Ruler of 'Runway': Christian Siriano

THE BLOG FASHION RUNGAY may have given him the nickname "Princess Puffysleeves," but on Wednesday night, flounce-loving, skinny pant-producing, unabashedly fierce designer Christian Siriano also snagged the title of "Project Runway" season 4 champion -- and the youngest winner ever to boot. The 22-year-old Annapolis native gave us the skinny on his designs and future plans while reveling in his victory.

» EXPRESS: What's the next step in your plan to conquer fashion?
» SIRIANO: Well, I've been keeping busy. I'm off to Los Angeles to meet with Victoria Beckham -- I've made a couple of dresses for her. There are so many things going on. I'm working on getting sponsors, and I want to show next season and have an amazing spring collection.

» EXPRESS: So, Victoria really did call you?
» SIRIANO: So far, it's been a lot of back and forth with her assistant. But after the show, she told me, "I want anything you do." She's fabulous. I couldn't have asked for anyone better. It helps that she's from London and that she's "Posh," because that's also a term for "elegant" that people use all day long. And she is.

» EXPRESS: And are you going to keep sleeping on the floor in that cubby hole of a room?
» SIRIANO: No, ma'am! As soon as that check is in my bank account, there will be a bed in my room, and I'll get a studio. I turned my whole room into a studio, and there are two dress forms and tons of fabric. It's crowded. And I do sleep on a mattress, not the floor, but it's embarrassing.

» EXPRESS: Did you emerge from the womb fashionable?
» SIRIANO: When I was younger, I was into ballet and musical theater, and that brought the dramatic out. Then, when I worked at the salon in high school, that's where the fashion came in.

» EXPRESS: How would you describe your personal style?
» SIRIANO: Obviously, I'm that downtown city boy with a British punk thing. People have said I have a little Duran Duran. I love a skinny jean. And I like to wear color, even though I don't design with it a lot.

» EXPRESS: Favorite piece in your wardrobe?
» SIRIANO: I have a couple of favorites. My pony-skin cowboy boots I will love forever. I have sneakers with gold studs on them. They're awesome. I love my red skinny jeans. I wear four pairs of jeans all the time.

» EXPRESS: Do you ever design for yourself?
» SIRIANO: The black vest I wore a lot, I made. The funny thing is most designers don't design for themselves. Jillian does because she's got that fabulous figure. Even though I'm little, I can't wear a ruffled neck blouse.

» EXPRESS: Why so much black?
» SIRIANO: My thing was that I was trying to do such a show. If my jackets were in color, they would be horrendous. It would be over-the-top and clownish. I actually think that's why Rami didn't do as well -- fuchsia? Color can be just as not-wearable as a design. But this was just for one season. The next one will be filled with color and patterns.

» EXPRESS: Speaking of patterns, what are your tattoos of?
» SIRIANO: The top one is an octopus and the bottom one is a squid. They're my tribute to Maryland and the water. Marine life is fantasy to me.

» EXPRESS: Will we be seeing you back in Maryland, or maybe even in D.C.?
» SIRIANO: I was just home to do an event in Baltimore. But I love the parties, and so I'll be in D.C. Honestly, not to be a cheesy gay, but Town is such a fun spot. And Be Bar -- I might do an event there.

» EXPRESS: And I have to ask about the hair. What is it like in its natural state?
» SIRIANO: It's an Afro-dite [as in Aphrodite]. It's wavy and frizzy and not cute. I hate my hair. It takes me about 20 minutes -- 15 if I really have to go. The flatiron really makes a difference, and I use Air Control hair spray by Aveda and Cibu Sticky Rice, which is a Bubbles product.

» EXPRESS: What if there were a fire and your hair wasn't done?
» SIRIANO: I would find a hat. And if I couldn't find one, I would make a hat.

Photo courtesy Getty Images