New York Fashion Week has come and gone, and for fans of the hit reality show “Project Runway,” it was just another cruel reminder that there’s still no new season. Due to a bitter battle between The Weinstein Co. and Lifetime over which company owns the rights to the show, season 6, which was taped last year, may never be aired. The three finalists still showed their creations at Fashion Week, but had to do so anonymously. So…is Runway in, or out?

For the first time in Runway history, the swan song [season finale], taped at New York City’s Bryant Park on Feb. 20, took place in a pop culture vacuum. Because of ongoing lawsuits- involving The Weinstein Co., which produces Runway; NBC Universal, parent company to Runway’s old network, Bravo; and Lifetime, which says it owns the rights to Runway’s sixth season – not a single minute of the new season has aired. As a result, this “finale” was a logistical nightmare. To maintain secrecy, none of the three finalists were permitted to appear on stage – and their collections were sent down the runway anonymously.

..”It’s so depressing,” sighed season 4 winner Christian Siriano, after the show. “There wasn’t the normal energy in the room, where everyone’s soooo excited. The designers must be depressed backstage. They can’t have any fun!”

No one entangled in the Runway debacle is having any fun right now. The fight began last April, when Harvey Weinstein announced he was moving the series from Bravo to Lifetime, staring with season 6, which was to premiere in January. Bravo’s parent company, NBC Universal, immediately sued Weinstein, claiming he had violated the network’s right of first refusal. The Weinstein Co. countersued NBC Universal, and then Lifetime jumped in and sued…everyone.

…Sources say a settlement is unlikely anytime soon. (The next court date is scheduled for March 19.) If the case goes to trial, the next cycle – which filmed in L.A. last fall and is almost entirely edited and ready for broadcast – could become the lost season of Runway.

“My heart goes out to the designers,” says cycle 5 finalist Korto Momolu. “People who are in charge need to think about the reason the show was created, which was to give underdogs a chance.”

[From Entertainment Weekly]

It sucks for the designers, to be sure – but it sucks even more for fans of the show. Runway is one of the few reality shows left that is a competition mostly based on talent, rather than dramatics or drunken antics and skanky behavior. Runway’s stressed out designer wannabes are true entertainment for people who love fashion. And let’s not forget the best part of the show – Tim Gunn! I miss his little nuggets of fashion wisdom each week. I hope these network catfights end soon.

Michael Kors, Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn and Nina Garcia are shown at fashion week on 2/20/09. Credit: WENN