Tim Gunn Talks Holiday Trends and Life After “Project Runway”

You know how they say never meet your heroes? Well, they were certainly not talking about Tim Gunn. You’ll be pleased to know that the affable mentor from “Project Runway” is just as lovely in real life as he is on TV. But you might have to wait a little while before he returns to your screen; Gunn, along with host and executive producer Heidi Klum, announced their exit from the fashion competition show in September to develop a new series for Amazon.

We chatted with Gunn about his next project, and—since he’s an ambassador for Command—some holiday decorating tips, tricks, and trends.

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

Tim Gunn: It will have completely different DNA other than Heidi and me. We won’t have any vestiges of “Runway” with it other than fashion.

TG: Well, it’s the creative process and the fact that we’re really being given the creative freedom and latitude to do out-of-the-box and global thinking. Amazon Prime is in 200 countries and we’re going to reach the most potent and robust areas of that demographic. That’s our goal.

TG: We’re saying that we’re taking these trends from the runway to the hallway, so I’m seeing lots of metallics, silver, gold, copper, animal print. Tartan is very big, but these are also classics. It’s not as though they’re going to go out of style, but they’re certainly on trend, so we can celebrate them.

TG: Well, I have to say Command has been in my vocabulary forever, well before I began working with them because it allows you to, first of all, experiment. Secondly, have fun. You’re not taking your apartment apart. This is temporary. You’re not putting holes in the wall, you’re not repainting afterwards, and it’s an extremely affordable product. When it comes to decorations I buy—I hate to admit this, but I will—I don’t have anything living inside my apartment other than me. I roll up artificial pine boughs and my wreath is artificial also.

I had a new alternative to a three-dimensional Christmas tree, which is to take the clear Command hooks, and arrange them in a triangle on the wall. It can be as big or as small as you want it to be and you can do as many or as few as you want. You can then put twinkle lights on it, you can hang individual ornaments on each of those hooks, you could do a combination. It’s a wonderful representation of a tree without making that spatial commitment—which in the case of tiny New York apartments, is a big deal.

It’s really fun. I made a point to put one in my bathroom.

TG: I like to use the garlands. I drape them around the apartment plus the ceiling (using Command hooks, of course). It just looks festive and it’s so easy to put up and take down. You know you’ve transformed something as opposed to having a bowl with ornaments in it. The draped bough makes a big splashy statement without requiring a big splash.

TG: Champagne works for most people—or a book. I’m a big book giver and as a recipient, I like getting books. I’m not the best gifts receiver, to be perfectly honest. I’d rather just have someone say, “Happy holidays,” and not have the gift. If you know the person well, I think it’s nice for the gift to be as personal as it can be, but I will say this, unless it’s an accessory, avoid fashion. Clothing can be a disaster.

TG: Watching Christmas movies.

TG: Moisturize. [laughs] Which I believe we should do all the time but especially when it’s cold weather.