Brrr! Project Runway Runs Back to NYC for Winter

Heidi Klum & Co. return to the show's original locale with 16 new designers, plus Models of the Runway readies for round two

When the weather outside is frightful, all you really want to do is watch struggling artists design skimpy dresses for skinny models, right?

Lifetime is banking on the idea that you might, as the seventh installment— second for the network—of Project Runway kicks off Jan. 14.

As always, Heidi Klum will be leading the charge, along with fellow judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia. And, of course, Tim Gunn is back to inspire the 16 designers to "make it work."

But, most important, the show is returning to its old stomping grounds in New York City!

Unlike last season, which was based in Los Angeles, the fashion icons-in-training will stay at Atlas apartments, work out of Parsons and visit Mood in the chaotic Manhattan fashion district.

Without further ado, here are the 16 designers vying to be the next Irina Shabayeva, Leanne Marshall or Christian Siriano:

• Amy Sarabi, 26, Plano, Texas
• Anna Lynett, 23, Whitefish Bay, Wis.
• Anthony L. Williams, 28, Birmingham, Ala.
• Ben Chmura, 30, South Meriden, Conn.
• Christiane King, 30, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
• Emilio Sosa, 43, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Jay Nicolas Sario, 31, the Philippines
• Janeane Marie Ceccanti, 28, Willows, Calif.
• Jesse LeNoir, 25, Painesville, Ohio
• Jesus Estrada, 21, Mazatlán, Mexico
• Jonathan Joesph Peters, 29, Woonsocket, R.I.
• Maya Luz, 22, Santa Fe, N.M.
• Mila Hermanovski, 40, Dallas
• Pamela Ptak, 47, Pittsfield, Mass.
• Ping Wu, 33, Chendu, Sichuan Province, China
• SethAaron Henderson, 38, San Diego

The winner of Project Runway scores a cash prize of $100,000, a feature in Marie Claire magazine, the opportunity to sell their line on Bluefly.com and a $50,000 technology suite by HP.

Models of the Runway will also be bringing the heat this winter. The winner of that competition takes home $25,000 and gets to be included with her designer in the Marie Claire spread.

Here are the 16 lovely ladies vying for that gig:

• Alexis Broker, Denver
• Alison Gingerich, Leesberg, Ohio
• Brandise Danesewich, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Brittany Oldehoff, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Cerri McQuillan, Dublin, Ireland
• Elizaveta Melnitchenko, Salzberg, Austria
• Holly Ridings, Roscoe, Ill.
• Kasey Ashcraft, Salisbury, Md.
• Kelly Gervais, Livingston, N.J.
• Kristina Sajko, Zagreb, Croatia
• Lorena Angjeli, Albania
• Megan Davis, Des Moines, Iowa
• Monique Darton, Brainerd, Minn.
• Sarah Bell, Cincinnati
• Sophia Lee, Taipei, Taiwan
• Valeria Leonova, Tula, Russia