What Happened To Project Runway's Austin Scarlett?

"Project Runway" debuted on Bravo back in 2004, giving the world a look behind the seams of what it takes to be a high-end fashion designer. Hosted by Heidi Klum, who gave us her trademark "auffing" of contestants and guided by Tim Gunn and his "make it work" moments, the first season introduced us to 12 would-be fashion designers vying for the top prizes, including developing their own fashion label. It was on that inaugural season that the world was introduced to an Oregon-born, blond-haired, charismatic, chic young designer with a John Waters-style mustache named Austin Scarlett.

Scarlett had a flamboyant personality worthy of his colorful last name, marking him as a star in the making. He made history winning the first challenge with a dress made of corn husks, and though he didn't win the season, he became a breakout star and one of the most successful "Project Runway" contestants who never won. Scarlett landed more TV deals, design commissions, and eventually his own bridal label, among other achievements. But his true passion was and is design, and he's one of the few "Project Runway" stars to maintain a consistent career in the fashion world, focused primarily on bridal designs, along with cocktail and evening wear.

Scarlett maintains a somewhat low public profile as of late, but that doesn't mean he isn't busy with projects, from his own fashion brand to theatrical work to stepping onstage himself at one point. He also has an intensely private personal life, with just a scant mention of his marriage to a wealthy businessman available on the internet as of 2026. While not a heavy-duty self-promoter, there's a chance you've seen his work in a wedding hall or local theater without knowing it.

It may come as a shock to many, but despite Austin Scarlett's camera-ready personality and clever design and sewing work, he didn't win his season of "Project Runway," which also happened to be the debut season for the series. Among his memorable moments on the show, the top one has to be his corn husk dress, which won the first-ever unconventional materials challenge (a staple of the show). It is widely considered one of the most iconic outfits in "Project Runway" history, and in 2014, host Heidi Klum told Entertainment Weekly, "I always talk about Austin Scarlett's corn husk dress from Season 1. I think that's partly because it was proof of concept of how cool and interesting and original these designers could be with such hard materials and parameters.”

Scarlett ultimately placed fourth in the competition but left his mark on the series and pop culture, in part because he was out and proud, a difficult position to be in circa 2004. As he stated in his final interview for "Project Runway" (via The Advocate), "I would love to set an example to any dreamer — maybe not the most popular kid in school, but anyone who's different — who has a dream to always stick to that dream ... No matter how many people tell you to walk a certain way, act a certain way, dress a certain way, design a certain way, you can't listen to them. You have to be true to yourself. No matter what."

After the show aired in 2004 and 2005, Austin Scarlett became "one of the youngest designers in history to be named creative director of a couture wedding and evening wear collection, Kenneth Pool, in 2006, creating six seasons of gowns for the design house," according to his personal website. He also had opportunities to design for people like TV host Nancy O'Dell, who requested he design her Oscars gown after he lost the challenge to design her Grammys dress on the show. He didn't get the chance to, explaining to The Advocate in 2005, "It was my fault. I should have pursued that, but I've been involved with the show since August, so I never had an opportunity to. I would certainly love to work with her."

Scarlett also began designing for bridal lines, eventually creating his own. In 2008, a couple of seasons into his work with Kenneth Pool, Scarlett explained to "Today" how his work on "Project Runway" helped him excel in the bridal world. "The different challenges each day on the show helped me to quickly come up with something professional that would work for the bridal industry. Brides have very individual requests and needs, and I need to be able to cater to those at all times. 'Project Runway' definitely helped me to be constantly prepared for anything at any time and to be sensitive to the needs of the client."

Austin Scarlett displayed a prime personality for television, especially early reality TV like "Project Runway," with quips and a distinct personal style that made him stand out to producers and landed him a spot on the show. After his time on "Project Runway," Scarlett appeared on other TV series like "Battle of the Network Reality Stars" and "The Real Housewives of Orange County." He also served as a commentator/consultant/expert for shows and events on MTV, E!, Discovery Channel, Logo, and "Today."

In 2010, Scarlett and another "Project Runway" breakout star, Santino Rice, one of the show's biggest villains who later became a somewhat endearing personality in his own way, starred in a reality show together, "On the Road with Austin & Santino." Together, the duo traveled to small towns to make dresses for women with upcoming special events, a sort of two-man version of "Queer Eye" after that show had taken off in the early 2000s. "We were able to share what we both love so much, the beauty of wonderfully made clothes," Scarlett told Go Pride Chicago in 2011. "Santino and I are so passionate about it. It's like sharing a hobby or a favorite movie. We were able to open their eyes to a whole new world. To be a part of these women's lives was humbling and inspiring. I think as designers so many of us aspire to be able to do."

Austin Scarlett returned to his "Project Runway" roots for the debut season of "Project Runway: All Stars" in 2012. Scarlett faced off with other fan favorites like Michael Costello, who has undergone a stunning transformation in his career, Kara Janx, Kenley Collins, Anthony Williams, and Rami Kashou. He ended up placing second overall behind winner Mondo Guerra, one of the most successful "Project Runway" stars in the show's history, who has gone on to become a top designer for "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestants.

Reflecting on his time on the show and being a runner-up again, Scarlett told Digital Spy in 2012, "Going on the show was a chance for me to share my philosophy with the world. ... Really, I had fun with the whole experience. It was exhilarating to be there and the talent inspired me."

Hot on the heels of his "Project Runway: All Stars" appearance, Austin Scarlett launched his own design company in 2012. Appearing on the reality show was part of a plan to get people into the idea, explaining to Digital Spy the same year, "I am developing a signature collection of evening and wedding dresses that I hope to release this fall, so I really thought this show would be a great way to get people excited about that."

His personal website explains the philosophy behind his designs and inspirations. "Austin balances his dedication to classic couture with the freshness of a contemporary artist. Austin's love of nature and passion for art history and vintage couture are transformed into gowns that celebrate the classic beauty of a woman." Scarlett's website also highlights that he personally oversees his atelier (or workshop), with every garment "made to order, by hand" involving "precision hand cutting, highly skilled construction, and careful hand finishing. Before completion, each dress is inspected by Austin himself to ensure each gown is perfect for his customer."

On top of his bridal and other high-end fashion designs, Austin Scarlett has also designed costumes for the stage. His productions include costumes for David Parsons' "Dance" on PBS and productions like the Juilliard Opera's 2015 rendition of "La Calisto," the Fort Worth Opera's 2014 production of "With Blood With Ink," and the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. His work has also appeared at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Scarlett has often highlighted theater as an inspiration in his designs. In his 2008 "Today" interview, he explained, "There is definitely a correlation between theater and wedding fashion. Bridal is very much a performance — it is the one grand event in every woman's life. For theater, the fashion had to have a certain grandeur that would read on the stage while also flattering the actress. The same thing applies when doing a wedding dress, but the treatments can be more delicate and there can be much more detail."

Austin Scarlett's design skill is innately his own, but with talent comes discipline, and the Oregon-born creative has the bona fides to back up his abilities. Scarlett studied fashion and design at the Art Students League of New York and The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). In his early professional career, he worked as an apprentice fashion archivist at The Museum at FIT, as well as a theatrical costume design assistant and pattern maker.

With his credentials fostered both academically and through career experience, Scarlett has lectured at several universities and institutions, including Yale, The New York Public Library, Parsons School of Design, and the University of Texas. In 2009, he served as a judge for The New York Public Library's Anti-Prom, showcasing a desire to mentor and support young designers. He's also written a book about the fashion of "Gone With the Wind," titled "Forever Scarlett, the Immortal Style of Gone with the Wind."

With the last name Scarlett, it was only fitting that Austin Scarlett became involved with projects related to "Gone With the Wind" and its famous heroine, Scarlett O'Hara, played by the great Vivien Leigh. There's his aforementioned book on the film's costumes, "Forever Scarlett, the Immortal Style of Gone With the Wind," as well as his work on the film's Blu-ray rerelease in 2012 for its 75th anniversary. Scarlett studied the film's costumes in person when they were on display at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, Texas, at the time and wrote a booklet about the fashion included in the collector's edition box set from Time Warner.

In an interview with Out magazine about his work on the project, Scarlett shared that the film inspired him as a child. "When I finally saw the film, I was 12 and was completely swept away by the beauty and romance of it all. The style of the film inspired a whole phase of discovery of fashion for me. I started studying the history of costume and historical fashion," he told the outlet at the time. That same year, the collection he released took inspiration from the movie and the on-screen Scarlett. "I've adapted some of Scarlett's passion and fire, but for today," he said of the looks.

Classic films and Austin Scarlett seem to go hand in hand. The designer was also tapped in 2022 to redesign the costumes for the Land of Oz, a "Wizard of Oz" theme park in North Carolina. The park was founded in the 1970s and opens every September for a limited time for families to visit and experience walking on re-creations of the iconic sets and visiting with the beloved characters. Scarlett visited the park one year with a friend wearing a costume inspired by the movie of his own design, and the cast quickly requested that he be the one to create updated versions of the costumes.

Scarlett took on the challenge, which involved creating multiples of every costume for everyone from The Wicked Witch of the West's outfit to Judy Garland's iconic Dorothy dress. "It definitely is a lot of work. In addition to all the multiples of each costume, each is completely different from one another. The materials are all different, and I have to take a completely different approach as to how I build them,” he told Rockingham Now while working on the project. But it was a challenge Scarlett was more than willing to take. "To me, Dorothy represents the all-American child. Bringing a classic American icon to life has been a very satisfying project to get to work on," he said.

After years of designing for the stage and being known for his theatrical and flamboyant personality, it really was only a matter of time before Austin Scarlett stepped on an actual stage himself. In 2025, Scarlett made his cabaret stage debut in "Satin Secrets: A Night With Austin Scarlett." On his Instagram, Scarlett shared some of the show's official description, which reads, "Scarlett swoons, croons, and twirls his way through a dizzying array of costume changes, interpreting a personally curated songbook of glamorous jazz standards, vintage vinyl, and a few special surprises. The roles of designer, model, muse, and chanteuse interweave in a show that celebrates creativity, self-expression, and the empowering force of style."

Scarlett performed his show at Theater Row in New York City for a limited run in the fall. Not many reviews are available for the show, but the ones that are skew very positive. All About Solo declared it "easily one of my favorite shows of the season" and "nothing short of a triumph."

Austin Scarlett has been splitting his time since 2018 between a home in North Carolina and New York City, where his fashion business is based. Scarlett has occasionally posted from what appears to be his North Carolina home on Instagram, like a 2024 Instagram photo of a rooster on a picnic table, praising its "fashionable plume." He also shared pictures of his travels on his IG, which he's said in interviews is one of his chief design inspirations. When asked about how travel inspired him for his 2005 line, Scarlett told The Advocate, "I credit both a holiday in New Orleans (I loved its colors and shady, sensual ambiance), and a few trips to Hollywood, where I always feel a glorious surge of glamour."

As for his personal life, Scarlett is married to Smith Freeman, a trust officer at Citibank, according to Ackland Art Museum. Smith is a North Carolina native, according to the museum, and has been collecting ancient Chinese ceramics since the 1980s, which he ultimately donated most of to the museum at some point in the past 10 years when the couple was considering a move to Europe. Otherwise, very little is publicly known about their relationship, and it seems neither Scarlett nor Freeman mention each other in interviews or appear in public together much. One of the few events where they were photographed together was the 2025 opening of the Machine Dazzle Exhibition "Obsession and Evidence" at Gallery AP Space in New York City.