Friday, August 29, 2008

Project Runway Episode 7: Saturniquet

Now, I realize that this is just a season full of product placement gone horribly awry.

But making clothing designers work with car parts? Atrocious.

Although like Rachel Zoe (and is it me, or does that girl look like she's ingested too much Ketel One at 4 a.m.?), I think Korto's jacket was something I could wear tomorrow. (OK, maybe not tomorrow, because I'll probably be cleaning up my house if I get motivated, but still, you know what I mean.)

First, I believe Jerrell should have won if we're looking at innovation and technique and point of view.

And while Leanne did something interesting, I don't think giving any woman mega-hips, that she needs to stuff her undergarments with muslin to pouf up, is advisable. I mean, who wants their hips to look bigger? Sure, you could fool people with the whole effect, and by nipping in the waist, create something kind of architectural and not literally against the body (which the "fabric" didn't really allow for, anyway).

I'm betting the judges liked what Leanne did with the fringe and gave her the win for not keeping the seatbelt in its original form (although, I'm sorry, I took one look at those piles of mauvey-taupe seatbelts and thought, "Weaving!" so I'm not sure how innovative weaving seatbelts really is - sorry, Korto).

And Blayne, have you learned nothing if not to make sure the top of your dress actually fits?

Suede's model looked as if she had fashioned a skirt from one of those mylar pom-poms that you'd see at a football game.

While I used to be a Terri fan, I'm definitely tiring of her 'tude. And yes, like someone muttered under their breath, she does seem to just have 4 patterns that she recycles again and again. (To wit: Hasn't she worn an outfit similar to the one she designed?)

What the heck was Kenley thinking? Looks like poor Germaine got into a fight with a lampshade.

And thank God they auf'd Keith, because if I had to put up with one more week of his excuse-laden, bitchy whining and misunderstood-artist rap, I'd put my foot through the TV!

But really... Enough of the bizarro-world materials, Bravo. I'd rather see them give the designers strange constraints like:
  • Sell their drawings on the street for 2 hours to raise the money they need to buy fabrics at Mood.
  • Give them just a teeny budget and see what they can wring out of Mood's inventory.
  • See what they'd create from the same pile of materials (real ones, not car parts) and how their personalities and design points of view represent. Can you imagine what Stella would do when faced with a dollop of silk organza?

This last challenge is the most interesting to me. I've always been amazed at how people who are into beading and jewelry design will take the same set - a jumble of beads, colors, accents, pendants and thread - and create something totally unique to their point of view.

Sure, you see glimpses of the same color palette; that can't be avoided. But if I hear anyone else say their design is innovative, when really it's only unique to something done in that room that day, I will just spit.

Here are the picks I'd most like to see in the finale:

  • Leanne
  • Jerell
  • Stella

2 comments:

Kitty said...

I liked this episode, I think, because of the banter they showed in the work room. It wasn't bitchy, it wasn't weird (Blayne's chanting the same thing over and over). It was chilled out and fun.

I'm not yet on a first name basis with most of these folks, but as the show is going on, I see that there are some talented people.

I agree about Keith, though I felt badly for him. He seemed like something trapped by his location, wanting something more and envisioning much more of himself than he was.

Anonymous said...

There are a few folks who will make the ending an interesting show, to say the least.

Yes, Keith definitely seemed trapped by his situation, whatever it is - I just kept wanting to tell him, "Well move the hell out of Salt Lake City! You can do it, man!" Sure, there are bound to be obstacles, but now he's at least got his name out there... it should be easier to accomplish than before. I hope he makes the most of this opportunity, however short-lived it may seem.