"Kayne’s dress is horrible. That should, he should have defended it, instead of conceding it was crap."
Yikes, I’m still having trouble posting. I cut and pasted the names from KSO’s post because I couldn’t remember them and I didn’t delete the above sentence. That was from his/her post. :o
I agree, and it makes me a little sad. I really want this show to be the ONE reality TV show where substance wins out over drama.
The judges should be taking into account a designer’s overall strength as the competition proceeds, rather than treating each challenge as a blank slate. Kayne’s dress was atrocious, but he gets a pass and Alison doesn’t? Alison’s was defensible based on its structure and aesthetic. Kayne’s was not.
I had to laugh a little during the runway show, though. The following is an audio transcript.
ALISON: “I’m not sure how the judges will react.”
ME TO MY MAN: “Wow, that was refreshing. The designers usually gush over their own stuff even when it’s crap.”
KAYNE: “I just really hate my dress.”
I’ve disagreed with the judges before, but I’ve always been able to see where they’re coming from. Last night their decision just floored me. I’ve never disagreed more–and I couldn’t figure how the hell they came up with those choices.
Michael’s outfit was lovely. I liked it. I would definitely put him in the top three. However, Jeffrey’s was much better. I hate Jeffrey and I was hoping something would fall off or break apart on the runway because I hate him that much. But it didn’t, so he deserved the win (damn it all).
Alison’s dress wasn’t as horrible as they made it out to be. The bow hair was a mistake, and the dress wasn’t incredibly flattering on that particular model (though a smaller model could have pulled it off). Even so, I don’t see how it made her look “fat.” The construction was well done. Plus, it could have been fixed with a few tweeks, unlike those I’d have put in the bottom three…
Angela: That thing didn’t look any better than Star’s from the first episode in season one. It looked like wrapping paper stuck together in some crazy arrangement.
Vincent: His was even worse. I know he was going for “art” but it should still be clothing. Not allowing someone to walk is not clothing. Also, it was ugly. I know art doesn’t have to be beautiful, but it should make some sort of impression. This just said “ugly thing with stuff all over it.” Finally, it wasn’t really “innovative.” It was just a long sheeth with ugly stuff tacked on. So he had a “dress” that was not wearable, attractive, or innovative. He’s never produced anything decent. Why the hell is he still around? That said, Vincent’s dress wasn’t the worst of the evening. That honor belongs to…
Kayne: I like Kayne, but he blew it this time. That thing was hideous. I agree with his choice not to defend it. There was no defending it without seeming like he couldn’t tell the difference between a good outfit and a total miss. So it was probably best for him to own up to the fact that it just didn’t work. His past stuff was so good, I would have kept him around.
Vincent should be gone.
I’m mad at Bravo’s website – I missed the show last night and went onto their site today hoping I could just skip straight to the show schedule to see when it was being replayed without getting any spoilers, and what’s right there on the front page? “Adios, Alison.” Crap. So I knew going in that Alison was going to lose - but aside from the hideous hair, her outfit was waaaaaay better than Vincent’s. Blech.
And I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who was complete skeeved out by Vincent saying stuff like “it gets me off,” and “it turns me on.” Ewwwww. Between that and Laura’s bony sternum I was vaguely nauseated for the last half of the show.
I like Michael a lot and I think he went under-recognized for the first couple of episodes, but I was not really all that fond of his outfit this time. The bustier top was cool but the skirt didn’t wow me and the wrap looked like what it was, a hunk of clear plastic - the wrap was not attractive at all, in my opinion.
I really like Uli’s outfit and thought it was the most wearable out of everything, I was sad that she wasn’t in the top 3.
Anyone want to speculate what next week will be about? I started thinking partway through, when Tim was talking about how Alison’s model was “zaftig” (which apparently means being like a size 4 instead of a size 0 in model-world), that it would be cool if they had to design for larger-sized women, or at least closer to average-sized women. And then in the next episode preview Heidi said something about them designing for “the everyday woman” (or something like that) and they showed a silhouette behind the backdrop thing that looked like it might be an average-sized person… I think that would be very awesome, and would definitely test their skills, having to design a dress that will look good on someone who’s not a walking coathanger. 
My biggest skeeve this season was when Keith was practically feeling up Miss U.S.A. during their little chat over the sketches. Talking about her waist and legs. Completely creeped me out.
She looked like she wanted to get up and run!
Given that they were talking about “everyday women”, and that a few of the designers looked pleasantly surprised (particularly Angela) upon the “reveal”, my guess isthey may have invited family members to be their new models–mothers, sisters, etc.Just a guess.
Well. Not exactly how I wouldn’t gone. Considering that the challange was about innovations, Laura’s dress was so…Laura-ish. As the judge’s said, “You can always tell an outfit by Laura when it comes down the runway.” Is that necessarily a good thing? Mind you, her clothes are always attractive and well-made, but she never leaves her comfort zone. As for the things she said, I’d like to see her taken down a peg or two, but she isn’t talking behind the other designers’ backs. And if I never have to see her dried-up dugs again, it’ll be too soon.
Michael’s dress was nice, but not very memorable, except for the plastic wrap.
Jeffrey’s dress was outstanding. Cute, different, like a painting. I wouldn’t given him the win, even though I detest him.
Angela - did anyone notice she was wearing a bubble skirt?
Vincent’s dress looked like a birthday package. I actually sort of liked it, but it wasn’t a garment. And his “Getting off” so many times just skeeved me out.
Alison’s just didn’t work. It didn’t fit, it wasn’t attractive, it didn’t move.
I applaud Bradley for not trying to say his piece of crap was anything other than a piece of crap. He was honest, which you don’t see too often on the runway.
I would’ve given the boot to Bradley, I think. Vincent’s garment was different, but not fugly. Alison’s was ugly, but more fashionable than either Bradley’s or Vincent’s
StG
That was my guess, too. I’m going with moms.
By Bradley, I’m thinking you mean Kayne. Bradley, on the other hand, did an excellent job of defending his awful outfit in the dog challenge (which the judges inexplicably liked) and a credible job defending the Cher outfit last week.
In Tim’s podcast of last week’s episode, he indicated that it was Bradley who broke the machine, rather than Angela’s.
Vincent has got to stop using “It gets me off” when describing how he feels about his work. Creepy, creepy, creepy.
According to the Detroit Free Press:
It makes his neck look thicker and his head look even smaller.
I wonder how much of Michael’s win over Jeffrey was about personality. When Michael talks about his clothes, he’s articulate, impassionated, and insightful. Jeffrey seems arrogant and defensive whether he’s done a good job or not. Last ep, he did a great job, but he’s consistently rude and obnoxious, off-putting even. It’s hard for me to feel bad that he doesn’t win.
Alison’s dress was pretty bad freakin’ ugly. The fit in the front was just wrong. Take a second look at it and see if you can’t agree. Her past work should have kept her around, though. Kayne’s had an ugly color scheme but it was better made than Alison’s or Vincent’s. Not to mention Angela’s borderline hideous contraption. The real injustice here is that Vincent is still in the game. He hasn’t even been even close to winning and he’s a creepy crackpot. Here’s hoping he’s gone soon.
Interestingly, on the bravotv.com website where fans vote, the top three dresses were: Jeffrey, Uli, then Michael. The bottom three were, from lowest to highest, Vincent, Angela, Kayne. Usually the fan votes run right along with the judges, esp. after the show airs. Hmmm. Guess no one really agreed with the judges this time.
I like Laura’s stuff. Yes, I think it is a good thing that you can always tell a Laura design when it comes down the runway. It shows an overarching vision and prevailing aesthetic, which I have to say, I like. It’s wearable and attractive, with clean lines. I also happen to think that, most of the time when she’s bitching someone out, they deserve it. She’s not always nice about it, but she’s not the only one who’s nasty. Laura is someone who I’d rather be on the good side of, I think. She sticks up for her friends and kicks the asses of people who piss her off.
Robert’s dress was great, yet somehow went unrecognized. That was too bad.
Of course, there’s the true measure of quality as seen by the American public: What they’re willing to pay for it. As of today, with 5 days to go in the auctions for this week’s entries, Jeffrey’s is drawing $250, Uli’s $200, Laura’s and Robert’s both $160, Michael’s $150, Alison’s $80, Angela’s $55, Kayne’s $40, and Vincent’s $30. It looks like every relevant standard (the online rankings, the auctions, and of course, my opinion) put Jeffrey’s at the top, Vincent’s at the bottom, Angela’s in the bottom 3, Alison’s surviving, and Michael’s squarely in the middle of the pack.
I’ll be interested to see how the auctions end up.
Interestingly enough, by the way, the most expensive final price by far this season has been in the auction for Angela’s Audrey Hepburn dress last week, topping out at $1455. No other outfit has gotten above three figures. Thie highest price before that was $710, for the winning 3-piece ensemble in the I.N.C. challenge. I’m thinking the overall prices for this week will be lower, just because the dresses are less wearable.
Sorry about the double post.
That’s funny because I liked it but I didn’t think Angela’s Audrey Hepburn dress was spectacular.
Except for the little puffy things she put on the hem, it looked like a straight up cocktail dress to me. I wore almost the same dress to a wedding a few years ago. It was nice for Angela, but not earth shattering. I’d never buy anything of hers, I don’t think she has the best sewing skills.
I thought it was hot. I agreed with Heidi for once on that.
You have to remember that they make those dresses on a shoestring budget with very little time and no assistance. That’s what makes a dress like that so impressive to me. To create a garment that not only looks finished and clean but fits so well and is high fashion-- I’m always impressed by it.
I have to say, I am more impressed by Angela than I thought I would be. I also think she’s toned her craziness down a lot, though her last dress was stupid-looking, it was innovative and showed craftsmanship. I dunno, the worm turns I guess.
Next week they are designing for the “everyday woman”. From the reactions of the designers in the preview, I’m going to make a WAG that the models they design for are their mothers. I just wonder if they would design for their own mother or will they get switched up.
Boy, I hope this link works. A hilarious recap of P. Runway
My favorite parts-
“Tim Gunn realizes a dream when they let him get on the intercom at the art supplies store to bellow at the designers. All he needs is a megaphone in life. Designers work on their recycled material creations back at Parsons. Vince tells us that he doesn’t own the future, he doesn’t go there. I wouldn’t either because yours is looking bleak, Basket Hat.”
“Judges confront designers. And the judges act like Vincent is a bad smell. Yikes. Vincent is full on confrontational, telling them that his dress turned him on, and was “artsy”. His model is gonna want to steel wool brush her skin after taking that thing off.”
I’m weighing in late because i just saw this week’s episode a few hours ago.
I’m absolutely gutted that Alison got the boot. Her dress was pretty bad, but i thought she was an absolute, dead-set certainty for the final three. She just has so much talent, is so calm, and seems also to have some real humility and modesty. It doesn’t hurt that she’s also hot, but i really wanted her to stay because she’s a great designer.
This week’s show reflected what is, in my opinion, the one real weakness of the show. Apart from the weeks when there is immunity for the winner, the structure of the show offers no reward at all for consistent excellence. You can come first or second every single week, and still lose with one poor performance. And while she might not have had a perfect track record, Alison was consistently among the best, week after week, before this week.
On the other hand, it is possible, literally, to be the second-worst designer every week and still make the final three. That’s pretty much how Vincent has been going, and it’s fucked up.
I also felt really sorry for Alison, because the colorful skirt thing that she started with looked like it was going to be fabulous, and she had to go all the way back to the drawing board when the sewing machine kept hacking it to pieces.
My predictions for the top three got blown wide open by Alison’s departure.
[ul]
[li] I think Michael is a certainty for the top 3, unless he has a brain explosion.[/li][li] Vincent has (or should have) no chance. [/li][li] Robert is competent but dull, and is unlikely to make the final three. [/li][li] Angela has certainly improved over the past few weeks. She could end up being the Wendy of Season 3—someone who everyone loves to hate, and who scrapes through as others make bigger mistakes.[/li][li] Kayne is very talented, but has a tendency to drift towards his pageant business origins, with results that can be great or godawful.[/li][li] Laura does indeed do very nice work, her consistency could see her into the final three, but i don’t think she has the creativity to win the whole thing. She really has a rather narrow set of styles.[/li][li] Uli is also very talent, but also seems to stick very closely to a tried and tested formula. The first few weeks, i was really impressed, but after a while it all started to look a bit the same. I had a similar reaction to Santino last year. And, like Santino, Uli could well make the final three.[/li][li] Jeffrey’s dress this week was pretty great, and while i was glad that Michael won, i wouldn’t have been at all surprised if Jeffrey had gotten top honors. He is a dick, but i think he has talent. His downfall might be his tendency to dismiss the advice of others, and also his ego which gets in the way of an ability to look critically at his own work. But, if he can get past that, he’s got a chance to go a long way.[/ul][/li]By the way, was anyone else annoyed by the judges’ comments about Alison’s dress, when they said that they couldn’t believe that a woman designer would design such an unflattering outfit? Talk about idiotic and sexist.
It bothered me that they said that they were so angry about a woman making such an unflattering dress. Women can’t make mistakes in women’s wear? When using recycled waste material? Please. But… look at the dress again. It really makes that model look like a yellow blob with bubbles and protrusions all over the place. Truly horrendous, something I would have pegged as an Angela, except that Angela’s stuff has been hot lately. None of the other dresses look even close to that bad.
I don’t like Vincent either, but the fit is far better on his dress and it’s experimental, at least. His model couldn’t walk too well in it, but that was a function of the material used, which he couldn’t really predict until he put it on her. I mean, how often do you have to make a dress out of garbage?
This has been an interesting season, with lots of unpredictable stuff happening. My initial assessments of the candidates have not held up, except for Michael. I couldn’t handicap the odds on the top 3, but I hope it’s Michael, Uli, and Kayne. I think that would be fun to see.