Here we go! Season 2!
We get a little update on Jay, who seems to be doing quite well. Then, it's on to the selection process for Season 2. This year, they hit L.A., New York, Miami, and Houston. Jay, Kara Saun, Austin, and the dread Wendy Pepper assist with the judging.
This year, they're doing things a little differently. First, Heidi's pregnant. Second, they have a semi-finals elimination. A week before the sixteen finalists arrive in New York, they receive six yards of muslin and twenty dollars. They are asked to create a garment that best expresses who they are.
Throughout the judging and the arrival of the contestants in New York, we get to meet all of the designers. Daniel Franco, from Season 1, has reapplied and is seemingly much less obnoxious than last year.
As soon as they arrive in NYC, Tim Gunn and Heidi give them two hours to fit their models with the designs that they made at home. Santino Rice is the winner of the challenge. Two people are sent home. First, John Wade, who made the mistake of telling everyone how little time he spent on his design. And then Heidi Standridge, a sweet little Alabama girl, who probably should have thought a little less about "pretty" and more about "good."
EXTRA: Your intrepid recapper made it to the Project Runway season premiere party. You are NOT GOING TO BELIEVE the people that I talked to.
It's the second season, people! I am psyched. Following the recap, I will include a little party recap, as I was able to worm my way into the Project Runway premiere party. Very cool.
We begin with a brief rundown of the season, ending with Jay's runway victory. This is followed by a little Jay update. Jay Update #1: he has done something to his face. Maybe it's a different eyebrow shaping, a tightening moisturizer -- who knows. Something is different, though. He's shinier and just looks different. Botox? Jay doesn't seem the type. Well, then we see him and Tim Gunn on the street, and Jay's look has transformed. It looks like it has been filtered a little bit through some sort of L.A./NY hipster machine. His hair is dramatically bouffanted, with tiny braids in the back. And he's wearing a small fringed skirt over his pants. It resembles some of his designs. Maybe he just feels freer now experimenting with his own personal style. I somehow felt he seemed more original before, though. Oh, never mind, that's what he was wearing for the Elle fashion shoot. I understand getting funked up for your big magazine layout. We see the shoot taking place. There's Julia! Jay tells us that he is releasing men's and women's lines of clothing for Fall 2006. Now, everyone will get his or her own over-the-pants skirt! Jay ends his interview by announcing that "[he] ordered a big ole' plate of this morning, and, boy, [does he] feel fucking good!"
We see all of the contestants during the opening credits. The equivalent of Jay's "Everybody's going to get pretty bitchy" comment would be a guy saying, "Heck yeah, I'm gonna win this."
We begin with the talent search. This year, it starts in New York and Jay is one of the judges. The first person we see is this woman carrying a child-sized mannequin dressed in extremely elaborate period clothing. The period of Wild West whores. Seriously, who would want their child dressed like that? The woman explains that she specializes in children's costumes, but she believes that she will have a knack for couture. , we see a woman in a short orange skirt, greenish jacket, and satin turquoise blouse; with white go-go boots. And a white cap to match. And the white cap covers magenta hair. In other words, train wreck. We see a train wreck. Jay tells her that she looks like a tap dancer and he starts clapping and improv-ing a soft-shoe ditty. And she tap-dances. It's humiliating, and Jay should really know better. Tim Gunn is on the panel with him. Jay also tells this guy who looks like he just walked off the stage of a production of Genet's The Balcony (half-drag/half-Pope) to dance. And the guy dances. Then, Jay tells him to sing. The guy replies that he won't sing because it would kill everyone in the room. Maybe Jay wishes someone had provoked him to sing and dance when he interviewed. It seems more like, now he has some power, so he's going to run all of these poor hopefuls through the ringer. Not nice.
this girl meekly enters and Tim asks if he can see her book. She hands over this largish metal portfolio-looking box, and Jay fakes like it weighs a lot. She tells us that she is a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. As well, she says that her designs are influenced by science, math, and technology. You don't see that shit very often at the club. The judges seem impressed. Then, she shows a piece that includes a wearable computer. It's a hoodie with a camera in the hood. The camera is connected to a heart rate monitor and it takes a photo whenever your heart rate increases -- to record what excited you. The judges get a kick out of this, including Christina Neault, from 7th on Sixth. Tim tells the girl, Diana, that they are "entranced" by her and are making her a semifinalist. She says "thank you" in a high-pitched voice, and Jay mocks her with his "your welcome." What is his fucking problem? I'm hoping that, in person, his behavior seemed more disarming than asshole-y. In an interview, Diana Eng, twenty-two, tells us that she is from Jacksonville, Florida. We see some sketches of her designs and I can definitely see the technology influence, however, the three designs that we see are fairly diverse. Diana is looking good. She tells us that she was a nerd in high school and now she's a nerd/fashion-designer hybrid. She's really cute.
The day, still in New York, Austin Scarlett replaces Jay as a judge. Before the interviews, he speaks to the people waiting in line. He talks to the first person in line and asks her if she's excited. She is. The guy behind her, though, is chewing gum and reading a magazine and doesn't even look up. I'm assuming he's doing this because he doesn't want to look overeager or like a starfucker, but wouldn't it be funny if he didn't know what line he was in? He thinks he's at the DMV. Austin interviews that he has gotten a lot from the show, even though he didn't win. He tells us that he will have a small collection for Spring 2006. That's so exciting!
Inside, the interviews begin. Austin has borrowed J. Alexander's corsage.The first guy we see is a heavyset fellow wearing a solid black three-piece suit with a white fox fur on one shoulder. It looks a little like a puppet. He says he has wanted to be a designer since he was "in diapers." Keep your kinks to yourself, perv. Also, there's a guy who tells the judges that he has been in New York for fifteen years "making space suits for chickens." I hope that means he works for Sesame Street or something. Otherwise, keep your kinks to yourself, perv. is this guy with a haircut like Joey Lawrence on Gimme A Break and a helium-tinted voice who describes his style as "fun, kind of quirky." And we see a first: Austin Scarlett is looking at someone like they are a big fucking weirdo. It's new beginnings on this year's Project Runway!
Tim seems really disappointed by the people that they've seen, and says, "Come on in." And who comes in but a vibrant, seemingly together young lady. She shows them a creation of hers, which is a red blazer with a blue ribbon instead of button closure. She explains that it "is laced like a corset and fitted like a corset." I guess you need to see it on a person to appreciate the tailoring, but otherwise, yawn. Tim asks her what she brings to the industry and she replies, "I think I bring a street culture, an understanding of couture, an understanding of high fashion, and also multiculturalism. I think I bring that to the table." Now that I'm looking at that in writing, it doesn't look as impressive, but she really sells it. I'm all, "Sure a blazer with a shoestring is the whole world!" They buy it too, or as Tim Gunn puts it, "We are responding very, very well to you." She is passed through to the semifinals. Her name is Zulema Griffin and she is twenty-eight years old. She is a TV and film costume designer from New York City. She interviews that she grew up without a lot of money, so she made most of her own clothes. She says that she wants to win, because she "did not pack lightly." Well, you're in luck, Zulema. The show is filmed in the same city where you live. Just grab a cab when you're done.
The leg of the auditions is in Houston, Texas, home of the bitter Vanessa Riley. Wendy Pepper is going to help judge. She goes out to speak to the hopefuls. This is what she says to do that: "I have this aura around me, and that's what you need to bring in the door." They all just want to get back to their game of Uno. Wendy interviews that she is in "a really happy place." She says that after the "turmoil" of the show, her family "rallied" around her. I'm not going to get into it, because this isn't her fucking season, but isn't it just PERFECT that even after the show aired, even after seeing her own bad behavior and how unnecessary it was for the most part, even after witnessing the illumination of her own lack of design acumen -- she thinks of herself as the victim? Love you, baby. Don't ever change. There's more footage of Wendy with the hopefuls, asking if anyone knows her from the show. I guess it's just matter-of-fact to ask if the people have seen the show, since they are auditioning for its new season. Why, though, does it remind me of Sally Field in Soapdish? In her interview, Wendy says she wants to hear one of the auditioning designers to say, "The future of American design lies with me." Then, we see her asking a lot of questions. Typical questions, like, "What's the aesthetic?" One guy kind of wigs and says, "You're so tough. You're just like on the show." Tim Gunn pats her on the back and says, "That's our Wendy." Way to encourage her, Tim. I have to say, though, her questions actually seemed pretty basic.
A young lady walks in with several designs. Since the auditions that we see are pretty much squarely divided between the insane and the semifinalists, I'm assuming on sight that she is going to the level. I'm positive when she starts describing her designs. One black spaghetti strap number with beading at the waistline she declares that she brought with her to show that "[she] can do silk charmeuse and beading combined 'cause that's actually to me certain [sic] skills a lot of people don't know about." Give her a break. She's nervous, I'm sure. The point of the sentence was really impressive. She also tells the panel of judges that she likes to display her talent for mixing casual and more formal fabrics. Wendy asks her what she wants to get out of the show and she says that she really wants to participate in Fashion Week. Wendy asks her what she thinks it takes to get to the final three and the girl adorably says, "You have to love this, because it doesn't pay you at first." I'm liking her. Tim tells her that she is indeed a semifinalist.
Her name is Chloe Dao and she is thirty-three and a fashion boutique owner. She is from Houston. She tells us that her store is doing well and Project Runway is a way to reach a wider audience.
Houston must have not been that fruitful -- we're moving on to Miami. Robert Plotkin, from Season 1, is going to help with judging. We see Robert drinking a Mai Tai and flirting with a girl beside a pool. He interviews that a lot of people have hugged him since the show. Everyone from twelve-year-old girls to sixty-year-old men. What a disgusting combo. As well, Playgirl wants to do a full spread of him and he isn't sure if that's "frontal or rear." What magazine just does naked shots of butts? Please no one answer that. He furthermores that there is a website for people who liked his ass, and he thanks those fans. I wonder if there's a website for people afraid of his nipples.
During the interviews, Robert asks one lady why she wants to be on the show. "I've come out of coma, so I think I have a great story." That's awesome. One girl is in head-to-toe pink and just generally crazy-looking. Robert informs her that, on the show, you have to deal with a lot of stress, therefore the girl won't be able to think about pink so much. I know, it doesn't really make sense to me either. One girl declares that she likes to incorporate "weird objects" into her designs. "Are these condoms?" Robert asks as he handles one of her designs. "Mind if I take some?" Ah, Robert. He's nothing if not professional.
, a blonde girl walks in and remarks that she knows them from TV. She's a Southerner. They asks her about her portfolio, which includes a page with the Project Runway logo and, underneath it, her apparent mantra, "I so want to be in." She kind of races through how she created the portfolio just for this opportunity and the people she works with think she can do it and she wants to cry but she is not going to. Then she shows them her work, which consists of an old scarf that she transformed into a blouse and a skirt made of upholstery fabric. Sounds cooler than it looks. The fabrics are nice ideas, but her tailoring skills seem to be lacking. Tim tells her that she is a semifinalist (proving false my theory about the insane/semifinalist divide) and she asks, "Can I hug y'all?"
She interviews that her name is Heidi Standridge and she is a twenty-five-year-old childrenswear designer from Atlanta. We see a video of her in her house with computer printouts of the phrase "Think 'IN'" all over her stairwell. She ends her video with "Have a great day." This girl is right on the line. You can tell she's pushing the whole cute Southern girl angle and I don't know whether to hate her or respect her ingenuity.
The L.A. leg of their search is , and is taking place at the Downtown Standard hotel. Kara Saun is one of the judges. She interviews that she has been going "nonstop" since the show. She is working with business plan writers and marketing companies. I guess that's a big deal. We see her ask one guy why he would "stand out." He's the guy on the credits who says, "Heck yeah, I'm gonna win this." He explains that he is an instructor at the Fashion Institute of Design. He teaches pattern-making and sketching. He says that all of his students tell him that he should be on the show. If true, that's very telling. If his students all think that he should be on the show, when it's an opportunity that most of them could use as well? Seems like they must really respect him. ["Or they think he's a natural-born attention whore." -- Sars] He says that he "missed the mark" by being in L.A. instead of New York. The design that he shows is a bias-cut with a fishtail hem. It has what he calls an "angel wing" back. It's a low-cut back with extra fabric on the straps, creating what indeed looks like angel wings. It has a cowl front (draped neckline -- hey, I had to look it up) and an invisible zipper. It's made of silk charmeuse. I'm wondering if we're seeing charmeuse a lot because of Michael Kors's remarks last season about how difficult it is to tailor charmeuse. If so, good for them for trying to impress. This guy's gown is really pretty. He has a model with him and the dress hangs on her really beautifully. Tim tells him that he is a semifinalist and he is thrilled. This guy seems cool.
His name is Nick Verreos, he's thirty-eight, and, as stated before, he's a fashion schoolteacher in L.A. He reiterates in his interview that he probably should have gone to New York rather than L.A., and hopes that this show will be his chance.
, we see guy with a red jacket with a print of a crown on it. He's wearing a t-shirt beneath the jacket with the words "Young Balls" on it. He explains that, being from a Mexican and Roman Catholic family, his father does not think being a fashion designer is a respectable career. "He thinks that this is really 'gay' and stuff like that, so I'm like, 'I am gay.'" My advice for this guy would be to not be so guarded. Come on, man, let it all hang out. ["Am I the only one who can't stop calling Raymundo 'Marco,' because of Degrassi? …Just me? Okay, no big." -- Sars] I'm thinking he belongs in the "insane" category until he shows his design, which is pretty cool. It's a pantsuit. The jacket is shrunken with matching linen pants that are wide-legged. There's red piping along the jacket that is pretty interesting. He's a semifinalist.
His name is Raymundo Baltazar-Flores and he is a twenty-four-year-old recent fashion school graduate. He explains that he just showed his first collection. We see a couple of looks and they are young, pretty, and funky. The name of the line is "Young Balls" because he thinks it takes balls to enter the fashion industry. Right on. That's another thing I like about Project Runway. Even the most delusional contestant doesn't pull that "God told me I'm gonna make it and I'm the best and I'm gonna make it and nobody's gonna stop me" bullshit that is so popular on talent-based reality shows. You know, sometimes, you can be really great and you're still not going to make it. Sometimes, you can be really great and batshit crazy and willing to do whatever degrading thing you think will help you be a success and you're STILL not going to make it. It's part luck. I like the dash of reality in my reality television that Project Runway provides.
The designer we see is this giant guy with a sort of Unabomber look. Nappy beard. Sort of looks like he's wearing survival gear. Lion t-shirt bought at the local fair. Tiny hat. Accompanying this look is one of the deepest voices I've ever heard. Sexy or frightening, I haven't decided. He presents to the panel a corset of knit jersey. It's black with white writing and piping. He tells them that his ambition is to be the America couturier. Tim remarks that the entire panel is tired of corsets, but his is good. He's a semifinalist. He is nonplussed by his acceptance.
He tells us in an interview that his name is Santino Rice and he is thirty. We see a snapshot of him holding one of the interview room mannequins, and I'm struck by the thought: Maybe he is a warrior sent from the future to defeat the mannequins that have been lurking over the shoulders of the designers, waiting to leap. He's the Mannequinator. Santino is a freelance fashion designer who interviews that fashion has always been a part of his life. He won a contest in high school and came to L.A. to design school. I'm assuming that the contest was for acceptance to and tuition for design school, but he doesn't really say that. This guy seems pretty confident. There's a video of him (which I guess you have to send it before you are allowed to wait in line for your interview?) in a boxing ring. His hair is long, which doesn't really jive with his receding hairline. He's wearing another lion t-shirt in the ring, as well as giant boxing gloves. He says some stuff about how he's the great American designer.
Heidi informs us via voice-over that the judges saw some strange people in L.A. We see this very solemn guy who is wearing his own design. It's a waistcoat and the tails attach to his hands, creating a wing effect. He says hilariously, "I like fantasy." Then we see this lady making monkey sounds. That really disturbs me. Kara Saun is NOT having the monkey lady. Then, the freaking King of Queens walks in wearing a sports coat, a T-shirt, high heels, and NO PANTS. One of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. I have absolutely no idea what this guy was thinking, except maybe "I'm likely to get five or more seconds of air time on a basic cable TV show if I do this. The world will be my oyster! I hope my ex-wife will let me see my children again one day." What the fuck, dude? Tim doesn't know where to start with this guy. Kara asks him if he would wear pants on the show and he replies, "If you asked me to."
The biggest surprise of all in LA, Heidi tells us, was the re-entry of Daniel Franco from Season 1. He enters the judges' room behind a luggage cart that he is pushing. Kara is the first to say, "Is that Daniel Franco?" They all seem happy to see him. Daniel interviews that he was the first one cut last year. Thankfully, very thankfully, he assures us that "this time, there will be less talk of bliss, that's for sure." Okay, Daniel, you have a deal. Tim asks him why he wants to come back, and he explains that he doesn't feel like he was able to show what he can do. He really feels that his talents with fabric, fit, cut, proportion, line, textures, and nuances weren't showcased. I guess he is just showing them right now that he knows a lot of fashion words. At first, I thought, "Oh, he's a maestro with the fabrics! That's what we didn't get to see." But then he keeps on saying words and it feels like just another way for him to blow a bunch of hot air, a.k.a. "bliss" talk.
As he is showing the judges one of his designs, he says, "I'm a tailor, Tim. It's what I do." Why does that sound confrontational? He shows a lovely coat made of cashmere angora. There is a silk velvet trim and it is fully lined with silk dupioni. He shows a shorter jacket that consists of similar fabrics. Kara Saun says to him, "It's not about the hair or the designer suits, which are gorgeous. You have to let the work speak for itself." I didn't realize that Daniel's hair was so important to him. He responds, "That sounds like truth to me." I totally believe Daniel is sincere, but why does he have to sound like such a goob? Tim Gunn asks Daniel to step outside while they "caucus." Three cheers for the use of the word "caucus"! They all think that his work is gorgeous and decide to invite him back. Tim does point out that Daniel's faults were not in his design abilities, but rather in his time management and his ability to work with a range of materials. It is deemed a worthwhile endeavor to see what Daniel has learned from his failure. He seems really happy to have been accepted. Commercials.
When we're back, Heidi explains that a week before the semifinalists' arrival in New York, they were sent six yards of fabric and $20 for supplies. With those resources, they were asked to create a design that expresses who they "are" as a designer. We see poor Tim Gunn packing up all of the boxes in the Project Runway workshop. Doesn't the guy have enough to do? The conceit is that the people we see on this episode are not actually contestants yet. They must survive this challenge to be included in Season 2. Another way of looking at it would be -- they have an extra four contestants.
The arrivals of the "semifinalists" begin. First, we meet Guadalupe Vidal, who is a twenty-nine-year-old freelance fashion designer. She mentions that her hair looks like Bruce Lee, and she's right. She interviews that some of her family were "boat people" from Vietnam and work was "hard to find" so there were sewing machines and lots of fabric in her garage, where she would sew.
Here's Kirsten Ehrig. She's a thirty-seven-year-old lawyer and swimsuit designer. "I always say that my swimsuits are designed for a three o'clock lunch at Club Cinte-Cinq in, uh, Saint Tropez." Well, this is synergy, because my bibs are made for catching the vomit induced by people talking about how their swimsuits should be worn for late lunches at stupid clubs at over-priced beach locales that haven't been cool since Hugh Hefner could get it up without chemical assistance and voodoo. Her suits are dumb too. I hope the mannequins get to her before Santino gets to the mannequins. They look pissed.
Here's chrome-domed Andrae Gonzalo, who is a thirty-three-year-old fashion designer. For three years, he had a small boutique in downtown L.A. I guess that's what separates a "fashion designer" from a "freelance fashion designer." We see a couple of sketches of his work and they are really nondescript and small. It looks like he specializes in intricate bodices. Not too young, not too old. He explains that his shop just closed and he is sad about it. It's "smoke gets in your eyes time," he announces while widening his eyes. That's probably why the smoke is in your eyes, guy. Try shielding them. He is excited to be on Project Runway, where he feels he will be competing with "some of the greatest design minds of [his] time period." That is a really nice thing to say about your competition. I don't know how you could possibly know how great their design minds are when you haven't met your competition, but I admire the sentiment.
We see everyone arriving at Parsons. There's Zulema, and she is wearing the blazer that she showed Tim Gunn & Co. It's still not that impressive. She introduces herself to Daniel Vosovic, who is a twenty-four-year-old recent fashion school graduate. We see some sketches of his work. It's not the most innovative stuff I've seen, but it looks like he might be able to do some interesting geometrical stuff. And he's very cute. He says that, though he is young, he feels that he is as good as anyone else.
Andrae arrives at Parsons. Nick is there as well, connecting with the other L.A. people. He is really hung up on geography. Kara Janx arrives. She is a twenty-nine-year-old fashion designer. She is from Johannesburg, South Africa (I don't recall the Johannesburg interviews) and interviews that she wants fashion to become her lifestyle. This is a good step for you. We see a few shots of her work. It's young-ish stuff. Bright prints.
Andrae asks a new guy, "Are you from, like, a lot of academes?" The guy is really tall, blond, and has a hat on. He coldly responds to Andrae's question with an affirmative and Guadalupe, from behind, giggles, "Y'all smart! Ya got brains on ya!" Cold blond guy does not seem amused. He interviews that his name is Emmett McCarthy and he is a forty-two-year-old menswear designer. He'd originally wanted to design for women, but got sidetracked. We see some sketches of his men's stuff and it's nice. Preppy, rich, middle-aged-guy clothes.
, we see the interview of John Wade, a twenty-four-year-old fashion designer. He says that he wants to be recognized for having a "unique and innovative perspective." We see a couple of his designs, and they're cute. They're fun and a little bit costume-y. He says that he would like to see someone walking down the street in his clothes.
We see giant Santino ask this tiny lady where she studied, and she tells him that she was self-taught. She interviews that her name is Marla Duran and she is a fifty-one-year-old fashion boutique owner from Allentown, Pennsylvania. We see a couple of her designs, and they're not bad. There's a skirt that is pretty darn cool. It's black and layered with some interest at the waist that's pretty interesting. It's a little bit of a mix of Victorian and modern. The other stuff doesn't seem as good, but it seems like she may be able to pull off some modern designs. She says that she has a twenty-six-year-old son who can think of no reason why she won't win. Oh, and I'm getting a Pulitzer year. Unless my mother or equally unbiased person can think of a reason why I shouldn't.
Zulema does a count-off and realizes that they are missing one person. It's Daniel Franco. When he arrives, everyone is shocked. I don't really understand why. Be shocked if Tommy Hilfiger is competing with you (though I'd be shocked if even the most inept designer on this show didn't design circles around that guy), not the loser from last year. Andrae interviews that he saw Daniel and was like, "Oh my God. I can't believe he's back." Anyway. Chloe welcomes him with a hug. She interviews that she saw his work in L.A. Apparel News. She liked his stuff and thinks he deserves a second chance. Doesn't Chloe seem nice? Daniel interviews that he returns "humbled through humiliation." Hmm. Later on today, I'm going to go for a jog, by jogging. These bitches write themselves. Daniel continues that he is not here to be a celebrity -- he is here to be a designer. He seems completely sincere. If Daniel talks less, he might really be a person for whom you want to root.
Heidi and Tim greet them. Heidi is pregnant and showing. Someone on the forum mentioned it and I'm grossed out to notice, but Heidi's got an outie. Hey, it's the miracle of life. Tim points out Daniel as a "familiar face" and mentions that he has known Emmett since Emmett was in high school and applying to Parsons. They're like Bethenny and Charles onApprentice: Martha. Except Tim is cute. And Emmett is silent.
They all go up to the workshop. Heidi tells them that the design that they've had a week on which to work will be judged in two hours. Two of them will be eliminated. Can you imagine? It appears that they just arrived from the airport. So, you get to the city, spend two hours working, and then go back home? That sounds so depressing. The designers are similarly shocked. Models have been randomly assigned to the designers. They will have two hours to fit them, run them through the L'Oreal Paris make-up room, and take them to the Tresemme hair room. Hair and make-up have been separated this year, I guess. I hardly recognize this place!
Nick explains that they were sent muslin, which is unbleached cotton. He tells us that all designer use it, as it's a basic fabric used for draping. Andrae interviews that he likes "pretty," and muslin makes that difficult because it is "the hillbilly of fabrics." I was just possessed by the spirit of Tim Gunn for a second and wanted to tell him to make it work.
All of the designers are inspecting each other's stuff in a barely masked display of butt-sniffing. Heidi tells Santino that she tried to make her design "sweet." She interviews that her aesthetic is "sophisticated funk." And, fittingly, there is no trace either of those things anywhere on her design. It's becoming clear that the people who talk the most show the least. She seems like a sweet girl, but her design is pretty simple. She interviews that she is excited to get to do "her thing." And she poses the question, "How many famous designers do you know from Alabama?" Well, one, duh. Secondly, you can't use that as your "thing." You're in New York -- there are people from every single place in the world there. There's nothing more annoying than someone who thinks that them being from Iowa makes them special. Everyone has their Iowa. As a fellow Alabamian, I understand. I love it too. Just stop, though. You'll thank me. Santino shows his dress to Heidi and she says she loves it. He interviews that the challenge was tough, but he is happy with what he did.
John Wade describes his design. He says it is "tailored and finished." Zulema weighs in that she feels John's work was "weak." She feels that the shape is too simple for the amount of fabric that they were given. "I don't understand why he didn't make more. Give us a jacket. Give us some boots. A matching hat. Something." I'm interested to see Zulema's line of muslin boots. You? ["Well, and at least his design covered the ass, Zulema. Hate." -- Sars] She has a point about the shape, though. It's simple. John, for his part, compliments Zulema's design, remarking that it must have taken "hours and hours" to complete. She kind of bulldozes in her interview that she needs to fit her model because she is "not going home today." I'm hearing a little beep on my trouble radar. Zulema, you've been detected.
With an hour and a half before the show, Tim enters with the models. Each of the models goes to the designer to which they've been assigned --they have photos of the designers.
Nick and his model, Tarah, meet, and they seem like a good match. Nick interviews that he has "an innate feeling for models" because they are muses who bring his work life. There's fitting mayhem. Diana Eng's garment includes magnets that give you the ability to add a bustle to the garment, changing the silhouette as you are wearing it. The magnets aren't working right, though. She believes that their polarity has been reversed. Tim starts to rush everyone when they have only twenty minutes to go. Daniel interviews that he is really nervous going into the show. He has a kind of freak-out where's he's like, "Why am I doing this? I have a life!" Poor guy, I feel for him a little. His design looks nice, though. Commercials.
Heidi greets the designers on the runway, looking more pregnant than she was two hours ago. She tells them that, since they had a week to work on their designs, their outfits "better look amazing." The judges are introduced. Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, and Heidi are judging.
The show begins. First, we have Chloe's design. It's a floor-length evening gown. There is a lot of movement at the bottom of the dress. The bodice is pretty straightforward with spaghetti straps that cross a bare back. Chloe interviews that she hopes her dress is good enough.
Raymundo Baltazar's design is . It is a green dress with a matching small sleeveless jacket. There's an ostrich plume or some sort of feather on the lapel of the jacket. The skirt is really youthful and ends above the knee. There's a black and gold brocade trim at the hem of the dress. As well, there's some ornate detailing at the neckline. It's strapless. It's very pretty. He interviews that seeing his model wearing his dress was overwhelming. Michael seems interested in this design.
Here's Daniel Vosovic's design. It's a short dress, well above the knee. It has a halter top. There is some beading that runs up the bodice and top, creating a sort of diamond. Daniel interviews that the judges made him nervous. His dress doesn't seem to fit the model all that well. It almost makes her butt look big, which can't be true. These girls all seem small.
Nick's design is . It's very dramatic. It's a floor-length, orange, halter-style dress with a matching jacket. There's a line at the bottom of the bodice that runs up her back and meets with the halter straps at her neck. Beneath that line is an open back. There's so much detail. There is pleating on the bodice. There are faint lines running vertically on the gown. The jacket is super-fitted. Nick interviews that he knew his work was "jammin'." He just hopes that the judges "aren't blind" and see what everyone else sees. This actually comes off more playful than egotistical, but that line gets fine, Nick.
We see Santino's dress . His model, Heather, looks ten feet tall in it. The dress is really intricate. It's short and green with an empire waist. The skirt is really full and there are straps that join below the bosom, creating a giant "V." The straps are a darker green than the rest of the dress. There is so much detailing on this dress; the back is all of the asymmetrical bunching and pleating that really looks amazing. This design rocks. Santino interviews that the design's greatness is "undeniable." Now, this actually does come off as egotistical, but it also comes off as true.
Zulema's model is . Her name is Rachael and she's wearing a dress with a full, pleated skirt and a jacket (fitted, again) with shoulder pads. The model didn't take off the jacket. Zulema interviews that she loves her design and hopes that the judges don't think her "crazy" for including shoulder pads.
Emmett's design follows Zulema's. He watches very robotically from the sidelines. The design is lovely. It's a short pink dress, with a kind of sheath-like bodice. The skirt flares and moves really beautifully. The neckline features a few cutouts with really interesting whimsical shapes. There's a small matching jacket that has the same cutouts all over it. It looks like it contains as much negative space as it does fabric. It's really interesting and looks like it took a lot of work -- and is also very wearable. Emmett interviews that the dress is great for a summer afternoon "right off of the beach." Keeping in mind the parameters of this challenge ("Design something that expresses who you are as a designer"), I wouldn't have pegged Emmett for a "right off the beach" kind of guy. Looks more like a foxhunt, pot roast, WASP-y shag carpeting and martinis kind of guy. Not that he has ever been on a foxhunt. I bet he thinks they're cool, though. He says he's very happy with how his design looks.
, we have Guadalupe Vidal's design. First impression? I like it. It's a little costume-y, but in a hyper-cool, Gwen Stefani way. There's a mixture of New Look and bustles going on. It's a dress with layering of fabric, asymmetrical, with a cinched waist that creates an hourglass effect. There are cap sleeves, and brown ribbon runs down the white bodice. It doesn't look like she dyed the muslin at all. The back is far simpler, a T-topped tunic bodice with the skirt beneath. She interviews that she wonders if she will be eliminated. The back of the dress is kind of gross, but I think the rest is pretty hot. On a different note, I think Guadalupe might freak me out. I'm not sure -- just putting that out there.
Andrae's design is up. In the workshop, Heidi had remarked to Andrae that whoever was wearing it would look like she had an ample bosom. This memo never reached the model, Danyelle, who is as flat as my back. It's a fairly straightforward design -- it's a spaghetti-strapped top, with a matching skirt. The top is corseted in the back. The skirt flows and is a little asymmetrical, rising higher in the back than in the front.
Here is John Wade's design. It's an orange sleeveless dress. In fact, the top narrows into a halter fit. It's high-waisted with a wide brown belt of fabric sewn into the design. There are white circles on the dress, giving it a tie-dyed appearance. I no likey tie-dye. John interviews that it is very sweet, tailored, colorful, and wearable, which also happens to be his design philosophy.
Marla Duran's design is up. Geez, it's really gothic. There's a black skirt that has a really low waist and a pouch on the front. There's a black sleeveless top as well that exposes the model's midriff. The collar is high and has kind of a dead, ashen ribbon effect at the front. The model is carrying an ashen black wrap that is a basket weave of fabric strips all deconstructed and shredded. It's all very Helmut Lang and far more avant-garde than I would have expected from her. That's probably my own projection, but they did set her up as the middle-aged mom from Virginia. What am I supposed to think? She interviews that it is arty and original, which she considers her aesthetic. Power to her. I'll love her if she's this suburban mom who happens to be super-cutting edge with her design.
is Heidi's dress, easily the least cutting-edge thing I've seen. It's a skirt and a tube top with lace covering the bodice in a halter style. Nobody likes a damn sleeve in this group, do they? ["My grandmother made her own clothes, and when she was trying to set a sleeve, we weren't allowed to talk to her." -- Sars] There's some brown ribbon trim to the dress. and that is it. Heidi interviews that it is pretty. She likes pretty. I'm pretty bored.
Now, we have Kara's dress. It's a wrap dress that fastens on the side and has an empire waist. It's fairly simple, but is draped beautifully. Where the dress is tied, the fabric falls like ribbon and there is a fabric rose where it knots. She's not discovering fire, but it looks really good on the model. There's some lame trim on the neckline and hem that is recognizably cheap. I wonder if that is an expression of who she is. If so, party on. She interviews that seeing her design on someone is exciting.
Kirsten Ehrig's design follows. It is an outfit with pants, a burnt orange color. It is matched with a sleeveless white top that hangs loose at the waist. Over the shirt, the model wears a black, fur-trimmed jacket. She is wearing boots and the pants end right below the knee. I dig the shirt and slacks, but the jacket is gross. It just looks tacky. The pants are pretty cute, though. They flare a little bit at the knee and are snug on the thigh. I'm not sure how they would look on everyone, but they work on the model. The shirt is open in the back and ties, which I remember as trendy in 2000. Et tu, 2K? Kristen interviews that she loves her model, Claudia's, hair. As well, she likes the silhouette that is created by her design.
Sweet Jesus, there are so many designers. Up is Diana Eng's design. She interviews that she is afraid that the magnets in her design will not work. Lo and behold, they don't. Let me describe the design: It's a black and white dress. The skirt is black and the bodice is white. The neck is high with a black brocade print. The skirt opens at the front to reveal a slightly shorter skirt. The flaps are then pulled around and ostensibly fastened to two magnets on the back of the skirt. The fabric revealed on the inside of the skirt flaps is satin-y with a kind of abstract black and white lightning-bolt print. The magnets don't hold, but I'm going to say I think this design is badass. She is a for real fashion designing science geek. That's pretty fucking cool. She interviews that she is worried.
Here's Daniel Franco's design. It's a black gown that is above the knee in the front and has a floor-length train. The neckline is halter-style, which we're seeing a lot of around here. Maybe that's easier when you don't have the measurements of your model when you are designing. It's a multi-fabric creation, similar in texture to the pieces that he showed for his audition. There are panels on the hips, a dark belt sewn into the dress right below the bosom, and velvet panels over the models ta-tas. It's interesting. Daniel interviews that he is very nervous. The dress doesn't fit properly at the bust, and Daniel notices this. The back is pretty. It dips really low and the belt crosses at the waist, creating cutouts above and below the belt.
And Heidi's ready to give birth. I have a feeling that joke is going to be useful this season. The judges scribble. Michael Kors, in what I believe is his first ever interview, says that he is looking for the designer with a point of view, someone who is different, but with the power to "captivate women." The mannequins applaud. Heidi, with hair that seems much shorter and lighter than what she is sporting now, interviews that she wants someone blah blah blah (a.k.a. all of the things you could possibly want in any designer in the first place). Nina Garcia interviews that this is the time for the designers to show how creative they are. Heidi calls the designers onstage. She calls the following names: Santino, John, Heidi, Daniel Franco, and Diana. The others are safe. They seem pretty thrilled, particularly Marla and Zulema. Heidi tells the designers onstage that they represent the highest and lowest scores. Everyone truly looks ready to shit. Commercials.
We're back, and Daniel Franco is sweating. The models return. Michael calls Daniel Franco "The Teflon Boy." He asks him why he came back, and Daniel answers that he wanted to show the judges what he could do. Michael notes that, in fashion, there are a lot of ups and downs, so seeing Daniel return is "par for the course." That's a generous thing to say. Michael and Heidi note that the bust doesn't fit properly. Michael says that if it makes the model look big despite her great figure, "something is wrong."
Heidi says that she likes Santino's dress because it is "fun" and "pretty." Michael adds that a dress like his "could" look juvenile but doesn't. Nina asks Santino what his design philosophy is, and he bellows that he likes "old-world technique." As well, he enjoys "third-world techniques." I was hoping he would explain what he means more fully, but he doesn't. He does, however, point to the back of the dress, where there is all of that intricate stitching. I figured that's what he meant; I just wish he'd been specific.
Nina turns the heat on Heidi and asks her to explain her design. She basically repeats that she likes "pretty." As well, she thinks that her model's belly showing is funky, and a triangle of lace in the back of the bodice is sophisticated. Michael points out that Heidi used the most trim on her design. Without the trim, Heidi has made a bandeau and an A-line skirt. Ouch.
Nina says to Diana, "What are you telling me with your design?" Diana explains that she likes to research her designs. As well, she wants the final product to be more than clothing. Nina asks to see the back of the dress, and, after fighting with the magnets, Diana explains that the magnets won't work because the "polarity is rotating." Oh my god, I love Diana. I guarantee you, rotating polarity has NEVER been discussed on any fashion runway. Ever. Keep breaking down those walls, Diana. Both Michael and Nina say they didn't know the gown had magnets on it. Michael adds, "I'm not sure why it does that." I don't know if he's talking about rotating polarity or the design having magnets. I hope he realizes how freaking cool a magnetized gown is. Not only for the geek factor, but it does really change the silhouette of the design when switched.
Heidi asks John what his inspiration was. He, under the lovingly watchful eye of his model, explains that it was summer and he was hot. So, he made a summer dress. He says all of this in a really clammy, nervous way that is unsettling. Michael asks him if he knew that dyeing fabrics was something that he was good at. John responds that he didn't know and adds that he finished the design in eight hours. Mistake. Michael says, "Why'd you do it in eight hours when you had a week?" There's no answer, really. John tries though, with "It doesn't necessarily take a week, I don't think." Okay, maybe, but…man. You shouldn't have said that. I think he was trying to be all savant "I just whipped this shit up" and maybe he spent more time on it. But he's a goner.
The designers leave the runway. They all agree that Santino's dress was the best. Nina seems to think Diana is interesting. Heidi agrees that Diana tried really hard. I don't think Michael liked her dress very much. They hate John's dress. They can't believe that he admitted that he only spent eight hours making his dress. Michael says that one could find his dress on the back of a Rit Dye bottle. Nina remarks that if the dress were not vibrantly colored, there would be nothing to it.
Heidi agrees that there was nothing to Heidi Standridge's dress. Nina quite accurately nails Heidi S. for trying to make her dress pretty. "Sometimes pretty can be boring."
Now, we're discussing Daniel. Michael remarks that the bust was totally wrong. Nina can't figure him out. Heidi brings up that Daniel was eliminated early in the competition last time, and Nina shuts that argument down. "He's already had the chance. Somebody else deserves a chance."
The designers return. Santino is the winner of the challenge. He leaves the runway. He interviews that he hopes that this is the first of many wins. Diana is "in." She awkwardly tells everyone backstage that she's safe. John is "out." Heidi tells him that he should have spent more time on his design. He leaves the stage. Backstage, he trumps Diana's uncomfy entrance by shunning Raymundo's high-five and saying, "I told you. I told you I'm out. I told you guys. I told you!" I want to gouge my eyes out. Nick gives him a hug to shut him up. Heidi vs. Heidi: the judges think that her dress wasn't original. Heidi tells Daniel Franco that they appreciate his determination, but that may not be enough. I think Daniel is about to have a freaking coronary. Daniel is "in." He gives Heidi S. a hug and tells her "life goes on." Yeah, right back to this runway. She seems to have a good attitude. Heidi S. tells Heidi K. that she is going to give her a hug, which she does. When she gets her "auf wiedersehen" she replies, "I don't know what that means, but bye! Y'all have a good time." I'd just like to say that I studied German in an Alabama public school, so it's not all of us. Backstage, she says, "Y'all do good stuff." And hugs everyone. She interviews that her garment was simple, because she is a simple girl. John keeps in mind that he made it this far in a very crowded field, so he is going to stay positive. That is a very good attitude. Heidi interviews that she thought she would be here for longer, but she is going to "keep on trucking." Ah, now THAT'S something we share in common. In those rough moments in life, citizens of Alabama often quote the tattoos of Tony Danza.
Okay, the party. So, for reasons having nothing to do with me, I attended the premiere party for the new season of Project Runway. It was located at Aer, a spacious club in the Meatpacking District. The person whose guest I was mentioned to a publicist friend of his that I wrote for the site, and she proceeded to introduce me to several people that you might know. First, I met Nora Calguri. Tiny girl. Very nice. She kind of flinched when the publicist mentioned the site, but she didn't hit me or anything. , I was introduced to the silver fox himself, Tim Gunn. He says that his niece at the University of Virginia introduced him to the site and he thinks it is "very impressive." Very nice man. We talked a little about constructive criticism vs. bitchiness. Cute as a button too. Then, here comes Jay. He says he reads the site all of the time. He seems like a really cool guy. He seemed pulled in a lot of directions, but like a fun and neat person. I also met his best friend, Celine, who is apparently going to be featured on Project Jay. She was adorable. For that matter, the publicist, Nancy, who is really nice and who I've known for a while, will be on the show too. The publicist asked me if I wanted to meet Wendy Pepper and I told her that I didn't think that was a good idea. I also saw Robert Plotkin, Starr, and Daniel Franco. All in all, I think that it was a pretty cool night. Finally, I bumped into Nina Garcia, and I swear on all that is holy that the woman wanted to devour me. People, I do not say things like that. Hear me, though: Nina Garcia wants me.