Project Runway Recaps: Last night's "Finale Part 1" Episode--Sugar Daddies, Rachel Zoe, Clunky Shoes and Bad Wigs

Project Runway Recaps: Last night's "Finale Part 1" Episode--Sugar Daddies, Rachel Zoe, Clunky Shoes and Bad Wigs

Final Four...Still

We're almost at the end, kiddies. This week's Project Runway Season 10 episode, entitled "Finale, Part 1", dealt with the top four finalists of this season--Dmitry Sholokhov, Fabio Costa, Melissa Fleis and Christopher Palu--getting their so-called "Final Challenge" (so-called because you never know if next week will bring a "Twist" and maybe yet another final-final challenge)--which is to design their Mercedes-Benz NY Spring 2013 Fashion Week mini-collection with $9,000 and five weeks. In case you guys wonder what happens to those collections, the designer's don't even own them; the show does. And then they go up for auction. So, you could buy your collection back, I guess (if you are one of the designers). Anyhow, several things stood out from this episode, and I wish I could say that the outstanding clothes was one of those things, but sadly, they were not. As always, I will finish this blog with my Recap...



Let's Begin With:

Who Are Dmitry and Fabio's Sugar Daddy? Seriously. The designers went "home" , yet for two of the designers--Dmitry and Fabio--they admitted to Tim (when he visited) that they were "using" their "friend's places" while designing their collections (and I'm assuming to live there as well). Needless to say, these places were FAB-u-LOUS! From the looks of it, Dmitry and Fabio do not need the $100,000 prize money and should just ask these friends for "loans"--or make them their "Business Associates".

First, Tim checks in on Fabio--who is in a MASSIVE (for New York City standards) Manhattan loft/apartment where he is working on his pastel colored "Cosmic Tribalism" collection. Even Tim notes on the size and niceness of the place.

Then, he's off to Jersey City, New Jersey where again, another designer--Dmitry--says a "friend" lent him this fabulously appointed place to make his collection.

Tim also goes to Massapequa, NY--this time to check in on Christopher Paul where he lives (I think) with his mom and dad.  I've dubbed Palu the "Golden Boy" of the season and he's also the "Taylor Swift" of the season, in that EVERY SINGLE TIME he wins, he does this "Awe shucks, really? Me??" By the third time, it got a little schticky. He's still cute though.

To finish his Season 10 Home Visits Tour, Tim Gunn heads West, to San Francisco to see Melissa. He checks on her collection, meets the family and takes a boat ride. If it was me, I would've taken him to a Leather Bar in the Castro. Just sayin'.



Three Looks, Zero Styling...

After five weeks, the designers return to NYC to face the judges and show three of their "best" looks, to see who really will continue on to Lincoln Center. No guest judges this time (like in Season 9), just Nina, Michael and Heidi:

They all have positives and negatives to say but in general, they all feel that some styling help is very much needed. Dmitry, Fabio, Christopher AND Melissa all had styling issues--whether it was a too-clunky shoe, bad wigs, hoochie ensembles...it was a big letdown.

I'm really wondering if next week, Rachel Zoe is coming in for a quick "intervention" prior to the Finale Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week. But then, I realized "wait, she's on another network...that ain't happening!". So, let's go through the TOP FOUR Finalists' designs:



Christopher Palu:

I really like Christopher (I don't know him personally but I mean his designs)--and I think what he showed was SO Junior Department. I mean Forever 21 ALREADY has this in their stores. It's not a bad thing unless you're trying to show innovative, break-through, heart-pumping FASHION (with a Capital "F").

Christopher Palu or Forever 21?

A chiffon v-neck tank and leather shorts. Seriously?  No wonder the judges were frustrated. I was too.



Dmitry Sholokhov:

Dmitry showed very elegant, chic pieces. The ivory sheath dress with sheer panels was superb and I liked the jacket on the right but...

This ensemble was a mess. Those pants are SWIMMING on the model. About two sizes too big. If you are going to do loose/slouchy, do it. But this is a bad fit. And together with the sheer top and bra...Ayyy Dios Mio! Rachel Zoe: Dmitry needs you.



Fabio Costa:

 A) I liked the color splashes here and there (you know I LOVE me some color!).

B) I liked this uniquely draped dress and the necklace was sooo Italian Gallery Owner Diva, but...yeah, those wigs. At first, they were pretty cool, kinda Haider Ackermann-meets-Tilda Swinton but I can understand why Michael Kors felt that they were a bit distracting. Speaking of distracting:

Those shoes!! Grey lace-up booties for Spring 2013. Not sure. And with a loosely draped easy-breezy Summer side-cowl dress? Not so muchey.



Melissa Fleis:

Melissa's three looks were a big disappointment. Hot shorts again (like Christopher). This time, shown with a scoop-cut-out knit sweater top. And a BAD wig. Then, there was this cropped jacket with an oversized collar and cuffs. CUT those cuffs off. Please. And the slouchy drop-crotch pants. Cute on skinny gay boys. Not so much on the model.

Oh, yes, she also did a dress. That a girl can already find at your local Macy's. I am sure. Now, about those wigs: PLEASE Melissa, I really hope you rethink this...

Oh Wait! She did!! (Yeayyy!!) Above is a photo from Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week and one of the looks from Melissa's finale collection. And it looks like she also got rid of them "Fashion School Student 101" oversized cuffs...and re-did the pants as well. Thank Goodness.



And now---here's my Recap---Enjoy!! And don't forget to leave me YOUR comments on the MyLifetime.com site--right after my blog:

Calling All Stylists!

Well kids, we're heading to the end of Season 10 of "Project Runway"
and I learned several things from this penultimate "Finale Part 1"
episode. For one, most of these kids (save Melissa) do not have a place
to call home or their own place to work. Secondly, I learned that a
stylist is a very important job and someone ALL these designers needed. I
also think that this pre-finale episode is in serious need of a reboot.
Wondering what I mean about that? Keep reading...



Don't Be Safe

Last week we saw the end of Sonjia, with her table-napkin-meets-bad-figure-skating-costume design. As I argued in my last recap,
there was nothing avant-garde about her design, nor the designs of most
of the other four. (Note to producers: Maybe it's time to re-name that
particular challenge). I also discussed my annoyance at seeing very safe
looks from all these designers. I think I am echoing what Tim, Nina,
Heidi and Michael feel EVERY episode. It goes without saying that I
think "safe" just doesn't cut it, especially at this stage. Need I
remind you? DO NOT BORE NINA. So now we are down to the top four.



Congrats! You're The Top Four

Our dear Heidi congratulates the designers for making it this far and
tells them that they will each be given $9,000 and five weeks to create a
mini-collection for Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week. That's the good
news. The not-so-good news is that NOT everyone is guaranteed a spot in
Fashion Week. Or so she says. As an avid viewer/fan/former
contestant/perpetual recapper of the show, I've heard this song from
Heidi before. Can anyone say "Season 9"? But oh well, we'll stick to the
script, Miss Heidi.



Massapequa X-ray

Four weeks later and Tim Gunn is off to visit the designers. No trips to Trinidad and Tobago (Anya) or Hawaii (Andy South) this time around. So...



Click HERE to continue reading my entire recap.

Project Runway Recaps: Avant Garde Avant NOT!!--My Recap of the "Avant-garde" Challenge/Episode

Project Runway Recaps: Avant Garde Avant NOT!!--My Recap of the "Avant-garde" Challenge/Episode

A Lesson in Avant-Garde:



Let's get this out of the way...



THIS IS AVANT-GARDE:

Gareth Pugh

Comme des Garcons

John Galliano for Dior Haute Couture

Alexander McQueen

 Viktor & Rolf

 THIS is NOT:

Avant-garde design by Dmitry Sholokov from last night's "Project Runway" Season 10 L'Oreal Paris Makeup "Avant-garde" Challenge--his design won--and was generously praised by the judges. It was made impeccably, yes. But was it avant-garde?

 Five remaining designers on Season 10 Project Runway, traveled to...

 Oheka Castle in Huntington N.Y. known as the second largest private home in the USA--owned by financier Otto Kahn

The five remaining designers traveled to the expansive Oheka Castle in Long Island to get their challenge. At first when Heidi said that they were going 'far, far away", I got excited at the prospect of them getting on a plane and going to Florence, Milan or Paris...but not so mucheey...For the past four years, I've had the pleasure of going to Florence Italy to do Fashion Lectures and presentations of my NIKOLAKI Collection so if the producers ever want to have a challenge in Florence Italy...Call me!



Let's get back to last night's so-called avant-garde designs inspired by L'Oreal Paris "Electric Fantasie" Makeup Line:

 Judges Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, Heidi Klum and Zoe Saldana

Fabio Costa: I thought of all the five creations, Fabio's "Enchanted Queen" design was the most avant-garde with his upside-down coat and sheer palazzos and top, but Miss Heidi was NOT a fan.

Christopher Palu: For his "Enchanted Queen", Christopher did an all black satin, sequin and feathered gown that was very elegant but certainly NOT avant-garde...

It was a cross between a "Black Swan"-inspired dress and "Madame X" from artist John Singer Sargent-I wish he would have done something more like the photo below--for his "Enchanted Queen":

Model Adriana Karembeu in Thierry Mugler Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 1997--Now THAT'S an Enchanted Queen---and avant-garde!!!

Melissa Fleis: Her "Artsy Muse" creation was kind of fierce in a 90's sort of way--the popped collar leather vest and top, the arm cuffs, the neo-punk hair...the print on the skirt--as well as its shape is grand. Overall, a good showing from Melissa and I would say "Avant-garde Lite".



And then, there was poor Sonjia:

Green moiré is never good--unless it's a Nolan Miller 1988 "Dynasty" suit worn by Joan Collins. Not only did she chose that fabric but then she also added nude illusion--that didn't even match her olive-skinned model. It was SOOOO Bad Figure Skating Costume. It kind of reminded me of this:

Russian Ice Dancers Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin and their offensive "Aboriginal"-inspired costumes from 2010

Well--enough of all that, let's get to my real Recap for last night's Project Runway Episode and what I really thought of all this--Here's my Recap:

Safe Garde

This tenth season of "Project Runway" can
pretty much be defined by one word: safe. Most of the designers have
"played it safe" when it comes to their designs and creations. They've
been harmless in terms of their "characters" as well; there's been some
bitching and hate-talking during their confessionals but the season is
so safe that we don't even have a "villain" making the Final Four —
which for almost every season, has seemed to be de rigueur. It could
also be argued that a couple of the contestants played it so safe, they
just got up and left the show altogether because they just didn't want
to "Go For It!" So, it comes as no surprise that for this last
Avant-Garde Challenge, the designers played it safe. And in my feeling,
it was a let down. Let's recap...



Tim, Is That Your New Home?



Five designers left and this is the challenge that decides who gets
to go to NY Fashion Week. If you REALLY follow the show and its
designers, we know now that the last eight designers actually showed at
Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week last month when in "TV Time" there were
still eight on the show (five were "decoys" and the other 3, actual
finalists). But let's just stick to the "script" shall we? Sexy "Spartan
Supermodel" Heidi walks in to tell the designers that she is sending
them "far, far away" where Tim and a guest will be waiting. I'm
thinking, "Yeaay! They get to board a plane and fly to Florence, Italy!"
Nope. Not so much. After crossing a bridge and driving for over an
hour, they arrive at Oheka Castle, a historic mansion in the Gold Coast
of Long Island. This estate was the home of financier and philanthropist
Otto Kahn and in fact, the second largest private home in the entire
US. Waiting for the designers is Tim Gunn (who looks perfectly at home
outside this castle, I might add) and Billy B. Consulting Makeup Artist
for L'Oreal Paris.



Electric Avant-Garde

Billy is there to introduce the new L'Oreal Paris makeup line called
"Electric Fantasie" based on four "muses/color themes": Enchanting
Queen, Seductive Temptress, Wise Mystic and Artsy Muse. Tim announces
that this is the "L'Oreal Makeup Challenge" and the designers will have
to create an avant-garde Look inspired by this new L'Oreal Paris makeup
line. Tim then takes out the dreaded "Button Bag" and...



Click HERE to continue reading my Recap on MyLifetime.com