Stanley Hudson,  Patricia Michaels  and Michelle Lesniak Franklin all put up a great final runway show at Lincoln Center but only one of them was crowned winner of Project Runway season 11. 

Spoiler Warning: Stop reading now if you don’t want to know who won Project Runway season 11!

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Michelle  was named “the next great American designer,” ultimately defeating the 15 designers who joined  the series’ first-ever “Teams Edition.” Patricia, who finished in second place,  came out strong with her artistry but her collection lacked cohesiveness. Stanley, who finished in third place, struggled to get his collection finished on time (he still had to work on four dresses and a top  two hours before the final runway show and was having the helpers sew in line) but in the end he was able to create a very cohesive and sophisticated fall collection though it was somewhat dated and had some sewing issues. 

Though deserving of winning Project Runway season 11, Michelle’s triumph came as a surprise to some of the viewers. She wasn’t a clear stand-out throughout the season unlike Stanley who has never been up for elimination and consistently earned high scores, even winning three out of the 11 challenges.  In fact, Michelle only  won two challenges and was at the bottom two twice. However, she stepped up her game at the latter part of the season, specifically when she was given another chance to prove herself after she failed to successfully create an editorial-worthy look to be worn by actress Jordana Brewster in Marie Claire. While the other designers traveled to different parts of the world, she drew inspiration from New York City  for the final challenge of the season and easily advanced to Fashion Week.

For her final collection, Michelle put together a  pleasantly cohesive look that most definitely captivated the judges. She effectively incorporated various fabrics and made her creations very wearable. Her attention to detail was also a big improvement from her earlier work this season.

Are you happy Michelle won?

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(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

Dean Bextor

Staff Writer, BuddyTV