Jude Mikulencak: Where Is the Project Runway Season 22 Winner Now?
Jude Mikulencak entered “Project Runway” Season 22 as one of the youngest designers in the competition, but his approach to fashion was rooted in a much older tradition. Instead of building his identity around trends or dramatic runway concepts alone, the New Orleans native arrived with years of interest in classic tailoring, handmade construction and…
Jude Mikulencak entered “Project Runway” Season 22 as one of the youngest designers in the competition, but his approach to fashion was rooted in a much older tradition. Instead of building his identity around trends or dramatic runway concepts alone, the New Orleans native arrived with years of interest in classic tailoring, handmade construction and menswear.
That discipline eventually carried him all the way to the Season 22 title. Jude defeated fellow finalists Anna Molinari, Bi Pham and Joseph McRae after presenting his capsule collection in the finale, earning the $200,000 prize and the career opportunities that accompany a “Project Runway” victory.
Related: Why Did Jude Mikulencak Win Project Runway Season 22? His Finale Collection Explained
With the season now over, Jude remains based in New York and appears prepared to turn the exposure from the show into the next stage of his fashion career. His current public profile identifies him as an NYC-based designer and continues to accept inquiries for custom work.
Related: Project Runway Season 22 Finale Recap: Jude Mikulencak Wins
Jude Mikulencak Is Still Based in New York
Although Jude grew up in New Orleans, his professional life is now centered in New York. Freeform’s official biography describes him as a Brooklyn-based designer whose work is grounded in classic tailoring. His designs move between menswear and womenswear, with an emphasis on combining traditional construction with cleaner, more contemporary silhouettes.
His connection to Brooklyn predates “Project Runway.” Jude developed practical tailoring experience in the city and worked around the bespoke menswear world, including at Robinson Brooklyn, the Williamsburg tailoring house founded by Craig Robinson. Robinson Brooklyn specializes in handmade and made-to-measure suits, shirts and traditional menswear, making it an especially relevant environment for the kind of craftsmanship Jude brought to the competition.
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His Instagram profile, @stuffbyjude, also currently identifies him simply as an “NYC based Designer” and lists contact information for custom inquiries. That suggests Jude has not abandoned the hands-on custom work that shaped his style before television.
Jude Graduated From Pratt Before Project Runway
Jude’s appearance on “Project Runway” came shortly after completing formal fashion training. He studied Fashion Design at Pratt Institute from 2021 to 2025 and was among the graduates receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design in 2025. Pratt’s official commencement records list him as Jude Albert Mikulencak among that year’s Fashion Design graduates.
His senior work was also presented during Pratt’s annual fashion show at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn. The 2025 event featured collections from graduating fashion students, with Jude among the designers selected to send work down the runway. Vogue’s coverage of the graduating class also included his collection among the work examining larger personal and social themes.
That timing makes Jude’s “Project Runway” win particularly notable. He did not enter the show after spending a decade running an established fashion house. He entered shortly after completing school, with practical tailoring experience and a relatively young independent career.
Tailoring Remains at the Center of Jude’s Work
Anyone wondering what kind of designer Jude intends to become after winning does not have to look far beyond his Season 22 work. Tailoring remains the clearest through-line.
Freeform describes his practice as combining “old-world beauty” with modern cuts, while Jude’s work before the show already included handmade menswear and carefully constructed separates. His social media has continued to showcase menswear and custom pieces rather than presenting a sudden post-show reinvention.
That makes his finale victory feel consistent with the career he was already building. Law Roach’s praise of Jude’s tailoring in the finale was not recognition of a skill that suddenly emerged for the final challenge. It was the culmination of the same technical identity Jude had been developing before entering the workroom.
What’s Next for Jude After Winning Project Runway?
The most accurate answer, for now, is that Jude’s next major move has not been formally announced. Season 22 concluded only on September 10, 2026, so there has not yet been enough time for Jude to reveal the kind of major post-win collection, label expansion or celebrity collaboration that could define his next chapter. His public-facing presence still centers on his work as a New York designer and custom fashion inquiries. What has changed dramatically is the scale of the opportunity available to him.
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Winning “Project Runway” gives Jude $200,000 in prize money, an “Elle” opportunity, CFDA mentorship and professional representation. For a designer only recently out of fashion school, those resources could potentially accelerate the transition from working designer and tailor to building a more recognizable independent label.
Jude’s career before the show was already moving in that direction. He had presented student work on professional runways, gained experience in Brooklyn’s bespoke tailoring scene and developed an identifiable design language before competing on national television.
For the moment, Jude Mikulencak is still a New York-based designer working in the world that helped shape him. The difference is that after winning “Project Runway” Season 22, considerably more people are now watching to see what he makes next.
