Life after 'Project Runway'

"Project Runway's" network shift from Bravo to Lifetime may have fans guessing about changes to the show's format. But it won't change the fact that the hit series has become a QVC for the rich and powerful.

A rising number of celebrities are commissioning clothes from the show's designers, cementing it as a breeding ground for fashion's future.

After appearing on season one, Austin Scarlett became creative director of the Kenneth Pool collection of wedding gowns, which led to him custom-styling a dress for Lauri Waring of "The Real Housewives of Orange County." Season two breakout star Santino Rice is in talks to design for Drew Barrymore.

And at Thursday night's premiere of the Broadway musical "Cry-Baby," Chris March will be sending a dress down the red carpet.

With his infectious laugh and creative use of human hair, March became a star of "Project Runway's" fourth season. "Cry-Baby" producer Elan McAllister loved his clothes, and when the series aired a photo from his application portfolio, she knew she had to meet him.

The picture featured March dressed as Tracy Turnblad, the lead character in John Waters' movie "Hairspray." And it just so happens "Cry-Baby" is the latest Waters film to get the Broadway treatment.

"I figured he could design something beautiful that still captured the spirit of the show," McAllister says. At their first meeting, she said she wanted to look glamorous at the theater and flamboyant at the after-party.

In response, March blended goth colors and loads of safety pins with a wrap that tastefully conceals the flair. "She's a bit of a wild child, but she also has to be sitting in the theater during the show, and meet with celebrities and cameras," he says. "So this is sleek and sophisticated with a bit of a twist."

March says McAllister was a "fantastic" client, though not everyone who calls him is ideal. "A lot of times, people are simply interested in seeing me because I was on television," he says. "They have this impression of me as a magical unicorn that has stepped out of the TV."

He adds, "Those are the requests that aren't interesting to me. You get a feel for whether a person is really interested in your work."

Of course, for some celebrity clients, it's the blend of talent and fame that makes a "Project Runway" designer appealing.

For her recent performance on "American Idol," Kimberley Locke's manager suggested she commission current "Runway" champ Christian Siriano. Locke, who competed on "Idol's" second season, is promoting her album "Based on a True Story," so she missed Siriano's time on the show. But when she saw his work, she was impressed.