Plus-Sized Win for Fashion!
Project Runway crowns Designer Ashley Nell Tipton the Winner of Season 14!
NEW YORK, NY (November 6, 2015) - San Diego native Ashley Nell Tipton has accomplished many things in her life - and now she can add to that list winning the title of Lifetime's Emmy(R)-nominated series Project Runway (#ProjectRunway)! Last night, the colorful and talented Latina became the first ever plus-sized designer in the show's 14 seasons to take home the grand prize, beating out her fellow finalists Candice Cuoco of San Francisco, Kelly Dempsey of Boston and Edmond Newton of Atlanta. An advocate for the celebration of women of every size through clothing, Tipton quickly became a fan super favorite this season. Having launched her own line of plus sized womens' apparel in 2012, the designer showed she wasn't a one trick pony with her inventive designs that repeatedly captivated the judges.
The unique buzz Tipton created was seen at New York Fashion Week where she sent her collection of designs down the runway featuring all plus-sized models. Her inspiration for the winning collection was "1950's Mexico City" and featured signature headpieces made from flowers currently in bloom in Mexico. Her one-of-a-kind collection impressed the show's judges Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen and this year's guest judge, singer Carrie Underwood.
As the winner, Tipton receives $100,000 to further her business and a Celebrity Cruises(R) modern luxury vacation for two to almost anywhere in the world. She also receives a year's worth of products from Sally Beauty Supply and the opportunity to consult with Sally Beauty to create a limited edition "FingerPaints" nail color collection. Travel and hotel accommodations to inspiring destinations around the world will be provided by Best Western International and from Mary Kay, Tipton receives an entire year's worth of beauty products for her fashion shows and professional makeup artist services for their debut show. Additionally, Ashley receives a 2015 Lexus RC 350 and a complete sewing and crafting studio from Brother Sewing and Embroidery as well as a fashion spread for her and her model in Marie Claire magazine.
ABOUT PROJECT RUNWAY
Hosted by supermodel and fashion maven Emmy Award winner Heidi Klum, the hit Emmy(R)-nominated series Project Runway provides budding designers with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion, under the watchful eyes of mentor and co-host Emmy Award winner Tim Gunn and judges Nina Garcia and Zac Posen.
Project Runway is produced by The Weinstein Company, Bunim/Murray Productions and Full Picture Entertainment.Executive producers include Bob and Harvey Weinstein (Co-Chairmen of The Weinstein Company) and Patrick Reardon and Barbara Schneeweiss of The Weinstein Company, Jonathan Murray and Sara Rea of Bunim/Murray Productions, Heidi Klum, and Jane Cha and Desiree Gruber of Full Picture Entertainment.Eli Lehrer, Mary Donahue and David Hillman of Lifetime also executive produce.
ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY
The Weinstein Company (TWC) boasts an active television production division which garnered nine Emmy nominations in 2013 and five in 2014. TWC Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, with its spin-off series Project Runway All Stars. Scripted series include John Fusco's Marco Polo with Netflix, going into its second season. Other recent TWC television productions include Mob Wives, Rodeo Girls, Trailer Park: Welcome to Myrtle Manor, Project Runway: Under the Gunn, Project Runway: Threads, Cement Heads, and Million Dollar Shoppers. Scripted projects in development and production include Ten Commandments, War and Peace which is a co-production with BBC and will air on A+E Networks, and The Reaper, an event series for NBC. TWC also developed Nanny Diaries and produced The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
ABOUT BUNIM/MURRAY PRODUCTIONS
Bunim/Murray Productions is the leading producer of innovative entertainment content. The Emmy Award-winning company is widely credited with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The Real World (30 seasons on MTV). BMP continued to innovate with the first reality game show, Road Rules (MTV), in 1995; the first reality sitcom, The Simple Life (E!), in 2003; and the first reality soap opera, Starting Over, in 2003. Bunim/Murray's programming also includes I Am Cait, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Dash Dolls, Stewarts & Hamiltons and Total Divas (E!), The Real World and The Challenge (MTV), Project Runway and Project Runway All Stars (Lifetime), Love Thy Sister (WE tv), Bad Girls Club (Oxygen) and The Valerie Bertinelli Project (Food Network). Bunim/Murray Productions has also produced films, including Valentine Road (HBO), Pedro (MTV) and the Emmy Award-winning Autism: The Musical (HBO). Bunim/Murray Productions has launched additional entities including BMP Films, BMP Digital and BMP Latin. Based in Van Nuys, CA, Bunim/Murray Productions was founded in 1987 by Jonathan Murray and the late Mary-Ellis Bunim, who were inducted into the Television Academy of Arts & Science's Hall of Fame in 2012. The company joined Banijay Group in 2010.
ABOUT FULL PICTURE ENTERTAINMENT
Full Picture Entertainment's multiple divisions include Television & Digital Production, Publicity/Marketing, Management, Branding/Licensing and online fashion portal Modelinia. Full Picture co-created and executive produces the eleven-time Emmy- nominated, PGA-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series Project Runway. Full Picture has also produced companion seriesThreads, Project Runway Junior, Models of the Runway, Fashion Nation for TVGN, CW's Stylista, Modelinia Fashion Week TV, as well as Lifetime'sSeriously Funny Kids. Full Picture has numerous scripted and reality projects currently in development relating to fashion, food, luxury branding and health-fitness for television and online distribution
ABOUT LIFETIME
Lifetime is a premier female-focused entertainment destination dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning scripted series, non-fiction series and movies. As a result of the network's aggressive programming strategy that has doubled the hours of its original programming, in 2014 the network reached its strongest ranking among the key Women 18-49 demo in six years and its youngest median age in 18 years. Lifetime Television(R), LMN(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.
|