For "Project Runway" contestant Anna Lynett, necessity is the mother of inventive fashion.

Born in Germany, Lynett moved with her family to Whitefish Bay at the age of 3. A Whitefish Bay High School graduate, she went onto study print-making at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Lynett, 23, says she’s always been interested in clothes, but never thought about creating them until she began working as a hostess in a Los Angeles restaurant. "My interest in fashion came about out of necessity," she says. "I quickly realized I didn’t have as much to wear as I thought I did. I started making clothes as an experiment and it turned out to be more fun than I thought it would be."

She found that her print-making skills — such as an ability to critique her own work and having a sensibility about fabrics — easily translate into fashion design.

A friend who owns Apartment 3 boutique in Los Angeles persuaded Lynett to try out for season seven of "Project Runway." Although she was new to fashion and the audition was, admittedly, "not something I would have pursued on my own," Lynett packed up some original garments representing her vision as a designer and prepared her pitch for the judges.

Friends and family were just as excited as Lynett when she was named a contestant.

"My grandmother said, ‘I knew you’d be famous someday,’ which is really sweet. But I think it sort of comes as a surprise to everyone, including me, that this is happening."

"Project Runway" fans may not be surprised to learn Lynett’s take on the experience: "There’s always drama, every single season."

She says show staple and fashion authority Tim Gunn "was so easy to talk to and completely personal. He was very interested in each of us, which I thought was great … It was actually comforting."

Lynett says her youthful designs are guided by a personal aesthetic and an intuitive process, with a practicality anchored by her Midwestern roots. "This whole process has taught me a lot about myself," she says, "but most importantly, it has taught me that fashion design is something that could be possible for me. The whole process has taught me that I shouldn’t rule anything out."