Jude Mikulencak, a 23-year-old Uptown New Orleans native, took home the Project Runway Season 22 crown with a five-piece capsule collection that beat out three other finalists. Designer Sergio Hudson called him “the next Yves Saint Laurent,” and back home, more than 100 fans packed The Broadside to watch it happen live.
The victory, reported by NOLA.com, came with a $200,000 cash prize. Mikulencak's winner's package also included mentorship through the Council of Fashion Designers of America, an editorial feature in Elle magazine, and professional industry representation, according to Wikipedia's account of the season. Season 22 itself was a landmark run for the franchise, premiering on Freeform on July 9, 2026, and streaming next-day on Hulu and Disney+ with 22 international designers, the largest cast in the show's history, per Disney.
From a Willow Street Classroom to a Williamsburg Atelier
Mikulencak graduated from The Willow High School's specialized arts program before moving to New York to pursue classic tailoring, NOLA.com reports. He now works as a designer for Robinson Brooklyn, a bespoke tailor shop that specializes in hand-tailored bespoke suits starting around $5,400, according to the shop's own account of its craft. The article notes that Mikulencak brought fine tailoring and century-old hand-sewing methods to the runway.
His high school alma mater carries its own recent history. Long known as Lusher Charter School, the institution officially changed its name to The Willow School in July 2022 to sever ties with Robert Mills Lusher, a 19th-century Confederate official and segregationist, as reported by WWNO. The new name honors the school's founding Willow Street campus.
A Frontrunner Since Episode Four
Mikulencak established himself as a frontrunner early in the season, winning the Episode 4 main design challenge, titled “Wild Animals Inspiration.” His precise construction and tailoring carried him all the way through to the finale.
In the finale, Mikulencak paired with previously eliminated contestant Naheim Muhammed to execute his winning five-piece capsule collection, outscoring fellow top-four finalists Joseph McRae, Anna Molinari, and Bi Pham, according to TVLine. Finalists were given five days to construct five cohesive looks with help from an eliminated peer, the outlet reports. Per NOLA.com, the finale collection included a brown suit with flared trousers and a wide collar. The last challenge before the finale included two wedding-day looks created for a fashion-forward bride.
Judges Split Over Tailoring Versus Spectacle
Season 22 introduced supermodel Tyra Banks as a recurring judge alongside returning host Heidi Klum, resident judges Nina Garcia and Law Roach, and mentor Christian Siriano, who previously won Season 4 before taking over mentoring duties, per Disney's coverage of the cast. NOLA.com reports that Kate Adair described Mikulencak as a visionary, praising how his androgynous style and fabric movement made him stand out from a field that often leaned toward louder, sportier designs.
Rex Collins, who received a custom-tailored wedding party suit from Mikulencak, praised the designer's craftsmanship, taste and execution, NOLA.com reports. Collins said he was fortunate to receive an original piece before the customer line became too long. William Smith remembered Mikulencak working on a sewing machine as a child, a detail that traces the designer's roots back to his earliest days with a needle and thread.
The Broadside Erupts as Uptown Celebrates
More than 100 people gathered at The Broadside on Thursday night for the finale watch party, where Ruby Zlotkowski was among those cheering Mikulencak on. Duane Mikulencak told the crowd his son's clothes are alive, moving and flowing, and said the fifth look in the collection made the outcome feel decisive, according to NOLA.com's reporting on the celebration. Duane Mikulencak and Caroyln Mikulencak both toasted Jude at the watch party, and Neil Ranu offered his own toast as well.
Mikulencak sent a video thanking his friends, family and Willow School supporters after the win was announced. He said he would make clothes until the day he died, a line that NOLA.com reports drew cheers from the Broadside crowd. Beyond the wedding suits and the finale's flared-trouser look, Mikulencak's portfolio spans custom coats, women's dresses, and bespoke suits, the kind of range that judges said set him apart in a season built around spectacle.
Part of a Louisiana Legacy
Mikulencak's win extends a run of Louisiana success on the franchise. LSU alumnus Anthony Ryan Auld of Baton Rouge won Project Runway All Stars Season 2 in 2013, according to the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, which later exhibited more than 30 of his garments. That lineage of homegrown fashion talent finding national success gives Mikulencak's win added resonance in a city increasingly proud of its design pipeline, from arts high schools to bespoke ateliers.
Mood Fabrics is a New York Garment District institution popularized by its long-running partnership with the show.
