{"id":2498754,"date":"2026-07-12T11:13:34","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T11:13:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2498754"},"modified":"2026-07-12T11:13:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T11:13:34","slug":"new-orleans-native-jude-mikulencak-is-on-project-runway-entertainment-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/new-orleans-native-jude-mikulencak-is-on-project-runway-entertainment-life\/","title":{"rendered":"New Orleans native Jude Mikulencak is on ‘Project Runway’ | Entertainment\/Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Unlike most 23-year-olds, Jude Mikulencak mostly wears clothes he\u2019s hand-sewn, measured and designed by himself at an antiquated tailor shop in Brooklyn. They\u2019re sleek. Minimalist. Sharply tailored to fit.<\/p>\n

For three to four days a week, 10-12 hours each, he\u2019s hand-stitching suits and using century-old sewing machines, surrounded by shelves packed with rolls of fabric, practicing the trade of tailoring.<\/p>\n

His dedication has paid off. Now the New Orleans native is one of the latest contestants on Disney’s “Project Runway,” which began a new season Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A talent agency scout found his work on Instagram in November and pitched him to the long-running reality competition show. In April, a black van picked him up from his Brooklyn apartment. With little contact with family or friends and a nondisclosure agreement signed, he was in Season 22.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jude Mikulencak sews a coat with a measuring tape around his neck on, competing against 22 other designers on an episode of \u201cProject Runway.\u201d Hosted by Heidi Klum, “Project Runway” makes a return July 9 at 9:30 p.m. EDT\/PDT on Freeform and will stream shortly after on Hulu and Disney+, followed by weekly airings.<\/p>\n

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From painter to tailor<\/h3>\n

Mikulencak, whose Czech name was passed down by his grandfather, who immigrated to Houston, was born to the lullabies of Mazzy Star at Touro Infirmary in Uptown, during a lightning storm on Valentine’s Day 2003. He went to school at Holy Name of Jesus School and then a specialized arts program at The Willow High School.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Years of painting detailed portraits led him to the Art Institute of Chicago\u2019s summer camp, where he had an epiphany as a high school sophomore.<\/p>\n

Bogged down by long days of tedious wait-to-dries and uncontrollable liquid paints, he kept noticing the kids in the fashion department: They were dressing up and \u201chaving more fun,\u201d Mikulencak said. A few weeks later, he dropped the paintbrushes entirely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI came home, I bought a home sewing machine and some fabric and just started making clothes. I think from that day I have not turned back.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Georgia James models Jude Mikulencak\u2019s custom-made black coat in 2022.<\/p>\n

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Initially, his mother, Carolyn Mikulencak, fretted over his decision to quit painting, she said. At 5 years old, he began drawing precise and defined pictures all the time, which were hung all over the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe filled thousands of notebooks,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019d make exact replicas of the dents on wooden floors, crumpled receipts.\u201d<\/p>\n

His mother, a writer and lover of 1930s fashion, said his style has a genteel and Edwardian character, as if out of a Merchant Ivory film. She calls her favorite piece a \u201cgothic, Western, vampire coat dress,\u201d ornamented with a frill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Years as a visual artist helped mold his polished style. His colors tend toward muted grays, blues and blacks \u2014 like a clean, ink pad sketch.<\/p>\n

His aptitude for detail may have paved the way for his svelte, androgynous design style.<\/p>\n

It’s hard to pinpoint where he got his creative eye \u2014 art never had to be \u201chardwired\u201d into him, Carolyn Mikulencak said. \u201cJude gives me faith that artists exist.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a teenager, Jude conducted research at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a lot of looking through my mom\u2019s closet and trying to work backwards and think, \u2018How did they put this together?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

For his senior prom, he made a pleated floral prom dress for his date, and for himself, a finely stitched button-down shirt to match. He even embroidered his brand\u2019s logo, \u201cGrim.\u201d Not much later, he was commissioned to make a suit for local musician Anders Osborne.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jude Mikulencak and Mary Grace wear outfits designed and made by Mikulencak for their 2020 prom. Their prom at The Willow High School was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but they still dressed up for the occasion.<\/p>\n

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Welcome to New York<\/h3>\n

In his senior year of high school, he visited tailor shops across New Orleans in hopes of finding a mentor, but the 16-year-old was often turned away at the door.<\/p>\n

At 18, he moved to New York to attend Pratt Institute and picked up the search for a tailor. He landed a gig at Craig Robinson\u2019s bespoke tailoring shop called Robinson Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe taught me everything I know,\u201d Mikulencak said. \u201cHe has a passion for teaching people the art of tailoring,\u201d which is rare since the small community tends to protect its trade secrets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mikulencak was the youngest intern Robinson ever hired. He said he saw a sense of refinement that was unusual for a teenager. Two years later, Mikulencak was teaching classes with Pratt\u2019s professors and training Robinson\u2019s interns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Robinson described him as shy, very taken by his work and precise; and as for his garments, \u201cthey are very romantic, and they’re high quality in comparison to something quick and easy. He makes things look very effortless, and that\u2019s hard to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mikulencak’s process starts by envisioning the life of the garment, especially with big, heavy winter coats.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can imagine them growing old and then their kids wearing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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