Jay McCarroll, seen here doing a fitting in Eleven Minutes, won acclaim and notoriety as the winner of Project Runway Season 1. Now the outspoken fashion designer returns in a feature-length documentary about his trip to New York’s Fashion Week. From R

Openly gay fashion designer Jay McCarroll skyrocketed to fame after wining the first season of TV’s “Project Runway.” For the fabulous new documentary Eleven Minutes, McCarroll was filmed over the course of a year as he designed a clothing line and put his first runway show together for Fashion Week - complete with wardrobe malfunctions. McCarroll, took a few minutes out of his schedule to answer questions about making Eleven Minutes. 

(Bay Times)  Why did you agree to make a documentary about your post-“Project Runway” life? Are you that much of an exhibitionist?

(McCarroll) [Laughs]. I am not an exhibitionist! I felt like I had a story. I thought it would be interesting to show the process of how to make a collection of clothing. I think I was riding a wave at that point. I worked on “Project Runway” follow up, “Project Jay” for Bravo, and [became friends] with the directors Michael Selditch and Robert Tate. They said, if you ever do a show for New York’s fashion week, we’d love to film it. We met with some people and did it. I don’t know if I could do it now. It’s weird to live and watch someone edit your life. It replaces your own memories. It’s very surreal. 

How different was making Eleven Minutes from working on the TV show?

Not so much different. You have a cameraperson in your face, watching you live. In “Project Runway” it was a competitive reality series, so there was a whole different stress level. Both the show and the film were stressful—but they had different intentions and different end results. The film was grittier, much more casual. 

Do you have any regrets about what was filmed? You are not always shown in the best light. 

I have no regrets. That’s life. Everyone has fucking ups and downs. [The film] is a slice of life. I’m not a narcissist—there are times when I look like a piece of shit, and I’m saying stupid [things] but that’s reality. It’s not meant to be anything else. 

Do you feel that the film is “more real” than the show? How much “reality” are we seeing?

I think it was nicely and fairly edited. Everything played out how it did. It was very much what was happening in my life at that time. There were happy accidents. I feel if you film anyone’s life, there would be such dramatic things.

Can you describe your excitement during the eleven minutes of your runway show at Fashion Week? 

Well, luckily I was on anti-anxiety medication. I put so much pressure on myself and my life was so hectic—I didn’t eat, I was up all night, it was raining, the leggings were missing and I was booked to do 2 ½ hrs. of press straight. I lost my mind. I couldn’t handle it. I had a serious panic attack. I had to take a pill to calm me down. I watched it on the monitor backstage. I was in such a fog.  Anything that makes me take an anti-anxiety drug for a career path is something I should reconsider. To be relevant and trendy every six month? That’s a lot of pressure. That’s not to say I won’t be a part of the industry. 

What did you learn about the fashion industry/the business world through making this film?  

It takes a lot of money to make money. If you are Karl Lagerfeld, you can wave your magic wand/fan, but for a young designer with notoriety, it doesn’t make that process any easier to raise capital and pay people. It’s not as easy as people who watch reality TV think. I can’t snap my fingers and get what I want. You have to start at the bottom and work your way up. Because I was on TV, people thought I had my fifteen minutes of fame.

Michael Kors took twenty years for him to gain fame. It takes time. It’s very cut and dry business—if you can’t make money, you fail.

What advice do you have for anyone going into the industry or thinking about doing something like “Project Runway”?

I wouldn’t deter anyone. Filming the show was a positive experience—lots of fun. It’s great exposure and very motivating and inspiring. The aftermath is rocky, and difficult to navigate. 

Looking back, would you do “Project Runway” or Eleven Minutes again?

I don’t think that way. 

Were you surprised at how your line turned out? 

I don’t know. Coulda. Woulda. Shoulda. It was what it was at the time. It’s frozen in history. I don’t really get hung up on the past. I trudge towards the future. 

What are you doing now?

I had a line out on QVC last summer, and my line is available at www.jaymccarroll.com.