Project Runway judge Nina Garcia's rumored departure from her day job as fashion director of Elle shouldn't shock readers of Radar's March 2008 fashion issue. As Lera Loeb noted, since the show's 2004 debut, Garcia's gig as Heidi Klum's shill has boosted Elle's newsstand numbers, a rare feat among fashion bibles today. But mostly, it's raised Garcia's profile.

During season one, she and fashion news director Anne Slowey shared judging duties; today Garcia, Klum, Tim Gunn, and Michael Kors are the show's snarky core. The famously over-accessorized Garcia used to cool her Manolos in the second row at fashion shows before her prime-time debut. Now she's more recognizable than all of the editors at Elle combined:

She has a book and a BlackBerry ad to prove it. As the rumor mill goes, this only pisses off the mag hags, particularly creative director Joe Zee, who came on board in 2007. People have even started calling her "Mean-a Garcia" in the office. And that just hurts. But does the Ninamosity run so deep that Elle would jettison all that positive PR just to ditch a witch?

Now may be the time. Runway is headed to Lifetime—that Calgon bath of a ladynetwork—pending a lawsuit by NBC to keep it on Bravo. Meanwhile, Zee and Elle editor in chief Roberta Myers are considering teaming up with America's Next Top Model and Ugly Betty, which have richer cosponsors. Like a red stiletto boot the back, that might just be the kick the mag is looking for. Auf Wiedersehen, Mean-a!