Recap: Project Runway S9, E14 (The Finale!)

I’m a little sad to be writing my final round up for this season!

I thought this season was a good one, mostly because there was such a wide range of style. The final four alone have completely different design sensibilities. While they sometimes overlap (most notably with flowing pieces), they each bring something unique to the table.

Let’s get down to it (in order!)

Kimberly

There were pieces of Kimberly’s looks that I really liked. I thought most of the backs were really cool and interesting. I also liked the hairstyling this time around and I loved that flowing striped dress.

In the end though,  I thought her showing was just OK. Aside from that one dress, nothing really jumped out and grabbed me. The pink bubble skirt was still a huge disaster and there weren’t really any pieces that I could see myself in.

The judges liked that Kimberly has a different point of view. They also liked a lot of  her pieces but were unsure about it as a collection.

Their final decision was that she needs more time and I couldn’t agree more. Her tailoring is amazing, but her designs skills still need to work themselves out.

Joshua

I have to say, I liked Joshua’s collection way more than I anticipated after seeing some of his pieces last week. While his aesthetic is not my thing, I like the brightness and his willingness to push the envelope.

He really seemed to edit himself. Nothing was overly bedazzled and his draping was spot on. That LBD was my hands-down fave of his collection. I loved the slimming details.

The judges were way more into his designs than ever before. Nina gave him “most improved” and called his collection very editorial. They all agreed he had the best styling. Michael said he had a “focused show with gorgeous tailoring,” while Heidi called it “gutsy” and Nina said it was  “solid.”

I think he deserved it, but I was totally amazed that he found himself in the top two. It’s incredible what a little editing can do, no?

Viktor

As always, Viktor’s collection was made so incredibly well. I really love his skirts. They always flow nicely and are so flattering to a woman’s figure. I particularly loved the long see-through skirt with the ballerina vibe. I would never be able to wear it anywhere, but it’s gorgeous.

The judges, however, were not too keen on the see-through stuff. Heidi thought it looked “cheap.” Nina called his chiffon pieces a “missed opportunity.” They basically thought he had two collections: one with prints and an all-black see-through collection.

I kind of agree that his collection was a little disjointed. And his prints were definitely the stronger pieces. While Michael really believes Viktor could be commercially successful, his collection seemed to disappoint the judges.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed too. I had really high hopes for Viktor and I thought he would at least be in the top two. I wish he stuck to his amazing tailoring and forgot about all the sheer fabric!

Anya

Anya totally rocked it! For someone who just learned to sew four months before the competition began, she has been absolutely amazing. And she completely transformed her collection. It went from seriously disappointing to fabulous in such a short amount of time!

Her new bathing suit and coverup was absolutely amazing. So different from the hideous version she showed off last week. Her prints are stunning and all of her looks are so laid back and easy. I can totally see myself rocking one of her looks on a beachy vacation.

The judges were a little concerned that her looks are one note (and they are). They don’t translate well for an urban girl. Plus, Heidi didn’t like that it was one big v-neck fest (eight of her ten looks featured a v-neck!). Michael argued for her, saying she “sacrificed diversity in the shape” in order to make statements with prints.

In the end, what saved her is that she has already created a brand for herself. You know what pieces by Anya will look like. You know that you’ll like them. The judges were really confident that she can build a business around what she has shown them.

I totally agree. She needs to learn how to make jackets and tailored pants. She needs to add in some layering pieces. She needs to make her looks wearable for a wider range of ladies. And I think she can and will do that.

What did you think? Who thought it would come down to Anya and Joshua? Definitely not me!

Recap: Project Runway S9, E13

This is it ladies. We’re in the home stretch!

I always love the home visit episodes because it means a lot of Tim Gunn. He’s just so darn huggable, isn’t he?

I love when he goes into serious mode, like he did with both Anya (I can’t believe she hadn’t made a thing when she knew he was coming!) and Joshua. Tim’s facial expressions and hand gestures when trying to talk Joshua out of his hideous fabric choices were just too much.

He was the most blunt and hilarious with Viktor though, telling him to “knock their effing socks off!” instead of showing a dress that Tim considered iffy.

But enough about Tim. Let’s talk fashion.

Best

I think Viktor had the most well-made collection hands down–not that that was very surprising.

His clothes were impeccable and I was loving all over that color palette! My favorite was the flowing Grecian dress, although I didn’t realize it was sheer until I saw the runway photos. Still, it was fantastic!

I also loved the fact that the prints were his own. He actually took photos in Mexico and had them printed. The result was fabulous (though the pants were definitely not my thing).

And can we talk about that leather jacket for a second? How amazing was that?! I love that he used pearls (even if some of them were a little big). And didn’t you just know that Heidi would want it? Again, I wouldn’t wear it, but I thought it was awesome.

I did agree with the judges that he had some editing issues. While I thought the idea of that leather skirt was kind of spectacular, I agree that the pretty little dress he paired it with would have shone much better on its own.Joshua was right behind Viktor on my list, although the only look I’d even consider trying on was the little black dress. I loved the details, which were super slimming.

The jacket was a little weird but ok because it was so different. I loved Heidi’s comment on the belt because it was exactly what I was thinking. She said “it reminds me of the kind of strap I put on my kids in the car seat.” So true!

Last but not least, there was his ridiculous flowy gown/skintight pants thing. It was flowy, nicely draped gown in the front and skintight catsuit in the back. Only some words from Michael Kors could possibly explain what I mean. Michael said that the idea “that any woman is going to have her ass exposed in Olivia Newton Johns’ leggings” is nuts. So true! That whole look was a disaster!

Worst

Kimberly bored me. The first look was just blah. I loved the color combo in the second look, but had an issue with what Heidi called “the bubble butt” and the weird gathering in the front. I can’t see any woman wanting to wear it. Last but not least, I like the sparkle of the third look, but that was about it.

I guess what says the most about how I felt about Kimberly’s pieces is that I don’t have much to say.

Anya’s showing was also disappointing. I usually love her looks, but the only piece I would wear was her first dress. The pattern was nice and the back was pretty. It also had a bit of her signature flow.

The other pieces looked like she was trying to be someone else. The only thing I liked about the bathing suit was the zipper detail (somehow the cut of the suit manages to make even a model look heavier) and, like Michael said, the gown looked “tortured.”

I think Nina gave Anya the best piece of advice when she said “Embrace what you’re good at.” If Anya can get back to her flowy ease and style things with more of a low key, beachy vibe she’ll do much better.

What did you think about the looks this week? I thought is was a little bit of a bummer. It was a combination of the same old notes and trying to hard with little morsels of goodness tucked in.

Recap: Project Runway S9, E12

First of all, I can’t believe this was the final challenge! Ahhh! Where did the season go?

Random points before I get to the fashion:

• I don’t think the little velvet bag brought the drama the producers may have expected it to bring. Booted designers helping out could’ve been fiery, but there was more than enough tension in that workroom without them.
• I think the talent level of the final five was super close. Before the episode started I assumed Viktor would make it to Fashion Week (his immaculate tailoring is by far the best in the bunch) and hoped that Anya would be right there too because I like her fresh, flowy, sort of global aesthetic (does that make sense?). As for the other three, I assumed it would be a total crap shoot.
• Is it just me or is Zoe Saldana gorgeous but alarmingly thin? Maybe it was the outfit, but when I saw her walk out and stand next to Heidi I literally gasped. It’s not like Heidi is an average-sized woman, but standing next to Zoe she looked like a regular-sized girl standing next to a runway model.

I don’t think I can do my normal Best and Worst this week since each designer made mini collections that I had mixed feelings about. There were pieces from each designer that I liked and there were also pieces that weren’t so high on my list.

Instead, I’ll go through them in the order they came down the runway.

Joshua (with Bryce)

I wasn’t particularly feeling any of these looks. I was glad that Joshua seems to be able to edit a little bit better (thank you, Bryce!), but I thought these were kind of blah.

The first dress was boring. The second look didn’t (though I do agree with Nina that some of the pieces could work–just not together). The third dress was totally Statue of Liberty.

Michael called him a magpie, which is the perfect description. He can’t help himself when there’s something shiny!

In the end, he made it through to Fashion Week because, as Michael said,  “it’s better to have too many ideas.” Let’s just hope the little magpie doesn’t collect all the shiny things he can find and vomit them all over his collection! He has the potential to be so good!

Kimberly (with Becky)

I have to say, I like Kimberly’s looks so much better when I see them lined up next to each other. It really looks like a cohesive collection.

Heidi said the first model looked like an “exchange student from Holland.” I totally see where she’s coming from, but I really like the jacket–aside from the construction cone orange color. The cut is cute and I like the placement of the buttons.

For look two, I like the belt (OK, I’m sort of a magpie myself) and the keyhole in the top. I am not so fond of the horrible fabric the skirt is made of and I hate what Laura referred to as the “goiters.” I might not have noticed how terrible the fabric really is if wasn’t for the weird gathering.

The third look is really reminiscent of the top Kimberly made in Nina’s challenge. I liked it then and I like it now, although I wish it wasn’t so similar (this is basically a silver version made into a dress). Love that she paired it with pink shoes.

I’m really unsure of how Kimberly will do at Fashion Week. She’s an awesome tailor and has some great ideas, but I wonder if she has enough of them.

Laura (with Anthony)

Oh Laura. She wanted to make it so badly. I think she just stepped outside of her comfort zone a little too much and lost herself.

I really don’t like the latticework fabric. Her idea of incorporating circles was a good one, but I think her fabric choice was terrible. There’s not much I like about any of these looks.

I did like the flowy slip-like skirt in look one that all of the judges hated. I thought it lightened up the outfit since the black made it so heavy. I wasn’t into the silhouette of the jacket though–although I’ll admit that if the fabric was different I might change my tune.

I liked the idea of the top of dress two, but somehow it fell short. Zoe Saldana said it “looks like a pillowcase with black tape tied around it,” while Michael called it a laundry bag. Again, I think the issue had a lot to do with the fabric.

I absolutely hate the gown.  Nina said the model “looks like Spiderman.” I think Heidi was the only one who liked it–and of course she did! It reminded me of that ugly dress Mondo made for her.

In the end, Laura was sent packing. And while I liked her (though I’m not sure if it was her or her designs), she was the one who should’ve gone home.

Anya (with Bert)

Anya set out to prove again this week that she didn’t have to use wild prints to grab the judges’ attention. I liked her looks, but I couldn’t help but notice something that somehow no one mentioned during judging: there was no range! Tim specifically said to create a range of pieces. Anya made three gorgeous, flowy dresses.

Heidi called look one “very fashion forward yet simple.” I agree. Anya’s pieces are always so fresh and never overworked. My favorite part of this dress was the open back. It added a little sexiness to the sort of conservative front.

Look two looks so easy to wear. It’s flowy and comfortable looking and I loved the strap detail, which cut across the open back.

Look three didn’t really do anything for me. Zoe called it futuristic, which I see. It’s just not my thing.

Michael made a good point, noting how Anya started out very tropical and can now do urban and sophisticated. She’s come a really long way and I can’t wait to see what she shows at Fashion Week–I’m just afraid there won’t be enough range.

Viktor (with Olivier)

Viktor is really a master. His clothes are always so well made. Whether or not he wins, I know we’ll see more from him.

I thought the jacket for look one was awesome, mostly because he made leather look flowy. I really like it, although I don’t think I would wear it.

Look two is fabulous because it’s office chic with a twist. I actually love the cowl on the skirt and that he added a pop of orange with the belt. I also really liked the exposed zipper on the back.

I wasn’t as crazy about the black dress, mostly because of the boning on the hip. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t need extra volume in the hip area, thank you very much.

In the end though, I agreed with Michael when he said Viktor’s was  “the most commercial collection.”  I really think he is a force to be reckoned with.

Who’s your pick for this season’s winner? I want Anya to make it work!

Recap: Project Runway S9, E11

For this episode the designers were paired up for a head-to-head battle where they each had to design something inspired by a bird (yes, a bird).

As if the bird thing wasn’t enough, Tim Gunn threw in more twists and turns when he told them they had to make a second look, only to tell them later that only one had to work the runway.

Let’s take a look at what our final six came up with.

Viktor vs. Kimberly

These two looks are quite similar (and a little bridal), which is especially interesting when you know that Kimberly had to scrap everything she had and made this dress in the last three hours.

Still, I have to say, Kimberly’s design was my favorite out of  this match up. While I originally liked the idea of Viktor’s shredded chiffon feathers, it ended up being a bit much. The judges thought he was a bit too literal and unbalanced. I think the slightest bit of editing could have made this look work.

Kimberly’s look, on the other hand, was incredibly glamorous. I can totally see a little starlet rocking this on the red carpet. I like the subtle bit of color on the inside of the skirt. I also like the slits and the pearls (which Michael called “mommyish”).

The judges went with Kimberly as the winner of this match up. While I think it was the closest battle, I have to agree.

Bert vs. Joshua

The battle of the drama queens wasn’t nearly as close as I anticipated. Bert generally bores me, while Joshua assaults my senses with his lack of editing.

Bert hated this challenge from the beginning and it shows. His dress is boring and blah (“generic” according to Nina). I love the peekaboo pop of color, but it’s not enough to save this drab and uninspiring look.

The top is absolutely horrible. Michael referred to it as Wonder Woman-like and I couldn’t agree more. From his color choice to his design, I think this look was a big fat fail.

As for Joshua, I almost choked when he decided to go with the way less Carnivale of his two looks. The color was great and it was nice and flowy (if not a little potato sack-like). And I actually liked what Michael referred to as the “drunk in the Caribbean corsage.” It would have been way too bland and not at all Joshua without it.

I wholeheartedly agree that Joshua is the winner of this match up.

Anya vs. Laura

I thought Anya’s look was really cool and unexpected (no color! no pattern! no jumpsuit!). She definitely stepped out of her comfort zone with this super structured piece (though it did closely resemble Viktor’s dress in the Nina Garcia challenge). Dark and edgy, this look fit her bird (the raven) perfectly.

I thought Laura’s look was meh. I liked the flare on the jacket but I could do without at least some of the feathers and I didn’t like her fabric choice. The pants were too tight (even Heidi agreed!) and it was decidedly too “birdie.”

Bert and Laura found themselves in the bottom two and it was Bert who (finally) left us, while Anya won the challenge and $20,000 (which Joshua was not at all happy about).

What did you think about this episode?

Recap: Project Runway S9 E10

So I know 70s trends are big right now, but I couldn’t believe it was another week of 70s fashion! I was more or less expecting most of the designers to crash and burn considering how bad last week’s looks were.

I was pleasantly surprised. There were a few looks that I would definitely wear–and I wasn’t expecting t hat.

Winner

Anya is my winner. I mean, the girl made that first look for $11.50! Like Nina said, she’s quick on her feet and a good problem solver. The pattern of the cheap pants was great and I liked the top (even though Michael said it was the color of Dentyne).

The second look was absolutely gorgeous. I loved the print and the sheer back was sooo pretty. I can see a wide range of girls wanting to wear it–and they will since it’s going to be available on Piperlime.

Loser

Joshua, as usual, had major editing issues. Heidi (who was wearing a kick ass dress!) called it “sore to the eyes” while Nina said it was “hor-ren-dous,” prompting the claws to come out and Joshua’s bitch level to rise dramatically.

But honestly, neither of his looks said 70s. The cut of the pants made the model’s butt look weird and the shirt was ugly and unflattering. There really was nothing to like about either look, aside from the fact that he never plays it safe.

Other

Since we’re down to the final few, I’ll give my thoughts about some of the other looks:

I thought Viktor was a close second to Anya. He is obviously really talented. His pieces are always so well tailored.

But I thought the suit was a little too conservative and monotone. Like the judges said, just showing a little skin by eliminating the tee would have completely changed everything about that look. Michael remarked that “the t-shirt is killing the sex.” He was right!

I loved the ombre snakeskin print. It was really beautiful. And the little dress was super cute. I would absolutely wear that.

I agreed that Kimberly was middle of the road. The flowy top had absolutely no shape. I wasn’t feeling it. I thought the jumper was okay. It fit well, but there was nothing about it that stood out in any way.

I thought Laura was pretty middle of the road as well. I agreed with the judges’ issues with her patterns. The bright skirt was kind of awful. Her second look was just blah (Michael said it was “like taking three sleeping pills”), although I really like the idea of the burn out chevron. I just wish she added a pop of color somewhere.

I didn’t think Bert was too terrible this week (gasp!). I mean, I would never wear the shirt for his first look but I can see the appeal. The shorts were ridiculously short and made her look like a hooker.

His dress was adorable (although I really thought she should ditch the neck scarf. Just looking at it made feel claustrophobic). I really liked that the back was a different color. The belt was also a nice touch.

Like Tim Gunn, I’m really sad to see Anthony Ryan go. The judges (obviously) were not fond of his looks. Michael called them a “granola, pass the pipe kind of girl,” with Nina agreeing they were “hippie dippy but not in a good way.” Nina even went so far as to say that they looked like “two boring girls who are part of a cult.”

I didn’t hate his looks. I liked the patterns and thought the back of his maxi dress was pretty. There was definitely nothing wow worthy about his pieces, but I thought they were better than Joshua’s madness.

What did you think?

Recap: Project Runway S9, E9

**spoiler alert! don’t scroll down if you haven’t watched this week’s episode!**

I’m not really sure where to start with this episode.

It was a really awkward attempt at cross marketing; the result being a jumble of earth-toned, fringey disasters that no one would want to wear.

I think guest judge Adam Lambert (of American Idol fame) got it right when he made a Scooby Doo comparison. Pretty much all of the guys ended up looking like Shaggy–and not in a good way.

Let’s just get to it…

Best

Viktor gets the win this week not because I particularly love it (the pattern of that shirt is pretty awful… although not as awful as Anthony Ryan’s logs or Olivier’s blue swans).

Instead, Viktor is my winner because his look is made impeccably. The pants and jacket fit well and are flattering to his shape–which is sooo untrue for most of the others.

I’m not a big fan of fringe (especially on guys) but this was the least offensive use of it. Plus, it looks like a modern take on the 70s instead of bad, cheap, polyester vintage (cough, Kimberly, cough).

Worst

Oh, Anya. I love you, but this shirt is a disaster. I don’t mind the concept, but the fit couldn’t be worse and the colors and fabric are kind of horrible.

Nina called him “Pocahantas,” while Michael (who had some amazing one liners) thought he looked more like “Reggae Jesus.”

I will say though, that while I thought her look had the most issues, I’m glad she didn’t go home. She’s never done menswear before and I genuinely like her style.

Olivier, on the other hand, started off with such promise but has been a huge bore as of late, using the same color palette over and over again.

I really liked him in the beginning, but this is the second challenge in a row where he’s been a big bitch about his client’s size (last week it was working around her DDs). He suddenly struck me as pretentious and bratty. Especially when he sat there telling his client repeatedly that he’s big. It was just obnoxious.

From far away, the print of this shirt isn’t too horrible (those God awful baby blue pockets, however, are a whole other story), but as Adam Lambert said, it kind of looked like upholstery fabric.

What about the others?

Bert’s look wasn’t as horrible as I anticipated. I didn’t have a problem with his striped pants like some of the others did. I was completely distracted by the ridiculous pigtails though.

Laura’s look was okay. There was nothing too horrible about it. I liked the red jeans but my favorite part was the fact that Michael said the tie dyed tank looked like it belonged to Sweeney Todd.

Michael also described Kimberly’s kaftan turned bowling shirt look best, calling it “Peter Brady at an autumn harvest.”

Last but not least (because all I have to say about Anthony Ryan, I already said), there’s Joshua. Ohhhh, Joshua. Yet again, his inability to edit got in the way. He has really good ideas. I loved the print on the shirt and I actually liked the zipper detail on his well tailored pants. The problem is always with his extras: all that fringe, the big brown pockets on the back and the weird leg detail. I wish he would take it down just a notch!

What do you guys think? Did I get it all wrong? Did I get it right? Do you think Olivier should have been the one to go home?

 

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Recap: Project Runway S9, E4

**SPOILER ALERT: don’t read further if you’re not caught up**

This week the designers had the near-impossible task of making an outfit for Nina Garcia that she could wear both to work in the Marie Claire offices and to industry events at night.

Before the designers sketched anything, Nina gave them a long list of things she does not like, prompting Heidi to quip “What’s left?!” You have to love a woman who know what she likes, don’t you?

Most of Nina’s sound bites for the night included the words no, sad, or a combination of both. Some of the designers took what she said and made it work (I’m looking at you, Anya) and others… not so much.

So let’s get to it…

Best

via myLifetime.com

This may come as a surprise to anyone who knows me, but I want Kimberly’s design in my closet. That top is amazing! From the cut and the clean lines to the choice of fabric and color, I’m in love. And it looks so well made! Plus, it’s great for print ads.

I also liked Viktor’s look with the crazy architectural cap sleeves. I don’t think that one translates to TV/print very well though. And surprisingly enough, I liked Josh’s little color blocked dress. It goes to show you that a little editing can go a long way.

Worst

via myLifetime.com

Like most of what we saw from Julie, this dress was a disaster. I respect the fact that she always holds on to her signature athletic-inspired style, but execution seems to be the biggest problem for Julie.

There’s not much about this look that falls into a positive category. I like the color blocking but I’m not exactly feeling the greige color. The neckline is terrible.

I also agreed with the judges when they said they didn’t know what to think of it. Is it a dress? A coat? A droat, as Joanna Coles put it (what did you think of her, by the way? She was on fire!)? Michael Kors said it looked like a housecoat that you could stuff tissues into as you dusted the furniture. While I didn’t agree with all of the comments, I agreed with the general assessment: this look sucked!

What did you guys think? Was there anyone in the middle that you think deserved to be in the top or bottom?

Recap: Project Runway S9, E2

via myLifetime

*if you haven’t caught up on your DVR, don’t read any further!

 

This week was the always interesting “wacky” challenge.

The designers met Tim Gunn at a pet store and were told they had to create a look using solely materials they bought inside (they could, however, use muslin as a base). They were also discouraged from using a lot of fabric (like dog beds) since the judges don’t take too kindly to it in the unconventional challenges.

So what did we see? Lots of wee-wee pads (Bryce’s baby blue pompom was the worst, while Viktor’s purple dress was actually pretty) and hamster bedding. There was also Becky’s technicolor piñata dress (shown here).

OK, so let’s get to it.

Best Dress

via myLifetime

My favorite look was Anthony’s birdseed dress. Yes, Nina was right. It’s definitely too short. But I love the fact that you would never know it was made with birdseed if you didn’t watch the show. I also really like what he did with the collar, which fits in with all of the bohemian warrior looks that are on trend right now. And I love that little keyhole in the back. So pretty!

Worst Dress

via myLifetime

Bert totally phoned in his look because he had immunity. He was downright bratty while complaining about the challenge (dude, if you try out for Project Runway you know you’re going to have at least one challenge like this one. Suck it up), bitching about not wanting to create a look like a clown.

Well guess what, Bert? Your model looked like a clown!

There was nothing pretty or remotely fashionable about this look. In fact, my five-year old has put together better looks from the mess of tulle and glitter in her dress up box.

Totally disappointing, especially considering he was my favorite last week. Let’s hope he rebounds!