Anyone who witnessed Andrae Gonzalo's tearful breakdown on last season's Project Runway probably had him pegged early on as an emotional train wreck. But, as the designer eloquently proved, first impressions can be deceiving. While Gonzalo undoubtedly has a flair for the dramatic (his facial expressions are the stuff of reality-TV legend), behind the effusive facade lies a thoughtful, focused designer who created some of season two's most memorable garments. What's more, as the series progressed and the tension mounted, he demonstrated that rare quality that separates the upper echelon from the also-rans--grace under pressure. Here, Gonzalo discusses his latest projects and reveals why he can tell the minute he's in the same time zone as Tim Gunn.

I'll begin with a question you probably hear, oh, a million times a day: Where's Andrae? Or, in other words, what projects are you working on now?
Thanks to the show, I'm always doing freelance work--gowns for private clients and bridal projects. But I'm actively looking for an opportunity where I can work on a team. I love designing and have a strong creative point of view, but I've really come to dislike working alone. It's not surprising that most of my successes on Project Runway involved working with other people. I'm an extremely collaborative creature, so a lot of the projects I work on involve other creative minds. Right now, for example, I'm creating designs for a dance piece that my boyfriend, Jamie Benson, is choreographing.

We also hear that you're writing a book. Can you tell us a bit about it?
I've taken on a couple of writing projects, including a book entitled Where the Hell Is My Chiffon? It's about taking the fascism out of fashion. I believe there's a lot more to fashion than whether you're in or you're out. During the course of the show, I realized that I don't see fashion as a set of rules and judgments. Fashion, for me, is a language that we use to engage the world around us in a dialogue about our ideas and convictions. The book talks about ways in which everyone can awaken these same impulses in themselves so that fashion becomes a means of self-expression, as opposed to self-exclusion. I'm also writing a regular feature in a new magazine called Look LA, which debuts in August.

One of our favorite garments from season two was your stunning Inspiration gown. Where is that dress now?
Good question--I don't know where it is. I hope the person who bought really loves it, though. I'd be really sad if it were just sitting in someone's closet, waiting for me to strike it big so it could be resold at a profit. When I had my store, it was like a pet shop. I always wanted the clothes to go to good homes, and sometimes I'd discount dresses for women who couldn't afford them if I could see that they were going to give the clothes a nice life.

Do you have any regrets about what happened on the show? Is there anything you would do differently?
We were all naive, and even so, I did things as I still would do them. My biggest modus operandi was to always work according to my own standards of excellence so that I'd never be disappointed. I still work this way, and it serves me well. The only thing I'd do differently is make sure that I got more sleep.

After you left the show, it seemed that most of the designers turned against Santino, but you and he remained on good terms. How was it coming back during fashion week and helping out with his collection?
Santino and I have great respect for each other's aesthetics. I always approach the work from a very conceptual point of view, and I think Santino appreciates that in me. He did some excellent work for the final episode. I thought he skillfully laid waste to his detractors with that collection, and after working on his team, I was sad that he didn't win. Again, I'm a really collaborative creature, so I enjoyed the process.

Do you keep in touch with your season-two castmates?
I try to stay in touch with Santino, Nick, and Daniel Vosovic, but we all live such complicated lives now. A lot of times, it's just email and the trading of voice messages. There were some great people, not just designers, on season two. I still have a very special place in my heart for Zulema, too. She's the most misunderstood member of the whole cast.

Was there as much sexual tension as there appeared to be in 35D?
Sexual tension? You try being in such close quarters with Tim Gunn for a month--the man is a sexual Chernobyl! I can tell the minute I'm in the same time zone as he is. As far as the other contestants were concerned, we had to compete with each other. It was like pulling teeth to share sewing machines with them, so beds were out of the question. Actually, it was never depicted on the show, but I've been in a serious relationship for two years with the amazing Jamie Benson. He has an incredible mind that continues to challenge and inspire me. The saddest day of the shoot was his birthday, when I couldn't be with him. That was worse than crying on television. Project Runway has really turned our world inside out, but I'm lucky that he's been such a good sport. Lesser men would have fled the scene long ago.

Has Red Lobster ever contacted you and Tim to do a commercial for them?
Alas, I think they have no idea about the whole thing. I keep intending to go, but I'm a vegetarian, so I could only eat the bread.

Were you involved in the casting for season three? Which designers should we watch closely?
I wasn't there for the casting, although one of my friends knows Malan and says that he's very talented.

Can we expect to see an Andrae appearance on Season 3?
Ummm.... My lawyer says, "Watch what happens." --Jennifer Riley

Related Links:
Project Runway Season 2 Archive
Project Runway Alumni Series: Kara Janx
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