Now that Project Runway Season Nine is safely put to bed, let’s take a look back towards last season. The judges decided, for some reason, that Mondo Guerra was not to win Season Eight, even though he was clearly in the lead and favored to win. Let’s catch up with Mondo and see what he’s been up to and answer the question: Is there life after Project Runway?
Here’s a quick recap: During one of the challenges from Season Eight, Mondo designed a beautiful fabric based on repeating plus signs and bold colors. The pattern looked impeccable, resilient. It replicated itself almost mercilessly across the high waisted pants he sent down the runway. Nina Garcia, who is not given to praise easily, commented that “It looks too perfect,” […]”And nobody’s life can be that perfect.” And isn’t that the truth? She prodded him for the story behind this pattern. Mondo says he wasn’t expecting to talk about it, but he then decided to come out of another sort of closet. The closet those of us living with HIV are so often hiding inside.
Since coming out as HIV positive, Mondo has become a role model for persons with HIV. He was selected to kick off the New York AIDS Walk this year and also participates in Living Positive By Design (LPBD), which promotes open communication about HIV. This is reminiscent of the Act Up! campaign “Silence = Death”. Well if Silence = Death then Mondo is truly living. He spoke at the NY AIDS Walk to a crowd of 45,000 people and he has hosting, appearances and speaking engagements keeping his dance card full.
Mondo lives with his boyfriend in Denver where he stays down to earth. Last June Mondo worked with a local theatrical company where he had once worked as an assistant in the costume shop. Now he’s featured prominently as the costume designer. He has his own website at lovemondotrasho.com where his fashions are available for sale. A portion of proceeds from plus-sign design merchandise goes to the Colorado AIDS Project, proving that Mondo puts at least some of his money where his mouth is.
Sometime next year Lifetime will air the already filmed Project Runway Allstars with Mondo and many other fan favorites. The show will not feature Nina, Michael, Tim and Heidi, however. Lifetime has recently pushed the air-date back on that little gem, possibly hoping to wait until they get all the attention they can for Project Accessory, another attempted spin-off. Personally, I’m waiting for more Mondo, Kenley, Rami and Sweet P. It will be nice to see our favorites get another chance to be on top.
As for Mondo we’ve learned that there is not only life after Project Runway, there’s also life after HIV, but only if we don’t keep silent and we do stay in control of our own health. Silence isn’t necessarily helping anyone. As for me, I tell anyone it might help. Young people mostly. People who tell me they’ve been risky and they haven’t been tested. Sure there’s medications now and it’s more likely I’ll die with HIV then from HIV, but I can imagine a world where HIV doesn’t exist anymore. I know that’s a big leap, but as Mondo would put it: “We all have to believe in something, you know.”
Photo via lovemondotrasho.com
