Kara Laricks has been named the first winner of Fashion Star.
The 38-year-old from New York City beat Nzimiro Oputa and Ronnie Escalante to take the title and the grand prize, which will see them launch a collection in Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M.
Laricks put her hands to her face and exclaimed "Oh my God!" as the result was announced.
She later added: "I feel so overwhelmed. I don't know what to say. I'm so thrilled... at the opportunity to keep going and keep designing. This is so exciting, so thrilling!"
During the season finale, all three contestants were asked to create showcases comprising three items in an attempt to impress the buyers for the final time.
Mentor Nicole Richie told all three contestants that they should be proud of their accomplishments throughout the season, saying: "The important thing to remember here is that all three of you have sold to one of the biggest retailers in America, if not all of them."
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Pointing out that neither her, fellow mentors John Varvatos and Jessica Simpson nor host Elle Macpherson had done so, Ritchie added: "I have such a deep amount of respect for all three of you, and you should be extremely proud of where you are tonight."
A tearful Simpson told the contestants: "Each and every one of you, the people that you are and what you represent, you've inspired me to be better."
Laricks's collection will now be available in all three stores, in a prize said to be worth up to $6m.
Fashion Star has already been renewed for a second season by NBC.
Kate (they/she) is a freelance writer, editor, digital editorial trainer and data technician who first joined Digital Spy as an overnight freelance sub-editor in January 2011, after studying a postgraduate diploma in journalism at Salford University while working part-time as a social researcher.
In July 2013, Kate joined the DS staff team as chief sub-editor and following six years as the site's managing editor, their role expanded to incorporate Hearst UK's entertainment portfolio (including Digital Spy and its sibling titles Best and Inside Soap) between late 2024 and early 2026.
Kate has worked as a writer and editor since 2006, with bylines syndicated across the Hearst network and at organisations including Metro. They started their career as a TV production runner for the BBC and contributed to various music websites, blogs and zines while based in Manchester.
During her time at DS, Kate has previously been a freelance sub-editor and chief sub-editor.
Kate's team at Digital Spy were proudly nominated in the Best Subbing/Production Team category at the BSME Talent Awards 2022. Over the years, she has contributed to coverage of many, many Prime Days and Black Friday/Cyber Monday, and was part of the team that launched the DS weekly TV newsletter in November 2019 – followed by the Top of the Shops e-commerce newsletter in May 2024.
Kate's screen passions include Taskmaster (their biggest career regret remains turning down the opportunity to visit the house), nature documentaries, and live sport (up there with the greatest of all soap operas although if asked to choose, it's Corrie… every time).
Her highlights while working at DS have included interviewing Stevie Nicks on the red carpet for her documentary In Your Dreams, sitting at a press roundtable with Formula 1 commentary icon Murray Walker, watching a life-sized LEGO car being driven around Silverstone, writing an album-by-album retrospective of Lady Gaga's genre-defying career for Living Legends, and raising awareness of receiving and understanding a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis through the lens of Bianca and Freddie's EastEnders storyline.
Upon remembering to log off the internet, Kate enjoys live theatre, dance and comedy, appreciating nature, baking (badly), tending a recently-rented allotment (equally badly) and pampering one very spoiled rescue cat named Jolene.
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