Those attune to the ins and outs of "Project Runway" this season have been stunned by the soap opera-style drama, not just among contestants but between judges, producers and the most unlikely of provocateurs, Tim Gunn.

As Lifetime’s "Project Runway" co-host and Liz Claiborne chief creative officer, Gunn has long been held up as the picture of conservatism and decorum in the unruly world of reality TV series, but he raised eyebrows this season for letting loose as to what he really thinks. In no time, he’d called out designer Gretchen Jones for the manipulative behavior of her team, suggested the show’s judges were smoking crack in light of their questionable judgment, and even took down his video blog after candid comments led to too many hurt feelings.

But his candor doesn’t surprise me. Not when it means defending the designers he befriends and advises during the course of the series. I was the first journalist he called out when, during Season 3 of "Project Runway," I wrote a piece quoting a professor at the University of Hawaii School of Apparel, Product, Design and Merchandising who described the time limits on the show’s challenges as "artificial." Considering the amount of work that goes into the garments, she surmised it was all staged.

Gunn e-mailed me to assure the challenges "are, indeed, one to two days in length, and given that (the designers) suffer from all manner of corresponding stress and fatigue, I just couldn’t let that professor’s comment remain unchallenged."

And, he’s not through. Like a superhero out to right wrongs and champion human decency, Gunn’s prepared to take anyone to task, including (gasp!) almighty Vogue editrix Anna Wintour, who demanded an apology after he revealed in a New York Post interview that he saw her being carried down five flights of stairs after a fashion show. For the record, Gunn didn’t apologize because he said it was true.

After years of being witness to bad behavior among fashion industry professionals, he’s refreshed the rules of etiquette in his new book, "Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work." He takes on many a Hollywood and fashion celeb who sell the image of perfection but who could do a lot better at polishing up their own bratty behavior.

GUNN will be sharing his insights into life and style Saturday during a fall fashion event featuring designs from Liz Claiborne, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade and Lucky Brand Jeans at Ala Moana Center. The event will include style transformations, tips and advice on how to maximize one’s wardrobe.

Gunn’s back-to-back Honolulu appearances — he was here in mid-August for a hometown visit with Andy South — has fueled speculation about South’s standing in the competition that ended in early September but has weeks to run its course in TV Land.

Gunn said that because of the scrutiny surrounding the show, he made home visits with all 10 of the designers who showed at New York Fashion Week Sept. 9 and said in a phone interview that his upcoming visit is "completely independent" from "Project Runway."

Planning for the Ala Moana appearance started a year ago in connection with his duties at Liz Claiborne, he said. "We partner with malls all over the nation, coming in with multibrand fashion shows and we’re thrilled about coming to Hawaii," Gunn said.

But don’t make any assumptions: "Don’t count Andy in … but don’t count him out either," he said.

If not for "Project Runway," Gunn might still be enjoying a relatively quiet position as an educator (he’s former chairman of the Department of Fashion Design at Parsons in New York City). The series has been a hit since its 2004 debut and Gunn, with his direct, honest critiques and catch phrase — "make it work" — became an instant celebrity. He was tapped to cover the red carpet at the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards and Golden Globes from 2006 through 2008, and has been a fashion correspondent for NBC-TV’s "Today" program and for "Entertainment Tonight."

His first book, "Tim Gunn: A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style," published in 2007, was followed by his own TV show, "Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style."

In his books, he portrays himself as having been a sensitive, awkward kid at odds with society’s brutal nature. Now, as a more confident and outspoken adult, he’s concerned about the way youths are raised with a "win-at-all-cost" attitude that tells them it’s OK to get ahead by disregarding rules and knocking others down.

In his newest book, Gunn said he wanted to take a stand for manners when, increasingly, boors get their way because others are left intimidated and speechless in their wake.

"I just wanted to say to people, ‘Don’t bully others, and accept responsibility for your actions and behavior,’" he said.

"I’ve been exposed to abusive behavior as long as I can remember and wanted to write a book as an antidote to bad behavior and tell people that good qualities of character pay off. It’s better to play nicely than be a diva, because cheaters never prosper."

It’s worked for the author, and his fans have been receptive to the idea of putting bullies in their place. "People on the show said they were happy about the things I said to Gretchen, and I got the same reaction from people watching at home," he said.

And while many at home were shocked by the upbraiding, Gunn said it was not done lightly.

"What you saw was only 90 minutes, but I’m in the workroom constantly, much more time than it appears, and it was a very emotional situation. I never had a rant quite like that, but I was so completely perplexed by the collective behavior of the team."

He said he is often approached by parents who believe their pre-teens are talented enough to appear on "Project Runway" and are relentless in promoting them, even though the rules state designers must be at least 21.

"I find it appalling, to be honest," he said, placing blame for lowered standards on parents’ coddling and on school systems that did away with class rankings to avoid "making students feel bad."

In his latest book, he writes: "You need to differentiate between good, mediocre and poor. … To think that all I have to do is show up and I’ll be patted on the head? That’s no way to live an exciting artistic life."

To be photographed with Gunn on the runway, present a receipt for a qualifying purchase of $150 or more from Juicy Couture, Kate Spade or Lucky Brand Jeans made between Sunday and Saturday.