Fashion Model: PRS8: Meet Kristin Haskins Simms and Peach Carr

You know the drill. Bitchpants. On.

Kristin Haskins-Simms
Age: 38
Birthplace/Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Current Home: Philadelphia, PA

Current occupation? Apparel designer, freelance graphic designer and adjunct professor in graphic design.
What is a fashion must? Creativity and defining your own individual style without mimicking others.
What are your strengths as a designer? Experimentation, draping and knowing how to break the rules, yet make a wearable garment.
Favorite Designer(s): Junya Watanabe, Comme des Garçons, Ann Demuelemeister, Rick Owens, Oscar de la Renta, Chloe, Ivan Grundal, Gautier, Alexander McQueen, Tracie Reese
Style Icon: Audrey Hepburn
What's influenced your designs over the years? Pieces my grandmother made, nature, period costumes and military uniforms.
What fashion faux pas drives you crazy? Clothes that just don't fit right or work with the shape that God gave you.
Any other cultures or places you wish you could design for? Morocco and South Africa.
Project Runway challenge you wish they'd bring back for your season? The flower challenge and the car challenge.
Favorite Past Project Runway Designer(s): Christian, Santino, Andre, Korto, Alison, Seth Aaron, Jeffrey and Mila.

Kristin studied English and French at The University of Pennsylvania receiving her masters for graphic design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). With the growing demand for her work, she launched her own design studio called “keydesign.” But it was Kristin’s experimentation with creating a T-shirt jacket on her grandmother’s sewing machine that led her down the path of fashion design. After consulting with the fashion professors at the University of Philadelphia, where she was also teaching design courses, Kristin created a collection that she showed at Phila Fashion Week. Despite any formal training, the response to her work tremendous and she went on to start a t-shirt based apparel line called “strangefruit.”

Why she’ll win?
Kristin has the potential to win for her willingness to experiment and break the rules – but still make clothes that are wearable. She is also very versatile and is confident enough in her vision, even when the final product isn’t what she had initially envisioned in her sketches.

Home Visit:

Hometown Girl! We are totally going to become besties and have Project Runway viewing parties with her and Jay McCarroll and we'll all gossip about behind-the-scenes stuff while we say really cruel things about the designers and especially Heidi. Unless we make fun of her or criticize her designs too much. Then she'll probably pass us on the street without saying hi. Cute dog.

Casting Session:

She sure seemed to impress the judges. That multi-purpose stuff isn't necessarily going to make Nina's skirt fly up, but she does have some interesting ideas.

Portfolio:

Maybe a few too many ideas. She could use some editing.

Peach Carr
Age: 50
Birthplace/Hometown: Winfield, IL
Current Home: Lake Forest, IL

Current occupation? Freelance designer.
What is a fashion must? Great shoes and an even better attitude.
What are your strengths as a designer? Adaptability.
What's influenced your designs over the years? The fashion and music from my '60s childhood. Everything was so bright and alive.
What fashion faux pas drives you crazy? Women who do not dress age-appropriately.
What are your favorite websites? Project Rungay, eBay.
Project Runway challenge you hope they bring back for your season? Drag queen!
Favorite Designers(s): Valentino, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga
Style Icons: Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Onassis
Favorite Past Project Runway Designer: Austin Scarlett, Season 1; Laura Bennett, Season 3

Peach made her first garment in fourth grade while in the 4-H club – an A-line shift dress. The self-taught designer won many blue ribbons at the county fair and continued sewing ever since. Currently a freelance designer, Peach’s 16-year-old daughter Molly sealed her fate by printing out the application and forced her to apply and audition for a spot on the show. Her design aesthetic is influenced by her childhood and the fashions and music from the 60’s. Peach’s other passion is golf and she’d love to one day, design for the ladies of the French Open.

Why she’ll win?
Peach is talented, fast on her feet and has waited a long time for an opportunity like Project Runway.

The Holy Trifecta of Style Icon answers! Jackie! Coco! Audrey! Bored now!

EDIT: Okay, yes. She did name our humble little blog among her favorites, so we certainly can't fault her taste.

Home Visit:

Paula Deen's long-lost sister. Without the accent. Hey lady, nice barn.

Casting Session:

Really?

Come on now.

Portfolio: