Project Runway Season 6: Meet Rodney Epperson

We’re in the homestretch, bitches, so we have to knock these last couple of suckers out!

Age: 50
Birthplace: New York, NY
Current Home: New York, NY
Favorite Designer: Yohji Yamamoto
Style Icon: None
Favorite Past Project Runway Designer: Christian Siriano, Season 4

Rodney, who likes to go by his last name, Epperson, is a self-taught designer who grew up in Harlem. In the early 70’s, while still in high school, Epperson began designing and focused on the deconstructed look. He later enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and, although he never completed his formal training, he went on to become a window dresser for Charivari in the 80’s and 90’s and currently does visual design for retailer H&M. He has designed clothes for some high profile clients, one being India.Arie. Epperson and his wife are parents to four kids.

Why he’ll win?
Epperson believes he’ll win because he is coming to the series with a unique approach and feels that it’s all about timing: “It’s my time to shine.”

Tim Gunn: “He is the most senior in terms of design career and reputation. He has a distinguished career. He’s elder-statesmanlike.”

TimSpeak: He wouldn’t listen to me.

We have a feeling that we’re not going to have much to say about him outside of his work because he’s so low-key we’re actually surprised he was cast on a reality television show at all. Clearly, he’s got the talent chops, but like it or not, personality goes a long way on a reality television competition. Talent alone rarely wins the prize. We can rail against that all day long, but that’s the reality of reality television.

Did we use the word “reality” enough in that paragraph?

As for his portfolio: