Project Runway's Anya Ayoung Chee Regrets Going Blonde

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Comedy writer Bonnie Datt once bought a chainmail vest "for clubbing"—a purchase she later came to lament, once she realized that chainmail wasn't particularly slimming. Inspired by this, she now spends her spare time asking famous people to dish about purchases which they initially loved—but ended up regretting, for Buyer's Remorse.

Photo credit: Getty Images
Project Runway Season Nine winner Anya Ayoung Chee became known as the designer who had only been sewing for a few months before appearing on the show. What producers left out of her narrative, however, was that Anya was a graduate of both Parsons and London's Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design. So, while she may not have been perfecting her sewing skills for long, her design skills were very well honed. The designer, whose business is now based in New York, is not only talented, but also holds the title of Miss Trinidad and Tobago, and represented her country in the Miss Universe Pageant. We suspect that Anya is the only former Miss Universe contestant creative and daring enough to sport a Mohican hairdo. She talked about that with us, while sharing a fun Buyer's Remorse story.

Racked: Have you ever had buyer's remorse?

Anya Ayoung Chee: It wasn't really something I bought, but I spent about $500 dying my hair blonde. That was only one round. I had to dye it three times to get it peroxided the color I wanted—and it was just the worst thing I could have done. It fried my hair. I had this grand idea that I would look like a Harajuku Girl. It didn't quite work out because I'm too brown.

Racked: How long did you keep it?

Anya Ayoung Chee: About three weeks.

Racked: Were you platinum?

Anya Ayoung Chee: At first I was yellow and then I was platinum. Not really money well spent.

Racked: Were you wearing the Mohican style then?

Anya Ayoung Chee: No it was short.

Racked: We love your hairstyle and the fact that someone so beautiful is so daring.

Anya Ayoung Chee: I think the recipe for that was being a beauty queen. Because when I went "all the way pretty," this was something I couldn't do—so I was very willing to take a chance after that.

· All Buyer's Remorse Posts [Racked]
· Anya Ayoung Chee [Official Site]