Photo: bravo
Will he win the season?
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Apr 05, 2019
The 17th season of Project Runway premiered on March 14th, and ever since, we’ve been curious about what the designers will create next. Despite Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum leaving the show, which has since returned to Bravo, we still have Nina Garcia on the judging panel, as well as new judges Karlie Kloss, Elaine Welteroth, and Brandon Maxwell. Christian Siriano, the winner of season four, is also the acting mentor to the contestants.
The prize this season? A $250,000 reward and a mentorship with the Council of Fashion Designers of America! So far, four contestants have been eliminated, leaving 12 hopeful designers competing for the prize money and a chance to show off their unique styles. These contestants continue to wow the judges and viewers with their creativity, but what about their individual backstories?
Just who is Sebastian Grey? Here are five details to know about the contemporary women's wear designer, his background, and how he got his start in fashion and design.
1. He’s from Colombia.
Grey was born and raised in Cali, Colombia, and worked for his family’s leather business growing up. Doing this provided him with the skillset for fashion and design, and helped him hone his skills in dealing with customers and paying attention to pop culture trends.
2. He was inspired to pursue design after a ballet performance.
Sebastian Grey developed a passion for design in his teens.
He attended a ballet with his parents, and after the performance, decided to try dancing. He went to Incolballet, a fine arts school located two hours away from Cali. According to Grey, “While preparing for ballet performances, I began paying close attention to the details of the outfits being constructed."
3. He attended university.
In addition to attending Incolballet, Grey also studied at Cali’s Academy of Professional Drawing, where he majored in fashion design, and then won a scholarship to study at Miami’s Instituto Marangoni.
4. His career has taken off.
Sebastian Grey has learned from and worked with Lina Cantillo and Andres Otalora, both South American designers.
He’s owned and operated stores in his hometown of Cali, as well as Medellin, after launching his Sebastian Grey brand. He’s also had his collections featured all over Colombia. He mainly produces women’s wear, describing his aesthetic as “sexy and educated.”
His hope? To “take the United States and abroad by storm with sophisticated concepts, unconventional construction methods, and attention to high-end detail.”
5. He’s shown his talent on Project Runway.
He's described his style as "sexy and educated."
In episode two, he created the winning look! Brandon Maxwell praised his design, saying, “The precision on even just the cutting of the tulle, you can tell that he is making everything with a pattern, whereas some people just have a tendency to, like, cut and go. Nina Garcia added, “[The material is] hanging directly from her skin because the illusion makes it feel like there’s nothing there."
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.