MANILA, Philippines?Discovery Channel is one of my favorite networks. It has interesting and intelligent programs. I love watching Animal Planet, cooking shows, travel documentaries and the recent rage, reality contests.

Recently I previewed the season premiere of ?Project Runway,? a reality show where 12 aspiring designers get the chance to show off his or her fashion creations on television. After a series of competitions and eliminations, the final winner gets to exhibit his or her collection during the prestigious New York Fashion week held in Bryant Park.

He or she will also get $100,000 seed money from TRESemmé to jumpstart the collection, plus an exclusive spread in Elle Magazine and the opportunity to sell the fashion line in Bluefly.com. (Bluefly is ?the ultimate hookup for the fashion obsessed? and represents ultra chic designers such as Fendi, Chloé, Kenneth Jay Lane) The final sweetener in the winner?s package is the key to a 2008 Saturn Astra.

?Project Runway? is hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and presided over by a panel of judges that includes Elle Magazine?s fashion director Nina Garcia, American designer Michael Kors and a special guest panelist, typically a hot new fashion designer.

The guest judge on Episode 1 of Season 4 was none other than Filipina designer Monique Lhuiller. I was very excited and proud to see a fellow countrywoman get acknowledged in international media as a major creative talent.

The guest judges decide ?who?s in and who?s out.? It is interesting to observe their comments and the different criteria they use to decide which candidate to eliminate and which to continue encouraging.

Aside from skill, the other areas the judges consider include color sense, consistency of style, draping, originality, fashion flair and an eye for the dramatic.

Distinct tastes

All the aspiring designers are creative and possess distinct tastes and personalities.

In their initial interviews, some came off nervous, manic and so touched by the unbelievable opportunity they?d been given that they shed tears.

Some of their initial creations turned out to be quirky, some looked conservative, earthy and casual while others had flounces and frills. One contestant even designed a costume made to resemble salad leaves.

Contestants choose their materials, then design, draw, cut and sew their outfits in a classroom belonging to the Famous New York Parsons School of Design in the so-called 7th Avenue Garment District.

The designers have approximately 18 hours to complete their masterpieces.

In the first episode, they were commissioned to produce an outfit that expressed their fashion vision.

To inspire and give direction to the new talents, Tim Gunn, chief creative officer at Liz Claiborne Inc., acts as mentor, counseling them on how to ?make it work.? His many years in the fashion industry has trained his eye to spot what is appealing to fashionistas who count.

The ensuing human drama is engrossing. You see some designers cooperating with each other, such as sharing their pinking shears. You see others refusing to work with their competitors. Many work through the night. One collapsed in the school common room sofa before she completed her outfit.
On the final day, the train she had created for her dress was so long, complicated and unfinished that her model tripped on the runway.

Mentor Tim Gunn tried to persuade her to tame her look, but she refused?whether out of stubbornness or exhaustion, I can?t be sure.

Each designer brings to life his or her vision and creativity. It?s fun to watch people create a stunning look out of a few simple pieces of fabric and some thread.

High drama

The high-pressure atmosphere conjures high drama. Within a few minutes of watching the show I was hooked and rooting for my favorite.

I have followed ?Project Runway? from Season 1 and it?s great to watch designers grow, change and improve their skills.

And each season gets better. Each new episode is thrilling and I always end up forming bonds with all of the contestants, and not just with the one I am rooting for. I share their ups and downs. I cheer and cry during their challenges or victories.

I love fashion and am a self-proclaimed shopaholic. I love trying on crazy outfits, modeling them in my dressing room with my girlfriends as audience.

For fun, I create my own designs on the Web. I have been modeling since I was 11 years old, so I know that the photo shoots to produce a few glossy fashion pages can involve grueling effort and marathon hours.

Once, I got to model a white dress with dolls sewn all over it. The show was sponsored by the Italian Embassy featuring ?young avant-garde talent.?

It was only my second runway show and I was both nervous and eager. I be that the roller-coaster feelings I experienced then are similar to the emotions the ?Project Runway? contestants go through every episode.

I invite you to share in the excitement by tuning in next week to Discovery Channel?s ?Project Runway.?

Project Runway premieres every Thursday beginning Feb. 21 from 10 p.m.-11 p.m. and encores every Sunday at 1 p.m. on Discovery Travel & Living.

E-mail the author at serenaswam @mac.com