Wally and I are ensconced on the couch, eagerly awaiting part 2 of the Project Runway finale. As you'll recall, Mondo's collection is about therapy, and is varying black & white patterns, inkblots, and red blood spatters. Austin's is inspired by Fragonard and Hasidim. Michael's is safari resort wear. Who will reign supreme? (Sorry, wrong show.)
The designers are nervous, dressed in their Sunday best, and ready to go. ("Does Liza Minelli know you went through her wardrobe, girl?" Mondo asks of Austin's sequined black blazer.) Each of them feels they deserve the win. Since there's no Fashion Week going on, the show had to find a different venue for the runway show--they've chosen Gotham Hall, whose atrium is set up already for the show. The designers are stunned and pleased. (It is very nice.) With a final hug among our top three, they head backstage to unpack and set up.
They each have a little roomlet with an accessories cubby (Neiman Marcus branded, of course), ironing board, steamer and sewing machine. Austin is still sewing. Michael had so much time he could have sewn a whole new collection--and perhaps he should have, because the fit of his garments doesn't seem to be great, and he's having to redo seams. Mondo is debating whether to make a model in a sheer tunic walk bare-assed down the runway or not. Mondo! Don't make that poor girl be naked on TV! Joanna walks around to fret maternally at all of them, including de-linting Mondo's shirt. Mondo finds it "a little uncomfortable--like your aunt rolling you down." Um, I would have no problem with that.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
PR All-Stars: Final Cut
So this is it, PR fans! We're down to the bitter end. It looks like we begin right after last week's runway show, with Austin, Michael and Mondo sitting in the chairs waiting for Angela. And halle-effing-lujah, Austin has shaved his pornstache! He looks so so so so SO much better! Great styling, Austin. Mondo disagrees, however, saying he went from Errol Flynn to Kermit the Frog. Meow.
Angela introduces the challenge by asking them to welcome "some familiar faces." The designers are nervous, but it turns out to be just Georgina and Isaac. They're instructed to design a mini-collection of 5 looks in only four days, after which they'll put together a runway show. (For whom? Angela says "VIP guests" will be invited, and it's at a very special location. I'm going to guess...the Intrepid.) Because we won't have home visits with this abbreviated finale, the three finalists have been invited to the Marie Claire offices to meet Joanna there.
The three of them arrive at the building, where Michael seems impressed with the very concept of an office building. He likes the escalator. (Well, fair enough--it's the Hearst building.) A minion of some sort escorts them to a conference room with an amazing view of the park, but I'm distracted by said minion's sloppy presentation and mumbling escort. That can't be Joanna's assistant, surely?
Angela introduces the challenge by asking them to welcome "some familiar faces." The designers are nervous, but it turns out to be just Georgina and Isaac. They're instructed to design a mini-collection of 5 looks in only four days, after which they'll put together a runway show. (For whom? Angela says "VIP guests" will be invited, and it's at a very special location. I'm going to guess...the Intrepid.) Because we won't have home visits with this abbreviated finale, the three finalists have been invited to the Marie Claire offices to meet Joanna there.
The three of them arrive at the building, where Michael seems impressed with the very concept of an office building. He likes the escalator. (Well, fair enough--it's the Hearst building.) A minion of some sort escorts them to a conference room with an amazing view of the park, but I'm distracted by said minion's sloppy presentation and mumbling escort. That can't be Joanna's assistant, surely?
Saturday, March 10, 2012
PR All-Stars: The Lost Episode
OK, the episode isn't lost, so much as un-blogged, because my poor laptop expired after I accidentally doused it in Diet Coke. Frustrating, not only because I wrecked my computer, but because the challenge was actually GOOD this week! Designers had to work in Nanette Lapore's showroom to design a piece that would fit in her line, and that they could sell. Plus, they were held to real-world restrictions about the cost of making their garment, which was determined with the help of Nanette's "coster." Who knew that was a real job?
I wish we'd seen even more of that...right now, the coster would look at the designer's sketch, consider things like seams & arm holes in estimating the cost of labor, decide what they could sell the piece for, and then tell the designers things like, "We would charge $350 for this. You have $48 for fabric." Astounding! And much like making a book, the raw materials (whether fabric or paper & ink) are one of the more minor costs of production.
Anyway, short version is that everyone is exhausted, Mondo was having some sort of depressive episode, Michael and Austin talked smack about all the other designs, and Kenley was the president of the Kenley Fan Club, as always. In the end, Mondo's boxy patchwork shiftdress won the day, Austin's lovely swing coat came in second, and when faced with Michael's unwearable-except-by-a-model jersey caftan vs. Kenley's awkwardly-sewn print and bad attitude, they decided to give Bettie Page the old heave-ho.
So we're off to the finals with Mondo, Austin and Michael. No word on what that will look like--presumably they're not showing at Fashion Week, so does that mean no home visit craziness? Guess we'll have to tune in to find out!
I wish we'd seen even more of that...right now, the coster would look at the designer's sketch, consider things like seams & arm holes in estimating the cost of labor, decide what they could sell the piece for, and then tell the designers things like, "We would charge $350 for this. You have $48 for fabric." Astounding! And much like making a book, the raw materials (whether fabric or paper & ink) are one of the more minor costs of production.
Anyway, short version is that everyone is exhausted, Mondo was having some sort of depressive episode, Michael and Austin talked smack about all the other designs, and Kenley was the president of the Kenley Fan Club, as always. In the end, Mondo's boxy patchwork shiftdress won the day, Austin's lovely swing coat came in second, and when faced with Michael's unwearable-except-by-a-model jersey caftan vs. Kenley's awkwardly-sewn print and bad attitude, they decided to give Bettie Page the old heave-ho.
So we're off to the finals with Mondo, Austin and Michael. No word on what that will look like--presumably they're not showing at Fashion Week, so does that mean no home visit craziness? Guess we'll have to tune in to find out!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
PR All Stars: Your Name in Lights!
I'm back from sunny Florida, which was 90 degrees this weekend--alas, I didn't even have time to get in the hotel pool. But thanks to any Sleuthfest readers! You were gracious hosts.
Since my elite cadre of readers (hi, Mom!) have probably already watched & forgotten the show, I'm going to try to make this a quickie. (And we saw how well I did last week.) Anyway, the challenge this week is to make an avant-garde design incorporating lighting effects, for display on a blacklit (blacklighted? lit with blacklight?) runway. So basically, it'll be like a skinny Blue Man Group. Pharrell Williams will be the guest judge, and the winning designer's look will appear in a video.
Off they go to the lighting shop, which has all sorts of twisty, bendy light sticks in various colors and sizes. Michael's drawn to a string of white lights that look like mini-vanity lights, while Jerell likes magnetic LEDs and the fiber optic glowstrings you used to see at Spencer Gifts. (I used to love Spencer Gifts! So much glow! I don't think I fully understood the raunchier elements of their stock.) After some haggling, the designers bring their haul straight to Mood. (No light-up bow tie for Swatch? A missed opportunity.)
Since my elite cadre of readers (hi, Mom!) have probably already watched & forgotten the show, I'm going to try to make this a quickie. (And we saw how well I did last week.) Anyway, the challenge this week is to make an avant-garde design incorporating lighting effects, for display on a blacklit (blacklighted? lit with blacklight?) runway. So basically, it'll be like a skinny Blue Man Group. Pharrell Williams will be the guest judge, and the winning designer's look will appear in a video.
Off they go to the lighting shop, which has all sorts of twisty, bendy light sticks in various colors and sizes. Michael's drawn to a string of white lights that look like mini-vanity lights, while Jerell likes magnetic LEDs and the fiber optic glowstrings you used to see at Spencer Gifts. (I used to love Spencer Gifts! So much glow! I don't think I fully understood the raunchier elements of their stock.) After some haggling, the designers bring their haul straight to Mood. (No light-up bow tie for Swatch? A missed opportunity.)
Friday, March 2, 2012
Failing the PR Time Challenge
I'm away at Sleuthfest, and thus missed last night's Project Runway! But my faithful Tivo has saved it, and I'll put up a belated blog on Sunday night. (For all six of you who were waiting with bated breath!)
Thursday, February 23, 2012
PR All-Stars: O Say Can You Sew?
Hello, PR fans! I am beat tonight, and still have to do a bunch of reading, so I'm going to try to keep things short and sweet. (Ha. Like I could stop running my mouth--er, fingers.) Here's a little blogging party game you can play at home: Gordon is currently sitting in the living room with me. How many minutes do you think he'll make it before he gives up on watching the show and runs away?
We start in the hotel, and Austin bitchily says that Kara deserved to stay more than Jerell or Mila (but not to their faces, of course). Nothing much comes of it, and soon the contestants are off to their next destination: the U.N.! We see the classic view of the black slab building ringed by the world flags, and then cut to what I think is the U.N. Peace Garden. Angela greets them, standing by a table of six flags chosen from each of the six major world regions: Chile, Greece, India, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, and the Seychelles. Each designer must make a dress inspired by the colors of the flag, and the culture of the country.
Mondo chooses Jamaica; Michael chooses Greece and shouts "Opa!"; Mila picks Papua New Guinea because of the colors; Jerell picks India for its embellished ethnic flair; Austin picks the Seychelles and makes a dumb lispy joke I won't transcribe; and Kenley is left with Chile, but says she's happy with it. Looks like the designers also get a binder with some information about their chosen country as well.
We start in the hotel, and Austin bitchily says that Kara deserved to stay more than Jerell or Mila (but not to their faces, of course). Nothing much comes of it, and soon the contestants are off to their next destination: the U.N.! We see the classic view of the black slab building ringed by the world flags, and then cut to what I think is the U.N. Peace Garden. Angela greets them, standing by a table of six flags chosen from each of the six major world regions: Chile, Greece, India, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, and the Seychelles. Each designer must make a dress inspired by the colors of the flag, and the culture of the country.
Mondo chooses Jamaica; Michael chooses Greece and shouts "Opa!"; Mila picks Papua New Guinea because of the colors; Jerell picks India for its embellished ethnic flair; Austin picks the Seychelles and makes a dumb lispy joke I won't transcribe; and Kenley is left with Chile, but says she's happy with it. Looks like the designers also get a binder with some information about their chosen country as well.Thursday, February 16, 2012
PR All-Stars: Puttin' on the Glitz
Hello, PR fans! Don't know about you, but I'm still stinging from last week's results, and the generally disappointing judging over the last few episodes. Tonight's challenge is to create an outfit for the revival of Godspell. Now, I have a soft spot in my heart for this musical--along with Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar, it pretty much comprised my religious education. But that said, is there anyone who hears "Godspell" and thinks "glamour"? I mostly just picture mimes.
We open on Columbus Circle's Flatotel, where Austin is doing Kenley's hair, and all the contestants are reeling from Rami's dismissal. Then off they dash to Times Square (ish--Circle in the Square Theatre on 50th) to get their challenge. I think I saw The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee here. Angela is waiting for them, and introduces their guest judge, the composer of Godspell (among many others), Stephen Schwartz. Now, that is definitely high-powered in the theatrical realm, but for fashion? I remain skeptical. But the contestants seem delighted, especially when they learn that the winner will have their look featured in the show, and they'll get a bio in the program. I wish to stop here and point out that Kenley's hair is apparently still up in rollers, because her head looks enormous and she's wrapped it in a giant scarf. Not the done thing, Kenley!
Ah, and here is the "glitz"--the actress they're designing for is playing a wealthy, ostentatious woman who has stolen her riches from others. (I'm scrambling to think of which song this goes with...maybe "All For the Best"?) Then I get confused because the director starts explaining that the whole cast should look as though they've assembled their own costumes from their own closets, or thrifting, or whatever. So...she's supposed to look like she's made her own costume of Rich Woman? Incidentally, the stills from the show indicate that a copious amount of confetti is involved in the production. Ah--the challenge is also that Rich Woman will have her costume assembled onstage by the other actors...so the designers must do separates, and they have $200 and one day.
We open on Columbus Circle's Flatotel, where Austin is doing Kenley's hair, and all the contestants are reeling from Rami's dismissal. Then off they dash to Times Square (ish--Circle in the Square Theatre on 50th) to get their challenge. I think I saw The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee here. Angela is waiting for them, and introduces their guest judge, the composer of Godspell (among many others), Stephen Schwartz. Now, that is definitely high-powered in the theatrical realm, but for fashion? I remain skeptical. But the contestants seem delighted, especially when they learn that the winner will have their look featured in the show, and they'll get a bio in the program. I wish to stop here and point out that Kenley's hair is apparently still up in rollers, because her head looks enormous and she's wrapped it in a giant scarf. Not the done thing, Kenley!
Ah, and here is the "glitz"--the actress they're designing for is playing a wealthy, ostentatious woman who has stolen her riches from others. (I'm scrambling to think of which song this goes with...maybe "All For the Best"?) Then I get confused because the director starts explaining that the whole cast should look as though they've assembled their own costumes from their own closets, or thrifting, or whatever. So...she's supposed to look like she's made her own costume of Rich Woman? Incidentally, the stills from the show indicate that a copious amount of confetti is involved in the production. Ah--the challenge is also that Rich Woman will have her costume assembled onstage by the other actors...so the designers must do separates, and they have $200 and one day.
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