Project Runway Season 18 alum Sha’Vi Lewis died on Monday (Feb. 24). He was 39.
Lewis’ aunt shared the news of her “talented nephew”s passing on Facebook on Tuesday (Feb. 25), urging people to keep his family in their prayers.
“I know he is in a much better place. I can just imagine the welcome he received when he got to those pearly gates, with so many loved ones who had gone on before….,” she continued. “Oh what a time what a time he is having with his grandmothers, grandfather, uncles, aunts, cousins, and good friends. My my my rest in joy nephew knowing that you left a hell of [a] mark on this Earth!!! You will be always loved and never ever forgotten.”
According to Deadline, another Season 18 contestant, Brittany Allen, also mourned Lewis’ passing on Instagram, writing, in part, “the world and this industry will be dim without your light in it.”
An official cause of death has yet to be disclosed.
Per TMZ, Lewis, who originally hailed from New Jersey, came in 10th place in his season of the reality series, which follows up-and-coming fashion designers competing to make it big. According to his bio on Bravo’s website from when his Project Runway season aired (per Entertainment Weekly), Lewis took classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) during summers in high school, and eventually attended Clark Atlanta University to study fashion design.
His bio notes that Lewis “found his style and flair for the dramatics, on which he founded his brand” at Clark Atlanta University, though he did not graduate.
In the five years ahead of his Project Runway debut, he served as the creative director for Stephen F, a menswear company, and was working on his own clothing line. His designs designs have been worn by Leah Janae and Cynthia Bailey, and have appeared on the Emmys red carpet, Pose Season 2 and at the Bermuda Fashion Festival.
The post R.I.P. Sha’Vi Lewis: ‘Project Runway’ Designer Dead At 39 appeared first on Decider.
