Two Lansing Runway Designers to Compete on Project Runway - Lansing Economic Area Partnership (2024)

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Two Lansing Runway Designers to Compete on Project Runway - Lansing Economic Area Partnership? ›

Grand Ledge twins Claire and Shawn Buitendorp were first introduced to The Runway as students in the Lansing Community College (LCC) Fashion Technology Program. The Buitendorps graduated from LCC in 2011, and are no strangers to success on a national stage.

The twins have been working in the field for four years. They've remodeled rooms in about 50 homes in and around Lansing: designing, knocking down walls, installing insulation, hanging drywall, tiling bathroom floors and painting walls.

The models who walk the runway on Project Runway, showing off the designers' garments, are not paid either - but they do receive free food.

GRAND LEDGE - Claire Buitendorp said she didn't mean to cheat. One week after her twin sister Shawn tearfully bowed out of a head-to-head challenge against her on the latest season of Lifetime's "Project Runway," Claire was booted from the show.

Runway doesn't pay the contestants, and many must quit their jobs to be on the show. The winner may get a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine, a new car, $50,000 in design software, and $100,000 in seed money to start a new clothing line, but not a cent for groceries.

Some of the clothes designed on the series end up being sold on the Project Runway website. Season-seven winner Seth Aaron Henderson said at a Fashion Week El Paso press conference in 201 that clothes produced by contestants "go up for auction immediately after the show."

Experts estimate the pay range for new runway models to fall between $200-1,000 per show, while more experienced models could earn $500-$2500. And, of course, there are the modeling elite, those runway supermodels who go on to become household names. These superstars might make up to a staggering $20,000 per show.

Jillian Lewis(I)

Jillian is currently working on her own label while consulting for several companies as a designer. Having worked as a concept designer and illustrator at Rugby by Ralph Lauren and as a designer at Searle, Jillian learned the skills of the fashion trade.

Grey, who became known for his strong tailoring, sense of color, and steadfast determination, is now embarking on his next adventure: a collection with HSN, formerly known as the Home Shopping Network. The Colombia native used his heritage as inspiration for the collection, called Grey by Jhoan Sebastian Grey.

Where is Jay McCarroll now? ›

After leaving New York, McCarroll now teaches at Philadelphia University and has a fashion line on QVC. McCarroll is a designer for Field of View winter guard in West Chester, Pennsylvania. McCarroll has appeared numerous times on the PBS TV show Quilting Arts.

After his “Project Runway” stint, Kelly went on to specialize in men's swimwear with his brand Hercules New York. He returned to the reality TV franchise in 2019 to compete in Season 7 of “All Stars,” coming in seventh place.