Issues With . . . Project Runway 7
Sometimes, no matter how much you like a show, you can't help but make petty, niggling criticisms of it. So here are our issues (so far) with the new season of Project Runway.
Episode 14 Finale, Part 2 (airdate 4/22/10)
--Hooray!! A huge karmic boost with this win for Seth Aaron. Looking back on the whole run of the show, I can only think of 2 other times that the person I liked the most and the person I thought deserved to win were: a.) the same person, and b.) actually won. (For the record, that was Jay in Season 1 and Leanne in Season 5.) Everyone else falls into the category of a.) person I loathed, but can grudgingly admit was justified--if not overwhelmingly so--in the win, or b.) we wuz robbed! Because, really, who couldn't like Seth Aaron? He's possibly the nicest contestant ever on PR. I honestly can't remember hearing him bitch about anyone the entire season. Which must be some kind of record. Not to mention that he even liked Emilio. We may need to look into the possibility that Seth Aaron's an alien.
--Oh, that's right. There were collections. Ordinarily, I would have something to say about the pre-show drama, but (missing models aside), it seemed like a pretty low-key prep this time. Though (if I can get my bitching on for a second), the little sales spots inside the episode are becoming more and more annoying. I know this is how TV works. I've never minded the Bluefly accessories wall or the L'oreal hair and make-up room. I even like (in theory) the minute or two we see with each designer planning the hair and make-up styling for their show/look. But at this point, the whole thing feels so manufactured that it has lost any feel of authenticity and plays exactly like a commercial. Really, a gold lid is very chic this season? And L'oreal has an eyeshadow that works perfectly for that, besides being light and nourishing to the skin? What an amazing coincidence! If only you could show us how to apply it and zoom in on the packaging for a full 10 seconds! Oh, you will? Thank you, L'oreal! There are a few ways that this show is picking up America's Next Top Model tendencies, and this is a big one. And I don't like it one bit.
--Where was I again? Right . . . clothes. Well, as I was saying, I do think that Seth Aaron truly earned the win. His stuff was just plain old cool. The rocker vibe was there without being overstated, and damn can he make a jacket. Yeah, the purple puffy thing was weird in a bad way (though for some reason I see it on Lindsey Lohan, but that isn't to the credit to either of them), but there weren't many missteps. In the end, Mila and Emilio both presented complete, stylish collections, but Seth Aaron's was the one that seemed most innovative. Most fashionable, if you will. Which was kind of the point. Which is why he deserved to win.
--To be fair to Emilio, his stuff looked much better than I expected based on the glimpse we got last week. I'm still not a fan of the chartreuse or the self-glorifying name print, but I do like the broad use of color and it was a very flattering, chic, and understated collection. But I think the judges hit it on the head when they said it looked more like a "line" than a "collection." It did look like something I could walk into a department store and buy right now, and in the end, that means it misses the boat on "cutting edge" and "innovative."
--Mila, to her credit, did seem to have as complete a vision and theme for her collection as Seth Aaron, but I think the big difference was that Seth Aaron's collection was, "here is my aesthetic applied to a particular theme for the fall collection," while Mila's said, "here is my aesthetic again, see how it can be chic and modern." True, she executed it wonderfully, but in the end, it wasn't anything that the judges hadn't seen from her before and that's what did her in.
--Sadly, I missed the fireworks in the reunion show. I'll try to catch it in re-run and add more here later if possible.
Episode 13 Finale, Part 1 (airdate 4/15/10)
--Recap, recap, recap. I know that in the real time of the show's shooting schedule, it has been months since they sent the designers home to work on their collections. But in "viewer time," it has been a week since they told Mila and Jay that they'd be competing for the last spot at Bryant Park. And less than an hour since they sent everyone home. My point? We're not goldfish. We can retain memories for longer than 2 minutes. So there's really no need to recap the situation for the audience 4-5 times per episode. I'm just saying.
--There are 2 great things about the second-to-last episode in a Project Runway season: getting tantalizing little glimpses of the final collections, and watching Tim interact with environments outside of New York. It's completely surreal, like watching an elephant walking around on an iceberg. Previously, my favorite "Tim out of water" moments have revolved around watching him drive (tee-hee) and seeing him hang out with Korto's musical friends in Season 5. (To be fair to Tim--he is never anything but polite, friendly, classy, and a good sport. This, of course, only makes the moment that much funnier.) But I'm not sure that I will ever see anything again that will compare with Tim on Seth Aaron's trampoline. In a suit, of course. (Does Tim even own workout clothes? Why do I imagine Tim's gym clothes being impeccably fit and coordinated? Although, the idea of Tim Gunn doing any exercise more taxing than a social game of racquetball is also a bit of a mind-bender.)
--It's so hard not to be swayed in your likes and dislikes by the Tim visits. This is partly because the collections that we see have proven not to tell us much about how they're going to look on the runway, so I've learned to reserve judgment on that. (Notwithstanding that, here are my snap judgments of the collection glimpses, bearing in mind that I have not gone online to find the pics of the final collections ahead of time: Seth Aaron--cool, sometimes gorgeous, but very much in line with what he's shown already--I hope he listens to Tim's advice; Emilio--Might look nice on people, but boring and overly simple on the hanger--and I hate that green he's using; Jay--Fun and young and overdesigned; Mila--Tasteful and boring.)
--So as I was saying, almost everyone received a personality boost this week. Well, except for Emilio, that is. Seth Aaron came off as even more nice and friendly and likable. Jay is even cuter when surrounded by family. Mila doesn't seem like she's all hard edges anymore. And Emilio . . . is still a douche. It's interesting that Emilio has one of the briefest and tensest Tim visits in PR history--only Kenley's was worse. It's nice for him that he's confident in his work, but maybe he should have reviewed the reality show creed before the final--you know, the one that says that if you're in a show to further your professional ambitions, it's best not to alienate a huge portion of your potential client base by saying things that make you look like an arrogant douchebag.
--Honesty compels me to say that I was honor-bound to root for Jay to get to the finals from the moment that it because obvious that his family made lumpia for dinner with Tim Gunn. (And I could be wrong, but I may have even seen adobo on that table.) I'd have my rear-view mirror rosary revoked if I didn't root for a fellow Filipino in these circumstances. (Hey, I don't make the rules. It's just how things are.) But I would have been pulling for Jay anyway based on the collections. Yes, I agree that he did overdesign a bit and that his pieces could have used more editing. But I was way more interested in seeing what else he produced for the final, and I'd much rather own one of his pieces that one of Mila's. Mila's stuff is nice. It's stylish. And it looks like something I could pick up at any suburban Macy's. I really have no ambition to look like the chicest member of the Prince William County school board.
--So yes, I'm disappointed that Jay was eliminated and Mila went through. Not terribly--I like Mila well enough, but she bores me. (More black and white???? Really??? This is heading into fetish territory now.) I think it's kind of BS that Heidi attacked Michael Kors for "re-designing" Jay's collection in support of Jay getting the win. If anything, I think it proves that Jay should have had the win. After all, Jay's collection interested and inspired a fellow designer to the point where he could re-imagine it in exciting ways. Isn't this the kind of thing we should be encouraging?
Episode 12 "The Big, Top Designers" (airdate 4/8/10)
--I was actually pleasantly surprised by the circus theme of this last challenge before Bryant Park. Generally, the last challenge is an exercise in safe gowns with a light veneer of "inspiration" via artwork or flowers or something else that is so neutral and vague that it can be invoked in almost any design. The circus has just enough direction and exuberance to force the designers to deal with it directly, but remained open enough to let them all do their own thing. Though after the debacle that was Season 6, I should be happy just to avoid more gowns based on algae or the umpteenth "make a pretty dress" challenge.
--Which is not to say that I was in love with the designs in this episode. There are other things in the circus besides stripes and ringmasters, people. Of course, at this point in the season, the judges are all locked into their favorites and grumpy as hell, while the designers are all so burned out that we're lucky that we didn't get five ringmasters in top hats coming down the runway.
--I don't know what it is about Emilio that irritates me so much. Objectively speaking, he's not nearly as obnoxious or nasty as some of the PR villains to come before him. And yet, when he talks, it's like nails on a chalkboard to me. Part of it may be the obvious judges' bias for him. And part of it is certainly the way he totally disregards Tim. I'm not sure where the rest of my animosity comes from. The hats, maybe?
--Actually, I do know one of the major reasons that Emilio irritates me so much--because he's not nearly as good as he thinks he is. Sure, he has turned out some solid designs, but he doesn't strike me as so creative or interesting a designer to be worthy of the excessive judges' praise that he gets. Today's dress is a perfect example. I can't tell you how much I wanted it to suck, but even I have to confess that it was a very good design. (Though, for the record, I hated that little polka dot ruffle on the bottom of the gown. Completely unnecessary, and it reminded me of a bedskirt from Target's shabby chic collection.) But as good as it was, I just don't see how it was worthy of the collective orgasm it got from the judges. Don't get me wrong--it was good. Probably the best on the runway. But it's just another nice-ish evening gown from Emilio. Whoopie.
--Was anyone surprised that Anthony went home? If so, have you been paying any attention this season? I assume that the only reason that they didn't just forego the challenge, name Emilio the winner, and send Anthony home without bothering with all that sewing and runway stuff has to do with contractual considerations. I like Anthony a lot, but there was no way that the judges were going to send him to Bryant Park. Not that he helped himself at all by using polyester for his dress. Unlike Heidi and Michael Kors, I don't get hives at the mere mention of polyester, but I'm at least aware enough to know that using it for the final PR challenge is a huuuuuuge mistake.
--So Mila and Jay are doing the design-off for the final place at Bryant Park. Even though this is a bit of a stunt (and a repeat one at that), I sort of agree with it. I'm sick of Mila's mod aesthetic and compulsive need to color block black and white fabrics, but she does come up with something neat from time to time. And Jay is just funny and cute and awesome. How can you not love someone who, in the midst of trashing a fellow competitor, refreshingly confesses, "but I might be saying this because I dislike her as a person." Oh, also, he makes some nice things.
Episode 11 "Sew Much Pressure" (airdate 4/1/10)
--I'm not a "Quitters never win," kind of person. Maybe that makes me un-American, but sometimes (I believe) a good quit is absolutely necessary. Why is it some kind of mark of wonderfulness to keep on doing something painful and awful, just because? Life lessons? Spare me. Life is full of things that are awful and painful that you actually can't walk away from. Why not avoid the ones you can?
--All of which is my way of saying that I don't blame Maya at all for quitting. The judges haven't been into her, she's under a huge amount of stress and living in a fishbowl--and she has already gotten the benefit of being a non-winning PR designer. I actually think she was sort of right about her need to grow more as a designer. Or maybe I was just impressed by Seth Aaron telling us to shut up if we're thinking of criticizing Maya for quitting.
--Obviously, we've reached the point in the competition when the designers are getting so exhausted and stressed out that they start sending retreads, safe, and uninspired messes down the runway. And yet, for some reason, this is also the point at which they always make them do a red carpet look. And then get pissy about the results. To get neat designs at this point in the competition, we need to get challenges that push the contestants in unexpected ways. These blank-check, make-a-pretty-dress challenges are always a disappointment toward the end of the show.
--Is it me, or does it seem like we're getting more and more challenges that revolve around making Heidi happy? Is this just the producers' way of giving meaning to Heidi's I-Would/Wouldn't-Wear-That style of judging?
--So yes, I was unimpressed by the runway results this week. Seth Aaron was dull and safe. Mila did a poorly-fitted Forever 21 special with gold stripes that remind me of a someone's souped-up Honda Civic. Jonathan wrapped barely enough fabric around his model to cover her naughty bits and tacked some random swaths of color to the resultant mess. Jay doesn't understand that women don't care for butt ruffles. Emilio turned in a wildly overpraised glittery gold column. And Anthony (good to have you back!) turned in a nice-enough (but again, not particularly beautiful) black and white flow-y thing.
--Oooooh. Another double win. It's like the cop-out season of PR when it comes to picking winners. I'm not going to pretend that it's an unfair win. Emilio and Anthony did suck less than everyone else, so yay for them. I'm annoyed at another Emilio win, since I don't really see the appeal of his design work--it seems so dull, but I don't really have access to the high-grade crack of fashion insiders like Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, so that may be why I can't appreciate him. As for Anthony, I'm glad that he isn't going home, but I'm also not surprised. It's hard to believe that they would bring him back on only to eliminate him the next day.
--Poor Jonathan. I don't think he ever got a fair shake from the judges. They really aren't fans of his style of work, but it doesn't follow that he doesn't have an interesting point of view. That said, he did put up a big old mess this week. And there's a bit of irony in the fact that he dumped his model after she defended him on the runway last week. Now, he's going, and she's still in the competition. Karma's a bitch, ain't it?
Episode 10 "Hey, That's My Fabric" (airdate 3/25/10)
--An actual Project Runway first! As opposed to a minor variation on a theme dressed up to be a PR first. That might be a first in and of itself. And a cool new challenge it is. Since I know very little about fabric design, I don't know whether it was just an impractical/unworkable idea until now, but I really loved the idea of having the designers create their own prints. And it's interesting to see what the designers decided to do with such a cool design tool.
--Unfortunately, not many of the designers took full advantage of their blank canvas. Mila gave us fingerpaints. Emilio created a "brand" pattern that managed to be ungainly and confusing. Which pretty much negates the point of doing a branding pattern. (Though it does say something about Emilio's ego that--given the chance to create his own fabric for a design--his moment of expression was spent in writing his name over and over again.) And Maya seemed overwhelmed by the pressure of using a pattern of her own creation and wished she could use solid colors (!). She seriously could not even create a print that she could work with. I'd say that should count as a bit of a design weakness.
--Gee, you think HP might have spent a few bucks on promotion for this episode? Instead of having poor Vivienne Tam stumble woodenly through their pitch, I think they should have just switched to a blinking graphic that simply said, "Buy these HP Products or We'll Move the Show Back to LA." More effective and just about as subtle.
--Granted, I might just be feeling bitter because Emilio had the poor taste to get sniffy about Tim Gunn's help, but I don't see why the judges were wetting themselves over his design. Yes, the jacket was very nice. But the print was just ho hum to me, and if you don't love the print, there isn't much to look at in the dress. Congratulations on the win, you smug jackass.
--On the other hand, I was glad to see Seth Aaron get some love for his look. Sure, it's not an aesthetic for everyone, but he knows his style and sticks to it no matter what the challenge. And I feel like he was one of the few designers to take true advantage of the opportunity to design their own fabric.
--I started to feel sorry for Jonathan and the beating that he was getting from the judges. But on the other hand, who on earth creates a jacket that has to be put on backwards? What the hell is up with that? Sure, it would be nice to see Kors stop using "Disco ____" as his all-purpose "funny" critique, but the damn thing really was like a straightjacket. Who wants to get ready in the morning by strapping on a high-fashion straightjacket? (Incidentally, it might have just been the effect of the color on my TV, but his fabric didn't come off as sad and dirty on screen as it must have on the runway. This isn't necessarily much of a defense, as the average person isn't being chased by paparazzi and it might be a little awkward to have to tell everyone you meet, "Sure, my dress looks sad and dingy in person, but it's not nearly so bad in pictures.")
--I want to like Maya's design. I really do. I can understand why the judges like it. The print that had her despairing in the workroom turned out to be interesting. But . . . maybe I'm just sick of designs where someone just sticks a bunch of ruffles by the model's head and calls it a day. Maybe I need to see it close-up or in person or something. But on TV, it's just not doing it for me.
--Well, I think we all knew that Anthony wasn't long for this world. I can't defend his elimination on the basis of his look. It was a mess. But this episode had me wishing we could just do one elimination based on personality instead of fashion. Then Emilio could have gone home and Anthony could stay.
Episode 9 "Takin' It to the Streets" (airdate 3/18/10)
--There was a sad lack of bitching and fighting in this episode, considering that it was a team challenge. Sure, Jay made a few muttered backstabby statements, and we got the usual compliment of people stating their intent to sell their partner down the river if it came to that during judging. But rather less actual under-bus-throwing than I had hoped for.
--Ordinarily I would complain about the way that the New York-centered challenges turn into annoying peaons to the city from the locals and star-struck designers. But Project Runway fixed me good with that disastrous LA season. Now I just sigh quietly to myself and recite my calming mantra until it's all over. It's not that I dispute that New York is awesome. I just wish they'd shut up about it already.
--They kind of fooled me on the Anthony coverage this episode. I feel like he's on the edge of elimination at this point--just one massive mistake from elimination. So when we seemed to focus on him and his little quips and design decisions, I braced myself for his trip to the bottom once again. But then (surprise!), he and Maya ended up in the top 4. Nicely done, Anthony. (Incidentally, I thought they did some nice-ish work on their Chinatown looks, but they seemed a tad drab to me. Though maybe I just tire of endless blacks and beiges.)
--And Mila has returned to the black and white color blocking. Is there a point at which we no longer consider this a signature and instead call it an annoying lack of creativity?
--A tough break for Amy, but given the fish pants and hair goblet debacles, we were pretty much counting down to her elimination. And I can't even say that it was undeserved. I understood the judge's problems with Jay's look (and tank top), but I didn't actually mind it as much as they. I thought his pants were kinda cool (assuming your thighs are small enough that adding fabric balloons to them seems cute rather than retarded), and the tank top (ignoring the execution issues) was more dull than hideous. On the other hand, Amy turned in something that looks like something you'd pick up in the maternity section at Wal-Mart. And to evoke the Upper East Side, no less. It was so boring, unflattering, and unimaginative that literally 10 minutes after the show, as I sat down to write this, I could not remember the outfit that got her eliminated.
--Congrats to Emilio and Seth Aaron for the win. Seth Aaron continues to turn out edgy-ish stuff that I wish I could buy, and Emilio continues to create beautifully executed, pretty dresses that aren't particularly exciting. But it's working for him, so I can't really blame him.
Episode 8 "The Elements of Fashion (airdate 3/11/10)
--Honestly, I'm starting to think that we need to create a little list of rules for Project Runway contestants. It's getting painful to watch them fall to the same mistakes again and again. Like, "Don't try to make a full suit on a very tight schedule," and, "This is not the time to try out making pants for the first time ever." (Incidentally, how is someone who made it this far completely inexperienced in making pants? Isn't that, like, an essential designer skill? What would you think of a Top Chef contestant who didn't know how to fry an egg? This is how we end up with those fashion lines that are nothing but little cocktail dresses. Very cute, but does everyone have to design solely for Paris Hilton's life?)
--These conceptual challenges are neat, but almost always a trap for some of the designers. With such a broad direction (make something inspired by air, fire, water, or earth), they either tend to make something dull, safe, and literal, or feel the need to push themselves into disastrous absurdity. Someone needs to remind the arty types that there's an important difference between "bold and cutting edge" and "stupid and impractical."
--A few of the designers really fudged the inspiration part too. A dress inspired by fire in a grey and black "soot and smoke" theme? Air as midnight in New York? A shark suit for "water"? I'll admit that it's fair enough within the bounds of the challenge. (And Seth Aaron's midnight piece, in particular, was very cool and probably slid by on that alone.) But I can't help feeling that the "interpretation" was just a cheaty way to work in their comfort zones.
--Just a note about Seth Aaron (who, incidentally, has my favorite design aesthetic so far--he's like Jeffrey, only not an ass): Is it me, or is it almost impossible to just call him "Seth"? It's like I have to add "Aaron" right away. I think this is because the name "Seth" makes me think of the obnoxious kid down the street when you were growing up who was always burning ants with a magnifying glass.
--Another piece of advice for future contestants: If, during a particularly difficult challenge, you find yourself being filmed as you tearfully call home to talk to your loved ones, you might as well tell them you'll see them very, very soon. 'Cause you're going home.
--Nice win for Jonathan. It's good to see him finally get some recognition. From a What-Would-I-Like-to-Wear perspective, I suppose I liked Seth Aaron's a little more, but Jonathan's piece was creative, beautifully executed, and definitely more in the spirit of the challenge. (And I did like his interpretation of air as the "spirit of laughter.")
--Ben seemed like a nice guy. It's too bad he had to go. I do think an argument could be made for sending home Amy instead. Honestly, that Boob Hair Cup thing was a fashion abomination. In terms of sheer ugliness, it was far worse than Ben's unfortunate jockstrap pants. (Another note for future designers: For the love of God, do not incorporate human hair in your design. Why do we even have to tell you this?) But the Judges will always choose better-executed ugly over poorly-executed dull. Sorry Ben.
Episode 7 "Hard Wear" (airdate 3/4/10)
--And then there were 10. I'm not entirely sure why this is such a cause for celebration among the contestants. Sure, it's nice to not have been eliminated yet. But there are still an awful lot of people around. It's a little premature for the "I'm almost to Fashion Week" crowing. If nothing else, why not consider the possibility that you're giving the producers exactly the footage that will make you look like the biggest ass on earth if you get auf'd this episode.
--Hooray! An unconventional materials challenge. Who cares how practical it is? This is entertainment, darn it. I want to see tears and hissy fits. Not to mention that these are the challenges that can really show the true innovators. But mostly I love the hissy fits and trainwrecks.
--Enough already with the color blocking Mila. There's a difference between a signature element and a tired and overdone theme. Guess which one we're in now? I just do not get why the judges were so taken with this look. It seemed so stiff and awkward and dull.
--How is it that the designers manage to make things that are too small for the models? These are girls so skinny that they can run through closed doors. And yet (and on a fairly regular basis, no less) the designers keep turning out stuff that's too short, too tight, and just plain too small. Who are they designing for? Aliens? Small children? Dolls?
--I concede that Jay's garbage bag look was pretty neat, but I maintain that using garbage bags in an unconventional materials challenge is . . . well, not cheating, but kind of taking the easy way out. I mean, we established many seasons ago that trash bags can mimic leather, and they're really the closest thing in the store to actual fabric. Great look, but I'm not overcome by the innovation.
--I haven't been a fan of Emilio this season--his clothes have run hot and cold, and he has a tendency towards snobbery and insufferable comments. But I had to like the fact that he defended his (bizarre and unattractive) washer bathing suit without a lot of excuses about the difficulty of the challenge or the lack of time. That may well be a PR first.
--Maya was robbed. She was the only one who really created a full head-to-toe look and an accessory that didn't seem like an afterthought. Honestly, why even include the accessory requirement if the judges were going to overlook it? (Also, see earlier grudge against use of garbage bags.) And I say this even having a slight Hawaii bias for Jay, who is cute as a gay, Asian button.
--I can't say that Jesse's look was worse than Emilio's or Anthony's. I won't cry "producer manipulation" as it seems pretty clear that the judges are just more taken with Anthony and Emilio. And I will admit that they're both more entertaining than Jesse. But from a strict "Who had the worst look?" perspective, it does seem a little unfair for Jesse to go home.
Episode 6 "A Little Bit of Fashion" (airdate 2/18/10)
--Can this really be the first time that Project Runway has done a challenge revolving around dressing a young girl? It's such a natural and obvious fit that it just can't seem possible. After all, little girls in the height of their princessy stage are such demanding critics that the designers would be dying for a Nina dressing-down instead. Not to mention that they're nearly on par with professional models in their joy at commanding attention at a catwalk.
--Well, it seems pretty clear at this point that Mila is the openly mean/hard one, while Emilio will be playing the part of undercover passive-aggressive jerk. It's nice to finally have a villain to root against, even if they lack the chops to move into the upper echelon of PR villains. They're not even fit to breathe the same air as Kenley or Irina. But you work with what you have.
--I refuse to believe that anyone didn't see the "twist" coming. It was such an obvious addition that I think that any contestant who didn't start planning for that second look as soon as they heard the challenge described is dangerously Realty TV-illiterate.
--Speaking of Reality literacy, Jonathan's announcement of his classic strategy may be a Project Runway first of its own--not that he is the first ever to plan to play it safe for the first half of the season, then plan to pull out the tricks and get noticed in the second half. He's just the first to admit to it. For which he was punished by the Gods of Design by creating a weird, stiff, pair of looks evidently created from heavily-starched Kleenex.
--I pretty much loved Seth Aaron's creation. No bitching about anyone getting robbed here--I think he deserved the win. Then again, when he's on, he creates the kind of clothes that I would want to wear if I was significantly cooler (and wealthier) than I am.
--I didn't hate Amy's petal outfits as much as the judges. Not being a schizophrenic homeless person looking to join the circus, I wouldn't ever choose to wear those pants, but it was an interesting idea. Totally unwearable, but at least it didn't bore me.
--Most obvious elimination edit ever. Condolences, Jeanine, but anyone who couldn't see this coming a mile away should be declared legally blind. For God's sake, they showed her talking to her loved ones. (Let this be a warning to you, reality contestants. If you feel like you're on the fence for elimination and a producer suggests that you call your family, don't do it! Feign a heart attack or start a fight with another contestant. But don't let them get some sympathetic footage on you.) Anyway, poor Jeanine has been looking a bit lost for weeks now. I think she's probably one of those designers who isn't made for high-pressure, contrived design challenges. It's like being the Iron Chef--it's almost its own skill set at this point.
Episode 5 "Run for Cover" (airdate 2/11/10)
--It's an exciting turn of events to have all the hype about show firsts and "best rewards" actually pan out into something good. Especially in the last season or so, we've seen so much, "and this has never happened before in the history of Project Runway," that the phrasing has begun to lose all meaning. It's at the point now where I expect to hear that phrase in the previews, only to find out that it's referring to the first time a contestant has ever been caught eating a bowl of Fruit Loops on-camera.
--Credit where credit is due, however--this really is a good prize. The cover of Marie Claire. (Which has really been exploiting its PR connections as of late--a smart move, since I'm such a sucker that I've now added them to my growing collection of magazines full of clothing that I can't possibly afford.) And with Heidi as your model. Not too shabby. Ordinarily, I would hope for an extra twist to the challenge, but the designers were already stressed enough about creating a cover-worthy look in 24 hours. Making them do it from recycled materials or only in seafoam green would probably cause multiple nervous breakdowns.
--Apparently Mila isn't there to make friends. What a shock. Do abrasive reality TV personalities just throw this out there as a preventive measure? A sort of, "I know that I'm an annoying bitch, so I'm just going to let everyone in TV land know that I know so that it seems intentional and empowered rather than self-centered and banal." Just because you're there to win doesn't justify the belief that you're God's gift to design and can afford to be nasty to your competition. Not that Mila is nasty, of course. She just think a bit too highly of herself. But she's not exactly the only one in the workroom suffering from that particular disorder. (*cough* Right, Emilio? *cough*)
--Overall, a better showing than the Bright Red Dress atrocity of last week, but still a perplexing series of designs this week. After all, the actual editor of Marie Claire told them before they even started designing that color was very important to a cover shot. Color. So why the hell did we get so many damned beige dresses? Why would you hear, "Spring issue, color," and think, "Beige." Beige may be a color from a scientific standpoint, but in fashion, it's just a WASPy black. It's definitely not the thing you want to put on the cover of your fashion magazine to stand out and grab attention on the newsstand.
--Congratulations to Anthony for a well-earned win. Apparently, he was one of the few who understood that color, Heidi, and close-up cover shot means turning out an interesting, detailed look that will look great on the model and draw the eye of a potential buyer. Totally gorgeous dress.
--And Anna is auf. Not surprising, since she essentially gave us a look that says, "My mom gave me her credit card and drove me to Forever 21." It wasn't even hideously ugly or fantastically slutty or falling apart at the seams--you know, those little details that let you really enjoy an auf'ing. It was just . . . blah. So dull that it's a miracle the whole production staff didn't doze off while her model went down the runway. At least it wasn't beige though.
Episode 4 "Design Your Heart Out" (airdate 2/4/10)
--Oh noes! The designers have to use "real women" in this challenge. The humanity! How could the producers be so cruel as to require fashion designers to make clothes for people who don't feel the need to purge after eating a saltine? Everyone knows that fashion is not meant for ordinary human beings to wear. I believe we're just supposed to admire it on fashion models and other anorexia devotees.
--Actually, I think the producers over-did this challenge. Real women and using red and a brand tie-in? Way too many elements. They actually frustrated the drama that they were hoping to build by throwing too much at the designers. Not to mention the fact that giving them so many limitations results in a runway full of dull, safe dresses. Note to PR challenge designers--give them ONE major limitation and then let them be creative in every other way. This many design curbs pushes everyone into the same limiting box and stifles creativity. Exhibit A: Project Runway 6 (otherwise known as the LA Fashion Massacre).
--I don't mean to be a jerk, but why give us real women with inspiring near-death stories? Obviously, when you've had a heart problem that almost killed you, you're not going to get too worked up when your designer ignores your preference for Grecian draping or sends you down the runway in a Valentine's Day Whore ensemble. And while this may make you someone I'd like to know in real life, it is terrible reality TV. The thing we all love about the real women challenges is how it inevitably includes at least one picky, high-maintenance client with terrible taste and sends the designer into a tearful tailspin. I don't want to watch strong women with an appreciation for life get clothes made for them. This isn't freaking Extreme Makeover: Wardrobe. I want some shallow, self-centered witches. Other than the regular models, of course.
--Wow, there was a whole lot of ass on that runway, wasn't there. I can't remember the last time I saw so many mediocre designs on PR. Oh yeah! That was last season. Really. I could do better at the clearance rack at TJ Maxx. Not a single dress that I would be willing to pay real money for. Much less wear to a gala event. Even the top 3 were more notable for not being actively bad than anything else.
--So . . . er . . . congratulations to Amy for a design that didn't completely suck. To be fair, it moved beautifully. On the other hand, it looked like a sack of red chiffon bound in by twist ties and made the model's waist disappear. And why are the judges so excited about frayed edges this season? I hope that doesn't mean that we're in for a few seasons of racks full of knock-off styles trailing loose threads and unfinished edges.
--Jesus. I'm always said when someone named Jesus leaves a reality show before I get the opportunity to make a bunch of Jesus-related jokes. Because that his dress would make the baby Jesus cry. It's hard to top the judges on what was wrong with Jesus' dress--especially Kors' observation that it basically contained every possible tacky element in one design. Too tight. Too short. Too shiny. With rhinestone straps. Seriously, there are strippers who would reject that dress for being too whorish. I think we all knew this moment was coming since the first challenge with the brown crocodile lounge gown disaster. And I think we also knew that he would eventually go out in a blaze of cheap sluttiness. For so it is written, "Yea, verily, people named Jesus doth suck at reality shows."
Episode 3 "The Highs and Lows of Fashion" (airdate 1/28/10)
--Ah, the team challenge. If we go to long between team-style episodes, then there is a huge danger that the audience won't hear the phrase, "thrown under the bus," more than a thousand times a season. And we just can't have that. Where is this bus? And why do people keep standing close enough to it that they can be hurled in its path? (Ahem. I mean metaphorically, of course.) It's one of the Commandments of reality TV. If we can't get people to have sex, then we need to manipulate them into sniping at each other. It's, like, the American way and stuff.
--I would complain about this being yet another, "design a pretty dress," challenge, but I must be mellowing after the horror of the LA season. Well, that and the fact that they gave us the "design a second look inspired by a competitor's outfit," twist. When will the contestants learn that the judges aren't going to cut you a break for having to deal with a twist as part of your reality tv contest? Stop phoning in the extra look, people. It will get you every time.
--After spending almost the entire episode watching Anthony and Seth Aaron banter and Ping and Jesse bicker, I was actually starting to doubt the inevitable result based on the editing. More specifically, it was so obvious that they were all getting the "bottom finish" edit that I started to wonder if the whole thing was a misdirect and that one of them was going to win. Yes, that's how obvious your editing is, PR people. You actually made me question the obvious evidence of craptastic fashion in front of me.
--Interesting that after all that fussing about how Mila only worked on the jacket, Mila actually ended up winning the whole thing. I can't say that I was in love with it--especially the big, allegedly sporty white stripe on it. But I can see where the judges were coming from. I too get a little bored with the endless attempts to give us a new perspective on the pretty gown.
--I am sad to see Ping go. And not just because of how fun it is to say "Ping." I enjoy the kookiness. And it's also pretty fun to see her colleagues try to put up with her while trying to maintain a safe distance from the crazy. Also, Jesse seemed like an uptight douche, so seeing someone make him worried and frustrated on his own behalf was pretty satisfying.
Episode 2 "The Fashion Farm" (airdate 1/21/10)
--Nifty idea, combining an unconventional materials challenge with a model/client challenge. Ok, it's not a true unconventional materials challenge, since everyone is working with (the same) fabric. A tough fabric, yes, but a fabric nonetheless. Still, a surprisingly witty idea, which proves once again that LA really sucked the imagination out of this show.
--I was a little disappointed that the models weren't more difficult, both in the choosing process and the design process. Damn this professionalism. Who doesn't enjoy a little reality drama featuring high maintenance clients and designer meltdowns? The best we could get was Mila's endless whining about the fact that her model abandoned her for another designer. Sheesh woman, let it go already. The chick didn't like your designs. Since I haven't any memory at all of your entry last week, I can't say that I blame her.
--My problem with Jesus' design was not the integrity of his approach regarding the challenge. It was the fact that it was so damned ugly. Who looks at a pea soup green and says, "this would make a great dress"?
--I don't really get the hoopla over Mila's dress. The cut was nice enough, but I thought that the metallic design on it was uneven and confusing to the eye. Not to mention the weirdness of hearing a judge defend a dress that threatens a nip slip every time the model moves. It wasn't a bad dress necessarily, but I don't see the need to heap praise on a walking wardrobe malfunction.
--Some people would cry "producer manipulation" on the fact that Ping didn't get eliminated for a dress that created rain bucket hips and an ass-baring slit. And some people would also claim that my Asian bias is driving me to defend her. But I can kind of see why the judges let through that hot mess and auf'd Pamela. In the end, Pamela's faux denim hoochie dress looked like something you could buy at that cheap teen trend store at the mall. Congratulations! You made a burlap dress look like a cheap denim dress. Ping did at least show innovation in her massive fail. And the judges are almost always going to go for messy innovation over boring and cheap-looking.
--Kudos to Jay for the win. I admit that I was pulling for Amy, since I think the way she worked with the burlap was more interesting. (Or maybe I just liked the fact that you could see the fabric, and yet it didn't seem to look or move like burlap.) But I can't really argue with Jay as the winner--it was a nice piece.
Episode 1 "Back to New York" (airdate 1/14/10)
--Damn you Project Runway. I am now forced to say complementary things about New York--something I try to avoid doing as much as possible. It's not that I have anything against New York. It's a cool, exciting place. It's just that so many other people say that--not least of whom are New Yorkers themselves--that I don't feel the need to participate. Praising New York City is like going on about how gorgeous Angelina Jolie is. You're not adding anything new, and you're just contributing to an overinflated ego.
--And yet, it's like being back in NYC completely revitalized the show. There's energy. There's thoughtful criticism. There are designs that don't send me into a boredom-induced coma. And best of all, Nina and Michael are back. It's too early to say for sure, but early indications are that we have a season that will actually make sense.
--There are two types of first challenges: the ones where they screw the contestants over with unorthodox materials and demand creativity; and the ones (like this one) where they give them a wide variety of good materials, no design limits, and demand great execution and a point of view. And while I do love the unorthodox materials challenges, there is something to be said for getting a clear look at everyone's aesthetic right off the bat. Not that everyone was overwhelmingly creative in their approach. Based on this runway, I'd say that we're in for a season of very short skirts, strangely puffy hips, and oddly-placed bunches of fabric.
--I confess that I didn't really "get" Ping's outfit. They didn't really let us look at it at length in the episode, and based on its good reception, I'm guessing it is more impressive in person. I am glad that she wasn't in danger of leaving, since it seems we're a bit shy of batty and emotional contestants this season, and I like to have a few of those around for entertainment value.
--That leather evening gown was awful. Michael Kors really nailed it when he said it evoked '70s Las Vegas lounges. That explains why I instinctively wanted to see it on an overly-tanned woman with bottle blonde hair and a menthol cigarette.
--I loved Hollywood Montrose. Er . . . I mean Anthony. The dress wasn't great, but he's easily the most fun contestant so far.
--One of the reasons I'm feeling so heartened by the first episode was that the winning design was so nice. Well-executed, beautiful--something that I would be excited about seeing in a store. The worst criticism that the judges could find for it was that Heidi (master of the short, tight skirt) doesn't care much for fuller skirts.
--Who didn't know that Christiana was going home as soon as we: 1.) Learned a little about her personal life struggle; and 2.) We heard her talk about how good she is? If you didn't see that coming, than you fail Reality TV 101. I don't know that I felt her dress was the absolute worst one, but I wasn't jumping for joy over yet another design that looks like 2 different dresses trying to make a baby.
Episode 14 Finale, Part 2 (airdate 4/22/10)
--Hooray!! A huge karmic boost with this win for Seth Aaron. Looking back on the whole run of the show, I can only think of 2 other times that the person I liked the most and the person I thought deserved to win were: a.) the same person, and b.) actually won. (For the record, that was Jay in Season 1 and Leanne in Season 5.) Everyone else falls into the category of a.) person I loathed, but can grudgingly admit was justified--if not overwhelmingly so--in the win, or b.) we wuz robbed! Because, really, who couldn't like Seth Aaron? He's possibly the nicest contestant ever on PR. I honestly can't remember hearing him bitch about anyone the entire season. Which must be some kind of record. Not to mention that he even liked Emilio. We may need to look into the possibility that Seth Aaron's an alien.
--Oh, that's right. There were collections. Ordinarily, I would have something to say about the pre-show drama, but (missing models aside), it seemed like a pretty low-key prep this time. Though (if I can get my bitching on for a second), the little sales spots inside the episode are becoming more and more annoying. I know this is how TV works. I've never minded the Bluefly accessories wall or the L'oreal hair and make-up room. I even like (in theory) the minute or two we see with each designer planning the hair and make-up styling for their show/look. But at this point, the whole thing feels so manufactured that it has lost any feel of authenticity and plays exactly like a commercial. Really, a gold lid is very chic this season? And L'oreal has an eyeshadow that works perfectly for that, besides being light and nourishing to the skin? What an amazing coincidence! If only you could show us how to apply it and zoom in on the packaging for a full 10 seconds! Oh, you will? Thank you, L'oreal! There are a few ways that this show is picking up America's Next Top Model tendencies, and this is a big one. And I don't like it one bit.
--Where was I again? Right . . . clothes. Well, as I was saying, I do think that Seth Aaron truly earned the win. His stuff was just plain old cool. The rocker vibe was there without being overstated, and damn can he make a jacket. Yeah, the purple puffy thing was weird in a bad way (though for some reason I see it on Lindsey Lohan, but that isn't to the credit to either of them), but there weren't many missteps. In the end, Mila and Emilio both presented complete, stylish collections, but Seth Aaron's was the one that seemed most innovative. Most fashionable, if you will. Which was kind of the point. Which is why he deserved to win.
--To be fair to Emilio, his stuff looked much better than I expected based on the glimpse we got last week. I'm still not a fan of the chartreuse or the self-glorifying name print, but I do like the broad use of color and it was a very flattering, chic, and understated collection. But I think the judges hit it on the head when they said it looked more like a "line" than a "collection." It did look like something I could walk into a department store and buy right now, and in the end, that means it misses the boat on "cutting edge" and "innovative."
--Mila, to her credit, did seem to have as complete a vision and theme for her collection as Seth Aaron, but I think the big difference was that Seth Aaron's collection was, "here is my aesthetic applied to a particular theme for the fall collection," while Mila's said, "here is my aesthetic again, see how it can be chic and modern." True, she executed it wonderfully, but in the end, it wasn't anything that the judges hadn't seen from her before and that's what did her in.
--Sadly, I missed the fireworks in the reunion show. I'll try to catch it in re-run and add more here later if possible.
Episode 13 Finale, Part 1 (airdate 4/15/10)
--Recap, recap, recap. I know that in the real time of the show's shooting schedule, it has been months since they sent the designers home to work on their collections. But in "viewer time," it has been a week since they told Mila and Jay that they'd be competing for the last spot at Bryant Park. And less than an hour since they sent everyone home. My point? We're not goldfish. We can retain memories for longer than 2 minutes. So there's really no need to recap the situation for the audience 4-5 times per episode. I'm just saying.
--There are 2 great things about the second-to-last episode in a Project Runway season: getting tantalizing little glimpses of the final collections, and watching Tim interact with environments outside of New York. It's completely surreal, like watching an elephant walking around on an iceberg. Previously, my favorite "Tim out of water" moments have revolved around watching him drive (tee-hee) and seeing him hang out with Korto's musical friends in Season 5. (To be fair to Tim--he is never anything but polite, friendly, classy, and a good sport. This, of course, only makes the moment that much funnier.) But I'm not sure that I will ever see anything again that will compare with Tim on Seth Aaron's trampoline. In a suit, of course. (Does Tim even own workout clothes? Why do I imagine Tim's gym clothes being impeccably fit and coordinated? Although, the idea of Tim Gunn doing any exercise more taxing than a social game of racquetball is also a bit of a mind-bender.)
--It's so hard not to be swayed in your likes and dislikes by the Tim visits. This is partly because the collections that we see have proven not to tell us much about how they're going to look on the runway, so I've learned to reserve judgment on that. (Notwithstanding that, here are my snap judgments of the collection glimpses, bearing in mind that I have not gone online to find the pics of the final collections ahead of time: Seth Aaron--cool, sometimes gorgeous, but very much in line with what he's shown already--I hope he listens to Tim's advice; Emilio--Might look nice on people, but boring and overly simple on the hanger--and I hate that green he's using; Jay--Fun and young and overdesigned; Mila--Tasteful and boring.)
--So as I was saying, almost everyone received a personality boost this week. Well, except for Emilio, that is. Seth Aaron came off as even more nice and friendly and likable. Jay is even cuter when surrounded by family. Mila doesn't seem like she's all hard edges anymore. And Emilio . . . is still a douche. It's interesting that Emilio has one of the briefest and tensest Tim visits in PR history--only Kenley's was worse. It's nice for him that he's confident in his work, but maybe he should have reviewed the reality show creed before the final--you know, the one that says that if you're in a show to further your professional ambitions, it's best not to alienate a huge portion of your potential client base by saying things that make you look like an arrogant douchebag.
--Honesty compels me to say that I was honor-bound to root for Jay to get to the finals from the moment that it because obvious that his family made lumpia for dinner with Tim Gunn. (And I could be wrong, but I may have even seen adobo on that table.) I'd have my rear-view mirror rosary revoked if I didn't root for a fellow Filipino in these circumstances. (Hey, I don't make the rules. It's just how things are.) But I would have been pulling for Jay anyway based on the collections. Yes, I agree that he did overdesign a bit and that his pieces could have used more editing. But I was way more interested in seeing what else he produced for the final, and I'd much rather own one of his pieces that one of Mila's. Mila's stuff is nice. It's stylish. And it looks like something I could pick up at any suburban Macy's. I really have no ambition to look like the chicest member of the Prince William County school board.
--So yes, I'm disappointed that Jay was eliminated and Mila went through. Not terribly--I like Mila well enough, but she bores me. (More black and white???? Really??? This is heading into fetish territory now.) I think it's kind of BS that Heidi attacked Michael Kors for "re-designing" Jay's collection in support of Jay getting the win. If anything, I think it proves that Jay should have had the win. After all, Jay's collection interested and inspired a fellow designer to the point where he could re-imagine it in exciting ways. Isn't this the kind of thing we should be encouraging?
Episode 12 "The Big, Top Designers" (airdate 4/8/10)
--I was actually pleasantly surprised by the circus theme of this last challenge before Bryant Park. Generally, the last challenge is an exercise in safe gowns with a light veneer of "inspiration" via artwork or flowers or something else that is so neutral and vague that it can be invoked in almost any design. The circus has just enough direction and exuberance to force the designers to deal with it directly, but remained open enough to let them all do their own thing. Though after the debacle that was Season 6, I should be happy just to avoid more gowns based on algae or the umpteenth "make a pretty dress" challenge.
--Which is not to say that I was in love with the designs in this episode. There are other things in the circus besides stripes and ringmasters, people. Of course, at this point in the season, the judges are all locked into their favorites and grumpy as hell, while the designers are all so burned out that we're lucky that we didn't get five ringmasters in top hats coming down the runway.
--I don't know what it is about Emilio that irritates me so much. Objectively speaking, he's not nearly as obnoxious or nasty as some of the PR villains to come before him. And yet, when he talks, it's like nails on a chalkboard to me. Part of it may be the obvious judges' bias for him. And part of it is certainly the way he totally disregards Tim. I'm not sure where the rest of my animosity comes from. The hats, maybe?
--Actually, I do know one of the major reasons that Emilio irritates me so much--because he's not nearly as good as he thinks he is. Sure, he has turned out some solid designs, but he doesn't strike me as so creative or interesting a designer to be worthy of the excessive judges' praise that he gets. Today's dress is a perfect example. I can't tell you how much I wanted it to suck, but even I have to confess that it was a very good design. (Though, for the record, I hated that little polka dot ruffle on the bottom of the gown. Completely unnecessary, and it reminded me of a bedskirt from Target's shabby chic collection.) But as good as it was, I just don't see how it was worthy of the collective orgasm it got from the judges. Don't get me wrong--it was good. Probably the best on the runway. But it's just another nice-ish evening gown from Emilio. Whoopie.
--Was anyone surprised that Anthony went home? If so, have you been paying any attention this season? I assume that the only reason that they didn't just forego the challenge, name Emilio the winner, and send Anthony home without bothering with all that sewing and runway stuff has to do with contractual considerations. I like Anthony a lot, but there was no way that the judges were going to send him to Bryant Park. Not that he helped himself at all by using polyester for his dress. Unlike Heidi and Michael Kors, I don't get hives at the mere mention of polyester, but I'm at least aware enough to know that using it for the final PR challenge is a huuuuuuge mistake.
--So Mila and Jay are doing the design-off for the final place at Bryant Park. Even though this is a bit of a stunt (and a repeat one at that), I sort of agree with it. I'm sick of Mila's mod aesthetic and compulsive need to color block black and white fabrics, but she does come up with something neat from time to time. And Jay is just funny and cute and awesome. How can you not love someone who, in the midst of trashing a fellow competitor, refreshingly confesses, "but I might be saying this because I dislike her as a person." Oh, also, he makes some nice things.
Episode 11 "Sew Much Pressure" (airdate 4/1/10)
--I'm not a "Quitters never win," kind of person. Maybe that makes me un-American, but sometimes (I believe) a good quit is absolutely necessary. Why is it some kind of mark of wonderfulness to keep on doing something painful and awful, just because? Life lessons? Spare me. Life is full of things that are awful and painful that you actually can't walk away from. Why not avoid the ones you can?
--All of which is my way of saying that I don't blame Maya at all for quitting. The judges haven't been into her, she's under a huge amount of stress and living in a fishbowl--and she has already gotten the benefit of being a non-winning PR designer. I actually think she was sort of right about her need to grow more as a designer. Or maybe I was just impressed by Seth Aaron telling us to shut up if we're thinking of criticizing Maya for quitting.
--Obviously, we've reached the point in the competition when the designers are getting so exhausted and stressed out that they start sending retreads, safe, and uninspired messes down the runway. And yet, for some reason, this is also the point at which they always make them do a red carpet look. And then get pissy about the results. To get neat designs at this point in the competition, we need to get challenges that push the contestants in unexpected ways. These blank-check, make-a-pretty-dress challenges are always a disappointment toward the end of the show.
--Is it me, or does it seem like we're getting more and more challenges that revolve around making Heidi happy? Is this just the producers' way of giving meaning to Heidi's I-Would/Wouldn't-Wear-That style of judging?
--So yes, I was unimpressed by the runway results this week. Seth Aaron was dull and safe. Mila did a poorly-fitted Forever 21 special with gold stripes that remind me of a someone's souped-up Honda Civic. Jonathan wrapped barely enough fabric around his model to cover her naughty bits and tacked some random swaths of color to the resultant mess. Jay doesn't understand that women don't care for butt ruffles. Emilio turned in a wildly overpraised glittery gold column. And Anthony (good to have you back!) turned in a nice-enough (but again, not particularly beautiful) black and white flow-y thing.
--Oooooh. Another double win. It's like the cop-out season of PR when it comes to picking winners. I'm not going to pretend that it's an unfair win. Emilio and Anthony did suck less than everyone else, so yay for them. I'm annoyed at another Emilio win, since I don't really see the appeal of his design work--it seems so dull, but I don't really have access to the high-grade crack of fashion insiders like Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, so that may be why I can't appreciate him. As for Anthony, I'm glad that he isn't going home, but I'm also not surprised. It's hard to believe that they would bring him back on only to eliminate him the next day.
--Poor Jonathan. I don't think he ever got a fair shake from the judges. They really aren't fans of his style of work, but it doesn't follow that he doesn't have an interesting point of view. That said, he did put up a big old mess this week. And there's a bit of irony in the fact that he dumped his model after she defended him on the runway last week. Now, he's going, and she's still in the competition. Karma's a bitch, ain't it?
Episode 10 "Hey, That's My Fabric" (airdate 3/25/10)
--An actual Project Runway first! As opposed to a minor variation on a theme dressed up to be a PR first. That might be a first in and of itself. And a cool new challenge it is. Since I know very little about fabric design, I don't know whether it was just an impractical/unworkable idea until now, but I really loved the idea of having the designers create their own prints. And it's interesting to see what the designers decided to do with such a cool design tool.
--Unfortunately, not many of the designers took full advantage of their blank canvas. Mila gave us fingerpaints. Emilio created a "brand" pattern that managed to be ungainly and confusing. Which pretty much negates the point of doing a branding pattern. (Though it does say something about Emilio's ego that--given the chance to create his own fabric for a design--his moment of expression was spent in writing his name over and over again.) And Maya seemed overwhelmed by the pressure of using a pattern of her own creation and wished she could use solid colors (!). She seriously could not even create a print that she could work with. I'd say that should count as a bit of a design weakness.
--Gee, you think HP might have spent a few bucks on promotion for this episode? Instead of having poor Vivienne Tam stumble woodenly through their pitch, I think they should have just switched to a blinking graphic that simply said, "Buy these HP Products or We'll Move the Show Back to LA." More effective and just about as subtle.
--Granted, I might just be feeling bitter because Emilio had the poor taste to get sniffy about Tim Gunn's help, but I don't see why the judges were wetting themselves over his design. Yes, the jacket was very nice. But the print was just ho hum to me, and if you don't love the print, there isn't much to look at in the dress. Congratulations on the win, you smug jackass.
--On the other hand, I was glad to see Seth Aaron get some love for his look. Sure, it's not an aesthetic for everyone, but he knows his style and sticks to it no matter what the challenge. And I feel like he was one of the few designers to take true advantage of the opportunity to design their own fabric.
--I started to feel sorry for Jonathan and the beating that he was getting from the judges. But on the other hand, who on earth creates a jacket that has to be put on backwards? What the hell is up with that? Sure, it would be nice to see Kors stop using "Disco ____" as his all-purpose "funny" critique, but the damn thing really was like a straightjacket. Who wants to get ready in the morning by strapping on a high-fashion straightjacket? (Incidentally, it might have just been the effect of the color on my TV, but his fabric didn't come off as sad and dirty on screen as it must have on the runway. This isn't necessarily much of a defense, as the average person isn't being chased by paparazzi and it might be a little awkward to have to tell everyone you meet, "Sure, my dress looks sad and dingy in person, but it's not nearly so bad in pictures.")
--I want to like Maya's design. I really do. I can understand why the judges like it. The print that had her despairing in the workroom turned out to be interesting. But . . . maybe I'm just sick of designs where someone just sticks a bunch of ruffles by the model's head and calls it a day. Maybe I need to see it close-up or in person or something. But on TV, it's just not doing it for me.
--Well, I think we all knew that Anthony wasn't long for this world. I can't defend his elimination on the basis of his look. It was a mess. But this episode had me wishing we could just do one elimination based on personality instead of fashion. Then Emilio could have gone home and Anthony could stay.
Episode 9 "Takin' It to the Streets" (airdate 3/18/10)
--There was a sad lack of bitching and fighting in this episode, considering that it was a team challenge. Sure, Jay made a few muttered backstabby statements, and we got the usual compliment of people stating their intent to sell their partner down the river if it came to that during judging. But rather less actual under-bus-throwing than I had hoped for.
--Ordinarily I would complain about the way that the New York-centered challenges turn into annoying peaons to the city from the locals and star-struck designers. But Project Runway fixed me good with that disastrous LA season. Now I just sigh quietly to myself and recite my calming mantra until it's all over. It's not that I dispute that New York is awesome. I just wish they'd shut up about it already.
--They kind of fooled me on the Anthony coverage this episode. I feel like he's on the edge of elimination at this point--just one massive mistake from elimination. So when we seemed to focus on him and his little quips and design decisions, I braced myself for his trip to the bottom once again. But then (surprise!), he and Maya ended up in the top 4. Nicely done, Anthony. (Incidentally, I thought they did some nice-ish work on their Chinatown looks, but they seemed a tad drab to me. Though maybe I just tire of endless blacks and beiges.)
--And Mila has returned to the black and white color blocking. Is there a point at which we no longer consider this a signature and instead call it an annoying lack of creativity?
--A tough break for Amy, but given the fish pants and hair goblet debacles, we were pretty much counting down to her elimination. And I can't even say that it was undeserved. I understood the judge's problems with Jay's look (and tank top), but I didn't actually mind it as much as they. I thought his pants were kinda cool (assuming your thighs are small enough that adding fabric balloons to them seems cute rather than retarded), and the tank top (ignoring the execution issues) was more dull than hideous. On the other hand, Amy turned in something that looks like something you'd pick up in the maternity section at Wal-Mart. And to evoke the Upper East Side, no less. It was so boring, unflattering, and unimaginative that literally 10 minutes after the show, as I sat down to write this, I could not remember the outfit that got her eliminated.
--Congrats to Emilio and Seth Aaron for the win. Seth Aaron continues to turn out edgy-ish stuff that I wish I could buy, and Emilio continues to create beautifully executed, pretty dresses that aren't particularly exciting. But it's working for him, so I can't really blame him.
Episode 8 "The Elements of Fashion (airdate 3/11/10)
--Honestly, I'm starting to think that we need to create a little list of rules for Project Runway contestants. It's getting painful to watch them fall to the same mistakes again and again. Like, "Don't try to make a full suit on a very tight schedule," and, "This is not the time to try out making pants for the first time ever." (Incidentally, how is someone who made it this far completely inexperienced in making pants? Isn't that, like, an essential designer skill? What would you think of a Top Chef contestant who didn't know how to fry an egg? This is how we end up with those fashion lines that are nothing but little cocktail dresses. Very cute, but does everyone have to design solely for Paris Hilton's life?)
--These conceptual challenges are neat, but almost always a trap for some of the designers. With such a broad direction (make something inspired by air, fire, water, or earth), they either tend to make something dull, safe, and literal, or feel the need to push themselves into disastrous absurdity. Someone needs to remind the arty types that there's an important difference between "bold and cutting edge" and "stupid and impractical."
--A few of the designers really fudged the inspiration part too. A dress inspired by fire in a grey and black "soot and smoke" theme? Air as midnight in New York? A shark suit for "water"? I'll admit that it's fair enough within the bounds of the challenge. (And Seth Aaron's midnight piece, in particular, was very cool and probably slid by on that alone.) But I can't help feeling that the "interpretation" was just a cheaty way to work in their comfort zones.
--Just a note about Seth Aaron (who, incidentally, has my favorite design aesthetic so far--he's like Jeffrey, only not an ass): Is it me, or is it almost impossible to just call him "Seth"? It's like I have to add "Aaron" right away. I think this is because the name "Seth" makes me think of the obnoxious kid down the street when you were growing up who was always burning ants with a magnifying glass.
--Another piece of advice for future contestants: If, during a particularly difficult challenge, you find yourself being filmed as you tearfully call home to talk to your loved ones, you might as well tell them you'll see them very, very soon. 'Cause you're going home.
--Nice win for Jonathan. It's good to see him finally get some recognition. From a What-Would-I-Like-to-Wear perspective, I suppose I liked Seth Aaron's a little more, but Jonathan's piece was creative, beautifully executed, and definitely more in the spirit of the challenge. (And I did like his interpretation of air as the "spirit of laughter.")
--Ben seemed like a nice guy. It's too bad he had to go. I do think an argument could be made for sending home Amy instead. Honestly, that Boob Hair Cup thing was a fashion abomination. In terms of sheer ugliness, it was far worse than Ben's unfortunate jockstrap pants. (Another note for future designers: For the love of God, do not incorporate human hair in your design. Why do we even have to tell you this?) But the Judges will always choose better-executed ugly over poorly-executed dull. Sorry Ben.
Episode 7 "Hard Wear" (airdate 3/4/10)
--And then there were 10. I'm not entirely sure why this is such a cause for celebration among the contestants. Sure, it's nice to not have been eliminated yet. But there are still an awful lot of people around. It's a little premature for the "I'm almost to Fashion Week" crowing. If nothing else, why not consider the possibility that you're giving the producers exactly the footage that will make you look like the biggest ass on earth if you get auf'd this episode.
--Hooray! An unconventional materials challenge. Who cares how practical it is? This is entertainment, darn it. I want to see tears and hissy fits. Not to mention that these are the challenges that can really show the true innovators. But mostly I love the hissy fits and trainwrecks.
--Enough already with the color blocking Mila. There's a difference between a signature element and a tired and overdone theme. Guess which one we're in now? I just do not get why the judges were so taken with this look. It seemed so stiff and awkward and dull.
--How is it that the designers manage to make things that are too small for the models? These are girls so skinny that they can run through closed doors. And yet (and on a fairly regular basis, no less) the designers keep turning out stuff that's too short, too tight, and just plain too small. Who are they designing for? Aliens? Small children? Dolls?
--I concede that Jay's garbage bag look was pretty neat, but I maintain that using garbage bags in an unconventional materials challenge is . . . well, not cheating, but kind of taking the easy way out. I mean, we established many seasons ago that trash bags can mimic leather, and they're really the closest thing in the store to actual fabric. Great look, but I'm not overcome by the innovation.
--I haven't been a fan of Emilio this season--his clothes have run hot and cold, and he has a tendency towards snobbery and insufferable comments. But I had to like the fact that he defended his (bizarre and unattractive) washer bathing suit without a lot of excuses about the difficulty of the challenge or the lack of time. That may well be a PR first.
--Maya was robbed. She was the only one who really created a full head-to-toe look and an accessory that didn't seem like an afterthought. Honestly, why even include the accessory requirement if the judges were going to overlook it? (Also, see earlier grudge against use of garbage bags.) And I say this even having a slight Hawaii bias for Jay, who is cute as a gay, Asian button.
--I can't say that Jesse's look was worse than Emilio's or Anthony's. I won't cry "producer manipulation" as it seems pretty clear that the judges are just more taken with Anthony and Emilio. And I will admit that they're both more entertaining than Jesse. But from a strict "Who had the worst look?" perspective, it does seem a little unfair for Jesse to go home.
Episode 6 "A Little Bit of Fashion" (airdate 2/18/10)
--Can this really be the first time that Project Runway has done a challenge revolving around dressing a young girl? It's such a natural and obvious fit that it just can't seem possible. After all, little girls in the height of their princessy stage are such demanding critics that the designers would be dying for a Nina dressing-down instead. Not to mention that they're nearly on par with professional models in their joy at commanding attention at a catwalk.
--Well, it seems pretty clear at this point that Mila is the openly mean/hard one, while Emilio will be playing the part of undercover passive-aggressive jerk. It's nice to finally have a villain to root against, even if they lack the chops to move into the upper echelon of PR villains. They're not even fit to breathe the same air as Kenley or Irina. But you work with what you have.
--I refuse to believe that anyone didn't see the "twist" coming. It was such an obvious addition that I think that any contestant who didn't start planning for that second look as soon as they heard the challenge described is dangerously Realty TV-illiterate.
--Speaking of Reality literacy, Jonathan's announcement of his classic strategy may be a Project Runway first of its own--not that he is the first ever to plan to play it safe for the first half of the season, then plan to pull out the tricks and get noticed in the second half. He's just the first to admit to it. For which he was punished by the Gods of Design by creating a weird, stiff, pair of looks evidently created from heavily-starched Kleenex.
--I pretty much loved Seth Aaron's creation. No bitching about anyone getting robbed here--I think he deserved the win. Then again, when he's on, he creates the kind of clothes that I would want to wear if I was significantly cooler (and wealthier) than I am.
--I didn't hate Amy's petal outfits as much as the judges. Not being a schizophrenic homeless person looking to join the circus, I wouldn't ever choose to wear those pants, but it was an interesting idea. Totally unwearable, but at least it didn't bore me.
--Most obvious elimination edit ever. Condolences, Jeanine, but anyone who couldn't see this coming a mile away should be declared legally blind. For God's sake, they showed her talking to her loved ones. (Let this be a warning to you, reality contestants. If you feel like you're on the fence for elimination and a producer suggests that you call your family, don't do it! Feign a heart attack or start a fight with another contestant. But don't let them get some sympathetic footage on you.) Anyway, poor Jeanine has been looking a bit lost for weeks now. I think she's probably one of those designers who isn't made for high-pressure, contrived design challenges. It's like being the Iron Chef--it's almost its own skill set at this point.
Episode 5 "Run for Cover" (airdate 2/11/10)
--It's an exciting turn of events to have all the hype about show firsts and "best rewards" actually pan out into something good. Especially in the last season or so, we've seen so much, "and this has never happened before in the history of Project Runway," that the phrasing has begun to lose all meaning. It's at the point now where I expect to hear that phrase in the previews, only to find out that it's referring to the first time a contestant has ever been caught eating a bowl of Fruit Loops on-camera.
--Credit where credit is due, however--this really is a good prize. The cover of Marie Claire. (Which has really been exploiting its PR connections as of late--a smart move, since I'm such a sucker that I've now added them to my growing collection of magazines full of clothing that I can't possibly afford.) And with Heidi as your model. Not too shabby. Ordinarily, I would hope for an extra twist to the challenge, but the designers were already stressed enough about creating a cover-worthy look in 24 hours. Making them do it from recycled materials or only in seafoam green would probably cause multiple nervous breakdowns.
--Apparently Mila isn't there to make friends. What a shock. Do abrasive reality TV personalities just throw this out there as a preventive measure? A sort of, "I know that I'm an annoying bitch, so I'm just going to let everyone in TV land know that I know so that it seems intentional and empowered rather than self-centered and banal." Just because you're there to win doesn't justify the belief that you're God's gift to design and can afford to be nasty to your competition. Not that Mila is nasty, of course. She just think a bit too highly of herself. But she's not exactly the only one in the workroom suffering from that particular disorder. (*cough* Right, Emilio? *cough*)
--Overall, a better showing than the Bright Red Dress atrocity of last week, but still a perplexing series of designs this week. After all, the actual editor of Marie Claire told them before they even started designing that color was very important to a cover shot. Color. So why the hell did we get so many damned beige dresses? Why would you hear, "Spring issue, color," and think, "Beige." Beige may be a color from a scientific standpoint, but in fashion, it's just a WASPy black. It's definitely not the thing you want to put on the cover of your fashion magazine to stand out and grab attention on the newsstand.
--Congratulations to Anthony for a well-earned win. Apparently, he was one of the few who understood that color, Heidi, and close-up cover shot means turning out an interesting, detailed look that will look great on the model and draw the eye of a potential buyer. Totally gorgeous dress.
--And Anna is auf. Not surprising, since she essentially gave us a look that says, "My mom gave me her credit card and drove me to Forever 21." It wasn't even hideously ugly or fantastically slutty or falling apart at the seams--you know, those little details that let you really enjoy an auf'ing. It was just . . . blah. So dull that it's a miracle the whole production staff didn't doze off while her model went down the runway. At least it wasn't beige though.
Episode 4 "Design Your Heart Out" (airdate 2/4/10)
--Oh noes! The designers have to use "real women" in this challenge. The humanity! How could the producers be so cruel as to require fashion designers to make clothes for people who don't feel the need to purge after eating a saltine? Everyone knows that fashion is not meant for ordinary human beings to wear. I believe we're just supposed to admire it on fashion models and other anorexia devotees.
--Actually, I think the producers over-did this challenge. Real women and using red and a brand tie-in? Way too many elements. They actually frustrated the drama that they were hoping to build by throwing too much at the designers. Not to mention the fact that giving them so many limitations results in a runway full of dull, safe dresses. Note to PR challenge designers--give them ONE major limitation and then let them be creative in every other way. This many design curbs pushes everyone into the same limiting box and stifles creativity. Exhibit A: Project Runway 6 (otherwise known as the LA Fashion Massacre).
--I don't mean to be a jerk, but why give us real women with inspiring near-death stories? Obviously, when you've had a heart problem that almost killed you, you're not going to get too worked up when your designer ignores your preference for Grecian draping or sends you down the runway in a Valentine's Day Whore ensemble. And while this may make you someone I'd like to know in real life, it is terrible reality TV. The thing we all love about the real women challenges is how it inevitably includes at least one picky, high-maintenance client with terrible taste and sends the designer into a tearful tailspin. I don't want to watch strong women with an appreciation for life get clothes made for them. This isn't freaking Extreme Makeover: Wardrobe. I want some shallow, self-centered witches. Other than the regular models, of course.
--Wow, there was a whole lot of ass on that runway, wasn't there. I can't remember the last time I saw so many mediocre designs on PR. Oh yeah! That was last season. Really. I could do better at the clearance rack at TJ Maxx. Not a single dress that I would be willing to pay real money for. Much less wear to a gala event. Even the top 3 were more notable for not being actively bad than anything else.
--So . . . er . . . congratulations to Amy for a design that didn't completely suck. To be fair, it moved beautifully. On the other hand, it looked like a sack of red chiffon bound in by twist ties and made the model's waist disappear. And why are the judges so excited about frayed edges this season? I hope that doesn't mean that we're in for a few seasons of racks full of knock-off styles trailing loose threads and unfinished edges.
--Jesus. I'm always said when someone named Jesus leaves a reality show before I get the opportunity to make a bunch of Jesus-related jokes. Because that his dress would make the baby Jesus cry. It's hard to top the judges on what was wrong with Jesus' dress--especially Kors' observation that it basically contained every possible tacky element in one design. Too tight. Too short. Too shiny. With rhinestone straps. Seriously, there are strippers who would reject that dress for being too whorish. I think we all knew this moment was coming since the first challenge with the brown crocodile lounge gown disaster. And I think we also knew that he would eventually go out in a blaze of cheap sluttiness. For so it is written, "Yea, verily, people named Jesus doth suck at reality shows."
Episode 3 "The Highs and Lows of Fashion" (airdate 1/28/10)
--Ah, the team challenge. If we go to long between team-style episodes, then there is a huge danger that the audience won't hear the phrase, "thrown under the bus," more than a thousand times a season. And we just can't have that. Where is this bus? And why do people keep standing close enough to it that they can be hurled in its path? (Ahem. I mean metaphorically, of course.) It's one of the Commandments of reality TV. If we can't get people to have sex, then we need to manipulate them into sniping at each other. It's, like, the American way and stuff.
--I would complain about this being yet another, "design a pretty dress," challenge, but I must be mellowing after the horror of the LA season. Well, that and the fact that they gave us the "design a second look inspired by a competitor's outfit," twist. When will the contestants learn that the judges aren't going to cut you a break for having to deal with a twist as part of your reality tv contest? Stop phoning in the extra look, people. It will get you every time.
--After spending almost the entire episode watching Anthony and Seth Aaron banter and Ping and Jesse bicker, I was actually starting to doubt the inevitable result based on the editing. More specifically, it was so obvious that they were all getting the "bottom finish" edit that I started to wonder if the whole thing was a misdirect and that one of them was going to win. Yes, that's how obvious your editing is, PR people. You actually made me question the obvious evidence of craptastic fashion in front of me.
--Interesting that after all that fussing about how Mila only worked on the jacket, Mila actually ended up winning the whole thing. I can't say that I was in love with it--especially the big, allegedly sporty white stripe on it. But I can see where the judges were coming from. I too get a little bored with the endless attempts to give us a new perspective on the pretty gown.
--I am sad to see Ping go. And not just because of how fun it is to say "Ping." I enjoy the kookiness. And it's also pretty fun to see her colleagues try to put up with her while trying to maintain a safe distance from the crazy. Also, Jesse seemed like an uptight douche, so seeing someone make him worried and frustrated on his own behalf was pretty satisfying.
Episode 2 "The Fashion Farm" (airdate 1/21/10)
--Nifty idea, combining an unconventional materials challenge with a model/client challenge. Ok, it's not a true unconventional materials challenge, since everyone is working with (the same) fabric. A tough fabric, yes, but a fabric nonetheless. Still, a surprisingly witty idea, which proves once again that LA really sucked the imagination out of this show.
--I was a little disappointed that the models weren't more difficult, both in the choosing process and the design process. Damn this professionalism. Who doesn't enjoy a little reality drama featuring high maintenance clients and designer meltdowns? The best we could get was Mila's endless whining about the fact that her model abandoned her for another designer. Sheesh woman, let it go already. The chick didn't like your designs. Since I haven't any memory at all of your entry last week, I can't say that I blame her.
--My problem with Jesus' design was not the integrity of his approach regarding the challenge. It was the fact that it was so damned ugly. Who looks at a pea soup green and says, "this would make a great dress"?
--I don't really get the hoopla over Mila's dress. The cut was nice enough, but I thought that the metallic design on it was uneven and confusing to the eye. Not to mention the weirdness of hearing a judge defend a dress that threatens a nip slip every time the model moves. It wasn't a bad dress necessarily, but I don't see the need to heap praise on a walking wardrobe malfunction.
--Some people would cry "producer manipulation" on the fact that Ping didn't get eliminated for a dress that created rain bucket hips and an ass-baring slit. And some people would also claim that my Asian bias is driving me to defend her. But I can kind of see why the judges let through that hot mess and auf'd Pamela. In the end, Pamela's faux denim hoochie dress looked like something you could buy at that cheap teen trend store at the mall. Congratulations! You made a burlap dress look like a cheap denim dress. Ping did at least show innovation in her massive fail. And the judges are almost always going to go for messy innovation over boring and cheap-looking.
--Kudos to Jay for the win. I admit that I was pulling for Amy, since I think the way she worked with the burlap was more interesting. (Or maybe I just liked the fact that you could see the fabric, and yet it didn't seem to look or move like burlap.) But I can't really argue with Jay as the winner--it was a nice piece.
Episode 1 "Back to New York" (airdate 1/14/10)
--Damn you Project Runway. I am now forced to say complementary things about New York--something I try to avoid doing as much as possible. It's not that I have anything against New York. It's a cool, exciting place. It's just that so many other people say that--not least of whom are New Yorkers themselves--that I don't feel the need to participate. Praising New York City is like going on about how gorgeous Angelina Jolie is. You're not adding anything new, and you're just contributing to an overinflated ego.
--And yet, it's like being back in NYC completely revitalized the show. There's energy. There's thoughtful criticism. There are designs that don't send me into a boredom-induced coma. And best of all, Nina and Michael are back. It's too early to say for sure, but early indications are that we have a season that will actually make sense.
--There are two types of first challenges: the ones where they screw the contestants over with unorthodox materials and demand creativity; and the ones (like this one) where they give them a wide variety of good materials, no design limits, and demand great execution and a point of view. And while I do love the unorthodox materials challenges, there is something to be said for getting a clear look at everyone's aesthetic right off the bat. Not that everyone was overwhelmingly creative in their approach. Based on this runway, I'd say that we're in for a season of very short skirts, strangely puffy hips, and oddly-placed bunches of fabric.
--I confess that I didn't really "get" Ping's outfit. They didn't really let us look at it at length in the episode, and based on its good reception, I'm guessing it is more impressive in person. I am glad that she wasn't in danger of leaving, since it seems we're a bit shy of batty and emotional contestants this season, and I like to have a few of those around for entertainment value.
--That leather evening gown was awful. Michael Kors really nailed it when he said it evoked '70s Las Vegas lounges. That explains why I instinctively wanted to see it on an overly-tanned woman with bottle blonde hair and a menthol cigarette.
--I loved Hollywood Montrose. Er . . . I mean Anthony. The dress wasn't great, but he's easily the most fun contestant so far.
--One of the reasons I'm feeling so heartened by the first episode was that the winning design was so nice. Well-executed, beautiful--something that I would be excited about seeing in a store. The worst criticism that the judges could find for it was that Heidi (master of the short, tight skirt) doesn't care much for fuller skirts.
--Who didn't know that Christiana was going home as soon as we: 1.) Learned a little about her personal life struggle; and 2.) We heard her talk about how good she is? If you didn't see that coming, than you fail Reality TV 101. I don't know that I felt her dress was the absolute worst one, but I wasn't jumping for joy over yet another design that looks like 2 different dresses trying to make a baby.