The Green McQueen!

Note: This interview was one of my favorites because I got to see a new side to the PR story. And Timothy was really easy to work with. Thank You Timothy!

General Information

1. Hi Timothy! could you start by telling me a bit about yourself?
1. Who am I? Well, when I was little, I actually couldn’t pronounce my full name so I would say Imphy woois. My middle name Louis, I would say “Luigi” “stylin tim” Intern at costume shop. Positive. Worked at pro level. When I was in High School, I was the only HS in our costume department and eventually became the manager. Some of my nicknames at this point were “sassy britches”, “Little T” and “Luigi.” I used to use just Tim in college. I started to use the full name Timothy at my Artist Residency. I was 14 when Project Runway started. Not many people watched it because it was only the pilot season. I Religiously watched it. I had said that Project Runway junior needed to be a thing. I was Inspired by Tim’s “It gets better” speech. I was crying after I saw it. When fashion illustration started, Jessica Rabbitt was an inspiration of mine. I was a big believer in sustainable fashion. You can make normal fabric become anything else. The dress Liesl wore in the sound of music was one of my inspirations, as well as in the movie Titanic at Rose’s grand staircase entrance. I had designed dresses for my sister’s Barbies. I built a small city for the barbies as well. 9&11 were the real moments that I wanted to become a designer. I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T) and they said “If you spend your afternoon playing with barbies, We’re for you.” I felt like this was very inclusive. I went to Syracuse University. I walked in to class on the first day and somebody said to me “I love your sweater.” Last time going to JoAnn was 2008. I used old scrap fabrics and made them into new garments and fabrics.When I went on Project Runway,  the nastiness came from the lack of convention of my looks. The models were all so sweet. I have said a number of times “Can we all be friends?” In my junior year of college switched to Fiber Art. Maria Abromovich was an influence of mine. If Alexander McQueen and Pixar had a lovechild, that’s Timothy.
2. When did you realize that you liked to design clothes?
1. I think 9 for sure. 2 and 3 was the dress up time. There are actually photos of me in dresses as a three year old. I HATED diapers, loved silk scarves. I was definitely a sassy baby.
3. Who inspired you to get into fashion?
1. My mom set me up with sewing lessons when I was 9.I went into Fiber Art because I felt like was more of a challenge. One of my nicknames was “Green McQueen.”
4. What is one thing people may not know about you?
1. To deny the crazy is crazy. They don’t know Timothy Westbrook, they know #designertimothy. People would not give the time of day in Wisconson. People were awful. People needed to be more tolerant. “You call me crazy I got your crazy.” The giddiness and silliness you see is coming from a serious place. I take responsibility for what was seen on TV,  but it was out of context. I still love unicorns, I am a tree hugger,a big homo. My family and I are very close and I honestly feel like I live a charmed life. I’m lucky and my parents are so supportive.

Favorites

*When told this part of the interview, the first question was, “Unicorns?”

1. Favorite Fabric?
1. My favorite fabric… Unidentifiable. I like to make sure the people are mindblown. I like to make my own fabrics from actual items and old fabric. I am actually making a contact lens case dress. I am in love with any fabric that is transformed. For example, I love 15th century tapestries. I made raincoats out of old umbrellas.
2. Favorite Color?
1. Oh… Man...It’s like a gray and navy. When I was little, I LOVED PINK. I am in a white phase at the moment.
3. Do you have music playing in the studio? If so, what’s your favorite.
1. I have to listen to music that is relevant to the project. I watch a LOT of movies. Queen of the Damned was my most recent. My top 3 songs are Glee’s cover of “How Will I Know”, “I Don’t Care” and “Dark Horse”

Pre-Runway

1. Were you a fan of the show before your season?
1. I watched of the show but was not a fan. I never liked a structure or the end goal. Hot Mess or Make it Work are both phrases that come from the show (Runway). A lot of that came from WNTW.
2. What inspired you to do the show?
1. Okay… I applied just to do it. I had a residency that ended. I made an Elle Woods comment. My ex-BF loved reality TV, he thought it was crazy. One of my favorite professors told me not to do it. I went on to try and get to know my (at the time) boyfriend and he wanted to get to know me. So I said “Why Not?”

Runway

1. What were your thoughts on the first day you arrived for the official season?
1. Oh god… Um… You can’t talk to one another. I was the first drop-off (by Mom). My mom and I accidentally kissed on the mouth. In my very first confessional, the person running it said “Tell me about the Angelina Jolie brother kiss.” The day before taping was the memorial service of my Grandfather. When Nina tweeted here’s the unicorn  I was with my grandfather on his deathbed.
2. What was your favorite challenge?
1. I think my favorite challenge was the glamping one. There were so many “unconventional materials.” They actually required an unconventional look for NYFW.
3. What was your favorite design you produced?
1. I didn’t like any of them.
4. What was your least favorite challenge you did?
1. The Show; it was all a challenge. It challenged you in a non-beneficial way.
5. If you could go back and relive any moment, what would it be?
1. Um… My moment with Sophie. I really loved all of the models. There are no bad  mistakes.

6. If you saw someone that said they wanted to do the show, would you recommend it?
1. I wouldn’t discourage them. Simply because Dom had an amazing experience and won. Michelle didn’t have a good experience and won. I would say “What the heck, why not? Go for it.” If she (my boss) had realized who I was, she would not have hired me.
7. Do you still keep in contact with the other designers?
1. I keep in contact with some of them. I just saw Karen at her birthday party. Karen and Sophie (model) are by far the closest. in terms of the rest of us, we don’t really talk. And Kate… Kate’s husband and I are friends.
8. You and Miranda had an obvious conflict are you two on better terms now?
1. She is not a Timothy fan. I hate to say it, but hurt people hurt people. She tried 3 times to get on the show, and got in the third time. Here I am from NY, I tried once and got in. She was not a fan of me. She worked really hard to get in. She felt animosity. She did an interview and said “Some people go on as characters.” The publication she was interviewed by found a terrible photo of me and “shame pressed me” We were not close. There was a lot of manipulation. At the end of the day, I can’t blame her or forgive her.
9. ARE YOU STILL INTO UNICORNS?
1. Absolutely. Unicorns are my jam. They’re great. I am an Aries on the cusp of Pisces. Seahorses are the only mammal that have males giving birth. My motherly instincts are actually up. I was babysitting my nieces and one threw a rock up in the air and caught it while talking. I once said in an interview “I don’t believe in unicorns, I believe in the impossible.”

Post-Runway

1. How have things been for you after you left the show?
1. At first awful then better. I went into a dark place, I saw one of those buzzfeed-style “27 Celebrities who committed suicides” There is no support system and you can’t hide from the harassment once you get out. Being a silent crusader for those who hit this dark place is something I want to do. I went to this concert in Milwaukee called “Jazz in the Park” and this little girl was running to a porta potty and she said on the way “It was my birthday and I like unicorns.” I recently moved to New York and a lot of the mothers called me when I moved saying their daughters were crying because I was leaving. I didn’t have the capacity to benefit from doing the show. People have said to me “What’s up with the emotions?” Well, You have to lose yourself to find yourself. My mom always says that” our worst teachers are our best teachers.” I don’t think I could live without the show because I would not have gotten to where I am now.
2. Are you watching this season of PR? If so, what are your thoughts?
1. I’m not watching. It’s hard to watch.
3. Do you think you have changed after the show ended?
1. Absolutely. My self-awareness went through the roof. “For Good”
4. What is your favorite thing you like to design now?
1. Gowns. I Loooooooooooooove gowns. i love i love i love gowns.
5. You recently designed Condom and birth control case brooches for an event. What was it for?
1. Planned Parenthood Wisconson. All of the brooches were auctioned off and proceeds went to the charityI have a big project for Skate America for their “Grand Prix” competition. I am making a costume for the featured performance.
6. If you could give advice to the next generation of fashion designers, what would you say?
1. Hmmm. “Make all of your choices with the world in mind” It’s not about production or the bottom line. You need to take care of the planet so there are people here to wear your clothes.

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