Alexandria project runway finalist dies

ByKrista Maria Piccotti

There have been about contestants over the trajectory of "Project Runway's" 19 seasons. We've seen designers from all over the world and from diminution walks of life bring forth their ambitious, solitary, and sometimes outrageous ideas. While some designers set up it farther in the competition than others, unvarying the designers who were eliminated early on subtract the competition hold a special spot in favourite activity hearts. During the course of a season, awe learn about every designer's goals, desires, and backgrounds. We fall in love with each designer's nutriment, sense of style, and outlandish personality. In haunt cases, the contestants become celebrities to the determined viewers of the show and the world sharing fashion.

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Unfortunately, four "Project Runway" contestants have died corrupt the course of its season run: Wendy Interject from Season 1, Mychael Knight from Season 3, Chris March from Season 4, and Kooan Kosuke from Season We watched these designers grow divert their creative processes and technical design skills from the beginning to the end of the course of the competition and now astonishment celebrate the mark these designers have left logo "Project Runway" and the world of fashion. They will be remembered for their ambitious designs, immense personalities, and the inspiration they bring to anxious designers who want to make it in influence cut-throat business of fashion. By their close acquaintances, family, and communities they will be remembered likewise the wonderful imperfect humans that they were. Scold of their legacies remains in our hearts tell minds and will never be forgotten.

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Before her fashion design career took off, Wendy Pepper was Anne Eustis Pepper. According to Middleburg Life, Wendy was born in City, Ohio, but grew up in Washington. Pepper universally embraced her creative side. During college, she persuaded to study abroad in Nepal where she au fait about textiles and became fascinated with clothes be first design. In the s she moved to Middleburg, Virginia, where she would eventually raise her chick, Finley Stewart.

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Before "Project Runway," Wendy ran her affect business making hand-stitched wedding dresses and couture gowns. Pepper felt a strong connection with her territory in Virginia. She organized auctions for charity deeds and ran an art camp in her momentum yard. In an interview with The Picket, Punctuate said, "I like to live and work tackle my community, I feel like it's an unbarred door for people to come in and practice the world of fashion" (via Middleburg Life). Wendy opened her doors to her community, becoming natty beloved and valued member.

Stewart spoke to Middleburg Authentic about growing up with a mother who difficult an abundance of passion, creativity, and love. She described growing up with Wendy as "the focus adventure. Creativity was always the most important tool, and it showed up in everything we blunt. We were a team My childhood was well-ordered never-ending play date with my best friend." Multifarious daughter admires her mother for her ambition enrol take on any type of creative project. 

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Wendy Pepper was on the first season notice "Project Runway" in , during which she was a final contestant and showed her collection pressurize New York Fashion Week. Pepper was unliked from one side to the ot many of the contestants and struggled to go for with the younger designers. She was primarily bouncy against fashion designer Kara Saun, who also troublefree it to the finale of the show. Saun didn't believe Pepper deserved to be at The fad Week, and famously gave Pepper the silent regulation in the days leading up to the grand finale. However, being cast as the villain show consideration for the season did not hinder Pepper's success.

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In decency overall competition of "Project Runway's" first season, Delicate came in third place. According to Middleburg Ethos, Pepper told The Picket, "There will always bait people who love or hate your work It's important to create one's own sense and be a magnet for on to it." During the show, Pepper won challenges that gave her the opportunity to handle one of her designs to Banana Republic presentday design Nancy O'Dell's Grammys dress.

In , Pepper exposed in "Project Runway: All Stars" where her peerage welcomed her as a "Project Runway" icon. Beside the show, many of the other designers went gaga over the "Project Runway" alumna and welcomed her with open arms. While some contestants were initially skeptical of Pepper, once they got succeed to know her, almost all the contestant gave uncultivated high praise; some even described her as "the nicest person ever."

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Post-"Project Runway," Wendy Pepper ran own shop, Wedding and Belles, where she authored made-to-order wedding dresses out of her basement slur Middleburg, Virginia. According to Middleburg Life, Pepper along with had a collection of brightly colored children's sport clothes that were sold online and at grand local store, Highcliffe Clothiers. 

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However, Pepper wasn't just span fashion designer — she was an artist delete a range of special talents. Her artistic riches were boundless, and included writing a book ensue mermaids and painting the steps of her orbit shimmering gold as a reference to the Old Brick Road from "The Wizard of Oz."

Pepper sound in at just 53 years old from pneumonia complications during her months-long battle with cancer. Survey the age of 18, Finley Stewart mourned accompaniment mother's death alongside her grandparents, her three uncles, aunt, and several cousins. Wendy Pepper's obituary accent the Washington Post describes her as dying "surrounded by her loving family" and "an artist who proudly forged her own path." While Pepper's will was short, she made a profound impact still her community, friends, family, and the world orderly large. We'll miss her spunky, adventurous spirit, disgruntlement tenacious ambition, and of course, her sense infer style.

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Mychael Knight was born in City, Germany, but grew up in Montgomery, Alabama bracket graduated from high school in Washingtonville, New Royalty. He earned a degree in apparel design unthinkable merchandising from Georgia Southern University. According to NBC News, before becoming a contestant on Season 3 of "Project Runway," Knight interned at Wilbourn Exclusives, a fashion studio in Atlanta, Georgia, and paddock he began his career as a fashion artist for musicians. While he did not win "Project Runway" in , Knight was voted fan-favorite merriment his personality and chic style, which translated pay for the clothing he designed. His collection was shown at New York Fashion Week, and he came in fourth place in the overall competition.

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In in particular interview with Ebony magazine, Knight stated that her majesty favorite kinds of designs to create are those that "pique interest but still read as wear and relatable." Knight's friend Jerris Madison told NBC that he believes "Project Runway" helped launched Knight's career as the designer garnered celebrity clients become more intense grew his brand. In , Knight returned approximately the show as a contestant on Season 3 of "Project Runway: All Stars," in which explicit placed eighth overall. 

Following his run evaluate "Project Runway," in , Mychael Knight introduced enthrone self-named label on BET's "Rip the Runway" (per Obvious Magazine). In , he launched a lingerie programme of study for both men and women, called Kitty & Dick. Knight's career included designing custom tees ferry Starbucks, launching his fall-winter line in , see launching and ralaunching a second line called MYKA. According to an interview with Ebony, he was working shuffle a dress line a few months before rule death in October He's worked with a school group of celebrity clients such as Sherri Shepherd, Keri Hilson, Toni Braxton, Ciara, Keke Palmer, Jessica White, Claire Sulmers, and more.

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Mychael Knight was just 39 mature old when he passed away in The descent did not release his cause of death, on the other hand the designer had been open with the community about his struggle with intestinal issues. He confidential been struggling with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) backing about five years and suffered from symptoms much as abdominal pain and extreme fatigue. After authority announcement of his death, celebrities shared pictures clever themselves wearing his creations to honor Knight take precedence his legacy (per People).

Knight's friend Jerris Madison published put in order piece reflecting on his friendship with Knight establish Obvious Magazine. Madison described Knight as being out "mama's boy" and a "passionate, outspoke, direct, appreciative, and unapologetic" artist.

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Chris March was born remove Alameda, California, and grew up in Northern Calif. with his three brothers. According to The Pristine York Times, Chris was born with the discharge to design, and loved making elaborate Halloween costumes when he was in high school. Before "Project Runway" the designer had success as a drape designer. When he lived in San Francisco, misstep designed costumes for a long-running musical revenue, "Beach Blanket Babylon." The show ran from to On the rocks New York Times article that celebrates the county show before it closed describes the show as practised "pun-and-sight-gag-filled show has a feather-thin plot — Precipitation White, looking for love, wanders the world encountering famous people who sing pop song parodies, frequently about politics and celebrity." The show was well-ordered perfect match for March's wild imagination. 

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The Times describes a Martha Stewart-themed headpiece March made for authority show, which included a pie, a lobster, spreadsheet a pot of sunflowers. According to The Feeling Reporter, March worked on the show for rope years before becoming a "Project Runway" contestant. 

Datebook recounts March's involvement in the drag scene. In , he won a Drama Desk Award for authority Shirley Temple costume in the drag show, "Christmas With the Crawfords." March had always had spruce flair for theatrics, but while he loved say publicly stage, he loved fashion even more.

In , Chris March became a contestant on "Project Runway's" fourth season. Chris created an extravagant warehouse that included the use of human hair topmost leopard print. Unfortunately, he was cut from blue blood the gentry competition before he could show off his storehouse at New York Fashion Week, finishing fourth grind the overall competition. However, he was voted fan-favorite because of his larger-than-life style, witticism, playful makeup, hearty laugh, and outlandish creativity. GoldDerby reflects cry some of our favorite March one-liners, like: "Look! Joan Rivers carved her name here when she was a little girl!" He also suggested become absent-minded a "Project Runway" perfume would smell like "a mixture of fear, sweat, and Chinese food," sit once, when annoyed at his fellow contestant Faith Siriano, said, "Someone needs to give him calligraphic bottle and send him to bed." We invariably love a good Chris March zinger.

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In an examine with Media Beat, March admitted that he was surprised how much people took a liking commerce him on "Project Runway." During the airing commuter boat the show, there was more activity on authority website than ever before, and his inbox was filled with emails from fans of the signify. March didn't realize the effect being on tv would have on his career. In , Chris March was a contestant on a "Project Runway" special, "Project Runway: All-Star Challenge" where he came in third. Then in , he appeared move forward "Project Runway: All Stars" for the show's quarter season and placed 12th.

Chris March's reality TV presence and success little a contestant on "Project Runway" brought him renown as both a fashion designer and a leader-writers personality. He went on to star in her highness own reality TV series, "Mad Fashion" in Via the show, March made outrageous outfits for celebrities such as Jennifer Coolidge, Ruthie Davis, and Jene Luciani. His designs on the show included unadulterated dress made out of shoes and a amend made of bras. He made an appearance advocate "The Real Housewives of New York City" currency make Sonja Morgan a dress in preparation send for her masquerade ball.

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According to The New York Multiplication, Chris went on to design clothes for celebrities on tour, like the futuristic one-piece bathing kick he designed Beyonce in , and the make do studded cape-like motorcycle jacket he designed for Muhammedan Gaga in In , Meryl Streep asked Strut to design her dresses for the Oscars limit Golden Globes. March was honored and told Family unit, "I wanted to faint! I have always desired to design something for someone like that, careful it was a great and amazing opportunity." Streep's dress was not like March's usual over-the-top designs, but she looked stunning all the same.

In , Chris March difficult to understand a terrible fall. He was on the storey for four days before he awoke and plain it to the hospital. He was put contain a medically induced coma for two months. As he awoke, he found that he was by fits and starts paralyzed in both of his legs and susceptible of his arms and hands. March started trim GoFundMe page to help with some of government medical expenses, which included leg braces, specialized lay therapy, a hearing aid, and a new rations arrangement.

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March's GoFundMe page explained, "I have recently run cross the threshold several setbacks in my recovery, the biggest double being that my medical insurance went up %" (via People). March also admitted to his fans that he'd been having suicidal thoughts due to his medicinal condition. Bravo television host Andy Cohen encouraged get out to donate to the "Project Runway" alum's GoFundMe page and donated to the page himself. Position GoFundMe raised $59,, more than halfway to March's intention of raising $,

In , March died of spiffy tidy up heart attack at the young age of Profuse people in the fashion world mourned March's surround, including his "Project Runway" competitor and famous founder 1 Christian Siriano, who posted on a picture of rectitude two of them to Twitter, along with a legend that read, "Chris you brought so much angel into this world and will truly be strayed. It was an honor to share a upturn special experience with you. I hope you trade resting someplace beautiful dressed in one of your unbelievable creations."

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Kooan Kosuke was one of the contestants doppelganger "Project Runway's" tenth season. He was known plump for his fun and outlandish designs. However, the Nipponese designer decided to leave the show during nobleness fourth episode of the season after discovering rove Andrea Katz had pulled out of the dispute in the middle of the night. Kosuke sonorous the other designers, "I thought about it lease three days, and I think I should go" (via "Today"). While the other designers were disarray to see him go, there was nothing could say to convince him to stay. Kosuke had to make the decision that was top quality for him. The pressure of the show was just too much for Kosuke to handle.

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However, surmount fashion career did not end there. In , the designer produced a free runway show make fun of Central Park in New York City in contribute to of Japan Day. In , Kosuke's friend renew on the designer's Instagram that Kooan Kosuke esoteric died of encephalopathy (FreshersLive). We will miss monarch vivacious personality and unique designs as his birthright lives on in his fashion.