Fashion: Jack Mac attack!

It was designer interrupted. On one of the most dramatic episodes of "Project Runway," Jack Mackenroth decided to leave the show to receive treatment for a staph infection. Though he was quickly cured, the openly HIV-positive 38-year-old fashion designer will always be this season's "what-if?"

His television moment may have been cut short, but Mackenroth has been making the most of his reality-show fame. He's stopping in Minneapolis to attend the annual Club DIVA fundraiser.

During fashion week in New York, we caught up with Mackenroth in a corner of the tents in Bryant Park. His current flame, "Top Chef" finalist Dale Levitski, stopped by, too. Here's the scoop:

Q Is Christian your best friend from the show?

A He is. He's absolutely hilarious, so freakin' hilarious it's off the chain.

Q I hated him after the first episode and then I gradually began to adore him.

A I think I did a lot for his public persona because people thought he was a raging bitch because he said what everyone else was thinking. But then they saw the interaction between the two of us and I was portrayed as this super-nice guy, which is part of me, but it's reality TV and they cast you. People thought: If Christian's getting along with Jack, Christian can't be all bitchy all the time.

A I was born in Minneapolis, on the edge of Edina. My father is a doctor. I'm not really clear because I'm not in touch with him anymore, but I think he was doing his residency or he was about to, but there was some reason he went to Seattle. I wasn't even 1 when we moved.

Q You probably had some of the water?

A I did. It informed my development somehow.

Q Have you been to Minnesota at all since?

A Once. I went back in 1996 to see the home I was born in. I wanted to see if I was white trash. But Edina is a really nice neighborhood now. When I was there, it wasn't quite as nice and we were right on the edge of the tracks. We lived in this teeny-tiny duplex, but it was cute.

A I cover it up well with hair products and makeup.

Q Will you go back to "Project Runway" next season?

A The questions I'm most commonly asked by people on the street are: Is Heidi that beautiful? Is Tim that nice? Are you coming back next season? I always go yes, yes and I don't know.

People don't understand how hard it is going through it and the aftermath. I think that not knowing what you're getting into is part of the beauty of it. I don't know if I could do that again. I'm on the fence.

Q Will Dale come to Minnesota?

Q How long have you been together?

A We met last September. It's a long-distance thing, so it's very casual. He's darling and adorable. We're in hysterics whenever we're together. He's not in a place for a huge commitment. He's opening a new restaurant [in Chicago]. I'm figuring out what I'm doing. We're just playing.

Q How long have you been in New York?

A Since 1991. I went to [University of California,] Berkeley first. I double-majored in fine arts and sociology and came to Parsons [the New School of Design] in New York after that.

Q You brought your intellectual bent to fashion?

Q Do you have advice for designers who are "Project Runway" curious?

A I would say No. 1, have a strong point of view. Make sure you're a cast-able persona. It's a fashion show, but above everything else it's a reality show. The other thing is know your skills. People think we have a room where secret sewers are helping out, but we do everything ourselves. You don't get handed the right amount of fabric. Sorry! It's very "make it work" and you have to know what the hell you're doing. Be prepared to not sleep. Or eat. It's a really good diet.

Q Thank you for saying "make it work." What would have happened if you didn't have a medical emergency?

A Of the 15 designers, there were 11 or 12 who could have made it to Bryant Park. I think I'm talented and I have a good taste level, but it really goes challenge by challenge. I think I had a good chance. There's a little part of me that wants to do it again because I have something to prove.

Q Has the show changed your life dramatically?

Q What do you order at Starbucks?

A I'm venti Americano with room.

Q Is there something we don't know about you?

A No, I'm pretty much an open book. I make weird noises when I sleep.

Q What's going on with your tattoos?

[Dale joins the conversation.]

Q Dale, what are you working on?

DL: I'm opening a restaurant called Town and Country in the west loop of Chicago.

Q What's harder, fashion or food?

JM: Well, I know nothing about restaurants.

JM: I'd say launching your own line is probably harder.

DL: Restaurants are ridiculous. When you open, you work 18-hour days.

JM: If you open a restaurant, at least you know a couple people will buy food. An entire line of clothes, it's possible that no one will buy any of it.

Q Dale, why won't you come to Minneapolis?

DL When I was diving [for the University of Iowa], I hit the board at the Big 10 championships in Minnesota. The day after Greg Louganis came out of the closet as being HIV-positive, I hit the board in warmups. I couldn't put on shoes, but I still competed.

DL: This is actually the second weekend we've ever spent together. We talk and tease each other all the time. We're going to have our fun and that's between us. Whatever anyone makes of it, fine.

JM: I think Star magazine wants to make us reality couple of the month again. They were asking for pictures. We're barely a couple.

Q You didn't secretly get married?

JM: We didn't go to Canada and get secretly married, but the Cambodian baby is totally supposed to come FedEx.

DL: And we'll ship it back and forth.