Keith Michael American fashion designer Date of Birth: 14.01.1972 Country: USA

Biography of Keith Michael Rizza

Keith Michael Rizza, an American fashion designer, was born on January 14, 1972, in Brooklyn, New York. He studied at the renowned Pratt Institute, initially specializing in book illustrations before shifting his focus to photography. Rizza began his career working at a reception desk in a photo studio, eventually working his way up to become a stylist, assistant photographer, and finally a photographer. His work has been featured in prestigious magazines such as 'W,' 'Elle,' 'GQ,' and 'BlackBook.'

Rizza has his own line of men's and women's clothing, known for its natural, eco-friendly, handmade, and lovingly crafted designs. He was nominated for the 'Best Newcomer of the Year' award by 'Sportswear International' magazine. Rizza's impeccably tailored clothing, characterized by a rare combination of strict luxury, can be found in high-end boutiques in Los Angeles and New York City.

Despite specializing in men's fashion, Rizza auditioned for the reality show 'Project Runway,' where contestants compete in creating women's clothing. From the beginning, Rizza was considered one of the favorites, winning the first episode and receiving immunity in the second. Supermodel and show host Heidi Klum even declared on air that Rizza could have won the third challenge if he had completed the task, which involved designing an outfit for a woman and her dog. However, Rizza refused to dress the dog and did not win the challenge.

Rizza led his team in the fourth challenge, and the team's design was based on his sketches. According to Tim Gunn, the show's co-host and a renowned American fashion consultant, the contestants sign contracts that explicitly prohibit the use of textbooks on pattern-making, fashion history, fashion magazines, or any similar materials during filming. They are not allowed to leave the set without being accompanied by a member of the production staff to ensure they have no access to these materials or receive outside assistance.

In the episode 'Reap What You Sew,' it was revealed that designer Kayne Gillaspie found fashion modeling textbooks in Rizza's room in their shared apartment. After discussing it with other designers in the apartment, Gillaspie reported the books to the producers. When the other designers found out about the books, tensions escalated, and Rizza left the set for a few hours, during which he accessed the internet and sent an email to one of the producers. Due to this incident, the promising designer and potential contender was disqualified from the competition, abruptly ending his journey.

Rizza maintains that the text did not explicitly state that using fashion modeling textbooks was illegal and claims that someone unknown took the books from his room and returned them to be discovered. He also asserts that he informed one of the assistants on the set before leaving and was given permission to do so without an escort. In subsequent interviews, Rizza declared that he never used any textbooks and therefore had no unfair advantage.