Italy gets star-powered ‘Project Runway’

Famed fashion designer Alberta Ferretti, fashion executive (and one of the heirs to the Trussardi luxury label) Tomaso Trussardi, and Czech-born supermodel and actress Eva Herzigová will be sitting in the judges’ chairs. The former Wonderbra face will also host the show, while GQ Italia’s fashion director Ildo Damiano will be playing the role of mentor to the 12 young designers who will be battling it out for top prize.

“Project Runway,” which was first broadcast almost ten years ago in the United States, has become something of a global hit, with editions in over 20 different markets. While some countries’ adaptations have fizzled out (the Kelly Osbourne-fronted UK version “Project Catwalk” disappeared in 2008), the franchise is still growing. Another new “Project Runway” franchise debuted earlier this year in Vietnam, to be joined by a Polish edition in early 2014. Last month a French version was also announced, set to air on cable channel D8. The Italian show will hit Fox Life in March next year. For once, Paris and Milan are behind the trend!