Project Runway Season 22 premieres with record 22 designers

The 22nd season of the fashion design competition "Project Runway" premiered on July 9, 2026, on Freeform, marking the largest cast in the show's history with 22 designers. Host Heidi Klum returns alongside judges Nina Garcia and Law Roach, with Tyra Banks joining as a recurring judge. Christian Siriano continues as the mentor for the contestants.

The season's supersized premiere, which consisted of two 90-minute episodes, introduced a diverse cast that includes returning "Project Runway" contestants, a Miss Universe winner, and several figures from the world of "RuPaul's Drag Race." Notably, the cast features Andrew "Plane Jane" Dunayevskiy and Robert "Q" Crone from "Drag Race" season 16, as well as established drag world designer Jeffrey Kelly Abess. The premiere episode was marked by multiple eliminations, with three designers-Jennifer Daniels, Omolara "LRÉ the Artist" Odupita, and Andrea Moore-sent home. By the end of the first episode, the three drag-adjacent designers, Plane Jane, Robby (Q), and Jeffrey, were all at risk of elimination as the judges announced further cuts would follow.

The premiere episode highlighted both camaraderie and tension among the contestants....