Project Runway All-Stars 2 - Boogie Shoes

Greetings!

Before I dive into this week's blog post, while most of us in the Mid-Atlantic emerged unscathed from Hurricane Sandy, folks along the Jersey Shore and various low-lying areas of New York City and Long Island did not.

Garment District-NYC, post Sandy.

Breezy Point, Queens, NYC

If you can, please donate to help relief efforts.  Here are some of the relief organizations already on the ground in New York and New Jersey:

The American Red Cross

Occupy Sandy/Relief

Americares

And if you're in the NYC area:

Queens Mamas

We're all in this together, don't you think?  Thanks!

Before we dive into this week's show, after the events of this week, I think we need a moment of levity.  Who better to bring it to us than the Pittsburgh Steelers, who, last week, wore their 1938 Throwback Uniforms.  They call them "throwback" because that's what they did with them the first time.

He looks like an inmate at a bumblebee prison.

The NFL does this to keep the fashionistas interested, I think.  

Now, onto this week's show.

This week's challenge was the NINE WEST SHOE CHALLENGE.  This week's judge was the NINE WEST SHOE DESIGNER.

This week's theme was also a throwback--to the fabulous 1970's!  

I don't know about you, but 1970's makes me think of Bert Keeter, from two seasons ago.

He would have rocked this challenge, considering all the quality time he spent at Studio 54, back in the day.

So the designers chose shoes from the Nine West Tacky Disco Diva Shoe Collection and were to design a dress that complimented the shoes and was inspired by the disco era.  The prize would be a photo spread in Marie Claire to advertise Nine West's tacky shoe collection.  I guess I could go on and on about the shoes and which ones I liked, etc...but I'm not getting paid by Nine West to advertise their shoes.  

And because Project Runway isn't tacky enough already, the producers staged this...

Once again, Joanna Coles tried desperately to get the designers see some reason.

"Andre, are you really going to make another organza jacket?"

"Chain, chain, chain...chain of fools..."

And this week's winner?

Whoever designed Carolyn Murphy's dress.

Side thought:  I'm quite impressed with the depth of knowledge that the hair and make-up people had on the 1970's.  "Give me Bianca Jagger hair."  No problem.  "Half-Breed Cher cheekbone blush."  No problem.  "Claudine Longet's mug shot."  No problem.

Let's bugaloo onto the runway, shall we?

Althea

I was not impressed with what I saw in the workroom.

And the results, I thought, were more 1980's than 1970's.

I thought the back was unnecessarily messy and the front was more chaotic than stylish.  It really didn't move well, either.  The colors are ok.  She was safe this week.  Oh, and the model is wearing shoes. 

Kayne

Kayne was trying to channel Donna Summer.  Isaac thought he channeled Jennifer Lopez.   I thought the look was a lot more chic and evocative of the 70's than the judges did.  The camera kept focusing on the front seaming on the pants, picking up a clear flaw in the fabric that looked like a stain.  The judges didn't notice that.  Maybe the pants were too evocative of the 1970's.  Perhaps the Nine West shoe guy didn't see the shoes well enough.  I don't know.  This was one of my favorites.

Josh

Maybe Josh's look was just too casual this week.  Or the shoes were not really the focus...

He was safe this week, but I thought this was one of the most chic and sophisticated looks I've ever seen Josh create as well as one of my favorites for the evening.  Watch him.  He's a contender.   

Laura Kathleen

This was another one of my favorites, although on second look, the back of those pants are a little too voluminous.  Another safe entry.  Maybe it's because you can't see the shoes.

Emilio

Earth to Emilo:  THIS IS A NINE WEST SHOE CHALLENGE.   Nothing says "night in a disco" like a gown with a weird train in the back.  What's with the racer back straps?

I think you're beginning to see a pattern here, no?

Anthony Ryan

Anthony heard the "you need to reference the shoes" part of the challenge.  He totally ignored the "throwback to the 1970's" part of the challenge.  This is the best reference....but...whatever....

Andre

"I'm Rosanne Rosanadana and I don't understand why designers insist on making jackets out of organs.  Oh, it's organza?  Nevermind...."

Why, Andre, why, did you produce the exact same outfit two weeks in a row?  You're really lucky you weren't booted off this week.

Suede

I love you Suede, but...

That's not a very good looking dress.  The neckline is sloppy and the pleating or folding in the back looks more haphazard than it looks sculptural.  And if, perchance, your woman has to sit down over the course of an evening, the back will look wrinkled and mashed.

Oh, and shoes.  It's pretty cliche to echo the shoes with the bracelet.  Not enough there.

Wendy

They had it out for you, Wendy.  I'm convinced of it.  Nevertheless, you helped them along with a big dose of tacky this week.  It's a very tough field this season, so you have to play your A game each challenge.

And if these looks weren't labeled and I hadn't watched the episode, I would have swore that Josh designed this outfit.  This was way more Josh-ish from his season than it was Wendy from hers.  It's a shame she used the chains for the top and waist hanging because those pants are an incredible piece of workmanship.  They are quilted and flared....the fit is perfect.  If the top had been a little less tacky, she could have been a contender for the win because the length shows off the shoes pretty well.  Perhaps this wasn't the look that the Nine West shoe guy envisioned for these particular shoes, but I can't dock Wendy for trying to have some fun with a disco challenge.

Unfortunately, the judges weren't as amused.  Buh bye, Wendy.

Casanova

This dress was deceptively simple from the front, but all party in the back.  So 70's.

Despite the wonky shape that no one but a model could wear, this was a "show off the shoe" challenge and he met that brief.  I think this was perfectly plausible for a win, even though it makes the model look a bit like a teletubbie from the front.

Ivy

The judges loved this.

This dress photographs much better than it showed up on TV.  The camera kept focusing on the sloppily gathered waistline.  It took a village to glue gun the gee gaws on to the top of the bodice.  And even with a team of glue gunners, they could only get the gee gaws onto the front.  Note: Josh didn't help and we all know he's the fastest glue gunner in the west.

Looking at it in pictures, I could see why the judges were so fascinated, but on TV, all the flaws stood out.

Uli

Uli is the big winner this week.  The front was more embellished than the back, but that really doesn't matter because you're only going to photograph the front, right?  I don't think the look references the shoes at all, but hey, if you like the dress, switch them out with Emilio's shoes, since we didn't see those on the show.

The judges argued about whether this was 70's enough.

If I could turn back time...

All the fringe and beading looked tribal.  Totally derivative of Cher's "Half-Breed" look.  Isaac even alluded to it during judging.

So Uli, the girl who grew up with totally different disco in Germany is the big winner this week.

They keep showing amazing dresses in the mini preview during the show.  When do I get to see 'em?

Until next week....

Project Runway All-Stars Season Deux, Episode 1: Attitude Adjustment

Greetings, Project Runway Fans!  It's All-Star time!  Can't you just feel the excitement in the air?

Wendy Pepper!!!!  Josh! Ca-za-no-va! Ulllliiiii!  Kayne!  Anthony Ryan!  ANDRE!!!!!

Some things never change.  Emilio has that cute little lisp that sugar coats his fierce competitiveness.  Wendy Pepper STILL isn't here to make friends.  Suede still talks about himself in the third person.  Your straight guy friends will keep confusing Laura Kathleen with Althea and Althea is "Miss Bossypants."

Tell your straight guy friends that they'll want to watch this season, if for no other reason than to see the host, Carolyn Murphy.

Only, she'll be looking more like this....

Sorry guys.  That dress is all sorts of wrong.  Let's get on with this week's recap because right now, I've got another girl on my mind....

Hurricane Sandy, as seen from the US Space Station.

The challenge

This week's challenge split our group into teams, even though there were only thirteen designers.  They were to choose a mood and then build a cohesive collection with each designer contributing to the look.

And in case you were wondering, Wendy Pepper was chosen last, by the other team.

Joanna Coles is back with her fabulous British accent and loads of good advice for the veteran contestants.

Our guest judges this week were Rachel Roy (who dresses Michele Obama) and Mondo Guerra, on his world promotional tour, only this time, he didn't promote anything.

Team Black and Blue

Did I mention that each team's collection had to be cohesive?  For some reason, this team interpreted that to mean that everyone had to use the same two colors.  zzzzzz.  Actually, that was there default plan because they couldn't agree on any other.  And that was the start of the problem...

Laura Kathleen

It was the judges favorite of the evening, but because it was on Team Loser, she was safe (free from having to hear judges critiques) and that was that.  I'm not really feeling this outfit.  Yes, it's flattering enough on the model, but that peplum would be horrendous on a real woman.  There's something a little casual about the bodice that keeps me from saying that this is a lovely dress...I just can't put my finger on it.

Emilio

When Emilio wasn't winning the most challenges in his season, he was dying fabric in the toilet.  Actually, he won that challenge, too!  This is an interesting dress.  It is very flattering and for the right woman, would be a real show stopper.  It's provocative without being tremendously vulgar.

The exposure is only in the front.  Quite a brilliant and youthful dress and it fits perfectly.  Had that skirt been short, it would have been too much.  The model is showcased beautifully here.  Something tells me that when the fabric choices were made, Emilio had this outfit in mind....the others could fend for themselves.

Andre

Here's where the collection begins to fall apart.  It's a cute enough dress, but the sheer top just doesn't add enough interest to the very pedestrian dress underneath.

Suede

SUEDE SAYS: It's perfectly ok to use bra cups as capped sleeves!

There's a time and place for this sort of dress and that is during an unconventional materials challenge.  The bodice is a bit bunchy and the skirt is just too crafty.  It was not a completely offensive look, just not up to the polished standards the judges were expecting.    The bra cup sleeves do nothing for me.

Peach

Peach, I want to like you as a designer.  You seem like such a nice person, but you lead with your insecurity.  When Peach went before the judges, she began tearing her outfit apart...explaining away all the compromises she had to make...complaining about the fabric.  That's not the way to go, Peach.  Sell the dress in case the judges didn't quite think it was the worst one up there.  They were on crack this week anyway, as I'm about to explain with the next team.

It is sad to see Peach go.  I hope she is able to continue designing on her terms with a design process that gives her enough time to workout the self doubt.

Team Bossypants!

Right away, Wendy and Althea clashed.  Wendy thought Althea was much too controlling.  I agree.  Her taste level is extremely questionable and it extended through the entire team.  If Black and Blue had had its act together, Bossypants would have been kicked to the curb.  Or maybe not.  The judges were really eating this crap up.

Althea

The front is cute but the back is way out of proportion.  That tail at the bottom looks sloppy.   I really hate the styling here, too.  Not my favorite look at all.

Casanova

The judges LOVED this look.  For Casanova, who did not impress me in his season, this is not bad at all and very well fitted.  It was rightfully in the running for a win.

Uli

Uli's turned a new leaf, everyone.  She doesn't work exclusively with prints anymore.  However, the essence of every dress she turned out in her season is reflected right here, only with the ugliest front piece I've ever seen.  

Ivy

"Everyone loves a good jacket."  - Rachel Roy

You would have expected the judges panel to argue about the lace patches on the jacket, but no.  They argued about whether shorts were still in or passe.  "I'm over dress shorts," declared Isaac Mizrahi.

Then, Rachel began praising how perfectly placed the lace pieces were.  "They match in the back."  While that may be so, everyone is ignoring how strange this looks from a distance...as if someone shot holes through your arms and waist.  Then again, they would probably rave at how slimming that effect is......sigh....

Anthony Ryan

Admit it...when you saw him working in the sewing room, it didn't look like he was off to a good start.

Of all the looks out there in Team Bossypants, this one was the most versatile and modern.  Isaac thought the fit of the pants was off...I'm not seeing that.  Rachel gushed over how the back made the model's tush super sexy.  I would have complained that we would have liked to see more of that sexy tush and less of the cheap lace that covered it....but I wasn't on the panel.  The back is a surprise and the judges responded well to that element.  

Anthony Ryan was the winner this week.

Before I dart off to stand in line for D-batteries and bottled water, I have to note with amusement that this season is chock full of BIG PRIZES!  The winner gets to be an assistant editor at Marie Claire for a year, use of a fully equipped sewing and technology studio for a year, $150 K, a trip around the world to fashion weeks, and the OPTION for Nine West to pick you up as a designer.

So let me get this straight...for the privilege of knocking yourself out for two and a half weeks and coming out on top of a cut-throat competition, you get 365 days to travel, use stuff, and arm wrestle with Nina Garcia AND hope that doesn't distract you from putting together a winning proposal for a Nine West capsule (limited edition) collection.   Really?   I'm thinking the runners up this year will be the really lucky ones.

I may combine the next two weeks as I'm not sure that I'll have cable (or power) after the storm.  We'll see.  Until next time!!!