Examples of the cutting edge creativity that helped Sean Kelly make the grade. Photo/Supplied
Examples of the cutting edge creativity that helped Sean Kelly make the grade. Photo/Supplied
John Kelly thought his son had "made the grade" as a contestant on the hit TV show Project Runway when he told his family that the show's "den father" Tim Gunn had complimented him on his designs.
Former Hawera High School student Sean Kelly, 23, is a contestant on theshow filmed in New York and now in its 13th season.
Sean's proud parents John and Margaret and sister Hannah say they are "blown away" by Sean's success.
While the show is being filmed, Sean is forbidden to speak about his Project Runway experiences to anyone, even his family.
"It's been hard having him on lockdown with no communication with all this going on. He will come out of it to a barrage of emails and facebook messages," says Hannah.
"We went to a race meeting in Auckland once and Margaret was wearing an outfit that Sean had made. Everyone was asking who made it and they were really surprised when she told them our son made it."
Growing up on a farm with a mother who didn't sew may seem an inauspicious start for a fashion designer but Margaret says Sean first asked for a sewing machine when he was 13.
"I never sewed myself and sometimes I used a stapler on the kids' clothes ... when he was 15 he still wanted one and that's when he got his first machine."
As a Year 12 high school student, Sean went to Denmark as an exchange student and his interest in design really took off.
An internship with designer Henrik Vibskov there was followed by work with Alexander McQueen in London and a visit to Milan.
Project Runway fans may have to download season 13 as TV3 has no plans to screen it here at this stage.
Hannah Kelly is looking forward to talking to the brother she watched the show with growing up.
