Project Runway struts its way back onto the television Thursday night for season 13. It's your classic reality competition show that narrows contestants down with each episode until there is a grand prize winner.
It's a favorite among fashion lovers or aspiring designers, and anyone else who just loves watching Heidi Klum. Every once in a while, a local designer lands a spot on the show and this season we've got three Texans. Dallas-based Emmanuel Tobias will be taking on the competition, which includes Samantha Palencia from San Antonio and Emily Payne who's from Temple, Texas.
Season 11 of Project Runway was the last time a Dallas designer appeared on the show, unfortunately James Martinez was eliminated in the second episode. Daniel Esquivel, another Texan designer who was from Dallas but lived in Austin made it to the first part of the show's season finale.This season could be different for Dallas, Tobias has great potential to show America what he's made of with his designs of fantasy art mixed with street culture, fine textiles, androgyny and prints.
Locally he's won several awards. His latest accomplishment was winning first runner up in the 2011 Scion Driving Fashion Competition. In 2005, he was awarded first place in both the Crimson in the City's Bellisimo 2005 Interactive Fashion Runway Event and at the Fashion Group International's Career Day Competition 2005 in Eveningwear.
Tobias was a former El Centro Community College student where he earned his Associate of Applied Science in pattern design; he also worked as an adjunct draping instructor there.
He graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design. Tobias discovered his talent when he designed his sister's quinceañera dress, which was highly detailed. Before Project Runway Michael Faircloth, -an in-house couture designer at Richard Brooks Fabrics - mentored Tobias.
In the video below Tobias gives us a warm welcome into his home. He shows us his closet and some of the clothes he designed for himself and some funky patterned button up shirts. Although we were most taken by his bed, which is built directly on top of his closet to allow for adequate working space. You can follow his journey on Project Runway on Lifetime at 8 p.m. Thursday and also on any of his future episodes.
