Project Runway announces season 16 designers, size-inclusive models and premiere date

The hit design show, Project Runway, returns next month and will be unveiling a major new change to the format of the show: size-inclusive models.

In preparation for its return next month—oh, by the way, Project Runway season 16 premieres on Aug. 17, in case you missed it—Project Runway unveiled its new roster of designers exclusively to Entertainment Weekly.  As always, it’s a pretty diverse cast. But note there are no ladies clad in bright yellow, like last season’s winner Erin Robertson, who certainly left an impression. (Upon further investigation, I realized there’s now a dude named Aaron, whose aesthetic doesn’t stray too far away from the previous Erin’s.)

While there will always be new and interesting designers (with difficult names to pronounce and whatnot) to get to know and/or root against, Project Runway plans to do something even more interesting this season:

"In season 16, the latest crop of contestants will be designing for size-inclusive models. The models will range from sizes 0 to 22 and test the contestants’ skills to design for all sizes."

Of course, let it be known that size is not a competition. And honestly, it shouldn’t be regarded as a test of skill. I guess that’s fashion for you, but I took slight offense to the wording of this. Still, it’s going to be really awesome to see models of different shapes and sizes enter the workroom. Part of what I watch for during the episodes is how the designers interact with their models. So if we get a few heart-to-heart or uplifting exchanges in an episode or two, this season should be great.

Furthermore, Project Runway lined up a pretty great roster of guest judges. Obviously, this new batch of actors, singers and a-listers will join veterans Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia, and Zac Posen. But who would’ve known that the only thing missing in my life was Maggie Q turning her nose up at an outlandish design?

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Project Runway season 16 premieres Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. ET