Minnesota has a solid track record when it comes to its fashion designers being cast on fashion reality TV competition Project Runway. Since the show first debuted in 2004, the show has featured five Minneapolis designers: Katherine Gerdes (season three), Ra’mon-Lawrence Coleman and Christopher Straub (season six), Danielle Everine (season nine) and Raul Osorio (season ten). Today, Lifetime announced that yet another Minneapolis designer, Tim Navarro, had been cast in its 13th season.
Navarro, 32, is known locally as one-half of design duo Tim+Thom, which includes his twin brother Thom Navarro. He was co-owner of the recently-shuttered You and Me boutique in Uptown with Thom, and is currently a server at the Mill Northeast in Minneapolis. Collectively they pair is known for their tailoring skills–they first made a splash for their bike-inspired, tailored men’s and women’s designs the “Style Derby” fashion event during Minneapolis-St. Paul Fashion Week in fall 2010, and are regular participants in the annual Red Dress Collection benefit fashion show. Most recently, they’ve have moved into production as part of new production group Cult Collective, their debut event, titled “Icons” taking place on August 9 in the Twin Cities, will combine fashion, film, music and food.
On the Lifetime website, Navarro noted his strengths–“menswear, my attention to detail and my background as a tailor”–and weaknesses as “working with delicate fabrics” and patience. The youngest of their family, Navarro said he and his brothers taught themselves to sew so they could alter hand-me-downs to fit them.
View Navarro’s portfolio at mylifetime.com, and watch his home visit and closet tour videos below. Project Runway season 13 premieres July 24 on Lifetime.
