Christian Siriano’s career has been on a roll as of late. The collection the 23-year-old (celebrating his birthday just last month) Project Runway winner designed for Bluefly sold extremely well, he's doing costumes for Uma Thurman in her upcoming film Eloise in Paris, and not to mention his maternity line is still afloat. Now the New York Post reports Siriano will debut a line of inexpensive accessories -- shoes and handbags included -- at Payless in the fall of 2009.

In this post-election haze, the one question clearly weighing on the fashion industry’s collection conscience (mine included) has been: What will Michelle Obama wear to the Inaugural Ball? While it seems safe to assume the dress will come courtesy of an American designer, as has been a Michelle Obama constant up until this point, the rest is open for interpretation. Translation: In a day and age where competitions and reality TV are as commonplace as skyscraper stilettos (at least this season anyway), it’s the perfect impossible task to turn over to a few Project Runway alums. And, this is exactly what The Daily Beast did, before publishing the looks (and Simon Doonan's reactions) yesterday.

No, not a revival of the short-lived soap opera which featured a predictably scrappy Morgan Fairchild, but a replacement for the bitterly-departed Project Runway. The network posted a casting call to all aspiring fashion designers with a deadline of late November for all applications. And with Runway tied up indefinitely in legal limbo and its prospects of Fashion Week synergy unraveling, the copycat could sate the appetites of those hankering for taffeta, tulle, and talented egotists.

The end of the fifth season of Project Runway is upon us. Worse than a single episode of Nip/Tuck in its abundance of one-dimensional, unlikable characters, the current season has been a steadily unraveling shitshow of manipulative crybabies, contrived fashions, and some woman with a boyfriend named Ratbones. So after tomorrow night's J.Lo-less season (series?) finale concludes, viewers will no doubt be left with some lingering questions.

Tim Gunn, fashion guru on Project Runway, has a lot of his mind. Gunn admits that -- like the general public -- he's none to happy with the current contestants on PR. He says of the lagging designers: "They keep walking around telling each other how great they are, and I keep saying to them, 'Someone is gonna go home.'" But his ire has wider targets as well; Gunn is none too impressed with tween queen Miley Cyrus' wardrobe, remarking it's a "little too tarty," and "if I didn't know better, I'd swear she was 25!" And which potential first lady wins the style battle? Michelle Obama of course. "She epitomizes class and American style, she looks approachable." And why didn't McCain get Gunn's vote? "Cindy, on the other hand -- with her button-down suits and blouses -- looks like she's duct-taped."

It's safe to say Michael Kors is a huge TV fan. When he's not sitting in a judge's chair for the juggernaut that is Project Runway, he's watching Mad Men -- the breakout show and its early-1960s setting was an inspiration for Kors' fall 2008 collection. He even hosted a viewing party for the new season premiere. And it turns out Kors is also into Gossip Girl.

By now you've heard that Bravo's standout hit Project Runway is moving to weepy woman's channel Lifetime. What you might not know is there's a legal battle brought by NBC (who owns the Bravo Channel) to keep the show. Harvey Weinstein, and his Weinstein Co. own Project Runway, and they feel poorly compensated for the show's success. The most shocking revelation thus far is the fact that Tim Gunn got paid a hefty $0 his first year at the show. Weinstein said in court yesterday that after the show became a hit (in its second season), Gunn was then paid a considerably higher $2,500 an episode -- still pretty paltry for big-time TV. Don't cry for Gunn though. Buzz from the show allowed him to publish a best-seller book, star in his own spin-off show, and landed him the sweet position of chief creative officer at Liz Claiborne.

It's been a banner week for Project Runway season four winner Christian Siriano. Not only is he bringing fierceness to the Eloise in Paris movie, but now his collection -- more wearable versions of PR work -- is available for purchase at Bluefly.com. The ready-to-wear line has pieces ranging from jackets ($520) to T-shirts ($96). And as if that weren't enough, Andy Cohen, head of programming at Bravo, revealed during his PR after-show that Siriano will return to Bryant Park to debut his solo collection in September for New York's Fashion Week. Looks like Christian will be enjoying a bit more than the standard 15 minutes onstage.

For all you Project Runway fans, top three contestant Rami Kashou was in a bar fight last night! Rami made it to the end of the contest by consistently wowing the judges last season with his Grecian-inspired frocks. A partygoer at West Hollywood gay establishment the Abbey reports that he saw a scuffle between Rami and another clubgoer, then witnessed Rami get hit in the head with a martini glass, leaving him bleeding from head to toe. Ouch. While the clubgoer had no idea what started the bar fight, he did see Kashou being taken away in an ambulance, and the martini-glass-thrower being hauled away by security.

Project Runway starts its fifth season (and last season on Bravo) tonight. Season 4 devotees know they can't produce a better winner (or better catchphrases) than last season's champ Christian Siriano. And real die-hard fans know that designers get booed by the judges for being too consistent. Last season's Laura was predictable whenever she designed evening wear. Jeffrey from Season 3 never stepped out of his edgy shell to create something non-rock 'n roll, and Rami in Season Whatever bored the judges with his phenomenal draping skills in challenge after challenge. Rather than predict the winners, here are my picks for who might play it safe in with one style, and how.