Project Runway Season 10 Recap: "Where's Joan Rivers When You Need Her?"

Project Runway Season 10 Recap: "Where's Joan Rivers When You Need Her?"

Where's Joan Rivers?

Oh Joan, I Wish You Were The Judge: Joan Rivers E! Fashion Police

This week's Project Runway Season 10 Challenge was to Create a Red Carpet Look to be worn at the Emmy Awards. The official name of the challenge was the LEXUS Team Challenge--hello, the show has to pay the bills!

Car Style: Mentor Tim Gunn tries to keep a straight face (no pun intended) as he announces the "LEXUS" involvement in this challenge

Somehow they created an addendum to the challenge that would somehow make it justifiable for LEXUS to be involved--yes, kids, the designers were "inspired" by the colors of these fab LEXUS GS automobiles...yeah, right. This season's designers were given their Red Carpet clients and no, it was't Sofia Vergara or Claire Danes.

Not so muchey as I like to say. Remember the mustard-mess of a dress Season 1's Wendy Pepper made for Nancy O'Dell (photo above). Yeah, bless O'Dell's heart--she smiled through it and was a good sport but you know she was like "NEVER AGAIN!".

Instead, it was former Project Runway contestants and/or winners--such as Laura Bennett from Season 3, Kenley I-threw-a-cat-at-my-boyfriend Collins from Season 5 (above), Irina (Season 6 Winner), Anya (Season 9 Winner) and several others. Let's just get to the Runway darlings, shall we:

Nina, Michael Heidi, and guest judge, actress Krysten Ritter were there and really--nothing against the lovely Miss Ritter--but I was hoping it was going to be Joan Rivers. She would have let these Season 10 contestants HAVE IT. Especially those who were all "I HATE designing 'Red Carpet'..." Yes, I am talking to you Alicia and Raul!

Anyhow, Miss Klum walked out in a strapless sequin LBD with a wink-and-a-smile secretly saying "THIS is a Red Carpet dress kids! Now, go home!" Speaking of Red Carpet dressing and the Emmys--here are the Best Dressed of 2011 as a refreshner:

2011 Emmy Awards Best Dressed

My favorite was the silver silk charmeuse gown that Dmitry and Melissa created for "Kelly Osborne 2.0" April Johnston (above). Somehow, this ended up in the "middle" and not as one of the top two. What gives? Maybe Heidi, Nina, Michael and Krysten were too tired and "over it" (some of those judging sessions go on 'till the wee hours darlings!)

Four Inches Too Short Wedding Dress: Bitchy McBitchy Gunnar and Kooan created this white gown for Irina and somehow this ended up in the Top Two.  You can read my Recap at the end of this post to really know what I think of this dress...

This was the Winner (above left photo)--a short navy blue silk gazar cocktail dress from Ven and Fabio--for "I Want ALL the Attention" Kenley Collins. It was very pretty and expensive looking but Emmys worthy? Go back to that collage of Emmys 2011 Best Dressed...

Is That Your Pageant Britney? Season 9 Winner Anya and Miss District of Columbia USA 2012 Monique LaShone Thompkins

The Bottom Two were cutie (I am renaming him "Drama Queen Christopher" after this episode) Christopher and Andrea BA MA MFA Katz and the design they created for Anya. I do LOVE a pageant gown and a slit--as long as it's not DANGEROUSLY close to her nether-regions--and this dress was. Poor Anya would have been SLAMMED by the "Fashion Police" --or at least moi on TV Guide's Emmys Fashion Wrap!

But the worst was the dowdy dirndl halter dress that pointy-haired Raul and dreadlock'ed Alicia created. Bad with a Capital "B". Poor Mila. This look really aged her and made her look like a Mother-of-the-Bride as opposed to a Red Carpet Diva.




If you want to know what I REALLY thought of this last episode? Read below:

"Where's Joan Rivers When You Need Her?"



 Team I-Don't-Want-To-Be-On-A-Team


We knew it was going to be a KRAZEE episode the minute Tim Gunn said
that this was a "Team Challenge." No One. I reiterate, NO ONE, likes the
Team Challenges on "Project Runway" (except the viewers). The challenge
this week? To create a red carpet look that is to be worn at the Emmys
in September. Lest you forget, our little ol' show is nominated this
year! This challenge was also dubbed the "LEXUS Team Challenge" because
the designers also had to incorporate the colors of the new LEXUS GS
cars (the automobile sponsor) into their red carpet creations. I almost
wished they had to make these looks out of actual LEXUS car parts! But
oh wait, I think that's already been done...



 

Red Carpet Sacrificial Lambs


Seven Teams of two were created — Christopher/Andrea, Sonjia/Nathan,
Elena/Buffi, Ven/Fabio, Gunnar/Kooan, Alicia/Raul and Dmitry/Melissa.
Now, who would these teams be designing Emmys red carpet creations for?
Heidi? Nina? Sofia Vergara?! Nope, darlings. Remember the debacle years
ago when Season 1 Winner Jay McCarroll created La Klum a gown for the
Emmys and she ended up not wearing it? (Oops). And the mess Wendy Pepper
made for Nancy O'Dell to wear to the Grammy's as a result of a
challenge she won? Yeah, in other words, not such a good history of
these collaborations. So, instead, the show brought back seven past
Runway contestants and winners — Season 9 Winner Anya, Season 6 Winner
Irina, Laura Bennett, Kenley, Mila, April Johnston and Valerie Mayen
(who?) — to be the Red Carpet Sacrificial Lambs ... I mean clients.




 

Time Complainer, Hissy Fits, Ironing Assistants


Team Elena/Buffi got Laura Bennett as their red carpet client which
immediately scared me. If Laura and those two were the last people stuck
on an island, she still wouldn't choose them to make her a dress (But,
alas, she has no choice). Laura is elegant Manhattan chic, while Elena
is Lady Gaga futurama and Buffi is just tacky-licious. Strong-headed
Elena is delegating Buffi to steaming/pressing assistant status while
she's just running around stressed and panicked. She's also complaining
about the lack of time they are given to make an evening dress. Really
Elena? What part of "Project Runway" did you NOT understand? These kids,
they slay me.



Click HERE to continue reading...

And make sure to let me know YOUR "Two Cents"" on the site--I read ALL your comments!!! 

Project Runway Recaps: Episode 6 --"You Ain't No Waif Yourself"!

Project Runway Recaps: Episode 6 --"You Ain't No Waif Yourself"!

Villain Ven, a Brawny Paper Towel (Wo)man, Hoochie Momma's and My Recap:



Oh Ven!

Posterboy for Plus Size Bashing? Project Runway Season 10 designer/contestant Ven Budhu

Villain Ven: Last night's Project Runway episode was about designers working with "real people"--as opposed to size 0 six foot tall Super-humans known as models. It was the "L'Oreal Hair Challenge of Making Over a Friend" Challenge. The ten remaining designers got ten women of varying sizes and it was their job to create a new stylish look for them. Ven Budhu, who up to now has been a top favorite because of his consistent, elegant styles and Haute Couture aesthetic, suddenly became the most hated contestant of Season 10. I, for one, was one of his "cheerleaders"...

Terri (left in her Ven Budhu Cocktail-meets-work design) and her designer, Ven with Terri's friend Theo, on the right photo

But that was all thrown out the door last night. Not because he created something majorly ugly, but because he was a disrespecting human being--toward his lovely client, a woman named Terri. Throughout the episode, he said some doozies like he was "shocked and disappointed" that he had to work with a real person and not a model, and that his client has no fashion sense and isn't fashion forward--I could go on and on...

Take That Ven!

It was so disgusting that at one point, I almost threw my carb-filled Fettuccine Alfredo dinner at him for saying all those nasty thing about--and to--his beautiful client Terri--but I didn't want to ruin my perfectly good flat-screen TV. What. Is. Ven's. Problem? And like I say in my Lifetime.com Recap--I was so surprised NO ONE--his client or her good friend who enlisted her for this Makeover--went right back at him with a "You AIN'T no WAIF yourself Ven!".

Big Is Beautiful

Important Bullet-points for Ven:

* Non-Size 4 Women Are BEAUTIFUL too!

* The Average Size of the American Woman is a 14

* Good Luck having a Fashion Business without MAJORLY apologizing to all these women

and finally

* Wouldn't it be nice to Google your name and see your fabulous fashions first...as opposed to your photo as a "Plus Size Basher"?



Moving on...let's get to some of the FUN parts of last night's Episode:

Guest Judge British fashion designer Alice Tamperley, whose client includes Catherine, Ducchess of Windsor (wearing one of her Temperley London designs at the London premiere of "War Horse"--The designer didn't know what "Hoochie Momma" meant (until Michael Kors translated it into UK-speak and said "a Tart"--in case you still don't understand Ms. Temperley...



This is HOOCHIE:

This Is Not:

Dmitry and his client Angela: Dmitry Sholokhov's look for his client was directional, very NYC, Fashion Dominatrix--It was one of the Top Looks from the episode. I loved this look. I only wished that it would have been longer--right above the knee or to-the-knee would have been perfect! But a good job Dmitry (and his HOT client Angela).

Gunnar and his client, Kim: First off, congrats to Gunnar Deatharage for NOT being a Ven Size-ist and complaining about how "big" your client was. I have to admit that I would have expected that behavior from you (you have been that Bit*** Queen "character" this season huney!) but...you were a PERFECT Gentleman. Your momma done taught you right! Now, back to Kim--she was Fabulous and Fierce on the Runway. Whatever she's drinkin'...I want SOME!!!



Brawny Girl Winner:

Before: designer Fabio Costa's client Ko-Rely (above) and her plaid non-sexually threatening plaid shirt

Ko-Rely's Muse (above)--The Brawny Paper Towel Man

After: Fabio won this "Make Over My Friend" Challenge for his original color-blocked dress for his formerly known as "Brawny Paper Towel Girl" Ko-Rely--she looked great (sans the belt)

The Hoochie Momma's:

Sonija William's twisted knot dress for her client was a little too short and the judges really didn't like it. I was surprised Alicia Hardesty's very, very tacky design--a pink taffeta badly-fitting WAAAY too short dress--did not end up at the bottom. She was VERY VERY lucky because for me, this was WORSE than who actually got the boot:

Nathan Paul's royal blue and black dress for his client--Liana who sings pop/R and B--ended up at the bottom for almost the same reasons I think Alicia's dress should have been at the bottom. Liana did look like a tacky club goer at some Vegas nightclub--and the side illusion panels did not help, but...I still think Alicia's might have been worse. 

Which was MORE Hoochie in your eyes?



Here's My Recap :

You Ain't No Waif Yourself

On almost every season of "Project Runway"
there is the "Dress A Real Person Challenge." In past seasons, designers
have had to work with moms, bratty teenagers, and even on my season, we
had to make over our fellow designers. Don't remind me the outcome of
that one. Moving on... It's the challenge that both furthers the
stereotype that (some) fashion designers are body dysmorphic creatures
who worship and idolize the size 0, 6 foot tall, super human creatures
(models), and at the same time, can show that we do care about a "real
size" woman. It's an intelligent designer who can be successful at the
latter, which is of course the most important factor, since most women
are NOT a size 0, 2 or even an 8 for that matter. In actuality the
average american woman is a size 14. So with that in mind, let's start
this week's recap:



I Have Style ... But My Friend Doesn't

Heidi waltzes onto the "Runway" stage and announces that "for your
next challenge, we have some new clients for you." Ten men and women
enter and flank Miss Klum. Before the remaining 10 designers can whisper
in disgust a, "Are we creating something for them?!" Heidi adds, "Well,
these aren't your new clients ... you'll be creating looks for their
FRIENDS." It's the L'Oreal Hair Challenge of Making Over a Friend. OK,
now you can cut to the designers giving looks of "We have to dress REAL
PEOPLE!?" Even Heidi noticed the "Oh no" looks as she tries to remind
the designers that "this might be a lot of fun..." The operative word
here is MIGHT. Even Heidi wasn't buying what she was selling — knowing
there is bound to be designer/client drama. They all head to the Parsons
workroom where Tim awaits with L'Oreal consulting hair stylist Johnny
Lavoy, who will help in creating the friend makeover transformations.



Meet Your Clients

Time to meet each of the designers' "real life clients" who were
(supposedly) chosen for each designer at random: Sonjia gets Amanda, a
sweat pant-loving tomboy who hates to shop. Elena is handed Jenna, who
is "bubbly" and loves color. Christopher gets Kate, who is hoping for a
trendy jacket. Dmitry is paired with Angela who likes chunky jewelry and
contrast. Alicia gets Martina, who wants men to marry her and women to
BE her (at-a-girl!). And finally, Melissa gets Kannace who likes
dresses...



CLICK HERE to read the rest of my Recap--and make sure to let me know YOUR thoughts--on Ven, Hoochie Momma's, and Big Beautiful Women--after the Recap on my BLOG 

PROJECT RUNWAY RECAPS....."Project Runway" Season 14 Recaps--Episode 9 "JustFab" Challenge: Photo Blog Recap!

PROJECT RUNWAY RECAPS....."Project Runway" Season 14 Recaps--Episode 9 "JustFab" Challenge: Photo Blog Recap!

Classroom to Contentious to Retail: Lifetime Network's Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 9 "JustFab" Challenge

The JustFab Challenge: This week on Lifetime's Season 14 "Project Runway" the designers had to create a so-called "High Fashion" look that would be mass-produced and sold on the JustFab site. JustFab is one of the show's sponsors, providing the accessories for the contestant's looks. Their creations were to be "inspired" by JustFab Style Personas including "Bombshell", "Trendsetter", "Girl Next Door", "Modern Classic", and "Femme Nouveau". It all made for a rather confusing directive, challenge and especially, runway judging. The episode began harmlessly enough...

Tim Tablet: Tim says "Good Morning Designers! Get up and Get Ready. Class starts in One Hour" via a Tablet--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 9

Class Is In Session: Tim Gunn, along with JustFab Fashion Director, Yuchin Mao, introduce the challenge at the mini-classroom/workroom--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 9

During the Workroom and Pre-Runway:

Not Sure of That Print: Designer/contestant Edmond Newton originally wanted to use this printed fabric to make a one shoulder/one sleeved dress he thought would be very "Bombshell"--his JustFab design Style Persona. Tim was a bit perplexed by the design and how un-Bombshell it might look. He fittingly questioned Edmond's love of the print. During the model fitting...

Now That's Better: Edmond finally realizes it's time to ditch his original printed design and use a red Lycra knit to make it truly Bombshell--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 9

And then, there was Miss "I Forgot" Laurie:

Ummm, Are You OK with Your Model's Bra Straps Showing? One of the other models asks Laurie Underwood, if this is how she intended her design to look going down the runway...with her model's bra straps showing with the see-through organza top she made for her look. Underwood's excuse: "Oh, I Forgot!". Well, we knew that this was not going to be a good sign. You may remember, last week, she got bitten by the Nipple Pasties Virus.

Judging Time: (L to R) Yuchin Mao, JustFab Fashion Director; Singer/songwriter/fashion diva Ciara; Marie Claire's Nina Gracia; Designer Zac Posen; Heidi Klum--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 9

My Two Cents:

The judging turned out to be ALL OVER THE PLACE, so much so that no one was on Top or Bottom. The reason, I feel the judging was CRAY-CRAY was because of the confusion of the Challenge. You'll have to read my RECAP beginning at the end of this post and then on the MyLifetime.com "Project Runway" Blog HERE to find out what I thought the directive of the Challenge should have been.



Just one look at the site, you know that "High Fashion" (as in a look straight out of the Alexander McQueen runway for example) isn't a necessary criteria; and neither is "Innovation" as in a forward/modern/Viktor & Rolf type design. One just needs to make something cute, chic enough for a Millennial, 20-something gal, and easy enough to be mass-produced and retail for under $40. And BTW: if something retails for $40, this means that it should cost about $10 TO MAKE (including fabric, label, EVERYTHING!).

Un-Fashionable Judging: Queen Nina and Prince Zac were two of the most vocal when it came to not liking any of the designs that would have actually been PERFECT for JustFab. Which tells me two things:

A) they didn't even LOOK at the JustFab website to see what they sell

or

B) They were too stuck in their "High Fashion" criteria.



Runway:

Kelly Depsey: I liked this printed cropped top and leggings look. It is very JustFab and made of not-expensive knit fabrication (although it might have been difficult to mass produce these specific prints that Kelly got from Mood). Oh, and yeah, that faux fur chubby was verging on "Muppets Hooker", so there was that.

Top Two: Ashley Nell Tipton (left) and Edmon Newton (R). Loved Ashley's super cute look and especially the cropped gold faux leather Moto jacket. Nina hated the top and skirt, naturally. And Edmond--well, thank goodness he changed his original design (with a little guidance from Tim Gunn) and created this "Bombshell" sexy red dress. It was simple with one unique detail (the spaghetti bias), can be worn by many sizes, cheap fabric, done and done. It rightfully won.



And here's the actual style and how it ended up for production and retail at JustFab.com:

Bombshell Red--Edmond Newton's design at JustFab. I doubt if he's making anything from the sales (99.99 % sure he's not), but congrats for winning!

Too High Fashion: (L to R) Candice Cuoco and Merline Labissiere. These two designs were so off-the-JustFab mark, it was as if they forgot the "This Must be Mass-Produced for $39.95 for a 22 Year Old Millenial to Buy it!" part. I don't fault them so much for it since again, the challenge directives were so convoluted.

No Gowns on JustFab: Not sure why anyone--Tim, the producers...SOMEONE!--did not inform Swapnil Shinde (his cheetah printed gown design is above with organza cocoon coat) that JustFab doesn't sell gowns ANYWHERE On their site. And trust me, if it ever did, it wouldn't be one like this. This gown doesn't scream Hipster Millenial, but rather the BET Awards in 2003.

Laurie Underwood: Oh Laurie. While from a distance, I would say this look is sophisticated and quite va-va-voom chic. But, it's SOOOO NOT JustFab and then, there's the see-through organza halter top. It really wasn't even a top but more like a front bib of sorts. And yes, it ended up that indeed, we saw her model's...

Nipple Pasties!!!--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 9

Laurie should have...

...probably stuck to her original design of a v-neck sheath dress. Maybe she might have been on top along with Edmond and Ashley and not OUT--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 9

And now, time for my RECAP of this week's "Project Runway":

Season 14, Episode 9: Runway Retail

This week’s challenge was to design a look for
JustFab, the online fast-fashion retailer and one of the sponsors of
this season’s “Project Runway.” Easy, right? Nope, not so much as it
turned out. I think the actual challenge suffered from an unnecessary
"high fashion" directive which then lead to contradictory expectations
and critiques from the judges and somewhat perplexing creations.
Eventually, there were some super-cute JustFab designs among all that,
but it felt like we had to go through tooth surgery to get there. Let's
delve deeper...

The episode begins with the
remaining designers in their apartments finding a tablet on their
kitchen tables with Tim Gunn making an announcement, “Good morning
designer. Get up and get ready. Class starts in one hour and you don’t
want to be tardy. Today is going to be JUST FABULOUS!” While the contestants mulled over a possible “school” inspiration, I knew better.

Tim
and Yuchin Mao, fashion director for JustFab are in the workroom, which
has been redecorated to resemble a mini classroom. Mao tells the
designers that JustFab had recently expanded their business beyond
accessories and is now selling apparel. There is a blackboard with five
JustFab member style personas: Bombshell (sexy, not shying from the
spotlight), Trendsetter (risk-taker, edgy), Girl Next Door (casual, easy
spirit), Modern Classic (tailored look), and Femme Nouveau (a romantic
at heart).

Candice, who won last week’s
challenge...



Click HERE on the MyLifetime.com "Project Runway" Blog to read the rest of my RECAP!