'Former Tomboy' Sara Rea Is Now Showrunner of Fashion's Biggest Show

As showrunner of Amazon Prime Video's Making the Cut, Sara Rea oversees the most anticipated new show in the fashion world. The series made headlines for reuniting Tim Gunn and Heidi Klum, whom Rea worked with as an Emmy-nominated producer on Project Runway since 2009.

But as the world's first "instantly shoppable series," Making the Cut could also transform the fashion industry in fundamental ways. Love this week's winning design? Buy it instantly on Amazon. "What we really wanted to do is embrace where fashion is now," Rea said.

(Related: Tim Gunn Is the Mentor the World Needs in Making the Cut)

In addition to guiding the creative direction of this pioneering new show, Rea helped assemble the judges -- fashion stars like Joseph Altuzarra, Naomi Campbell, and Carine Roitfeld -- as well as 12 contestants from a variety of backgrounds.

This diversity is inherent to fashion. "I always joke that a white straight man is diversity for us because fashion is so diverse," she quipped. However, Rea, a lesbian from the South, knows the importance of representation firsthand, as she "has changed a lot of hearts and minds in Mississippi without even a blink of an eye."

Pictured: Tim Gunn and Sara Rea

Additionally, as a "former tomboy," Rea's reign at the crossroads of entertainment and fashion caused comment from hometown peers. "When I started doing fashion shows, my friends from elementary school and high school were like, what in the hell is going on?" Rea joked.

Now, Rea has shaped how people see fashion for 13 years. She praised how the "fascinating" world she fell into is now embracing different body types and gender presentations, which take center-stage on Making the Cut. "This snooty exclusive world ... is starting to be much more inclusive," she affirmed.

Overall, "I feel so lucky to work on a show where I can inspire people to follow their dreams."

Amazon Prime Video's Instagram is hosting a live Making the Cut premiere party with Naomi Campbell Friday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, with a virtual afterparty on DJ Questlove's Instagram Live beginning at 7 p.m. Pacific Time.

Fans are also encouraged to participate in the social media campaign #StrutForTheCut, which raises awareness of the work of the World Health Organization during the current health crisis, by posting videos of strutting their hallways in "home couture." Additionally, Making The Cut will donate more than $600,000 to the WHO and local charities in its filming locations of New York, Paris, and Tokyo.

Watch the trailer below.