Chloe Dao

Chloe Dao (; born July 1971 ) is a Vietnamese-American fashion designer and television personality who lives and works in Houston, Texas, United States. She won the second season of an American reality television series Project Runway with a thirteen-piece collection of women's evening wear.

Early life and education Chloe Dao was born in Pakse, Laos, the sixth daughter to her ethnically Vietnamese (Kinh) parents. (Two younger sisters were born after her. Instead, Chloe gained interest in fashion designing after she watched a CNN program Style with Elsa Klensch at age ten. As a teenager, she modified vintage clothes from second-hand shops, and her first original work was her own prom dress. In the final pre-Fashion Week challenge in the eleventh episode, Dao's "dove-gray" dress intended for supermodel Iman was criticized as "safe" and lost to Daniel Vosovic—whose dress was also what judge Nina Garcia deemed "safe" and "boring"—making him a finalist. Dao was one of two contenders for elimination, but then she secured her spot as one of top three. (Kara Janx finished fourth when she was eliminated over Dao.) The collection also contained thirteen pieces total, including "minidresses and short skirts" in "chocolate brown, pearl blue and sea green" colors. Dao chose Diana Eng, one of eliminated contestants of the season, as her assistant to finish the thirteenth outfit assigned to complete the collection.

Dao won the season against the first runner-up Daniel Vosovic and the second runner-up Santino Rice. For that, she further earned $100,000 to start her clothing line, a $24,000 silver Saturn Sky roadster—coupé sports car—that she received in July 2006, To use the mentorship, she contacted the Banana Republic's design team via phone. Karla Peterson of The San Diego Union-Tribune named Dao potentially "the most down-to-earth reality show contestant ever" by the end of January 2006. Timothy Gunatilaka of Entertainment Weekly found her not deserving to win as second runner-up Santino Rice, whose finale collection Gunatilaka admired the most out of three. Gunatilaka further found Dao "too safe" throughout the season and her collection "sleek and sexy" but "also safe" and reminiscent of Banana Republic. He further wrote about her win that "corporate-speak beat out true creativity."

Tenley Woodman of Boston Herald named her "the most boring contestant" and found her collection "less than exciting" when she won. Nevertheless, Woodman noted "her business sense and aptitude for understanding women's desires in clothing" as judges' reasons to crown her over two other finalists, despite being their "safe and productive choice", contrary to the previous season's "outrageous winner" Jay McCarroll.

Sylvia Rubin of San Francisco Chronicle contributed Dao's "weeks of steady nerves (until the very end), consistent vision and great technical skills" to her win. Dao and another finalist Daniel Vosovic were considerably "fan favorites" at the time, reported Jill Radsken of Boston Herald. Neal Zoren of the Delaware County Daily Times praised her works as "creative" with "smooth lines and smooth fabrics" but without senselessly using over-the-top elements.

Jean Scheidnes and Sarah Lindner of the Austin American-Statesman noted the series's portrayal of Dao as an "underdog" and praised her as someone to root "for all along". Scheidnes further "found most of her designs quietly chic, cleverly detailed and flattering to the female form" and contributed "her business acumen", "visual creativity", and "lack of personal drama" to her win.