Bio
Kayne Gillaspie is an American fashion designer, best known to television audiences as a contestant on the third season of the reality design show Project Runway.
Gillaspie was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Growing up in a large family with five sisters and two brothers, Kayne — as everyone knows him — realized at a young age the importance of standing out.
Starting his education with a full scholarship to Volunteer State College, Kayne's career aspirations began in pre-veterinarian medicine.
While working at a vet clinic for four and a half years, he also took a design job as a sketch artist at a local pageant boutique in Tennessee.
Kayne quickly became enamoured with fashion, changed his major and transferred to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
In 2002, Kayne won the Critics Choice Award for evening wear and graduated magna cum laude. He moved back to Nashville after graduation and opened Kayne's Clothing Boutique. This afforded him the opportunity to create custom ballroom dance costumes, eveningwear, and wardrobe for the country music industry.
In 2003, Kayne met his partner Warren and bought Southern Charm, an established formal wear and pageant store in Norman, Oklahoma. Within three years, Kayne's success in the pageant industry soared.
In December of 2005, he dressed the entire top five teens and the winner and first runner up in the Miss Oklahoma U.S.A. pageant.
He cites Bob Mackie and Roberto Cavalli as major influences on his work. His gowns encompass originality, attention to detail and a young femininity with an edge.