Conversations in the Arts: Christian Siriano

Telling fashion design students to find a balance between creativity and commercialism, fashion designer Christian Siriano spoke to a full house at Columbia College's April 26th Conversations in the Arts series. The Project Runway season four winner talked fondly about his early training in London with Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood before he scored a spot on the internationally known reality design competition in 2008.

He was interviewed by Nena Ivon, former long-time Chicago Saks Fifth Avenue fashion director and Columbia College adjunct faculty member. When asked about the grind of Project Runway competition, Siriano joked that it was tough, "but the real world of fashion is so much tougher. Put me back on reality TV!"

Winning Project Runway in 2008 was just the beginning of Christian Siriano's rise to fame. He has designed clothing for celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga, Whoopi Goldberg and Heidi Klum and now shows a full collection every season as part of New York Fashion Week. Siriano currently has a shoe collection at Payless stores called Christian Siriano for Payless.

His upcoming projects include a reality show with Bravo TV as well as a contract to design a full couture collection for the upcoming film Eloise in Paris, starring Uma Thurman.

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*Photos by beckermedia.com