Philly Project Runway fanatics, prepare yourself: Season 1’s Jay McCarroll is back in town! Even better, McCarroll’s living in South Philly, teaching at Philadelphia U., and selling his wares at two of our favorite local boutiques — Mew Gallery and Topstitch. Stop by today to check out canvas bags, totes, bowling bags and wrist cuffs, all with McCarroll’s signature circles.

But don’t fret, there’s plenty more of Jay to come: He’s got a new line (think color-block coats and beaded sweaters) that he’ll be peddling on QVC in February and a documentary coming out next year called Eleven Minutes. Also, check out our fireside chat with Jay, where he tells all about the rumor he was homeless, what he really wants for Christmas, why Philly is way cooler than New York, and the “saucy” new trend he’s predicting for ’08.

Well, I can now say that I’ve tucked into a U-shaped booth and had a long one-on-one chat with David Yurman. And yes, he was great. Personable, chatty, smart, down-to-earth, funny. Read on to get his take on inspiration, marriage, good citizenship, communication and, of course, mahvelous jewelry, dahling.

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As I write this, I’m in the middle of prepping for a lunch meeting with David Yurman, the man behind the eponymous luxe jewelry brand, that signature cable detailing, and those sultry ads that beg the question, “Would that necklace look as good on me as it does on a writhing, pouty Kate Moss?” (The answer: Yes. That necklace couldn’t look less than astounding on anyone.)

The famed jewelry designer is in Philly for a brunch at Drexel University (more on that next week), and then he’s off to King of Prussia for an event benefiting breastcancer.org, a nonprofit organization that offers the most up-to-date, comprehensive medical information about the disease, so that those affected by it can make informed decisions about treatment.

I’ll be asking David Yurman about his involvement with the cause (he also designed a limited-edition diamond-and-pink-alligator watch for breast cancer awareness), his art background (did you know that he started out as a sculptor?), his inspiration for the jaw-dropping jewelry he creates … and maybe I’ll even wrangle some marriage advice from him (after all, it was his wife who urged him to start creating jewelry!). Check in next Thursday for the full interview.

Image, davidyurman.com