The BPR Top 5 Looks: 5th Place

Santino Rice makes strong first impressions. His deep voice, towering height and endless self-confidence are very seductive at first blush. His wit and humor in the workroom helped temper some of the piercing criticisms he would frequently bestow on his fellow designers. He is a larger than life character and one of the most unforgettable personalities to ever hit reality television.

Santino is also, undeniably, a very talented and visionary fashion designer.

In Road to the Runway, the 16 semi-finalists in Season 2 were sent 6 yards of muslin and $20 for supplies one week before arriving in New York, with the instruction to create a dress that best expressed who each of them is as a fashion designer. Given far more time to complete the design than in any subsequent challenge, Santino made the most of it. His deep jewel tone baby doll dress (modeled by the lovely Heather Brown) was fun, flirty and fabulous. The judges agreed, making this design the winner of the first challenge. It established a style that would be instantly recognizable on the runway throughout Season 2, and carried him straight through to Fashion Week.

Congratulations Santino, you made the cut on the BPR Top 5 Looks List from Season 2!