ‘Heidi, just take good care of yourself. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.'”
Tim—who co-hosted three seasons of Amazon Video’s Making the Cut with Heidi after leaving Project Runway in 2017—added, “I have her back and I’m with her in spirit always.”
To see where other Project Runway stars have landed, keep reading.
Getty ImagesSeason 1: Jay McCarroll
We’ll never forget Jay McCarroll‘s incredible finale show, with each autumn-themed look color-coordinated to match a pair of headphones. Despite having never won a challenge, he was still a worthy winner.
He started a blog and stayed in the press for a while with a documentary, a feature film and a line sponsored by the Humane Society.
Most recently, he worked in the wardrobe department of te HBO limited series Mare of Easttown.
Getty ImagesSeason 2: Chloe Dao
Chloe Dao won an iconic season of Project Runway up against Santino Rice and Daniel Vosovic. And while a lot of people were rooting for Daniel, you can’t argue that Chloe didn’t deserve the win.
In 2013, she became a judge on the Vietnam version of Project Runway.
Getty ImagesSeason 3: Jeffrey Sebelia
Not a lot of fans were thrilled when Jeffrey took home the win after spending the whole season as the villain, making moms cry and making us question his decision-making skills every single time we saw his neck tattoo.
After a couple of failed lines and companies and a stint on Project Runway: All Stars, he now seems to be doing pretty well designing clothes for kids.
Getty ImagesSeason 4: Christian Siriano
The fiercest of them all. Christian was the obvious winner of season four, and has gone on to have the most success by far. His label is especially popular with celebrities—he dresses stars from Taylor Swift to Leslie Jones to Michelle Obama—and he also served as a judge on Project Runway Junior , a well as a mentor for Project Runway when Tim Gunn left in 2017.
Chances are even if you don’t know Project Runway, you know the Christian Siriano label.
Getty ImagesSeason 5: Leanne Marshall
Leanne Marshall was known for the feminine waves she loved to incorporate into looks, and her finale show was that to a T.
Now, she puts that signature feminine stamp on all her clothes, but she’s mostly known for her gorgeous wedding dresses.
Getty ImagesSeason 6: Irina Shabayeva
The Georgia native’s armor-inspired finale collection was truly badass, though she wasn’t all that pleasant to watch during her season.
Since then, she competed on Project Runway: All Stars twice, and now she’s doing lots of collections to benefit charities and is known for her bridal designs, too.
LifetimeSeason 7: Seth Aaron Henderson
After winning Project Runway, he went on to win season three of Project Runway: All Stars—becoming the first designer to win both. He returned to compete on season 7 of All Stars in 2019, but was the second designer eliminated.
The reality star has become known for his sustainable designs as well as creating shoes with 3D printers.
LifetimeSeason 8: Gretchen Jones
No joke, we have still not forgiven Project Runway for crowning the boring bully Gretchen over Mondo Guerra in season 8. Mondo did go on to win the first season of All Stars, but we’re still mad.
As of 2018, Gretchen graduated from the London College of Fashion with an MBA.
LifetimeSeason 9: Anya Ayoung-Chee
Regardless of her (serious) lack of sewing skills, beauty queen Anya was a fan favorite from the beginning, so it wasn’t much of a shock when she took home the win. Maybe not the most fair of decisions by the judges when you compare her work to her fellow competitors, but the argument kind of comes down to whether you consider Project Runway to be a sewing competition or design competition.
Anyway, Anya is still designing. In 2019, she competed in Season 7 of Project Runway: All Stars.
LifetimeSeason 10: Dmitry Sholokhov
Hailing from Belarus, the designer won both season 10 of Project Runway and season 4 of All Stars but, to be honest, we mostly just remember his accent and not his designs.
Now, he’s clearly doing some very cool stuff, because we want almost every design he posts on Instagram. In 2019, he was named the Fashion Designer Of The Year by Metropolitan Fashion Awards in Los Angeles.
LifetimeSeason 11: Michelle Lesniak Franklin
After winning Project Runway’s inaugural “teams” editon, the Portlander continued to design. In 2019, she won season 7 of Project Runway All Stars.
LifetimeSeason 12: Dom Streater
Dom prints were just to die for, and her final collection was certainly worthy of that win. In fact, she nabbed another win on All Star‘s season five.
In addition to bring a freelance designer, the textile maven worked a five-year stint at Urban Outfitters, according to her LinkedIn.
LifetimeSeason 13: Sean Kelly
Possibly nothing has made us as happy as that time Sean created that rainbow dress for the rain runway, which changed from white to full of color as the water hit it. We would have given him the win for that look alone.
He returned for another chance at a title on season seven of All Stars, but came in seventh place.
LifetimeSeason 14: Ashley Nell Tipton
Ashley’s win was notable because all her models were plus size—and she used the show as a platform to make totally cute, fashionable, wearable clothes for plus size women. In addition to a collab with JCPenney, she recreated a line of roller skates.
LifetimeSeason 15: Erin Robertson
From fashion to…pickleball? That’s right. After winning Project Runway, the Utah native co-founded Pickle Pop, a Los Angeles-based pickleball facility. But don’t worry—she’s still designing as well, creating coats from quilts.
Arun Nevader/Getty Images for Art Hearts FashionSeason 16: Kentaro Kameyama
In a season that celebrated body diversity like never before, Kentaro was crowned the Project Runway winner for the “unexpected emotion” that his collection showed during New York Fashion Week.
Since then, he named the Fashion Design Chair at FCI Fashion School and showed his work and the 2019 New York Fashion Week. He also launched The Brothers Project, a line featuring branded street wear.
Rommel Demano/BFA.com/ShutterstockSeason 17: Jhoan “Sebastian” Grey
After he was named the winner of Project Runway, Nina Garcia called him “the personification of the American dream.” Less than a year later, the Colombian-born designer already created a women’s wear line.
Barbara Nitke/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesSeason 18: Geoffrey Mac
A master of latex, the edgy designer’s “Midnight Rider” collection was shown during 2021 New York Fashion Week.
Greg Endries/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty ImagesSeason 19: Shantall Lacayo
Ten years after making it to the Project Runway Latin America season one finale, the Nicaragua-born designer got her win on the OG show’s 19th season. Since then, she relocated to Miami, where she continues to design.
Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan via Getty ImagesSeason 20: Bishme Cromartie
With three challenge wins under his belt, it was no wonder that Bishme took hom the ultimate prize on season 20. Since his Project Runway victory, he showcased collections during the 2021 and 2024 New York Fashion Weeks.
