Project Runway Season 9 Recaps: Episode 13--One Day You're IN, and the Next, You're IN!

Top Three...NOT!

The Top Four: Viktor Luna, Anya Ayoung-Chee, Joshua McKinley, Kimberly Goldson

Last night was the "Almost at NY Fashion Week" penultimate episode of Season 9 Project Runway, or as some people called it, Part One of the Finale. The Top Four Designers, Anya, Joshua, Kimberly and Viktor get $9,000 and 5 weeks to complete a ten-look collection and are told that upon their return, they will be narrowed down to THREE. They go home. Mentor Gunn goes for his visits. Seeing Tim in a full-on suit and tie (looking like a bank manager) while in gorgeous Trinidad and Tobago, was quite hilarious. Not hilarious was the fact that Miss Anya had NOTHING done--after three weeks of being home. I guess when THIS:

Is home...then all you would want to be doing is THIS:

Have cocktails by the pool

Back in NYC, after their return, Tim Gunn announces that for their Final Challenge--and for the judges to decide who will go on to actually show at Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week, they will have to present three looks that are "representative" of the collections they would be showing. Let's see:

Viktor Luna: Viktor's was the strongest. He had gone on a trip to Guadalajara, taken photos there which then he had made into prints. The silhouettes and styling was sleek and contemporary. Loved that white leather and beaded motorcycle jacket. It was very Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga. I did not like the leather zip-up "car wash" over-skirt. I also liked the sheer high-low gown underneath. But for some reason, visually, the no-lining, oh-are-those-your-panties look, seemed unfinished and a little "Hoochie". But here's the deal: EVERYONE is doing it--

Exhibit A: Frida Giannini of Gucci Fall/Winter 2011--but I just think it's different when shown in a multi-million dollar venue like the Gucci Runways, with the lighting and that fierce late 70's make up and styling. It works here. Don't know if it works with Viktor in a Parson's Project Runway catwalk raised podium setting.

Joshua McKinley: I liked some of the pieces he showed to the judges and had some questions about a couple of others (just like the judges). That neoprene jacket was very Narciso Rodriguez "Scuba Chic": Loved. However, the pink pants fit weird; too wide and should have been skinnier and tighter on the model. Also, the length was too short, just about an inch and a half. Trust me kids, in fashion, an inch and a half matters. The dress was OK, but yeah, what was up with that tab? And I thought the black sheer jersey with plasticized neck was FAB.

NOT FAB...was that he paired it with black stretch leggings straight from a Pat Benatar video. And what was the keyhole back openings? Odd. I did like the neckline and silhouette--very reminiscent of a recent Michael Kors Collection:

Michael Kors Fall 2011

Kimberly Goldson: The ladies didn't fare as well as the boys, beginning with Kimberly. I liked the black glittery gown. That look is TOO HOT for words. If you're a woman with a boyfriend, don't EVER stand next to a woman who looks like HER! EVER.

I mean, seriously, look at that SEXY BACK!

But..."NO Sexy Back": that bubblegum pink skirt above. I get what Kimberly was going for. Lots of designers have recently "embraced" the hip-widening skirt look (Manish Arora's recent debut collection for Paco Rabanne, for example) . However, this doesn't mean A.) It works, and B.) women will actually wear it and/or want to buy it. If an actress wore this on the red carpet: Huuuneeeyyy! I do not want to be there the next day to see the "Fashion Police" Claws!

Anya Ayoung-Chee: Finally, there was the worst. In my myLifetime.com Recap (which incidentally begins right below!), I said that it looked as if she made the pieces in a 48-hour challenge. Actually, they look as if she made them in 3 hours!

They also seemed like clothing you could find at the Nassau Bahamas "Straw Market". All they were missing was a big Straw hat, a towel, and the "Make-Sure-You-Get-Back-to-the Princess Cruises ship back-in-time" notice card! The judges spent what seemed like HOURS trying to re-style her looks (as well as the other finalists, PS: Aren't they FINALISTS???) and saying what a mess they all were. And then, she was IN! Well, I have a couple things to say about all that:


"One Day You're IN, and The Next Day...You're IN!"

This episode is definitely going to get the fans riled up! I can already see the comments here. I don't know if the producers planned it this way, as it's always good to have people talking (or so they say), but they certainly aren't playing it safe this season. We're down to the Top Four, and Heidi states adamantly that they still have one more Final Challenge to narrow down the designers to the Top Three, and ultimately, who will show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. This is repeated over and over again throughout the episode. But then, right at the end, it's changed to "Psych! Just Kidding! Y'all are IN!" What happened?

$900 Per Look
Let's rewind a little bit: As the episode begins, Heidi greets our Top Four and gives them $9,000 and five weeks to create a 10-look collection. That's a very short time, but honey, I've done TWENTY-plus-piece collections in the same amount of time so, no sympathy here. Also, if my calculator works correctly, this means they each get to spend $900 per look – for fabric and accessories. No money can be spent on any pattern or sewing (hired help). At $900 a look, they better be AMAZING! Finally, before saying "Until next time," Heidi adds, "Only THREE will get to go on ... to NY Fashion Week." Not "MAYBE three of you" (as she has done in the past). No, "THREE."

Here's Your MetroCard ... Now Go!
The designers go home. For New Yorkers Joshua and Viktor, this means "Congrats! Here's a one-way MetroCard! Now get to cuttin' and sewin'!" Kimberly goes to Maryland, and Anya heads to Trinidad and Tobago. Three weeks later, it's time for the "Tim Visits"...

CLICK HERE top read the rest of my Rant...ooops, I mean RECAP on myLifetime.com! And make sure to tell me what you thought too! I read them all!!! With a piña colada pretending I'm in a hammock somewhere in Trinidad and Tobago!!!

Project Runway Season 9 Recaps: Episode 10--The Unsophisticated 70's!!!

A Fashion History Lesson...Marc Jacobs Perry Ellis Grunge Redux, and 80's Vegas Hookers? Yep, It's Project Runwaaaayyyyyy!!

Bianca Jagger, 1970s, in Halston one-shoulder dress

This past Thursday on Project Runway Season 9, for the 10th Episode, the remaining designers were given a task: To create two looks that were "Inspired by the Sophisticated 70's". Many of them had quite a problem A) Knowing WHAT the 1970's were and B) Knowing what the "Sophisticated 70's" looked like. For some, BOTH of their looks were off the mark or they either (somewhat) got it with one and not the other. Tim Gunn reminded them not to be "too literal". He deferred to the previous challenge in which it looked as if they were trying to make costume recreations of what they "thought" a 70's Rock Band should look like. I actually wished they would have been LITERAL for this challenge, because the creations might have been much, much better. So with that in mind, I thought I would take a look back at what actually was The Sophisticated 70's:

Liz Taylor, Halston and Bianca Jagger (yet again!), in a one-shoulder Halston waist-tie dress and Fox fur stole.

A Halston vintage early 70's (I know, looks VERY 2011!), one-shoulder side gathered gown with batwing sleeve

Lauren Hutton, 1973 U.S. Vogue Magazine editorial, photographed by Richard Avedon

This IS NOT Sophisticated 70's:

Bert Keeter: Bert made this mess of an outfit, which included a printed one-shoulder (well, he got that right) blouson top and a detachable matching skirt (why?) with (wait for it), black Hoochie Shorts and then accessorized it with the most AWFUL metallic and wood CLUNKER shoes. She looked like a 1983 Hooker in Las Vegas Strip.

Kimberly Goldson: She made this printed top and black skirt outfit that was NOT Sophisticated nor 70's inspired. She looks like a girl in a mall on her lunch break waiting for her Chick Fil-A order.

The Winners were:

Anya Ayoung-Chee: She created a printed (love the bold print, that's very "sophisticated 70's) palazzo-pant plunging neckline jumpsuit. I can see the nod to the 70's but yet, it's still so NOW. I can see a A LOT of girls wearing this at a Mondrian Sunset Blvd. VIP pool party.

Bert Keeter's 2nd creation: A simple two pattern piece (one front, one back) dress in lurex creme and gold jersey, tied with a spaghetti belt. "Someone" better watch his back, because the simplicity (2 pattern pieces) and casual "I'm getting on a yacht to Capri" look of Bert's winning "tank dress" is very...

Michael Kors Resort (above)

Both Anya and Bert won the honor of having their outfits sold on Piperlime.com. And in case you're wondering Anya and Bert are not making a dime from that (people always wonder and ask...)

The Un-Sophisticated Bottom Boys:

Joshua McKinley: Joshua got slammed by the judges--critique-wise. I didn't hate it (except for the belt and shoes). It was very Christian Lacroix in its bold print and bold fuchsia-colored blouse. But there was NOTHING 70's about the look.

The Worst:

Anthony Ryan Auld: But it was mohawk cutie Anthony Ryan who got the boot this week. BOTH his creations were completely off the mark. The judges deemed his girls sad "hippy-dippy girls in a cult". Yes, I get that. But, for me, the one above looked like a Hipster Silverlake girl waiting for the Food Truck to come...in 2002.

And poor thang above: Besides the fact that there's nothing "Sophisticated 70's" or even 2011 Fashionable about her, she looks like a Freshman at some college hoping to get into that "Woman's Studies" class. Or, she works for National Geographic and is about to head to New Mexico in a dinosaur dig.

It's also very Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis 1992 Grunge Collection, but not in a change-the-fashion-world sort of way...

I'll end with the above: The Tom Ford debut Spring 2011 Collection, which WAS inspired by the "Sophisticated 70's" just as a reminder of what y'all should've, could've, would've...done.

Without further ado...Here's my myLifetime.com Recap of this week's Project Runway Episode:


Hello, Blog Readers! Can you believe we've made it this far? (Don't answer that! It's a rhetorical question!) I LOVE reading everyone's comments, because they are always enlightening, thoughtful and make me feel at least somewhat "sane" when I get some people agreeing with me. I've discussed Joshua M. being a Mean Girl, and you agreed. I've also talked about Madonna — I mean Olivier — and my distaste for his "I Hate Fat People" comments. And, yes, y'all agreed. So, let's see if you agree with me on this week's analysis … Let's begin this week's Recap:

Last Week Was NOT a '70s Challenge!
We are now down to seven designers, and Heidi tells them that they will have to "look to the past" for inspiration. First thing I thought was, "Oh, Ol' Man Bert should do well!" Cut to the Parsons workroom. They meet up with Tim Gunn and Heather Archibald of Piperlime, who tells them that they are to create a look inspired by the "Sophisticated '70s," and that the winning look will go into production and be sold on Piperlime.com. Instantly, the designers scoff, saying, "Well, the last challenge was '70s and that didn't go so well ..." Oh, sit down, kids. Poppa Nick needs to discuss something. Here's a news flash: Last week's challenge WAS NOT '70s! See, that was their problem. The Challenge was actually to Design a Look for a Rock Band. That shows you how much these designers didn't "get it." And by their comments in last night's episode, they still don't.

Bring a Purse to Mood, Ladies
They all go to Mood and Miss Anya loses her money (A very "Amazing Race" lose-your-passport moment!) and is generously given $11.50 by Anthony Ryan to buy one piece of fabric. If ever there was a Make It Work moment, it is now. There have been many "limited budget" "Project Runway" Challenges in the past, but never one in which one contestant had $11 and the rest had $100. If Anya hadn't already secured her role as Fan (and Judges') Favorite before, she sure has now!

To Read the rest of my Recap, click HERE---and make sure to let me know what you thought!