The Most Successful Project Runway Contestants Who Never Won

Reality television is a gold mine, especially when competition is involved. Despite the controversy surrounding "America's Next Top Model," the series did open the door for more reality shows centered around the fashion industry, and Bravo's "Project Runway" is one of them. The fashion competition series premiered in 2004, and Time listed the debut season as one of the 50 most influential reality TV seasons of all time. Watching the overly-stressed designers make beautiful garments out of the almost-impossible design challenges keeps us all entertained.

However, the show isn't just for entertainment. It launched the careers of respected designers like Season 4 winner Christian Siriano. The celebrated designer was the youngest contestant to win the competition and transformed into one of the most successful "Project Runway" stars. Yet, there are many "Project Runway" winners who you simply don't hear about anymore, and a lot of the true success stories aren't solely from the winners. The beauty of the show is that its talent pool is undeniable, and many of the past contestants have gone on to establish an A-list clientele and award-nominated work. Here are the most successful "Project Runway" contestants who never won.

Kara Saun was the runner-up in Season 1 of "Project Runway." Saun made history as the first Black designer to compete on the show, and she was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. From her whimsical designs and attitude to her fearless approach, Saun made her mark. Since the show, Saun has flourished in the world of costume design. "We create fashion, it's not just costume," she told People in 2023. "And so, I started out in fashion design, and I ended up getting into the union and costume designing." The Season 1 OG designed costumes for Disney's Descendants movie franchise, which she said was inspired by European fashion. The costumes from that movie became a staple for children during Halloween. "We were the no. 1 costume, the number one doll, and to help build that world ... I have always wanted to do something that was iconic, something that would live forever. And this will live forever," she said.

She also did the costume design for "The Sing-Off" on NBC and worked with Zendaya on Disney's TV movie, "Zapped." The night before she received the news that she had made it on "Project Runway," Saun was seriously contemplating her career choice after struggling to make it in Los Angeles. "I promise you, I was on the floor of a girlfriend's apartment who had just left to go back to the East Coast, and I was like, 'God, I need a sign,'" she told Decider. Since then, it's safe to say that she made it big. 

Austin Scarlett appeared on Season 1 of "Project Runway," and despite not winning, he has shown how easy it is to use the series as a launching pad. By 2008, Scarlett was named creative director of Kenneth Pool, a luxury bridal brand. Each high-end gown he designed was named after Hollywood icons. "They're for a girl who has dreamed of her wedding day," Scarlett told the Denver Post about his designs. "I love being part of that. It's the most fulfilling part of my job." His bridal gowns were a massive hit among celebs. Reality star Lauri Waring of "The Real Housewives of Orange County" wore a custom-made gown by him on her special day.

Outside of the bridal world, Scarlett was hired to design costumes for the Metropolitan Opera's "El Cimarrón." After three successful years as the creative director of Kenneth Pool, Scarlett launched his own bridal collection. "I've always wanted to have my own collection which could focus on my style and really give the bride something from a younger point of view, which is what the Austin Scarlett collection reflects," he told The Bridal Party in 2012. Two years prior, the fan-favorite contestant was also given a spin-off show, "On the Road With Austin & Santino," to document his design work alongside, Santino Rice, one of the most popular villains on "Project Runway."

Candice Cuoco was a finalist in Season 14 of "Project Runway" and finished in fourth place. Her signature all-leather, sensual designs included corsets and bodysuits. Since her stint on the series, Cuoco has worked her way up in the design world with major industry opportunities and A-list clients. In 2023, Cuoco was named the creative director of Frederick's of Hollywood, an esteemed lingerie brand. "I am honored to be part of such an iconic brand that is steeped in the power of women," Cuoco said in the press release (via Authentic). This wasn't the first time her risqué designs caught the eye of special people.

In 2020, Lady Gaga's team reached out to Cuoco to design some pieces for a music video and a Haus Labs ad campaign. It was a full-circle moment for the designer, who grew up a huge Gaga fan. "It has always been a dream of mine to work with Lady Gaga," she told Apparel News. "The first time I saw her 'Born This Way' video, I knew there was a place for me in fashion." It seems even Lady Gaga's most outrageous outfits have made an impression on the world of fashion. The big-name requests kept rolling in for Cuoco. Her Instagram page is flooded with several custom pieces that she designed for Cardi B's Little Miss Drama 2026 tour. Other clients include Latto, SZA, and Beyoncé. A resume like that isn't too shabby for someone who finished in fourth place.

Michael Costello is one of the most successful stories to come out of "Project Runway." In Season 8, the self-taught designer from Los Angeles finished in fourth place. After that season and a stint on "Project Runway: All Stars," things took off slowly for Costello. But everything changed in 2014 when Beyoncé, the Queen B herself, wore one of Costello's designs on the Grammys red carpet. The flesh-colored floral design went viral, and overnight, Costello's work was in high demand. "[I]t changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. Dressing someone like Beyoncé opened doors and introduced me to incredible individuals who have become lifelong friends," he recalled in an Instagram post. 

His gowns soon became a staple for female celebrities on the red carpet. In 2022, Costello reached the level all designers dream of: retail success. His brand launched in Saks Fifth Avenue, and the exclusive collection was designed to be size-inclusive. In addition, Revolve tapped the designer for an ongoing collaboration of affordable pieces. Despite not being crowned a winner of "Project Runway," Costello still feels like he came out on top. "Of course, I didn't win. But I became one of, if not the biggest breakout star, next to Christian Siriano, from the whole franchise," he told Glossy. That said, with success comes some drama. In 2021, Costello publicly accused Chrissy Teigen of bullying him, an accusation she has since denied.

Typically, when you're on a show and eliminated first, it's considered a failure. For Heidi Elnora, getting eliminated on the first episode of Season 2 was devastating. "Getting kicked off the show, it made me stronger. It made me fight harder," she told Yellowhammer. And fight is exactly what she did. In 2006, Elnora opened a bridal shop in Alabama. Two years later, she launched her trademark Build-A-Bride line, which allowed brides to customize their wedding gowns (via Business Alabama). This became a big hit not only in Alabama but nationwide. By this point, networks were calling Elnora to pitch shows centered around her business.

"After 'Project Runway,' I'd actually been approached by different producers about having a show, but I wanted it to be the right kind of show, and I wanted to create something that was positive and had a positive vibe," she explained to StayTuned Magazine. "Bride By Design" premiered on TLC in 2014, and the show followed Elnora and her team as they helped each bride customize the gown of their dreams for their special day. "It's just as easy to me as designing a wedding dress," Elnora said about filming the series. "And to me, designing a wedding dress is like breathing." The series was with good company on the network, which is no stranger to bridal shows. On TLC, brides have bought some of the most expensive dresses on "Say Yes To The Dress."

Emilio Sosa was the fan-favorite runner-up of Season 7. Sosa, who was born in the Dominican Republic but raised in New York City, had an eye for color and costume design. Despite not winning his season, the "Project Runway" alum has earned designer credits for major A-list stars like Diana Ross and Mariah Carey. His eye-catching stage costumes have even been worn by the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. However, it's on the Broadway stage where Sosa would truly make his mark. In 2012, the designer received a coveted Tony Award nominationn within the best costume design category for "Porgy and Bess."

Since then, he has earned four more Tony nominations and an Emmy nomination for costume design. That said, it's not just the praise and industry recognition that Sosa finds rewarding. In 2021, Sosa was elected as the chairman of the American Theater Wing. The nonprofit offers mentorship to young designers from marginalized communities in hopes of encouraging more diversity in the industry. The work hasn't slowed down at all for Sosa. In 2023, he worked on over five Broadway productions, designing over 450 costumes in one season.

Santino Rice was a Season 2 finalist of "Project Runway" and finished in third place. Despite not winning the show, Rice found a successful career on television, all thanks to his polarizing personality. As a contestant, Rice was frequently blunt in his opinions, which may have rubbed his fellow contestants the wrong way. But according to Rice, his boldness on the show resulted in RuPaul reaching out to him with a gig. While many other "Project Runway" alums design custom pieces for the contestants on "RuPaul's Drag Race," Rice was actually hired to serve as the OG judge on the show for over six seasons.

With his eye for design, Rice critiqued each contestant on their pieces and performances. Despite the lucrative gig, when the show took off, Rice still considered designing his day job. "I am very thankful to have two different channels to create and make an income," he said in an interview with Windy City Times. Nowadays, he doesn't seem very active in the design world, but the royalty checks from the early seasons of "Drag Race" aren't anything to sneeze at. Rice and fellow "Project Runway" alum Austin Scarlett also had their own spin-off show. "On the Road With Austin & Santino" premiered on LifeTime and, per the duo, it was tough to film. "It's definitely the most challenging job or project I've been involved in," Scarlett told the Associated Press (via CBS News). "Much, much, much harder than 'Project Runway,'" said Rice.

Season 4 of "Project Runway" turned Christian Siriano into a household name, but the other finalists didn't do too bad for themselves either. Chris March finished in fourth place yet created a resume most could only dream of. Just two years after appearing on the show, the designer was asked to design for Meryl Streep. "I wanted to faint!" Chris recalled to People. "I have always wanted to design something for someone like that, and it was a great and amazing opportunity." March designed the gown Streep wore at the 2010 Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. Other calls from Hollywood soon came in, with artists like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga wearing his designs on stage. The "Project Runway" alum's over-the-top colorful style became a staple for his brand. In 2013, Target announced a collaboration with the designer for an exclusive collection of Halloween-themed wigs, a nod to March's final collection on "Project Runway" made out of human hair. 

However, in 2017, in the midst of the success, the designer suffered a near-fatal accident in his home. In a statement (via Entertainment Tonight), March recalled falling and hitting his head in his home. "I passed out and laid there for four days. I woke up and called 911 and somehow got to the hospital," he wrote. After a two-month, medically-induced coma, he was left partially paralyzed. In 2019, the beloved designer died from complications of a heart attack.