I swear, if this show gets any gayer, it'll need it's own Pride Parade. Wait, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea. Now where did I put my leather chaps....
Showing posts with label Project Runway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Project Runway. Show all posts
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Tonight on Ugly Betty...
Special cameos from Project Runway winner, Christian Soriano and judge, Nina Garcia.
I swear, if this show gets any gayer, it'll need it's own Pride Parade. Wait, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea. Now where did I put my leather chaps....
I swear, if this show gets any gayer, it'll need it's own Pride Parade. Wait, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea. Now where did I put my leather chaps....
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Earth Shattering News!
Uh-oh. This worries Tim Gunn.
Project Runway has been bought or sold or traded or… something… the point is: Project Runway is moving to Lifetime. Ok, maybe it isn’t so Earth-shattering. But it’s a dark day for Bravo, that’s for sure. In the last few years, Bravo has turned itself into one of the best cable networks, in my opinion, thanks to a great bunch of well-produced, well-crafted, and well-received Reality Competitions like Project Runway. While some of them have been more misses than hits (Top Design, anyone? Or how about Shear Genius? To be fair, I watched those shows and liked them just fine, but even I know they weren’t going to win any Emmys), Bravo’s line-up of shows is very impressive. I love Top Chef (who doesn’t), and Make Me a Supermodel was actually pretty awesome at the beginning, until that mob of male models took over everything and made the show reek of male insecurity, shame, and I can only assume Axe Body Spray (and by the way, Go HOLLY!), and Step It Up and Dance is promising to be a campier, gayer, sluttier version of So You Think You Can Dance, and… I just can’t think of anything wrong with that. It is fair to say that the success of the network for the past few years is thanks in large part to Project Runway, and I can’t even imagine what will happen to the network without their masthead. My guess, though, is it won’t be pretty.
Here’s the thing, if you really want to get to the nitty-gritty: Lifetime is Television For Women. No seriously, that’s their slogan. Bravo is Television For Gays (And Some Women), and seriously, that might as well be their slogan. If the powers that be feel the need to alter the format or tone of Project Runway in order to fit it into the Lifetime sensibility, it will FAIL! If they leave everything as it is, everything will be fine and Lifetime will get a huge ratings boost and we’ll all live happily ever after. There’s probably a lot of people out there who think Project Runway is ready for a makeover of sorts anyway (last season was rather stale, at least in the beginning), so maybe this will work out for the best. Personally, I don’t care. I just need my weekly dose of Tim Gunn. So Lifetime, if I may directly address you and channel The Gunn at the same time… “Make It Work!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
What's the word again?
Has this ever happened to you? You go shopping and actually find cute things… things that fit, things in your color, things that don’t make you cry while you swipe your debit card… and then you wear them to work or out or wherever, and everyone compliments you and uses words like “spiffy” or “hotness” or “strangely aroused”. And you’re feeling real good about yourself… but theeeeeeeeeeeen you start to wonder.
Do you really look that good today? Are they complimenting you as a form of positive reinforcement because you usually look like crap? Were all the days you didn’t get fawned over and praised sartorial failures?
I ask because that’s the kind of day I’m having. Leave it to me to rip an insult out of the jaws of a compliment.
Just for fun, though, I’ll try to play along. Today I look…
By the way, if you haven’t seen Amy Poehler’s impression of Christian Soriano, you haven’t really lived. It’s after the jump.
Do you really look that good today? Are they complimenting you as a form of positive reinforcement because you usually look like crap? Were all the days you didn’t get fawned over and praised sartorial failures?
I ask because that’s the kind of day I’m having. Leave it to me to rip an insult out of the jaws of a compliment.
Just for fun, though, I’ll try to play along. Today I look…
FIERCE!!
By the way, if you haven’t seen Amy Poehler’s impression of Christian Soriano, you haven’t really lived. It’s after the jump.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Project Runway Finale
So… were you happy with the outcome of Project Runway Season 4?
I’m spoiler sensitive, so… my thoughts are after the Read More!
I have to say, if I were either Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, or Vicky Beckham, I would have had a nervous breakdown. But seriously, I would totally be Heidi Klum for a day, and what a day it would be. I envy her so. Can you imagine being that tall? Or married to Seal? Or universally respected as a pretty person with a passable singing voice? Granted, I would eschew the bangs, because, WOW those look distracting, but, all things considered, she has an amazing life. AND she gets to hang out with Tim Gunn all day. I hate Heidi Klum sometimes.
What was I talking about?
CHRISTIAN WINS!! And good for him. Like I said before, I wouldn’t have been able to decide between these three incredibly talented people. It seemed a little weird picking a winner, because unlike previous seasons, they all succeeded masterfully in their respective aesthetics. Jillian’s collection was flirty, fun, and remarkably innovative (and also wearable). Rami’s collection blew my mind a little bit, and not just because I was taken aback by the lack of draping. He surprised me in a good way… the evening gowns at the end of this collection were particularly breathtaking. And then, Christian. His collection was sleek, new, and stylish. Clearly this kid knows exactly who he is as a designer, and even more surprising, he’s able to execute his vision. The whole season I was blown away by his artistic consistency. Most people his age can’t even communicate how they feel about breakfast burritos, but HE knows exactly what he wants and how to achieve it. I’m tempted to say he’s a prodigy. That’s why I was never all that grossed out by his arrogance. This kid has the goods to back it up, so I say… brag away. And really, he couldn’t have been as full of himself as the show made him seem because everyone just adored him. You could tell. And somehow, I made it through that entire paragraph without using the word FIERCE.
Li’l Sis and I discussed the outcome right after the finale aired, and she was disappointed that Rami didn’t win. And I can’t say I disagree, entirely. My joy for Christian’s victory might be more of a personal attachment than a love of his work. Christian’s collection, for me, was cohesive and true to his vision, not to mention uber-fashionable, but none of the looks really spoke to me. And this one below just made me want a frappuchino really bad.
While Rami had some stand out looks , his collection wasn’t nearly as great, FOR ME, from start to finish. I didn’t respond to any of the first few looks at all, and only sort of liked the ones in the middle. But the evening gowns that comprised his finale? Frikkin’ gorgeous!
So I was a little bit sad for Rami. But I would bet my blog that he’ll have gowns on the red carpet very soon. Rumor has it Heidi has already commissioned some of his stuff. Seriously, can we talk about those gowns? Again? I can’t stop thinking about them. Gowns like that are why we have drag queens in the world, and I’m saying right here that if I got my hands on one of those gowns I would wear it in public and no one could stop me. Of course, I’d have to lose and gain some pounds in the right places, but a bitch will TRY.
For a season that was kind of Blah from challenge to challenge, this finale brought it to a thrilling end. I don’t think there has been a top 3 so evenly matched. I firmly believe that any of the three could have taken the prize, depending on the mood in the judging room, and I even more firmly believe that Vicky Beckham was the one who tipped the judges all the way over to Christian. She was, like, enraptured by Christian and his clothes, and I couldn’t help but feel like we had just witnessed the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
The best news: they announced auditions for another season. I don’t know if anyone remembers, but there was a moment there when it wasn’t set in stone that there would be another season. I, for one, don’t even want to imagine life without this show, so I was most relieved to know Tim Gunn would be making the rounds again.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Project Runway Episode 5...
Is everyone still sad about Chris’s elimination? Good news! Eliminations are just for play, play (not for real, real) on Project Runway. Indeed, Episode 5 is a smorgasbord of drama, with the untimely departure of one contestant, the joyous return of a recently Auf’ed contestant, and the dismissal of yet another contestant. The episode aired two weeks ago, and my head is still spinning, although… I did drink a lot of eggnog over the holidays.
All of the contestants are in mourning after the brutal Auf’ing of our dear, sweet Chris, who made up for his lack of taste in fashion with just bucket-loads of laughter and wit. Sweet P is particularly saddened by the loss, mostly because she shared with Chris the same feelings of inadequacy compared to all the professionals in the workroom, or at least that’s what I think. C’mon, Sweet P, what happened to all the jazz about better him/her than me? Meanwhile, over in the boys’ apartment, Jack looks like he just got hit by a truck. Seriously, one side of his face is swollen like a water balloon. He looks miserable, so he explains that he’s dealing with a staph infection, which is why he looks like he’s getting over a recent collagen injection.
Back in the studio, Heidi drops the bomb that we’re about to sit through yet another challenge that doesn’t involve the models, so we won’t be seeing them this week… again. Instead, a lot of very pretty ladies wearing what appear to be remnants of circus tents come walking on to the runway, and Heidi exposits that this challenge will be a makeover challenge. The ladies standing in front of the designers have all lost incredible amounts of weight, and the large, billowing layers of fabric currently weighing them down are actually outfits that they loved and cherished when they were at their heaviest. As they move down the line introducing themselves, I’m almost in tears. These women have accomplished amazing, bewildering, staggering losses of weight, some over a 100 lbs., and they are positively glowing, even though some of them are about to fall over from the weight of their old clothes. Indeed, I think there are outfits up there that weigh more than their owners… now. The challenge will be to construct a fashionable, flattering, and tasteful outfit using the old outfit and $10 dollars worth of extra fabric from the store.
This has got to be on the best challenges this show has ever put forward. It’s challenging, but also inspirational, and dare I say, just a little bit moving. The designers are paired with the models at random and then it’s off to the workroom for a consultation and some sketching, followed by a little shopping. Throughout this whole process, the camera is continuously drawn to Jack, whose face just keeps swelling and swelling. The other designers are starting to get concerned, and Sweet P asks him if he’s in any pain. He responds vaguely – I’m sure he’s just trying to ignore the discomfort at this point. A little later, though, we listen in as Jack calls his doctor, who implores Jack to come in immediately for a very intensive treatment. Jack’s eyes betray the dilemma he’s in; he’s worked so hard to be on this show, and up to this point he’s done very well, but should a man who is HIV+ risk sitting around while a dangerous bacteria rages through his body, even if his immune system is currently in very good shape? The obvious answer is no, so Jack breaks the news to Tim in private, and then to the rest of the designers. God, this is heart-breaking. I can’t recall the last time Fate dealt such a swift kick in the ass to a reality show contestant. But, health trumps all, so even though I was sad to see him go, he totally did the right thing.
Not too long after the remaining designers dry their tears and get back to work, Tim Gunn walks in with a special announcement. Of course, before doing so, he raises his eyes to the doorway, and Show pulls its now infamous OMG-look-the-door-is-opening-who-will-it-be trick. I’m going to go ahead and declare for the record that I thought we were going to be introduced to the guest judge for this challenge, who I had hoped would be none other than… Richard Simmons. Alas, I was brutally rebuffed there, but happily, Tim Gunn is actually bringing back a former contestant to replace Jack, and it is none other than Chris March! The workroom explodes with excitement, and rightly so; Chris March is fabulous. However, I caught myself going through a slightly embarrassing crisis of conscience upon seeing Chris’s face. At first, I was as happy as the other designers, because I like the guy, but then I was all, wait, he was eliminated. Tim Gunn prattles (which is so unlike him) about how the show wanted to keep the level of competition high, but I’m not sure that makes sense. I mean, from a purely game-oriented perspective, how is this keeping the level of competition high? And how is it fair to the remaining designers? I suppose since Jack left voluntarily (as opposed to Season 3’s Keith, who left in disgrace), it makes sense to bring back a recently Auf’ed contestant, but it just doesn’t sit well with me. This is so complicated, I’m so happy to have Chris back, but I’m not happy about it, either. Maybe I need to get a life.
Since Chris came back into the game so late, he will be allowed to work through the night, thus getting the same amount of time as the other designers, but it’s pretty obvious that Chris probably got a phone call at his apartment just as he was returning home from being eliminated, and then he re-packed himself and high-tailed it back, just to get thrown into a new challenge with a model he hasn’t met. Maybe that sort of balances the fact that he’s back after being eliminated. I guess I feel a little bit better.
During the construction process, it’s pretty clear that Steven is having major issues. Well, the model he got stuck with showed up in a wedding gown; a cheap, beaded, and sequined to the boundaries of taste gown, just to clarify. The lady is very sweet and obviously aware of the challenge her fat outfit presents, but Steven doesn’t seem to be committed to “making it work.” Instead of looking for potential, as little as there may be, in the gown, he has decided to use cheap black fabric from the store and use the white elements of the initial look as embellishments. That seems cut-and-dry to me, but somehow he’s very far behind in every aspect of the design process the entire time. Things aren’t looking too good for Steven, that’s for sure, but some of the others designers are cooking up some ugly as well. This should be an interesting runway show.
We’ll start with the winner.
Finally, Christian gets a win. This little munchkin is very sure of himself, and he seems to believe very sincerely that he should have won every challenge so far, so he’s particularly happy to win. The truth is: even though the judges have been off on the winner several times this season already, Christian hasn’t deserved to win any, either. I can’t spite him too much, though; he’s been consistently good, and I actually agree with the judges on this one. His client was particularly challenging. She stipulated a long list of things she just won’t wear, including patterns, colors, and specific styles. She only wears jeans and black tops, which I find a little silly. I mean, black clothes and denim are the staples of a fat person’s wardrobe, so I totally understand her dependence on them, but if I’d lost as much weight as she, I would be running around in a coat of many colors and tights, that is, if I wasn’t taking every opportunity to be naked in public. I guess I’m just surprised that someone would still be stuck in the same old wardrobe habits after altering their lifestyle and appearance so drastically. Anyway, Christian clearly exceeded her expectations with this look. Not only did he stay within her parameters, but he created a stylish, contemporary, and commercial look. Not only that, but he managed to incorporate his own sensibilities as well. After seeing the outfit come down the runway and listen to him talk about it, I said to myself that if the judges don’t give him this win they are the biggest hypocrites in reality TV judging history (a remarkable feat), and I would never take them seriously again. He accomplished everything they are constantly harping about, and luckily (for them), they awarded him for it.
Some people are raving that he barely changed the initial look (which was, surprise, jeans and a black top), but I don’t see what other options he had, what with all of the requirements he had to deal with. And honestly, you have to give him props for reconstructing the fat jeans to those very well-fitted cropped jeans. And the jacket is just gorgeous.
This week’s loser, without a doubt, is Steven. What a disaster. The dress in and of itself isn’t the worst thing in the world, but the fact that he didn’t even try to incorporate the wedding dress was what really killed him. Yes, she looks like she just stepped off the Mayflower, and yes, he glued the white parts to the black parts, and it sort of shows, but what really did him in was his refusal to accept the challenge for what it was. He was snobby about the wedding dress from the start. Granted, his raw material was far more difficult to re-imagine than the others, but I can’t help but feel like he gave up and just did the easiest thing he could think of simply because he was offended by the fabric, lace, and sequins. I understand his choice of black, because he probably figured it would work best with the wedding dress once he figured out what he was going to do, but the resulting look is dreary, drab, and dr-BLAH! La Kors and La Nina threw out funeral and French maid, and… yes and yes, agreed and agreed. I’m totally Ok with this Auf’ing, because I never really liked the guy anyway. AUF!
Also in the Top 3 is Kevin. I love, love, LOVED! this look. It’s very now, very today, very Lindsay Lohan wore it yesterday. And if you had seen what he had to work with originally, this is nothing short of a technical and artistic marvel. I’m sorry to make Kevin sound like he just invented the wheel, but I seriously cannot get over how awesome this outfit is. If was a girl, I would totally wear it. Hell, maybe I’ll wear it anyway. It’s flattering and fashionable, and his model looked like she was about to run outside, flip her hair, and never look back. What a great way to acknowledge a significant weight loss, huh? Even though I strongly second Christian’s win, I wouldn’t have had a problem with this one taking it. Well played, Kevin, well played.
Rounding out the Top 3, and in a very controversial way, is Jillian. She made the dubious choice of foregoing her model’s original fabric in order to create a red dress. In fact, the only shred of fabric from the original clothes is the black piping that accentuates the model’s curves. While I like this dress (I mean, ain’t nothing wrong with it), I can’t help but be fixated on Jillian’s clear infraction of the challenge’s rules. Even more frightening is the judges’ dismissal of said infraction. I mean, COME ON!! They raked Steven over the coals for not using the wedding dress in his design, but they smile and nod at Jillian’s well-constructed, if not sort of boring, red dress like nothing is wrong. I don’t think Jillian deserved to get Auf’ed or anything, but why the HELL is she sitting in the Top 3? One more time, COME ON!! This is such a despicable, heinous, ridiculous double standard. Tim Gunn warned us at the beginning of the season that there would be several judging snafus that would make us rip out our collective hair and grind our collective teeth, but this is beyond frustrating… it’s STUPID. Now I need a cocktail.
I think it’s a bad sign when a contestant is allowed to come back to a Reality TV competition after being eliminated, and then continues to make the same mistakes that got him eliminated in the first place. Well, that’s Chris March for you. One of the things about any creative pursuit is the idea that one must be open to criticism and make changes. Being creative isn’t always about listening to one’s inner muse, especially in a field that involves working with clients or pleasing a customer. Fashion, my friends, is one of those fields. Chris was told in the last challenge that his designs were too customey, that they lacked a certain taste-level, that they made Nina’s eyes bleed. I’m wondering if he heard those criticisms and simply chose to ignore them, so convinced of his own genius that he won’t change, or if he’s just a kind of idiot.
Looking at this outfit, it isn’t all that awful. I like the play of color between the two shades of blue, and the top is quite pretty and flattering. But what’s… with… the giant red bow? And you can sort of see it in the picture, but he also included a fish tail on the back of the dress in the same shade of red. I think Chris probably thought the bow and the tail added a punch of color and interest to the dress, but all it really did was make it… you guessed it… customey. In fact, it brought very specific images to the minds of La Kors, and even though I can’t remember those, suffice it to say that the judges found the look to be clichéd, which, dammit Chris, don’t you listen?
Elisa continues to flirt with her own expiration, ya’ll. I can’t decide if she’s crazy or just out of her league, but this outfit is, in a word, Fug. The sad thing is that the jacket is actually quite nice looking, and it might have worked had it been paired with a pencil skirt or a pant, but the mini-skirt and long shirt just make her look short and stumpy. La Kors brought up a good point about how the layers seem to block out her body horizontally, which is never flattering on a shorter, wider body. Basically, Elisa made some serious mistakes when it comes to form and shape, and the look… not to mention the model… suffers.
The next two looks are some of the looks that are lucky not to have landed in the Bottom 3, in my opinion. On the left is Victorya’s translation of her model’s giant green moo-moo. Since Victorya’s model had one of the more dramatic weight-losses, Victorya had ample fabric to work with, so she should have been able to come up with something really creative and different. Instead, it’s just a wrap dress with some slight tweaking of color. I won’t be too hard on Victorya, though, mostly because I’m having trouble imagining that color and fabric being turned into anything interesting, but I will say that I’m not impressed. Also, Victorya needs to work on her people skills. She’s so robotic and cold, she’s like one of the Borg, I’m telling you.
On the right is Sweet P’s concoction, and my complaint is that it’s too simple. Now that we’re in Season 4, I’ve gotten quite good at identifying when the designers are being too safe. This dress is too obvious based on the original outfit, and later on, the judges will call Sweet P out for her uninspired patterns. Also, the fit seems a little off in the skirt.
Finally, these three looks were declared as passing.
First up is Ricky’s look, which I can’t say I like. The top is cute, but you could totally find it at the mall, if not TJ Maxx. To me, it’s a little dated. And I’m sorry, the cropped jeans are just not flattering. I can see her ass fat from here, and I don’t think that was the point of this challenge. True, she’s standing in such a way as to accentuate her booty, but the jeans are clearly too tight. I wish I could remember what the original clothes looked like, but since I can’t, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but this outfit is just not creative enough for me. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop being mean to Ricky until he manages to get through one episode without crying. Seriously, he needs medication.
In the middle is Rami’s outfit, which I think is a complete success. The top is pretty and interesting, especially the twisting over the shoulders, and the skirt is working her figure big time. Rami definitely understands the shape of woman’s body, and when I first saw this look, I thought it would be a contender for the Top 3. It most certainly should have been up there instead of Jillian’s. And based on the way his model came down the runway, I think she agrees with everything I just said.
Finally, Kit. The only thing I don’t like about this dress is the dominant color, and since Kit couldn’t really help that, I have to let it slide. However, I do love the contrast of pattern and texture. The small accents of the black and white floral pattern against the solid pink is stunning, especially the peek of it at the bottom of the skirt. I would prefer if the pink was slightly darker, or a different color altogether, but like I said, Kit didn’t have a choice in the matter. We can’t all refuse to use the fabric we’re given and expect not to be penalized, JILLIAN!
Well, that’s that. For some crazy reason, Project Runway is on hiatus until January something or other, so in the meantime, I’ll have to find something else to occupy my recapping time. I thought about covering the Survivor finale since I did the premiere, but then I thought… Hell to the No. Well, I’ll think of something.
All of the contestants are in mourning after the brutal Auf’ing of our dear, sweet Chris, who made up for his lack of taste in fashion with just bucket-loads of laughter and wit. Sweet P is particularly saddened by the loss, mostly because she shared with Chris the same feelings of inadequacy compared to all the professionals in the workroom, or at least that’s what I think. C’mon, Sweet P, what happened to all the jazz about better him/her than me? Meanwhile, over in the boys’ apartment, Jack looks like he just got hit by a truck. Seriously, one side of his face is swollen like a water balloon. He looks miserable, so he explains that he’s dealing with a staph infection, which is why he looks like he’s getting over a recent collagen injection.
Back in the studio, Heidi drops the bomb that we’re about to sit through yet another challenge that doesn’t involve the models, so we won’t be seeing them this week… again. Instead, a lot of very pretty ladies wearing what appear to be remnants of circus tents come walking on to the runway, and Heidi exposits that this challenge will be a makeover challenge. The ladies standing in front of the designers have all lost incredible amounts of weight, and the large, billowing layers of fabric currently weighing them down are actually outfits that they loved and cherished when they were at their heaviest. As they move down the line introducing themselves, I’m almost in tears. These women have accomplished amazing, bewildering, staggering losses of weight, some over a 100 lbs., and they are positively glowing, even though some of them are about to fall over from the weight of their old clothes. Indeed, I think there are outfits up there that weigh more than their owners… now. The challenge will be to construct a fashionable, flattering, and tasteful outfit using the old outfit and $10 dollars worth of extra fabric from the store.
This has got to be on the best challenges this show has ever put forward. It’s challenging, but also inspirational, and dare I say, just a little bit moving. The designers are paired with the models at random and then it’s off to the workroom for a consultation and some sketching, followed by a little shopping. Throughout this whole process, the camera is continuously drawn to Jack, whose face just keeps swelling and swelling. The other designers are starting to get concerned, and Sweet P asks him if he’s in any pain. He responds vaguely – I’m sure he’s just trying to ignore the discomfort at this point. A little later, though, we listen in as Jack calls his doctor, who implores Jack to come in immediately for a very intensive treatment. Jack’s eyes betray the dilemma he’s in; he’s worked so hard to be on this show, and up to this point he’s done very well, but should a man who is HIV+ risk sitting around while a dangerous bacteria rages through his body, even if his immune system is currently in very good shape? The obvious answer is no, so Jack breaks the news to Tim in private, and then to the rest of the designers. God, this is heart-breaking. I can’t recall the last time Fate dealt such a swift kick in the ass to a reality show contestant. But, health trumps all, so even though I was sad to see him go, he totally did the right thing.
Not too long after the remaining designers dry their tears and get back to work, Tim Gunn walks in with a special announcement. Of course, before doing so, he raises his eyes to the doorway, and Show pulls its now infamous OMG-look-the-door-is-opening-who-will-it-be trick. I’m going to go ahead and declare for the record that I thought we were going to be introduced to the guest judge for this challenge, who I had hoped would be none other than… Richard Simmons. Alas, I was brutally rebuffed there, but happily, Tim Gunn is actually bringing back a former contestant to replace Jack, and it is none other than Chris March! The workroom explodes with excitement, and rightly so; Chris March is fabulous. However, I caught myself going through a slightly embarrassing crisis of conscience upon seeing Chris’s face. At first, I was as happy as the other designers, because I like the guy, but then I was all, wait, he was eliminated. Tim Gunn prattles (which is so unlike him) about how the show wanted to keep the level of competition high, but I’m not sure that makes sense. I mean, from a purely game-oriented perspective, how is this keeping the level of competition high? And how is it fair to the remaining designers? I suppose since Jack left voluntarily (as opposed to Season 3’s Keith, who left in disgrace), it makes sense to bring back a recently Auf’ed contestant, but it just doesn’t sit well with me. This is so complicated, I’m so happy to have Chris back, but I’m not happy about it, either. Maybe I need to get a life.
Since Chris came back into the game so late, he will be allowed to work through the night, thus getting the same amount of time as the other designers, but it’s pretty obvious that Chris probably got a phone call at his apartment just as he was returning home from being eliminated, and then he re-packed himself and high-tailed it back, just to get thrown into a new challenge with a model he hasn’t met. Maybe that sort of balances the fact that he’s back after being eliminated. I guess I feel a little bit better.
During the construction process, it’s pretty clear that Steven is having major issues. Well, the model he got stuck with showed up in a wedding gown; a cheap, beaded, and sequined to the boundaries of taste gown, just to clarify. The lady is very sweet and obviously aware of the challenge her fat outfit presents, but Steven doesn’t seem to be committed to “making it work.” Instead of looking for potential, as little as there may be, in the gown, he has decided to use cheap black fabric from the store and use the white elements of the initial look as embellishments. That seems cut-and-dry to me, but somehow he’s very far behind in every aspect of the design process the entire time. Things aren’t looking too good for Steven, that’s for sure, but some of the others designers are cooking up some ugly as well. This should be an interesting runway show.
We’ll start with the winner.
Finally, Christian gets a win. This little munchkin is very sure of himself, and he seems to believe very sincerely that he should have won every challenge so far, so he’s particularly happy to win. The truth is: even though the judges have been off on the winner several times this season already, Christian hasn’t deserved to win any, either. I can’t spite him too much, though; he’s been consistently good, and I actually agree with the judges on this one. His client was particularly challenging. She stipulated a long list of things she just won’t wear, including patterns, colors, and specific styles. She only wears jeans and black tops, which I find a little silly. I mean, black clothes and denim are the staples of a fat person’s wardrobe, so I totally understand her dependence on them, but if I’d lost as much weight as she, I would be running around in a coat of many colors and tights, that is, if I wasn’t taking every opportunity to be naked in public. I guess I’m just surprised that someone would still be stuck in the same old wardrobe habits after altering their lifestyle and appearance so drastically. Anyway, Christian clearly exceeded her expectations with this look. Not only did he stay within her parameters, but he created a stylish, contemporary, and commercial look. Not only that, but he managed to incorporate his own sensibilities as well. After seeing the outfit come down the runway and listen to him talk about it, I said to myself that if the judges don’t give him this win they are the biggest hypocrites in reality TV judging history (a remarkable feat), and I would never take them seriously again. He accomplished everything they are constantly harping about, and luckily (for them), they awarded him for it.
Some people are raving that he barely changed the initial look (which was, surprise, jeans and a black top), but I don’t see what other options he had, what with all of the requirements he had to deal with. And honestly, you have to give him props for reconstructing the fat jeans to those very well-fitted cropped jeans. And the jacket is just gorgeous.
This week’s loser, without a doubt, is Steven. What a disaster. The dress in and of itself isn’t the worst thing in the world, but the fact that he didn’t even try to incorporate the wedding dress was what really killed him. Yes, she looks like she just stepped off the Mayflower, and yes, he glued the white parts to the black parts, and it sort of shows, but what really did him in was his refusal to accept the challenge for what it was. He was snobby about the wedding dress from the start. Granted, his raw material was far more difficult to re-imagine than the others, but I can’t help but feel like he gave up and just did the easiest thing he could think of simply because he was offended by the fabric, lace, and sequins. I understand his choice of black, because he probably figured it would work best with the wedding dress once he figured out what he was going to do, but the resulting look is dreary, drab, and dr-BLAH! La Kors and La Nina threw out funeral and French maid, and… yes and yes, agreed and agreed. I’m totally Ok with this Auf’ing, because I never really liked the guy anyway. AUF!
Also in the Top 3 is Kevin. I love, love, LOVED! this look. It’s very now, very today, very Lindsay Lohan wore it yesterday. And if you had seen what he had to work with originally, this is nothing short of a technical and artistic marvel. I’m sorry to make Kevin sound like he just invented the wheel, but I seriously cannot get over how awesome this outfit is. If was a girl, I would totally wear it. Hell, maybe I’ll wear it anyway. It’s flattering and fashionable, and his model looked like she was about to run outside, flip her hair, and never look back. What a great way to acknowledge a significant weight loss, huh? Even though I strongly second Christian’s win, I wouldn’t have had a problem with this one taking it. Well played, Kevin, well played.
Rounding out the Top 3, and in a very controversial way, is Jillian. She made the dubious choice of foregoing her model’s original fabric in order to create a red dress. In fact, the only shred of fabric from the original clothes is the black piping that accentuates the model’s curves. While I like this dress (I mean, ain’t nothing wrong with it), I can’t help but be fixated on Jillian’s clear infraction of the challenge’s rules. Even more frightening is the judges’ dismissal of said infraction. I mean, COME ON!! They raked Steven over the coals for not using the wedding dress in his design, but they smile and nod at Jillian’s well-constructed, if not sort of boring, red dress like nothing is wrong. I don’t think Jillian deserved to get Auf’ed or anything, but why the HELL is she sitting in the Top 3? One more time, COME ON!! This is such a despicable, heinous, ridiculous double standard. Tim Gunn warned us at the beginning of the season that there would be several judging snafus that would make us rip out our collective hair and grind our collective teeth, but this is beyond frustrating… it’s STUPID. Now I need a cocktail.
I think it’s a bad sign when a contestant is allowed to come back to a Reality TV competition after being eliminated, and then continues to make the same mistakes that got him eliminated in the first place. Well, that’s Chris March for you. One of the things about any creative pursuit is the idea that one must be open to criticism and make changes. Being creative isn’t always about listening to one’s inner muse, especially in a field that involves working with clients or pleasing a customer. Fashion, my friends, is one of those fields. Chris was told in the last challenge that his designs were too customey, that they lacked a certain taste-level, that they made Nina’s eyes bleed. I’m wondering if he heard those criticisms and simply chose to ignore them, so convinced of his own genius that he won’t change, or if he’s just a kind of idiot.
Looking at this outfit, it isn’t all that awful. I like the play of color between the two shades of blue, and the top is quite pretty and flattering. But what’s… with… the giant red bow? And you can sort of see it in the picture, but he also included a fish tail on the back of the dress in the same shade of red. I think Chris probably thought the bow and the tail added a punch of color and interest to the dress, but all it really did was make it… you guessed it… customey. In fact, it brought very specific images to the minds of La Kors, and even though I can’t remember those, suffice it to say that the judges found the look to be clichéd, which, dammit Chris, don’t you listen?
Elisa continues to flirt with her own expiration, ya’ll. I can’t decide if she’s crazy or just out of her league, but this outfit is, in a word, Fug. The sad thing is that the jacket is actually quite nice looking, and it might have worked had it been paired with a pencil skirt or a pant, but the mini-skirt and long shirt just make her look short and stumpy. La Kors brought up a good point about how the layers seem to block out her body horizontally, which is never flattering on a shorter, wider body. Basically, Elisa made some serious mistakes when it comes to form and shape, and the look… not to mention the model… suffers.
The next two looks are some of the looks that are lucky not to have landed in the Bottom 3, in my opinion. On the left is Victorya’s translation of her model’s giant green moo-moo. Since Victorya’s model had one of the more dramatic weight-losses, Victorya had ample fabric to work with, so she should have been able to come up with something really creative and different. Instead, it’s just a wrap dress with some slight tweaking of color. I won’t be too hard on Victorya, though, mostly because I’m having trouble imagining that color and fabric being turned into anything interesting, but I will say that I’m not impressed. Also, Victorya needs to work on her people skills. She’s so robotic and cold, she’s like one of the Borg, I’m telling you.
On the right is Sweet P’s concoction, and my complaint is that it’s too simple. Now that we’re in Season 4, I’ve gotten quite good at identifying when the designers are being too safe. This dress is too obvious based on the original outfit, and later on, the judges will call Sweet P out for her uninspired patterns. Also, the fit seems a little off in the skirt.
Finally, these three looks were declared as passing.
First up is Ricky’s look, which I can’t say I like. The top is cute, but you could totally find it at the mall, if not TJ Maxx. To me, it’s a little dated. And I’m sorry, the cropped jeans are just not flattering. I can see her ass fat from here, and I don’t think that was the point of this challenge. True, she’s standing in such a way as to accentuate her booty, but the jeans are clearly too tight. I wish I could remember what the original clothes looked like, but since I can’t, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but this outfit is just not creative enough for me. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop being mean to Ricky until he manages to get through one episode without crying. Seriously, he needs medication.
In the middle is Rami’s outfit, which I think is a complete success. The top is pretty and interesting, especially the twisting over the shoulders, and the skirt is working her figure big time. Rami definitely understands the shape of woman’s body, and when I first saw this look, I thought it would be a contender for the Top 3. It most certainly should have been up there instead of Jillian’s. And based on the way his model came down the runway, I think she agrees with everything I just said.
Finally, Kit. The only thing I don’t like about this dress is the dominant color, and since Kit couldn’t really help that, I have to let it slide. However, I do love the contrast of pattern and texture. The small accents of the black and white floral pattern against the solid pink is stunning, especially the peek of it at the bottom of the skirt. I would prefer if the pink was slightly darker, or a different color altogether, but like I said, Kit didn’t have a choice in the matter. We can’t all refuse to use the fabric we’re given and expect not to be penalized, JILLIAN!
Well, that’s that. For some crazy reason, Project Runway is on hiatus until January something or other, so in the meantime, I’ll have to find something else to occupy my recapping time. I thought about covering the Survivor finale since I did the premiere, but then I thought… Hell to the No. Well, I’ll think of something.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Project Runway Episode 4
Oh, do not fear, Project Runway recaps, I have not abandoned thee.
In case you forgot, last time on Project Runway, we got to observe the very first challenge involving menswear, and the results were, in a word, underwhelming. We’ll chalk it all up to experimentation and call it a day. Let us all hope that the Project Runway challenge thinker-uppers think twice the next time they consider dealing with men’s clothes… unless it’s swimwear. That I could totally deal with. More after the jump!
Revisiting the drama from the previous episode is particularly painful because the bottom three designs probably rate as some of the nastiest crap that has ever trotted down Heidi’s runway. Kit Pistol does her best to convince Sweet P that she deserved to stay over Carmen based solely on the fact that her garment could be considered an attempt at a shirt (at least), while Carmen sent her model down the runway in a piece of fabric draped around his neck in lieu of a shirt. Apparently, the lesson here is that Project Runway is much like Kindergarten: the important thing is just to try, try, and try some more. Do your best and you’ll get a sticker and a cookie. Isn’t that cute? Thankfully, Sweet P is too mature to be proud of her efforts. She knows that her stay of Aufing was more luck than anything, and it easily could have been her ass with Heidi’s footprint embedded in it had Nina missed her morning coffee or Michael Kors’ pants been just a tad bit tighter. Ricky is also lucky to still be around, but I’m not sure he knows it. I think the veil of tears around his eyes is impairing his judgment as well as his taste.
After the models are picked, Heidi sends the designers back to the workroom to meet Tim and “an old friend” and get their next challenge. Who is there to greet them besides Tim but Nina Garcia (Hey Nina, Heidi called you OLD… Slap fight, please!), looking fabulous. In this week’s challenge, the designers will have to choose an old fashion trend (as opposed to an old-fashioned trend, which implies hoop skirts and bonnets), all of which are thankfully OUT. Luckily for Show, Elle Magazine has captured these massive lapses of taste in its pages for posterity, and thus, Project Runway challenges. A part of me can’t believe some of these trends were ever popular, much less worn in public, and they make me grateful I was a baby in the 80’s – I was too innocent and wittle to be traumatized by the sartorial horrors that plagued the nation. But wait, there’s a twist. The designers will be working in groups of three, and as a team, they will put together a cohesive collection incorporating all three heinous elements from fashion’s dirty, dirty past that they’ve individually chosen. That’s a little overkill, in my humble opinion. This could have been a fascinating challenge, one that could have shown us who among these designers are truly inspired and creative. Instead we’re going to get another one of those episodes that delivers nothing but inter-team politics and drama… not to mention truly fugly clothes. If you think about it, updating these fashion trends would be difficult even if they were done one by one. Combining three of them into each look in a collection just seems… impossible. Methinks show is trying a little too hard to best itself.
We wind up with four teams of three and the resulting fallout goes something like this…
The three winning designs seen above were presented by Team Jillian, Kevin and Rami. Their outdated trends were Overalls (Jillian, who at that very moment was wearing overalls, how humiliating for her!), 70’s flare (Kevin), and the poodleskirt (Rami). During the working phase, Jillian was picked as the leader of the group, so we’re led to believe the finished clothes are her vision.
The first look, constructed by Rami, is the Ode to the Poodleskirt, fashioned out of denim and floral piping. The second, by Kevin, consists of denim shorts and a floral top with a crazy collar. Finally, Jillian’s look is an updated overall get-up with giant bell bottoms and a sheer blue top with embellishments at the sleeves and collar. I don’t think there was any question of the winner in this challenge. All the outdated trends are there, but only in small (non-abrasive) doses, and the collection is definitely cohesive. Personally, I think this team got lucky. Overalls are still worn today, and if one looks hard enough, one can find plenty of examples that don’t make one look like a farmer. 70’s flare shows up at least once a season somewhere, and poodleskirts are really just skirts with large bells. By using denim in each look and manipulating the details of the tops, each look effortlessly combines all the trends. So although the collection is successful, I think they had an easier time of it considering their fashion trends. I honestly don’t like any of the looks, but they completed the challenge with style, which is more than can be said for the other teams.
Coming in a close second was Team Christian, comprised of Christian (obviously), Kit and Jack. Their challenge involved combining such travesties of fashion as Pleather (Jack), Zoot Suits (Christian), and fringe (Kit). Christian volunteered to lead the team, resulting in a collection that is incredibly well-tailored and chic. All the looks have defined striped patterns to bring the Zoot Suit to mind, and I assume some of the components are made of pleather, even if you can’t really tell from the runway. While I personally like these three the most, I can understand why the judges didn’t pick them to win. First of all, I don’t really see fringe. I’m sure it’s there, but it isn’t emphatic enough for this challenge. Also, Jack’s baby doll dress is a mystery to me. I don’t see how it fits into the collection, other than the fact that it’s striped. Again, I think this team lucked out in that their three out-dated fashion trends were some of the least offensive options, so only some serious breaches in taste would have put them at the bottom.
Ricky’s team found themselves in the bottom two, and with good reason. His cohorts were Victorya and Elisa, and their trends were Neon (Ricky), cut-outs (Elisa), and Underwear as Outerwear (Victorya). From the beginning, this team was doomed, not only because Ricky and Victorya turned out to be two of the most aggravating personalities ever, but also because their trends were beyond difficult. Ricky’s look, on the left, has clear intentions: the block of yellow at the bust to imply a bra (underwear as outerwear), and a short shift in a deep grape color. The sheer block above the bust is sort of weird, though, and I’m not sure the look is wearable under any real circumstances. I’m assuming that the blocks of color are supposed to invoke cut-outs, but… I’m not sure I get it. And these colors aren’t exactly neon, either. Victorya’s look in the middle is way too reminiscent of an ice-skating outfit, and once again, pretty unwearable. Elisa’s shift on the left is probably the most accessible of the three, but the cut-outs along the bust look amateur, like an art project. It was clear that the collection lacked unity, but the trends weren’t represented well, either. In the immortal words of Karen Walker, this collection was a Fiesta Del Failure.
Something must be said about the dynamic between Ricky and Victorya, because, in retrospect, they both exhibited some of the worst social skills I’ve ever seen on this show, with the possible exception of Wendy Pepper and Angela. Victorya is a self-proclaimed control freak. She convinced Ricky to be the team leader, but made herself an obstacle to his success at every step. Clearly, she's one of those people, you know... the ones that are too cool and too busy to actually take charge of a creative process, but somehow find the time and energy to criticize, manipulate, and back-stab. I HATE those people! Ultimately, Victorya's passive-aggression and uncooperativeness sunk the entire team, and I’m so glad the judges saw through it. It’s a hard lesson to learn in life, but in a team, the individuals are obligated to submit to the rule of a leader, even if they don’t agree. If you are so bent on having your way with things, then you also have to have the balls to lead, and later, be strong enough as a person to accept the consequences, and clearly, Victorya isn’t mature enough to know that. To be fair, Ricky made some truly awful decisions (fabric, overall aesthetic, etc.), AND he failed to assert himself when it came to major decisions with the collection. Since it probably would have been his butt on the line anyway, all Victorya did was show the judges a bad side of herself. And these judges don’t forget that kind of stuff.
The other team in the bottom two was Team Chris. Chris was joined by Sweet P and Steven, and their three out-dated trends were truly challenging. Chris managed to get stuck with shoulder pads, Sweet P got baggy sweaters, and Steven ended up with dancewear. At first, I thought they might have an easy time of it; just think of that chick from Flashdance, with her leg warmers, baggy sweatshirt, and prominent shoulders, and bippity-bobbity-POOF! and you’re done. Unfortunately, these three aren’t anywhere near as smart as I.
Early in the working phase, Chris somehow found himself named as the leader, and it’s obvious he wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but hey, what is he gonna do? He’s working with Sweet P and Steven, who’ve proven to be two of the weakest links in the work room chain. As the looks started to materialize, Steven expressed concern over the shrug Chris was constructing, but (of course) he doesn’t actually express that concern to Chris, but rather snarks about it in the confessionals, which is not only rude, but also unhelpful.
The sad part about all of this is that the three looks in this collection are all pretty strong individually, in my opinion. Sweet P’s dress is gorgeous, and not just because Donna Karan said so, but because it actually is. Steven’s wrap dress with tights is eye-catching and pretty (although, not really all that wearable in real life), and Chris’s look isn’t nearly as awful to me as it seems to be with everyone else in the world. Admittedly, the shrug is a little Pro-Football-esque and the fabric is a tad dreary and elderly, but the dress underneath is absolutely adequate, and the challenge was to incorporate shoulder pads, after all, right? What made this collection a failure is simply that it isn’t a collection at all. Michael Kors said it best when he said that all three looks belong in different collections, which is a big strike against you in this particular challenge. It was also pretty obvious that the looks didn’t incorporate all three out-dated elements, and that Chris and the team had decided to address each trend individually rather than combine them. That would be another strike.
So the judges were forced to choose between a collection that was downright fugly and a collection that didn’t satisfy the requirements of the challenge. Based on those principles, I thought the judges were correct to Auf Chris, even though it totally broke my heart. I won’t get on the bandwagon that’s screaming SHENANIGANS on the judges on this one, mostly because I’m saving my complaints for the next episode, recap coming very soon.
In case you forgot, last time on Project Runway, we got to observe the very first challenge involving menswear, and the results were, in a word, underwhelming. We’ll chalk it all up to experimentation and call it a day. Let us all hope that the Project Runway challenge thinker-uppers think twice the next time they consider dealing with men’s clothes… unless it’s swimwear. That I could totally deal with. More after the jump!
Revisiting the drama from the previous episode is particularly painful because the bottom three designs probably rate as some of the nastiest crap that has ever trotted down Heidi’s runway. Kit Pistol does her best to convince Sweet P that she deserved to stay over Carmen based solely on the fact that her garment could be considered an attempt at a shirt (at least), while Carmen sent her model down the runway in a piece of fabric draped around his neck in lieu of a shirt. Apparently, the lesson here is that Project Runway is much like Kindergarten: the important thing is just to try, try, and try some more. Do your best and you’ll get a sticker and a cookie. Isn’t that cute? Thankfully, Sweet P is too mature to be proud of her efforts. She knows that her stay of Aufing was more luck than anything, and it easily could have been her ass with Heidi’s footprint embedded in it had Nina missed her morning coffee or Michael Kors’ pants been just a tad bit tighter. Ricky is also lucky to still be around, but I’m not sure he knows it. I think the veil of tears around his eyes is impairing his judgment as well as his taste.
After the models are picked, Heidi sends the designers back to the workroom to meet Tim and “an old friend” and get their next challenge. Who is there to greet them besides Tim but Nina Garcia (Hey Nina, Heidi called you OLD… Slap fight, please!), looking fabulous. In this week’s challenge, the designers will have to choose an old fashion trend (as opposed to an old-fashioned trend, which implies hoop skirts and bonnets), all of which are thankfully OUT. Luckily for Show, Elle Magazine has captured these massive lapses of taste in its pages for posterity, and thus, Project Runway challenges. A part of me can’t believe some of these trends were ever popular, much less worn in public, and they make me grateful I was a baby in the 80’s – I was too innocent and wittle to be traumatized by the sartorial horrors that plagued the nation. But wait, there’s a twist. The designers will be working in groups of three, and as a team, they will put together a cohesive collection incorporating all three heinous elements from fashion’s dirty, dirty past that they’ve individually chosen. That’s a little overkill, in my humble opinion. This could have been a fascinating challenge, one that could have shown us who among these designers are truly inspired and creative. Instead we’re going to get another one of those episodes that delivers nothing but inter-team politics and drama… not to mention truly fugly clothes. If you think about it, updating these fashion trends would be difficult even if they were done one by one. Combining three of them into each look in a collection just seems… impossible. Methinks show is trying a little too hard to best itself.
We wind up with four teams of three and the resulting fallout goes something like this…
Team Jillian
Kevin, Rami, Jillian
The three winning designs seen above were presented by Team Jillian, Kevin and Rami. Their outdated trends were Overalls (Jillian, who at that very moment was wearing overalls, how humiliating for her!), 70’s flare (Kevin), and the poodleskirt (Rami). During the working phase, Jillian was picked as the leader of the group, so we’re led to believe the finished clothes are her vision.
The first look, constructed by Rami, is the Ode to the Poodleskirt, fashioned out of denim and floral piping. The second, by Kevin, consists of denim shorts and a floral top with a crazy collar. Finally, Jillian’s look is an updated overall get-up with giant bell bottoms and a sheer blue top with embellishments at the sleeves and collar. I don’t think there was any question of the winner in this challenge. All the outdated trends are there, but only in small (non-abrasive) doses, and the collection is definitely cohesive. Personally, I think this team got lucky. Overalls are still worn today, and if one looks hard enough, one can find plenty of examples that don’t make one look like a farmer. 70’s flare shows up at least once a season somewhere, and poodleskirts are really just skirts with large bells. By using denim in each look and manipulating the details of the tops, each look effortlessly combines all the trends. So although the collection is successful, I think they had an easier time of it considering their fashion trends. I honestly don’t like any of the looks, but they completed the challenge with style, which is more than can be said for the other teams.
Team Christian
Christian, Kit, Jack
Coming in a close second was Team Christian, comprised of Christian (obviously), Kit and Jack. Their challenge involved combining such travesties of fashion as Pleather (Jack), Zoot Suits (Christian), and fringe (Kit). Christian volunteered to lead the team, resulting in a collection that is incredibly well-tailored and chic. All the looks have defined striped patterns to bring the Zoot Suit to mind, and I assume some of the components are made of pleather, even if you can’t really tell from the runway. While I personally like these three the most, I can understand why the judges didn’t pick them to win. First of all, I don’t really see fringe. I’m sure it’s there, but it isn’t emphatic enough for this challenge. Also, Jack’s baby doll dress is a mystery to me. I don’t see how it fits into the collection, other than the fact that it’s striped. Again, I think this team lucked out in that their three out-dated fashion trends were some of the least offensive options, so only some serious breaches in taste would have put them at the bottom.
Team Ricky
Ricky, Victorya, Elisa
Ricky’s team found themselves in the bottom two, and with good reason. His cohorts were Victorya and Elisa, and their trends were Neon (Ricky), cut-outs (Elisa), and Underwear as Outerwear (Victorya). From the beginning, this team was doomed, not only because Ricky and Victorya turned out to be two of the most aggravating personalities ever, but also because their trends were beyond difficult. Ricky’s look, on the left, has clear intentions: the block of yellow at the bust to imply a bra (underwear as outerwear), and a short shift in a deep grape color. The sheer block above the bust is sort of weird, though, and I’m not sure the look is wearable under any real circumstances. I’m assuming that the blocks of color are supposed to invoke cut-outs, but… I’m not sure I get it. And these colors aren’t exactly neon, either. Victorya’s look in the middle is way too reminiscent of an ice-skating outfit, and once again, pretty unwearable. Elisa’s shift on the left is probably the most accessible of the three, but the cut-outs along the bust look amateur, like an art project. It was clear that the collection lacked unity, but the trends weren’t represented well, either. In the immortal words of Karen Walker, this collection was a Fiesta Del Failure.
Something must be said about the dynamic between Ricky and Victorya, because, in retrospect, they both exhibited some of the worst social skills I’ve ever seen on this show, with the possible exception of Wendy Pepper and Angela. Victorya is a self-proclaimed control freak. She convinced Ricky to be the team leader, but made herself an obstacle to his success at every step. Clearly, she's one of those people, you know... the ones that are too cool and too busy to actually take charge of a creative process, but somehow find the time and energy to criticize, manipulate, and back-stab. I HATE those people! Ultimately, Victorya's passive-aggression and uncooperativeness sunk the entire team, and I’m so glad the judges saw through it. It’s a hard lesson to learn in life, but in a team, the individuals are obligated to submit to the rule of a leader, even if they don’t agree. If you are so bent on having your way with things, then you also have to have the balls to lead, and later, be strong enough as a person to accept the consequences, and clearly, Victorya isn’t mature enough to know that. To be fair, Ricky made some truly awful decisions (fabric, overall aesthetic, etc.), AND he failed to assert himself when it came to major decisions with the collection. Since it probably would have been his butt on the line anyway, all Victorya did was show the judges a bad side of herself. And these judges don’t forget that kind of stuff.
Team Chris
Sweet P, Steven, Chris
The other team in the bottom two was Team Chris. Chris was joined by Sweet P and Steven, and their three out-dated trends were truly challenging. Chris managed to get stuck with shoulder pads, Sweet P got baggy sweaters, and Steven ended up with dancewear. At first, I thought they might have an easy time of it; just think of that chick from Flashdance, with her leg warmers, baggy sweatshirt, and prominent shoulders, and bippity-bobbity-POOF! and you’re done. Unfortunately, these three aren’t anywhere near as smart as I.
Early in the working phase, Chris somehow found himself named as the leader, and it’s obvious he wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but hey, what is he gonna do? He’s working with Sweet P and Steven, who’ve proven to be two of the weakest links in the work room chain. As the looks started to materialize, Steven expressed concern over the shrug Chris was constructing, but (of course) he doesn’t actually express that concern to Chris, but rather snarks about it in the confessionals, which is not only rude, but also unhelpful.
The sad part about all of this is that the three looks in this collection are all pretty strong individually, in my opinion. Sweet P’s dress is gorgeous, and not just because Donna Karan said so, but because it actually is. Steven’s wrap dress with tights is eye-catching and pretty (although, not really all that wearable in real life), and Chris’s look isn’t nearly as awful to me as it seems to be with everyone else in the world. Admittedly, the shrug is a little Pro-Football-esque and the fabric is a tad dreary and elderly, but the dress underneath is absolutely adequate, and the challenge was to incorporate shoulder pads, after all, right? What made this collection a failure is simply that it isn’t a collection at all. Michael Kors said it best when he said that all three looks belong in different collections, which is a big strike against you in this particular challenge. It was also pretty obvious that the looks didn’t incorporate all three out-dated elements, and that Chris and the team had decided to address each trend individually rather than combine them. That would be another strike.
So the judges were forced to choose between a collection that was downright fugly and a collection that didn’t satisfy the requirements of the challenge. Based on those principles, I thought the judges were correct to Auf Chris, even though it totally broke my heart. I won’t get on the bandwagon that’s screaming SHENANIGANS on the judges on this one, mostly because I’m saving my complaints for the next episode, recap coming very soon.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Project Runway Episode 3
Ok, seriously, what could possibly top a visit from Sarah Jessica Parker? These questions and more answered on Project Runway Episode 3.
We open with the remaining male designers fretting over the dismissal of Marion, as is tradition. The more pressing matter, though, is how close Christian came to being Auf’ed, something no one could have predicted. Christian admits to the cameras that the last elimination was a humbling experience, and I’m glad to hear him say that. He seems like a genuinely nice little queen, and self-aware enough to know when he has come up short, which means the arrogance is all mirth and no malice. I really want to like Christian, and this helped.
What’s that, Heidi? No playground-style model elimination this week? What on Earth could you mean?? Once again, Heidi leaves the designers in suspense, and shoos them off to find Tim Gunn somewhere in Manhattan where they will get their next challenge. She does mention, however, that this challenge is a first for Project Runway. Color me intrigued!
The designers meet with Tim Gunn in what looks like a TV studio, and Behold! Tiki Barber. Yeah, I didn’t know who that was, either, which apparently establishes once and for all that I’m a giant homo. Aren’t we glad that’s settled? I know I am. Tiki (and don’t you just love that name? Tiki… what whimsy!) is a famous runningback, and since I don’t follow the foozball, I’ll just have to take Tim’s word for it. Tiki’s reception is decidedly luke-warm, especially compared to last weeks squee-fest over Sarah Jessica Parker, but Kevin, the one and only straightie, seems to think this is a big deal, so I guess it must be so. Tiki explains that his gig nowadays is as a correspondent on the Today Show, and this week the designers will be creating a look for him to wear on the air. Now THAT is a big deal. He goes on to give the designers his vital statistics: thick neck, big butt, and a certain “short”age in the height department. He likes color (including pink and pastels) as long as they compliment the overall look. With that, Tim Gunn sends the designers on their merry way, which isn’t really true, because most of them look absolutely terrified.
Out of all the designers, only two can say they have any experience in menswear. We learn that menswear is by far the most difficult kind of designing, from the construction to the fit to the styling, so we shouldn’t be surprised to see so many of them looking so scared and unprepared. As we listen in on the planning phase, many of the designers are spouting out words like ‘three piece suit’ and ‘blazer’ and I really want to call them to remind them that they’re on Project Runway, which is famous for giving contestants insanely difficult challenges and not enough time to complete them. Hello!! It took my local department store three days just to frikkin’ alter my last suit, so I can’t imagine how long it took to make the damn thing! As usual, I’m smarter than all these people.
Ooooohhh, male models!! I’d almost forgotten about them. They’re hot. That’s all that needs be said.
After the sewing and cutting and more sewing, it’s time for the Runway Show, and some of the designers are the most unfinished I’ve ever seen. This show loves to tease us with the possibility of someone sending a model down the runway nude, but that has never come close to happening. I’m reminded especially of Bradley on Season 3 during the Dog Challenge – they made this big deal about him having to start over from scratch the day of the Runway show, and… well, he almost WON the challenge. But this time, they aren’t screwing around with us. There are jackets being held together with safety pins, and please believe it, actual non-clothes. Nina is going to totally flip.
I found almost all of the designs to be rather disappointing, but we’ll go through them anyway… starting with the winner…
This striped monstrosity is brought to you by Jack. Ya’ll… I really don’t like it. Yes, it’s well made and it’s admirable that Jack decided to edit his workload in order to show finished products, but I think there are some seriously unfortunate choices being showcased here. First, all the stripes; I mean, doesn’t anyone else start to feel dizzy after looking at this? I like the pin-striped pants and I like the shirt, too, but together? Maybe I’m fashion-backward, but I would never wear this. I was seriously uneasy when they picked this as the winner, mostly because I feel like there were other designs that were more ambitious and just as well executed. The only way I can justify it would be Tiki’s involvement, because he’s thinking of what he’ll look good in on the screen. So, case closed. But I still don’t like it.
Ok, ok… girlfriend sent her model down the runway with a very aqua piece of fabric tucked into his pants instead of a shirt, but this elimination still hurt my feelings. Carmen really got shafted on this one. I honestly can’t figure out how her time slipped away from her so badly, especially when there were other designers that made full ensembles, but what IS finished looks just as good as all the other crap that came down the runway. The judges and Tiki had no love for the jacket, primarily because it was too short, thus accenting Tiki’s badonkadonk (which, hey, if you got it, flaunt it), and the pants aren’t right in the crotchular region. But I think her ideas had potential. At the end of the day, I can’t fault the judges for kicking her off. To La Kors and La Nina, unfinished is the biggest sin, and this belongs in Project Runway Hell. So sadly, Carmen: Auf!
Joining Carmen in the Bottom 2 were Sweet P and Ricky. I think Sweet P knew she was in trouble – I mean, if she thought she was going to slide through with that shirt, she’s more like Dumb P. On the bright side, the pants look alright, if not a little poofy in the hips, and I’d totally wear that tie. So how did she screw up the shirt so spectacularly? Only Sweet P knows, and she’ll probably never tell, lest she embarrass herself even further.
Ricky, on the other hand, had problems of a different sort. First, I really don’t recall Tiki asking the designers to fix him up with a tuxedo, so what’s with the black and white? Secondly, every piece was comically unfinished. If one has to enlist the help of the model to help one sew the jacket together right before the runway show, it is safe to assume that one has bitten off quite a bit more than one can chew. Ricky eventually had to settle for pinning the model into the clothes, leaving him to rely only on prayer that Nina wouldn’t see the metal gleaming from inside the seams. Well, eyes like a hawk she has, and she sure enough called Ricky out for the pinning. And honestly, I really don’t think the sharp, metallic tinkling of light coming from inside the coat was going to be confused for bling bling. Basically, Ricky is found guilty of Boring and Unfinished, something the judges have already addressed, so I fear Ricky is not long for this Runway.
The two looks joining Jack in the Top 3 belonged to Kevin and Kit Pistol. Starting with Kevin’s, I respect his color choices and his overall plan, but I can’t say it turned out that well. If I was judging, I would have questioned the shirt being too short to tuck into the pants. That’s either a conscious decision that must be defended or a mistake. Besides that, the sleeves look way too tight, which I can tell you for true, is very uncomfortable. Tight sleeves are a deal breaker for me in a dressing room. I’m also not thrilled with the fact that the judges sort of glossed over the fact that Kevin tried to pin the vest together, considering how they raked Ricky over the proverbial coals about his pinning. Surprisingly, Tiki seemed to enjoy this look, especially the color, and I can see it working on him with some major adjustments.
Kit was a close second with her very dapper ensemble. The pants are well made and very flattering, and the fleece jacket is a very nice bonus. I love the idea of a fleece sport coat, and I’m surprised no one has thought of it before, especially because it can be done cheaply. The only real complaint I have about this look, and I think the judges probably agreed with me (hence, Kit not winning) is it might be just a tad bit too conservative (as in, it looks too much like a prep school uniform). It isn’t boring by any means, but it might not be flashy enough for a TV show. There does have to be a punch to the outfit when you’re on screen. Anyhow, well played, Kit!
Snooooozzzzzzzze… I’m so disappointed in Chris March this time! How could someone who routinely works with drag queens let something so dull shoot out of his sewing machine? All black? Really, for TV? If the challenge was designing for Michael Kors, then SCORE, but Tiki said he liked color! There’s nothing wrong with it, really, even if it is a little Miami Vice at a formal dinner party, but I just expected something a little more exciting from Chris March.
Beside that is the design by Christian, who redeemed himself from last week, at least in my eyes. I think the whole thing is very stylish, not to mention well-made. I really like the curving zippered collar on the shirt, and the jacket and pants appeal to my love of all things shiny. I think Christian did an excellent job of experimenting with texture and fit here, and the only reason he didn’t do better would probably have to be his lack of consideration for Tiki’s body. This isn’t something Tiki could wear, true enough. However, it’s very cool looking. Pray Christian keeps it up. Pssstt… I’m not super excited about the detail on the jacket pockets, but… moving on…
As we dig through the middle of the pack, the designs start to smack of strange styles, all of which I’m sure were unintentional. Elisa’s look on the left is very nice. It fits that model like a dream and doesn’t betray any of Elisa’s weaknesses when it comes to finishing and finesse. However, doesn’t it look a little… Renaissance Fair to you? I’m getting a distinct peasant vibe. Granted, this peasant is very well put together, but urchin-like nonetheless. Perhaps it’s the earth tones, or the fact that the vest doesn’t close… I don’t know. I like it well enough, it just makes me want to sing madrigals and eat a turkey leg. It isn’t helping that the model is very cave-man-like. I mean, Good God, who did his makeup?
And then there’s Jillian’s outfit, which is as pimped out as it can be, minus the pimp-cane and pimp-hat. Ok, it isn’t so much “pimp” as much as it is “Saturday Night Fever” but I still have to question the whole 70’s vibe. There’s the high-waisted vest, the prominent collar, the light-colored shoes… yep, he’s got all he needs to hit the disco, so let’s go boogie.
Rounding out the rest are Rami, Steven, and Victorya, respectively. If I may start with Rami? That’s totally what I wore for three years in Catholic Junior High. I’m completely serious. Blue slacks, white shirt, and a tan jacket. While this look is definitely classic and very well-made, it is also B to the Oring. ALSO! Much fuss was made over Carmen’s jacket looking suspiciously like a Members Only jacket. As someone who owned several of those jackets [shudders] I will testify here and now that this jacket is closer to Member Only than anything else that came down the runway.
Next, it’s Steven’s ode to the armed forces. Tell me this doesn’t smack of a sailor on shore-leave! First of all, he’s wearing an ascot. I love me an ascot every now and then, but, wow… that’s dated. Second, those pants are so high-waisted; perfectly executed, mind you, but all the way up to the navel. In fact, I’d say Steven flew right past classic and ran into retro. Thirdly, the sweater is tucked into the pants, and while I know some guys do this, it has a tendency to age a person. If I think about it, I can’t think of any old guys that actually tuck in their sweaters, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s an old guy thing to do. More specifically, it’s a mistake an old codger would make, along with putting on different colored socks. All of those together equal a thrilling evening of tap-dancing and Singing in the Rain with the rest of the Brat Pack.
Finally (I know, right! I’m tired, too), Victorya has designed the perfect outfit for Tiki to wear if he has to go wait some tables right after chilling with Al Roker and Meredith V. I really can’t say anything else about it because that’s seriously all I see. If that model had a thought bubble beside his head it would say, “Would you like some freshly ground pepper with that?” And for Realz! White jacket, black pants, and BROWN SHOES!! NOOOO!
So the first menswear challenge in Project Runway history has come and gone. What have we learned?
1. Designing for men is HARD!
2. Male models are very hot – well, we didn’t so much learn that as have it enforced, and quite convincingly.
3. It is very hard to design for men without everything starting to look like a uniform.
4. Tiki Barber used to play football and was allegedly pretty decent at it.
5. If it is decided that Project Runway officially jumped the shark this season, this episode will surely be the one blamed.
We open with the remaining male designers fretting over the dismissal of Marion, as is tradition. The more pressing matter, though, is how close Christian came to being Auf’ed, something no one could have predicted. Christian admits to the cameras that the last elimination was a humbling experience, and I’m glad to hear him say that. He seems like a genuinely nice little queen, and self-aware enough to know when he has come up short, which means the arrogance is all mirth and no malice. I really want to like Christian, and this helped.
What’s that, Heidi? No playground-style model elimination this week? What on Earth could you mean?? Once again, Heidi leaves the designers in suspense, and shoos them off to find Tim Gunn somewhere in Manhattan where they will get their next challenge. She does mention, however, that this challenge is a first for Project Runway. Color me intrigued!
The designers meet with Tim Gunn in what looks like a TV studio, and Behold! Tiki Barber. Yeah, I didn’t know who that was, either, which apparently establishes once and for all that I’m a giant homo. Aren’t we glad that’s settled? I know I am. Tiki (and don’t you just love that name? Tiki… what whimsy!) is a famous runningback, and since I don’t follow the foozball, I’ll just have to take Tim’s word for it. Tiki’s reception is decidedly luke-warm, especially compared to last weeks squee-fest over Sarah Jessica Parker, but Kevin, the one and only straightie, seems to think this is a big deal, so I guess it must be so. Tiki explains that his gig nowadays is as a correspondent on the Today Show, and this week the designers will be creating a look for him to wear on the air. Now THAT is a big deal. He goes on to give the designers his vital statistics: thick neck, big butt, and a certain “short”age in the height department. He likes color (including pink and pastels) as long as they compliment the overall look. With that, Tim Gunn sends the designers on their merry way, which isn’t really true, because most of them look absolutely terrified.
Out of all the designers, only two can say they have any experience in menswear. We learn that menswear is by far the most difficult kind of designing, from the construction to the fit to the styling, so we shouldn’t be surprised to see so many of them looking so scared and unprepared. As we listen in on the planning phase, many of the designers are spouting out words like ‘three piece suit’ and ‘blazer’ and I really want to call them to remind them that they’re on Project Runway, which is famous for giving contestants insanely difficult challenges and not enough time to complete them. Hello!! It took my local department store three days just to frikkin’ alter my last suit, so I can’t imagine how long it took to make the damn thing! As usual, I’m smarter than all these people.
Ooooohhh, male models!! I’d almost forgotten about them. They’re hot. That’s all that needs be said.
After the sewing and cutting and more sewing, it’s time for the Runway Show, and some of the designers are the most unfinished I’ve ever seen. This show loves to tease us with the possibility of someone sending a model down the runway nude, but that has never come close to happening. I’m reminded especially of Bradley on Season 3 during the Dog Challenge – they made this big deal about him having to start over from scratch the day of the Runway show, and… well, he almost WON the challenge. But this time, they aren’t screwing around with us. There are jackets being held together with safety pins, and please believe it, actual non-clothes. Nina is going to totally flip.
I found almost all of the designs to be rather disappointing, but we’ll go through them anyway… starting with the winner…
This striped monstrosity is brought to you by Jack. Ya’ll… I really don’t like it. Yes, it’s well made and it’s admirable that Jack decided to edit his workload in order to show finished products, but I think there are some seriously unfortunate choices being showcased here. First, all the stripes; I mean, doesn’t anyone else start to feel dizzy after looking at this? I like the pin-striped pants and I like the shirt, too, but together? Maybe I’m fashion-backward, but I would never wear this. I was seriously uneasy when they picked this as the winner, mostly because I feel like there were other designs that were more ambitious and just as well executed. The only way I can justify it would be Tiki’s involvement, because he’s thinking of what he’ll look good in on the screen. So, case closed. But I still don’t like it.
Ok, ok… girlfriend sent her model down the runway with a very aqua piece of fabric tucked into his pants instead of a shirt, but this elimination still hurt my feelings. Carmen really got shafted on this one. I honestly can’t figure out how her time slipped away from her so badly, especially when there were other designers that made full ensembles, but what IS finished looks just as good as all the other crap that came down the runway. The judges and Tiki had no love for the jacket, primarily because it was too short, thus accenting Tiki’s badonkadonk (which, hey, if you got it, flaunt it), and the pants aren’t right in the crotchular region. But I think her ideas had potential. At the end of the day, I can’t fault the judges for kicking her off. To La Kors and La Nina, unfinished is the biggest sin, and this belongs in Project Runway Hell. So sadly, Carmen: Auf!
Joining Carmen in the Bottom 2 were Sweet P and Ricky. I think Sweet P knew she was in trouble – I mean, if she thought she was going to slide through with that shirt, she’s more like Dumb P. On the bright side, the pants look alright, if not a little poofy in the hips, and I’d totally wear that tie. So how did she screw up the shirt so spectacularly? Only Sweet P knows, and she’ll probably never tell, lest she embarrass herself even further.
Ricky, on the other hand, had problems of a different sort. First, I really don’t recall Tiki asking the designers to fix him up with a tuxedo, so what’s with the black and white? Secondly, every piece was comically unfinished. If one has to enlist the help of the model to help one sew the jacket together right before the runway show, it is safe to assume that one has bitten off quite a bit more than one can chew. Ricky eventually had to settle for pinning the model into the clothes, leaving him to rely only on prayer that Nina wouldn’t see the metal gleaming from inside the seams. Well, eyes like a hawk she has, and she sure enough called Ricky out for the pinning. And honestly, I really don’t think the sharp, metallic tinkling of light coming from inside the coat was going to be confused for bling bling. Basically, Ricky is found guilty of Boring and Unfinished, something the judges have already addressed, so I fear Ricky is not long for this Runway.
The two looks joining Jack in the Top 3 belonged to Kevin and Kit Pistol. Starting with Kevin’s, I respect his color choices and his overall plan, but I can’t say it turned out that well. If I was judging, I would have questioned the shirt being too short to tuck into the pants. That’s either a conscious decision that must be defended or a mistake. Besides that, the sleeves look way too tight, which I can tell you for true, is very uncomfortable. Tight sleeves are a deal breaker for me in a dressing room. I’m also not thrilled with the fact that the judges sort of glossed over the fact that Kevin tried to pin the vest together, considering how they raked Ricky over the proverbial coals about his pinning. Surprisingly, Tiki seemed to enjoy this look, especially the color, and I can see it working on him with some major adjustments.
Kit was a close second with her very dapper ensemble. The pants are well made and very flattering, and the fleece jacket is a very nice bonus. I love the idea of a fleece sport coat, and I’m surprised no one has thought of it before, especially because it can be done cheaply. The only real complaint I have about this look, and I think the judges probably agreed with me (hence, Kit not winning) is it might be just a tad bit too conservative (as in, it looks too much like a prep school uniform). It isn’t boring by any means, but it might not be flashy enough for a TV show. There does have to be a punch to the outfit when you’re on screen. Anyhow, well played, Kit!
Snooooozzzzzzzze… I’m so disappointed in Chris March this time! How could someone who routinely works with drag queens let something so dull shoot out of his sewing machine? All black? Really, for TV? If the challenge was designing for Michael Kors, then SCORE, but Tiki said he liked color! There’s nothing wrong with it, really, even if it is a little Miami Vice at a formal dinner party, but I just expected something a little more exciting from Chris March.
Beside that is the design by Christian, who redeemed himself from last week, at least in my eyes. I think the whole thing is very stylish, not to mention well-made. I really like the curving zippered collar on the shirt, and the jacket and pants appeal to my love of all things shiny. I think Christian did an excellent job of experimenting with texture and fit here, and the only reason he didn’t do better would probably have to be his lack of consideration for Tiki’s body. This isn’t something Tiki could wear, true enough. However, it’s very cool looking. Pray Christian keeps it up. Pssstt… I’m not super excited about the detail on the jacket pockets, but… moving on…
As we dig through the middle of the pack, the designs start to smack of strange styles, all of which I’m sure were unintentional. Elisa’s look on the left is very nice. It fits that model like a dream and doesn’t betray any of Elisa’s weaknesses when it comes to finishing and finesse. However, doesn’t it look a little… Renaissance Fair to you? I’m getting a distinct peasant vibe. Granted, this peasant is very well put together, but urchin-like nonetheless. Perhaps it’s the earth tones, or the fact that the vest doesn’t close… I don’t know. I like it well enough, it just makes me want to sing madrigals and eat a turkey leg. It isn’t helping that the model is very cave-man-like. I mean, Good God, who did his makeup?
And then there’s Jillian’s outfit, which is as pimped out as it can be, minus the pimp-cane and pimp-hat. Ok, it isn’t so much “pimp” as much as it is “Saturday Night Fever” but I still have to question the whole 70’s vibe. There’s the high-waisted vest, the prominent collar, the light-colored shoes… yep, he’s got all he needs to hit the disco, so let’s go boogie.
Rounding out the rest are Rami, Steven, and Victorya, respectively. If I may start with Rami? That’s totally what I wore for three years in Catholic Junior High. I’m completely serious. Blue slacks, white shirt, and a tan jacket. While this look is definitely classic and very well-made, it is also B to the Oring. ALSO! Much fuss was made over Carmen’s jacket looking suspiciously like a Members Only jacket. As someone who owned several of those jackets [shudders] I will testify here and now that this jacket is closer to Member Only than anything else that came down the runway.
Next, it’s Steven’s ode to the armed forces. Tell me this doesn’t smack of a sailor on shore-leave! First of all, he’s wearing an ascot. I love me an ascot every now and then, but, wow… that’s dated. Second, those pants are so high-waisted; perfectly executed, mind you, but all the way up to the navel. In fact, I’d say Steven flew right past classic and ran into retro. Thirdly, the sweater is tucked into the pants, and while I know some guys do this, it has a tendency to age a person. If I think about it, I can’t think of any old guys that actually tuck in their sweaters, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s an old guy thing to do. More specifically, it’s a mistake an old codger would make, along with putting on different colored socks. All of those together equal a thrilling evening of tap-dancing and Singing in the Rain with the rest of the Brat Pack.
Finally (I know, right! I’m tired, too), Victorya has designed the perfect outfit for Tiki to wear if he has to go wait some tables right after chilling with Al Roker and Meredith V. I really can’t say anything else about it because that’s seriously all I see. If that model had a thought bubble beside his head it would say, “Would you like some freshly ground pepper with that?” And for Realz! White jacket, black pants, and BROWN SHOES!! NOOOO!
So the first menswear challenge in Project Runway history has come and gone. What have we learned?
1. Designing for men is HARD!
2. Male models are very hot – well, we didn’t so much learn that as have it enforced, and quite convincingly.
3. It is very hard to design for men without everything starting to look like a uniform.
4. Tiki Barber used to play football and was allegedly pretty decent at it.
5. If it is decided that Project Runway officially jumped the shark this season, this episode will surely be the one blamed.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Project Runway Episode 2
After a most auspicious beginning, Project Runway has continued to astound and thrill me… perplex and bamboozle me… basically be the best show on television. Except for maybe Pushing Daisies. Or Supernatural (mmm… Padalecki).
One of the contestants, Carmen, hinted in the promotional materials that this season would bring some of the most surprising and exciting guest judges ever and I have to say, Show definitely delivered.
Episode 2 begins with the traditional insincere mourning of the most recently Auf’ed designer, which was… geez, I can’t even remember that loser’s name… Samantha? Siddhartha? [tick tock tick tock…] SIMONE!! Yeah, the other designers aren’t too upset, either. When Heidi comes out on the Runway, she tells them this challenge will involve designing something for a celebrity and fashion icon. Ok, see, the last time she said this, Nicky Hilton came strolling through the doors, so I’ve taken everything Heidi says well salted ever since. Heidi won’t be divulging the mystery guest, though; Show has left that up to Tim Gunn, so the designers head back to the workroom. As they wait, several names are put forward, such as Madonna and Britney Spears. First, Madonna would never let some random reality contestant near her person. And Britney can barely be trusted to show up to her own videoshoots, much less a court hearing about custody of her own children, so I’d say these designers have either been living under fabulously decorated rocks, or are just plain stupid.
When Tim comes in to announce the celebrity judge, the anticipation is palpable, and for once I don’t get the feeling the tension has been fabricated by the editors and a soundtrack. The room is actually, factually intense. Who. Will. It. BE?
OMG! It’s frikkin’ Sarah Jessica Parker. I’m not ashamed to admit I totally squeeed in my living room. I can’t effectively explain what it is about SJP that makes the gays and many straight females adore her so (and just to be fair, I know plenty of both that can’t stand her), but she has always struck me as approachable and professional and nice and all those things we all hope celebrities are, even when we know they aren’t. The designers are understandably awe-struck, and I think some of the gays even have the vapors. Chris March is crying, you see, because SJP and her inspirational turn as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City was one of the main reasons he moved to New York in the first place. As expected, Ms. Parker is gracious and as sweet can be as she informs the designers they will be designing a two piece look for her clothing line, Bitten, and it MAY (note: operative word) be sold at certain department stores with the Bitten Brand. But there’s a catch (like always): Bitten is a bargain brand, as SJP passionately explains, because fashion shouldn’t have to be a luxury. Tim Gunn goes on to say that the two piece look must retail for less than $40, so the budget for this challenge will be… $15. Chris March assumes they will be making the clothes out of toilet paper and Scotch tape, and he’s totally kidding, but I’m all… make it work!
Aaaaaaannnnnnnddddd… this is a team challenge, with the designers working in seven groups of two. After a hilarious little montage in which La Parker proves everything I assumed about her personality (see above), SJP announces the seven captains who will show their work on the runway, and they are: Victor(unnecessary)ya, Kit Pistol, Marion, Rami, Christian, Ricky (is he going to cry? Probably), and that box of crazy, Elisa. The seven captains then pick their partners in a lottery, and the only real news there is Sweet P is a little nervous about working with Elisa, and… she probably should be.
So they sew and they cut and they sew some more, and that brings us to the runway show.
Let’s start with the winner…
Victorya and Kevin put together this shirt-dress and vest, and once again, I’m a little underwhelmed, but having seen the rest of the designs, I’m not altogether critical of this choice for the winner. The vest is done in a tasteful red plaid, which compliments the dark color of the dress quite nicely, and the frou-frou around the neck is interesting, although it is does remind me of the flower embellishment she threw at us last week. So with the exception of the vest, she’s made the exact same dress. Beware the one-note, Victorya!!
And now the loser…
Umm… Yikes. I have to give credit to SJP for so diplomatically (and perhaps desperately) trying to find the good in this piece, because I absolutely hated it. Heidi said it looked like something she would find in her basement, dirty and nasty-looking, and I really have to agree with her, although I may not want to see her basement anytime soon. The look is so heinous, we have to wonder why SJP picked Marion in the first place, so the editors make sure to flash us a good look at his sketches, and it is decidedly more interesting on paper. Marion explains that the knitted fabric of the top sagged and stretched after being worked, which he had not anticipated. Be that as it may, that still doesn’t explain why he picked that drab color. Unfortunately, the god-awful-ness of the top totally obscures whatever goodness the skirt might have been, and based on what we saw of it during the construction phase, it might have been decent looking, but… alas, the skirt is ignored. A horrendous tent of a top has the tendency to do that.
I have to assume that all of these designers have seen this show before, because neither Marion nor the other captain in the bottom two tried to blame their failures on their partner. So Marion? Auf!
Christian and his partner Carmen were the other twosome that found themselves in the bottom 2, and I’m really surprised Christian let this come down the runway. I was so impressed with him in the first challenge, and I had high hopes this look was going to blow me away, but when it came down the runway, I knew he was in trouble. Don’t yell at me, but I actually like this look quite a bit, mostly because it seems like something Nelly Furtado would wear – and didn’t you hear, the 80’s are making a comeback (call all your friends!). However, this couldn’t have been further from the Bitten aesthetic, so from a purely commercial standpoint, it’s a definite miss. I was impressed by SJP’s assessment of the outfit: the look is too short and too severe. I couldn’t have said it better myself. The jacket is exquisitely made, though.
Despite some decidedly odd moments during the construction phase, Elisa and Sweet P put together this number. I don’t hate it at all, and I agree with the judges when they said that it looks expensive for something made with only $15, but I can’t say I’d enjoy it if I saw it coming down the street. I dunno, maybe it has something to do with the length (SHORT) of the skirt paired with the cozy-looking cape. It’s like when you see frat guys wearing shorts with a long-sleeve sweater – there’s nothing inherently wrong with it, it just looks silly. Anyway, with the unimportant exception of the color, the dress is very fetching (both SJP and I love the sleeves), and the cape is cute enough. Most importantly, the look is polished, finished, and expensive looking. Maybe Elisa isn’t as loony as she seems, even if she does spit on the fabric. (sidebar: I really don’t get what was so bad about the whole spit-marking thing. Granted, it’s odd and little bit gross, but why was Sweet P so scandalized? It isn’t like Elisa wiped her butt on it or anything! {Ewww! I’m sorry about that! If I think about it, maybe I’ll delete that before posting}{or maybe I won’t.})
Ricky and Jack worked together to create this outfit, and I really wish it had received just a little bit more credit for being the one outfit I think most women would actually wear. A lot of women can’t pull off a t-shirt dress, especially if they’re of a certain size, and even less women could work a neon blue mini-dress and a cape. This dress, though, seems highly accessible. I love the detailing on the collar and the contrasting texture on the belt.
These last two middle-of-the-road looks are courtesy of Rami/Jillian and Kit/Chris. I put them together because they're basically the same: black/brown tights and a black top. Hasn’t Lindsay Lohan been wearing this exact outfit for the past year or so? There’s nothing bad about either of these looks, but I just don’t see any creativity or inspiration. I have to remind myself that this is a client-based challenge, and that said, I’ll lay off. But seriously, lose the beret. This ain’t Paris.
To conclude: a moment from this episode that has quickly climbed the charts as one of my favorite moments in Project Runway history!!
One of the contestants, Carmen, hinted in the promotional materials that this season would bring some of the most surprising and exciting guest judges ever and I have to say, Show definitely delivered.
Episode 2 begins with the traditional insincere mourning of the most recently Auf’ed designer, which was… geez, I can’t even remember that loser’s name… Samantha? Siddhartha? [tick tock tick tock…] SIMONE!! Yeah, the other designers aren’t too upset, either. When Heidi comes out on the Runway, she tells them this challenge will involve designing something for a celebrity and fashion icon. Ok, see, the last time she said this, Nicky Hilton came strolling through the doors, so I’ve taken everything Heidi says well salted ever since. Heidi won’t be divulging the mystery guest, though; Show has left that up to Tim Gunn, so the designers head back to the workroom. As they wait, several names are put forward, such as Madonna and Britney Spears. First, Madonna would never let some random reality contestant near her person. And Britney can barely be trusted to show up to her own videoshoots, much less a court hearing about custody of her own children, so I’d say these designers have either been living under fabulously decorated rocks, or are just plain stupid.
When Tim comes in to announce the celebrity judge, the anticipation is palpable, and for once I don’t get the feeling the tension has been fabricated by the editors and a soundtrack. The room is actually, factually intense. Who. Will. It. BE?
OMG! It’s frikkin’ Sarah Jessica Parker. I’m not ashamed to admit I totally squeeed in my living room. I can’t effectively explain what it is about SJP that makes the gays and many straight females adore her so (and just to be fair, I know plenty of both that can’t stand her), but she has always struck me as approachable and professional and nice and all those things we all hope celebrities are, even when we know they aren’t. The designers are understandably awe-struck, and I think some of the gays even have the vapors. Chris March is crying, you see, because SJP and her inspirational turn as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City was one of the main reasons he moved to New York in the first place. As expected, Ms. Parker is gracious and as sweet can be as she informs the designers they will be designing a two piece look for her clothing line, Bitten, and it MAY (note: operative word) be sold at certain department stores with the Bitten Brand. But there’s a catch (like always): Bitten is a bargain brand, as SJP passionately explains, because fashion shouldn’t have to be a luxury. Tim Gunn goes on to say that the two piece look must retail for less than $40, so the budget for this challenge will be… $15. Chris March assumes they will be making the clothes out of toilet paper and Scotch tape, and he’s totally kidding, but I’m all… make it work!
Aaaaaaannnnnnnddddd… this is a team challenge, with the designers working in seven groups of two. After a hilarious little montage in which La Parker proves everything I assumed about her personality (see above), SJP announces the seven captains who will show their work on the runway, and they are: Victor(unnecessary)ya, Kit Pistol, Marion, Rami, Christian, Ricky (is he going to cry? Probably), and that box of crazy, Elisa. The seven captains then pick their partners in a lottery, and the only real news there is Sweet P is a little nervous about working with Elisa, and… she probably should be.
So they sew and they cut and they sew some more, and that brings us to the runway show.
Let’s start with the winner…
Victorya and Kevin put together this shirt-dress and vest, and once again, I’m a little underwhelmed, but having seen the rest of the designs, I’m not altogether critical of this choice for the winner. The vest is done in a tasteful red plaid, which compliments the dark color of the dress quite nicely, and the frou-frou around the neck is interesting, although it is does remind me of the flower embellishment she threw at us last week. So with the exception of the vest, she’s made the exact same dress. Beware the one-note, Victorya!!
And now the loser…
Umm… Yikes. I have to give credit to SJP for so diplomatically (and perhaps desperately) trying to find the good in this piece, because I absolutely hated it. Heidi said it looked like something she would find in her basement, dirty and nasty-looking, and I really have to agree with her, although I may not want to see her basement anytime soon. The look is so heinous, we have to wonder why SJP picked Marion in the first place, so the editors make sure to flash us a good look at his sketches, and it is decidedly more interesting on paper. Marion explains that the knitted fabric of the top sagged and stretched after being worked, which he had not anticipated. Be that as it may, that still doesn’t explain why he picked that drab color. Unfortunately, the god-awful-ness of the top totally obscures whatever goodness the skirt might have been, and based on what we saw of it during the construction phase, it might have been decent looking, but… alas, the skirt is ignored. A horrendous tent of a top has the tendency to do that.
I have to assume that all of these designers have seen this show before, because neither Marion nor the other captain in the bottom two tried to blame their failures on their partner. So Marion? Auf!
Christian and his partner Carmen were the other twosome that found themselves in the bottom 2, and I’m really surprised Christian let this come down the runway. I was so impressed with him in the first challenge, and I had high hopes this look was going to blow me away, but when it came down the runway, I knew he was in trouble. Don’t yell at me, but I actually like this look quite a bit, mostly because it seems like something Nelly Furtado would wear – and didn’t you hear, the 80’s are making a comeback (call all your friends!). However, this couldn’t have been further from the Bitten aesthetic, so from a purely commercial standpoint, it’s a definite miss. I was impressed by SJP’s assessment of the outfit: the look is too short and too severe. I couldn’t have said it better myself. The jacket is exquisitely made, though.
Despite some decidedly odd moments during the construction phase, Elisa and Sweet P put together this number. I don’t hate it at all, and I agree with the judges when they said that it looks expensive for something made with only $15, but I can’t say I’d enjoy it if I saw it coming down the street. I dunno, maybe it has something to do with the length (SHORT) of the skirt paired with the cozy-looking cape. It’s like when you see frat guys wearing shorts with a long-sleeve sweater – there’s nothing inherently wrong with it, it just looks silly. Anyway, with the unimportant exception of the color, the dress is very fetching (both SJP and I love the sleeves), and the cape is cute enough. Most importantly, the look is polished, finished, and expensive looking. Maybe Elisa isn’t as loony as she seems, even if she does spit on the fabric. (sidebar: I really don’t get what was so bad about the whole spit-marking thing. Granted, it’s odd and little bit gross, but why was Sweet P so scandalized? It isn’t like Elisa wiped her butt on it or anything! {Ewww! I’m sorry about that! If I think about it, maybe I’ll delete that before posting}{or maybe I won’t.})
Ricky and Jack worked together to create this outfit, and I really wish it had received just a little bit more credit for being the one outfit I think most women would actually wear. A lot of women can’t pull off a t-shirt dress, especially if they’re of a certain size, and even less women could work a neon blue mini-dress and a cape. This dress, though, seems highly accessible. I love the detailing on the collar and the contrasting texture on the belt.
These last two middle-of-the-road looks are courtesy of Rami/Jillian and Kit/Chris. I put them together because they're basically the same: black/brown tights and a black top. Hasn’t Lindsay Lohan been wearing this exact outfit for the past year or so? There’s nothing bad about either of these looks, but I just don’t see any creativity or inspiration. I have to remind myself that this is a client-based challenge, and that said, I’ll lay off. But seriously, lose the beret. This ain’t Paris.
To conclude: a moment from this episode that has quickly climbed the charts as one of my favorite moments in Project Runway history!!
Sarah Jessica Parker shaking hands with the air = GOLD!!
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