Where Are They Now: All 13 "Project Runway" Winners

Did they make it work?

Jay McCarroll, Season 1

Bravo / Via images2.fanpop.com

Heidi Klum and co. crowned McCarroll Project Runway's first winner back in 2005, beating out the likes of scene-stealing co-stars Austin Scarlett and Wendy Pepper. But McCarroll turned down the show's $100,000 cash prize and mentorship opportunity with sponsor Banana Republic, due to a contractual clause that would give the the show's producers a 10 percent stake in all of McCarroll's post-Runway ventures.

McCarroll, now 40, spent a few years in New York after his not-so-big win, but moved back to his hometown of Philadelphia in 2008 after failing to launch a label with longevity (he sold designs for a short time on QVC). He now teaches at his alma mater, Philadelphia University, and designs textiles. As of 2013, he sold a hodgepodge of original creations – from T-shirts to eyeglasses – at local malls and craft fairs.

McCarroll extended his reality fame by competing on – and winning – VH1's Celebrity Fit Club in 2010. You can follow his colorful adventures on Instagram.

Chloe Dao, Season 2

Ready Houston / Via youtube.com

Unlike McCarroll, Dao accepted Project Runway's $100,000 prize and Banana Republic mentorship when she won in 2006. After the show, the Vietnamese designer returned to her adopted home of Houston, TX, where she used the money to grow her boutique, LOT 8. She later renamed the store eponymously. Dao, now 42, uses the shop to exclusively sell her ready-to-wear and bridal collections, as well as emerging local designers' lines.

Dao also went on to become a spokesperson for Dove, launch a collection on QVC and serve as a judge on season one of Project Runway Vietnam. See what she's working on now on Twitter.

Jeffrey Sebelia, Season 3

Lifetime / Via hollywoodreporter.com

Season three's villain went into the competition as a celeb favorite – stars like Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez and Elton John sported his pre-Runway line, Cosa Nostra. The designer funneled his 2006 prize into that brand, but $100,000 and celebrity fans weren't enough to keep the line afloat. It folded in 2009. He went on to launch an eponymous line soon after, but it appears to have disappeared about a year later.

Sebelia was set to design the clothes for 2007's Bratz live-action movie, but was let go from the project after calling the dolls "slutty" in a NY Mag profile. He bounced back, though – Sebelia was named head designer of a brand called Fluxus in 2010. He seemingly left that gig to launch the high-end, edgy kids label La Miniatura in 2011.

La Miniatura is still up and running, but Sebelia took some time away from the brand to return to Project Runway in 2013. Sebelia, now 44, competed on season three (again) of the show's All Stars spin-off, but failed to take home another win. He placed seventh out of eleven contestants.

Christian Siriano, Season 4

Lifetime / Via nydailynews.com

The series' youngest winner is also its most successful. Siriano was a fresh out of college, 22-year-old intern for Marc Jacobs when he landed a spot on Project Runway in 2007. After his win, Siriano became the go-to designer for celebs seeking accessible avant-garde looks. He's dressed everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift, and his name is dropped on almost every red carpet. The New York Times estimated his brand's 2012 revenue to be north of $5 million. He's also partly responsible for the overuse of the word "fierce."

Siriano has shown at New York Fashion Week every season since 2008, and opened his first storefront in New York in 2012. The designer, now 29, has also collaborated with a variety of brands on mass market products. He designed a collection for Puma, shoes for Payless, a phone for LG, makeup for Victoria's Secret and affordable fashions for Spiegel and HSN. He was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2013.

Siriano has returned to Runway many times as a guest judge, and currently serves as head judge on the show's youth-focused spin-off, Project Runway: Threads. You can keep up with Siriano on Twitter and Instagram.

Leanne Marshall, Season 5

Bluefly / Via nydailynews.com

The Portland-based designer's wave-themed collection won her Runway's $100,000 prize on the show's final Bravo season in 2008. As part of her prize package, Marshall designed an eco-friendly line for e-retailer Bluefly in 2009.

Marshall, now 34, relocated to New York after her Runway run, where she developed a non-Bluefly associated line. According to her website, Marshall has shown at New York Fashion Week and international fashion weeks every season since 2008. Marshall's brand has evolved mostly into bridal gowns, sold in bridal boutiques across the country, at Marshall's flagship store in NYC and on Etsy. Marshall also created an exclusive line for Anthropologie's bridal line, BHLDN, in 2014.

See Marshall's latest designs and design inspirations on Pinterest.

Irina Shabayeva, Season 6

Lifetime / Via youtube.com

Shabayeva won Lifetime's first season of Runway in 2009. After the show, Shabayeva partnered with HSN on a line called Luxe, and expanded her custom dress business. She designed Selena Gomez's 2011 People's Choice Awards dress, and the dress Carrie Underwood wore on the cover of her fourth studio album, Blown Away. Macy's also commissioned Shabayeva to design a limited edition collection for the department store's in-house brand, INC, in 2011.

Shabayeva was set to show a new collection at Fashion Week in 2013, but backed out at the last minute. She was sued by the event's sponsor. That same year, Shabayeva returned to Project Runway for season three of All Stars, where she placed sixth.

Shabayeva, now 32, continues to design custom gowns. You can see her newest pieces on Facebook.

Seth Aaron Henderson, Season 7

QVC / Via parade.com

After his 2010 win, Henderson launched a line of "clothing with a conscience," featuring sustainable fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles. From 2011 to 2013, the Vancouver, Washigton-based designer collaborated with sustainable clothing company Earthtec on a range of items, and designed a line of iPad cases.

Like Sebelia and Shabayeva, Henderson joined the cast of Project Runway: All Stars for season three. He became the franchise's first-ever two-time winner, taking home another $150,000. Henderson, now 43, reportedly planned to relocate to Los Angeles after the 2014 win to open his own design studio. As part of his prize package, Henderson launched a line for QVC.

Check out Henderson's current projects on Twitter.

Gretchen Jones, Season 8

Lifetime / Via mylifetime.com

Lifetime dubbed Jones the series' most-controversial winner ever after her 2010 victory, when she beat out fan and Heidi Klum favorite Mondo Guerra (he went onto win the first installment of All Stars).

The Portland, Oregon-native took the backlash in stride and relocated to Brooklyn to launch a ready-to-wear line, Gretchen Jones NYC. She has consistently shown at New York Fashion Week since 2010, and was named one of GenArt's Fresh Faces in 2013. She sells her clothing and jewelry collections online and at various boutiques around the world.

Jones, 32, is a big fan of sharing her #OOTD (outfit of the day) on Instagram.

Anya Ayoung-Chee, Season 9

Lifetime / Via youtube.com

The former Miss Trinidad and Tobago took home Runway's top prize in 2011, despite not knowing how to sew before auditioning for the show. Anya used her winnings to launch a line called PILAR, along with a collection for Piperlime. She went onto launch a destination travel line, ANYA, and become a travel ambassador for Trinidad and Tobago. Ayoung-Chee also hosts events and produces fashion shows for Trinidad's annual Carnival celebration.

Ayoung-Chee, now 33, joined the Project Runway spin-off Under The Gunn in early 2014 as a mentor to up-and-coming designers. She now splits her time between Trinidad and NYC, and documents her life on Twitter.

Dmitry Sholokhov, Season 10

Lifetime / Via tn.ltcdn.com

Former ballroom dancer Sholokhov took home the 2012 title, landing an exclusive deal with Lord & Taylor. His L&T collection, made up of just eight dresses, sold for a limited time in 2013. Sholokhov, now 34, went on to show collections at Moscow and Panama's Fashion Weeks.

Today, Sholokhov's business focuses on private commissions. He is currently competing on Project Runway: All Stars season four, airing Thursdays on Lifetime, and posts a lot of selfies on Twitter.

Michelle Lesniak, Season 11

Lifetime / Via youtube.com

Lesniak, who competed on the show as Michelle Franklin (she and her husband divorced after her win), survived the series' first-ever "team" edition in 2013. Right after her win, Lesniak told The Hollywood Reporter she planned to hire a small team to build her brand, and returned to her hometown of Portland with the $100,000 prize.

According to her website, Lesniak is committed to local manufacturing and ethical business practices, in hopes of growing Portland's fashion industry. Lesniak, 35, seemingly spent most of 2014 traveling the country to show off her latest collections, sold online and in select local retailers. She can also be seen competing on the current season of Project Runway: All Stars. See how she's doing on Twitter.

Dom Streater, Season 12

Stylelist / Via stylelist.com

Streater made history for two reasons with her 2013 win. She's Runway's first African American winner, and she took home the show's biggest cash prize ever: $500,000. The money allowed Streater, 25, to quit the jobs she juggled before the show and focus on fashion full-time.

She designed a capsule collection for show sponsor Belk, and went on to show a 27-piece collection at New York Fashion Week 2014. Streater also collaborated with high-end audio company Velodyne to design a line of headphones using signature prints from her spring 2015 collection. You can shop Streater's self-titled line on her website.

Sean Kelly, Season 13

Lifetime / Via youtube.com

Kelly hasn't been up to much since winning ... but that's because his win came this past October. After the finale, Kelly told Entertainment Weekly he planned to take some time to really figure out what he wanted his brand to be – he exclusively did menswear before the show, but found his groove in womenswear on Runway.

You can keep tabs on Kelly on Twitter. He recently shared a shot of singer/songwriter Sia in one of his creations.

Lifetime / Via bricesander.tumblr.com

The only winners excluded from this list were All Stars champions:

- Daniel Vosovic, Season 2 – Project Runway: All Star Challenge Special (2009)

- Mondo Guerra, Season 8 – Project Runway: All Stars, Season 1 (2012)

- Anthony Ryan Auld, Season 9 – Project Runway: All Stars, Season 2 (2013)