Molly Sims talks 'Project Accessory,' 'Runway's spin-off, and gives brides some advice (Q&A)

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10/27/2011 by OnTheRedCarpet.com Staff

Molly Sims is trying to find the next Christian Louboutin.

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The 38-year-old model and "Las Vegas" actress hosts and co-judges the new Lifetime reality show "Project Accessory," a spin-off of Heidi Klum's hit show "Project Runaway." The new series is set to premiere on Thursday, October 27, at 10:30 p.m. ET and sees 12 hopefuls designing shoes, jewelry and handbags in a bid to win $100,000 prize eBay to start their own line and spread in InStyle magazine.

Sims, who has her own line of accessories, ""Grayce by Molly Sims," recently sat down with OnTheRedCarpet.com host Rachel Smith to talk about the show, which also features guest judges Debra Messing and Kelly Osbourne, and its contestants, some of whom she dubbed as "hot messes." Check out the interview below.

On her mother's influence..

"I love accessories," Sims told OnTheRedCarpet.com. "I'm obsessed. I kind of always been. I have an accessory line called 'Grayce by Molly Sims' and honestly it's based on my mom. Her passion became my passion. We're both from Nashville - (they have) those estate sales and flea markets and you can buy amazing pieces in a box and have them cleaned for like five dollars."

"She would constantly, over the years, send me pieces of jewelry that she would find. She would always go to yard sales or auctions - she loves an auction, that one."

On "Project Accessory"...

"The show is great. It's 'Project Accessory. It's the same format as 'Project Runway.' Twelve designers, guest judges, challenges, competitive, dramatic. A little bit of rivalry. We had Ariel Foxman, he's the editor of InStyle magazine. He's our judge that is there with me week after week and he was awesome to be able to sit next to."

"You have to be, I have to say, kind of brutal, because this is their livelihoods. They want to learn. They want to take away $100,000 - that's what the winner will get from eBay."

And this is a reality competition - we gotta be a little brutal because we want to see the entertainment elements of it all. But how is this different from "Project Runway?"

"Because it's not about clothes, it's about accessories. With this show, they had to be competent in all areas of accessories. So they had to make shoes - stilettos, boots, they had to make jewelry and they had to make handbags.

"A great boho bag - what goes into making that perfect fold? Or that perfect little cigarette case that you can carry everything in but no one sees? Who's your next (shoe designer Christian) Louboutin? That's really what we were looking for - someone with an amazing, creative aesthetic, someone with style but also someone with a vision. Could they put their stamp on shoes and jewelry and handbags?"

"Week after week I wanted to go shopping - I'm like, 'I want that, I want that, I want that!' I mean, god, who doesn't love shoes and jewelry?"

Tell us a little bit about the contestants - are they living together during this competitive series?

"They are. For one month, all together, all 12 of them. And we had some great personalities. We had men and women, all ages, from California to New York to Miami to Atlanta so you had all types of personalities. You had your Rocker Chic girl, you have your Classic girl, you had your 'Edgy, workmanship, tools and .. travels around with a hammer.' You definitely had all different points of view and that was very interesting to see."

"Because as you know, accessories can change any outfit. So imagine 12 models up there and they all look different because they're in the same outfit, but they're a different girl. So week after week, we kept saying to the designer, 'Who is your girl? Where is she going?' We saw a few hot messes."

On celebrity guest judges ...

"Debra Messing was really great. She premieres as our first guest judge. She was awesome. She's a kind of a little jewelry buff on her own and she's an amazing actress. She was difficult on them but she had a great vision on what she liked and what she didn't like."

"The best one in terms of the most 'I'm-Not-Looking-At-You-Right-Now' moment is Kelly Osbourne. She was awesome. I will tell you, she loves fashion. She grew up in it, she loves it, she eats, sleeps and lives it. Anyone else that we can expect to see?"

"We have Rachel Roy and Kenneth Cole. Kenneth - he's a staple in American fashion for the past 30 years. That was amazing for his knowledge of really sustaining, because probably you can count on your hands how many American designers have stayed here and that staying power, I think was so interesting for the designers, to get to kind of pick his brain."

We see Tim Gunn week after week with the other reality show and he always has his catchphrase - 'Make it Work.' What's your catchphrase?

"It's definitely not 'Auf Wiedersehen.' It's definitely not 'You're out, ya'll.' I had a few things. I say 'Obsessed' a lot."

"Lifetime came up with this - 'Attitude is the best accessory" and I have to say it kind of is because if you just have a little bit of confidence and you believe in yourself you pretty much can pull anything off but you really saw that in the show. As the talent pool shrinks, it's so difficult."

I noticed a new accessory you're sporting - have you had the time to enjoy being a newlywed?

Note: Molly Sims married Scott Stuber, a producer, in September.

"We shot the show the month before the wedding. I'm living in LA the whole summer but of course the month before I'm on the east coast. It was the best day of my life. I think I was happy. I'm still happy. I will give brides a note - don't stress, take a step back, don't get crazy drunk, because you're not going to remember it."

Reporting by Rachel Smith, co-host of KABC Television's entertainment show "On The Red Carpet" (check for local TV listings).