Mood Designer Fabrics feed dreams on 'Project Runway'

New York Daily News - New York, NY, USA - Friday morning at the Bryant Park tents, "Project Runway's" finalists will make their Fashion Week debut. Fans are predicting contestants Jillian, Christian and Rami will be on hand to show their lines and vie for the chance to be the last one "in."

But regardless of who makes the cut, one thing's for sure: They'll never run out of material.

Mood Designer Fabrics, the massive Garment District emporium, is where Bravo's hit reality show sends its style mavens scouting for fabric. It's also where the show's alumni return for inspiration.

On a recent day in the shop, season three finalist Laura Bennett was spotted scoping out fabrics for her QVC line.

"Life has changed since doing 'Project Runway,'" said Bennett. Obviously not that much.

Designers have known about the fabric store for years. From chiffon and charmeuse to leather and lace, it's all here in this three-level material mecca, where the countless bolts of fabric create a riot of colors, textures and tones.

Daily customers - a mix of designers, celebrities, home sewers and others - create just as rich a patchwork.

"It has become a bit of a place for celebrity-spotting since 'Project Runway,'" said proprietor Philip Sauma. Katie Holmes, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lynn Whitfield and Elizabeth Ashley have shopped here. Frances McDormand and Parker Posey are regulars.

Mood virtually hums with creative energy. You can almost hear a voice saying "Make it work" as shoppers browse. Last week designer Suzy Benzinger purchased fabrics for a downtown production of "The Seagull" and sought ideas for an upcoming Woody Allen film.

In another aisle, costume designer Alejo Vietti inspected fabric for a Houston production of "Othello." ("It's pretty fashion-forward," he said.)

Recently, he found himself drawn to Marc Jacobs' pale gray linen for the Off-Broadway production of "Grace," opening Monday. "I used it to make a pinafore that's meant to look very simple and homemade," he said. "It was a little expensive for what I needed, but I couldn't resist it."

Mindless to all this, Swatch, the store mascot (a Material Mutt) gnawed on the cardboard spool wrapped with beaded chiffon ($60 a yard).

Meanwhile, in another aisle, Bennett, dressed in a chic black dress made from Mood wool bouclé, eyed the fabrics.

Asked if she's watching the reality show these days, she nodded and added, "This time it's not about the big personalities. It's about the work," she said. "I miss the drama."

For doses of that, there's always Fashion Week.