An Interview with Project Runway Season 5's Jack Mackenroth

Thirty-something Jack Mackenroth, a designer and famous contestant on Project Runway, is busy. Unlike many former reality stars, Mackenroth is determined to turn his 15 minutes of fame into a creative brand and lucrative business. Mackenroth hails from Seattle, and is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley with a double degree in Fine Arts and Sociology. Inspired by designers such as Diane Von Furstenberg and Alexander McQueen, he moved to New York to attend Parsons School of Design where he studied fashion design. Upon completing his studies, he opened his self-titled menswear store in the West Village. He spent the last four years as the Design Director at Weatherproof Active Wear. Being open about his HIV positive status, Jack pulled our heartstrings when he left Project Runway Season 4 for health reasons. This designing man spent a few minutes with AC to give us the scoop on his current projects.

AC: You're a busy, busy man lately...

JM: Yes! I just finished making a dress for the red carpet for Heather Thom for the Daytime Emmy Award Show. I have a big thing coming up soon too: I am in contract to do my own show! I can't give you too many details - but it is a design/make-over type show with a twist. I co-host with Kevin Christianson from my season!

AC: So you didn't fall off the face of the earth when you left Project Runway....

JM: No, because of the internet I am fairly accessible. I have an agent and a publicist, and right after the show a fair amount of opportunities came my way. Reality shows can be weird...if you want to parlay that television fame it into something else you have to work on it. You have to be aggressive. I could have gone back to the world of design and dissappeared - but I figured what-the-hell, let's see where this takes me.

AC: I used to love on Runway when you would carry Christian around...

JM: I used to carry him like a backpack. I started carrying him the 2nd day, he was like 98 pounds and I am over 200. He was like a little rag-doll I could carry around. You know, he has lost weight since the finale....He has been so busy and so stressed. : Last time I saw him I told him he needed a big snack.

AC: Do you keep in touch with your former cast mates?

JM: Yeah......I was supposed to have dinner with Christian recently, but we had schedule conflicts. I see him a lot. Besides him, I am very close with Kevin, Victoria - who got raped in editing; she's really a lovely lovely person. I adore Kit and Sweetpea who is out in LA.

AC: Your based out of New York, right?

JM: Yes, and I love it here. I am here to stay. I ain't going anywhere. Well, unless I move to Arizona and get fat! I think New York is such a metropolis. We see every culture here, every walk of life. The subway is the great equalizer - you see celebrities and homeless people sitting on the subway. It's fantastic.

E: What are you looking for in a partner?

JM:Ummmmmm - That is a good question. A well rounded-ness, some social activism...What are they doing as a person? They should be more then a pretty face...like, what are they doing in regards to career and to better humanity? But, honestly - being beautiful helps! All prospects can come by my hotel room for a little one-on-one time if they have more questions... [Laughs]

Check out our interview with Cristian : http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/530555/interview_christian_siriano_project.html?cat=46

www.jackackmagenroth.com