'Project Runway' to return next month

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- The seventh season of the U.S. fashion competition series "Project Runway" is slated to begin on Lifetime next month, the network announced.

The season premiere is set for Jan. 14.

"Runway" host Heidi Klum, mentor Tim Gunn, and judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are to be joined on the show by 16 new designers vying for a shot to show their collection in front of top industry insiders during New York Fashion Week, Lifetime said in a news release Wednesday.

As part of the prize package, the winning designer will receive an editorial feature in Marie Claire magazine, the opportunity to sell their line on Bluefly.com, a $50,000 technology suite by HP and Intel, and a cash prize of $100,000 from L'Oreal Paris to start up their own fashion line.