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Leanne Marshall wins Season 5 'Project Runway'

BY ANNE BRATSKEIR | Special to Newsday

October 16, 2008

It all came down to girl power, in Project Runway's Season 5 finale.

With three women designers standing, Leanne Marshall, 28, of Portland, Ore., the show's definitive shrinking violet, proved that beneath the nerdy glasses and the goofy demeanor, her talent loomed largest. "I am a fashion nerd," said a very happy Marshall in a phone interview. "I just love to have fun, and I'm not afraid of kind of being a dork." As for the whole "Project Runway" shebang, she said, "Without a doubt it's been the most amazing experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Armed with $8,000 for materials and the directive to incorporate a wedding dress into a 12-piece final collection, Marshall designed a range of looks that played like a dream sequence on the runway at Bryant Park's Fashion Week in September. Inspired by rippling water, her two-color palette was soft aqua and cream with a distinct architectural feel including details such as fan-like pleats. Neither a favorite nor a dark horse, Marshall was a solid contender, who, during the season's 14 episodes won two challenges - one using seat covers from a Saturn, another creating a look for Diane von Furstenberg's fall collection.

During the finale, the judges took Marshall to task for being "borderline on a one-note," she said. "But I knew I needed my collection to fit together."

Though her two co-finalists, Korto Momolu, 33, of Little Rock, Ark., and Kenley Collins, 25, who hails from Pompano Beach, Fla., exhibited much stronger personalities throughout the season (Collins was the show's requisite villainess), their collections fell short of Marshall's, lacking both the cohesiveness and technical skill. As for the evidently hostile relationship with Collins, Marshall said, "We started off as friends but the competition became kind of cutthroat. All Kenley's relationships kind of deteriorated. There's a level of respect that she didn't really have all the time. But I don't hate her. I wish her the best."

Marshall's "Project Runway" booty includes $100,000 seed money from Tresemmé to start a business and she is doing just that. She'll soon move to New York to start her new label, "Leanne Marshall." Musician boyfriend Nathan McKee, who composed her runway music, is coming along.

She also wins a 2009 Saturn VUE hybrid, a spread in Elle magazine and a chance to sell her line on bluefly.com. The designer opted to party last night and watch the final episode, but she's not only about fashion. She planned to tape the McCain/Obama debate, as well.