After ten weeks of sketches, fabric choices and taking measurements, women’s wear designer Kara Laricks won the title of “Fashion Star” on the fashion reality series. Her prize was a combined six million dollar collection that would sell in Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and H&M.

Laricks chatted with CTV.ca about her win, and what it was like participating in the innovative reality program.

“Oh my gosh! I remember putting my hand over my face and thinking I have no idea what my face is going to do because I’m so excited,” remembered Laricks on the moment her name was announced as ‘America’s Next Fashion Star.’

“I don’t think the news has still sunken in,” she continued. “(The next day), I actually went to H&M, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue just to make sure the collections were actually hanging there. I still can’t believe that it’s all happened.”

Laricks actually knew she was the winner of “Fashion Star” last August, when the show was filmed. However, the former fourth grade school teacher had to keep her win a secret until the show made its debut earlier this year. A secret, she says, that she is relieved she can finally share.

“I went back to sewing my accessories like I was sewing them before, and selling them in little markets and…it was just crazy,” Laricks said. “Thinking there was this huge competition (and) a huge win still ahead of me.”

She added, “The only thing I did differently was be a little bit more careful when crossing the street. I looked both ways because I knew (the win) was coming and I felt like I could get hit by a huge Mack truck any day!”

Looking back on the ten weeks she spent on “Fashion Star,” Laricks says one of the biggest surprises of the competition was the fact she bonded really well with the other contestants.

“I never expected to walk into a reality competition show and walk away with really good friends,” Laricks said. “But the beauty of the fact that we had to keep our lips zipped for so many months is that the designers were the only ones I had to talk to. We were the only ones we had to talk to really frankly about what happened.”

Laricks says she actually watched the finale with her fellow final-three designers Ronnie Escalante and Nzimiro Oputa. She’s also remained good friends with designer Nikki Poulos, who was eliminated in week nine.

Laricks also wanted to point out that even though the show was filmed in the United States, she took notice of all the support from Canadian fans during the competition.

“I have received more incredible messages on Facebook and Twitter and from so many people from all over in Canada that I want to give a huge, sweeping Canadian thank you!”

With the first season officially wrapped, the finale flashed signs for hopeful designers to audition for the second season of “Fashion Star.” We asked Laricks what advice she had for the next batch of contestants.

“My best advice is to watch the first season,” she said. “I think any young designer, any emerging designer, can learn so much from the triumphs all of (us) had on the first season.”

“And also things where we fell short or could have done better,” Laricks continued, “and I think if you watch closer, think in advance and make sure you’ve got an established point of view, and then really listen and learn along the way, I think you’ll have a really excellent chance to be on ‘Fashion Star.’”