0 Project Runway Season 10 Recaps: "Hasta La Vista Baby!"

Bye Bye Cowards, Quitters and Miss Tacky-licious:

Double Quitters: Andrea Katz (left) and Kooan Kosuke (right) decide to leave Season 10 Project Runway

This week's episode of Season 10 Project Runway was the "Bye Bye I'm OUTTA Here" Episode. At the conclusion of last week's episode, Andrea Katz--the "I have a BA, MA, and MFA Fashion Instructor" decided to skip town and get up and leave. At the beginning of this episode, Tim Gunn informs the designers that yes, she is gone and OUTTA HERE. Gunn had barely finished his announcement when Kooan Kosuke, famous for his "JapFro" and "kooky" fashions, then makes an announcement and tells everyone HE also is quitting the show. Alrighty then. See ya! Now, can I get back to working on my look for this week. Or at least this is what I would have been thinking if I was one of the remaining designers.

Now, back to this week's challenge, to design and create a look for the woman on the go. It's dubbed the Michael Kors Challenge (I'm sure it's in his contract to have one of these and honestly I would too if I was him!). Kors explained that the look the designers create should be one that can go from office to cocktails. But still be glamorous.

Judges Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, Miss Heidi (in a very Wilma Flintstone one shoulder animal print dress), actress Hayden Panettiere and Fashion Designer Rachel Roy took a look at the creations.

The Top were Christopher and Sonjia:

LOVED both of these designs--I'm sure if I was asked to do this challenge, I would have probably done something along the same drape-y, jersey, cocktail-y look. But maybe in a color. For sure. With that being said, I just didn't think these were actually realistic fashion visions for a real woman "on the go". These were DEFINITELY cocktails at the Dream Downtown Meatpacking NY Hotel...and certainly NOT, I'm working 8 hrs at my Google Office Job and then I'm picking up my kids at Daycare and then finally, I'm meeting my girlfriends for some Dirty Martinis.

To me they were more the Marie Claire Magazine Editorial version of what they would "envision" a "Woman On The Go" to dress like, not necessarily the real thing.

I did like Melissa Fleis' layered look (for a woman on the go in say, San Francisco or Seattle) (left photo) and Elena Slivnyak's gray coat and super skinny pants ensemble (right) looked very chic and also maybe, just maybe a little more "Woman On the Go", at least for me.

I also thought Dmitry Sholokhov's (one of my favorite Project Runway Season 10 designers) look (photo above) was very good. It was Day and yes, could be Evening too.

The Worst:

Nathan Paul's drab pea-green dress and cardigan look was BAAAD (left). Rule #215 in Fashion: Do NOT--under any circumstances--put pea green on a blond. And this look aged the model so much. And not to mention how rather uncreative it was. Judges don't reward Kooky Creative more than boring uncreative. She looked like a School Principal. And then , poor Fabio Costa. All the judges agreed that he styled himself better than his model (right photo). His own look should have been on TOP and his actual design belonged in the bottom. PS: I just love how these Project Runway designers--post Season 2--now are all UBER self-styled, especially for the judging day. They are much too TV savvy. Almost to a fault. Certainly for Fabio.

But then there was Raul "I'm Back Bit****" Osorio and this:

Raul was brought back because of the fact that two designers had left. Congrats mija. He boasted about how fabulous and talented he was and therefore, deserved to be there. Humble NOT. But then he makes this mess of an outfit above. And in addition, he FAILED in the "I Can Make Pants" competition:

 Thanks to tomandlorenzo.com for these MARVELOUS photos

I have had first semester students of mine at FIDM make BETTER pants in my pattern/draping class. I get that pants are one of the most difficult things to fit and it takes years to perfect a great fitting pant. So, maybe he shouldn't have "gone there". If I was his pattern/draping instructor, I would have given him a "D". Sorry Raul.

But the worst was Buffi "I am FAB in Dubai" Jashanmal. Huney. What. Were. You. Thinking. Cheetah print dress and a coral apron. No. Not here and not ever. Look at the model's face: She's like "I cannot believe I am standing here and getting payed next to nothing in this God Awful outfit". Can I run out of here and go have a drink with my girlfriends and call my booker to tell him what a bad decision I made in doing this show? Please".

I did think it was great though, that Buffi said her "Good Bye's" with a "I'm going to continue to do Tacky!" At-a-Girl! At least she OWNED it! Hasta La Vista Buffi!

To Read my Recap of this week's episode and what I really thought of it all, keep reading kids...

 

Hasta La Vista Baby!

It seems like every season of "Project Runway" — or at least the last eight seasons of which I have had the honor of blogging — there always comes an episode in which I need to Get Things Off My Hairy Chest. Usually, these "nuggets" of recap-wisdom come later in the season, however for Season 10, this desire to vent came early. If you’ll allow me kiddies, let me begin:
1) Cowards, Cop-Outs and Quitters
Well, well, well. At the end of last week, we find out Andrea BA MA MFA Fashion Instructor who likes Hoop Skirts and Victorian Gallery Owner fashions ... is OUTTA HERE. Her roommates wake up and they're like "Where's Andrea?" She gone, as they say. Then, as this week's episode is still on its "Act One," we find out JapFro Kooan also wants to leave. Alrighty then. Either something is rotten in the Atlas Apartments water or we've got (in case you're counting) TWO Cowards, Cop-Outs and yes, Quitters.

2) Quitters Make Me Angry
Let me get on my "Uncle Nicky" soapbox if you’ll allow me: I get SO mad when this happens on "Project Runway" (and it doesn't happen very often). First off, I am so proud of being an alumnus of the show and all the wonderful things that have come forth as a result. I have worked my little butt off for 95% of them, but ... it is undeniable that being on the show has been a trampoline. I am honored to be an "ambassador" of sorts for "Project Runway." THOUSANDS of people apply for just SIXTEEN spots. I have seen many of these designers, since I have been a casting judge for the last eight seasons of the show. In fact, there were several I saw in Los Angeles THIS season, that did not make it onto the show — who were more talented than both Kooan and Andrea, yet by the luck of the Casting Fairy, did not make it. And if you remember way back to my season, I had a moment of weakness myself and considered calling it quits, but truly deep in my heart I could never imagine walking away from such a great opportunity. So, when I see not one, but TWO contestants quit, I am both dumbfounded and angry.

3) Kids, Get Back To Work!
When Tim Gunn comes into the Parsons workroom and informs the (remaining) designers that Andrea has left and then Kooan says his "I think I should go" announcement, the designers are all verklempt about it. Nathan is actually CRYING (seriously huney, get a grip!). Cutie (but has become quickly annoying) Christopher, is self-blaming (PS: it's not all about YOU, huney). The designers spend all this time huddling together and commiserating over the loss of the two designers. GET OVER IT. I don't even care if this sounds insensitive but, I would have been cuttin', drapin' and starting my sewin' as all that mess was going on. I would have also been mad and thinking, "Ummm, we only have A DAY to make this week's challenge look and now we've wasted an hour of it ... can we move on?!"

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0 Project Runway Season 10 Recaps: Episode 2 "Candy Couture"

Sweet...or Not So Sweet, Fashion:

Cotton Candy Delicious: Guess What the Project Runway designers are working with this week?

Project Runway is BACK and we are now onto Season 10. It premiered two weeks ago and last week was "Episode 2", it was the iconic UNCONVENTIONAL CHALLENGE that all the fans LOVE. I, often wonder if these are the types of challenges that help discover "Next Great American Fashion Designer". But as we all know...it's all about what makes for fun and great TV.

Tim Gunn and Dylan Lauren, Project Runway Season 10

The contestants/designers meet Tim Gunn and Dylan Lauren (yes, Ralph's lovely daughter), CEO and owner of Dylan's Candy Bar. Soon, it is revealed they must create a look out of candy.

Project Runway has done this before in Season 4, where it was held at the Times Square Hershey's Store and Rami Kashou won , in case you're keeping tabs (Photo of Kashou's winning look above).

After some krazeee candy shopping at Dylan's Candy Bar NYC, some candy Parsons workroom draping, molding and more importantly, GLUEING...it was time for the Runway Show with Judges:

(Right to left) Heidi Klum (in a off-the-shoulder snakeskin printed ensemble), Michael Kors (in his black "uniform"), Nina Garcia (in a FAB black and gold jacket and skinny pants and FIERCE heels!), and Dylan Lauren in purple. Now, the whole point of this challenge was to somehow make a garment from candy BUT...make it look as if it wasn't made out of CANDY. Some succeed beautifully and well, some not so mucheey...

Le Good:

Beaded Candy Ball Superb: LOVED Belarus-born fashion wunderkid Dmitry Sholokhov's twisted halter dress with fitted midriff. He used black, red, and yellow candy balls and WOW!!! This should have been in the Top Three FOR SURE, some would even argue that it should have won. The candy looked like oversized beads. One could NEVER EVER tell that it was candy. Simply Superb. With all that, he just "made it through" to the next round--and somehow only landed "in the middle".

Mini Mermaid Cocktail: The first of the Top Two positions was Sonjia Williams (who is quickly looking like a contender to be in the Finals, if only from these two first challenges). She created a peplum-shaped mini dress using ivory and aqua candy balls, white chocolate covered almonds and shark gummies.

I LOVED how she created the princess seams with the candy, injected the color-blocking trend seamlessly and then finished it off with a "neck-piece" of shark gummies. She was part Sexy Mermaid, part cocktail dress, part "Mini Shark". The hat was a miss, as some of the judges said, but other than that, it was an excellent and very creative creation.

The Winner, however, was Ven Budhu. Just from the "hints" shown by the cameras in the Parsons workroom, I could just see that his design was going to be a STUNNER. And it was. The way he created this vision of serious Haute Couture using crushed colored candy, it was magical.

The perfectly geometric inlaid pieces, the stained glass effect he created with candy--it all added to a beautiful strapless cocktail dress that was reminiscent of something from an Atelier Versace Collection:

Atelier Versace Spring/Summer 2012

Now, Le Bad:

Oh Buffi Jashanmal: Her Project Runway fifteen minutes are a ticking. This is so tasteless that Miss Nina is looking as if she's going to get ILL every time one of Buffi's designs come down the runway. She looks like Paris Hilton's REALLY REALLY tacky--and that's a feat!--daughter (OUCH!). I know it's only the second challenge but I am beginning to wonder how the heck she even made it onto the show.

Noodle Twizzler Dress: Also in the bottom was Elena Slivnyak's "Warrior Princess" structured dress made from a muslin base with piña colada twizzlers. The twizzlers began falling off the dress the minute the model came sauntering down the runway.

And then from not-so-far, the twizzlers began looking like a pasta noodle arts and crafts project from a 12 year old. I totally get what Irena was going for and it could have been great but...alas, it just didn't work. Poor thang.

But the Worst Was:

Oh Huney You Didn't Even Try: Just take a look at the model. She was like "Oh Dear! First, I cannot believe I have to wear this tacky creation and, second of all, I just KNOW my designer is going home". Fashion designer Lantie Foster's design was a MESS. She really did not even try. Umbrella fabric and little candy. And she tried to use the excuses of a first year fashion school student. Hashtag FAIL.

Wanna know what I really thought of this past week's Episode 2? Then read on kids....

"Sweet Tooth Couture"

Last week, Season 10 of "Project Runway" premiered with the "Biggest Fashion Show" in "Runway" history. This week, our little ol’ show loses not an ounce of couture steam and keeps the strong momentum going with one of the most iconic — and beloved by fans — "Project Runway" challenges, the "Make a dress out of crap you would NEVER use to make a garment challenge" … in other words, yes kids, it’s the Unconventional Challenge. I’ve always said that this is a fun challenge to watch by the fans and TV viewers alike, but in terms of it being a guide rule in finding the "Next Best American Fashion Designer"… not so much.
 
Candy Re-Run
As "Plaid Heidi" saunters onto the runway congratulating last week’s winner — cutie Christopher — she tells the designers that this is "no time for child’s play." Instantly I think, "Oh Dear, they’re making clothes for bratty Upper East Side kids!" But oh no, I was wrong. Soon, the designers meet with Monsieur Gunn in front of Dylan’s Candy Store where he is flanked by it’s owner and CEO, Dylan Lauren (Yes, of Ralph Lauren fashion blue blood), announcing that their second challenge will be to create a look out of candy using materials bought from Dylan’s Candy Store naturally. Now, I remember back in Season 4, the challenge was done at the Hershey’s Times Square store (Rami won it), so it seemed like a slight re-run challenge idea to me, but one figures that it’s difficult to come up with new "Unconventional Challenges" year after year.
 
Gunnar and Christopher: Please Get a Room
After a mad "Candy Dash," the designers get their sugar tooth couture fix, buy out half the store and then head to Parsons to #makeitwork! The workroom quickly begins to resemble a 5-year-old’s birthday party after a piñata has exploded. Several designers are spending their early hours doing muslin dresses to build the foundation for their candy creations. Others are crushing candy, gluing candy … or just eating it! And then there’s Gunnar Siriano 2.0 and cutie Christopher who spend a lot of their time being Bitchy Queens (more so Gunnar than Christopher) talking smack and "throwing shade." It’s only the second week (In real time, it’s only been like TWO DAYS since they’ve met each other!), but there’s already this weird tension between them. I have a feeling that either A) Gunnar feels threatened because he thought he was going to be the only "twinky gay" or B) They just need to GET A ROOM! But I digress, let’s move on…



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0 Project Runway Season 9 Recaps: Episode 11--Bird Inspiration

Ornithology Couture, Project Seamstress and Dreams of a Miss Universe National Costume Parade of BIRDS...

Project Birds: Now THIS is what I would LOVE to have seen--Miss Bahamas Universe 2011 Anastagia Pierre in her National Costume (Top), and Miss Bolivia Universe 2011 Olivia Pinheiro (Bottom)

On this week's Project Runway Season 9, the Challenge was to create a "High Fashion Runway Look" inspired by Birds. A cockatoo, An Amazonian parrot, and a raven. An owl was there but alas, it wasn't picked (it might have been fun to see the KRAZEE mess one of these contestants would have done with an Owl as a Muse!). Part of me secretly wishes some of the designers went all out "Miss Universe National Costume Parade of Nations" .

Polly Want a Gunn Cracker: Mentor Tim Gunn eying a cockatoo, Project Runway Season 9 "This is for the Birds" Episode

Project Runway Birds: Owl, Parrot and a Raven

Many designers have been inspired by birds of course, most notably, of course, the late Alexander McQueen comes to mind, especially his Spring/Summer 2008 Collection. Three dresses from that collection stand out as examples of "Bird High Fashion":

These are stunning creations that would of course definitely be in the "High Fashion Runway" category of the Challenge, but somehow, because of their overt homage to the birds (the exuberant feathers!), if one of our little 'ol Project Runway designers made one of these, they might have ended up in the bottom for being too "literal". PUHLEEEASE! But, moving on...

Cin-Anya-rella

Besides the Bird Challenge, the Project Runway vs. Project Seamstress Dilemma crept up once again in this episode. A LOT has been made of the fact that Miss Anya--or as I call her "Cin-Anya-rella". She :
A) Just learned how to sew (according to her only 4 months prior top arriving in NYC for the Season 9 shooting);
B) Has little construction knowledge and sometimes "forgets" to put an opening so an actual REAL PERSON can get into the garment;
C) That she just "whips" up creations like no one's business and "makes it work", and
D) The judges just keep letting her through and often times giving her the Win, even though it's been half-glued, half put together "on a string".

Most of the comments on my myLifetime.com BLOG have been, in fact, about how a lot of fans are "miffed" at this. And naturally, so were Joshua and Viktor, the "Sewing/Construction Stepsisters":

The "Sewing/Construction Stepsisters": Joshua McKinley and Viktor Luna

Now, let me get this off my chest: I side with the "Joshua and Viktor Stepsisters" on this but with a small "BUT". I am of the "school" that as a Fashion Designer, you MUST learn EVERYTHING and learn it WELL. And that includes sketching, pattern making, draping, as well as sewing. These fundamentals are essential, especially if you are just starting out and are a "struggling" designer who cannot afford a pattern maker, draper and/or a seamstress. When I was first starting out in this industry, I made most my stuff. I had to. I had no choice.

But...then , after I began my NIKOLAKI company in 2001, I hired seamstresses to sew my creations for me (they did a much better job!). But because I had that knowledge of construction, I could tell them--with confidence--of what TO DO and HOW to do it. In fact to this day, I sew a lot of my collection muslin's/toiles, only because I want to. But what does this have to do with knowing how to sew perfectly on Project Runway? Little. I sadly learned first hand, in my season--how sewing had little to do with the outcome. And it frustrated me, as it is NOW frustrating Joshua and Viktor. Anyway, if you want to read MY FULL THOUGHTS on this matter--click HERE, or keep reading below...

For now, let's just cut to the "Bird Fashions":

The Top:

Joshua McKinley: As I began this posting, I said I kinda wished I would have seen some "Miss Universe National Costume" Bird-inspired Gowns or looks because most of the designs left me wanting just a little more. I am sure that by now, these kids are creatively drained. And it's showing! But still, the judges had to pick their faves. Joshua McKinley's was good. LOVED the color, the one-shoulder drape. Very "Sophisticated 70's"!! Oh wait, WRONG Challenge. Ooooops, well, it still worked for this challenge, although would you really consider this high fashion?

Kimberly Goldson: She made this gown in THREE hours. Some of the wonky sewing shows this. But it's PROJECT RUNWAY not Project Seamstress! So, she's one of the top. I liked the gown. And I even liked the pearl trim so Boo Hoo Mr. Michael Kors!

The Winner was Anya Ayoung-Chee. It was edgy, directional, High Fashion and not so literal. More importantly: It WASN'T yet ANOTHER Anya MAXI DRESS! Yes, she forgot to add a zipper in her dress but she "made it work" on the runway. Jushua and Viktor were not happy. I think if I was standing there--and knowing that she had forgotten to even put a closure/opening...yeah, I would have been pissed too! But, again--I've gone through six years of "letting it go", so I know now that unfortunately, the judges DON'T CARE.

The Bottom:

Laura Kathleen: Pants were too tight and the jacket: too predictable. But can we talk about HOW STUNNING her model is???!!! Blessed thing couldn't walk on the runway though for some reason--the shoes must have been too small or too big (or maybe it was the too-tight pants!?).

Viktor Luna: One of the "Stepsisters" ended up in the bottom, because the judges deemed it too literal. the shredded raw-edged organza "feathers" were a bit much but I did like the painstakingly hand-shredding he was doing while in the workroom on this gown. I just wished he might have left it at that---oh and lined THE ENTIRE gown!

The Worst was Bert Keeter: Plain and simple, it was BORING. The Bustier was cut to perfection, though. But in a challenge that was supposed to be HIGH FASHION and inspired by GLORIOUS Birds, this just looked like a very nice dress at a Saks Fifth Avenue Fashion Show, in 1998.

And now, my Recap from the myLifetime.com BLOG:

Project "I Don't Care How She Gets Into It"

Anthony Ryan and his Hippy Dippy Navajo-print Girls are gone. Sigh. I fantasize that they're probably enrolling in a Women's Studies Program in New Mexico — with their mohawk'ed "Best Gay." For now, six designers are left. Now what? Here's a sampling: Birds, birds, and more birds, plus a head-to-head challenge with A LOT of twists and a $20,000 prize! There are glue-gun meltdowns and the infamous Project Seamstress or Project "Make It Work" Dilemma. It's enough to drive a boy to ... write a recap.

$20,000, Sweetie Darling
We begin with our fourth Advertorial Challenge (but who's counting!). This one is different. For starters, it's L'Oréal. Second, there are birds waiting for the designers back at Parsons as their next challenge is announced: they must create a high-fashion runway look inspired by a cockatoo, a parrot, a raven and (if you look closely …) an owl! The six designers are split into teams of two and given their Bird Inspiration. Anya and Laura get the raven, Joshua and Bert get "Sweetie" (how ironic) the parrot, and Viktor and Kimberly get the cockatoo. The owl gets left behind, unfortunately. Finally, what makes this challenge really different? The prize (besides the Marie Claire/L'Oréal advertorial): a $20,000 check. Shut. The. Front. Door.

Head to Runway Head
Twist No. 1: Instead of competing against the other teams, they are competing HEAD TO HEAD — against each other. As original as this "Head to Head" component was, I was a bit questionable of the idea: What if both members of a team were equally FABULOUS? What then? Moving on …

Twist No. 2: After the designers have been working for a full day, Tim walks in to announce that they are to create a SECOND look as well, and they are given $300! "Project Runway" has definitely upped the budget! I remember having $30 to make a flower dress!

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