WARNING: This post contains SPOILER ALERTS in regards to Project Runway's All-Star Challenge, the first episode of the highly-anticipated Season 6, and Models of The Runway. If you have not viewed these shows as of yet, DO NOT READ THIS ENTRY, for this fashion fantatic goes into specific detail on who ultimately is "in" and who is most definitely "out."I shall begin this novel-like entry (it will be all too short and sweet in my opinion ... like I confessed last night ... if I could have this particular show on my screen, 24/7, it wouldn't even come close to being enough) with what I discovered a few days back now while lazily relaxing in front of the TV, complaining that there wasn't a thing on. Silly me, I spoke too soon. I hit my "On Demand" button, then my "Premium Channels" and came across a new option, Lifetime. I knew that my
Project Runway was moving there so I thought I would check it out. Good thing I did! Not only did they have a button specifically for my style obsession, but they had "Extras." They had 16, five-minute blips on each Season 6 contestant so I could meet them personally and their designs before the show even aired! Thank you, Comcast. Don't worry, after my All-Star review, the focus will come back to all the "newbies" entering Project Runway's orbit this season on Episode 1: The Red Carpet Challenge.
Now onto my second discovery. This was a few weeks back now when I picked up the latest edition of
TV Guide. I was flipping through the usual articles when I came across a picture of Heidi and Tim splashed across my page, and in a side article, there was something about an "All-Star Challenge" and I saw photos of past contestants (many of which I happened to be fans of) and then I saw the ultimate: Santino. That sealed the deal for me. I'd be watching the two-hour episode that was showing before Season 6 and I'd be loving every fabric-filled second of it!
The All-Stars: Mychael, Sweet P, Santino, Korto, (Tim and Heidi), Chris, Uli, Jeffrey and Daniel.
The challenge: Design 3 cohesive looks representing you and your fashion story, the third being a "red carpet/evening gown." At stake? Redeeming yourself from your past season (except for Jeffrey since he had already
won his season) taking the title of Project Runway All-Star and some cold, hard cash in the amount of $100,000.00. Nice.
Going to Mood with the designers to get all the fabrics needed, I was trying to figure out any clues that I could as to who would be making it and who would be breaking it. Jeffrey and Santino both leaned toward black sequins, sparkle and silver. Mychael went for his standby of jersey, both Korto and Uli surprised me with their muted tones instead of big bold colors and prints, Sweet P went for romantic ruffles and frills and Chris b-lined for plaid. Huh. The only one that didn't surprise me with his choices was Daniel. A modern, sophisticated palette consisting of black, white and blue.
Sweating away with their insane time frames at their designated work spaces, Tim walked in with a surprise. A video of the person they were designing their evening gown for. I had no idea what to expect (this show being famous for throwing curve balls from every which direction) but I wasn't expecting this! As the screen turned on, there she was, sitting so prettily ... just waiting to explain her presence: Um, NICOLE KIDMAN! The designers were guffawing, grinning, gasping ... they were just as shocked as the viewers! She explained she needed a dress to wear to her new film, Nine's premiere. Wow. That "upped the ante" a bit for our designers and I was truly excited to see what they would come up with for such a celebrity.
As Santino's booming voice and laughter wafted through the space (I love me all things Santino) and Chris' snores filled the silence ... I began to see the differences from them all. Sweet P and Uli had almost all the same tones and fabrics, Korto and Daniel were meticulously quiet and Mychael draped and wrapped his jersey while Jeffrey snickered and snapped back with the occasional comeback to Santino's one-liners. Ahh ... this is what I was waiting for. Tim popped his head in every now and then to check on the progress, there was a model casting (where Chris ultimately slept sitting up ... fascinating) And then on the last night before the runway show, Tim approached with a mandatory (and celebratory) dinner for the designers; none of which wanted to go, go, go. All they really wanted to do was sew, sew, sew.
As they arrived, and ultimately caved in to enjoy their dinner at STK, Tim appeared to toast them and to also let them know there was one more trick, one more surprise up his sleeve. They had to design a fourth look out of the materials they were sitting with during dinner. A few minutes went by and the restaurant was stripped of each and every piece they could get their hands on and they were off to attempt to add this necessary piece to their final collections.
The day of the runway arrived and I was so excited. I noticed that I was on the edge of my seat, a jumble of nerves, because I couldn't wait to see what they had come up with! The guest judge turned out to be the creator of the infamous wrap dress, Diane Von Furstenberg. Fabulous.
One by one the collections came down the catwalk.
Santino's was full of silver spandex-y jumpsuits and leggings, but immersed right smack dab in the middle was my favorite outfit consisting of the restaurant's white curtains in a white and black tunic with black-sequined leggings. A romantic addition to his hard aesthetic. A silver-y liquid gown ended it all. Not my personal taste or style, but anything that comes from that man is genius to me. Like I said, I love me some Santino.
Next was Mychael. Jersey, jersey, jersey. Man, that should be his middle name. Still in love with all things super short and mini and still had the overall feeling and "sporty" look. Many of his things seemed casual and everyday "wearable" to me. His obvious standout was his purple jersey evening dress. The cutouts were divine and the thin yellow-bowed belt was adorable.
Time for Uli. Muted metallics and tones. Just not Uli. We all remember her as being the big, bold print girl, and none of that was shown in her collection. There were some beautiful ruffles and shapes to the dresses and she emphasized she was trying to grow and mature away from the standard print, but that's how I'll always remember my Uli. Standout piece? Her first showing of a blush colored sheer floral masterpiece.
Korto. (Pronounced "Cut-Toe") Known for her bright colors, steered clear of them for this runway. There was only one bright fuchsia strapless number that was cute, but she then put in her love of the high-waisted pant and added sparkle to the vest's top and then concluded with black and white as her finale. I was looking forward to saturated pops of color and didn't get what I anticipated, but was pleasantly surprised by her "restaurant challenge" dress. Making place mats and "lava rocks" look that good should be a crime of fashion. Brilliant.
Mad for Plaid. I remember that was the first thing I scribbled down in my notebook as soon as I saw Chris' collection stomping down the runway. Black, grey woolen plaid (with hoodies to boot) A far cry from his outrageous costume-y ways. I fell in love with it, just because it was so different from what the others were sending down the runway. My favorite from his collection? Had to be, well, all of it. Because he was the only designer that said he used the same fabric in 3 of his 4 pieces because we are in a recession and he felt it necessary to show how to wear the same in totally different ways. A man after my own bargain-y heart.
Crisp. Modern. The ultimate sophisticate. No surprise here that those are the words I chose to define both this collection and the designer himself. Yes, it's Daniel. His black, white and blue color scheme was stunning. It was the only collection that was cohesive to me ... where every piece went down in the right order and you saw the evolution take place from beginning to end. His TKO piece? Definitely the "red carpet/premiere" of a short black and white stunner that every girl will want to have in her closet.
Jeffrey. Jeffrey. Jeffrey. Hard, tough and all things rock and roll. Lots of black walking down and then a pop of fuchsia (favorite color story of Mychael, Korto and now Jeffrey) He had some fringe-like fabulousity, but his winner was his first dress that came down: a green and black sequined mini that would look nothing but fierce being donned by Nicole Kidman herself. We all know (as apparently Jeffrey does as well, that redheads looks smashing in emerald green).
Last, but certainly not least, is Sweet P. I found it quite fitting that her collection would be the last for my viewing pleasure because as soon as her first dress walked out, I was pleasantly surprised with how badly I wanted to own each and every piece that appeared. She was the dark horse of the night for me and I wasn't expecting to fall so completely for her true-to-her-name collection that was full of feminine frills, lavish ruffles and girlie-girl chic. I'll take one of each, please. Her standout? I think it was the mint-y green leather ruffle mini dress. To die for.
As the 8 designers stood on the runway for their "judgement day," breathless awaiting the critiques, we cut to commercial.
As soon as we returned, almost immediately, Heidi announced the 4 designers who did not win and would not be the ultimate All-Star. Goodbye Mychael, Uli, Jeffrey and Santino (Oh, Santino. I'll forever love your fedora-wearing, loud-mouthed presence)
There stood the final four. Next they went to Chris. They were so enamoured with his use of the same fabric and the way in which it was designed and wanted him to know that he deserved to be standing there with the rest of the designers. Just because he had no formal fashion training, doesn't mean that this costumer didn't belong to stand right up there, next to them all. He took 4th place and couldn't have been more proud. He was beaming ... and he deserved it.
Third place went to Sweet P. As much as I adored her collection, I knew that not everyone in America would want to look so sweet and romantic all the time, but again, if I could choose one collection to take home with me, it would have been Sweet P's. She was the surprise of the night for me and getting high praise from Diane Von Furstenberg herself aint too shabby either.
It was down to the final two: Korto and Daniel. Before the final commercial break, there was a vocal survey taken here as to who we all felt was going to take the crown. I had blurted out the moment I saw Daniel's collection, I knew that he was going to win. I just knew. It was concise, cohesive and perfect in every way. No flaws were seen and he stayed true to who he had always been. A classic, tailored designer ... and I was right. Daniel took the title. As Korto sighed and mumbled, "Always a bridesmaid," Daniel stood shaking his head, with his hands over his mouth and face in disbelief. $100,000.00 and Project Runway's All-Star Champ. Congratulations, Daniel!
Now I turn my focus to all things Season 6. It's time. The (my) wait is finally over. A whole new crop of fresh designers to be introduced and discussed here as I highlight last night's premiere of
Project Runway. One of the major differences with this season is they are no longer working and residing in New York ... they've up and moved to Los Angeles this time.
The designers all arrived in their new digs, exchanging pleasantries and consistently giving each other the "once over" (I never tire of seeing how obvious or subtle others will be when trying to perfect this look) and "sizing up the competition" has never been more entertaining. As per tradition, they all met up with Heidi and Tim atop a rooftop and champagne-toasted the beginning of the new season. They became settled in their respective hotel rooms and then met in their designated workspace for the upcoming weeks.
The next morning, they met at the red carpet of the 60th annual Emmy Awards where Tim announced their challenge of designing a Red Carpet-Worthy Look and Design. It didn't necessarily have to be for the Emmys, but whenever I hear the words "red carpet," I think of flowing Oscar de la Renta-like dresses with volume and stature that parade down the saturated, celebrity-filled carpets. So ... with their assignment given, they were off to L.A.'s Mood to pick their fabrics.
While back at their work tables, they were assigned their models measurements on cards and furiously started. Tim came in and walked the room and advised and critiqued what he was seeing the beginnings of ... and then came Johnny. Poor, poor Johnny. Suffering from the recovery of a crystal meth addiction, he was beginning to show obvious signs of "wear and tear" and questioning his own abilities and talent, fearing that it was too big of a step forward and that maybe he had to admit that he wasn't ready for the pressure. In steps "Super Tim" to save the day ... and he comforted and mentored Johnny by letting him know, "You can do it." All Johnny needed to hear, he sprang up from his couch's lair and began working on his design. Just another reason for me to continue my total crush on Tim Gunn.
As the commercials came and went, it quickly became time for the runway, once again. Given that when the show begins each season with 16 hopefuls, I have a hard time trying to focus on standouts and who I think is going to make a lasting impression until the numbers start to dwindle down a bit more. So as the models were trotting down the catwalk, I realized that some were going by that weren't worthy of my notes because they were safe or I had seen them all before. I did jot down my 4 favorites and they were in this order: Ra'Mon's silky grey number, Epperson's black tulle-necked beauty, Irina's champagne-silhouetted stunner and Carol Hannah's gold-ish gown. I was anxious to see if my notes compared at all to what the judges were scribbling down on their note cards.
By the end of the episode, the 3 highest and 3 lowest scores were standing under the heat of the studio's lights and the pressure-filled music began to play while the steady stares were being given to them all as they explained their designs and sat through the critiques of not only Heidi, Michael and Nina, but the celebrity guest judge of the week, Lindsay Lohan, as well. Below is the recap:
The Top 3:
Chris' design was for the VMAs (MTV's Video Music Awards) Short and sassy with a black top and a romantic-ruffled bottom, it had a clever mix of the two worlds meshing together. The judges had two words for it and scratched their heads at its ability to be both "cute" and "edgy" all at the same time.
Red Hot. That's the word I used to describe Johnny's. It was such an interesting shape. It was draped so well to the body having a deep and low back AND front and just enough sparkle to shine on the runway. Who knew that the contestant that broke down and wanted to throw in the towel would prove to be in the week's top 3?
My personal favorite. Ra'Mon's. The one dress out of my personal four favorites to make it in the top 3. It was a steely, silky grey stunner and it moved seamlessly as the model walked it down the catwalk. It was regal and it was the only one that stood out with my traditional view of a red-carpet piece.
The Bottom 3:
Qristyl. Wow. This was a purple mess. Although the judges complimented her on her draping techniques (Lindsay Lohan, first and foremost) they did have to "dock" her in the points category for the abismal fabric choice. Too busy and just not red-carpet worthy ... by any means.
Mitchell. Mitchell. Mitchell. I get that your model's measurements were off by a good 5-6 inches, but does that mean that you are allowed to walk her down the runway, practically nude? I mean, this girlie had to leave NOTHING to the imagination because you couldn't re-smock your original design due to her measurement specifications? Like I said in the beginning of the episode when I watched him start to unravel, these judges don't tolerate excuses of any kind. He tried with his own spin ... and he failed. Miserably.
Ari. Oh my. When in the middle of the episode while Tim is traipsing up and down mentoring his little heart out, and he comes to your fabric, tilts his head and glasses down and proclaims, "Forgive me, but it looks like a 'halter diaper.' You know you're in trouble. Not to mention, once it comes down the runway, and the shocked stares leave the judges speechless, again ... you're in trouble. Later when the judges are alone in the studio debating and your "frock" comes up for discussion and Lindsay Lohan can't keep in her laughs when Nina says, "She's from another planet." Again, it may be trouble. And lastly, Ari, when Michael Kors critiques your design by calling it a "disco soccer ball," you've got to know you're in deep bandini.
Chris was announced the winner of this challenge and was given immunity for next week's episode. He wasn't my first choice, but once he revealed his model would be attending the VMAs, it all made sense and I could understand why he was named victorious.
As for the designer who would have to hear Heidi proclaim, "I'm sorry, you're out." Well ... to no one's real surprise, it was Ari's swan song ... and to be honest ... there's no way that she could have been that shocked with the result. Sorry, Ari, but it was your time to return back to where you came from ... wherever that may be.
I'll be keeping an eye on my favorites (and remember these names to see if I'm right): Epperson (mature sophistication) Ra'Mon (classic tailoring and shapes) and Malvin (androgynous perfection).
To end this entry, it seems nothing but appropriate to talk about the last installment of the night, the new series all about the Project Runway models entitled,
Models of the Runway. I was fearing the worst (that it would be Lifetime's version of Tyra's
Top Model) but I was surprised at how normal these models were and how anxious and nervous they became having their fates in the hands of the designers. They have a lot at stake too: a spread in
Marie Claire magazine and $25,000.00 from Garnier. I can see why they would have butterflies swirling in their tummies, hoping that they would be chosen to continue on.
I really liked that it was a swift, fast-moving episode (it's only 30 minutes in total) and they followed the models moving into their new digs, getting their opinions on the designers and last night's runway, and then following them through to their dreaded elimination.
The designers have the power to either stay with and keep their original model or switch it up a bit (and cause all kinds of raucaus and evil stares) and choosing someone else's model. Well ... it started out pretty safe. The same designers with the same models, until it came down to Mitchell (yes, Mitchell ... the designer that made his model walk nude down the runway in his nude-colored caftan) He stole Qristal's model, in turn, leaving his high and dry.
From there, things were switched up right and left, new models with different designers and it came down to the last two models standing: Yosuzi (Mitchell's ill-fated model) and Erica (both below)... and it was all left to my already-favorite, Epperson. Erica was his original model, but would he take pity on Yosuzi and save her from Mitchell's mess or would he stay true and keep Erica? He was a "stand-up" guy and chose to stay with Erica. Sorry, Yosuzi. You're out.
As I sign off to begin my weekend, I just wanted to include a picture of my standout model, the one to watch, Kojii. This Irish lass has the look that I think could take her all the way this season. Let's all keep watching to see if my predictions are fashionably right or couture gone wrong.
Project Runway Season 6 Logo, All-Star Designer Pictures and Season 6 Designer Pictures all courtesy of Lifetime and All-Star Group picture courtesy of squareeyes.blinkx.com
*Be sure to visit Lifetime's site to see all dresses and designs mentioned above*
*Don't forget to watch Project Runway, followed by Models of The Runway, Thursday nights. Check your local listings for dates and times*
