*Project Runway * and *Antiques Roadshow * are slowly teaching me that I have no taste.
If I think it’s pretty (luurrrvved the pretty flowy Kayne dress), they say it’s over-the-top and not worth anything. If it’s ugly (I’m looking at you, Jeffrey), it’s fashion-forward and worth big bucks.
Just ignore me. I’ll be in the corner trying to convince myself that beanie babies will be worth the cost one day.
But things are looking up… *Top Chef * comes back in October!!!
To answer the question “What is couture anyway?,” I went to Wikipedia. Here’s what it says:
<<Haute couture is not only made-to-order for a specific customer, it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish, often using time-consuming hand-executed techniques. The term is sometimes used to refer exclusively to French fashion; more often, it refers to any unique stylish design made to order for wealthy and high-status clients.>>
So, it’s pretty vague. And under this definition, I don’t know that any of the gowns in last night’s show really qualifies. I question the quality of Jeffrey’s fabric (could have been upholstery fabric; think perky little side chairs in a sunroom). I question the uniqueness of Uli’s gown. I’m not even thinking about Vincent’s dreck! Michael’s gown simply wasn’t sown with extreme attention to detail and finish. . .because he didn’t have the hand-sewing expertise. I’ll admit that Laura’s gown probably wasn’t unique and stylish enough to qualify. And Kayne’s gown. . . well, would a wealthy, high-status client have worn it? I don’t think so.
I also think couture is supposed to set fashion trends not follow them. In many ways I would compare it to when you go to an auto show and the auto makers show you both their production line models foir the coming year (i.e. the Fall colection in fashion) and then they show you their concept cars, which are not really for public consumption but are meant to inspire fashion trends.
Early on, they gave a one-sentence quicky rundown that it’s details, fine fabric and hand-sewn. And that in France, you need to be licensed to call yourself a couturier, or at least if you wish to say you do haute couture.
So, for that alone, Glue Boy needed to be kicked out, err, auf. 
I always had the sense that couture was supposed to be unique and fresh. You’d spend tons of money on a couture gown so that when you showed up to that party or award ceremony or dinner, you’d look like no one else ever had, like a designer paid personal attention to your look, worked intensively on your dress, and created something really new and exciting. And expensive.
This is why Laura’s gown didn’t work for me. It just was not new-looking or daringly edgy. I won’t even discuss Vincent, who clearly did not get couture at all. Michael made a stab at it but didn’t quite get there. Uli’s was very pretty and nice, though we all know it was a rehash of what she usually does, at least it looked good.
For me, Kayne and Jeffrey got it the most, though both showed, um, “questionable taste.” That’s the thing about couture-- one person’s really exciting gown is someone else’s ridiculous, gaudy horror. This week, Jeffrey happened to hit what the judges thought was in the moment, and Kayne missed, but it really is a matter of taste, as long as the daring and fine work is there. I liked Kayne’s better, but I just like Kayne better, period. JMO.
I’m sure I’ve seen that exact dress that Laura made somewhere else. I want to say, I’ve seen Carole Lombard in it, but I’m not sure. Nina compared it to Yves but I know I’ve seen it in an older dress than that. Something of Lombard’s era if not her, precisely.
Here are some examples of couture collections.
To me, couture are one of a kind dresses/gowns (not mass produced). The type of thing you might wear to a special event like a party at the Metropolitan or a special event.
I didn’t think any of them really qualified. I thought Laura would do a ball gown kind of thing, maybe strapless & full. Maybe they all had jet lag.
Thanks for this link. Very interesting. In the Armani Prive collection, there were several collars similar to the one on Laura’s dress, AND a couple of fleurchons! ::shiver::
Oh yeah, and I think Kayne has a definite future with Christian Dior. Questionable taste indeed.
I rather liked the French judge’s comment card for Vincent’s dress.
“No. No, no, no.”
Can’t really argue with that.
I think you’re right. Joan Crawford (in th 30s), Myrna Loy, Janet Gaynor, somebody like that.
I’m going to stand up for Jeffrey’s dress - I thought it was very Alexander McQueen/Vivianne Westwood. I have to wonder if he was inspired at all by the AngloMania exhibit they had at the Met. It really reminded me of a slightly more out-there version of Sarah Jessica Parker’s dress. I can absolutely see why it won; that’s what’s big right now, and he tapped into it, and did a good job with it in the limited time. If only he would shut the hell up and let his design speak for him.
I can see where Laura was coming from, and I liked the gothiness of it. It’s just a shame that the collar got a bit crushed. She’s still got nothing on Michael, though. I can’t believe that kid was throwing eggs at him. Rude little bastard.
Kayne’s was better than expected. The gold mesh had me a bit worried, too, but the top was very well done, the skirt was absolutely gorgeous, and the slanted lacing on the corset was excellent. It was also very practical - being able to lace and unlace the back gives you a bit more wiggle room when your models are two different sizes. So glad he’s still in the pack. He’s got potential, that one.
Uli… oh Uli. Uli Uli Uli. Her dress was very pretty. I loved the color. It was technically well done. But… it was Uli. It was Uli in a more expensive fabric, but it was still Uli. For the love of God, woman, do something ELSE! Do something structured! Do a suit! Do a corset! DO SOMETHING THAT ISN’T AN EMPIRE WAIST GOWN WITH A HALTER BACK! She’s hurting me. She really is.
And I wasn’t sorry to see Vincent go. I didn’t think his gown was that bad, honestly, but it wasn’t couture. It was very stiff - he seems to really “get off” on the idea of women in these stiff tubes. It looked old. I hated the shoulders. More than that, I hated him going on and on about how he was the only one who really knew what he was doing, then gluing a dress together and running off to hit on Katherine Malandrino. Earth to Vincent - You’re married, remember? Wife? Remember her? Please to not be hitting on the gorgeous French designers, even if they are gorgeous and French. Thank you.
I loved how diplomatic Katherine was, by the way. When she was talking to the designers, there was always something nice to say, but when Heidi was reading the comment cards: “No. No. No. No. No.” Too funny.
You’ve got to read the Entertainment Weekly Interview with Vincent. He’s even more loathsome than he was on the show. First he talks about Katherine Malandrino being to young for him (she’s six years younger than he is) and then how he and Jefferey tried to pick up two young French chicks. Ewwwww…
Jefferey’s dress was the only dress that stood out to me. I see why some people don’t like it but it had character. I don’t think Kayne’s dress was as bad as the judges thought but it wasn’t particularly eye-catching. Busy does not equal interesting. Laura’s dress looked so much better in Paris. To bad it got crushed in transit. As someone at TWOP pointed out, a real couture dress would never be transported in a garmet bag, it would be flown on it’s own dress form or in a trunk.
Jeffrey’s dress may be interesting and it may have been the closest thing to couture of the bunch, but it was an ugly piece of shit. And who makes a couture dress out of cotton, for crying out loud? His aesthetic is just so ugly, to match his personality. I nearly puked when he said his dress would be “Happy, Joyous, and Free.” Way to misuse AA buzzwords, asshole. He’s a walking example for how not to live in sobriety. Plus what was with the slit up to her cooter? I couldn’t believe the judges didn’t say anything about that. Is showing your naughty bits the new “in”?
I thought Kayne’s dress was stunning, and he designed it so beautifully to fit on two different size models. (And remember, he had the model who the judges suggested was fat when Alison was auf’d.) He really knows how to make a woman’s body look gorgeous. As does Michael – he had a great idea, he just didn’t have time for the execution. And his dress really looked a million times better with the bunny ears tucked in.
I was just really glad Vincent is gone. The man really has something going on between his ears that isn’t nice at all. Tim’s podcasts have been filled with pure loathing of Vincent; it’s been quite remarkable how open he is about his dislike for the man.
I was just glad Laura and Michael survived. I’m afraid Kayne is next for the chopping block simply because the judges hate everything he does now, even when he does exactly what they want. You’ll notice there was no mention in New York of Catherine Malandrino’s comments on Kayne’s gown. Which is interesting since she appeared to really love it. The judges just don’t want anything getting in the way of their dislike of Kayne, which is a shame; I’d ask him to make a gown for me before I’d ask any of the others.
Meant to say he talks about her being too old for him. I’ve never been so happy to see a PR contestant get booted…
Vincent is fucking delusional. I can not believe that interview. What a total and complete jack-ass.
Kayne is definitely on thin ice, but they have repeatedly said that he knows how to make clothes and the judges definitely value that. He’s under the most pressure this week I think. That said, if he pulls it off, I think Uli might go, for the reason all of us have said–she keeps making the same damn dress over and over and over again.
Michael and Jeffrey are locks for the final three (assuming neither one does something truly godawful)–Michael because he’s incredibly talented and Jeffrey because he’s a loathsome piece of shit who creates good TV.
I’d like to see Michael, Kayne, and Laura as the final three. I expect to see Michael, Jeffrey, and Laura.
Well, if the promo monkeys are to be believed:
Laura falls apart next week. And who can blame her? Three months pregnant, swollen, exhausted, feeling miserable, and she nearly got the boot this week.
I really hope it’s just the promo monkeys being their usual misdirecting selves, though.