If you're one of the 3.4 million people who eats, sleeps, and breathes Project Runway, you're already aware of who Kara Janx is. If not, she's the immensely talented South African designer who wowed judges and won viewers' hearts during season two. Although Janx didn't walk away with the $100,000, her stunning fashion week decoy collection was hailed by many as the standout ("Kara could have won the whole thing with that collection," Tim Gunn told The Advocate). And since that time, reviews of her eponymous line have been equally glowing. We recently caught up with Janx to talk about her latest projects, fall fashion trends, and life after Project Runway.

In the past six months, you've gone from being a successful working designer to a celebrity. What's this journey been like for you?
Well, it's certainly been a whirlwind. I've been running at full speed and haven't really stopped since the show began. But it's been wonderful. So many incredible things have happened. My business has gone to the next level, and every day there's a new opportunity. I've been to lots of cool parties too. I'm not much of a party girl anymore, but all of a sudden, it's gone from, "Who are you?" to the perks of getting through the velvet rope.

And you also got engaged.
Yes, and it was wonderful. I was crazy trying to get my collection together when my fiancé proposed, so it was an amazing surprise. He’s very, very sweet.

Have you set a date?
January 14 next year in South Africa. I'll have to take an official vacation for that. Otherwise, I'll be answering emails up to the second I walk down the aisle.

You were recently featured in Entertainment Weekly, and the photo spread was just gorgeous.
Thank you. The shoot was thrilling. So many things are surreal right now, and I'm still trying to take it all in.

And your kimono dresses are selling, well, like bagels. I imagine that's been surreal too?
Yes--it's crazy. I only wore that dress on the show because everything else in my closet was dirty that day. I had no idea it would receive the attention it has. I think you could say that fate had a good hand in it.

Do you keep in touch with your season-two castmates?
I don't see the West Coast guys much, but I'm very good friends with Emmett, Chloe, and Daniel V. Naturally, I'm not friends with Zulema.

Ah, who could forget the "cry and cut" episode?
She's just kind of mean-spirited, which is something I can't understand.

I loved your fashion week collection. When I saw the photos from the show on Getty Images, I had no idea it was the decoy.
Thank you. I was so neurotic making the damned thing, I was working around the clock. I had more time to create it than I had on the individual challenges, but I was still surprised that it turned out as well as it did. That's what I’m really about--textures and colors. I love having the time to research my materials, ordering fabrics from Paris if that's what I want to use. But on Project Runway, you can't order fabrics from Paris. I feel like I grew so much on the show, but the way I usually work and the way I had to work on the show are like two different universes.

Can you tell us a little more about what it's like behind the scenes at Project Runway?
It's super-super-stressful. You're functioning on four hours' sleep a night, the cameras are on you all the time, and you're sweaty. You have to deal with all of these different personalities. It's kind of like boot camp.

The season-two DVD just hit the stores. What can we expect to see that we didn't see during the season?
Well, I haven't seen it yet, so I have no idea what’s on there. But I'm sure there are lots of Santino outtakes. He's so difficult and, at the same time, so funny, talented, and wild—like two sides of a coin.

You didn't get a complimentary DVD from Bravo?
No. We sign our lives away, but I have order the DVD on Amazon.com.

Can we expect to see you on season three?
Hmm...I don’t know.

Shifting gears a bit, what will women be wearing this fall?
Plaids are going to be huge, along with thick wools. There's a real homemade, chunky quality to the yarns. We'll also be seeing lots of skinny pants, nicely fitted blazers, high-waisted skirts, and eveningwear in muted tones.

What can we expect to see from Kara Janx this fall and beyond?
I'll continue to carry on with the same rigor, getting my collections out and growing the business. I've translated a lot of my runway looks into ready-to-wear for fall, and I'm evolving the kimono dress--doing more colorblocking and playing with the sleeves. It's such a flattering dress, and now that I'm selling so many of them, I can really see what works--the designs, the sizes, the colors that women respond to. My website, KaraJanx.com, is constantly being updated, most recently with the hats from the runway show. I’m always available to my customers--they can always holler for Kara Janx.

And finally, do you have any advice for young designers?
I do. I've been a part of this marathon for a long time, and overnight success is at least a 10-year thing. When you're young, you tend to think it should be easy, but it's hard, and as you grow and mature, your designs will grow and mature with you. In the meantime, believe in yourself, back what you believe in, be patient, and persevere. --Tara Mattarazzo

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