On November 8 at 8 p.m. in Eisenhower Auditorium, THE Tim Gunn will be coming to Penn State as part of SPA’s Distinguished Speakers Series. He is a mentor to budding fashion designers on Project Runway and hosts Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style, a spin-off from Project Runway. He will be speaking to fashion aficionados and fashionistas of the school about his knowledge from working in the fashion industry.

Gunn got his start at the Parsons School of Design, where he worked as the associate dean. With that position, he helped start Parsons affiliate programs in Europe, Asia, and other parts of North America. He also served as the school’s Department of Fashion Design chair. His knowledge helped Parsons become one of the leading institutions for fashion in the United States and the world.

He worked on Project Runway, where he helped fashion designers such as Christian Siriano, Project Runway: All Stars runner-up Austin Scarlett, and Jeffrey Sebella get their starts in the fashion industry, with the help of Nina Garcia, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, and various celebrity judges. His infamous catchphrase, “Make it work!” also came from the show. The show won the GLAAD Media Award in 2007, and again in 2011.

Currently, he hosts Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style on Bravo, the channel which helped Project Runway get its start. The show is a reality show that helps women find their own style through a makeover, as long as they live by some fashion rules afterwards. He also helps them become more confident women.

He has also written the books, A Guide to Quality Taste and Style, Shaken, Not Stirred, and Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making it Work.

He also is the current Fashion Dean of Fifth and Pacific Companies (formerly known as Liz Claiborne, Inc.), which owns brands like Juicy Couture, Kate Spade New York, and Jack Spade. He works with charities to promote awareness to AIDS, LGBT issues, domestic abuse, and animal rights.

Tickets for this event are free to students with a valid PSU id starting October 25. Free tickets for the public will be available starting November 1. The tickets can be picked up at various locations around campus and the surrounding community, including the HUB info desk, Eisenhower Auditorium, Bryce Jordan Center ticket office, and at the Penn State Ticket Office Downtown.