The second series of runway reality show Project Runway Australia is about to hit the small screen. Ragtrader introduces the designers staking their claim for fame.
NAME: Anthony Capon
AGE: 25
EDUCATION: Completed his Bachelor of Fashion Design at Canberra Institute of Technology in 2005.
FASHION BACKGROUND: Inherited his interest in fashion from his adoptive mother who is a lecturer in fashion design
BEST KEPT SECRET: At the age of seven made his mother a patchwork dress from fabric scraps
EMPLOYMENT: Works as a design/production and visual merchandising assistant for a design company.
ADDED EXTRA: Is also a national champion of Irish dancing
NAME: Amber Renae
AGE: 27
RESIDENT: Melbourne
FASHION BACKGROUND: With a fashion designer Mum, fashion has always been in her blood and she wouldn't be caught dead leaving her house wearing something she considers 'vanilla'.
EDUCATION: Never studied fashion but graduated as a Civil Engineer from the University of Queensland
BEST KEPT SECRET: Started her own fashion label in 2002, exporting both nationally and internationally.
EMPLOYMENT: Freelance stylist
NAME: Jason Chetcuti
LOVE AFFAIR: Was "fascinated" with mother's sewing machine from the age of three.
EDUCATION: Was trained by his family's seamstress at 15, sold race-day outfits in his home town of Mackay at 16, won the Queensland Retailers Association eveningwear award the same year and, at 18, spent eight months studying fashion design and fine arts at the Paris American Academy.
BEST KEPT SECRET: Turned down an internship at Christian Dior haute couture because he was homesick
EMPLOYMENT: Operates a corporate uniforms business
NAME: Claudia Chabo
EDUCATION: Studied fashion technology and apparel at East Sydney TAFE and at Meadowbank TAFE where she passed with distinction
FASHION BACKGROUND: Was eight when she started making clothes for her Barbie out of tissues and 14 when she decided to be a designer
CLAIM TO FAME: Having had her own fashion label, she's designed for men and women but specialised in swimwear and lingerie design.
ADDED EXTRA: Claims anyone who says 'fashion is not important' has no idea what they're talking about
NAME: Mark Neighbour
AGE: 42
EDUCATION: Recently graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts in Fashion
EMPLOYMENT: Currently works as a fashion technician at the Queensland University of Technology.
ADDED EXTRA: Has spent 20 years in the Australian fashion industry helping others achieve their dreams, his have remained unfulfilled
NAME: Yopie Starfurik
RESIDENT: Gold Coast
EDUCATION: Completed a Certificate III of Apparel and Manufacture at TAFE,
FASHION BACKGROUND: Left TAFE when offered a job at Movie World to design costumes
EMPLOYMENT: Currently designs at Seaworld.
ADDED EXTRA: Her fashion influences vary from classic, timeless patterns to the far-out 70s - with a touch of Angelina Jolie
ADDED EXTRA: Suffered from polio when she was nine but has not her need to use crutches permanently stop her from pursuing her goals
NAME: Michael Finch
AGE: 23
LOVE AFFAIR: started at the age of four making clothes for his Barbie dolls from his mother's fabric scraps. Won his first sewing machine at a local fashion competition in Mackay when 15.
EDUCATION: Studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in fashion design at QUT in Brisbane.
BEST KEPT SECRET: After completing his degree, he started his own label specialising in women's tailored evening wear.
EMPLOYMENT: Is currently working full-time in Mackay as a soft furnishings designer
NAME: Lauren Vieyra
EDUCATION: Won a full scholarship to study her Masters of Fashion Design in Florence, Italy and also completed a Diploma of Fashion Design at the Whitehouse Institute of Design
EMPLOYMENT: Currently works as a junior designer at Cue.
BEST KEPT SECRET: Her area of expertise is women's after five, ready-to-wear and avant garde
ADDED EXTRA: CITES Vivienne Westwood as a major inspiration hopes one day to have her own label and market quirky designs with a commercial edge
NAME: Ryan Whelan
BACKGROUND: Born in Norway and educated at a school for athletes.
FASHION ANCESTORY: One of his great great grandfather's was a tailor and another ran a fur shop.
EDUCATION: Moved to Australia by himself and enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion at RMIT, which he is currently completing.
EMPLOYMENT: Started his own label seven years ago, specialising in men's tailoring and he frequently incorporates fob watches, waistcoats and walking sticks into his designs.
ADDED EXTRA: Loves all things 1920s and describes himself as "an old man trapped in a young man's body".
NAME: Kellyanne Russell
EDUCATION: Graduated in 1997 from the Whitehouse School of Design Sydney with a Diploma of Fashion
BEST KEPT SECRET: Considers her greatest achievement in life so far is creating a business she can do from home in her pyjamas
EMPLOYMENT: Currently has her own label targeted at 'true women with big bums and big boobs'.
ADDED EXTRA: Achieved a 'one-in-a-million' by being born on Christmas day
NAME: William Lazootin
AGE: 40
EDUCATION: Completed a Certificate in Fashion at the Douglas Mawson Institute TAFE in Adelaide
RESIDENT: Sydney
FASHION BACKGROUND: Has worked for major designers in Australia including Lisa Ho, Collette Dinnigan and Camilla and Marc.
FUTURE: Wants to start his own women's wear label.
ADDED EXTRA: A self-taught sewer and master patternmaker, his area of expertise is high-end women's avante garde and eveningwear.
NAME: Ivana Stipicic
EDUCATION: Studied industrial design, interiors and fashion in Italy and later completed a short course program at the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Illustration 1 & 2
BEST KEPT SECRET: Moved to Italy by herself when she was just 18 - even though she couldn't speak a word of Italian
FASHION BACKGROUND: Whilst in Italy secured a job with the prestigious Italian firm Costume National
EMPLOYMENT: Currently working on her own label with a 'rock chic' feel,
ADDED EXTRA: Although has designed for both sexes her area of expertise lies in women's ready-to-wear, avant garde and accessories.