Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to judge the Los Angeles Castings for Season 17 of "Project Runway". In all my years involved with the show, I think I have judged about FOURTEEN seasons of "Project Runway", starting back in Season 3, following my season. For many of those early castings--and up until about Season 13--I had the pleasure of judging with the one-and-only Tim Gunn:


This year, I joined Mondo Guerra and Elle Magazine contributor Veronique Hyland, to form the L.A. Judging Panel. We saw many, many designer/contestant hopefuls for the show for a total of two days, so it will be really fun (and interesting) to see who actually made the final cut.


Here are photos for the L.A. Castings and I guess we will have to stay tuned to see who makes the newest season of "Project Runway" when it premieres....

Day One:


Day Two:

This week's "Project Runway" on Lifetime challenged the Top Five designers to create an Unconventional Design--as well as one in real fabrics--inspired by a trip to Austin Texas. I was very honored to have been part of this episode as part of the Best Western Challenge announcement along with the very dapper Tim Gunn...


As a fashion designer traveling around the world for my NV Nick Verreos line--which sells on QVC UK (London), QVC Italia (Milan) and The Shopping Channel (Canada), I have had the pleasure of partnering with Best Western Hotels & Resorts on my journeys for inspiration. Click HERE to check out my favorite Best Western hotels in Milan, Paris, London and NYC!


So, I was more than humbled to be part of this episode and especially, announcing the BIG BONUS SUPER PRIZE: The winner of the challenge got FIFTY (!) free nights at any of the more than 4,100 Best Western hotels WORLDWIDE! This is like winning the TRAVEL LOTTERY! (#JustSaying).

Here are some fun Behind-the-Scenes Photos from my time shooting the scene for Season 15 "Project Runway" with Tim Gunn--as well as the fab Best Western Plus Austin City Hotel location. Just so you know, it was about 110 Degrees hot--and VERY VERY HUMID, while we were filming. So much so, that while I may look all "put together" here, my entire shirt was DRENCHED, in humid sweat...But Thank Goodness for that jacket: It hid it all!



Hotel:
Best Western Plus Austin City Hotel Austin Texas: I loved staying at this Best western for the shoot--the location was great and EVERYONE was soooo sweet! I also REALLY LOVED the SUPER DUPER air conditioning in my room (Yeay!) and the included free breakfast!

Familia: I was also so happy that my mom and dad--Jim and Raquel Verreos--as well as my nephew Alain who drove them!--got to drive up from San Antonio which is where they live to stop by and say "Hi"! Naturally, I cried when I saw them (I'm soooo telenovela!). I can't believe that we got my nephew to smile (he NEVER smiles!)--Best Western Plus Austin City Hotel Austin Texas

This week on Lifetime's Season 14 "Project Runway", the remaining six designers had to do the Sally Beauty Challenge: To Makeover a "Project Runway" crew member and take them from Workday Ordinary to Runway Extraordinary...

Clockwise L to R): Last-One-Sitting Ashley; No-Paint-Splatter Blake; Heidi and Tim Paintball; and Lobster Red Tim--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 5 "Gunn and Heid"

This week on Lifetime's Season 14 "Project Runway", it was time for another dreaded Team Challenge involving Paintball. The episode was called "Gunn and Heid"...get it?? A play on "gun" and "hide"...Yeah, it took me a while to figure that out (silly me!). Heidi and Tim sauntered onto the runway stage wearing white jumpsuits and paintball guns.


Each "customized" their jumpsuits; Heidi popped the collar and rolled up her sleeves, while Tim donned a red tie and color-matching pocket hankie. During the team choosing process, it became a High School P.E. Class all over again when the boys (mostly) picked the boys and the "Cool" girls picked their "Cool Girl" friends--if you can call someone your friend that you've only known for like 10 days (that's how long in real time the season had been filming).


Anyhow, both the Boys and the Girls left poor Ashley Nell Tipton last to be picked on either of their teams, leaving even La Heidi a little annoyed at how and why NO ONE picked her, especially since Ashley had won TWO challenges already. When the camera panned to Ashley, you could almost see most of her life roll by in front of her eyes.

For this Finale Episode, we start where we left off. The designers are in the lounge and poor Kini is having a mini-meltdown after the judges did not like the preview of his collection.

This Thursday was the Premiere of Season 13 Project Runway. Yes, kids, "Lucky Number 13". And yes kids, our beloved show has been going on for THIRTEEN SEASONS!!! Who would have THUNK it!!? I am so excited to be Recapping the Season on MyLifetime.com (the Lifetime Network website). I'm proud to say that it's my ELEVENTH consecutive season recapping the show (I should get a "Lifetime Recapper Award"!)...

Right before Thursday night's Premiere of Lifetime's "Season 13 Project Runway", the "Road To The Runway" special aired...

The show concentrated on the final designers who made it through the castings/auditions (and therefore, onto the show). I was honored to have been asked to judge the Southern California/L.A. Castings/Auditions of the season--along with Tim Gunn and Marie Calire US Fashion Editor-At-Large Alison Edmond...

This past week, I had the chance to judge the Season 13 Project Runway Auditions/Castings. This is (wait for it!) the ELEVENTH season I have been asked to be part of the judging pre-final audition/casting process.

Hello again "Under The Gunn" fans and faithful readers of my "Inside Dish" here on my blog---This week was the 4th episode of Lifetime Network's "Under the Gunn" entitled "Unconventional Vampire". The challenge was to create a look inspired by the new film "Vampire Academy" and use a mix of both "regular" fabric as well as unconventional.

Thursday night was the Premiere of "Under The Gunn" on Lifetime. I'm honored and proud to be one of the three Mentors along with Season 9 Winner Anya Ayoung-Chee and Project Runway All Stars Season 1 Winner Mondo Guerra. On the show, it will be our job to mentor, guide, manage, coach, cheerlead and, when necessary, knock down with tough love, a team of designers in order to lead them to runway success. The premiere episode was a doozy, to say the least. Before I give you my "Nick Take" on a couple of things (yes, I'm talking about being rejected OVER and OVER...and OVER again, by the designers), I want to begin with how AMAZING it was to be standing at my Alma Mater--the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM--along with my fellow mentors but more importantly with TIM GUNN:

THIS THURSDAY is the PREMIERE of "Under The Gunn" on Lifetime. As you may know, I am one of the three Mentors that will guide fashion designers through challenges and hopefully get them to the end--and have them win "Under The Gunn" and well, be the "Top Mentor".

You will have to tune in to see...I am so excited for the premiere and I hope all my NICKVERREOS.COM blog fans will tune in--it will be like "Project Runway 2.0". Seriously! Here are some "exclusive" pics from the first episodes including...

ONE WEEK UNTIL THE PREMIERE!!! Next Thursday January 16th...the new Lifetime Network series "Under The Gunn" premieres! I am so excited since yes, I am part of this new TV reality competition show hosted by the one and only Tim Gunn.

I am very excited to officially announce my participation as a Mentor in this fabulous new Tim Gunn-hosted series...Here's all the DISH from THR/The Hollywood Reporter:

Lifetime Orders Tim Gunn-Hosted Fashion Series

"Under the Gunn" will debut in January and feature "Project Runway" favorites Mondo Guerra, Anya Ayoung-Chee and Nick Verreos.