Project Runway 3 - Episode 8

Episode 8 - High Flying Fashion

The week's challenge was to create an outfit for an international jet-setter. The twist: they are the international jet-setters.

Winner: Jeffrey, My Fav: Michael, Au Revoir'd: Angela
I think that Jeffrey was given this win because this outfit is not a good look. Granted, I know this is suppose to be for a "Rock Star" but I can't think of any rockers today that would wear this and not consider this a costume. Maybe Steven Tyler, but I think he has moved on.

Michael ... I love Michael. His design was the most innovative of the bunch and he looked good strutting down the runway. He totally should have won (again) but they had to give Jeffrey something to justify keeping him around. But I have the feeling he maybe gone tomorrow. This is not a spoiler, I am just wishing this happens [crossing fingers].

Angela ... poor, rosette-loving Angela. The girl just can't help herself. Let me get this straight; she doesn't know a what a jet-setter was but she knewCatherine Malandrino? Does she read fashion magazines? Or is Vogue and similar magazines even stocked at general store where she shops way out in the "country" (Ohio). She has potential, but she needs to refine her aesthetic.


Kayne ... as Kayne (read: over-the-top).


Uli ... was Uli with the use of patterns.


Laura looks great, baby-bump and all.


Vincent ... bless his heart. But it looks reasonable good for a person who never designed menswear before.

Next week: Don't know because TiVo #2 cut off the episode. Bad, #2! But I can't wait to see how things go in Paris. Maybe Jean-Paul Gaultier will make and appearance.

Project Runway 3 - Episode 7

Episode 7 - Everyday Woman

This week's challenge was to make an garment for a regular (read: not stick thin model) woman. The models are the family members of the designers and the designer will have to create a garment for them. The twist: they cannot choose their own family member.

Winner: Vincent, My Fav: Uli, Auf'd: Robert
I know you are just as shocked as I was when Vincent was announced the winner of this challenge. His dress isn't all that bad, but it certainly should not have won. I think Uli should have won because she followed the instructions of the challenge: design for your customer but do lose your design aesthetic. I felt she did both really well. Jeffrey, on the other hand, did not.

He still remains a douchebag throughout the show but for some reason he did not get "auf'd." If you can bring your client (Angela's mother) to tears and make them leave your station because you don't like them (IN FRONT OF HIS OWN MOTHER), and still not get cut ... then he is definitely making the final 3. Is this the Santino effect? I think if he mauled Heidi on the catwalk, he still won't get cut. I don't know. But the sooner he is off my screen, the better. By the way, if he was a recovering alcoholic/junkie ... should he really be drinking a Mimosa? I could have just been OJ, but I am just wondering.

No Jordan 3-peat for Michael.
Michael had the advantage in this task, mostly due to his win for the last challenge, because he got choose a person (Robert's sister) who had proportions close to model. His reversible shirt dress was great but I knew he wasn't going to win because: he had immunity and had one of the best people of the lot. Maybe next week, Michael.

Next Week: Angela is pissed that Jeffrey made her mom cry. And the designers have create a garment for a jet-setter.

Also: Congratulations to Laura on baby number 6!

Project Runway 3 - Episode 6

Episode 6 - Waste Not, Want Not

The week's challenge was to create a garment with materials retrieved from a recycling facility. This challenge reminds me of the first challenge in season 1 where they had to make a garment using items purchased from a grocery store. You have to be innovative and not over-the-top or boring.

Winner: Michael, Auf'd: Alison, My Fav: Laura
Okay, let me start off by calling shenanigans on this whole judging process. Vincent made a horrible dress, and to top it off the model could bearly walk in the darn thing. So why was Alison eliminated for making a dress that made the model look "fat?" Is looking "fat" in a dress worse than not being able to walk in it, ladies (and some men)?

I am starting to think that Vincent is the token "crazy guy." I think he also maybe a perv. He keep going on and on about how he "got off" when he saw his model walk in his dress. Just the image in my head causes me to shutter. This man cannot make it to the final three. In fact, he should not make it past the next three episodes.

Uli makes it in my top 3 favorites.
When I saw this dress on television I really loved it. But when the model walked on the runaway, it didn't have the same impact. Maybe it was the lighting, or the model, but the dress didn't look the same. I really thought she would win when I saw her design on the dress form.

Jeffrey's dress is made entirely from his own newspaper clippings.
Jeffrey is a douche. Laura made a good point, why is Jeffrey there if he is so good as a designer? To give him some credit, I like his garment which was created using a pastiche of magazines, cardboard and newspapers. The design was good but the blue and yellow color made it look less chic. If it were black and white, it probably would have won ... but he is still a douche.

Lastly, Michael has picked up his 2nd win. Congrats, because it was really unexpected. I thought Uli had it sewn up (pun!). Now he really has to screw up in order not to make it to the final 3. I loved his bustier, but not the dress so much. I think if he used actual fabrics I would have liked the garments more but he worked with what he was given.

There has been wild speculation regarding the sexuality of Michael. He proclaimed his heterosexuality in a interview on BravoTV website. I admit, I questioned his sexuality because I wasn't sure. Yes he is working in the fashion industry, but that doesn't make you gay. There were just some things that read "gay" to me. But he is not, so lets move on.

Next week: I don't know ... my TiVo cut off the last 3 minutes of the show.

Related Items:
Getting To Maybe - PR3 EP6 recap
Project Rungay Blog

Project Runway 3 - Episode 5

Episode 5 - Iconic Statement

This week's challenge was to create to update and modernize and out that an fashion icon would have worn.

The icons: Cher, Pam Grier, Jackie O., Audrey Hepburn, Farrah Faucett, Madonna, Twiggy, Katherine Hepburn and Diana Ross. I won't going into all of the detail of which designer got which icon, you could go to the Project Runway website for that.

The twist: the models got to choose the designer that they wanted to work with.

2nd Fav: Angela (Audrey Hepburn), Winner: Michael (Pam Grier), Auf'd: Bradley (Cher)
Even though Michael's win was so telegraphed that I knew he was going to win within the first 3 minutes, I am was so happy that he won. Has been nearly non-existant through the first 4 episodes that it was about time that he shined. I hope he keeps bringing it because I want to see him in the finals. I think he will make it because, as much has it pains me to say, he will be the "token" designer in the final 3. Even though his designs were fantastic, I think that he will make it because he is a black male of indeterminate sexual orientation. He just needs to keep up his level of work up and he is golden.

Designer: Michael for Madonna
That the hell is this? ...seriously? How did Jeffrey make the cut with this design? I think Jeffrey will be the "token" trouble maker (a la Wendy Pepper & Santino) and he will make it into the final even thought his designs have been crap, for the most part.

Next week: the designer are going on a fieldtrip.

I sure hope that Tim won't be arriving in that stupid Saturn. They are really pimpin' him out, aren't they? Ah well, carry on!

Related websites:
Rod 2.0 - Make.It.Work.
Concrete Loop - Project Runway: Michael Knight

Project Runway 3 - Episode 4

So this past Wednesday was the big reveal of the season. Which contestant was going to be kicked of the show? And, of course, it was Keith. Most people speculated that he would be kicked off the show, but not for the reasons that were stated. First, blogs and websites ousted him as a copycat when the portfolio he used for the casting special were stills from photographs for other designers. Keith denied these claims, naturally.

When the show started and it focused heavily on Keith, I felt a conspiracy of ravens signaling his doom. People were talking about how arrogant he was the praised he received for his basic designs. I thought he would get kicked off the show after receiving a major discount at Mood for his fabrics…


…but no, that was fine. It all started when Kayne mentioned that saw fashion books underneath Keith’s bed.


These items, according the contracts that they signed, is prohibited because it could give contestants an unfair advantage. Kayne told the producers, the producers talked to Tim Gunn, and Tim arrived at the apartment to informed Keith that he would be going home because of this major infraction. If you listen to Tim’s Project Runway podcast, he mentioned that designers were given two verbal warnings regarding contraband and no one stepped forward. Also, Keith was sneaking off without telling the producers and he used the Internet at some point during the competition.

When he was told to leave he took it well in the beginning, then he became a douche. I hate it when people do something that they were told not to do, and when they get caught they try to play the victim. I think Laura said it best:

“Keith … what an a**hole. I am glad to see him gone.”
Episode 4 – Reap What You Sew

The contestants were asked to make three pieces for Macy’s private label International Concepts (INC). I did not have a favorite.

Winner: Angela (along with Laura and Michael), Auf'd: Bonnie
I don’t freaking believe that Angela won this challenge. I think this was due to her having Laura and Michael on her team to help witht he design. Without them keeping her from putting rosettes on everything, her outfit would have been a travesty.

I am amazed that the designer's sketches ... save Angela.

[top to bottom: Laura, Bonnie, Robert, Michael]
I wish I could sketch like that. I can barely make stick figures; maybe that is why I abandoned my career as a designer ... and the fact that I can bearly dress myself with store purchased clothes.

Next week the contestants will be modernizing a look for a fashion icon. So my guess is that the designers will be taking stills of fashionable women and updating the look.

We will see on Wednesday!