Hosted by supermodel and fashion maven Heidi Klum, Season 8 provides 17 talented designers – the most in the series' history – with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion, under the watchful eye of mentor and Liz Claiborne Chief Creative Officer Tim Gunn.

Judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia weigh in on the best and worst of the runway.

As part of the winner's prize package, this season's victorious designer will receive $100,000 from L'Oréal Paris to start his/her own line, a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine, a $50,000 technology suite by HP and Intel to create his/her own vision and run his/her business, and the opportunity to design and sell an exclusive collection on Piperlime.com.

The model paired with the winner of Project Runway will also appear in the designer's editorial feature in Marie Claire and receive $25,000 from L'Oréal Studio Secrets Professional.

The guest judges this season are Selma Blair, Joanna Coles, Betsey Johnson, Philip Treacy, Georgina Chapman, Cynthia Rowley, Kristen Bell, January Jones, Naeem Khan, Rachel Roy, Norma Kamali, Christian Siriano and Jessica Simpson.

Project Runway is produced by The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture. Executive producers include Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Jon Murray and Sara Rea of Bunim-Murray Productions, Heidi Klum, and Jane Cha and Desiree Gruber of Full Picture.

Barbara Schneeweiss oversees the production on behalf of The Weinstein Company.

Season 8 Contestants

A.J. Thouvenot, 26, from Charles, Missouri
Andy South, 23, from Honolulu, Hawaii
April Johnston, 21, from Savannah, Georgia
Casanova, 33, from Astoria, New York
Christopher Collins, 30, from San Francisco, California
Gretchen Jones, 28, from Portland, Orgeon
Ivy Higa, 30, from New York, New York
Jason Troisi, 33, from Greenwich, Connecticut
Kristin Haskins-Simms, 38, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
McKell Maddox, 29, from Layton, Utah
Michael Costello, 27, from Palm Desert, California
Michael Drummond, 31, from St. Louis, Missouri
Mondo Guerra, 32, from Denver, Colorado
Nicolas D'Aurizio, 31, from New York, New York
Peach Carr, 50, from Lake Forest, Illinois
Sarah Trost, 27, from Toluca Lake, California
Valerie Mayen, 28, from Cleveland, Ohio

Special Notes

Season 8 was supposed to premiere on Vuzu on Tuesday 24 May 2011, at 20h30, but due to a scheduling error it didn't air. Instead it premiered on Saturday 28 May at 17h45, with a repeat of Episode 1 on Sunday 29 May at 18h00. Thereafter new episodes broadcast weekly, on Tuesdays at 20h30.