The Team: Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle

Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle are combining Michel’s interior design skills with Anthony’s couture fashion designer expertise to create one-of-a-kind looks in their “Mountain Modern” home. “I think the other teams may think we’re going to spend our money way too quickly. But luxury to us means knowing how to spend money and how to create the experience,” said Michel while filming the show.

HGTV’s Luxe for Less stars

Ahead, some more insight into this fun pair.

They Both Grew Up in the South

Michel was raised in the Lowcountry town of Thibodaux, Louisiana. “Coming from a small town, values are important and the idea of service is imperative,” he once said. Anthony grew up in Birmingham, Alabama.

Both Were Once Models

Michel tried his hand at modeling when he lived in New York City years ago. Anthony was once a drag queen and loved to compete in pageants. “Hmm, I guess that’s why creative competitions are second nature to me,” he says.

They Were on Television

Before Rock the Block

Michel appeared on Bravo’s design series, Buying It Blind, and Anthony took the crown on Season 6 of Bravo’s fashion reality show, Project Runway All Stars

(afterwards, he changed his name from Anthony Williams to Anthony Elle). He was also a judge on HBO Max’s Craftopia, a DIY craft competition reality show.

As owner of SMITHBOYD, a design firm specializing in luxury residential and commercial projects, Michel is known as one of Atlanta’s top interior designers. Anthony has an atelier, Anthony Elle House of Fashion Design, where he creates custom couture gowns under the Anthony Elle label and also runs Anthony Elle House of Design, a subscription-based online fashion course that includes classes like Fundamentals of Fabric. When they’re not filming for HGTV or doing all of the above, Michel works on his furniture and rug collections. As well, Anthony recently landed his first acting role on Netflix’s How High 2.

They Have Three Things They Can’t Live Without

Anthony: My music, my fabric and my iPad.

Michel: My knit hat, my notebook/sketch pad and my La-Z-Boy

They Each Have a Favorite Childhood Memory

“Mine was when my mom made homemade biscuits and hot cocoa on cold mornings,” says Michel. For Anthony, it was doing arts and crafts. “At a very early age I recognized the power and joy of creating things with my hands,” he says.

They Love to Incorporate Sexy Design

“Nobody is going to bring more sexy to the house than us. Page and Mitch? They’re cute. The island renovators? They’re cute. And the farmhouse renovators? They’re lovely. But sexy? That’s us,” laughs Michel.