Project Runway: Winter Edition

The designers are told there will be snow on the runway. Fake snow of course.  They are given money to make a winter look. Brandon, being from Utah is excited.  Margarita, being from Puerto Rico, feels her winter look of a dress and a bikini may not fly.  Margarita is, for much of this episode, very concerned that she has the Tim Gunn save but that the judges and maybe others don't believe in her.  So, getting to Mood and having picked out a fur, only to discover that the show is fur free, doesn't help her confidence. Tim asks the other designers if they mind if Margarita can have five more minutes to replace the fur she didn't buy. They all agree.  Margarita continues to struggle, and feels even her model doesn't like her outfit. The model mirror reveals that she may not entirely be projecting as Liris kindly says, it's a great idea that will depend on execution since wrap coats can make people look bulkier.  Kentaro is paired with Meisha again, the model who speaks Japanese.  Kenya has Jazzmine who is curvy, so Kenya is in her element.  Tim is doing the typically pushing each designer down their own lane.  He tells Kenya this is her time to win.  And brings up the bridesmaid cliche that I hate and have already written a blog post about so we will move on. 

Once again, on the runway, there is nothing the judges hate, just degrees of concern on a few.  I'm going to confess, I understand it's "Project Runway" not Project Keep the Models Warm, and this was likely filmed in August, no matter how much AC is on in the studio, but as a person who fears being cold, I at least wanted more mention of exposed midriffs and such.  

Ayana has a color blocked coat, a diagonal pink mixed with black, over a herringbone patterned romper. The long sleeved, long panted romper is not universally loved by the judges, but they all agree it's not boring, and they love the coat a lot. 

Brandon has layered a waxed cotton green jacket over fleecy looking white.  There's an exposed midriff when the coat is open, but also a hand warmer packet attached to the pants. It's very Brandon and very well received, although they note his poor model is wearing open toed heels. (Poor, if we pretend it's really winter.)

Kentaro has also gone with white, a white fleecy looking coat, with matching shorts, and grey layered leggings that almost make the model look like she's wearing boots.  The judges love the outfit including the shorts, so who know, maybe Margarita could have made a bikini.  And look folks, if you wear shorts in winter, I'm not trying to shame you.  I have friends who dislike long pants.  You do you.  I will be wearing two sets of leggings underneath my long pants. 

Kenya has picked a large plaid and made a great coat, pairing it with a patterned top and amazingly tailored pants. The judges like each piece but feel the coat reads more casual, and the outfit reads more sleek.  (Technically the terms they used were the coat is more downtown and the outfit is uptown and but I am really over these terms.)  They are just concerned. 

Margarita, after Tim pointed out her original dress was just meh, went all in with a faux fur dress and a wrap coat. The dress has a tall neck, so that the faux fur peeks out over the top of the coat, but still creates drama when you realize the whole dress is fur.  Nina feels it was a great surprise and made her curious to see more from Margarita, although once they see the back of the dress, there are some clear time issues. I want to note, that it is such a shift in "Project Runway" over the years, how little we accept the time issue, especially this late in the season.  Certainly there are things that happen, but there are many times that designers, even now were sending barely pinned outfits down the runway and we were like, well it was a short challenge.  And yes, I remember that OG Kara Saun was always done and always had several pieces, but it just wasn't true of so many.  

They are asked to explain why they should go and who they would take with them.  And it's time for my reminder that the judges have literally never used this second part as part of their consideration.  It's just there to create drama.  They have sent home designers other designers liked, and kept designers no one else picked.  All of this is to say, no one picks Margarita.  A lot of people pick Brandon.  The judges deliberate.  Kentaro is in. Brandon is in.  Ayana is in.  Margarita is in.  Kenya is in.  So, no eliminations.  As last in the room, Kenya gets all the way to her seat before she lets the others know she's in. They are all happy for her. I'm happy too.  I know that technically fashion week has happened, so all of these folks were at least going to present a decoy.  But I'm happy we'll get to see them at least try.  Because you know there's a twist.  I knew that before they showed the preview from next week.  

Project Runway: Warriors

The designers are given boxing gloves. Kentaro proves to be the savvy one, telling Brandon the important part is that the clove is pink.  They arrive at the boxing ring to meet Tim, in sweats (Ayana speaks for us all to express shock) and a representative from Avon who tells them about the work Avon has done to combat breast cancer and introduces them to some survivors. Margarita is obviously emotional, and tells the mannequins that her grandmother had breast cancer. I know the warrior/fighter parlance is getting pushback in some circles, as it implies that there are winners and losers in illness, but warrior woman is not a bad theme for a challenge.  

During the Tim critiques, Margarita is still really emotional, and Tim seems thrown.  I think it's hard to remember that at this point they have been in a weird routine for weeks, different food, different sleep, different schedules, this is the point in the trip where you think you are super fine and then a bus stop ad sends you into a meltdown.  So, getting a little emotional about breast cancer seems right on par. Tim ponders perhaps being a woman it touches her more.  I'm going to assume that Tim's real concern here was that sometimes being a little to emotionally tied to your piece inhibits your ability to critically edit it and Margarita has gold pleather and bright red, so it's something she needs to keep an eye on. 

Kentaro and Brandon have both created looks with turtlenecks and hoods, and menswear inspired elements.  Basically warrior woman is where their two aesthetics overlap, and while Brandon is working in pastel pink and white, and Kentaro is working in black and white.  Kentaro keeps tweaking and trying different elements. He also tells the mannequin, he thinks he has been too focused on what will look good on the model and not on what he likes to make, which sure, but, hmm.  Basically he seems to be flailing a bit.  Kenya has been paired with the model Liris, who I believe may have more appearances in the top than many of the models.  (Obviously, as they use one less model each week, there's no way to make a fair comparison, but she has shown to be a great asset to several of the designers.) 

So let's just go in alphabetical order. 

Ayana made a beautifully tailored top that pairs a half ruffled button down top with striped pants that have a petal detail on it.  I wonder if the judges assumed it was from Kentaro or Brandon. I think it looks very Ayana, and yes also has some of the elements Kentaro and Brandon have been playing with.  It's very editorial, and the judges love it even more up close as they see how carefully she matched the stripes.  

Brandon has created a cropped top with tailoring and buckles, topped with a hoodie drawn tightly around the model's head and layered drop crotch pants. Zac notes that he is generally not a fan of poopy pants, but these are very well tailored.  Nina loves what she continues to call his street style paired with millienial pink. Heidi wishes the hood had been down, but overall liked it. 

Kentaro's black layers mean a lot of his details are lost and the outfit looks heavy.  One could argue she does look ready to go into battle, but not in a way that is editorial or interesting. The judges do note the similarity to what Brandon did, but Brandon's outfit shows more skin and Kentaro's doesn't. 

Kenya has made a beautiful blue dress with her signature form fitting pencil skirt, and petal shoulder details.  Nina loves dresses that you could wear to work and sit at the conference table in and still have all the fun stuff be visible.  Heidi is thrilled that someone has dressed Liris so well. Nina later asks Zac about the work involved in the petals.  There's been a noticeable shift this season in Nina's interest in how things are made.  Allowing for changes in show editors of course, we have seen her demonstrate more interest in the skill required.  

Margarita described her idea that cancer is chaos and she was containing the chaos with the corset, so the corset is snug (and gold pleather) and the red is more wild.  She was also trying to do something that was very her.  The judges like it better knowing her idea, but ultimately, on my screen at least, the red is very bright, and paired with gold pleather it just reads more discount Wonder Woman than it might have in deeper colors.  I like Margarita, but this is still not something that tells me specifically what her viewpoint is. 

Brandon wins. 

Margarita is out. Except, as Tim comes back he tells her he loved the outfit, and he wants to see more of her, so is using the Tim Gunn save.  

Project Runway: The Car Challenge

I appreciate that as they came around the corner to see cars, one of the designers said, oh the car challenge, indicating actual familiarity with the show.  There were cars filled with safety gear, the challenge was to make something out of bandages, seatbelts, harnesses, construction fencing, and other such gear.  They are down to six and the knowledge that no one would be safe this week seemed to weigh heavily on them all as they second guessed themselves.  Ayana had grabbed a ton of stuff, knowing her intention was to make a modest, aka head to toe outfit.  Kenya worries that she doesn't have enough or that since she only grabbed black things and is surrounded by folks making things in bright blue, safety orange, and safety yellow. 

Tim has concerns that Brandon is making something that doesn't look like him, so he tries again.  Tim expresses concern that Kentaro has combined many fire hoses and made something that looks like a burlap sack, so neither stylish or terribly unconventional looking.  Michael has dedicated a lot of time to twisting bungee cords and gets Tim's message to execute it in a sophisticated fashion.  

The model mirror is used. (I apologize, I have not learned all the model's names.) Michael's model is happy she's not naked. Margarita's model notes that it's very top heavy.  Brandon's model is a little concerned that her skirt is both short and angled out providing a possible booty glimpse.  Kenya's model says she would never personally wear something that enlarges her hips, but it's a cool outfit. Kenya's zipper breaks right before they go down to the runway.  The outfit is belted so they carry on as is.  (You'll note no zipper gate this time.)

Heidi says the scores were tight, no really bad ones, getting eh's from Zac and Nina.  But it does seem there's more of a top four again.  

They love Brandon's look made of cones and inflatable boats, which looks very Brandon only more color.  I will note that Brandon used green last week, so whatever.  The judges and I are not in agreement about what constitutes a street look, or an interesting design here. I mean it's fine. But, I am bored of Brandon doing the same thing the way I am happy to see Kenya and Ayana do the same thing.  So, I recognize the paradox.

Michael's outfit is short and his time spent playing with the bungee overlay and not the rest of the dress shows.  The overlay squishes parts of the dress making it look weirdly fit and I suspect Michael kind of knows it's an idea that looked better in his head.  

Kenya's black seatbelt and bandage dress is beloved.  They appreciate that she painted some of the bandages to give it dimension and texture.  It reminds me a bit of a Kini Zamora design, but in a good way.  

Ayana's outfit is amazing, it has long sleeves, pointy shoulders, and a cloud of construction fencing as a skirt.  She has a helmet head peace too.  She used broken reflectors as detail all over and it looks awesome.  

Margarita used kneepads as boob cups and created a molded top, with harnessing, and a safety tape skirt.  The judges love it, Nina says it looks superhero-esque, but Zac notes that at this point they don't know what her point of view as a designer is.  I want to note here, that in one of her mannequin interviews, Margarita pulled out the dressmaker word for Ayana and Kenya.  Right now I think Ayana and Kenya have pretty clear points of view.  Heck, as bored as I am of Brandon, he has a clear point of view.  Margarita has done a lot of different things.  And whether it's the pressure of the challenges or not, I don't know what a Margarita look looks like.  Some people that do well in the confines of the challenges,do less well with the go make a collection thing because they don't have a specific aesthetic to fall back on.  Margarita may well have a really great plan.  But it's something to consider. 

Kentaro took Tim's critique about his shapeless top and pleated but boring skirt and attached things to it.  He used an arrowhead shape, so decided to embrace the vaguely native American aspect of it, putting his model in fringed shoes, and braids.  Basically it looks costumey and not good.  

Ayana wins. Michael is out.  He is incredibly gracious about leaving.  And the episode ends with an RIP tag for designer Mychael Knight from Season three, who passed away this week. 

Project Runway: Avant Garde Dolls

I am thrilled to report that we resume episodes with endings this week.  We start before we left, Claire is the winner, Michael walks off stage, Heidi and Tim want to know what's up.  Batani seems to be the first on stage to cave to the pressure of all the questions and mentions that there were concerns about Claire (and SHawn) copying other designers and their own clothes. Backstage, Michael tells Tim, and is joined by Margarita.  Tim says copying the clothes you are wearing (by which we mean using them to pattern) is within the rules.  Michael and Margarita go back on stage, Claire remains the winner, Batani is out.  

The designers return to the backroom to catch the others up.  Claire is understandably upset that she got sideswiped on the runway for concerns that had clearly been going on for weeks that no one had mentioned to her.  Margarita seems to have realized that by venting to Michael and not to Claire she has not actually preserved the nice with Claire.  Let's talk about this.  I am going to in some ways make some assumptions about motivations, but I think Margarita had noticed this patterning off their own clothes that both Shawn and Claire were engaging in, and referencing other things - they had pointed out in the model episode that Shawn's top look for her model basically looked like exactly what the model wore when she visited Shawn. The designers had hoped that this lack of originality would get noticed by the judges.  And while no one has brought out the word seamstress, that's what this is.  They think Shawn and Claire make good things that look like what is out there.  And that designers innovate.  And they were assuming the judges would agree, especially since Shawn and Claire spent time in the bottom.  And yet, here Claire is.  Claire asks if all this came up now because she won money. No one appears to answer, but you have to wonder. 

In the discussion, Margarita, who I think was trying to vent to Micheal to diffuse her own tension and now realizes that she has spread the tension further so is taking some responsibility to explain her concerns, says in addition to patterning in the bathroom, she has seen both Shawn and Claire measure items in their own closet in the hotel room.  Amy, who you may recall is a fashion professor in her other life says, well, having design tools outside the workroom is a violation of the rules. Claire - who I want to point out did have a legit gripe that people were jerks whispering about her but not talking to her - now seems to see that okay, there was this one fair point. Tim enters the backroom, asks Claire to confirm she has been using tools outside of the workroom, she does, and her win is rescinded.  And also she is gone and Batani stays.  And the cup pattern will go to Brandon who you may recall was neither top or bottom, lending credence to the idea that the biggest problem with the product placement challenges might be the product placement people. 

So, on to a normal show.  It's...a product placement challenge.  It's avant garde Shopkins. The designers are given consultation with a Shopkins fan, aka kid.  Amy says it makes her miss when her kid was that age.  Michael is thrilled his superfan is so inspired by disco given it's influence on fashion.  (I am pretty sure his fan just likes glitter, but hey, they bonded.) Margarita wonders why eliminated designers can't come be their seamstresses, and when asked who she'd want, she says Samantha. 

As with many of the avant garde challenges, it's avant garde in the sense that you could wear this to the Met Ball and look like you didn't just wear a regular outfit.  Heidi says they have four top scores (I'm guessing there were ties) and two bottom.  Kenya and Kentaro are safe. Ayana has made a delightful outfit that looks like a giant pink ruffle bell with a huge bow, and polka dot legging peeking out from underneath. Michael has made a glitter jumpsuit with some glitter piping (remniscient of Sandia) wrapping around to simulate a melting disco ball.  Brandon's outfit looks like a strappy thing, and when guest judge Kate Upton says her cooking apron is the same color, well, that was what it reminded me of, a fashion apron. That the judges love and say they knew was his. Margarita uses a few fabrics to create volume and glitter sparkle touches that looks poufy but interesting.

Batani returned to her pattern matching ways, and has also made use of volume, but in a way that is less successful, especially as she has a part on the side, she didn't cover, so it looks unfinished.  There's also a cut out in the back that emphasizes that the whole outfit is a little too tight for her model. And Amy has made an outfit that is very Amy and could have easily been something that Amy would have entered in any other challenge.  It has a high neck, uses Amy's signature neutrals, and it's well made but makes the judges feel like she didn't try.  

Michael wins. 

Batani is back out.  And Amy is too.  So we finally got a double elimination. 

Project Runway: Two by Two

I usually try to give "Project Runway" the benefit of the doubt on the shenanigans. But the episode ends with to be continued.  They have done this before.  Decided it was too hard to tell in a team of two where the failure lay, and so sent both designers back to the workroom for a short head to head face off, and then sent one home.  I'm going to confess I had secretly hoped that they would send both Shawn and Claire home, but the judges seem to be working on the theory that one of them might be talented enough to stay., Normally I would be on board with that, but at this point I don't think "Project Runway" is in charge of breaking their co-dependency.  

So, yeah, no closure here.  

The challenge is a bunch of misdirects that boil down to the designers are assigned fabric in groups of two to create an outfit for JC Penney inspired by menswear but for women. They are working in teams, but not fabric teams, so must select another designer to work with.  So, Kentaro and Brandon, Ayana and Michael, Margarita and Batani, Kenya and Amy, and Shawn and Claire.  I know that last one shocked you.  Ayana and Michael end up safe, so we spend very little time with them and will have to assume they enjoyed working together.  Kentaro and Brandon are in their brotherhood zone and Michael slyly mentions that they seemed to ignore everything Tim said to them so he hopes they get so confident they end up falling flat.  

Margarita and Batani and Amy and Kenya both have troubled partnerships.  As do Shawn and Claire.  Amy says she went into this thinking well, Kenya's been more successful than I so, I can learn from her, and then gets really nervous when Kenya is spending time on something they are trying as a back up idea rather than focusing on the primary garments and starts to realize partway through that she should have taken more ownership and then is trying to change the dynamics on the fly and so they start runway day a little snippy with each other.  It's really hard to shift on the fly and Amy and Kenya both realize that they are not working well together but are trying to figure out in limited time how to address this.  

Margarita and Batani have distinct styles and Batani is asking a lot of questions and I suspect - through my expert ability to assume things based on highly edited footage - that it's partly a question difference.  If you are a person who doesn't ask a lot of does this go here, how would I do this questions, you can sometimes interpret working with people who externally process a lot as them needing a lot of help.  Sometimes they do. And sometimes they were just asking as they thought it through in their head and if you just let them go, they figure it out.  But Margarita was trying to be the best teammate and kept jumping in, and we see very little interview with Batani so she didn't seem bothered by it, but also maybe didn't need it.  

Shawn and Claire are reaching that hour ten in the backseat of the car level of sniping.  Claire appears to possibly be trying to pull back a bit, and not jump in to help her sister on every little thing.  She says at the beginning of the episode that she's been in the bottom twice now and really needs to evaluate.  And in sisterly fashion Shawn says, I have too.  Totally ignoring that she was in the top in the last episode with a pair of pants her sister made for her.  (I do get that the sibling thing makes it very very hard to let your sibling claim a thing that you have also experienced, and first!  But whew.)  

Top is Kentaro and Brandon with hoodie mix and match separates that are pretty much the exact blend of what you would have expected of them.  Margarita and Batani are also there with a shirt dress and a fancier dress with sailoresque buttons.  Margarita wins with her asymmetric shirt dress.  

Kenya and Amy are in the bottom with a demin pantsuit with an asymmetric scoop neckline that is an attempt to make it modern and just makes it look more strange.  The other outfit has a top with a necktie and pants.  Both are a little blah but well made.  In Kenya's defense, while I wouldn't buy this outfit, it is right in line with the other things she has been making.  Just in a less interesting fabric.  

Shawn and Claire, you will be shocked to learn, created a sweatshirt inspired thing and a T-shirt inspired thing.  Shawn had Liris, one of the larger models and was very nervous that she would get called out for making crappy things for a curvy girl again, so made a sweatshirt inspired dress, with a ribbon along the edge that, let's face it, looked a lot like the sweatshirt dress Claire was in the bottom for last week.  Claire made a t-shirt that was two fabrics.  And then made a thing that looked like two sleeves sewn together and wanted to do it as a boob tie until Tim stepped in.  Then as a waist tie.  Kentaro suggested hip tie which was better and helped disguised that the jeans they made were ill fitting in the rear area.  (Their poor models say that knowing they are working with the twins, they were happy their outfits were done.) 

So Heidi announces the head to head challenge and, then the dreaded to be continued.  

Project Runway: Models are Clients

This one was hard. Heidi came out to tell the designers their next challenge and in a completely natural and not at all staged entirely for the cameras moment, a producer interrupts to tell Heidi that Tim is blowing up Heidi's phone with selfies.  So, basically, the designers discover the models are their clients this week and they will need to come up with a non-work outfit for their model that also selfies well.  

There's an interesting shift in the way that Shawn and Claire are edited this week.  I generally think you get what you get when you sign up for a reality competition show, but I feel like the producers aren't as settled on their proposed viewpoint of Shawn and Claire so the fingerprints are a little more obvious.  We're distilling 2-3 days into an hour, and even eliminating the time that they are sleeping that's still a lot.  But this week, a few of the designers note that it is less that Shawn and Claire help each other a lot and more that Shawn asks Claire for help and critique a lot.  

Kenya, who is feeling very unsettled after Tim suggests that the matching vest and pants on her slim model might make one think stringbean, says she doesn't have a sister on the show she can ask.  She appears to get some help from Amy, but a lot of it seems to be the some look at this and tell me I'm not crazy help, which we all need sometimes.  But Kenya did hit on an important point.  The designers can help each other.  But arriving with someone who has to go to Thansksgiving dinner with you is different.  It's much easier to ask them.  And also, much harder to say no.  

I discovered when I became a telecommuter no one wandered by my desk and saw me muttering at the screen and asked if I needed help.  I couldn't stop by someone's cube after I got more tea from the break room.  I had to actually call, or email, and say, I can't figure this out.  Alternatively you often find people start asking you questions when you become a person who reliably understands things, but there are days when the things I've actually been tasked with have to take priority over assisting fellow co-workers hit their own deadlines.  It's a tricky balance - for Shawn, for Claire, and for others who are thinking well I'd be done by now if someone had fixed my pants for me. 

While Brendan makes very much the same thing, he is safe but we're going to mention that Samantha, in that careful tone one adopts when one is simply saying something, notes that his is a look that references Rey in "Star Wars" and that kind of nerd chic...will provide a lot of clients for him.  Also, because so many (3) models have confessed crushes on Brendan the producers ask him if he has crushes and he says, I have a girlfriend. 

One to the top and bottom.  Shawn is in the top, with a ruffled crop top and cropped pants.  It is a better tailored version of what she's been doing (and yeah her sister made the pants) and it looks good.  

Kentaro is paired up with his model who knows Japanese and he created an awesome Japanese inspired yet modern outfit that pairs a folded crop top (there were a lot of crop tops, folks) over an architectural skirt and pants that just looks great both still and walking. 

Kenya is in the top.  The green vest was cropped enough to tone down the dalmatian-esque print of the top, and the petal necked top, and slim pants are beautifully made. 

Claire is in the bottom for an oversized sweatshirt that she says is paired with tailored shorts but who can tell, because they are so short the models butt cheeks are showing.  She knew they'd want color so stuck a teal ribbon along the zipper.  Nina is basically like I have seen this too many times, and it's boring, next. 

Margarita went all in on her model's vision for a 90's esque bomber jacket, baggy pants, and crop top.  She seems to realize on the runway that she is not in the top so mentions that she had concerns but really wanted to please her model, which was a complete surprise to her model.  (We get the first and hopefully not last models backroom, and trust me, this came up.) I'd argue surprising your model on the runway is not good protocol when she returns next week. 

Samantha is in the bottom for a better made version of what she made last week, but it's again black over a pattern so most of the detail is lost in still and in motion.  She is wearing a version of it herself that of course shines in gold, so they tell her she keeps outshining what she made, which I'm sure is partly time, but I think she was also trying to do a more runway version, and thought that meant black. 

Tim makes sure the judges know that Claire did Shawn's pants and while they have concerns, they mostly feel like if Claire hurts herself for Shawn's success, well, that's a lesson.

In what I thought had to be a misdirect, they judges say they think Margarita has more things to show them and Samantha doesn't right now. Bye Samantha, I enjoyed you a lot. 

Project Runway - Good And Evil Short Version

My computer ate my post and I was simply too sad to try to recreate my brilliance.  So, we're doing a bullet point version. 

-Shawn and Claire, aka the twins were on separate "sides" this week and I noted they did not do a combined mannequin interview, leading me to suspect the producers had been spreading out one over multiple episodes.  They still have essentially the same style, Shawn just used leather and Claire used crappy gauze so Shawn was safe and Claire was on the bottom. 

-Margarita went into a tizzy over having a large model and then it was fine. 

-Samantha fell into the classic trap of being the person who felt the most connected to the challenge and then bought bad fabric that meant her outfit just looked like an interesting idea gone wrong. Hope she rebounds. 

-Kenya on the other hand rebounded and ended up in the top. 

-Michael stayed in the top with awesomeness.  And feathers.  

-Brandon stayed in the top with something that looked like week one crossed with last week, aka, nicely made but boring.  He won.  The judges said branch out now.  We'll see if they mean it. 

-Aaron, who I had thought was coasting had just a major crisis of time management or fabric or both and sent down the runway a mess that looked worse that any of the Santino specials where he glues and stapled crap over the parts he hadn't finished and was badly hemmed at literally every hem and the strap broke so the model was holding the dress onto her boob with her arm.  

-They thrilled audience members and scared the designers breaking out the "one or more designers will go home" and then sent only Aaron.  We are now at the point where I cannot imagine one of the twins not going home next week, but we shall see.  

Project Runway: Heidi is Your Client

In what has become a "Project Runway" tradition, Heidi's latest fashion venture, is this week's challenge. And the designers get the chance to make sleepwear. And paint fabric. The twins continue to make minimal effort to operate as separate entities, even though once again, Shawn gets in front of the judges, this time in the top, for what in my humble opinion was very pretty, but incredibly expected silver pajama set. Michael continues the "Project Runway" tradition of making something Chrysler building-esque, in this case a very cute nightie that ended up on the right side of the line of different but still looked like you wouldn't die trying to sleep in it.  Heidi mentioned middle of the night bathroom trips several times, but some of these outfits had bow and shoulder details that I felt sure would be a pain to sleep in, but most of those ended up safe, so back to those that got the full judging. Kentaro also ended up in the top for a gorgeous outfit that really benefited from the paint and dye treatment it had been given.

In the bottom we had Kenya, who had struggled, her paint treatment looked bad and she knew it so she got in a funk that she didn't really get herself out of and the outfit wasn't quite done and it showed.  Her saving grace at this point was, as Nina said, this is a lot of great ideas, rather then a lot of boring ideas.  (And yeah, that thinking did not work in Kudzanai's favor last week.) Aaron and Deyonte both made outfits that were boring. Deyonte seemed to be counting on the big reveal that the sleep top could be untucked (what?) and was longer than expected to be interesting.  Instead it meant the outfit looked bunchy (and his poor model that had to be uncomfortable) when tucked in, and frumpy when untucked. Aaron's suffered from a change in drape due to the painting he had done to the fabric, so it was more of a good idea gone wrong, or at least an okay idea. Hopefully Deyonte will get home to see his baby born, or at least be able to skype from the secret eliminated designer villa.

Project Runway: Fabric, Music and Innovation

Even though I remind myself that the first few elimination hardly matter as far as order it's starting to get hard.  But this week they had fabric and a pretty broad product placement theme that basically boiled down to dreams and dance.  These are the kind of challenges many designers struggle with because when you can do anything, well, what would you do?  Oh, right, the other designers are still not fans of the twins who talk constantly to each other.  (I really get that it's still likely barely w week they've all been together, but these two are doing nothing to endear themselves to others.  Michael and Margarita are speaking Spanish with each other.  I suspect some of the designers are still letting the calm, well, you have chosen a path, go all out Tim critique, to mean this is amazing, rather than, I see that this is the fabric you have so...you keep on keeping on.  So, Kudzanai, who has decided safe is boring has picked a riot of colors and accessories.  Shawn snarks to the mannequins that when has that ever gone well, and sure.  The judges are not often fans of over adornment on top of a riot of colors, but it also, Shawn, wasn't a boring white wrap top that looks like the same thing that ended you in the bottom week 1. Margarita on the other hand, has just started her top - which is white, but has ruched sleeves and her sketch for the bottom indicates to Tim that while she's thinking Bomba style, her sketch says Bomba costume.  

She refines the plan for the skirt and flips the top, so that it has a tie front, which only works because she has a model with a minimal chest, but she does and the end result ends her in the top. Kudzanai is not so lucky.  

We are also still in the place where there are so many that some really good stuff, and in my opinion, some pretty boring stuff ended up safe. Amanda and Kenya made freaking amazing outfits and well, that's what happens when there are too many good things. 

Deyonte proved Tim's adage that bad outfits start at mood by picking a chartreuse lace that he struggled with (including getting a needle in his finger) and the outfit in the end looked messy, unfinished, and badly proportioned.  I honestly think they saved him because he won before so they think this might be an aberration.  (It might be.)

Kentaro picked black, and his outfit was well made, but the concept of lace skirt, ballet-esque stop was as boring as Deyonte's.  It was, as they said, the most obvious thing you can do when given a dance theme, was make something that looked kind of like a girl in a leotard and a tutu. 

Batani's outfit is amazing and you can see she has giving up the boring dress ways, and honestly, I'm mad this wasn't her second win.  

Brandon's outfit is beautifully tailored and really nice, but man, that puts two whiteish outfits in the top with Batani's awesome riot of color and I would wear Batani's so I am biased, but Brandon did make a fun outfit.

Kudzanai's really was kind of a mess.  There are many things attached and tacked on, and the base garment also doesn't look intentional, so the adornments look like they are there to distract you from the construction.  I still was personally more interested in what he would design for us, than I was in Deyonte, but I'm not on the show. Bye, Kudzani, I wish you well.   

Project Runway: Recycled Teams

You know I love overanalyzing a team challenge.  It's episode 2, but I think it's important to remember that we've had a week to think on these folks and they are probably in day 4, so like they barely remember where the bathrooms are. 

They were taken to a recycling plant and given five minutes to shop, right after they'd been split into teams that, yeah, totally placed the twins on the same team.  (We'll talk about that.) They grabbed things, they went back to discuss things, and team beach resort basically worked like professionals and ended up safe, so while I am seeing promising things in Margarita, we are going to ignore all of them this week.  

Team Ballin' With a Budget had Aaron, Ayana, Batani, Brandon, and Kenya, so two highs and a low from last week, and a very large range of styles which is hard in a challenge where they want you to make something cohesive and yet representative of your own style.  

Team Tsunami had Amanda, Amy, Sentell and the twins - Shawn and Clare.  Now look, I hate referring to twins as a single entity, they are distinct people and they deserve to be treated as such, but they are doing nothing to help this and still appear to be giving mannequin interviews together, and they are sharing an apartment.  Basically, short of going to the bathroom together, I don't know how they could be spending more time together, and we saw this on "Top Chef" where there was a wife and wife team together.  Unless they are planning to get eliminated together in a double elimination, one of them is going home earlier than the other, and they need to be ready.  

Okay, like I said at the top, it's day 4, they are still working on their coping as the reality of the thing hits them. 

Team BwB got a troubling lack of cohesiveness from their Tim critique so revamped some stuff and actually created a great collection.  If you didn't know it was made of recyclables you wouldn't be shocked or anything, but you would nod, and say that's so cool.  It was nice to see Batani be forced out of safe mode, and hopefully she will stay there. And Kenya struggled, but got it together and still seems so surprised to get praise that I want to hug her though the TV.  I personally think Brandon and Aaron are kind of skating, but, their team was the best this week, so there we go.  I was thrilled to see Ayana win.  She's right that fun, fashionable, and modest is a gap in the market, and if she keeps making fun stuff like this, it will be a great season. 

Team Tsunami - Shawn was thrown, still seemingly confused and doubting from having been in the bottom last week, and her team was all ready with ideas, so she kept nodding and smiling, in a way she seemed to think was convincing. Amanda quietly asked Claire if she thought there was something the team could do to help. Claire then kept talking to Shawn, and as Amy noted they just seemed to be feeding off each other's negativity.  Sentell tried to give Shawn a pep talk and their Tim critique went okay although Claire and Shawn still had no clothing pieces, but the team had great suggestions every time an issue was raised.  Which is to say, it seemed like a team with skills and plans to fix things.  

But alas, "Project Runway" teams generally need all their members to recover and Sentell in particular seemed to let concern about Shawn distract him from his outfit.  It's possible his outfit still would have been terrible, but it created the classic "Project Runway" conundrum, we the audience knew Shawn had been an anchor to her team, but her outfit also looked better than Sentell's.  And in the end it is supposedly about the clothes.  

Sentell, sensing the way the wind was blowing in their post-runway discussion, did mention that he helped with Shawn's top. Oh, and Shawn. Shawn, Shawn, Shawn. You referenced having watched "Project Runway" which means you know that into every season comes so-called real women.  So, sure, you didn't know you were getting a "curvy" model, and doing something new with recyclables is a challenge.  But it is something everyone on your team is dealing with.  It is also something that in this season will happen again.  So, saying you're not good at designing for people of size translates to, I am unprepared for handling the challenges this show will provide. Also, who do you think watches this show?  Your future customers.  Guess what size they are likely to be? You worked for Betsy Johnson and I know she makes clothes larger than a size 2. 

And as guest judge Maggie Q pointed out, the model wasn't even plus sized.  (I think Shawn was trying to be sensitive in her terminology, but they posted the model's measurements, and basically, she was what I have come to understand the industry calls a swimwear model.  She was tall and slim, but she had definable breasts and hips.) 

The team each got asked who the weakest link was, they all picked Shawn except the ones who had a sister standing on stage. But Sentell went home.  

I don't think this was producer intervention, Sentell's outfit was legit the worst this time.  But Shawn and Claire have to figure out how to separate themselves or go down together soon. 

Project Runway Could Get a Driver's License

This is our 16th time doing this, and well, things are different.  These whippersnapper designers are on to some of the tricks, one hopes, and we, the audience, are a little tired of designers who think they are the next new thing, and remind us of things we have seen before.  

These twins Claire and Shawn, I feel for them, because they are clearly so used to the Oh you're twins bit, and are aware that that's part of the initial interest, and that, they also are like their own people.  I know. This is radical stuff.  

There were other people.  They said things about their design aesthetics that I will believe when I see.  Oh, and one guy who's only made one dress.  Sure, sure. 

There is a designer, Ayana, who wants to design modest clothes that align with her Muslim faith, and that does intrigue me because I see no reason that couldn't be very successful on "Project Runway" and it has not yet been done. 

We're getting a range of models this year.  Size 2 to 22.  Now, I recognize that, underneath the whining from designers (and in fairness some excitement) there is a legit complaint that the dress forms are usually one size, and size 2-22 is not one size.  This doesn't mean the more traditionally sized runway models didn't differ from the dress form and require designers to work off the dress form, or make alterations.  They did.  And any designer who thought they were getting through the season without doing that, well, I'm not sure why they would be here. 

Mr. Menswear has of course gotten a curvier model for this challenge. 

And we have a model mirror this year, so the models can share some thoughts. 

Okay, there are so many, the show is barely give you more than a thumbnail sketch of each of them, and honestly, I've been through this rodeo before, it's barely worth me trying to learn all their names right now.  Obviously they are all skilled people who can sew more than I can (no more non-sewers, yay!) and some of them are going to just run into the inevitable wall, of my aesthetic is weirder than anything Nina, Zac, and Heidi will ever like collectively but maybe being here a few episodes will get me the attention of enough people.  Plus I assume they feed you in the sequester place the eliminated designers go before being released. 

There's one design that ended up safe that I would have called out myself, but as seasoned watchers know, it was either a one off for that designer or it will catch up to them and really the order the first six or so get eliminated in means very little.  

Mr. Menswear - Brandon - ends up in the top, haha, I suspected they were trying to psych us out, and here is where we also remember surprising people make it into the top the first few episodes, and that actually also doesn't matter. His outfit was fine.  It was not top three in my opinion.  

But Batani, as another designer had already pointed out, made an outfit that was more boring than her own for her model, which is always a shame as you stand next to it in judging.  Cha Cha made an outfit that was him, in the sense that he like ruffles and pink, but, as they told him, showed no interest in the person it was adorning.  Shawn made a wonderful top, and then, trying to show how edgy she was paired it with metallic shorts that did not look well made, so looked more like she ran out of time. Deyonte made a gorgeous dress that looked more resort but the judges did not care. Kenya made a dress with pockets making her the hero of the revolution. 

So, this season looks to be interesting.  Here's hoping sewing for differently sized people becomes just normal. 

Project Runway: Let's Talk Numbers

I confess I was worried.  The whole whatever setup to get them in the helicopters mirrored enough other challenges where designers were asked to wander the city and so many of them came back inspired by the geometric architecture.  I love geometric designs, I love architecturally inspired designs, and I need to see another contestant paste a skyline across a model's chest like I need another hole in my head.  But, the designers did not fall into that trap. So kudos.  Instead some of them dug back down and found their confidence, and some of them tried to be bold in ways that were less successful. It is always, around this point, where the rubber starts to meet the road.  You can do things you've done before, and still get great responses, and do something you've done before and get, ugh, that again.  You can break out in a new direction, and get great responses, and break out and get, ugh, what is that.  At this point in their sleep deprived, sore sewing handed bodies, it starts to feel so unfair.  

But the judges - while the judging takes much longer in real life than we see on TV, slept in their own beds, with the normal roommates (I assume, but you get my meaning), ate food probably on a real plate.  So, they can say, that shoulder I've seen before, but this outfit is cute, you're fine.  That shoulder I've seen before, and I didn't super love it then, so you can die on that signature shoulder hill if you want to.  Also, I had said recently that no one sent a naked model down the runway yet this season, and Dexter, that was not a challenge dude.  Making a see through outfit with a jacket is not acceptable.  

So, Nathalia and Dexter reached the end of their time.  Which, for savvy viewers at home, means that the use of the Tim Gunn save for Cornelius threw their numbers off.  So now they are at six.  I'm guessing next week's challenge requires even numbers.  Hope the designers are ready for that. 

Project Runway: The Families and Friends are Here

The episodes where they bring in the family members and friends always make me super curious about the behind the scenes action. Laurence had mentioned previously that she'd been kicked out when she got pregnant. So not sure that's the only reason her daughter was her person but I imagine that's part of it.  And then you start to wonder, especially as Dexter and Roberi get friends, how much of this had to do with who in your life was willing and able to hop a plane last minute, and if Cornelius hadn't been saved, would his mom just be sitting in a hotel room sipping tea with him?  Huh, maybe that's it.  Maybe all the other relatives are sipping tea in the special room with the eliminated contestants. 

Anyway, it seems "Project Runway" has learned that if you bring families, you cannot trust them to other contestants. There will be enough emotion as these folks who've been in a reality show bubble for two weeks or so, to get to hug a real person who loves them.  And in this case, with the contestants and the contestants friend/family member having money on the line too, the idea that you were making something for them was a thing you say, and really it was a question of who made an awesome outfit for this person the judges had never met before.  

I did cringe a smidge as the models heard the judges, because, Zach was doing his normal check the hems and peak at the underside, which he generally does (at least as far as I can see through my TV screen) respectfully, but it's a strange thing for a contestant bud to sit through.  Hopefully the contestant buds have watched enough "Project Runway" that they knew what they were in for. 

Project Runway: Problem Teams Again

The week's episode of "Project Runway" once again had teams.  And we'll just gloss right over the apparent "first" of doing a pop-up with a window display (yes, apparently we are just supposed to pretend the first season didn't happen) or the apparent surprise that people had that New Yorkers would take a fashion window display seriously.  Sure, sure.  That's surprising.  And let's focus on the red team.  Now, "Project Runway" teams are of course real life things, even if they are also reality show things.  You get put on teams with people in real life.  And those team members have pre-existing relationships, both good and bad, and that - particularly in a three person team, has a huge impact on dynamics. And when your team only has to last for a day*, you often figure, it's not worth trying to reset relationships, let's work hard and hope we all make it through. 

And, whether on a group project in school or in work, it is one of terribly unfair things that there are often people who do less work, and sometimes because they did less work, the work that they did was better.  Now look, I imagine Erin and Derek were a little surprised when they watched the episode.  I imagine in their heads, they were super simpatico and have really similar styles - both as far as aesthetic and work style (ie lots of breaks and snacks).  And so they viewed Cornelius's constant worry as his way, not as a warning sign that he could see issues with the fact they they had no color to break up the relentless red, not that they had a coat and a dress and nothing else even though they needed three outfits.  Not that he knew if they ended up in the bottom they were both going to pick him to go home.  And they heard Tim tell the neutral team to amp it up and tell them their choice was bold and did they have any other fabric and somehow thought Erin using Cornelius's skirt meant they were off the hook and not, that they were in trouble but since they had no fabric Tim had little other suggestion as to how they could fix it.  

So, they were probably surprised to see that they came off as team slackers who were mean to their team member.  And look, sure, reality show edits can be unkind, but in this case, I suspect it was pretty fair.  Yes, they amped up the giggling and the snacking, but in the end, one person made an outfit and a half, after being overridden for every suggestion, and two people didn't.   The neutrals team also had two friends and a third, but they at least showed Jenni saying I should probably go tell Mah-Jing so he doesn't think we're having secret meetings, which was not great, but at least an acknowledgment that as a three person team, we should try to keep everyone in the loop. 

And as the judges said, we're in the place now where perfectly fine stuff gets you sent home, and so Cornelius' pleated skirt wasn't terrible, it just wasn't great.  And the fact that he had to make a second skirt because his teammate took his first skirt went to make his teammate's outfit look good, is a factor, but still means that his outfit was the worst of the three.  Personally, I would have sent Derek home, even though I had been interested in some of his stuff, but that basic red - that he called punk rock - oof. 

But in the end they sent home Cornelius putting him in the unenviable position of being penalized for the very thing he had been trying to warn his teammates about all along.  And honestly I found Mah-Jing's sitting between them while the judges deliberated amusing.  He knew Cornelius was right, but I think recognized that nothing good would come of the things they were going to say in that moment.  

I have mixed feelings about the use of the Tim Gunn save. I felt that Cornelius should not go home yet.  But I'm not sure that Cornelius is who I expect to see in the finals, and so I may have held on to it, were I Tim.

*"Project Runway"s definition of a day is different from ours. 

Project Runway: Dear Heidi

Oh, Heidi, don't fall for the designer drama. None of these designers are old enough to have invented applique.  And the whole point of an anonymous runway is in fact for you to discover or be surprised by things you thought you knew who had made them.  Yes, Erin has been making a lot of shapeless things with applique.  She tried to do what you always say, which is demonstrate that she has other things inside of her, and, well, instead you assumed the shapeless appliqued dress was hers. So, again, that's fine.  That's why the anonymous runway has been such an improvement, because sure, you know by the time you send designers home (or don't).  But the scores are made blind. 

And I appreciate that in the stress of the workroom, Erin noticed that Jenni had done and then been praised for something that looked like what Erin had been doing.  And it's a little funny that they used the talking head segment where Jenni said Erin's stuff is not her style but the judges seem to like it, and then said that this dress was the most her thing she had made.  She also said that about her athleisure outfit, so, okay. I'm sure they are all multifaceted designers when they aren't making everything under extreme stress and time constraints.

And oh, you designers.  Hi, cocktail is just not even remotely unexpected. You can say that's not your girl.  But I think you should look at Rik who made something very specific, very him, and not traditionally cocktail, and yet, no one would scoff and kick that person out of their party.  (Disclaimer: You should never scoff and kick someone out of your party for their clothes. Don't be that person.) And look, could you be a successful designer who never made cocktail wear?  Probably.  But it was easy to know going in this was going to be a thing.  For you to be unable to roll with that isn't a sign you are a bad designer, but it is a sign you are a bad Project Runway contestant.

Let's Talk "Project Runway" Teams

Oh, you know I love a team challenge. So, what did we learn?  Well, a couple of things.  First, it's likely that the contestants had no way of knowing that Lifetime was going to be pushing a show that was a cross between "Shark Tank" and "Project Runway" during every commercial break, in fact I feel somewhat certain of that since for once they just did this thing without any product placement.  

But nonetheless, pitching is a thing that happens most years, as are team or partnered challenges.  Each team picked someone to be the front person for their team challenge, and while, from what we saw, the workroom work was pretty equitable (well, except Team Bouton having to people who worked on one dull dress but apparently helped a lot with other things) in the end this excess of equability meant the person who talked the most in the pitch got the credit and the blame.  This is pretty good life experience really.  

Both teams worked together pretty well, and you know what, it was still an interesting show!  

So, to go back to the pitches, one team had a very polished pitch about who and where their market was, but classic yet uninteresting sketches.  And one team had a less polished pitch, were a little less sure of their target price point, but better sketches.  

In writing the comparison might be better query, less interesting sample pages, versus the reverse.  And it turned out, better sketches had all three judges committing more money to Team Bouton.  Team Bouton correctly seemed to recognize that having gotten more money they really needed to live up to the promise.  

And Team Unity realized they had targeted a saturated area of the market and tried to fix that with fabrics, which wasn't the worst idea, except they chose kind of a weird mix of fabrics.  

I think one of the crucial things that people don't realize about the Tim critiques is that he is focused on the things you can still change.  So, if he says, this dress doesn't match the rest of your collection to one team, and you will need to own your somber color palette to the other, it doesn't mean he thinks team granny dress is in more trouble, it means he thinks team granny dress can fix their dress, and team somber colors can maybe jazz it up with accessories.  

I will say, in contrast to some other team challenges, things weren't either crazy lopsided team to team, or such a mish mash that there was no clear winner.  But I think Brik and Jenny were very lucky that the overall strength of their team kept them from too much scrutiny.  It also said something that their collection (in the end) looked cohesive while still having two pieces that the judges could immediately identify the designer. 

For Team Unity, the judges went back to the pitch.  This is another thing that I think is important less for what they said, that for what it means.  The judges overall didn't like the collection.  So they went back to the pitch and compared.  If they had loved the collection, they certainly would have mentioned that it didn't match the pitch, and if you were actually pitching Large Department Store, you probably want to adhere closer to the pitch, but in the end, they talked about the pitch because they didn't like it. 

As for the trick questions of who should win and who should go, look, in the real world, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your team is really useful.  One the runway, first of all, it's a trick question.  They have awarded wins to people who no one suggested, and sent home people no one suggested.  So, while yes, your team loyalty is at an end here, and you should say what you think, there's also no value to saying something you can't live with, since it won't save you.  And no, they have never let anyone get away with no saying anyone, and also, if at this point you can't identify a team weakness of some sort, you have problems.  

And well, Tim, I have to disagree with you a smidge.  It is not unprecedented for someone to say, if this is what you didn't like, you should send me home.  In fact it happened in the very first season.  It has also happened since, usually with folks saying, well, if dress A is your least favorite, you should probably send me home.  Sure, it has often been uttered with less reluctance than Alex.  But I think Alex realized that he had loved his dress, and been a part of both the pitch and the fabric selection, so he was just as much at fault as any of the others if that turned out to be what they disliked most.  

Here's hoping the harmoniousness of the contestants continues on.  

Project Runway is Back

Yeah, I know, it was back last week too.  I have some early favorites, but despite the fact that this is the 15th season of Project Runway Original Recipe which means not only are there 15 seasons of this kind of "Project Runway" to watch, there are also umpteen all-stars, kids, Under the Gunn, and other variations.  Oh, and you could watch practically any other competitive reality show ever to get a sense of the following things: 

You will work in a cramped space.  Or for a while you will.  As they eliminate folks it will get less cramped. 

You will live in shared apartments with the same people you spent all day working next to. 

You will have unrealistic timetables to complete your work. 

You will have limited budgets. 

You will have to regularly discuss your life or your fellow designer's lives. 

You will be tired. 

You will be asked to work with things that are not fabric. 

And yet, they were surprised, I mean maybe they only showed the clips of the designers willing to play along and pretend to be surprised, but they were surprised to enter a room fill with stuff for the first party and be told, ha, this is your first challenge.  Yes, sometimes they have just had an opening cocktail.  Not in a room with balloons, and bags and pillows. And the first challenge being the first meeting with Heidi and Tim has happened like eight times.  So, even if you only had time to watch one season, chances were good you saw this. 

But, I give them credit, so far no one has sent a naked model down the runway.  So there's that. 

Project Runway and Second Chances

I realize the gist of most of my "project Runway" posts is do your homework and stop being an idiot.  This one is not really that different.  But here we go.  Oh, Ms. Korina.  So, anyone who has watched any of the last few seasons would have seen two things happen that happened again in the most recent episode.  The remaining five designers were given their initial challenge and what seemed like a lot of time to complete it.  (Oh, you naive designers.  I know.  You are tired at this point in the run.  Haven't eaten real food or slept a full night in some time.  That's probably why you weren't suspicious.) Then they asked the designers to pick an outfit that had sent a prior designer home, and in some clear producer drama creation, only had the last five outfits to choose from (thereby taking away the idea that Charketa would pull a Justin and remake her own outfit).  And then, because they had limited time, they offered them help (something, that btw, has been happening since season 1) in the form of the eliminated designers and clearly, given the drama between Charketa and Korina, since Charketa had picked Korina's outfit, they wanted the designers to work with the person that picked their outfit.  Now let's face it.  Sure, the other designers had had more days (though honestly we are probably looking at ten max, here, the show moves fast) to ponder and come to terms with their elimination than Korina who had basically had a day. But, as Amanda pointed out, it sucks for everyone who has been eliminated equally.  It didn't suck more for Korina. And it was just as awkward for all the designers who had to watch, and assist, a designer tear apart this outfit they had put together and remake it.  But Korina basically refused to even try.  And I suppose we could argue that in some ways her demonstrative refusal to try was slightly better than the time Richard 'helped' Patricia in a way that was less helpful than she had hoped for.* So, Korina just walked right out and Charketa got another helper.

But, "Project Runway", like all reality shows loves some mean designer drama, but it also loves a redemption story.  And sure, there will be other shots, but not if you can't even be counted on to play the game.  Because, let's be honest, this is a reality competition, and you may be here to show off your designer stuff, but it is ultimately a game.  And your refusal to play along means they they might think twice the next time All-Stars or even the next season comes along.  And look, Korina might just be ready to put all this "Project Runway" behind her.  She may have a non-TV related plan for how she will succeed and if that's the case I wish her the best.  But as Amanda has demonstrated this season, as Kate demonstrated the season before, there are all kinds of other opportunities if you are willing to put yourself back through this again.  It's a strange and unrealistic opportunity, and it does not operate like the other paths towards success in fashion, but the reason people keep signing up for this show is not just for the money fashion show prize at the end, although that helps, but also the unique opportunity for exposure.  And, look, some people like a mean designer, or a snarky designer with a clear aesthetic, but a lot less people like a poor sport. 

Emily, on the other hand, handled her elimination with grace this week, and hit that "Project Runway" sweet spot for me, where I get why her stuff wasn't going to make her the winner, and yet, I want that hoodie.  Want. 

*In Richard's defense, his issue was lack of, er, terminology rather than desire. 

Project Runway: Karma and Feedback

Well, I had been keeping quiet in general on the "Project Runway" front, because there are patterns.  (Heh, patterns.) But just as "The Real World" often had a fresh faced small town member and a tough talking city cast member, "Project Runway" often has folks who are new to life, reality shows, and feedback.  People who are constantly astounded that their stuff isn't the best (beyond the normal creative haze where you hope that your stuff is adored and they can see the genius inside but when they start mentioning the hem, or the seam or the this or that you start to go, right, yes, that part is less good).  There are people who have watched the show and people who clearly never have.  There are people who think the snarky things they say to the camera will have people chuckling along, and think that telling others that you hate their stuff is just being honest. Some of this certainly can be attributed to limited life experience.  And hey, there are lovely people too.  Certainly the pressure cooker can get to folks who always thought they were the strong, impervious one. 

The Tim Gunn save has already been used, and it was used on a designer that not all of the designers totally understand.  And that's fine.  Again, anyone who's watched the show knows that Tim often has useful things to say, but he is not always in alignment with the judges and so there's a balance between listening carefully and making your own best choice. 

Neil Gaiman often says that people are always right about the things they tell you need fixing and they are almost always wrong about how you should fix it.  Now, like any generalization, this works some but not always.  But people will often tell you something because they want to provide context for their concerns and sometimes trying to see through the issue they've raised instead of focusing on the fix can be useful.  And sometimes you just need time to rant first.  That's also a valid process even if not super endearing to the TV audience. 

So, at the end of this episode there were two designers who just hadn't performed up to par in the opinion of the judges.  They were given an hour to run back and try to make something else to change the judges minds.  One appeared (because sure, there could very well be some helpful editing going on) to take it in stride, and just be focused on grabbing her helper and getting something done.  The other appeared to spend much more time ranting about how it was ridiculous that she was in the position of having to defend her work when she was clearly the more talented of the two and this was stupid because the other person had already been eliminated once so clearly they should eliminate her and the comment about how she liked a certain (oh, the judges were clearly dancing around trying to figure out what the most politically correct way of saying her designs had a Native American Indian or Southwest or Navajo or, ugh, ethnic feel) aesthetic but she had done it before and this wasn't a good example of it.  And here's where I think she, Korina,  was focusing on the wrong part of the comment as she ranted that she had done it once before and won.  She had and she had.  But the point Nina was making was not, you did this once before so you can never do it again, but you did this once before well, this time you did it badly so it looks both bad and as if you have no new ideas.  I'm not saying people will never call you on repeating yourself, but if you repeat yourself well, you are much more likely to get a response of, oh this looked like you when it walked down the runway. 

And well, in the end, some combination of ranting and planning led to Korina not even having a finished garment and Charketa did.  So, while I know technically karma is supposed to be about the long term, sometimes it's nice when reality TV appears to provide it quickly.

Dear Project Runway

Oh such happiness.  Not just with the final result - although that too! - but with the final shows.  I have whined for years that so many of the final shows, even from designers whose work I liked all through the season lack oomph.  There were some standouts, and certainly I recognize that a great designer cannot always be measured by what they put together in six weeks.  But this, oh I would have been happy with almost any winner and that I have pretty much never been able to say. 

And so, all I really have to say to the designers is go forth and keep doing great stuff.  Really.  Please continue on.  Whether you won the giant prize pack of candles and ice cream* or not. Please keep making things. 
Thanks for what ended up being a really great season, in spite of the stupid outbursts of some of the designers. 

*Not the actual prizes