Season 21 of Project Runway premiered on July 31, 2025, and the clearest confirmed changes are its move to Freeform, its streaming home on Hulu and Disney+, and an opening structure built around two rival fashion houses. The published announcements do not show that every rule, judging step, editing choice or runway setup changed, so the rest of this guide separates what is documented from what is not.
Where the season aired and how to watch it
Freeform announced on December 10, 2024 that the show would return for a 10-episode season in 2025, with weekly broadcasts on Freeform and streaming shortly after on Hulu and Disney+. That announcement said the host, judges and premiere date would be revealed later. The “10 episodes” figure is the announced season order; the sources behind this guide do not independently confirm the final episode count.
A May 20, 2025 Freeform announcement set the schedule. The premiere was Thursday, July 31, with two episodes starting at 9:00 p.m. EDT, followed by weekly episodes at 10:00 p.m. EDT. Hulu and Disney+ were named as streaming destinations shortly after each broadcast.
Treat these as U.S. announcements from 2024 and 2025. They do not establish whether the season is available in your country today, which catalog tier includes it, or what a subscription currently costs. Check the Hulu or Disney+ app for the region you are in before assuming access.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
- CALLING ALL FASHIONISTAS: This sketch pad includes 40 sketch sheets and 4 instructional pages. This portfolio is great for any fashion enthusiast and for those just learning or for someone who wants to improve their drawing technique
- BOOSTS CREATIVE SKILLS: The set includes 4 removable stencil pages with 100+ fashion and accessory shapes to help create your designs. Utilize one of the 100+ stickers to add the finishing touch to any design
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: This set includes 30 sketch sheets, 4 stencil sheets, 1 sticker sheet, and instructions. Colors and styles of content may vary. Designed in the USA. For kids ages 6 and up
- BRING IT EVERYWHERE YOU GO: Design, trace, color, and accessorize anywhere. The spiral-bound sketchbook is a great on-the-go activity kit for girls and teens. Also fits easily into a tote bag or backpack
- FASHION ANGELS: Founded in 1996, is a leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning products for tween girls, including arts & crafts, jewelry, stationery and lifestyle accessories, providing them with the tools and inspiration to develop creativity and confidence
Freeform’s December 2024 announcement also said the series has aired in more than 125 countries. That describes the show’s overall international history, not how season 21 performed.
Executive producer Jane Lipsitz framed the season’s goal in that announcement: “It is exciting and inspiring to have the opportunity to guide the evolution of ‘Project Runway’ for a new generation,” with the challenge “to not only honor our die-hard ‘Project Runway’ fans but also to introduce fresh and innovative ideas.”
Who is on the panel
The May 2025 premiere announcement and D23’s July 31, 2025 season feature confirm the same on-screen lineup:
- Host: Heidi Klum.
- Judges: Nina Garcia and Law Roach.
- Mentor: Christian Siriano, who worked with the contestants.
D23 quotes Klum describing her return as “coming back home.” That phrase is attributed to her in the feature; the sources do not provide a full interview quote or context for it. The sources also do not say whether any of these roles were new to the franchise, so this guide does not make that claim either way.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchRank #3
- Illustration-Grade Paper, specially-textured and heavyweight to allow bold use of color and techniques. Other pads use traditional paper and bleed through and wrinkle easily in response to marker and paint - frustrating your ability to show your creativity. Hardcover for long standing durability. Spiral bound to keep pages flat. Perforated for true-size paper.
- 144 Pages with 432 Internationally Designed Figure Outlines (“Croquis”) in 14 poses. "Croquis" is a term originating in France in 1805 to describe a rough sketch. It is now used in the fashion industry for figure templates used in the design process. Our Croquis are newly designed by our international team with a fresh and modern perspective. Produced with designers from London, NY, LA, Italy, Austria, and Brazil. This design pad represents the best from around the world of fashion.
- Single-Croquis, Full-Illustration Pages! 24 of this book's 136 pages are printed with only one figure outline on each! Other fashion sketchbooks place a minimum of 2 figures on every page in order to advertise the most number of figure outlines at the cheapest possible cost. This premium design pad provides both.
- "Perfect-Printed" Croquis. We tested many croquis offerings and found what we believe is the perfect balance of outline visibility with outline vanishing-ability when illustrated. Many products print too dark, or too light. Our testing and designer-input led us to this flexible balance. Practice-Through-Final Process.The Croquis poses are printed in small, medium, and large sizes. Create multi-pose designs side-by-side, or use the smaller sizes for practice and experimenting freely!
- Please Note, some customers have misunderstood this product: This is a sketchbook of our professionally created croquis (body outlines) exactly as used by fashion designers. Our pre-printed body outlines allow you, kids, students, artists, and designers to focus on creative designing without wasting time properly sketching the human form. This is also not a book of instructions and ideas; our customers have told us they can use Google for that! 🙂
Twelve designers split into two rival houses
D23 reports that the season began with 12 designers divided into two rival fashion houses. One house designed looks for Disney Princesses, and the other drew its inspiration from Disney Villains. This team split is the most distinctive confirmed change to the opening structure.
Returning and familiar contestants
D23 names Jesus Estrada, Antonio Estrada, Caycee Black and Veejay Floresca as familiar faces. Its wording is inconsistent on the group’s makeup: it refers to “these three alums” while listing four names, and it describes nine other hopeful designers joining them. The sources therefore do not settle how many of the 12 were returning contestants. Do not assume the whole cast was made up of past competitors. The sources also do not state how the two Estrada contestants are related.
Rank #4
- LIGHT-UP SKETCHPAD FOR EASY TRACING: The ultra-slim 6" x 9.5" illuminated pad teaches tweens the basics of fashion illustration by helping them trace garments, accessories & silhouettes with confidence. Perfect for beginners & experienced young creators
- BOOSTS CREATIVITY & ARTISTIC SKILLS: Perfect for beginners, this Fashion Design sketch kit helps kids practice tracing, layering & styling outfits. Hours of creative fun as they design, decorate & bring their favorite fashion looks to life
- WHAT'S INCLUDED: This light-up fashion sketchpad kit includes everything aspiring designers need: 6 sheets of reusable vinyl fashion clings, 1 accessories sticker sheet, 20 sketch papers, and a USB-powered light pad that makes tracing easy and fun
- SCREEN-FREE CREATIVE PLAY: This portable design kit inspires imagination & artistic thinking without electronics. Keeps tweens engaged at home or on the go. Perfect gift for designers ages 8+ who love fashion, drawing, crafting & creative expression
- FASHION ANGELS: Founded in 1996, is a leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning products for tween girls, including arts & crafts, jewelry, stationery and lifestyle accessories, providing them with the tools and inspiration to develop creativity and confidence
Episode two: a multipurpose athleisure challenge
The premiere ran as two episodes. The second, titled “Feel the Burn,” asked designers to create multipurpose athleisure looks while the two fashion houses went through shakeups, according to D23. The sources describe the challenge and the house upheaval but do not provide the full mechanics of how teams were reshuffled or how the challenge was judged.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Challenge pacing: short deadlines, no measured comparison
D23 describes the season’s design themes and deadlines as “shorter than a mini skirt.” That is a promotional description rather than a measurement. The sources do not list time allotments for any challenge, so they cannot show whether challenges were shorter than in earlier seasons. The accurate summary is that the season emphasized short deadlines and themed assignments, not that its deadlines were measurably tighter than before.
Best Value
- CALLING ALL FASHIONISTAS: Dive into the world of fashion design with our intuitive sketchbook! Design your own stylish gowns with an array of fun colors and stickers. Perfect gift for those new to fashion sketching or refining their skills
- EXPRESS YOUR CREATIVE STYLE: Boost your child's artistic talents with this screen-free activity. Watch their imagination run wild as they craft endless, chic outfit combinations and embark on their fashion journey
- WHAT'S INCLUDED: This set includes 30 sketch sheets, 4 stencil sheets and 1 sticker sheet. Instructions and inspiration guide also included
- BRING IT EVERYWHERE YOU GO: This compact spiral-bound set perfectly fits into a tote bag or backpack, making it great for road trips, vacations and for on-the-go entertainment. This set provides hours of screen-free entertainment that inspires creativity
- FASHION ANGELS: Founded in 1996, is a leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning products for tween girls, including arts & crafts, jewelry, stationery and lifestyle accessories, providing them with the tools and inspiration to develop creativity and confidence
Season 21 compared with season 20
A direct season 20 comparison needs season 20 details that the sources behind this guide do not document. The table below shows what season 21 sources establish and where a comparison would require additional evidence.
| Element | Season 21, as documented | Season 20 comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Network and distribution | Freeform broadcast; Hulu and Disney+ streaming announced shortly after broadcast (U.S. announcements, 2024 and 2025) | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
| Host, judges, mentor | Heidi Klum; Nina Garcia and Law Roach; Christian Siriano (May 2025 announcement; D23, July 31, 2025) | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
| Designer count and structure | 12 designers in two rival houses, Disney Princesses and Disney Villains (D23, July 31, 2025) | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
| Opening challenge | Multipurpose athleisure challenge, “Feel the Burn,” in episode two (D23, July 31, 2025) | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
| Challenge deadlines | Described as short and themed; no time allotments published in the sources (D23, July 31, 2025) | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
| Editing, elimination, judging procedure, runway layout | Not stated in the sources reviewed | Not stated in the sources reviewed |
Until a season 20 source is consulted, the reliable change list is the network and distribution, the two-house structure and the athleisure opening challenge. Anything beyond that, including changes to editing or judging, should be treated as unverified.
Figures this guide can and cannot support
- 10 episodes: announced season order by Freeform, December 10, 2024. Not independently confirmed as the final count.
- 12 designers: D23, July 31, 2025, for season 21’s cast.
- More than 125 countries: Freeform, December 2024, describing the series’ overall airing history.
No season 21 ratings, audience figures or measured challenge durations were published in the sources reviewed, so none are reported here.
Some reader questions, such as whether the format stayed the same, depend on details beyond these announcements. What is confirmed is a new distribution setup and a two-house opening structure. Whether the judging procedure, editing approach or runway layout changed is not established by the sources available for this guide.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
