Watch Austin's Brittany Allen on the new season of 'Project Runway'

Austin fashion desginer Brittany Allen will compete on the 20th season of "Project Runway."
Austin fashion desginer Brittany Allen will compete on the 20th season of "Project Runway."
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Brittany Allen's world is pink and green with rainbow-colored cheetah print fabric and neon pink butterflies on the wall. Bright, metallic fabric oozes out of a bookshelf and big, pink pants hang here and a polka dot dress hangs over there. Sequins are nearby.

The Austin fashion designer is bringing her world back to Bravo's "Project Runway" this Thursday, when the 20th season of the show premieres. She is one of 14 returning designers competing in the show's "All-Stars" season.

Allen considers the 20th season to be her third chance at winning the show — she was saved by "Project Runway" mentor and designer Christian Siriano partway through season 18 before ultimately being eliminated in the challenge that determined who got to compete in the show's finale.

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Allen moved to Austin, sight unseen, from Arkansas eight years ago.
Allen moved to Austin, sight unseen, from Arkansas eight years ago.

"The last three years, all I've been able to do is think about what I would have done differently and how I could have made it all the way. So the minute I got the call asking if I was interested in 'All-Stars,' I was just elated. I was so excited to be able to get one more chance because not a lot of contestants get a second chance, let alone a third one," Allen said.

She said this season was her time to come back and do all the things she didn't get to the first time around.

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The final episode for Allen's season was aired at the tip of the coronavirus pandemic on March 12, 2020. The three years that followed allowed Allen to refine herself as a designer.

"The pandemic was... it's insane to think about how we lived through that. For me, it was a perfect time to really figure out where I fit in," Allen said.

Allen's design aesthetic includes bright colors and prints.
Allen's design aesthetic includes bright colors and prints.

She knew she loved bright colors, prints and in-your-face statement pieces. But Allen wasn't a couture or an eveningwear designer and ready-to-wear was not fulfilling. Enter: activewear.

"I could be part of a customer's journey, whether it's mental or physical transformations, bettering themselves, (or) being on fitness journeys. You're putting on these clothes to feel better and to be motivated and that's what I wanted to do for my customers instead of just being on a random rack at a department store," Allen said.

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Allen previously competed on the 18th season of "Project Runway."
Allen previously competed on the 18th season of "Project Runway."

Allen is heading into the 20th season with the weight of Austinites behind her. She received support from Austinites when she was eliminated in season 18, and has been overwhelmed with love since season 20 was announced. Austin, a place she calls a funky and creative hub for any artist, is also where roughly 35-40% of her customers are based.

"Honestly, without the people of Austin, I wouldn't have a business and I wouldn't have that community holding me up," she said.

"Project Runway" airs Thursdays on Bravo starting June 15. You can shop Allen's designs at shopbrittanyallen.com.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Watch Austin's Brittany Allen on the new season of 'Project Runway'