AE: I loved the episode when Roberto Cavalli was the guest judge and he praised you effusively. What was going on in your mind when that was happening?
CM: It was overwhelming. It was like, “this is now serious.” I mean we’ve had some really great judges, but it was Roberto Cavalli, for God’s sake! And when the judging started and he said that he envisioned me showing in Paris and all that, I was just shaking. And I was crying — they didn’t show me cry as much as I did on that episode — but I was just overwhelmed by the fact that someone like him saw what he saw in my look. I put it all in there and I was happy that he saw it.
Roberto Cavalli
AE: Of the three regular judges, who did you feel most understood where you were coming from?
CM: Nina Garcia. I think because she can see things from an editorial point of view, like what would shock and provoke and be interesting in a photo shoot — which she actually said to me a couple of times, how “this could be a photo shoot ready for the pages of Elle magazine.” I think Michael Kors is more about what will sell, because he sells clothing. And I think Heidi is more about what she wants to wear.
AE: Do the three of them balance each other?
CM: I think they do. Their points of view are very different. I wish they would disagree a bit more, but maybe they just don’t. It’s a fascinating mix.
AE: And in this last episode, did your use of human hair hurt you?
CM: I’m not sure. Probably, but that doesn’t matter to me, because it’s not always about winning or losing a competition. It’s about being true to yourself and your creativity, and also just showing people that the idea in life is to take some risks. If you don’t, you’re never going to change anything. And I thought it looked amazing on television. Whether they disagreed about whether it’s usable and wearable, that’s their perspective.
AE: Michael Kors noted in his blog response to that episode, that he was “repelled and attracted at the same time” by the hair. They all seemed surprised by the hair, but they also seemed to appreciate the fact that you challenged them.
CM: I was very happy that weren’t completely turned off. It was challenging for them. Hey, I finally challenged the judges! And I have to give them credit for not just running in terror. [laughs]
AE: What was your favorite moment of the entire experience?
CM: Probably getting to make the avant-garde look. Because I felt like I had been cruising along on the show and not really getting to show my real imagination. And I loved working with Christian. That whole episode was truly a joy. And we also got the ad in Elle magazine, so that was really fantastic.
AE: When Sarah Jessica Parker guest-starred on the show, you had a couple of big moments responding to her. What was that like for you?
CM: The idea of Sarah Jessica Parker has a lot of meaning for me, of course, as I explained. I’ve always loved New York, but watching Sex and the City made me really want to move to New York. And I’ve been through a lot since I’ve moved here, and just to have this kind of amazing moment, to have her walk in the door and be in front of us on Project Runway was just every gay guy’s dream come true. Carrie Bradshaw in the flesh!
Sarah Jessica Parker
AE: What’s been the craziest fan moment you’ve experienced?
CM: Well, I don’t know if I can say… I will say that I’ve been shocked by the amount of emails I’ve gotten from men who want to go out with me! And who think I’m really cute and who want to lick me from head to toe.
