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Contact:  Jessica Frost, jfrost@ratnerco.com; 703.269.5218
January 16, 2007

‘Project Runway’ Star Began His Fashion Career in the Beauty Industry
Talented young designer Christian Siriano draws on his experience at fashion-forward BUBBLES salon as he competes on the hit reality series

Vienna, VA – Christian Siriano, the fabulously coiffed and quirky contestant on this season’s Project Runway, discovered his fashion prowess at the BUBBLES Salon in Annapolis, MD.  Christian started as a shampoo assistant and receptionist at the salon when he was only 13 years old.  Over the years, his creativity and skill propelled him to new opportunities, eventually leading him to create themes for the salon’s annual runway competition, Hair Wars, and orchestrating the makeup and costumes for the event.

“The annual hair show competition helped push my creativity when the challenge was to design an entire collection for the salon based on a theme,” he said recently in an article in the Annapolis Capitol.  “Working with such professional people at such a young age pushed me for bigger things in my life.”  To view images of Christian’s costumes, click here.

At only 21 years old, Christian is among the youngest contestants in Project Runway history and his fashions continue to impress the judges week after week.  With his signature hair style – maintained with Cibu Wok This Way Sculpting Sauce, a product exclusive to the BUBBLES salons – and supreme confidence, Christian has quickly become a stand-out character on the popular Bravo reality series.  

“We are so thrilled to see Christian succeeding in the world of fashion,” said Ann Ratner, founder and president of BUBBLES.  “We empower everyone in the BUBBLES family to reach their goals.  Christian has so much natural talent and innate creativity; we know he will go far in this competition and in all future projects.”

BUBBLES is a trendy, upscale chain of hair salons, operating 34 salons in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC.  The full-service salon specializes in knowing – and often setting – the latest trends in color, texture and design. 

After his time at BUBBLES, Christian studied fashion at the Baltimore School for the Arts, and later at The American Intercontinental University in London.  After showing a small collection during London Fashion Week in 2005, he studied under esteemed designers Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen.

Christian is currently living in New York, working as a freelance makeup artist and designing bridal gowns for select clients.   He taped the episodes last summer and, while he can’t reveal the results, he is excited to watch the series unfold. 

About BUBBLES:  BUBBLES Stylists are highly-trained professionals with a well-earned reputation for knowing – and often setting – the latest trends in hair design, color and texture.  Since the first salon opened 30 years ago, BUBBLES has grown to more than 30 salons in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and is a fashion fixture in the mid-Atlantic.  BUBBLES is a division of Ratner Companies, based in Vienna, Virginia.  For more information, visit www.BUBBLESsalons.com.