Lessons Learned From Designer Jay McCarroll

Local fashion designer Jay McCarroll is best known for winning the first season of Project Runway. After winning, he famously turned down the prize money and mentoring opportunities to pursue his own fashion line. In fall 2007, Jay showed at New York Fashion Week, a feat for any up-and-coming designer. For the year leading up to his show, Jay allowed directors Michael Selditch and Rob Tate to chronicle his creative process for a documentary that was eventually titled Eleven Minutes for the length of the average runway show. Eleven Minutes opens this Friday at the Ritz at the Bourse.  Last week, I sat down with Jay  to discuss his film. He had other topics in mind.

Here are seven lessons I learned from Jay McCarroll:

1. Jay McCarroll is not “Project Runway guy.”

PW: The film opened without really talking about your Project Runway experiences and I was wondering why you chose to leave that out.
JM: Probably because it’s not really a continuation of anything.  So, it’s a whole new chapter.  Yeah, not on purpose, not to be like “no way this ever happened to me”  because trust me, it’s so ingrained into my being especially when I’m on the street, and people say “It’s Project Runway guy!” No name. There’s only 60 of us.  But yet, I’m the Project Runway guy.  But I can’t deny that anymore. Like, where did you work before this place?
PW: This is my first job. I worked at the Metro for a hot second but…
JM: Well, what if people knew you from the Metro, and now you have this position here, and they’re like “it’s Metro girl” when actually, it’s, like, you moved on and … Are you looking at my jewels? You should do all this stuff, it’s cheap shit, but you put it together in a way that’s …  These are like childrens’ toys I just got this week.

2. Jay McCarroll Will Not Tell You His Secrets
PW: So what are you working on now?
JM: Now, I’m just doing this interview with you.  I’m gonna go home and commit suicide.
PW: That’s … terrifying.
JM: I’m kidding.  I’m sure you’ll print that too.  I’m just working on clothes for my site. We’re launching in April with more apparel for men and women, which will actually be up pretty soon. [The clothes are] being made in Philadelphia, which is nice.
PW: Oh, really? Where?
JM: I’m not telling you my secrets!

3. Philly isn’t phony.

JM: People need to really come here,  you know, because I know tons of people from Philly who have gone away and come back by choice, you know?  But I think a lot of people think, oh I didn’t survive in New York, I’m gonna come back to Philly.  For me, I came back because I could have a four-bedroom house here with a roof deck, you know, that you cannot have in New York, and, people were phony, people are so real here, they’re, like, you’re fat, you’re dumb, you’re weird, you’re ugly, I hate you, let’s have sex, let’s get drunk and fuck each other.  Um, they don’t really say that anymore.  But, um, yeah, it’s good.  And there’s an art scene, there’s a business scene, and it’s good.
PW: Do you feel like moving to New York and coming back gave you a new appreciation for this city?
JM: Absolutely.  Well, it’s familiar.  You know, I feel like I’ve learned stuff there, and I lived here on and off for eight years before any Project Runway stuff happened … I came back here with a new appreciation. It’s forever growing and changing.

4. The Real Housewives are gross.

JM: Can we talk about The Real Housewives for a split second, who are the most disgusting creatures on the planet Earth?
PW: But you get sucked in.
JM: Oh, I love them.  I know all their names, do you?
PW: I don’t.
JM: What about the ones from New York? You have to know some of them?
PW: I don’t know their names. They’re just blond women.  It’s like Blonde Woman Number One, Blonde Woman Number Two …
JM: With fake tits! …I know all their names.  I love them.  My sister and I love that show.  Hate it, Hate it. They have the funniest outlooks on life.  Cuz they’re like, ‘I know they just look at me because I’m so beautiful.’ And you’re like, you are the fucking ugliest piece of shit on the planet, for just saying that.

5. Jay McCarroll does a great Tim Gunn impression.

PW: Can you talk about Tim Gunn?
JM: *snoring sounds*
PW: Are you tired talking about him?
JM: No, I just don’t care.
PW: Do you ever watch his other show?
JM: Absolutely not.  I cannot bring myself.  I hate makeover shows.  And I can only listen to him for so long. … I can only imagine a whole show of those two.  (Tim Gunn voice) Oh my god, oh my god …
PW: Wow, that was an excellent impression.
JM: Well, when you’re around it so much, you get.  It’s a pretty easy one because it’s pretty effective.  My thing with him is—I guess it’s about him—but when did that voice start?  Are you, like, 11 years old and you’re like, “Mother, I’d like to go participate in the Little League?”  Like, when does it start, like that’s not a real voice, I don’t think.  Is it?  Must be.
PW: Does he talk like that all the time?
JM: All the time.
PW: Off camera?
JM: All the time.  (Tim Gunn voice) “I would like to have two Manhattans please.”  It’s so strange, but, he was nice while it lasted.  But then, you know, you move on and he’s done with you.

6. Kelly Cutrone is crazy.

PW: In the movie, you were working with Kelly Cutrone and People’s Revolution.  Are  you still working with her?
JM: Absolutely not … She’s crazy.  In fact, she’s entertaining as fuck, and she’s a crazy creature character on the planet Earth.

7. Philebrity needs a blowjob.

PW: Do you feel like it’s hard to be one of the few celebrities in Philly?  It’s like, you and ?uestlove.
JM: Talk to Philebrity about that.  How can a whole town hate them, and yet they’re still able to exist?
PW: Philebrity?
JM: I mean, I hate saying it too, and they’re mean to me.
PW: Well, they’re mean to the Weekly, too …
JM: Maybe we should combine forces and hate them.  I wouldn’t hate them if they had a better name.  Their name is so … I hate saying it.  I think when other people say it, they look like fucking idiots.  Like, whoever the douchebag was that started that just had no clue.
PW: The guy who runs it used to work at the Weekly. [So did McCarroll, who worked as a courier for PW for two years.]
JM: I wonder if I met him.  I must’ve been rude to him when I worked there.  Why else would he have such anger issues with me?
PW: I don’t know.  I mean, I don’t know him personally.
JM: I think he just needs a good blowjob from me or something and then he’ll be okay.  I don’t know.  I don’t like that, and it’s not like, you know, like I’m an artist, I’m a whatever, I live in this town, I love it, I moved here consciously to be a part of it.  I have this film out, which I think is good.  Maybe you don’t think it’s good?  You didn’t say anything.