Archinect
anchor

The Inevitable Project Runway Thread

473
WonderK

I've gotten the impression before, I forget where, that the 12 or so episodes it takes them to get to the final group is shot over a span of 3-4 weeks. Which seems really extreme, so maybe I am making that up. Still I don't think they are gone for months at a time like people on Big Brother or anything.

Sep 21, 10 3:55 pm  · 
 · 
'Maximus

Yeah that challenge was out of control. But they are really bringing the celebrities in this time around!

This year's group is really full of characters, but my favorite all-time challenge was the one in Season 3 (i think) where they had to design outfits for the socialite with the matching doggie. Those dogs were the cutest things ever, and BRAVO to whoever thought that one up.

Sep 23, 10 6:28 am  · 
 · 
WonderK

!!!!!archi, I totally agree! I LOVED the doggie challenge! I mean, yeah it probably wouldn't fly in this economy but I thought it was so cute, plus they had to be creative enough to design for a dog, for crying out loud.

Sep 23, 10 3:43 pm  · 
 · 
toasteroven

mondo's couture dress this past week was awesome - first dress all season where I felt like someone was exceptionally talented - the rest were pretty boring - but wtf is up with his clockwork orange/pinnocchio inspired outfits the past couple weeks? short shorts with suspenders? I'll bet next week he'll be wearing lederhosen and a jagdhut.

Sep 25, 10 11:15 am  · 
 · 

Agree toaster. But when they showed the clip of the advertorial* shoot with his dress, and he was dressed in a suit with slicked back hair, he looked SO debonair and darling!

*what exactly is an advertorial?

Sep 25, 10 9:43 pm  · 
 · 
toasteroven

advertisement + pictorial = advertorial... or pictovisement

or adictortusial

it's synergy!

Sep 25, 10 10:20 pm  · 
 · 
WonderK

I love Mondo! Let him wear lederhosen! He's so cute. Mondo FTW!

PS. Can anyone tell me with a straight face that they actually agreed with the judges' decision to include Gretchen's look in the top 3 this past week? It looked like something Janis Joplin might have worn if she were alive to see her granddaughter get married. It was dreadful.

Sep 25, 10 11:42 pm  · 
 · 

Gretchen's was dreadful. It's opposite season (except for Mondo's win)!!

Sep 26, 10 12:40 am  · 
 · 
THEaquino

I'm getting so tired of Gretchen. We get it, you're super reflective and deep...no one cares!

And seriously, "high fashion"? Michael C's was more high fashion than hers.

ugh, but it's going to be Gretchen, Mondo and Andy/April at the end.

I really hope Mondo can pull it off.

Sep 26, 10 5:32 pm  · 
 · 
Purpurina

This drag n drop clothes are cool !!!

Sep 26, 10 7:30 pm  · 
 · 
WonderK

That dress up game is pretty fun. It also makes me happy to look at last season because I get to see Seth Aaron's stuff again!

Sep 26, 10 11:30 pm  · 
 · 
mantaray

Ok, I just got caught up on the last two weeks, and I had to come on here just to say: WTF is up with the judge's pick of that nasty ratty shapeless bland piece of crap that Gretchen put down the runway the other week?! Was I in la-la-land that they picked her as a top three?!?! I had her down for possibly going home for that ugly thing. I literally could not find one redeeming detail - I went and checked it out on the website just to make sure mine eyes did not deceive me. Nope, still looked like some Victorian grandmother's curtains puked all over the model.

Did you see the bodice in-fill? It was like some shapeless random beige cotton piece, just hanging out in there. Absolutely nothing about that dress was worth salvaging, not one thing.

Oct 3, 10 11:28 pm  · 
 · 
mantaray

Also, while I was watching all the endless chair interviews and comments about Michael C (why do they think we care about him?!), one word jumped out as being the perfect summation of this man: simpering. He simpers constantly. It's disgusting. When all the moms came to town, he was the only one who, of course, immediately starts telling his mom all about how everybody supposedly "threw him under the bus". Cry me a river already! Can we not move on from this dull storyline? And can this man not move on with his life? Ugh.

The supposed secret that he manufactures drama behind the scenes and is angling for his own reality show is looking more and more plausible. Get this guy off the show already.

I have to say it's a pretty dull crop of designers this year. At the beginning they seemed to have more potential...

Oct 3, 10 11:28 pm  · 
 · 
'Maximus

I totally agree mantaray, but don't you have to think that there is some sort of creative burnout that goes along with all of this? We look at it and say this and that about the designs but when it comes down to it, these guys are doing studio projects every flipping day and then at the end of the day, someone who they've bonded with has to go home. That's just a mindfuck.

I'm sorry. I could talk about this all day. I love to sew and wish I could sketch like them so I could try this too.

Oct 4, 10 6:28 am  · 
 · 
WonderK

I honestly think that while there is a little too much whiny drama going on, this is one of the more entertaining seasons yet. Can't pinpoint why exactly but when you find yourself weeping like a child at the end of the show (re: the last episode), you have to hand it to them.

I am glad we all agree that Gretchen's Victorian Janis Joplin grandma look was awful, though. LOL.

Oct 5, 10 7:03 pm  · 
 · 
mantaray

I feel like I'm in bizarro world with tonight's show. This is the very first time I've liked anything Gretchen made, and she's on the bottom! And this is one of the few times I haven't liked Mondo's, and he's in the top! Weird. My vote is for Andy this week. C'mooonnnn Andy.

Oct 7, 10 10:12 pm  · 
 · 

I didn't like anyone's anything this week. Except Mondo's rectangular shirt, that I liked.

Oct 7, 10 10:50 pm  · 
 · 
mantaray

I snorted when Gretchen said "I told her I didn't agree with her and she didn't even say anything". Gretchen, nobody cares whether you agree with them or not. They are the experts and you are the upstart. Listen to your superiors and accept their criticism, girl.
Also, duh, obviously you don't agree, or you wouldn't have made what you did.

Oct 7, 10 10:55 pm  · 
 · 
WonderK

Lol, it really is bizarro world! Although I continue to love Mondo's designs, especially the headbands.

I can't believe that Poison Ivy came back and sprayed her bitterness all over the workroom in the little time she had there. The hate she has in her heart is so palpable it makes my skin crawl. Thank god for Tim Gunn, for shutting her up, and as usual bringing sanity to the workroom.

Oct 8, 10 4:10 am  · 
 · 
toasteroven

manta - I also find gretchen annoying, but she does have a point - Heidi doesn't give constructive criticism (or at least that's how she's portrayed on tv). You can tell that the designers don't really respect what she has to say because she rarely says anything helpful - it's mostly - "I like this - I hate this." and you can tell the other judges are humoring her half the time.

Oct 8, 10 10:26 am  · 
 · 

I agree on Heidi's criticism - she's a self-centered bitch, but Gretchen was obviously so shocked to be in the bottom that her fight response burst through.

Oct 8, 10 11:46 am  · 
 · 
simples

through all the drama last night, no attention at all was paid on the concept or development of the 2nd and 3rd garment...the first time you saw them at all was at the catwalk...

this show is becoming less and less of a design competition and more of a soap opera - and the judges' criticism reflect that -

in re. to the designers, Mondo is the only one that seems remarkable this season when you look at the previous seasons best designers...



Oct 8, 10 3:00 pm  · 
 · 
simples

oh, one last thing, I would like to confess that i actually enjoy watching that "santino/scarlett" show thing that follows project runway...i might be getting dumber watching it, but it is fascinating...
lots of humor and kindness on that show...

Oct 8, 10 3:02 pm  · 
 · 

Actual KINDNESS on TV? I might have to start watching it!

Oct 8, 10 3:06 pm  · 
 · 
drums please, Fab?

austin & santino are highlarious! i love those guys .. especially a couple weeks back when they were on the crab boat and santino was getting sick while austin was biting the heads off fish and rippin' crabs apart. good times !!

Oct 8, 10 5:09 pm  · 
 · 
kwdll

I'm pissed!
What a f*cking joke!
Michael C. deserved to go to Bryant Park!
Gretchen's collection is a load of bullsh*t! (worth no more than $9.99 a piece)
Mondo will be a clear winner!
I'm better now...

Oct 22, 10 1:55 pm  · 
 · 
ArchStaff_CXVI

I cracked up when Nina called Gretchen's outfits "crunchy granola".

Oct 22, 10 2:28 pm  · 
 · 
drums please, Fab?

and 'crunchy granola' wins. wtf for serious (nina and mikey kors) ?

mondo was robbed, man. you did some great work this season, mondo!



Oct 29, 10 1:35 pm  · 
 · 

Mondo was my favorite, but I sadly didn't love his final collection as much as I hoped I would. still love him and think he has a bright future.

I ended up liking Andy's best last night - all very pretty and very cohesive, maybe not edgy enough.

But then, nothing about Gretchen's hideously butt-ugly line was edgy at all, and it won. I wouldn't wear a single thing from her show, the fabrics were all awful on their own and even worse combined, the styling was awkward - one model honestly looked like a duck in her flats and shorts - and her homemade jewelry looked like crap. What a disappointment. The judges have been on ludes all season.

For timekill on a Friday afternoon, here is Previous PR Winners where are they now?

Oct 29, 10 2:19 pm  · 
 · 
kwdll

I am (once again) pissed!!! I mean, seriously... WTF?
Anyway, wanna know the good news? It's actually very simple:

1. Mondo has everything it takes to be a very successful designer.
So, there's no question he'll do good. Very good!

2. As for Gretchen, I'm pretty sure I'll never see/ear her again.

And as I don't like to see people getting robbed on a regular basis I'm not sure I wanna see Project Runway again...

Oct 29, 10 2:29 pm  · 
 · 

Interesting fact from that article I linked: If you accept the $100,000 start up money from PR, you have to give them back a percentage of your earnings. What a crock.

Oct 29, 10 2:33 pm  · 
 · 
vado retro

i haven't seen the finale. but, judging from gretchen's collection from the final four show, her line looks like something to be worn to the santa fe flea market rather than the santa fe opera.

Oct 29, 10 4:48 pm  · 
 · 
mantaray

I agree with Donna 100% - my fave at the final show was Andy, although his collection still needed some work. The very first piece was phenomenal (green bolero over silver bodysuit/capris) and I loved some of the others, but he didn't seem to know how to work with the softer fabric and didn't marry (or juxtapose) its qualities very well against the harder-edged origami pieces. I looked at his collection and thought, he's obviously got talent and some designer should snap him up as an intern and in a few years he'll have learned a bit more and will be doing some awesome work, I think.

Mondo's been my fave all season, but his finale show was a bit dull. On the other hand - what's with the judges hating that polka-dot dress??? I LOOOOVE that polka-dot dress. That is one of my all-time favorite PR garments. If I could take out a loan and buy it right now I would. I love love love it. I could not believe it when Nina & Michael kept on bagging on that thing - there literally wasn't one thing I would change about it.

And Gretchen's collection, are you kidding me?! Vado, you said it best - Santa Fe flea market. Her jewelry was crap and it didn't enhance the clothing at all, it just looked random. Ugh. All that brown, and boring simple shapes that didn't enhance the female figure... why would anyone want to wear that?

And Michael Kors saying "sportswear is the future!" Well yeah, you're a sportswear designer! Of course you're going to say that. But anyway her stuff isn't even sportswear, it's just not high fashion so you don't know what to call it.

Oct 31, 10 10:44 am  · 
 · 
mantaray

Donna, isn't that why the first winner (can't remember his name but I liked his stuff - the big guy...) refused the winnings? He ended up not taking any of the money, I believe.

Oct 31, 10 10:45 am  · 
 · 
mantaray

This season made me really feel like the show was rigged. Michael C lasting until the Final 4? Gretchen winning? Mondo suddenly revealing that he's HIV+ on the runway during judging? All that fake "drama"?? What a waste of my time.

That last show, when they flew all the old people in just to spout some drama at each other right before the poor final 3 have to get their runway show going, was just crap. The whole first 45 minutes was all fake drama, no clothes. In previous years, we've seen the designers picking out their models, making garment changes, talking about their collection, etc. Now, we get a bunch of people assembled into a room to randomly bitch about each other. Of course they start calling Gretchen out for no reason and making her cry, just for our viewing pleasure. Ugh. First of all, that was rigged, secondly, it was mean, and third, who gives a shit about these people's petty little comments - I want to see their clothes!

Oct 31, 10 10:49 am  · 
 · 
b3tadine[sutures]

the whole season was a hot mess. 1 and half hours of shit. the only way to save the show is to move back to bravo and go to europe for a season. other than that it and i are parting ways.

Oct 31, 10 1:20 pm  · 
 · 
WonderK

I agree with Donna and manta... I was surprised to find that I liked Andy's collection the best. It was lovely but sadly, I could see why they picked on him for lack of diversity.

As for Gretchen and Mondo, I didn't like either of their final collections. I tried to like Mondo's but none of his exuberance was there. But then if you look at them as your only two choices, Gretchen's STILL should not have won because HER CLOTHES LOOKED LIKE HELL. THAT is not fashion. It's not design. It's a couple of crappy Southwestern prints put together with some hot pants.

I just don't know what to say... so many problems with this season, I don't know where to start. Is it that the judges have elevated themselves to such a position of self-importance that their need to constantly cut down designers squelches creativity? Or did the producers drive the designers to the edge this season, so much so that they drove the quality down? I like Mondo and I like his playfulness, and I think he'll do fine, but I don't really care what happens to the others. Well except for Poison Ivy... but karma will catch up with her.

I also don't think I'll be watching again next season. I feel like PR has jumped the shark.

Nov 1, 10 1:04 am  · 
 · 
WonderK

Donna, that article is awesome. Interesting to see that our sentiment is shared by the larger PR fan community. As much as I didn't like a couple of them - cough cough the LA season cough cough - I did think all of the winners were justified, until now.

Nov 1, 10 1:06 am  · 
 · 
WonderK

This sums it up rather nicely... not at all concise, but funny as hell:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/una-lamarche/iproject-runwayi-finale-p_b_778695.html

Nov 6, 10 2:01 am  · 
 · 
drums please, Fab?

like a phoenix rising from the ashes ~ project runway #9 begins this thursday yay!

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway

Jul 25, 11 2:38 pm  · 
 · 
won and done williams

It's been a long hot summer without Mad Men. We deserve this!

Jul 25, 11 3:11 pm  · 
 · 
vado retro

where's the straight rocker dude contestant?

 

Jul 26, 11 8:06 am  · 
 · 
toasteroven

I almost choked at "are you speaking foreign?"  

 

they could have done without the first 15 minutes getting rid of 4 potential contestants - i guess it was nice to give them some exposure, but it felt like they were filling time.

Jul 29, 11 11:09 am  · 
 · 

Yeah, toaster, that line had my sister and me guffawing.

Sad the guy from Louisville didn't make the cut, but overall I enjoyed the show last night.  Is it going to remain at 90 minutes throughout the season, or was that just for the opener?  because they really don't need 90 minutes every week.

Jul 29, 11 11:43 am  · 
 · 
drums please, Fab?

show's going okay but how excited was i when i saw a commercial for this: project runway ALL STARS!!!!

Austin Scarlett: (New York, NY) Season 1, Fourth Place

Kara Janx: (New York, NY) Season 2, Fourth Place

Elisa Jimenez: (New York, NY) Season 4, Tenth Place

Rami Kashou: (Los Angeles, CA) Season 4, Runner-up

Sweet P/Kathleen Vaughn: (Pasadena, CA) Season 4, Fifth Place

Jerell Scott: (New York, NY) Season 5, Fourth Place

Kenley Collins: (Brooklyn, NY) Season 5, Second Runner-up

Gordana Gehlhausen: (San Diego, CA) Season 6, Fourth Place

Anthony Williams: Season 7, Fifth Place

Mila Hermanovski: (Los Angeles, CA) Season 7, Second Runner-up

April Johnston: (Savannah, GA) Season 8, Fifth Place

Michael Costello: (Palm Springs, CA) Season 8, Fourth Place

Mondo Guerra: (Denver, CO) Season 8, Runner-up

oh YEAH!!!! Austin <3 <3 <3 (starts this november ..)

Sep 23, 11 2:52 pm  · 
 · 
drums please, Fab?

anYA?!?

bring on ze all stars ..

Oct 28, 11 2:21 am  · 
 · 
drums please, Fab?

YA!

Oct 28, 11 2:25 am  · 
 · 

I know, I was a little surprised, too. I mean she's a total sweetheart and I loved her collection for what it is, but there really wasn't much tailoring and pushing-the-envelope involved. I guess I will miss Joshua a lot. His drama always made my week.

I look forward to Mondo's designs @ All Stars!

Oct 28, 11 3:34 am  · 
 · 

I liked Kimberly's runway collection best, though I'd kill or die to own - and be able to wear - Viktor's long print dress.

Oct 28, 11 8:50 am  · 
 · 
won and done williams

I thought it was pretty clear from early in this season that Anya was going to win. She has good taste. Viktor emerged as a possible upset. His prints were gorgeous and contemporary. If he didn't put together those slutty black chiffon numbers, I think he could have won it. Joshua lacks taste and will always lack taste. I don't think PR could put him out there as the season winner; he has the potential to embarrass them. Anya's collection may not have been the best, but she is the best designer.

Oct 28, 11 9:18 am  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: