Project Last Chance
We begin with Heidi and Tim congratulating Christian, Jillian, Rami and Chris on making it this far. Christian and Jillian will, of course, be showing at Fashion Week. Rami and Chris still have to prove themselves one last time. Each designer would be given $8000 and 5 months to complete 12 looks for the final runway. The lovebirds still need to show their 3 strongest looks to the judges before they'd know who will show and who would be in the audience biting his nails and filling out wedding registry forms.
The Gunn reminded them that they will be showing to the "largest, most influential" audience in the world so they'd better "make it work". Then they all went to the rooftop for some Moët Chandon and giggles. Personally, I prefer Veuve Cliquot.
Rami declared himself to be "very confident" about his ability to create winning looks. Teddybear Chris said he would do his best and see what happens.
Then came one of my favorite parts of any PR season, Tim Gunn's home visits. We're always treated to pictures of the designers as little muffins, meet their families and friends and get a glimpse at how they live and work in real life.
First up was Christian, who lives and works in a "little box" of a room (which was also as neat as a pin) in New York. He showed Tim his "romantic gothic" collection. There ensued much brow furrowing by The Gunn. He told Christian that he had "a lot of look" and needed to edit himself. (Christian did have some sort of Big Bird motif going on, including a pair of feathered pants that were freakishly wonderful). Tim left him with the stirring parting words: "Work hard, think harder".
Also, while we saw a photo of Christian's sister, we didn't meet anyone. Could it be that Fiercey McFierceman doesn't have any friends? Naw. Probably just camera shy.
Off to see Jillian, who also lives in NY. Tim, who was wearing some awesome pinstripe trousers, btw, described her look as "really compelling" and said it showed both "femininity and strength" although her palette was a little "cloudy day".
She took him off to Long Island where he was welcomed with great joy by her family. Jillian's mom said that before she married she had been told by a clairvoyant that she'd have 3 children and one of them would be famous. Jillian informed us that she's always known she was destined for greatness and would achieve it because she wouldn't settle for anything else. Girlfriend seriously believes in herself. Right on.
Tim then wended his way to LA, where Rami lives. Rami totally looks like his mom, btw. She was Miss Jordan and died when he was 5 but he gets along swimmingly with his step-mom and shared that his parents had always been extremely supportive of his designing, blah blah blah. He has nice friends. They gave Tim wine and cheese.
Rami has a "phenomenal" work space (with his name over the door in big ass letters). He said his collection was inspired by Joan of Arc. Tim suggested that it looks a little "hammered and nailed" and described one item as "a heavy effing coat". He told Rami to "pull it back a bit". Rami then told the camera that he trusts Tim's judgement but he's also confident about his vision. Whatev. I like him best when his eyes are brimming with love for Chris.
Finally, Tim is back in New York visiting Chris in his "great" workspace. He told Tim that his inspiration was "95% fashion, 5% costume" and he mused about the deep philosophical question of how his costume design experience translates into serious fashion. Well, sure.
Chris' big thing was trimming some of his designs with human hair, which prompted the agog Gunn to gasp, "I feel my gag reflex kicking in". But, and it's a big but, he was quickly captivated by the way it was used. (And before y'all start going, "Gross! Gross! That's sick and wrong, not to mention if people are donating hair for fashion shouldn't they just give it to Locks of Love and help all the little sick children?" let me just remind you that wool is essentially hair, that fur is essentially hair (and don't pile on about that, either...I'm making a point here), and there is plenty of historical reference for it's use (hairshirts for monks, jewelry for the Victorians). It's been done, people. And frankly, there was something grossly superfantastic about some of those lustrous locks. (Clearly the donors use Prell).
Tim had a funny bit, describing the hair thing as like being in a monkey house. When you first enter you're overwhelmed by the smell. After a half hour it's not so bad and after an hour it doesn't smell at all. "Chris, you've been in the monkey house too long!" he declared. He cautioned him only that he really needed to wow the judges and make them beg for more.
Then Chris took The Gunn off to meet friends, who were ensconced in the most gilded, cherub infested tribute-to-all-things-rococo joint any of us have ever seen. Tim was all astonishment. He had a delightful time with all of Chris' larger-than-life friends and Chris opined that he'd gotten into fashion to "add laughter and fun to the world". Somebody hug him.
Cut to the end of the 5 months. All the designers, giving variations on the "this is nerve-wracking" theme, return to the Gotham apartments. Jillian and Christian are roomies ("Are you going to be nice to me?" "Are you going to be nice to me?"). Rami and Chris are roomies. (Well, duh).
They all had beers and happy times, although Jillian and Christian obviously had more fun, what with not having to worry about where all this was ultimately leading. You could see the tension on the faces of the other boys.
D(esign) Day
The next day they enter a spanking clean, huge workroom, where there are only 3 tables...one more reminder that someone is being auf'ed. Chris and Rami have 3 hours to fit and fluff their 3 looks and they are given helpers, Jillian with Rami, Christian with Chris. (Chris: "Do you want to brush the dress?" Christian: "Ummmmm....'k....").
Heidi met the boys on the runway, telling them that "we believe in both of you and hope you blow us away". Rami showed first. He said that his hope was to show new techniques and prove to the judges that he could do more than drape, creating a collection that was "both feminine and strong".
Look 1 - ok.
Look 2 - meh.
Look 3 - rather lovely.
But Lorraine, you say, where is this meh Look 2 of which you speak? That is a very good question. I will tell all in a moment.
As Chris' models start walking we hear a voice over of him saying that he loved exploring the "dark side" of beauty and enjoyed having the time and money to really create clothes that were a reflection of his creativity.
Look 1 - gorgeous. The skirt, my friends, is crafted of black chrome safety pins.
Look 2 - loved it.
Look 3 - great dress.
The "Judging"
Chris told the judges his collection was inspired by the notion of "dark, romantic goth". (Quick! Someone get my old Cure records). Nina (I think it was Nina) said the human hair was "creepy but you thought outside of the box". They were wowed by the safety pin skirt. Kors wasn't so fond of the evening gown, noting that the model couldn't move well in it and describing it as "a velvet condom". Ouch. Heidi opined that his looks were very creative then asked why he deserved to be at fashion week. Chris said he felt he brought a point of view that was outside the fashion world.
Rami said that one of the defining points of his inspiration was the need to prove that he could construct as well as drape clothes. The judges were gaga for the dress in look 2 (which was, ironically, more or less draped) but hated the big effing coat atop it. (But wait, you say, I still haven't seen that look. I know, I say). Nina thought his evening gown was "a fantasy". And she said that in a gaga way.
When asked why he should go to Fashion Week, Rami said that he welcomed the opportunity to gain a wider audience. In other words, it was all about the marketing opportunity for him versus Chris' view that he had something unique to offer to fashion. Hmmm. Why does that remind me of the Democratic candidates?
The Pow-Wow
The judges conferred, noting that both collections were very dark and Kors said he felt they were both "overly designed and overly complicated". Has he been to Fashion Week? Do we not understand the nature of couture? Again I say, "Whateve top American fashion designer Michael Kors in your black tshirt, jeans and jacket".
They were all tinkly about the fact that Rami didn't send down "3 Grecian goddesses in a row". On the other hand, they found Chris' work to be creative and intriguing, though Kors still thought it was too costumey. Nina argued that many great designers began their careers in costume design and it was a completely valid starting point. But they were concerned that the designs overall were dark and overworked.
The final summation was that while Chris proved himself to be "incredibly creative", Rami showed a "different and refined POV" and he was declared the winner.
The judges are frakking idiots. I want to slap Michael Kors.
This morning I wanted to slap him even harder. I went to the New York Magazine site to get photos of the clothes, since the pictures on the Bravo website were close-ups and didn't display the whole ensemble. And that's when I made a very interesting discovery. Rami's Look 2, the one I didn't show? Yeah, he apparently didn't show it, either. That's right. The dress with the horrible jacket was MIA. He didn't even use the dress, which the judges had liked. In other words, he won on the strength of 2 looks, neither of which were as striking to my untrained eye as any of Chris'. I'm kinda furious about that.
So there you go. I have purposely refrained from looking at Christian and Jillian's collections because I really hate spoilers and want to be surprised. My personal favorite is Jillian but I'd be fine with Christian winning. But I swear to Coco Chanel, if Rami wins I'm never watching Project Runway again.
Until season 5. Pft.
The Gunn reminded them that they will be showing to the "largest, most influential" audience in the world so they'd better "make it work". Then they all went to the rooftop for some Moët Chandon and giggles. Personally, I prefer Veuve Cliquot.
Rami declared himself to be "very confident" about his ability to create winning looks. Teddybear Chris said he would do his best and see what happens.
Then came one of my favorite parts of any PR season, Tim Gunn's home visits. We're always treated to pictures of the designers as little muffins, meet their families and friends and get a glimpse at how they live and work in real life.
First up was Christian, who lives and works in a "little box" of a room (which was also as neat as a pin) in New York. He showed Tim his "romantic gothic" collection. There ensued much brow furrowing by The Gunn. He told Christian that he had "a lot of look" and needed to edit himself. (Christian did have some sort of Big Bird motif going on, including a pair of feathered pants that were freakishly wonderful). Tim left him with the stirring parting words: "Work hard, think harder".
Also, while we saw a photo of Christian's sister, we didn't meet anyone. Could it be that Fiercey McFierceman doesn't have any friends? Naw. Probably just camera shy.
Off to see Jillian, who also lives in NY. Tim, who was wearing some awesome pinstripe trousers, btw, described her look as "really compelling" and said it showed both "femininity and strength" although her palette was a little "cloudy day".
She took him off to Long Island where he was welcomed with great joy by her family. Jillian's mom said that before she married she had been told by a clairvoyant that she'd have 3 children and one of them would be famous. Jillian informed us that she's always known she was destined for greatness and would achieve it because she wouldn't settle for anything else. Girlfriend seriously believes in herself. Right on.
Tim then wended his way to LA, where Rami lives. Rami totally looks like his mom, btw. She was Miss Jordan and died when he was 5 but he gets along swimmingly with his step-mom and shared that his parents had always been extremely supportive of his designing, blah blah blah. He has nice friends. They gave Tim wine and cheese.
Rami has a "phenomenal" work space (with his name over the door in big ass letters). He said his collection was inspired by Joan of Arc. Tim suggested that it looks a little "hammered and nailed" and described one item as "a heavy effing coat". He told Rami to "pull it back a bit". Rami then told the camera that he trusts Tim's judgement but he's also confident about his vision. Whatev. I like him best when his eyes are brimming with love for Chris.
Finally, Tim is back in New York visiting Chris in his "great" workspace. He told Tim that his inspiration was "95% fashion, 5% costume" and he mused about the deep philosophical question of how his costume design experience translates into serious fashion. Well, sure.
Chris' big thing was trimming some of his designs with human hair, which prompted the agog Gunn to gasp, "I feel my gag reflex kicking in". But, and it's a big but, he was quickly captivated by the way it was used. (And before y'all start going, "Gross! Gross! That's sick and wrong, not to mention if people are donating hair for fashion shouldn't they just give it to Locks of Love and help all the little sick children?" let me just remind you that wool is essentially hair, that fur is essentially hair (and don't pile on about that, either...I'm making a point here), and there is plenty of historical reference for it's use (hairshirts for monks, jewelry for the Victorians). It's been done, people. And frankly, there was something grossly superfantastic about some of those lustrous locks. (Clearly the donors use Prell).
Tim had a funny bit, describing the hair thing as like being in a monkey house. When you first enter you're overwhelmed by the smell. After a half hour it's not so bad and after an hour it doesn't smell at all. "Chris, you've been in the monkey house too long!" he declared. He cautioned him only that he really needed to wow the judges and make them beg for more.
Then Chris took The Gunn off to meet friends, who were ensconced in the most gilded, cherub infested tribute-to-all-things-rococo joint any of us have ever seen. Tim was all astonishment. He had a delightful time with all of Chris' larger-than-life friends and Chris opined that he'd gotten into fashion to "add laughter and fun to the world". Somebody hug him.
Cut to the end of the 5 months. All the designers, giving variations on the "this is nerve-wracking" theme, return to the Gotham apartments. Jillian and Christian are roomies ("Are you going to be nice to me?" "Are you going to be nice to me?"). Rami and Chris are roomies. (Well, duh).
They all had beers and happy times, although Jillian and Christian obviously had more fun, what with not having to worry about where all this was ultimately leading. You could see the tension on the faces of the other boys.
D(esign) Day
The next day they enter a spanking clean, huge workroom, where there are only 3 tables...one more reminder that someone is being auf'ed. Chris and Rami have 3 hours to fit and fluff their 3 looks and they are given helpers, Jillian with Rami, Christian with Chris. (Chris: "Do you want to brush the dress?" Christian: "Ummmmm....'k....").
Heidi met the boys on the runway, telling them that "we believe in both of you and hope you blow us away". Rami showed first. He said that his hope was to show new techniques and prove to the judges that he could do more than drape, creating a collection that was "both feminine and strong".
Look 1 - ok.
Look 2 - meh.Look 3 - rather lovely.
But Lorraine, you say, where is this meh Look 2 of which you speak? That is a very good question. I will tell all in a moment.
As Chris' models start walking we hear a voice over of him saying that he loved exploring the "dark side" of beauty and enjoyed having the time and money to really create clothes that were a reflection of his creativity.
Look 1 - gorgeous. The skirt, my friends, is crafted of black chrome safety pins.
Look 2 - loved it.
Look 3 - great dress.
The "Judging"
Chris told the judges his collection was inspired by the notion of "dark, romantic goth". (Quick! Someone get my old Cure records). Nina (I think it was Nina) said the human hair was "creepy but you thought outside of the box". They were wowed by the safety pin skirt. Kors wasn't so fond of the evening gown, noting that the model couldn't move well in it and describing it as "a velvet condom". Ouch. Heidi opined that his looks were very creative then asked why he deserved to be at fashion week. Chris said he felt he brought a point of view that was outside the fashion world.
Rami said that one of the defining points of his inspiration was the need to prove that he could construct as well as drape clothes. The judges were gaga for the dress in look 2 (which was, ironically, more or less draped) but hated the big effing coat atop it. (But wait, you say, I still haven't seen that look. I know, I say). Nina thought his evening gown was "a fantasy". And she said that in a gaga way.
When asked why he should go to Fashion Week, Rami said that he welcomed the opportunity to gain a wider audience. In other words, it was all about the marketing opportunity for him versus Chris' view that he had something unique to offer to fashion. Hmmm. Why does that remind me of the Democratic candidates?
The Pow-Wow
The judges conferred, noting that both collections were very dark and Kors said he felt they were both "overly designed and overly complicated". Has he been to Fashion Week? Do we not understand the nature of couture? Again I say, "Whateve top American fashion designer Michael Kors in your black tshirt, jeans and jacket".
They were all tinkly about the fact that Rami didn't send down "3 Grecian goddesses in a row". On the other hand, they found Chris' work to be creative and intriguing, though Kors still thought it was too costumey. Nina argued that many great designers began their careers in costume design and it was a completely valid starting point. But they were concerned that the designs overall were dark and overworked.
The final summation was that while Chris proved himself to be "incredibly creative", Rami showed a "different and refined POV" and he was declared the winner.
The judges are frakking idiots. I want to slap Michael Kors.
This morning I wanted to slap him even harder. I went to the New York Magazine site to get photos of the clothes, since the pictures on the Bravo website were close-ups and didn't display the whole ensemble. And that's when I made a very interesting discovery. Rami's Look 2, the one I didn't show? Yeah, he apparently didn't show it, either. That's right. The dress with the horrible jacket was MIA. He didn't even use the dress, which the judges had liked. In other words, he won on the strength of 2 looks, neither of which were as striking to my untrained eye as any of Chris'. I'm kinda furious about that.
So there you go. I have purposely refrained from looking at Christian and Jillian's collections because I really hate spoilers and want to be surprised. My personal favorite is Jillian but I'd be fine with Christian winning. But I swear to Coco Chanel, if Rami wins I'm never watching Project Runway again.
Until season 5. Pft.
Labels: Project Runway
cobbled together by Moi at 7:05 AM
17 Comments:
Well, you know I love me some Rami. But Chris was robbed. And hello, perfect recap my dear.
Recap..... 4 stars, 2 thumbs up and all that hullabaloo.
Rami was chosen the winner before that competition ever began, he has a better chance of being a big deal on the American Fashion scene because of his look and his age. Remember they gave it to a fat guy once and when is the last time you heard anything from him????
With that being said... I LOVED Rami's evening gown... I LOVED Chris evening gown.
The safety pin dress was a masterpiece.
I thought the dress all the judges went ga-ga over was Rami's weakest, but hey who am I to judge fashion, I only own one black t-shirt and black sport coat.
On overall design I liked Chris better, but that hair thing was just nasty! I had a really hard time getting past that.
I can just envision poor little girls in third world countries being raised on hair farms so that Britney Spears and Paris Hilton can have something to wear to the Grammy's...that is creapy!
Anyway, Christian or Jillian is going to win, so Rami in... Chris in... it doesn't matter, whoever it is they are going to place 3rd.
I still prefer to see Rami naked.
Love the recap...I had a house full of gay men trying to watch this show with bickering to all hell. So needless to say I only saw the final moments where they gave it to the drapery dude. I was bummed. And for orange tan, black shirt guy, he is a dork!
American Idol update... Paula is still sober...
the key word was "marketable" and i knew it as soon as michael kors said it that he was going for rami. plus i think michael believes that he is earning brownie points that will guarantee him a date with rami at some future date. you know, when it wouldn't be unethical for a judge to "date" one of the contestants. or maybe that's just my fantasy should i ever happen to be in michaels kors' position...oops! i digress.
but thank god for nina recognizing that fashion has a place for someone like chris. like i said in my recap, he could so dress the characters of any tim burton film and still be relevant to a woman's daily wardrobe like a galliano, a thierry mugler or an alexander mcqueen.
anyway, this season really highlighted four of the best designers ever.
Ba Ha Ha Ha (note no w)
You should see the Romans, very good. Sure you'll want a couple hours easy.
Of course the kids will run through in one. Sigh. I have pointed out itwould be good extra credit to write about these things...
Peace
:+}
Yes, Hat, he was. And thank you.
Oh, peshaw, Twisi. And Chris has way more personality (and I dare say, talent) than Jay ever dreamed of. Didn't you love that skirt? I agree, that ensemble was weak. The fact that he pulled it from the show...ay yi yi. And since when do you dress like Kors?
Bickering gays...poor Sageweb. And Kors is the dorkiest of dorks.
Thanks for that riveting AI update, too.
Danny, I have long suspected Kors' desire for a date from various contestants has been a factor. That's mean. But I think it's true.
Anonyba, yes, I should be improving my mind with loftier stuff. I'll get right on that. After next week.
teehee, lorraine! we're just calling it the way we see it, right?
it's not our fault that we see through the orange tan facade and the innocuous disguise of the black t, jeans and sportcoat.
Chris was totally robbed. I'm still pissed that they didn't give Chris the free 'n' clear after the "Art" challenge, which Chris totally should have won. But whatever.
The fact is all five of the top five (Christian, Jillian, Rami, Chris, and Sweet P too) got to show at Fashion Week, but the program is being edited to make it look as though only three got the chance to show at Bryant Park. Chris and Sweet P won't get the national attention that PR gives, but they all got to be seen by the same press and the same buyers that saw the other three. Which makes me happy.
Why only 3? They had 4 designers show last year, so what was the point of the design off? It really didn't add a whole lot of drama for me and seemed mean spirited.
I am not, no I am NOT reading about Project Runway. Maybe the models have a certain way of taking the stroll that shows off the ensems(yah, THAT was my hipster abbrevation) to great (or worse) advantage, but I love no. 1. I've got a big fat lower lip going over it. How could it be? How could EVERYONE not love no. 1?
Yah. THIS is why I can not watch PR.
well, there you go lorraine! red spilled the beans.
that was the secret i couldn't just blurt out in the company of polite society. but you probably already knew that little trade secret.
all i'm saying is you didn't hear that from me...
*snickers*
ummmmmm.... bull shit. i've hated rami for WEEKS now and knowing that he beat chris who i love w/o playing by the rules pisses me off. omg i hate rami so much. i saw the 5 collections from fashion week a while back and i am rooting for jillian all the way. funny how i started kinda liking christian. i guess all encompassing rami hate will do that.
Much like Chloe and that whole Grandma's couch collection, Rami got the nod because he's more marketable, plain and simple. But the exposure for Chris and Miss P is a lot more than people realize I think. Look at Malan, Emmett and Kara- they're out there selling it and establishing themselves well while Jay and that icky Jeffrey are where? The only winner that seems to have done anything with it has been Chloe.
Your logic is off with regards to the NY magazine looks. You said:
And that's when I made a very interesting discovery. Rami's Look 2, the one I didn't show? Yeah, he apparently didn't show it, either. That's right. The dress with the horrible jacket was MIA. He didn't even use the dress, which the judges had liked. In other words, he won on the strength of 2 looks, ...
Rami did show three looks to our judges, and made it to the tents based on those three. How could have he won based on two when there were clearly three shown. It appears between the design-off runway and the final tent runway, that look was swapped for something else or lost.
Because anyone can buy a ticket to fashion week and report to the world which PR designers show, all four finalists got to show at BP and the true "finalists" are not revealed until the TV episode airs. I do agree with dant they had four finalists last season, why not this season, too. From the point of view that anyone can know who they are by attending the show, why does it matter if there are four or three finalists? Maybe one year I'll fork over the several hundred dollars for an all-access one-day pass (which includes an after-party pass!)
People fear us, Danny.
Couldn't agree more, Red.
Dant, I'll see your "meanspirited" and raise you a "disingenuous".
Booda, I applaud your determination and high standards.
Danny, yeah, I saw that all five of them actually showed. Kinda ridiculous, really. I don't really understand why they have to have a red herring designer. Or in this case, two. How does it make a difference? I know Fashion Week has come and gone and they don't want the winner revealed until the finale but how does having 2 other designers keep that from happening?
Mon, "all encompassing Rami hate"...I've got me some of that, too. Except when he's being lovey with Chris. That almost makes me not hate him.
Doralong, agreed.
Anne, I still think there is something very silly in him going on the strength of 3 looks, one of which was determined to be so bad that it shouldn't be shown at fashion week. He totally replaced that design. If it was "strong enough" to win him a place in the competition, he should have sent it down the runway at Bryant Park. I still want to slap Kors. And Rami.
The pooper comes late to the party:
Your look #'s for Rami are a bit shuffled from the show. He showed the blue coat first, polka dot dress 2nd(with black sweater wrap) and black gown 3rd. The coat was more of a stand alone although it did cover a lovely black dress.(It was not atop the polka dot dress)
The only reason I quibble is that when I first read this I thought to myself, "but they LOVED the second look"?!
About that coat. The designers can create as many looks as they choose with their $8000 as long as they stay within budget. They just have to send 12 down the runway.
And honestly, it's smart to bring along a couple of extras just in case something gets damaged, or the model fit isn't right, or you learn that you have something that looks exactly like someone else's, or whatever. He had every right to send down any of the 12 designs he created and edit anything out that he saw fit.
The real issue is, in my mind, whether or not he had an unfair advantage in the end over Christian and Jillian.
He was given the opportunity (in what can only be viewed as a ridiculous plot contrivance), to get feedback on his designs from the VERY SAME JUDGES that would be deliberating the finale win.
Of course he took out the coat after hearing what Nina, Heidi and MK had to say. They hated it! With that valuable knowledge in hand, he was able to replace it with another number from his rack. Jillian and Christian did not benefit from the same opportunity to have 3 of their looks "pre-judged", if you will.
It remains to be seen if this means anything in the end but I think Rami entered the final with the odds stacked a bit more in his favor than Christian or Jillian. It was not a level playing field in Bryant Park.
Hmmm...sounds like a good post to me!
Tbone: a) honored to have you comment and 2) thank you for the clarification on the looks and 3) I hadn't even considered that but you're right...being able to get some preliminary reaction from the judges and use that to hone what he sent down the runway does seem to give him an edge. Oh, Sarah Jessica Parker, if he wins I will just lose it.
And I thought I hated Jeffrey.
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