Designer Dishes on Legal Woes of 'Project Runway'

By Amber James Posted Feb 11th 2009 09:22AM

With 'Project Runway' caught in a legal limbo and unable to air its new season on Lifetime, season one winner Jay McCarroll is not shy to admit he's loving that karma has come back to get the show, which he says ruthlessly used its designers' passions to make millions.

"It was really hard for me when [Bravo] sold the show to Lifetime for about $150 million. I was like, 'Wow. I helped a lot of people make a lot of money.' People got burned, so karma came back to bite,"McCarroll exclusively told PopEater.

"My life story, my passion, my personality and my work ... it all made a lot of other people very rich," McCarroll said. "But what goes around comes around," he added about the reality show's legal troubles.

The court battle over the fashion design competion series erupted after a five-year, $200 million deal was reached to move 'Project Runway' to Lifetime from Bravo, where it has been a signature show for the cabler for five seasons. Bravo parent company NBC Universal immediately sued Weinstein Co. for breach of contract, which kept Lifetime from airing or promoting the reality fashion show. In December, a federal judge sent the matter back to the state Supreme Court, leaving the show's future in limbo.

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Jay McCarroll's 2007 Spring Collection

Model Omayra Mota and designer Jar McCarroll (R) walk the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park on September 15, 2006 in New York City. Check out his designs >>>

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Jay McCarroll: Spring 2007 Fashion

Model Omayra Mota and designer Jar McCarroll (R) walk the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park on September 15, 2006 in New York City.

Getty Images

A model walks the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park in New York City.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

Jay McCarroll's Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park.

Mark Mainz,Getty Images

Omahyra Mota Garcia walks the runway in Jay McCarroll's Spring 2007 fashion line at Olympus Fashion Week in New York City.

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Eve Salvail wearing Jay McCarroll.

Thomas Concordia, WireImage

A model walks the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park September 15, 2006 in New York City.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

A male model walks the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in the Atelier in Bryant Park.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

A model walks the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

A model walks the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

A model walks the runway at the Jay McCarroll Spring 2007 Fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park on September 15, 2006 in New York City.

Mark Mainz, Getty Images

Despite the legal woes, 'Runway' producers have already started filming Season 6 in Los Angeles. On Feb. 20, the show will hold its traditional runway finale at New York Fashion Week, but this year it is going to be different. To prevent spoilers, producers plan to show the collections without identifying their designers.

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Life on 'Runway' is anything but reality, McCarroll admits. "[Project Runway] is heavily edited and fast paced with people just handing you money. In real life, it isn't easy to make a wedding dress in a day and a half with a couple hundred dollars. That doesn't happen ... there is a lot more that goes into designing fashion," he said.

"In my real life ... the money comes out of my own pocket," McCarroll added, stating due to legal clauses in his contract, he refused to take his $100,000 'Runway' prize money and mentorship. "It was the best decision I could have ever made... It'd be gone by now anyway, so what's the point of it," he said.

Transitioning from reality television to actual reality, McCarroll developed his latest project, 'Eleven Minutes,' which showcases what really goes into making a collection for New York Fashion Week. The documentary serves as an educational tool about the "process and chaos that happens behind the scenes leading up to a fashion show," he said. "Once you turn the corner, six months of hard work lasts eleven minutes. It's so quick," he said.

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For more information about McCarroll's documentary and fashion line, check out 'Eleven Minutes' and JayMcCarroll.com.