Fashion Designer Christian Siriano Talks About His Role On New Show 'Project Runway: Threads'

Fashion designer Christian Siriano has been keeping very busy these days. From custom creating some Emmy Awards dresses to prepping his spring 2015 collection for New York Fashion Week and even designing a very successful Christian Siriano brand shoes and accessories collection at Payless Shoesource, the energetic designer also finds time to film a new show of the franchise that launched his fashion career: Project Runway: Threads.

Threads is a competition featuring kids ages 9 through 16 and the fourth spin-off of the franchise, similar to Runway Lite. According to Entertainment Weekly, each week, three tween aspiring designers will face off with two challenges; the first is a look that they prepared at home for immediate judging, the second is a typical Project Runway challenge. The winner takes home $25,000. The designs are critiqued by Threads judges Siriano; YouTube "sensation" Ingrid Nilsen; Vanessa Simmons (who doubles as a mentor in the Tim Gunn role); and a guest judge; in the premiere, Kelly Osbourne for the first challenge, Jaime King in the second.

Fashionista reports, Siriano is playing the parts of both Michael Kors and Gunn, judging and mentoring the young designers. Being that they are dealing with minors, the show format is very different from Project Runway, as there's a new set of kids facing off in each episode (both in similar and mixed age groups) and a winner is crowned every week.

"I think what's cool on the show is that, when you're young, you really do anything," Siriano told Fashionista. "You take risks. You don't have to think about, 'Oh, I have to sell this or get a job afterward.' They're just having fun and making what they love. It was great to be able to help them, mentor them, and give them constructive criticism, but also try to push them to push the boundaries."

Siriano also mentioned that he actually learns from the kids too. "They knew more about fashion than I [do]," he exclaimed. "Like, I don't know what Taylor Swift is wearing on the red carpet every night. I don't know, but they do. It's really cool to see what they know about the industry, almost like an editor would." One little boy even schooled Siriano on some looks from the Yves Saint Laurent archives circa '80s and '90s. "I have no idea where that was from," he said. "More power to 'ya. It's amazing."