by Stephanie Audette
Local design star Raul Osorio made his debut at the Voltage: Fashion Amplified show in 2010 during MNfashion Week. Now he’s nationally recognized as one of 16 designers (now 15) competing in the latest season of Project Runway. L’étoile Magazine hosted the season premiere party last Thursday night at moto-i in Uptown. Osorio took the time to answer a few quick questions before the first episode aired on Lifetime:
Where did you go to school?
I went to MCTC but I learned most of what I do in the Honduras. My mom has a sewing academy named after my grandmother, Gloria. It’s the family business and how my grandmother supported her 10 kids.
Did you make friends or was it more of a competition?
At first it was a competition, but then eventually I made friends with Chris and Buffi. It was an amazing season because we were all around the same age.
What did you learn from this experience?
It made me realize that I can work really fast. In real life you do not make a garment in seven hours, but on the show you do. At the same time, it makes you push your own boundaries. That’s the coolest part.
So what’s next for the 27-year-old? He’s not quite sure whether he’ll stay in Minneapolis or if he’ll move to pursue something else. For now he’s just catching up with all the friends he couldn’t talk to during the six weeks of filming. He says he doesn’t want the show to define him because he’s still his own person. No question about that. The young designer has a very distinct personal style, which he repped last Thursday night with a studded leather vest, skinny jeans, and studded boots.
For the first week designers were challenged with creating a companion piece for a look they had already created. Osorio stayed true to his aesthetic, working with his signature lace and making a suit for one of the looks. We’re all crossing our fingers that this hometown hero makes it far! Catch the show on Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Lifetime.
