Today is the day!
Project Runway Season 8 premieres on Lifetime tonight at 9/8c! The first time I worked with Project Runway was when Joanna Coles, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire magazine, asked me to do her makeup for her appearance as a guest judge last season. (Watch it again here: Project Runway: Season 7 Episode 5 Videos | myLifetime.com). I was thrilled when Key Makeup Artist, Scott Patric, later asked me to be part of the team that prepped the models for the finale at Fashion Week, and bonkers when he asked me to join the crew for Season 8.
Season 7 Episode 5 - Makeup for Joanna Coles by Andrew Sotomayor, Nina Garcia's makeup by Danilo Omo)
My longtime friend Nick and I used to meet at my apartment every Thursday to watch the very first season of Project Runway back in college. I will never forget how personally we took every comment, good or bad, about our favorite designers, among them Austin Scarlett. My buddy, celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin, introduced me to Austin (they go way back) almost two years ago for a photo shoot where I got to create makeup to go with some of his most delectable creations. Also premiering tonight is a new show featuring Austin teamed up with season 2 veteran Santino Rice for On the Road with Austin & Santino.
Designs by Austin Scarlett, Makeup by Andrew Sotomayor
Santino Rice and Austin Scarlett in "On the Road with Austin & Santino"
I'm seriously sworn to secrecy, so for now all I can say is that Heidi Klum and Nina Garcia are even more beautiful in real life, (with a little help from their personal makeup artists Linda Hay and Danilo Omo), Michael Kors's wit is sharp as a tack, and all three are very pleasant. Besides that, most of my time was spent with crew and the models. This diverse group of girls, were nothing short of animated backstage. I'm looking forward to the fabulous premiere party tonight, for which they're playing hostesses.
All in all, I can best compare this experience to playing pinball at Peter Piper Pizza out west while on summer vacation as a child. For me, I can say that each day on set was colorful, fast-paced, exciting, challenging, sometimes noisy, filled with new friends, unexpected turns of events, surprising outcomes, and ultimately something I'd been anticipating for what seems like a very long time.
Throughout Season 8, look for lots of color courtesy of the makeup team who are Scott Patric (he's the one with the goatee and Key Makeup Artist), Hope Choman, Masako Kizuki, Albee Franson, Kristen Arnett, Jorge Luis Buenavad, Deborah Altizio, Gabrielle Padilla and myself.
Scott Patric appearing in Marie Claire magazine
Watch Project Runway on Lifetime 9/8c or online at Lifetime.com
