I thought that challenge was amazing. I mean, it allowed the designers to show their style while still making it somewhat of a challenge. I knew that Sweet P was going to go, but was torn between Chris and Rami (I wanted Chris to stay, but couldn’t figure out what the judges thought). I was a little surprised by the twist at the end, but I was wondering how they would make this year different. They’ve had different finals configurations each year, so it only makes sense they would do the same this year.
I liked Chris’s collection best out of all of them, actually, from the photos. However, from season’s past I can tell you that the clothes tend to look a little different when they are actually on the moving model. I’ve had to reverse decisions about what I liked in the photos to what I liked in the actual show before.
I watch P:R with my GF and we have discussions similar to this thread. I agree with most of the posts thus far, but I have to ask “Who the hell is Nina Garcia, and why should I care about her opinion?” Has she ever been a designer or had a collection shown? Or is she another critic of the arts that decides what is in for the rest of us by nature of her position?
Er, I know that she’s the fashion editor (I should have mentioned that small detail), but what are her creds for holding that job? Did she work up the food chain like many editors, or does she actually have a fashion industry background that lends credence to her opinions?
She reminds me of the old phrase “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, edit.”
While there’s often a tiny bit of truth in hackneyed phrases like this, the fact is that there is no necessary inconsistency between being able to (a) do a particular thing, and (b) evaluate how well other people do that thing.
I’m a fairly mediocre softball player, and i’ve never played baseball in my life, but i think that, through reading about and listening to and observing the sport of baseball, i have some understanding of the game that goes well beyond my own ability to play it.
The fact that Nina Garcia may never have been a fashion designer does not, in my opinion, necessarily disqualify her as a judge of fashion.
I was suprised, they actually had a designer of serious note as a judge…we were all laughing when Jillian said it’d be a great honor to work for R. Cavalli - seeing as the same would be true for any of the judges (to work for him)! I like to think that he singlehandedly gave Chris his chance at final three with his glowing review - I have no idea whether the guest judges actually have any clout (although Nancy O’Dell-gate leads me to believe they do, or at least did) but I can just imagine that otherwise the judges would have come up with some reason (“We’ve seen this before from you?” ORLY? After a veritable surfeit of Grecian drapery and puffy sleeve jackets, that’s what CHRIS should be admonished for?) to give their golden boy #2 Rami the leg up.
I’m happy with R.C.'s spot on the show. He really came off as self-assured, unlike some past judges (Slowey, anyone?)
I’ve been trying hard not to look at the collections before the final episode (guess I can look at Sweet P’s now, yay), but I imagine that of course Christian will win. And I’m still annoyed. I’m perfectly satisfied that he’s a talented and fast seamstress (seamster? well, maybe seamstress is better either way), but I still don’t buy him otherwise. No shit, you’ve worked/studied with Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood? How would I ever have guessed? That’s all their schtick you’re using, Shrillvirah. From the very first challenge I immediately thought, Europe, Westwood, Whitey, etc. and you never failed me. In a weird way I think even Jillian has a more original point of view. And you’re not funny, C-note. I’ll never applaud snottiness like yours.
I’ve never looked at project runway as a serious design competition, but with this season it sort of stopped being fun, as well. From the first when everyone in the workroom was all “oh ha ha, Tim said ‘Make it work’ like I’ve watched him do on TV, clap clap clap” (I cringed) the personable and mirthful qualities of the show (including personalities, as presented by the PR editing team) seem to have been replaced with formulaic qualities that are supposed to be personable and mirthful, but aren’t really. And that’s saying even more for a show that’s a friggin’ reality show in the first place. Ah well! Hope to see some nice clothes on the runway!
What I thought was funny (and ironic) was that Jillian had said earlier in the ep that she didn’t want to sit in a cubicle working on someone else’s vision anymore… and then when Roberto Cavalli said he’d like her to work for him, she’s all, “Oh, I’d love to!” in that emotionless monotone that belied her true feelings.
Does Nina Garcia not get a discount at the Tresomme (sp?) Salon™? If not and Nina’s having hardships I’m sure somebody there would volunteer time pro-bono for the exposure of saying “I fixed Nina Garcia’s split-ends!” (or is that look “in” now?)
Okay, I just finished watching. Christian’s outfit was good looking, but like every other Christian outfit. Sweet P was deservedly aufed.d The dress wasn’t even attractive. I thought the red clashed horribly and it needed a train - something much more could’ve been done with a peacock inspiration. I thought Jillian’s looked like a skating dress. I liked Chris’s very much - it really looked couture. Rami deserved to be aufed too. He’s very one-note, but not in the innovative way that Christian is one-note, if that makes any sense.
Hey, no fixing of Nina’s split-ends until some make-up person does something about Michael Kors. That man is just ORANGE, and that’s a bigger fashion disaster than “needs a trim and some conditioner”.
While I thought this week’s outfit was absolutely horrific, I agree with it being the same old, same old for him.
Really, they all have their thing. Rami drapes, Jillian does jackets, Chris likes big & dramatic designs, Christian does multi-pieces that are androgynous and black. The problem is that everyone gets called on it but Christian. He could defecate on the runway and add a poofy scarf on it and they’d all gush.
Which I think helps add to her point. Jay isn’t exactly well-liked after he turned down the prize money (because the contract said they’d hold a 10% stake in his line for eternity if he accepted the prizes. Eff that!). A reminder or similarity to Jay wouldn’t be a good thing.
The judges wanted to keep Rami and auf Chris. They didn’t want Chris going to the finals because he’s a “tacky costume designer” while Rami is elegant and designs fashion. Then Rami had to mess it up by designing something same ol’ same ol’ and Cavalli had to mess it up too, by having Chris as his favorite.
They’ll have the competition and Rami will get in because they want Rami to win it, not Chris. It makes me sad because I like Chris a lot.
I agree. But I checked out the photos in singular1’s link - and I so much prefer Chris’ designs over any of the others. and Sweet P’s come in second in my book.
I agree that Chris’s design was repetitive only in the sense that he re-used a design element in the same way that Jillian does jackets. The big neck swoosh was similar to the previous design but the rest of the dress was signficantly different. The color was especially interesting – very minimalist. I can see why the judge found it artistic.
But I think the judges’ complaints about Sweet P and Rami isn’t that the designs are wearable. It’s that they’re ONLY wearable. There’s nothing else remarkable or challenging about them.
I think Chris would have been okay if he’d just rounded the thing out to something more Elizabethian — protruding all around, instead of just to one side. And maybe not so poofy. More rigid and tall.
But going by his source painting, he was trying to imitate the large poofy pewter bow that was off to one side. I can understand why he did what he did.
What I’m disappointed in was that everyone was so damn literal with interpretations! Everyone picked a painting/sculpture that had a person (or animal) in it and they updated the clothing (feathers for peacock). There’s more to a painting than that! Why didn’t anyone try to just evoke the mood or themes of a painting? I know they only had 35 or 45 minutes to take pictures, but they could’ve done so much more actual interpretation.
And sorry, but Christian’s was costume. I’d expect to see something like that at an anachronistically-fun Ren Fest.
So, what are the thoughts about last night’s ep? I thought Chris’s designs were much more original than Rami’s. I wasn’t at all impressed with his. And from the little peak we had of Christian’s, it looks like he’s doing typical Christian-wear. Why Rami gets slammed every time he shows something draped, and yet Christian can be considered oh-so-original with pencil-thin pants and poofy jackets is beyond me.