Thursday, December 6, 2007

Welcome to Parsons High...

Home of The Fighting Divas!


My oh my, Episode 4 really flipped da script, as the kids say. This week kicked off with a bitchfest from Ricky as my boyfriend, Jack, "stole" the only hot model. Correct me if I'm wrong, Dick, I mean Ricky...but didn't you steal her from Elisa in the first place? Simmer donna, this is a competition (for you as well)! Then the designers made their way to the workroom, where Nina T. Fashiondirectorofellemagazine stood waiting to deliver the challenge. Each designer was asked to choose a fashion don't from the likes of pleather, fringe, shoulder pads (vom), and so on, before scurrying off into teams of 3. Given the high-school-gym-class fashion in which this task was performed, it's no surprise that the resulting teams mirrored cafeteria lunch tables (a la Mean Girls). Get ready to meet.....


The Over-Acheievers (Jillian, Rami and Kevin): Models of technical excellence, always diligently focused on the task at hand. They're in a class all their own...like...AP Project Runway. And they're obviously Heidi's favorite.


The Cool Kids (Christian, Jack and Kit): Or should I say Karen, Gretchen and Regina? They're the team everyone wants to be! Remarkably tattooed, constantly laughing, and beautifully unatainable, they came together because Kit wanted to work with "the fun people." Us too, Kit. Us too.


The Misfits (Chris March, Sweet P, and Steven): Otherwise known as the flamboyant theater major, the motorcycle chick, and the...well...I don't know what the eff Steven is, but that alone classifies him as a misfit. No one understands them! Not you, not me, and certianly not Michael Kors.


The Foreign Exchange Students (Ricky, Victorya and Elisa): Hailing from Mexico, Korea, and planet SpitMark, they're all speaking their own language in the workroom. Luckily, Ricky was a cheerleader-turned-modern-dancer, so he's able to translate.

The interaction amongst teams was quite compelling. I, like Nina (and probably the rest of America), was surprised by Victorya's personality. Vic said she didn't wanna be a "bossy cow," but then...mooooo! She tried to tell a lingerie designer it's best to just flatten the crap out of a woman's boobs! Oy, those two fought so much they made Elisa look sane. Team March, too, was a train-wreck from the get-go. I thought they said they were leaving the grandmother's-couch-fabric at Mood, but they def threw some upholstery up on that runway. I would've loved to see Squints go instead of Chris (so thanks to Sweet P for trying), but that's the way it is when you're the leader of Team Fug. Le sigh.

Even more intriguing than the team dynamics that flopped were the ones that flourished. Team Star?! Bahahahahahaha! Wait! When did I start loving Christian? I don't know how or why...but damnit, he's okay by me. His best moment was in the design studio when Timmy G gave their creation the proverbial thumbs up, and Xtian sent him off with a "Thanks Timmmmm...loveyabye!" Very Regina Green. And then, there's my Dream Team: Rami, Jillian and Kevin. What sweet vindication for Jillian to win this challenge by re-vamping the fashion "don't" that she, herself, was sporting. But, although I love her fashion (overalls included - come on, the belt was cute), that girl is screeeaaaaming for a makeover. If I could just pull a Clueless and get her to the TRESemmé studio for 30 minutes, I know there's nothing wrong with her that a Chi flat-iron and a little bronzer couldn't fix. Anyway, she's a great designer...I told you, bitches! And coming down the runway, I LOVED the nouveauveralls Team J made (the pic doesn't do it justice). I mean like loved them to the point where I am praying they really do come back so I can wear them soon. And the shirt they paired with it was freaking adorable. I agree with the judges - this winner was clear. So congratulations, Team Jillian...A+++ for you.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Not sure about Ricky, but I do have a Marion Barry prediction


Last night I had a dream that Marion Barry, the 2nd and 4th mayor of Washington, DC, was a guest judge on Project Stunway. I wonder what that means.


Booooo team challenges!

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Lipstick on your collar told a tale on you

In my head, I know that Project Runway is a reality show and thus over-produced and edited for drama and story etc., but in my heart, I always believe PR is on a higher plain. This is why it annoys me so much when the little flaws in continuity are allowed to show through. The most flagrant violation comes when the designers choose their models for the next challenge. Backstage after the runway show Tim tells the recently auf'd designer to clean up his or her work space. Then we say a typically teary auf Wiedersehen. Lights out. Cue credits.

Beginning of next week's Ep: morning in NYC, designers waking up, putting on make-up, walking around in towels (Jack), few sad/chatty comments about the auf'd designer then everyone heads to Parsons.

Back to the runway. Hello Heidi! Bring out the models - here they come in their little black slips. Heidi begins, "Models, this is also a competition for you as well." Cue my inner monologue: Wait a minute... they are all still wearing the hair and make up from "last night's" runway show. Side bun... heavy eye make-up... wonky teased-out mess. Hmmm. Either these models are forced to spend the night at Parsons without access to showers, sinks or hairbrushes OR this part is filmed RIGHT AFTER THE RUNWAY SHOW.
Based on my own small un-scientific sample, PR fans tend to be v. smart and have an eye for detail. Who do you think you're foolin'? Helllooooo! We are all watching a show where, to quote Nina Garcia, it's all about the details. Did you guys think we wouldn't notice this little ruse? And secondly, who cares if you film the model elimination right after the designer elimination. I agree it would be rude to make all the models troop back in a day or two later just to be sent home within minutes. But isn't it just as silly to make all the designers pack their clothes for the next day and change into them for the filming of the model selection bit? (Side note on this: Kudos to the designers for being able to pick out an outfit and stick with it so far in advance. If I had to put on an outfit for an hour or so, and then was given 8 to 10 more hours before I had to get dressed again, I'm pretty sure I'd be tempted to try out a different look.)

Anyway. I still love you PR producers. It just hurt my feeling a bit that you thought I wouldn't notice or wouldn't care about these weekly lipstick on your collar moments.

Monday, December 3, 2007

In case of emergency, the exits are here, here, here, here here here EVERYWHERE!

I'm sure that Robin Williams would include a fashion emergency - like the one we see this young genie going through - in a list of emergencies wherein, should one occur, it would be acceptable to abandon carpet. It pains me to have to do this, and I'm sorry for being "negative" Allison, but seriously HOW CAN I RESIST. I found this woman hanging out on Carmen Webber's Sistahs of Harlem clothing line website. Oohh dear. I guess it's better that Carmen was eliminated when she was; had it come down to the wire, she may have been tempted to rub her lamp and wish for more wishes. Or "rub the lamp" that Keith Michael was rubbing last season. Even worse.

I would like Carmen and think she is cool even if her website was devoted totally to the design and sale of clown shoes, so I was happy to discover that a lot of her clothes are pretty cute. These are from their Fall 2007 Collection, Her Story: Tales of Powerful Women in Action.

Wangari Maathai Top by Sistahs of Harlem
Patsey Cline dress by Sistahs of Harlem
I love that purple dress but recognize that I'm probably attracted to it partly because I would have zero places to wear it. Dresses are like men in this way- the ones we desperately want are not always sensible, and usually cost us the most. [lights cigarette. cue Sex & the City music.]

Ricky, you got some 'splaining to do...

Since it's way more fun to dish about the designers than waste time telling you what actually happened, we're fortunate that MTV makes a weekly 60 second recap to do the 'splaining:

Whew! Now that that's out of the way...is it Wednesday yet?! Word on the stunway is that this week's team challenge (god help us) will be to turn a fashion "don't" into a fashion "do." Oooooh...I like that, I think!

Especially now that I have seen THIS:
Pleather? PLEATHER?! Bahahahaha score!
This will be good, friends.

If you're anything like me, you spent your weekend indulging a hangover or two in Bravo's project runway marathons. Aaaand comme moi, you've seen the preview for this week's episode approximately 300 times now. Well, I'll just say it: I'm scared, kids. Victorya gets bossy with Ricky! Rami gets salty w/ Jillian! Squints Palledorous gets sassy with the salad-dress-maker! It's anybody's ball-game, and you know what that means...my fantasy team is eff'ed.


Obviously, Team DanielVosovicShouldveWon is underperforming (save the 5 points Sweet P scored by getting bleeped 5 times - sweet mother, Sweet P, you've the mouth of a sailor!). Totally my fault. I abandoned Jack when I saw his Keith Michael moment in the previews, so it's only fair that Team DVSW shouldn't get to share in his victory. Lesson learned: This is Project Runway, not The Hills...it ain't all in the previews, people. (No disrespect to the Hills - and BTW, Whitney, if you're reading this, I would very much like to be best friends. Ditto to Lo.) Anyway, this week I am not going to let some 30-second snippet determine my fate. I'm following my heart, my intuition and, most importantly, my fashion sense. So Kevin, Jillian and Rami...let's make Daniel V. proud!

Final note: Miss Heidi is making a non-PR appearance on the boob tube again this week. My word-choice is literal, as she'll be appearing in the Victoria's Secret fashion show on CBS. Be sure to tune in to support our favorite fräulein - anyone who's had TROIS kids and a maintains a totally ridic body deserves as much. Oh, and speaking of three kids and an amazing body, Posh Spice will be there! YAY!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

One of these things is not like the others....

This is a model on Project Runway, Season One:


This is a model on Project Runway, Season Two:



This is a model on Project Runway, Season Three:




And THIS is a model on Project Runway, Season Four:


So, like...what the fug is up with the season 4 models?

An excellent cardigan attitude, Carmen-like-the-opera

Carmen left PR earlier than she had planned but maintains a positive outlook on the experience as a whole, despite that embarrassing fight with Ricky and her unfortunate-looking necklace. I think the fact that she didn't design anything totally sweet is giving us the impression that she doesn't design anything totally sweet. C'est la show. She's cool and I wish she'd had more time, and maybe also that she had stayed home for Aladdin and other 90s gems. Check out part deux of the exit interview for Carmen's dreams for the remaining designers.