In the Style section of the New York Times, Horacio Silva, writes a hysterical analysis of the hit Bravo reality television show, Project Runway, in an article: Booted Off An Island Called Manhattan. The Times reports that Project Runway “is Bravo's biggest hit, consistently winning high ratings for a cable show among prized 18-to-49-year-olds.” But it’s not the numbers that sell the show, it’s the idiosyncrasies of the show and it’s truthful reflection on the fashion industry that does:

"Project Runway"…holds only a shaky mirror to the fashion world. The reflection is sometimes ugly and sometimes beautiful, but it's a compelling pop homage to the visionary outsiders who through sheer force of will and effrontery (and sometimes a bit of glue) adorn us in their dreams.

In the lede of the article, the writer opens with an anecdote of an episode where the competitors give each other makeovers, and in his bantering, condescending tone, he eloquently brings the fashion reality show to actual elitist, competitive fashion business reality:

In reality the prospect of a bona fide designer like Donatella Versace giving, say, Jil Sander, a makeover is about as likely as Ms. Versace letting her roots grow in. But the episode captured the absurdist appeal of this runaway runway hit, in which aspiring fashion designers live together in New York, share a workroom and face weekly design challenges, often a ridiculous task like creating a garden-party dress out of greenery from the flower district.

It’s quite funny that while the show is about fashion designing and about the designer’s unique vision and artistry, it’s not that realistic. A designer would not have to construct his own clothing, instead, he would outsource to a manufacturer on a small scale, after choosing his swatches, and sketching.

While the show is full of flamboyant personalities, stereotypical roles, and a great mix of cattiness, fashion, and beauty, some elements are bound to be insulted:

…even the lifeless host, Heidi Klum, who was once described by a former modeling agent as having ''the personality of a German sausage,'' has become a celebrity, right down to her signature kiss-off, ''auf wiedersehen'' (because, as we know, German is the language of high fashion).

But the root and core of the show is, according to the article, the “genius, that evanescent combination of talent, personality, drive and opportunity, is the rarest of commodities.” At the end, for the designers, it’s about winning the competition, getting a bit of fame, and marketing your name, attracting the hard-to-attract fashion media industry. But, it’s a tight rope a designer has to walk on, because while you may be recognized, your credibility can be damaged, and shrinked to the status of “reality star”:

The nationwide searches on ''American Idol'' have yet to yield the new Aretha Franklin, and it remains to be seen whether ''Project Runway'' will unearth the next Calvin Klein. ''The stakes have never been higher,'' is one of the show's catchphrases, and it's never been more difficult to gain entree into the industry.