Mondo Guerra
Encyclopedia
Armando Thomas “Mondo” Guerra (born June 6, 1978) is a Mexican-American fashion designer who appeared on Season 8 of Project Runway
. Guerra came in second place in the finals of the competition, which included Gretchen Jones
and Andy South. In his run on the show, he won three challenges in a row.
Guerra was also the first contestant on the show to come from Denver, Colorado
. He is a fifth-generation Mexican-American from the Denver area.
of Project Runway
. After placing in the top, but not winning, on a number of challenges, then placing in the bottom but not being eliminated in the seventh (Resort Wear Challenge) episode, he won the challenges on the eighth (Jacqueline Kennedy Challenge), ninth (L’Oreal Makeup Challenge) and tenth (HP Pattern Challenge) episodes.
During the tenth challenge, he revealed to the judges that his pattern of bright, bold plus signs on a pant was inspired by his HIV+ status, and that had been keeping his HIV status a secret for ten years. He also won $20,000 for the ninth challenge, which involved both a “couture” look and a “ready-to-wear” look.
Guerra came in second place in the final competition held at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center in New York City. Gretchen Jones
came in first place, and Andy South came in third.
Project Runway Executive Producer Heidi Klum
(who had pushed for Guerra to win over Jones in a lengthy split debate over the winner) appeared in a modified version of one of Guerra's final collection gowns for the Los Angeles premiere of the movie Black Swan a few weeks after the airing of the final episode.
He appeared with Liza Minnelli
, designer and amfAR
chair Kenneth Cole
and actor Cheyenne Jackson
on November 30, 2010 on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell, and usher in World AIDS Day.
Also in commemoration of World AIDS Day, he designed a limited edition of T-shirts, one with a Day of the Dead sugar skull and one with a tree of life. These shirts were sold on Piperlime.com starting at midnight on December 1, 2010. For each shirt sold, $20 was donated to amfAR. In his statement to Fox News Latino for his motivations in doing this, he said, "“The Day of the Dead is celebration of our loved ones who have passed. When I was thinking of World Aids day I wanted to create something very true to who I am, and what I know. Who I've known and miss and those people in my life that still fight this disease. It’s about love and continuation.”
Project Runway
Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme...
. Guerra came in second place in the finals of the competition, which included Gretchen Jones
Gretchen Jones
Gretchen Jones is an American fashion designer, who won the eighth season of Project Runway.-Project Runway:During her run in Project Runway, Jones placed in the top two in the first three challenges, winning the first two. Throughout the season, she admitted she got tired, and lost some of her...
and Andy South. In his run on the show, he won three challenges in a row.
Guerra was also the first contestant on the show to come from Denver, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He is a fifth-generation Mexican-American from the Denver area.
Project Runway
Guerra was on the eighth seasonProject Runway (season 8)
Project Runway Season 8 is the eighth season of the television show Project Runway. The season began airing on July 29, 2010, on the Lifetime Network. After Lifetime cancelled the accompanying series Models of the Runway, Project Runway episodes were extended to 90 minutes in Season 8...
of Project Runway
Project Runway
Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme...
. After placing in the top, but not winning, on a number of challenges, then placing in the bottom but not being eliminated in the seventh (Resort Wear Challenge) episode, he won the challenges on the eighth (Jacqueline Kennedy Challenge), ninth (L’Oreal Makeup Challenge) and tenth (HP Pattern Challenge) episodes.
During the tenth challenge, he revealed to the judges that his pattern of bright, bold plus signs on a pant was inspired by his HIV+ status, and that had been keeping his HIV status a secret for ten years. He also won $20,000 for the ninth challenge, which involved both a “couture” look and a “ready-to-wear” look.
Guerra came in second place in the final competition held at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center in New York City. Gretchen Jones
Gretchen Jones
Gretchen Jones is an American fashion designer, who won the eighth season of Project Runway.-Project Runway:During her run in Project Runway, Jones placed in the top two in the first three challenges, winning the first two. Throughout the season, she admitted she got tired, and lost some of her...
came in first place, and Andy South came in third.
Project Runway Executive Producer Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum
Heidi Samuel , better known by her birth name Heidi Klum, is a German model, actress, television host, businesswoman, fashion designer, television producer, and occasional singer. In 2008 she became an American citizen while maintaining her native German citizenship...
(who had pushed for Guerra to win over Jones in a lengthy split debate over the winner) appeared in a modified version of one of Guerra's final collection gowns for the Los Angeles premiere of the movie Black Swan a few weeks after the airing of the final episode.
He appeared with Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
, designer and amfAR
AmfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.-History:...
chair Kenneth Cole
Kenneth Cole (designer)
Kenneth Cole is an American clothing designer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, his father, Charles Cole, owned the El Greco shoe manufacturing company. Before learning the family business and starting his own company in 1982, Cole studied law at Emory University.- Birth of a shoe company :Kenneth Cole...
and actor Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson
Cheyenne Jackson is an American actor and singer. He started in regional theater when he moved to Seattle, and after moving to New York City, made his 2002 Broadway theatre debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie...
on November 30, 2010 on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell, and usher in World AIDS Day.
Also in commemoration of World AIDS Day, he designed a limited edition of T-shirts, one with a Day of the Dead sugar skull and one with a tree of life. These shirts were sold on Piperlime.com starting at midnight on December 1, 2010. For each shirt sold, $20 was donated to amfAR. In his statement to Fox News Latino for his motivations in doing this, he said, "“The Day of the Dead is celebration of our loved ones who have passed. When I was thinking of World Aids day I wanted to create something very true to who I am, and what I know. Who I've known and miss and those people in my life that still fight this disease. It’s about love and continuation.”
External links
- Project Runway on MyLifetime.com
- Interview with Poz-I-Am Radio
- Interview with The Body Magazine