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The top-three dresses on the runway at FIDM (Brandon Clark/abimages)

Last summer, Los Angeles designer Karen Kane issued a challenge to students in the third-year advanced fashion design course at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.

Volker Corell offers a toast to designer Sue Wong after her Fall '12 presentation at her studio.  

Tonight is the last night of Los Angeles Fashion Week with the finale show at L.A. Fashion Weekend at Sunset Gower. When our photographer Volker Corell was not busy shooting the shows from the photographers’ pit, he was filming the scenes.

Here’s what he captured:

Backstage at Ina Soltani with make-up designer Melanie Mills: 

The view from (and of) the photo pit:

So you want to be a famous fashion designer? You want millions of Americans to see your imaginative creations?

Fear not. There is hope. The people at "Project Runway," the TV show that has designers going measuring tape to measuring tape to come up with some of the best collections around, is looking for candidates to be on the show's next season.

Let’s start with the bad news. L.A. designer Andrae Gonzalo has moved to New York. (Hmph, where’s Andrae, indeed.)

The good news is, he’s still sending his scoops out west. (Thank you, Andrae! Sorry for using the image above--but the T-shirt was too perfect to pass up.)

The Otis graduate, “Project Runway” alum and, ahem, former Los Angeles designer is designing for New York–based eveningwear line Mikael Aghal.

Outdoor Retailer named the winner of their Project Runway spin-off competition, Project OR, on Monday. Margaret Mussman, a junior at the University of Cincinnati, was one of six student designers chosen to participate in the competition. In 48 hours, the former snowboarder designed and constructed a women's backcountry ski bib, which earned her first place, a trip to Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2012 and a profile in the publication Textile Insight.

Five of the 13 designers returning to compete in “Project Runway All Stars” in January are from California.

I’d prefer 13 of 13, sure, but it’s a better West Coast showing than we’ve seen in recent seasons of the reality show, youknowwhatI’msaying?

The California competitors are:

Rami Kashou, Mila Hermanovski, Sweet P Vaughn, Michael Costello and Gordana Gehlhausen.

Project Runway Host and Liz Claiborne's chief creative officer Tim Gunn.  Make it work!  (photo provided by HL Group)

Amy Smart, Busy Phillips and Alicia Witt were just some of the celebs that turned out last night to hear Project Runway’s Tim Gunn tout Lucky Brand’s new denim line and support the nonprofit The Art of Elysium at an event at Eveleigh on Sunset.

Orange County swim designer Lisa Vogel as been named the spotlight designer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, kicking off on July 14 and running though July 18 at The Raleigh in Miami Beach, Fla.

Luxe by Lisa Vogel is this year’s "Mercedes-Benz Presents” designer,

The collection joins a prestigious coterie of brands that includes

Tim Gunn,left with Leah Salak

Joking that his loose lips might land him in court, Tim Gunn, Project Runway co-host and Liz Claiborne chief creative officer, gave a rare display of dish on the show that made him famous. Tim’s foray into refreshingly frank talk took place on a hot afternoon April 16 at a runway show at Fashion Island retail center in Newport Beach, Calif.

Fashion designer, “Project Runway” alumn, fashion pundit, FIDM instructor—and ApparelNews guest blogger—Nick Verreos is getting a weekly TV show on the Style Network.

The half-hour show will “tackle anything and everything that’s of interest to Style viewers,” according to a release from E! Entertainment Television’s sister cable network.