Web Extra Article - Beauty

Anya Ayoung Chee chosen Project Runway winner

(Business Wire)-After showing a collection inspired by the sultry and easygoing vibe of the Caribbean that epitomizes island life’s quintessential, effortless sexy way of dressing, the Trinidadian designer Anya Ayoung Chee has been named the winner of season nine of Lifetime Television’s Project Runway.

Beating out fellow designers Joshua McKinley, Viktor Luna and Kimberly Goldson, Ayoung Chee was praised for her designs and their universal appeal by host Heidi Klum, judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, and guest judge, fashion designer L’Wren Scott.

"The palette and textiles of my collection were inspired by the colours and textures seen on my first deep sea diving experience off the coast of Tobago, a trip I took just days before I began creating my final collection," said Ayoung Chee.

Ayoung Chee walks off with an editorial feature in Marie Claire magazine’s upcoming January issue, $100,000 from L’Oréal Paris to start her own line, a $50,000 technology suite from HP and Intel to enable her creativity and run her business and the opportunity to design and sell an exclusive collection on Piperlime.com.

Hosted by supermodel and fashion maven Heidi Klum, the Project Runway series provides budding designers with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion, under the watchful eyes of mentor and Liz Claiborne chief creative officer Tim Gunn and judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.

Project Runway was nominated for a 2011 Emmy Award in the Outstanding Reality-Competition category, was awarded with a 2011 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program and also nominated for a Critics’ Choice Television Award in the Reality-Competition Program category.

Project Runway is produced by The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture.