Make It Work!

Tell me about casting for this season of "Runway."
It was phenomenal. With each successive season we have stronger and stronger designers show up—and it's the greatest compliment the show can have. I'm hoping we're going to see the highest level of design and execution ever. The thing that makes me really ill about the whole process, though, is that someone is going home with the first challenge, and it's going to be someone really talented and really capable.

Who do you think has done the most with their "Runway" experience?
Frankly, I think Emmett McCarthy [from Season Two] has. He came onto the show strategically to make a change in his fashion career—and he did it. He's founded a retail boutique [in SoHo, New York City] where he not only has his work, but he has fellow designers [like Chloe Dao and Kara Janx, also from Season Two] as well.

Some "Runway" designers have outfitted various celebrities. Who would you say is the best-dressed celeb out there right now?
I really think Angelina Jolie is fantastic. They're real clothes, they're believable, she's always event-appropriate and she's age-appropriate.

And the worst?
Boy, there's so many choices. I mean there are the obvious ones like Britney Spears, who should just be put into a witness-protection program. I mean, she's just a hot mess. But here's another one: Meryl Streep. And I adore her. She's someone who is extremely intelligent, extremely talented and a creative genius. But she's making a conscious decision to wear bad clothes. I'm making an assumption that her message is, "I'm above all this fashion frivolity," when, in fact, I really believe she's someone who could make America realize how much better they could look. She's a stunning woman, but the clothes could be her friend instead of her folly.

You grew up in Washington. Is there a presidential candidate you think is leading the polls, style-wise?
I'm disappointed—we haven't really had style in the White House since the Kennedys, and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon.

Do you ever have fashion fiascos like the rest of us?
Oh, yes. My fiascos generally happen when I've been late going to the dry cleaner, so the shirt I need for a particular suit is not with me. But frequent fiascos also happen when I take a risk that I really know I shouldn't, and I usually end up changing before I leave the house.