0 Project Runway Recaps: Episode 5 "Marie Claire Team Challenge"--My Recap!

One Way Monkey, Silk Chiffonies, Eddie Munster and The Working Woman:

This past Thursday was the newest episode of Project Runway Season 10 so you know what comes after the episodes...my Recaps!

First, let's begin with this gem:

A One Way Monkey is a One Trick Pony...in Belarusian: Dmitry Sholokhov, one of the more talented designers in this season of Project Runway (and one of my favorites from early on, I might add!), mouthed this one liner on last Thursday night's episode of the reality show.

In trying to describe--and diss--fellow contestant Ven Budhu, during his confessional, Dmitry (above) wanted to say that Ven was a "one trick pony" in terms of his repeated silhouettes and style aesthetic--and instead he said "One Way Monkey". One Way Money...One Trick Pony...Potato...PoTATOE...it's all the same. Awww Dmitry, you slay me! PS: I like Ven's "One Way Monkey" style aesthetic! He's one of my top faves of this season as well.

Onto the episode: Separated into two teams, the designers were asked to create a capsule collection for the Working Woman that would then be photographed for the Marie Claire @ Work supplement of the magazine. Nina Garcia--Marie Claire's Fashion Diva--said it had to be both Editorial and work for the "real world".

The teams were "Team Five" (above)--all boys--Christopher, Gunnar, Ven, Nathan and Fabio; and...

"Team Six", which consisted of Alicia, Dmitry, Elena, Melissa, Raul and Sonjia

No one likes to work in teams so they were not happy about that, and is it just me, but throughout this season, there just seems to be a cloud of general unhappiness to begin with. They all seem MISERABLE...and what is up with all the profanities? (and I am by no means a Wash Out Your Mouth With Soap Profanity Grandma!)...

These future designers want to be the next Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors, Yves Saint Laurent, Ann Demeulemeester...whoever---and build brands, create design companies, open stores...well, I just NEVER saw any of those aforementioned ICONS of the Fashion World shout profanities like these kids on their way to success and fame. I feel as if I am watching "MTV's Real World" and not my little ol' show. Moving on...

The episode also had Raul hoping to create a Reality Show "Bromance" with Cutie Christopher but when Fabio--from Christopher's team, didn't choose him--Raul was left sad that somehow, his Christopher-Raul Bromance was over. Awww, the young gays...

Miss NOT Congeniality Award: Elena tried her best to become the Most Hated Contestant on this season. She fought with just about everyone, got on everyone's nerves--in the workroom and while trying to dictate the Marie Claire @ Work photoshoot. She also called the "Team Five" boys the "Silk Chiffonsies" (or "Chiffonies") calling them out on their love of silk chiffon (I guess I would be in that group too!). She also called Raul "Eddie Munster" (see bottom of this post). I bet Raul is changing that pointy thing on his forehead hairstyle AS WE SPEAK. There's always a Villain on all these types of shows and I think we finally know who the Villain of this season is: Miss Elena.

The Runway: Joanna Coles--Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire (she's also the "Tim Gunn" of Project Runway All Stars)-- was the Guest Judge for this "Design a Working Woman's Collection" Challenge. Now, in case you were wondering what actual successful fashion designers think is Working Woman Clothes, take a look:

 Working Woman Fashion

Now, here's what the PR Season 10 contestants did in Thursday night's episode:

Alicia and "General" Elena worked on these two looks. Alicia did the pants (both FAB!) and Elena made the jackets--one Victoriana/Gothic and the other, contemporary and very NOW! Of the two looks, I liked the one on the right better. It seemed more "real world" Working Woman--a young fresh out of college Jr. Assistant at a PR firm or magazine.

I also liked Christopher's printed silk chiffon skirt with black jacket look. It was very H and M cute. One of my faves.

Dmitry of the "One Way Monkey" fame--designed a color-blocked sheath dress that was chic and sexy. Is this something a girl can work in an office? Maybe not, unless that "office" was being the hostess at the hippest new restaurant in the Meatpacking District. But it was a very well made dress.

Ven Meet Dior: Ven's jacket and skirt was gorgeous and Jackie O fab--the jacket reminded me of the iconic "Dior" Bar jacket/suit (seen above from Dior Haute Couture Spring 2012). As Nina would say, it was a bit "referential".

The Top 2 though were Fabio's black and white color-blocked tunic dress and Melissa's royal blue high funnel neck sheath dress. Melissa's won for being very editorial, looking great in photos, and for its bold dramatic color and silhouette. Do you guys think the judges made the right choice? Talk amongst yourselves or leave me your comments on my Lifetime.com Blog HERE.

These above were the Bottom: potty mouth Gunnar (he's one of those that needs his mouth washed with soap) did this dress on the left which did not do anything to make the model's boobies look pretty. Heidi said it was a "deflating souffle" or something to that effect. But it was Raul who was sent home--mainly for his not so cute tops--one of which was this bib-front ruffled blouse that was anything but exciting or creative. If you're going to do a blouse like this, at least twist the ruffles diagonally or a bit askew or something! This blouse looks like it came from the Loehmann's ultra, ultra sale rack.

So it was "Adios" to Raul aka Eddie Munster. His goodbye was less than gracious and well, I had my "Nick Two Cents" thoughts on that plus MUCH MORE on this past episode...so here's my Recap:

Team Miserable

Hello "Project Runway" fans and blog readers. A new week and a new recap ... and yes, another chance to get something off my chest. Here we go:

Why is EVERYONE on Season 10 So Miserable?

People are crying left and right, contestants are bolting out in the middle of night, everyone is OVER-stressed and swearing like drunken sailors (What. Is. With. All. The Swearing by the way? I feel like I'm watching Snooki on "The Jersey Shore"). The whole thing is kind of depressing. Now, granted, it is always easy to remember the good and not the bad, but I don't recollect the environment back in my season being so miserable, or my fellow cast mates being so contemptible (Or at least most of them). We would be in the confessionals cracking jokes, saying this-and-that (and not in a nasty, spiteful way) and the requisite "I'm not sure I will be finished on time" comments. On this season, it's been a cloud of unhappiness and doleful anguish almost every week. And it's only week five. I'm beginning to understand why Andrea and Kooan did a "I'm OUTTA here!" without even batting a L'Oreal mascara'ed eyelash.

Design a Working Woman Collection, Direct a Photoshoot, Work on a Team & Go to Mars!

Heidi enters the runway and brings out my Colombian sister from another Mister, Nina Garcia. Nina announces to the designers that this is the "Marie Claire Team Challenge" and they must create a capsule collection for a working woman that is both editorial AND will also work in the "real world," AND they will work in teams AND they will also direct a photoshoot of the collection with the winning team being featured in the Marie Claire @Work supplement of the magazine. Oh, and did I mention that the winning design will also be launched in the Mars Rover to be used as an instrument to find proof of water on the planet? Just kidding. But seriously folks, that is a LOT rolled into one challenge...

Bromance Ends As Soon As It Begins

The designers begin to choose the members of their teams and Raul is the Last Man Sitting. He's feeling like a "schoolyard reject" as Christopher, whom he thought was his new Bromance love, ends up passing him over for Potty Mouthed Snooki, I mean Gunnar. The final two teams end up being "Team Five" (5 designers) Nathan, Ven, Christopher, Fabio and Gunnar, and "Team Six" (6 designers), Sonjia, Elena, Melissa, Dmitry, Alicia and Raul. During the pre-shopping pow-wow meeting, Raul (feeling his ego at an all-time low) is confrontational, already predicting his teammates will throw him under the "Team Challenge Bus." He also declares that he's "good at making pants" at which point I almost hear the producers rushing to the "Project Runway Season 10 Wall of SHAME" and showing proof of just the opposite from last week. Oh these kids, they SLAY me.

Click HERE to read the rest--and be sure to tell me YOUR thoughts!

Did the right Winner Win? Is Elena AWFUL? Should Gunnar stop swearing? And did you think Raul's Goodbye was classy with a "K"?

1 Nick Verreos Project Runway Season 7 Recap: THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE EVER!!!!!

Did You Hear What The Challenge Was?Fashionista Tag Team: Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles and Tim Gunn

This week's Challenge on Season 7 Project Runway was "The Biggest One" in Project Runway HISTORY, and the reward would be UNPRECEDENTED. As Tim Gunn and Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles explained, the winning design would be worn by none other than Miss Heidi Klum for the cover of the April issue of Marie Claire magazine. Canary Yellow is Good: Marie Claire Cover featuring Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page

That is, truly, a big reward. HUGE! pretty obvious--at least to me--what one would need to do to have your design on the cover of a magazine, but Fashionista Tag-Team, Gunn and Coles, still had to "break it down" in case you are a "Cover-Clueless Designer":

A) It's about the CROP: The 3/4 shot (from waist up) Details must be up top.
B) It must POP, amongst all the other magazines, it must grab the shopper's attention.
C) Also, use COLOR! Remember it is an April Issue; No Black and stay away from PRINTS.
D) It needs to be EYE-CATCHING CONFIDENT and SEXY.

With that in mind, the contestants went to work, sketching their ideas and Mood shopping. And then, back to the Parsons Workroom to create the dress that Heidi Klum would love and show off for the Marie Claire April cover.Good Cover= Color, 3/4 Shot and Detailing up top: Done, done and done.

Runway day and the judges, including Miss Coles, were ready for a "Cover Smackdown". As each of the designer's looks came down the runway, I had an uncontrolled urge to shout: Did Any of You Listen???!!!! I was actually having flashbacks to my "Barbie Challenge" when I remember looking over at what the other designers were doing and thought "Did these kids LISTEN to what the challenge was and who we were dressing for?"

More on who didn't listen later...but for now, let's start with the ones who did:
Emilio Sosa: He designed a fire-red silk jersey mini dress (very mini!) with bustier and ribbon detail. He got the color (check!), the "3/4 Shot" detail (check!) and it was certainly sexy (check!). At least he listened. Client and Challenge over "Designer Ego".
It was very Azzadine Alaia (see above on Mariah Carey and Victoria Beckham) and not necessarily Emilio's Carolina Herrea-esque aesthetic, but it worked...for this challenge.

Another one I liked was Ben Chmura's color-blocked design. Now this is the way to show color blocking (take a lesson Mila). He used eye-catching royal blue, canary yellow and black; patching them in a bold sexy yet elegant design (that peek-a-boo back was fabulous!). I could have easily seen Heidi wear this on the cover of Marie Claire.
But the winner this week was Miss Anthony Williams. Yes, it was "Southern Belle's" night. I was (happily) shocked he didn't make some "Housewives of Atlanta Hot Prom Mess" and in fact, had it in him to design a directional, modern dress that was still sexy (check!), full of great color (check!) and would grab the attention of a bored Supermarket shopper (check!). Kudos for listening, Miss Anthony.

Now...Who Didn't Listen:
Mila Hermanovski: Ok, what is that color? It is BEIGEY-NUDE?? How does BLAND beigey-nude fit in with the guidelines described by Joanna Coles? It doesn't. I know that Mila wants to let the viewers and judges know that color blocking/mitering is her "thing". But why not pick CONTRASTING colors (like Ben did)? A cover needs to catch my eye at the newsstand, not make me fall asleep. Her seaming detail--with questionable construction, got lost with such boring colors.

Jonathan Peters' little silk romper was fun and flirty, for sure. But was it for a Heidi Klum cover of Marie Claire? Not so much. With those kimono-like batwing sleeves and knotted belt, it was more ROBE than cover-look ensemble. People would think Heidi Klum was just getting out of bed and looking for her Dannon Light and Fit breakfast Yogurt .Maya Luz also somehow did not hear Joanna when she said "USE COLOR!!!". What happened to these contestants. Seriously. Only THREE out of the twelve used eye-popping Cover appropriate color! The neckline organza collar was great, but I just wished she would have not chosen PUTTY and BEIGE! Was there a Mood Fabrics Sale on these colors that week?I had higher hopes for Amy Sarabi (currently, my personal favorite to win the whole thing). Her "Designer Ego" took over and she stopped paying attention to who she was designing for. Why a print? Didn't Joanna say "stay away from prints", in not so many words. Yet, Amy goes for a print. It was a really interesting dress but maybe had too much going on for a cover look.I saved the worst for last. Mousy Anna Lynette must have had her Ipod headphones on when they were at the Hearst Building. Shorts? A loose vest? An even looser camisole? Is Heidi going to shoot a Marie Claire Cover or go shopping at the Malibu Country Mart? And not to mention, these pieces I can pick up at my local Forever 21. They're cute but NOT for a Heidi Klum Cover. With that, Anna was out this week. Hope these kids learned their lesson. Next time: Listen to the Challenge, Know Who Your Client is, and don't let your Designer Ego override what and who you are designing for.