Like any reality TV show, the judges on Project Runway don't always make decisions that sit well with the audience. The design competition show launched on Bravo in 2004, and over 20 seasons, hundreds of designers have been eliminated for making the worst look of the week.

Over two decades, fans of Project Runway have not been quiet about their dislike of the decisions judges have made on the show. The judges, who come from the world of fashion alongside a guest judge who is either a fashion designer, a celebrity, or an entertainer, have not always made the right call.

Years later, with Season 21 airing in 2025, reality TV fans are still angry about their favorite designers being eliminated and judges keeping what they consider weaker designers in the competition.

Project Runway Judges Over The Years

Chris March (Season 4)

Season 4 fan favorite Chris March's elimination is still one of the most controversial in Project Runway history. He was initially eliminated in episode 4, which was controversial at the time because the reality show had set him up to be the narrator. Fans loved his confessional commentary as much as his Avant-Garde designs.

The late designer was sent home during a group design challenge, which saw designers updating old trends. While his '80s-inspired look wasn't the best, many felt like it did not deserve to go home. Reddit notes that it looked like the episode was setting up Ricky Lizalde, someone much quieter and a weaker designer, to exit.

Luckily, Chris came back after Jack Mackenroth decided to leave the competition. Fans now suspect that the producers always intended for the designer to return in some capacity; Jack's exit was just a useful catalyst. He made it to showcase his collection at Bryant Park during New York Fashion Week but was eliminated after the judges were disturbed by his use of human hair.

Jesse LeNoir (Season 7)

At the time, Jesse LeNoir's Season 7 exit was one of the most controversial judging decisions in Project Runway history. While many people admit his puffy silver dress was not great, fans are unsure why it was considered worse than Emilio Sosa’s much-hated washers-and-pink-cord bikini. Reddit describes the pink look as "probably the worst look that has ever been put on the runway."

During his exit interview, even Entertainment Weekly noted how ugly that bikini is. "It’s been described as a stripper outfit, but that might do it a little more justice than what it really was," Jesse told the outlet "I remembered that it was a hot mess, ’cause I was right next to him the whole time we were building these things, but when I watched it again on TV, it was that much clearer. Like, whoa, what happened with that?"

Austin Scarlett (Season 1)

Austin Scarlett's Season 1 elimination remains one of the most shocking eliminations in the show's history, and for good reason. The show was still trying to understand itself and its audience when it debuted in 2004.

A Reddit comment notes that Wendy Pepper had carved herself out a role on the show as a Survivor-style villain, which kept her in much longer than her talents should have. Many commentators on Reddit feel like they chose to keep Wendy in the finale over Austin for publicity. When he returned for the first All Stars edition, fans felt the whole show was set up for Mondo Guerra to win.

In the end, the characters of the first season made the show must-watch TV, and the success of this season allowed for more seasons, but it does get annoying when producers make decisions based on drama rather than talent.

Rami Kashou (Season 20)

Towards the end of Season 20 of Project Runway, fans were not impressed when Rami Kashou missed out on a spot in the top three.

During the Avant-Garde Challenge, inspired by the views of Manhattan from the 91st floor of a skyscraper, Summit One Vanderbilt, fans felt the wrong person when home. Brittany Allen joined Bishme Cromartie and Laurence Basse for the season finale, but fans felt like Rami should have stayed over Brittany.

Nina Garcia thought Brittany's look was "too referential," and said she was "disappointed," but said Rami's design "fell short" that night. Law Roach was greatly unimpressed with Brittany's outfit, which is why it was such a shock that the judges chose her over Rami, who was praised for his technical skills.

• The US Sun noted how unpopular the decision was, "I’m done with this show. Are you serious?! Rami not making it to the finale is disgusting," someone wrote on social media.

Justin LeBlanc (Season 12)

Justin's Season 12 elimination is controversial because it was the first Tim Gunn save. While his sheer gown, which was described as looking like a “foaming vagina,” was unpopular, Reddit questioned why he was eliminated over Karen Batts' "70s urine-soaked bedsheet."

The audience believes Tim's first save had to be emotional, which is why he chose to use it on Justin. They also question of his unfair elimination was purely set up so Tim could save him. "I just wish that they didn’t use Justin for productions game," a Reddit commenter added.

"Part of me thinks that the show saw an opportunity here to make a dramatic moment out of Tim Gunn's first ever save; thus, they decided to 'boot' Justin just so that they could take that opportunity while they still could, if that makes sense."

Gordana Gehlhausen (Season 6)

Gordana Gehlhausen's Season 6 Project Runway elimination is still questioned years later, especially as fans consider her dress to be one of the best designs of the week. There are even whole Reddit threads dedicated to how beautiful Gordana's dress was and why the judges made the "worst decision of all time."

The designer told TV Guide that she felt no matter what she would have made for the museum-inspired challenge, she wasn't going to Bryant Park "because that's how it was through the whole show for me."

Fans have theorized that Heidi Klum may have had a personal dislike of the designer, and the inconsistency has led Reddit to claim Season 6 as one of the weaker series of the reality show.

"I think [Season 6] had potential but suffered from a bad elimination order and some inconsistent judging (mostly due to the fact that Nina and Michael were hardly both on the panel at any given time); this plus the ill-advised move to LA meant the season had a lot working against it, despite what should have been a decent cast on paper."

Project Runway returns for season 21 on Freeform in 2025.