She trained at New York’s esteemed Maison Sapho School of Dressmaking and Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, worked as advertising art director on the CoverGirl account and spent three years doing freelance sewing and embellishing for couturier (and Philly native) Ralph Rucci, which means Bucks County fashion designer Pamela Ptak knows a thing or two about producing beautiful work under pressure. Earlier this year legions of Project Runway fans became familiar with the 47-year-old’s design aesthetic when she cut and sewed her way to fame as a contestant on the reality show’s seventh season (despite being eliminated in the second episode). We asked Ptak to pair her favorite accessories with a look from her spring/summer 2010 line.

DRESS

“The principles I keep in mind when I drape a new garment are balance, elegance, surprise, confi dence, action and comfort. This dress expresses these perfectly for me with the added benefi t of looking like a living sculpture. It’s like art that’s in harmony with the woman who wears it.”

RING

“I absolutely adore wearing one huge ring on my right hand. This one is fantastic— a very polished and intriguing piece. It carries through with the sharp shapes I love. And the cool metals make me feel wonderful in the summertime.”

BAG

“This is a very chic but not uptight bag. The unequal triangle is my favorite shape. To me, the triangle symbolizes the balance of the mind, body and spirit, which are key points in my design aesthetic. This bag is so relaxed and roomy and still supremely elegant. I love that it fits so comfortably under the arm.”

SHOE

“I love this type of shoe because of its solid structure in the platform— you can actually run in them. They are comfortable and still very sexy. Just finish the look with a gorgeous pedicure for summer.”

IN OR OUT?

Ptak gives us the lowdown on Project Runway’s personalities.

HEIDI KLUM

“What an amazing lady. I was a little intimidated by Heidi when she fl ashed her eyes at us—she’s very intense at times. I love her laugh and sometimes I catch myself laughing wholeheartedly like she does.”

MICHAEL KORS

“He’s very funny! I’d love to be at a dinner party with that man. His comments would keep everyone in stitches. He’s definitely not afraid of what people think of him!”

NINA GARCIA

“She’s so much more serious than I expected.”

TIM GUNN

“He’s gracious and sensitive. And I could never thank him enough for the amazing things he said about my collection during the tryouts. I was so overwhelmed, I told him it was like getting a kiss from God.”