Mo' money, Mo' problems

The challenge begins with the designers at Metropolitan Museum of Art around famous couture.

The designers are given an unprecedented $500, 45 minutes to spend at Mood and 2 days. I have a feeling that less parameters and more time to think is actually going to result in less innovation and more second guessing. I hope that at least every other week, will be working with non-traditional materials. Burlap Sacks: Part Deux anyone?

The first catch is that it's a team challenge, so you know there's going to be fabric and 'tudes flying. It's so dangerous to be the team leader in PR World, you're partner can throw you under the fashion bus and some designers don't play nice with others.

They have to feel wanted again this week, as teams are chosen. No one really wants to work with Ping, who dances to her own drum, or with Anna, who doesn't have the experience.


Hmmm.....team challenge and a lot of moula....who smells a second look at the last moment? Not the designers, who have obviously never seen the show!?! The hard part for the spoiled designers, is that this second look will only cost 10% of the first one, or $50. Just to make it even more interesting and frustrating, it has to be inspired by another team's look.



The formula of Tim coming around and looking at designs that are not finished and lookin' like a tranny mess while Tim spouts his words of wisdom doesn't get old for me, nor does the designers scrambling at the last moment either. I do wish they could show a little more of the construction of the garments. I think that would be entertaining and educational, if done correctly.

To the Runway we go......

Jesus
Amy
Team "Don't mess with the Jesus"

The Signature Look

Very sexy and alluring look. They did a fish tail style bottom, but it really worked. Retro style glamour for the win! (Or the safe....)

The Second Look, inspired by Ping's look. I was hoping this would make it to the Hi/Lo portion, just so I could hear how Michael Kors felt about the elastic waist! Are those (gasp!) allowed???


Janeane
Ben
Team Yawn

The Signature Look:
Yawn. What is this inspired from again? An office worker?

The Second Look, inspired by Mila's look. I don't know. See my thoughts on Mila's original look. From there, this is an affordable, simpler look from the signature. If just as boring as the first one.


Emilio
Anna
Team Papa

The Signature Look

Yawn again. What's with the office worker looks? I swear, these kids do better with a burlap sack than $500 smackaroos. What gives?


The Second Look, inspired by Maya's look. I guess the symmetry vs. asymmetry is what they were going for. I just see a cute simple dress that didn't take them too much time or money to make. Which seems like they fulfilled the challenge.


Mila
Jonathan
Team Whaaaa?

The Signature Look:
Ok. So, I am by no means a fashion expert; I never claimed to be. I do this blog strictly for fun, because I'm so obsessed with the show, and I need to get my thoughts out. I feel so dumb when I see Mila's looks. This is the 3rd week in a row, and I just....don't get it. I don't understand why this was supposed to be soooo amazing. I get it, it's pants. It's sportswear. I'm usually behind something a little different. But, it looks like a penguin tracksuit! I can say that this looks like Mila. This is a great compliment, considering this is only their 3rd challenge.


The second look, inspired by Anthony's signature. Yeah, that's a babydoll. Did you hear how Michael said babydoll dress? I hope he had a barf bag nearby. This was just such a boring way to copy the signature, there's not much else I can say. However, the judges award Mila the win.


Jay Nicolas
Maya
Team Fierce

The Signature Look:

Bitch.
Worked.
This.
Dress.

I was ready to hand them the win after this came out. Not only did I like the look, but the model MADE me look at it. Minions, you will stare at the fierce fabness of this gown and you will like it!!!!

Second look, inspired by Janeane's look. Ok, I understand that the judges thought this looked better made and more expensive than the original look, but, didn't they still copy it? I mean, the whole point was to do an inspired, affordable look, not out-do the original for cheaper. Still, overall I feel they did a better job than Mila and Jonathon. Oh well, it was close.


Anthony
Seth Aaron
Team Odd Couple

The Signature Look:
Mr. Kors called this the "Catillion Prom dress from hell". Anthony looked so confused if this was meant to be a compliment or insult. Hmmmm


At first I wasn't sure why the judges hated this Seocnd Look so much.

Oh.

What's going on with the boobies there? Heidi just ran backstage to grab her a bra.

The funny thing is, Emilio called Ping and Jesse "Lucy and Ricky" but honestly Seth Aaron and Anthony were more like a married couple, with how they were taunting each other and Anthony telling Seth to not act up "in front of company".


Ping
Jesse
Team Lucy and Ricky

The Signature Look:

The statue of liberty, according to Ping. Oh my Ping. Yeah, I don't quite get this either. I'm sorry my dahling, but you have to do some styling (and um some sewing!), it can't all be draped yards and yards of fabric. Still, I love me some Ping.


The second look, inspired by Emilio's look. Wait, that looks like Megan Fox a little....oh and now she speaks....and she has foot-in-mouth syndrome just like Megan Fox. Yeah, we get it, Ping didn't fit you -this is not a surprise, she fits clothes on herself. However, nobody puts Ping in a corner! You are the model, I don't want to hear you, I want to see you work- that- look.

Oh Ping. Ping who could barely leave the house with her shoes on. She didn't use a dress form and she almost lost $500 at Mood. (I think Santino could have made an amazing song about Ping.) Last season, the crazies got kicked off so early it was a snoozefest. The world needs a few Blaynes, Elisas and Suedes to bring some color.

Sadly, Ping had to go.




P.S.: How cute was the little moment between Ping and Anthony in the workroom?

Carry On!

The Fashion Farm

The Saint Tim Gunn has answered my prayers and Project Runway is back!

I almost wept tears of joy into my Manhattan as I saw this little show I fell in love with, come back to the fabulosity of what it was before the season-that-shan't-be-named.

The designers are taken to a farm where Tim is standing with some naked chicks wearing burlap sacks. The challenge is to use only the burlap sacks with assorted trims to make the model an outfit she could wear to an industry party. This is combining two challenges in one, as the model as client can end up being a train wreck, and how in the hell do you make a chic look out of burlap? Tthe saying goes, "She could look good in anything, even in a burlap sack". I am imagining the designers throwing on some buttons and cinching the waist with a cute ribbon. How is that gonna be good?

This episode, the models get to choose if they want to work with last week's designer, or go with a new one. Mila is super offended when her model chooses Anthony. Honey, have you heard his squeal? 'nuff said.

The workroom this episode is a mess with designers dying fabrics and throwing trim. Darlings, I was so completely amazed at the looks these designers did in one day with a burlap sack. This is what I love, taking materials you wouldn't think of and making them into something amazing.

Starting with the "safe" designers:

Anna's lookI really like how she used the potato to make a print looking fabric.


Love Anthony's look. How upset was Mila when her model chose him over her? Wow. I looked really closely at these looks on Lifetime.com with the magnifying glass thing and am just simply amazed at how they took burlap and made it look like a movable, workable fabric.
Gorge!


Maya went all out on color. It's hard to tell how much is trim and how much is the burlap. However, I do like her overall styling.

Speaking of overall styling, I love love Jonathan's styling here. His dress design is overall very simple, and he really relied on the trim for the look, but it works.

Janeane's look:
( I think the producers are keeping this gal, not only does she cry, she also talks to herself.)



The added challenge here was that most of the designers dyed their burlap so it would look more like fabric. This meant dying and drying and dying and drying and sewing all in one day.



Jesse went for it, and was the only one to make pants.
Emilio had immunity. He is obviously a talented tailor, but I just I don't love this look. It reminds me of a afghan my dad kept over his humungo speakers.

Ben's look

A cute young look. Why does this girl look pregnant though?


Seth Aaron's look.

I thought this should have made it to the top 3. It was different, he relied more on his design aesthetic than what color the "fabric" was, and it's just really cute and hip.


Now for the bottom 3 designers.

Ping.

Oh Ping.

Oh! Ping......

Tim explained to Ping that the runway is elevated, so be careful you don't show the judges your model's chacha. He didn't mention don't show the buttocks though....

There have been designers on previous seasons that have gone farther in the season than I agreed with. They are usually annoying and are kept around for entertainment value. I feel Ping is different. Yes she's weird and quirky and not the strongest construction wise. But she has a different view point and she's just-Pure. Would I have been surprised if she was kicked off this challenge? Not at all. Was I rooting for her the whole judging? Yes. You can't get rid of my Ping yet!

On the runway, Ping tried to blame the color of the burlap against the whiteness of the model's skin! The model was very sweet and said she liked the look.

Jesus is back in the bottom. Tim warned him that he was "skirting the challenge" by covering his burlap in ribbons. It's more than that though. The dress is not an interesting design, the colors are terrible again. And the back is unacceptable: the zipper goes on top of the dress and there was one butt cheek with a pocket which was not complimentary. Alas, the judges couldn't say no to Jesus.

Pamela's look:
Pamela did a good job making her burlap look like denim. Unfortunately, she committed the biggest crime on Project Runway: she made her model look FAT*. As sweet Alison learned in Season 3, do not make your model look like a fat Minnie Mouse or fat anything. *Fat being bigger than a size 0 on a model.

Sorry Pamela, but you're Out.

And for the top 3 looks, we had:

Jay
He almost didn't finish his look! I really liked how this came out. It seemed to take a lot of work to make the look. Using the different pieces like petals and trimming each one with the blue ribbon was super ambitious.

Jay is the winner! I did appreciate the design and execution of this look, but it was also not finished up top, so for that reason I was surprised it won.

Mila's look:

I was not into this look. Girlfriend was seriously butt hurt that her model chose Anthony instead of her, so she was working hard for the money. Luckily Tim talks her out of using some random lime green tulle around the edges of her garment. I'm not sure why the judges didn't call her out on the poor fitting up top. They had to keep blurring her right breast! (Is it any surprise that Heidi liked this look?) Michael called it "Edgy and Hot", I just don't get it.

My favorite look was Amy's.

This is flowy, so cute and she relied mostly on the design of the look, rather than dying the fabric. I loved everything about it. In my opinion she was the winner.

Designers, hopefully you have learned that you should listen to Tim and strongly consider his advice. He does know what he's talking about!

la première saison 7

Season 7 has arrived and no, it's not too soon to remove the bad taste of Season 6 out of our mouths.

Looks like Lifetime and Ms. Klum listened to the bitching and moaning from all of us and are back to New York (Tim Gunn breathes a sigh of relief and throws his flip flops into the garbage disposal). Nina Garcia and Michael Kors don't have to fly back and forth to L.A. (oh wait they didn't, that's why we never saw them last season....)

So that leaves my biggest gripe about last season, and that was the lack of originality of the challenges: make something pretty out of fabric, repeat, make something pretty and blue, etc. This will remain to be seen as the season progresses.

(Side gripe are these terrible Lifetime commercials: "Pregnancy Pact"????)

My bubbly was ready for the inevitable rooftop toast with Heidi and Tim. Wait a second...I just time traveled à la Lost. I just have to remember-Heidi's belly is my constant. So.... this aired sometime around the all-star challenge, but before Season 6 was filmed, but after (or before?) Season 6 finale, oh.... nevermind. A toast to this sesons' designers!

The designers are taken to Central Park (see, they really are in New York!) where apparently bolts of fabric and a runway are waiting. They have 3 minutes to choose their fabric. So far so good, they're still working with fabric. Then Tim instructs them to edit down to 5 bolts of cloth. Still, not so bad.

The first episode is just overwhelming with designers! I forgot they started out with so many. I can't keep up yet with who everyone is, but we have some young, some old, some with bangs, some with faux hawks and some with some big egos already.

Saint Tim comes into the workroom and sprinkles his wise words on the designers. "Doing it on you, does it allow you to be objective?" "Finish empeccably" "Why would you introduce a fourth supporting player?" "We've never had anyone......not finish"

Quirky designer award goes to....Ping

And the Crybaby Award and Starting a New Look Last Minute Award goes to.... Janeane

Since there is just no winning trying to grasp who everyone is and what they're about, we move on to the runway. The top of the picture is my first reaction, and below is after posting the pictures.

Jonathan
Fierce and fun
I would have put this in the top 3 after seeing it again. It's very chic and young looking.


Seth
Trying too hard. But I do like the cuteness of dress
The back of this dress is what makes it a top contender. And how much thought he put in to everything about it. Did he modify the shoes too?


Jesus
Snake skinListen, to quote Carrie Bradshaw, this dress could only be worn by a "stick figure with no soul". It's not really classy, it's not stylish, but it grabs your attention, and you do know who Jesus is as a designer. (Oh man I'm gonna giggle everytime I write up about Jesus. Let's keep him Lifetime!)


Ben
Judy Jetson
I don't get it. I know he's trying to do something a little different, but it just falls flat for me.



Jay
Someone always has to do rosettes
After looking at this again, the design of the dress is well made. Then he ruins it by making it so tight and short and sticking those damned flower tumor things all over.



Pamela
Pink. Pink. Pink. Don't like the backI don't hate this per se....I just think it's unoriginal and the color choice bothers me.Yeah, nothing else to add to that.



Emilio
Flirty and fun.
All I can see after looking again, is dang this model looks buff!!! Seriously, it's a Very Cute Dress. And you know that Heidi likes a Very Cute Dress.


Jesse
Top is on backwards? Secretary.
There was some tricky runway thing with the top on this one, but the fact is, this is drab fabric, poor fit and lack of design.


Ping
Flowy and....interestingI'm guessing Ping decided that she would carry the plaid fabric instead of draping it around her? I think she couldn't bear to not use the fabric but it really would have weighed the look down and made it seem as tho not much was sewn. Was anything sewn on this? I don't care, it's still intriguing.


Christiane
What's going on with back? Don't like fabricEek. See judges portion.


Amy
One boob is differentWith some more time and editing, this could be something great. But the one breast being different is very distracting.



Janeane
Lame and boring. Glasses don't hide that it's simple.
I'm surprised that the judges didn't call her out on this dress. It looks slapped together. And it was.


Mila
Not a bad one, but too many prints togetherNot understanding the brownie skirt with this ensemble but I'm so distracted by the fug grid print, it doesn't matter.



Anthony
Cute dress with rolls on the side? Hmmm
While I'm not too into this dress, I don't agree that it was bottom 3.
MK says Anthony's model could take come champagne bottles home in the folds. Well at least there's a reason for them!!



Anna
Model looks washed out in these colors

Yup, still looks washed out and plain. Out!



Maya
Done before. Chris March made this in his sleep.
Sigh. I don't hate it, it just feels like I've seen this so many times. On this show alone.




Not sure why Seth Aaron called his dress Little Tokyo and I don't know why he's dressed as Tommy Lee's circus show's ringmaster. I do think his dress is cute and made well, but I'm surprised they didn't think his overall look wasn't going for "costumey" they actually really like the styling.

Ping's outfit is growing on me, it keeps my attention wondering about it. I hope they don't kick her off too soon- we can't all have boring designers like last season. Nicole Ritchie may have saved Ping this week, she called it her favorite design of the runway!

Jesus' gown is called a "huge crocodile trunk exploded on an evening gown" by Michael Kors, and something that would be worn by a lounge singer in the 70's. Ouch. On the positive side, it seemed to be tailored well, it was that middle of the leg seam that bothered the judges.

The judges love Emilio's dress. I do too, but some spots where the strips don't match up bother me, but considering the time restraints, it's pretty fab and fun.

After 7 seasons, you could compare many of the designers; Anthony is the new Kayne, Ping is the new Elisa, Seth Aaron is a calmer Jeffrey, etc. It will just remain to be seen where they go from here.

Christiane's dress is a hot mess. It does not fit well, it's not put together well. There's just not much of anything that is right about this dress. The shininess of the fabric mixed with poor construction gives her the Out. I personally wouldn't have auf'd her because I want to see where she can go with color. My auf choice would be crybaby, but the producers might have squeaked her by because we do need a crier.

However, based on the people they had in the top and bottom, I agree with who got auf'd and who won the challenge. Honies, I am just so happy this show is back and they've (so far) brought the show back to what it was and why we love the show! Until next week.....