Off the runway: Escondido designer reflects on reality-show experience

By: RUTH MARVIN WEBSTER - Staff Writer | Saturday, March 1, 2008 7:49 PM PST ∞

No longer in the running to become this season's top designer on "Project Runway," Escondido's Ricky Lizalde, 35, recently spoke with the North County Times by phone about his experience on the hit reality show and his plans for the future. The finale airs at 10 p.m. Wednesday on Bravo.

NCT: First of all, congratulations, Ricky, on doing so well on "Project Runway." You certainly had many of us cheering for you along the way.

RL: Yeah, I heard you met my family (before the first episode; North County Times, Nov. 18, 2007). When they first called me and told me that they had a reporter there, they wanted to know what they could say because they didn't want to ruin anything. I hadn't told them anything (about the show), so I said 'Just be yourselves.' They're good people. In my journey, I ran away from home, and in the process, I have gained my family.

NCT: How did you go from sewing clothes in Escondido to designing for Vera Wang? How does that happen?

RL: Well, it's a story. I think that is why it (the show) was so emotional for me. (Editor's note: Lizalde got teary in a few episodes.) The show was so important. And to get to that point was so hard, I didn't want to mess it up.

I am from Escondido, and I went to Cal State Long Beach for design, and after studying costume design and dance, I moved to New York. While in New York, I started dancing with a company called Complexions and I became a resident of that company. Then I got two different mentions in The New York Times for my costume designs. I was starting to assist in the fashion industry, for the Valentino label, and this guy says he lost a designer ... and I turned around and asked him about how one does that. He gave me a card, I came for an interview. You get some mentions and you learn how to do some things, and within a year, I became a full-time assistant ... long story short, I worked for Oscar de la Renta for six years and somebody contacted me to work for the Vera Wang label, in lingerie. Then I launched my own lingerie line in spring 2005. Little lacy slips, tap pants, nightgowns, really special items, using lace I designed myself.

NCT: So why did you decide to audition for "Project Runway"?

RL: When I was doing my line, I was having financial problems making this thing go. ... I was looking for these buttons and on my travels, I saw ("Runway" host) Tim Gunn. They were filming and I went up to him and said, 'Can I ask you a question? Am I too far gone to go on the show?' and I told him my experience. And he said, 'We look for designers like you.'

NCT: What was the audition like?

RL: The audition was kind of fun. There was a sea of people and they just pick you out of a line. You bring your book and you get to speak your piece. It was odd. There were audition days here and four days in LA and a couple of days somewhere else, and they picked 15 of us in the end.

NCT: Were you a fan before you became a contestant?

RL: No, I had only seen one full season. ... I didn't realize so many people watch it. I didn't realize it was such a monster (laugh).

NCT: Yet Christian (Siriano), who is all of 21, never seemed to doubt himself.

RL: I have to say, seeing Christian reminded me of when I was young and I was going through college. I was a dancer. I said stuff like, "I am an artist and I am worthy" and no matter what anyone would say, I'd say (expletive) all the no's. I remember that arrogance ---- it is something that life kicks out of you, I think.

NCT: Did you get a lot of grief about your crying on the show?

RL: The thing is, you only see one side of me on the show. And when I am crying, there is a lot more story, but I can't tell you about that. There is so much more to me than just the crying. But after you get past all that, I am sensitive. And I do beat myself up. I would say, "This is just a game" when I knew I was taking it too serious.

NCT: Did you feel any added responsibility being the only Latino?

RL: Every person represents a story, I know that. I am Latin. I am a man, and I do lingerie, so that's kind of crazy. And I worked with Valentino, so it wasn't that I did this trashy stuff. But knowing that I represented a group, I didn't want anyone to think badly of me.

I chose not to be an a-----. This is TV (and I knew that) whatever I do, whatever I say, it's going to be there forever. So I had to be the person I wanted to be. I could have easily fallen into the trap of being an a------; I know how to be one (laugh). But I needed to let my actions speak louder than me. For me, it is better to have acted in a way I could be proud of later.

The cool part is that now, everyone is so nice to me on the street. They are sweet to me. It's nice. One day this man came up to me and said, 'Dude, I totally get you, I am a crier too.' That's so funny to me. And really great.

NCT: So do you get recognized on the street a lot these days?

RL: I was consulting in New Zealand and I was coming off this long flight, and I am in the bathroom. I am so tired ... and I look over and I see Danny DeVito washing his hands. He says, "I really like you on the show, but ah man, I am so sorry about the other night." I wanted to say "Are you (expletive) kidding me?" It was Danny DeVito! So I go the bathroom and I'm on the way to get the baggage and he comes up to me again and he said, "I hate to do this to you, but can I get an autograph for my kids?" And I can't believe it. I pulled a page out of my sketchbook and signed it and gave it to him.

NCT: Do you always carry around a sketchbook with you?

RL: Yeah, I carry around a little bag, not as big as a backpack. It's a man purse (laugh) and a sketchbook. I am always thinking of ideas.

NCT: How would you describe your style, your designs?

RL: At the end of the day, I am a 35-year-old man, and I think of what I would like to wear, what kind of statement I would like to make, if I were a 35-year-old woman. Clothing becomes a part of your personality, and when I design, I want to make sure they (the designs) are saying something about me. Working with other designers, I have learned that we are trying to say something and that it is art, it's speaking with fabric and paper. It is a whole message.

NCT: But you started by designing for women, not menswear or for yourself?

RL: Because of the show, and because of the journey, I started making my own hats and my own pants. I designed all of my hats on the show, except for the trucker hat. And I make them all now. I started realizing that what you wear says something about yourself. Men's clothing for me was boring, but now I know it doesn't have to be too feminine or too gay, either.

NCT: And you are a lingerie designer.

RL: Yeah, it's kind of weird where I landed. I kind of got pigeonholed as a lingerie designer, but there is so much more to me than lingerie. Learning lingerie techniques has made me more of a designer. And because of the experience, I have learned stuff ---- like fine detailing ---- you don't just don't learn anymore.

NCT: I heard you really started sewing because your mom was a seamstress. And that you guys would go to shops, look at the dresses and then she would go home and copy them.

RL: Yeah, I was a little tag-along with my mom. She was making things I was attracted to, too. I vividly remember her sitting down with us and teaching us to make crepe paper roses. I think it opened my eyes that you can make something really pretty out of a boring piece of paper. It made me want to create something.

Like my hats. I was really wanting this hat, more than a baseball hat ... and I came up with that striped hat that I wore in the show. When I saw the fabric, it just kind of happened. It's kind of a military hat or a bucket hat. I liked the shape. And I think I really have a knack for it, so I am exploring other designs and fabrics for hats.

NCT: What does the future hold for you? When are we going to be able to purchase your designs, Ricky?

RL: I am working on my Web site (www.rickylizalde.com), but I am having problems with it. I want to send out the right message, and I want it to be involved in everything I am doing: my hats, my swimwear line. I want it to encompass the whole brand Lizalde, so to speak. But I am holding out until the next part of the journey ... and waiting until the show is over. By next year, I should definitely have a lot of products on the market.

NCT: In the meantime, your lingerie is available at certain stores?

RL: It's in specialty stores, in Neiman Marcus and selected Nordstroms.

NCT: And that darling Levis 501 denim dress of yours? Will it be available again?

RL: I don't know. I don't know how many they sold, but I did hear that it sold out overnight, basically. (Editor's note: Lizalde won a "Runway" challenge with that dress.) When the limited edition was out, I was going to the (New York Fashion Week) shows, and it was such a big deal. ... I even heard that Amy Winehouse wanted to wear the Levis dress to the Grammys. And I thought that was so awesome.

NCT: What about your other designs? Will they become available?

RL: I don't know. Bravo owns all of our designs.

NCT: So, all in all, do you think your experience on the show was worthwhile?

RL: The experience alone was worth it. As silly as it may sound, I was sort of figuring myself out on a television show. ... I actually decided that I am a really good designer. And that I belonged there, and it didn't really matter if I won.

NCT: Thank you, Ricky. We look forward to seeing you again at the Escondido Downtown Business Association's Fashion Week in May.

Contact staff writer Ruth Marvin Webster at (760) 740-3527 or rwebster@nctimes.com.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, email addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.