It’s time for another season of Project Runway and Runway Rundown, where I babble about the highs and lows of fashion and reality TV! I always start out so excited for this show and I always end up so disillusioned. C’est la vie! Anyway with sixteen contestants we have a lot of ground to cover so let’s get to it:
The Challenge: Fabric is draped across the seats at Madison Square Garden; run around for 3 minutes to pick 4 and make a look that tells the judges who you are.
SAFE:
Designer: Amanda made it to NY last season, but was cut before the first challenge so I ignored her in my rundown. Hurray for Amanda making it in. She has Emma Swan Season One curls and wore a belt & skirt combo that reminded me of Wonder Woman to Madison Square Garden. I’m a fan.
Look: It’s fun. There’s something there there. But nothing special.
Designer: Candice looks like Emily the Strange which is awesome. She has two kids, her daughter is her inspiration.
Look: Her personal style is way more interesting than this. And it looks kind of painful to wear?
Designer: One of three who didn’t bring any tools with him. What are they going to pack when auf-ed?
Look: Not at all my style, but it is a style. Do like the pockets.
Designer: Completely unmemorable but said she should go home for this when it walked down the runway.
Look: She’s right, this is a tortured mess with nothing whatsoever going for it. In GREY.
Designer: I honestly don’t remember him being on screen.
Look: Needs a steamer, the accessories are all over the place, and the fit is weird. But good job getting a notable fabric.
Designer: Also a blank.
Look: Pretty sure I can buy this in Target. The model looks like a Vulcan and I hope that comes into play someday.
Designer: She taught herself to sew and design in order to recreate thrift store clothes as new looks to avoid kids recognizing their cast offs when she wore them to school. I like her a lot.
Look: And yes, she is designing for ME. Oh hai, cute little messy dress and tall boots, get into my closet. I don’t think it belongs in the top as the bodice is trying too hard to fashion, but yeah, me-fashiom.
Designer: Tim thinks her choices are questionable. Like, he literally asked her “why would you do that?!”
Look: The hairstyle and color of this dress resemble Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana) in the reboot Star Trek films so strongly it’s hard for me to see anything other than Reboot Mirror Universe Uhura. All she needs is a dagger strapped to that exposed leg.
Designer: She has a lot of opinions and vaguely resembles Nomi from Sense8.
Look: I can definitely buy this in Target.
Designer: Another one who didn’t bring anything with him, said he misunderstood the directions. To be fair I didn’t realize everyone brought their own tools either (and they are specifically forbidden to bring any pattern making books etc).
Look: It’s fine.
LOSERS:
Designer: Is already the entitled and arrogant brat who thinks everything he does is magic.
Look: Poorly constructed, boring, and over styled. But if Barbara Kean becomes the Joker on Gotham, she can wear this v suitable dress.
Designer: Lives blocks from Madison Square Garden but has never been inside before, didn’t say much, very secure in her vision.
Look: Not my style but it is a style. Would anyone look GOOD in it though?She didn’t finish the lining which is either poor time management or a really strange choice.
Designer: A cutie from New Zealand. Just starting out, has never made womenswear.
Look: So logically he chose to make a pink satin gown. Idek. The judges hated it more than I do but it is Not Good. Almost like he never made a dress before (!). But I think he went home for being too laid back and honest about not knowing his aesthetic quite yet.
WINNERS:
Designer: Has auditioned for every season of Project Runway. Is a self-proclaimed “fashion rebel” who designs dresses for “fashion rebels”.
Look: There is next to nothing rebellious about this fashion. It’s an LBD! If you design something that is so mainstream it has an acronym (LBD = Little Black Dress) you are not rebelling. But it IS the most heroine chic look of the night. I mean, she has a butt cape. And I mean that as a compliment. Zac and the guest judge were unimpressed but Nina and Heidi were falling over themselves to praise his sexy vision. I like Edmund and I’m rooting for him to do well but this is why the show drives me mad.
Designer: Would not stop talking. Was literally chant-singing “Making it work”. Said “Hashtag make it work” out loud with no irony. Is super annoying and kept saying racist remarks to Swapnil. I bet the producers love her. (ETA: Also she’s the third with no tools, cuz they weighed/cost too much to fly with.)
Look: She started out an architect and it shows. This is a really neat look, well constructed. The double bracelets make me think of Themyscira and the overall aesthetic is Vulcan. Like it a lot.
Designer: Adorable and brave and it was heartbreaking to hear her talk about “growing up a big kid”. Was it Reality TV manipulation 101? Sure. But her’s is a voice often silent and invisible. Rock on Ashley.
Look: She dresses herself this way; it was the only look of the night that clearly fulfilled the “tell us who you are” part of the challenge. Nothing new here but it’s bold and clear and I’m so pleased she won.