You remember the straps. Everyone remembers the straps. Back in 2017, Brandon Kee was the "golden boy" of Project Runway Season 16. He had this zen, quiet energy that made the judges—and half the audience—fall in love. He was the guy who could make a "warrior woman" look cool in millennial pink. Fast forward to 2026, and if you try to visit his official website, you’re greeted with a dead link.
So, where is he?
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People keep asking. It’s a common cycle for reality TV stars, but for Brandon, the disappearance felt more abrupt because he was so close to the top. He didn't just participate; he dominated. He never once landed in the bottom. He won three challenges. He even had his art put on Dixie cups. Yet, today, he isn’t walking the runways of Paris or Milan. Honestly, the answer to brandon kee where is he now is a lot more "normal" than most fans expected.
The Post-Runway Pivot
After the show wrapped, Brandon didn't immediately vanish. He moved to New York City for a while, trying to turn that reality TV momentum into a sustainable luxury brand. He had big dreams of dressing A-list rappers like A$AP Rocky and Lil Wayne. For a minute, it looked like it was working. He even dressed Dan Reynolds from Imagine Dragons for a world tour.
But the fashion industry is a meat grinder.
By late 2022, his social media presence—the lifeblood of any modern designer—went quiet. His Instagram, once a mood board of "straps and flaps," stopped updating. Fans on Reddit and fashion forums started a digital manhunt. Did he quit? Did he get burnt out?
Actually, it looks like he just chose a different kind of life. Based on recent public records and social media sightings from 2024 and 2025, Brandon has largely stepped away from the high-pressure world of haute couture. He moved back toward his roots. Instead of sewing 20-piece collections for Fashion Week, he’s been working in a completely different sector: automotive sales.
Life Beyond the Sewing Machine
It’s a bit of a shock to see a guy who was praised by Nina Garcia selling cars at a Chrysler dealership, but that's the reality of the "post-show" glow. It fades.
Sources from local Utah communities and recent social media updates indicate that Brandon is living a much more private life now. He’s married. He’s a father. He has a son. If you look at his more recent personal posts, the "zen designer" has been replaced by a "family man" who seems perfectly content with a steady paycheck and a quiet life in the suburbs.
There’s a lesson here about the "Project Runway Curse." Unless you're Christian Siriano, turning a few months of TV fame into a billion-dollar brand is statistically nearly impossible. Brandon was incredibly talented, but he was also open about his struggles with the business side of things.
What happened to his clothing line?
- The Website: BrandonKee.com is currently inactive.
- Production: His signature oversized, strap-heavy pieces haven't seen a new release in years.
- The "Vibe": While he still lists himself as a designer in some bios, there is no evidence of an active commercial operation in 2026.
Why He Left the Limelight
There’s a lot of speculation about why he stopped. Some fans think he got discouraged after losing the Season 16 finale to Kentaro Kameyama. That finale was a heartbreaker for Brandon fans. He was the frontrunner for the entire season, but his final collection was criticized for being too repetitive. The judges, who had praised his "straps" for weeks, suddenly decided they’d seen enough of them.
That kind of public "turn" can be exhausting.
Also, let's be real: the fashion world is expensive. Without a massive investor, a young designer from Utah has to fund everything themselves. Patterns, fabric, samples, PR—it adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. For someone like Brandon, who valued his "zen" and peace of mind, the hustle of NYC might have just been too much noise.
Is a Comeback Possible?
In the fashion world, nobody is ever truly "gone." We've seen designers disappear for a decade only to pop up with a collaboration at Target or a new streetwear line.
For now, Brandon seems to be focusing on the things that actually last: family and stability. He hasn't officially "retired" from art—he likely still creates in private—but the days of him being the "golden boy" of cable TV are in the rearview mirror.
If you’re looking to support him today, your best bet is keeping an eye on resale sites like Depop or Poshmark. Occasionally, pieces from his original collections or his post-show drops pop up, and they still hold that unique, utilitarian aesthetic that made him a star in the first place.
The take-away for fans:
Don't be sad that he's not on the runway. Being a successful car salesman and a great dad is a lot more "zen" than crying over a sewing machine at 3:00 AM because your bobbin jammed. Brandon Kee found his own version of winning, even if it didn't involve a check from Heidi Klum.
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Your next steps to follow Brandon:
- Check secondary market apps like Grailed or The RealReal for vintage Brandon Kee Season 16 era pieces.
- Follow his personal Facebook or LinkedIn if you want to see his professional pivot, but respect his privacy as a private citizen.
- Rewatch Season 16 on streaming platforms to appreciate the "straps and flaps" era in its full glory.