Nov 25, 2008 4:05 pm US/Eastern
Local 'Project Runway' Winner Talks About Future
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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"Project Runway" winner and Maryland native Christian Siriano has taken New York by storm.
CBS
He's a superstar in the fashion world and just celebrated his 23rd birthday.
"Project Runway" winner and Maryland native Christian Siriano has taken New York by storm.
Sally Thorner reports the reality show celeb came home for a reality check.
Maryland's own Christian Siriano is the best. Since winning last season's 'Project Runway,' he's never looked back.
His creations were a hit during Fashion Week this fall. He's also working on a make-up and hair line, as well as a maternity line called Fierce Mama.
In spite of his sky-rocketing career, the fashion phenom still finds time to come home and give back to the place where it all started. He co-hosted a fundraiser for breast cancer recently here in Maryland.
"I always tell my agent that if it's anything like at home in Baltimore, that it's a priority even if it's not paid. It's home to me," said Siriano.
Christian actually grew up in Annapolis, but graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts. He credits his alma mater and his family for much of his success, especially his mom.
"I think her best thing was that she let me be who I wanted to be. Like I wanted to be creative and interesting and I was very eccentric. Actually, I was very into theater and acting when I was little. She never said no. I think she was just like 'whatever,'" said Siriano.
Christian is learning how to run a business.
"I have employees. Come on, I'm like 22 with employees that I have to take care of. It's so much responsibility. I have a few breakdowns, one a week probably," he said.
It's no secret the fashion industry is hurting in this economy.
"It's like the worst time to have a business, let me tell you. So I've had a really hard time jumping off sales-wise. But luckily I think personality and being on television help. But yeah, sales are tough, really tough," said Siriano. "I have a couple other really big, more commercial projects in the works, which will be really good, possibly shoes and a more ready-to-wear-line."
Speaking of ready-to-wear, do you have to be a size 0 to wear a Christian Siriano design?
"You don't. I mean, it's interesting. I dressed Whoopi Goldberg for the Tony's and Whoopi is a size, she's going to kill me, she's like a size 10/12, which is a very average American size. She was like, 'I want a skinny black pant.' I put her in my skinny black stretch amazing pant and she wore it all night. She loved it," Siriano said.
Besides his fashion line, Christian has a lot on his plate for next year. He's designing costumes for the "Eloise in Paris" movie, which will be released next Christmas. Next spring, he has a book out called "How to be Fierce." It will be about fashion, styling and where to shop.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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