Project Runway Exclusive Interview: Rami Doesn't Just Drape! - Stylehive

The perfect end to an amazingly innovative and exciting season is all I can really say about last night€™s Project Runway finale. It had everything- stress, drama, obstacles, and an amount of pressure I don€™t think any of us can fathom! We followed the final three- Jillian, Rami, and Christian, as they did their model casting, got some final words of wisdom from Tim Gunn, made last minute adjustments, and finally, their dreams came true and they presented in front of a crowd of over 2,000 at Bryant Park during New York Fashion Week.

Rami was by far one of the more seasoned designer on the show who stayed true to his conviction and point of view throughout. His designs maintained the perfect balance between WOW and wearable while other contestants went to one extreme or the other. Even though he seemed to be on a downward spiral in the weeks leading up to the finals- almost not making it into the top 3 at all- Rami€™s stunning collection served as a clear reminder that he is a true force to be reckoned with. Although he didn€™t take the cake, there€™s no doubt that he is going to make a lot of noise in the fashion world.

The season might be over, but Rami will go on! Read on for our exclusive interview with the draping master to see what he had to say about the show, who he really saw as a threat, why he was scared to drape, his clothing line, and so much more on everything you€™re dying to know more about.

Stylehive: How would you sum up the overall Project Runway experience?
Rami:Well it€™s been amazing at moments, tragic at moments, it€™s like a roller coaster. We€™re placed under insane circumstances and we€™re expected to perform and be creative 24/7 for 30 days, not a single say off, 4 hours of sleep. I feel quite proud having survived all this. Having worked under my own circumstances- I think you become spoiled and used to having your own atmosphere and working whenever you want and the way that you want it. It wasn€™t having my way everyday for 30 days and the fact that I performed the way that I did and with all the challenges that were placed in front of me and the speed-bumps, I€™m quite pleased. It€™s definitely the kind of experience I would do once and not repeat again, I€™ll tell you that much.

Stylehive: You€™ve had so much success on your own, so what made you decide to go on the show?
Rami: Well during season 3, after noticing familiar faces like Santino, I decided to just go and just feel it out and see what it€™s all about. So I actually grabbed a model and we went and I showed Tim Gunn, and I was surprised that he was already familiar with my work, and he seemed surprised that I was there. But they moved me up to the next sort of scanning period, and at that time, just decided that the timing was bad and I decided to pass- I had my production, I had a lot of things on my plate. So season 4- Jen Eagan with Gen Art and Tim Gunn spoke with me on the phone and they asked me to consider this opportunity, and that they would be honored if I went down. It was very encouraging from the beginning and it was very humbling- the fact that they believed in my work and wanted me on the show. So I really sat and thought about it. You can sort of look at it from two different angles. You can look at it as "Well, I already have a business, I already have a line, why would I go and compete and place myself in awkward positions for the sake of entertainment." Or, you can look at it in a way where this could be a wonderful promotional vehicle for someone like me who already has a brand out there. So I decided to look at it in a positive way and see at as people already can refer to my work- I mean I€™ve been doing it since the year 2000- so what a great way to promote my work, and with my fingers crossed, I would move to the finals. So in the end, it worked for my benefit. I did survive through it, I did get to show a collection that I€™m extremely proud of, and I feel like it€™s a winning experience.

Stylehive: Well I€™m glad you did it, because now I know who you are and I wanna wear your clothes!
Rami: You know what? That to me means more than anything, because that€™s really what it€™s about. It€™s about getting the clothes to people and into their closets and that€™s what it takes to run a real business.

Stylehive: In the challenges leading up to the finals, the judges were kind of riding you for always using the same techniques and for not showcasing skills other than draping. For the finals, did you feel pressured to expand beyond what you love doing and what you€™re best at to satisfy the judges?
Rami: People who only learned about me on the show can fall for that illusion that "Rami draped the entire time", but people who are really familiar with my work obviously didn€™t fall for that because I can easily construct as much as drape. I do expand, I€™ve constructed collections without a single drape and I€™ve done the other way around, and I€™ve done both- I have a good number of seasons under my belt. I didn€™t really have to change who I am as a designer, but I had to play my cards right. It felt like a trap- if I drape an entire collection they could say €˜well we€™ve seen this from you before€™ or if I changed my entire collection completely, which I feel has happened to previous finalists, they could easily say "Where is the Rami that we know in this?" So it was a very careful approach, and it was not an easy process- I had to really figure out that balance between what they know of me during those 12 challenges, and a new element that I could use for a collection and make it all work together. So it€™s sort of like merging construction with draping. I mean at first, I wasn€™t gonna drape at all, but then I realized that could actually work against me as well. So it wasn€™t easy but it was sort of like for the sake of the show. You have to play your cards right and in the end it worked out.

Stylehive: Now be honest, when you say Jillian€™s collection and Christian€™s, who did you think had the best shot at winning?
Rami: To be honest, I learned through the challenges that no matter how amazing you think your work is, it depends on the judges. It doesn€™t matter how much work or detail you put in, it€™s really about what they want. When I saw the collections, I definitely thought that Jillian had the other strong collection and I thought if it€™s anything, it will probably be a competition between Jillian and I. I guess my outlook on things is a little bit different. For me, a true collection is sort of about really great ideas that are actually practical, functional, and wearable for a variety of different people because in the end, you want to gain as many different types of customers as you want who do have a common interest. I felt like Jillian definitely had a strong collection and that€™s the one that maybe spoke to me personally.

Stylehive: At the end of the episode you said that women will be wearing your clothes, tell me more about your line, I'm sure tons of ladies out there are dying to know when and where they can get your designs!
Rami: Every season I put out a new collection, right now I€™m shipping spring, and I€™ll be working on fall. I have different projects going on, potential investor meetings; I€™m open to hearing what€™s out there for me. I€™ve had a lot different organizations extend their interest in having me as a guest for example. For me, it€™s really about continuing to put out my work, and now that so many more people know what it is that I do I think it will be a lot more accessible and I€™m definitely gonna focus on my collections every season. In New York, this season it will be at Intermix. I€™ve sold to them before and they just ordered spring. And I think a few other boutiques- I don€™t have all the orders in front of me. . Probably in New York like 3 boutiques, and in LA- all specialty, high-end boutiques that carry the big labels and then the up and coming designers.

Stylehive: You€™ve really mastered the art of making clothes that celebrate women- what advice to you have for looking and feeling good in what you wear?
Rami: Honestly, and this goes for men as well, I think instantly when you try something on and it makes you look at yourself in a positive way, that means it€™s working. It doesn€™t have to be on the cover of every magazine. I think falling victim to a trend is usually what people do wrong. I think it€™s really about understanding your body and it€™s about wearing the right pieces that showcase positive elements of you and your personality. Honestly, I think it comes out, I think people see that and are drawn to that. I think anything that enhances your level of confidence is definitely the right look for you. It€™s not so much about the latest trends specifically, because I think some trends are so specific, they don€™t work for everybody. It€™s really about wearing the right pieces that work for you.

Stylehive: Are their any designers whose careers you would like to emulate- in your own way of course-
Rami: Of course I love Viktor & Rolf, Galliano, Alexander McQueen- any designer that merges business with art without compromising either end to me is amazing. Someone like Viktor & Rolf for example, their work is so different than mine, but I truly appreciate their vision, it tends to be a little bit more specific. Donna Karen has built an empire, obviously, she€™s wonderful, I love her work. So these would be a few of the names that I definitely look up to and admire and would hope to one day emulate one of their careers.

Click on the slideshow to see Rami's runway collection!