Top Gunn

Having made a name for himself in the fashion world, Gunn was on Runwayproducers' short list as a possible behind-the-scenes contributor. But when they approached him in 2004, the clean-cut background player wasn't convinced that it was the logical next step in his resurgent career. ''I said, 'Reality fashion? That sounds terrible!''' But he reluctantly agreed to hear them out, eventually sealing his fate with the three words — ''Make it work!'' — that would become his catchphrase. ''They asked me, 'What if we told you we want the designers to make a wedding dress in two days?' I said, 'You've got to take what's here right now in the dress room and make it work!' Clearly, the producers liked my response.'' Gunn's simple motto has since been lovingly mocked by contestants (who can forget season 2 pot-stirrer Santino Rice's priceless imitation?) and emblazoned on merchandise like T-shirts and travel mugs.

But before all that could happen, Gunn still needed to be persuaded to take an onscreen role — an option that arose after he attended auditions in New York and Los Angeles. ''My first question was 'I don't have to live with them, do I?''' he recalls. Even after he finally agreed, Gunn couldn't be convinced to attend the premiere viewing party. ''I watched [the first episode] in bed, peeking out of the covers so that I could throw the sheets right back over my head if I was disturbed by anything.'' As it turns out, he adored the show, and he soon developed a fan base of erudite armchair critics. ''There is a lot of fan mail for him,'' says Levine. ''People are enamored with him — they're offering themselves up to him.''

It's probably for naught: Gunn left his last boyfriend in 1982 — long before a good chunk of Runway's fans were even born — and he's not looking for another one. ''I don't think I'm meant to have a relationship in this life. I've never gotten over [the last breakup],'' he says. ''I never want to experience that level of hurt ever again.'' He adds that he doesn't regret choosing to stay single. ''My workdays are long. I'm really glad to go home and just close the door. There are other people who would say, 'That's crazy. You should want to share your life with somebody.' Ehh. I'm not there.''

Maybe it's because he's so busy balancing an endless stream of Runway-related tasks: He's a heavy presence on Bravo's website, where he writes a blog, answers viewers' questions, contributes episode recaps, and records candid weekly podcasts (available on iTunes) where he dishes about the challenges, the contestants, their creations, and everything you didn't see on TV. And because he clearly likes to milk 25 hours out of each day, he's also spending what's left of his summer vacation writing a book tentatively titled Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. ''It'll be out for the holidays,'' he says. '' I'm thrilled because it is something I've wanted to do but never had the opportunity.''

All of this sudden success doesn't seem to have gone to his head; tell Gunn that he's now known to TV viewers as a major arbiter of style, and he'll shrug it off by quipping ''Jeez, I just got a hot flash.'' The Runway star insists that his day job at Parsons remains his first love, and he's busy developing a new master's program, funded by Karan. After that? ''I don't know where this will take me.... I never thought this would happen after I turned 50. [At an age] when people are thinking about packing up and going off to some hideaway, I'm having this whole second coming.'' And not even his mother could argue with that.