Project Runway is in its fourth season on Bravo this year. For me, it was exciting this time out to see one of Chicago's very own taking on Heidi and friends. Although he heard 'Auf wiedersehen!' too soon on episode five, Steven Rosengard kept his dignity and continues to wow us in The Windy City.
Windy City Times: Who is the person you bonded with on the show? [ The show ] must be a surreal experience.
Steven Rosengard: During the show I probably bonded most with Jillian just because she's a great girl and was all of five feet away from me. As time wore on, I got close to Kit and Kevin and others. But I have to say that I adore everyone—we're a very tight-knit group. That's why it's easy for me to be offended when someone starts to make off-handed remarks about my castmates. To make disparaging remarks about them is really no different than someone bashing any other friend of mine. We're all real people who work in museums and bars and studios, just the same as anyone else and I think it's easy to forget that. All of that aside, it was a surreal experience, but it was also one of the most wonderful I've had. I don't know that I'll ever have such a chance to share an experience with so many wonderful people again.
WCT: Do you feel you are depicted correctly on the show?
SR: I am having such a blast seeing the way I look on TV! The best part is that it's not like watching any other TV program—it's more like watching home movies in an odd way.
WCT: Is it finished filming?
SR: Filming in not entirely complete at this point. There is still a riveting ending and a reunion show to shoot.
WCT: Who would be your dream model?
SR: There are so many women I would love to dress: Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, Catherine Deneuve. But for someone with whom I'd love to collaborate and just hang out for hours, I would have to say Sarah Jessica Parker. She is such a phenomenally beautiful person. Her sensitivity and sweetness is beyond touching—it's disarming.
WCT: Where do you see yourself next? Staying in Chicago?
SR: I think I have to go wherever work will take me. I don't care much for New York and I think we have a much higher quality of life here, generally speaking. However, when I was in New York a couple of weeks ago, I noticed something while walking around: women that I could envision wearing my clothes on a daily basis. It gave me such a rush to see these women and know that those women were out there. With some of my pieces erring on the more dramatic side, I'm afraid that they come off as 'too much' for most Chicago women who are in the market for custom-made clothes. I want so much for the Chicago woman to prove me wrong! But I have to say the last challenge to design a menswear look really intrigued me. I have been bouncing around several ideas for men's sportwear items that I'd like to start producing.
WCT: You live in Boystown. Are you ready for the fans in your neighborhood?
SR: The in-person fan response has been slow, but I'm all right with that. I'm actually a very private person and sometimes just being able to walk down the street without anyone staring or saying 'hi' is a nice thing. But I do have what I like to call the 'Eva Peron complex.' When I get noticed, I want my privacy. But when I go unnoticed, I wonder why no one is paying attention to me. I'm sure I'll get a couple of shrinks' phone numbers from that remark.
WCT: What is your educational background?
SR: I went to Columbia College for a year for fashion design ( which is why I find it amazing that Web site after Web site claims that I have absolutely no formal training ) . I took a few years off, worked [ at ] a pre-employment psychological testing firm grading tests in French, then went to [ University of Wisconsin at ] Madison for two years and studied Dutch and German.
WCT: You sew for the exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry. How is that project going?
SR: It's actually quite a bit of fun. There's something very satisfying in knowing that whatever I put into the museum will be seen by as many as 1.5 million people a year.
WCT: You recently were involved in the Gay Games. How was that experience?
SR: Being involved was an eye-opening experience. I was with the Special Events committee. I ended up having to leave the committee because there was so much design work coming in at the time in addition to preparing for try-outs for season three of Project Runway. But what was so great to see was a group of Chicagoans putting together whatever ideas they wanted and then going forth to make them a reality. I think so many Chicagoans—myself included—suffer from the Second City Syndrome where we think that New York will always be able to do things better with more talented people. I think the Games were a great example of how hard work can make anything happen.
WCT: What's your Web site? What are your plans for the future?
SR: My Web site address is StevenRosengard.com and there is a link for new clients to contact me. I am looking to expand my business to include men's sportswear, but I am working towards opening a boutique with some prêt-à-porter items, but with a stronger focus on custom-made clothing. I believe the future of fashion is not in every woman wearing a mini-skirt or every woman wearing a full-skirted ballgown. The future will be about women dressing for their body types and not about one trend or another.
