York High School Student Competes on 'Project Runway: Threads' TV Show

Colette, 15, competes in the new competition series, “Project Runway: Threads,” airing Thursday, November 6, at 10:00pm ET/PT on Lifetime. ©2014 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: Bobby Quillard.

A York High School junior competed in an episode of “Project Runway: Threads,” a Lifetime television show that features the talents of young fashion designers.

Colette Obermaier is set to make her television debut on Episode 3 of the show, which will air Nov 6. at 9 p.m. CT on Lifetime.

Each episode features three new contestants who show off their design skills for the prize of $10,000 at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, a scholarship to the summer program at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and a sewing and embroidery studio, according Lifetime.

After applications, interviews and portfolio reviews, Colette got word in March she would be a contestant. Colette and her mother, Jill Obermaier, went to California in May for the episode’s competition and filming.

The mother-daughter duo also toured the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. They met judges Christian Siriano, “Project Runway” Season 4 winner, and Ingrid Nilsen, YouTube style guru, as well as judge and host Vanessa Simmons, of reality show “Run’s House.”

“It was a little weird when you were actually there in front of the hosts and judges,” Colette said. “They are acting more than you would expect, and they’re not as natural as you would think. When you watch ‘Project Runway,’ you see Tim Gunn as Tim Gunn, but he’s putting on more of a performance than you would expect. It was the same with the hosts and the judges.”

Colette said although they didn’t get to spend much time with Simmons or Siriano, it was exciting to be around big names in fashion. She hopes making those contacts might help her future fashion career, and maybe one day they’ll remember how she got her start on “Threads.”

The three contestants were all at about the same age and the same skill level. They’re friends on Facebook and they follow one another on Instagram, and she hopes they can meet up for a reunion some day.

Though Colette couldn’t give any hints about the results of the competition, she said the experience gave her more confidence as a young designer.

“Being on the show scared me a little,” she said. “I’m not the most confident person, but I ended up being good at it, even though I was scared.”

(L to R) Jill and Colette, 15, stand with their models in the new competition series, Project Runway: Threads, airing Thursday, November 6, at 10:00pm ET/PT on Lifetime. ©2014 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: Bobby Quillard.

Jill Obermeier has no hesitations about her daughter’s talent. She’s quick to highlight Colette’s accomplishments, like her Gold prize for apparel construction in the FCCLA State competition.

“She has a distinctive style, for her age,” Jill said “She seems more mature, more sophisticated her in design sense than some of the other designers.”

Colette is an alumnus of Churchville Middle School and of Conrad Fischer Grade School in Elmhurst. She started hand-sewing plush dolls in the fourth grade. She soon graduated to stuffed animals, and in high school she moved to clothing construction on her grandmother’s mint green sewing machine from the 1960s. Last year, when York did “Aida” for the school play, Colette made about half the costumes for the fashion show-like scene, “My Strongest Suit.”

She’s taken sewing classes, a fashion construction class, a weaving class and she’s currently in a fashion design class. Colette is in the process of creating a full-blown collection of her own. Her dream school is Central Saint Martins in England, and she hopes having “Threads” on her resume will help her get there.

For now, she’s making some pocket money by repairing and altering clothing, she’s sewing care packages for Amnesty International, and she’s experimenting with incorporating capes and coiled cording into her designs.

“There are probably people who have had more experience in design and fashion than me, but I have an eye for design,” Colette said. “I got a lot of positive feedback from the show, and they definitely liked my work.

Catch Colette and Jill on Episode 3 of “Project Runway: Threads” on Thursday, Nov 6. at 9 p.m. CT on Lifetime.

Colette’s portfolio. Photo by Morgan Searles.