One of “Project Runway’s” most talented and entertaining designers, Anthony Williams, stopped by Access Hollywood on Thursday to dish on his big challenge win that landed one of his designs on the cover Marie Claire – and on the body of host Heidi Klum!
“Actually, I think Heidi Klum was the winner in that challenge,” Anthony said when we asked about placing first in the Marie Claire April cover challenge. “She gets to wear an Anthony L. Williams original.”
The Atlanta-based designer said the turn around time to make Heidi’s cover dress was quick, but he was up for the challenge.
“I’m at home living life as normal and then [‘Runway’] called me and said, ‘Now Anthony, we’re sending you the fabric and Heidi’s measurements and we need this dress in a week.’ [And I said,] ‘What! Woof! Are you serious, you want me to make [it that quick]!’” he explained. “So, I make the dress, but I’m thinking to myself, ‘Well honey, I’m gonna make this dress better than what I did on the show!’”
The contestants on “Runway’s” seventh season are currently battling it out on the runway for fashion supremacy – with the winner yet to be revealed – and Anthony said he didn’t mind when he landed in the bottom and had to face the judges in a recent episode.
“It’s very obvious that a lot of the contestants came from a world where people only ever told them how wonderful they are and how amazing their work is. Well honey, I come from a world where if it was ugly, it’s ugly, and if it was hot, it was hot,” he told Access. “So, some days they liked it and some days they didn’t. It’s a part of the fashion industry and I wasn’t immune from the bad days of ‘Project Runway.’ It never really crossed my mind to get upset or frustrated.”
The outspoken Anthony also dished up his thoughts on celebrities – like Madonna and Lindsay Lohan – becoming designers.
“We’ve just become too dumbed down when it comes to the craft, the education, and the discipline of being a fashion designer… Because of [celebrities’] money and status, they’re allowed to create these lines and then [us real designers] have to get on TV and exploit ourselves as damn near means of comedy and entertainment,” he continued. “We need to take our craft back…you can’t just say that because you’re a music artist that you’re going to become an architect! It is our responsibility to go back to the basics and take our craft back and I think that the quickest way for cars to get to where they need to go is for everyone to stay in their own lanes.”
Anthony said he would not accept an offer to go work for a celebrity designer.
“If I want to take a gamble or risk on someone, I might as well take a gamble or risk on myself,” he explained. “If Madonna called, she’d probably get the same response that Capital One does, ‘Hold on one second,’ Click!”
Anthony does have a few famous starlets – and a lot of beauty queens – that’d he’d love to dress.
“Miss USA and Miss Universe are on the top of my list,” he said when asked who he wants to design for. “Jessica Alba or Halle Berry. I even like Sandra Bullock… I would love to work with Mo’Nique. I think that she is an amazing actress and I think that the world is watching, but I don’t think that her team has really honed in on her body type and what works best for her size. So, I would love to give her the opportunity to look as fabulous as she does.”
Anthony didn’t dare reveal how far he gets during the current season of “Runway,” but he did say his fans can expect big things from him in the future.
“I’ve already started in the new season of my life, because I truly have to be proactive about my destiny. I think that you’d be foolish to win ‘Project Runwa’y and depend on that to catapult you into greatness,” he said. “I’ve already started working with many people to form my own team so that we can move forward and I don’t want to speak prematurely, but I will say that the best is yet to come!”
To see more of AccessHollywood.com’s interview with “Project Runway’s” Anthony Williams, CLICK HERE!
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.