Sustainable fashion designer Anna Molinari has joined the cast of "Project Runway" Season 22, which premiered on Freeform on July 9, 2026.
The 28-year-old founder of Instinct Brand is using the national platform to promote her environmentally-conscious label.
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Molinari admitted she hesitated to apply for years due to self-doubt.
"There were a lot of years in my early twenties where I thought about applying to 'Project Runway,' but I thought, 'oh, I'm not good enough,'" she said.
She now encourages others to take chances. "I think it's so important that we believe in ourselves.
So why not just submit that application?" Molinari added.
Earning a spot on the show fulfills a childhood dream. "It's very surreal.
I'm accomplishing my childhood dream at age 28," she said.
Growing up as a "Navy brat" with frequent relocations, Molinari found stability through creativity.
"When you grow up moving around so much, there's not many consistent parts of life," she explained.
Her passion for design began at age eight while watching "Project Runway." "This is what I'm going to be when I grow up," she recalled.
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Eco-Friendly Mission
Molinari's brand Instinct focuses on sustainability.
"My brand's mission statement is, we don't need new clothes; we need new ways to do clothes," she said.
She believes the industry already has enough materials. "We have all the means to make clothes, so why don't we just use what we have?"
Molinari asked.
Her designs incorporate unconventional recycled items, including chewed gum, plastic straws, wrappers, and bags. "Pretty much anything you've seen on the street, I've probably used," she said.
By transforming trash into couture, Molinari hopes to change perceptions about sustainable fashion.
"I'm really excited for more people to see who we are as a brand," she said.
She also aims to inspire confidence in viewers.
"I hope that people that watch my journey can see how unproductive it is to not believe in yourself," Molinari added.
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"Project Runway" streams on Hulu and Disney+ after its Freeform broadcast, with new episodes airing weekly on Thursdays.
