Thursday, July 20, 2006
Due to the success and interest expressed in my previous Project Runway post (I'm quite serious), here is installment #2. I tried to post this last night after the episode aired, but the Project Runway site was getting hammered so I couldn't get in to get the links. So most of this was written right after the episode ended. Those looking for war and politics can move along...nothing to see here...
For the rest...
Noooooooo! Malan is out. That completely sucks. I was just beginning to like him. It looked like he was going to be one of the more interesting characters to watch, and now he's gone on the second episode. Terrible. At least he designed a dress. I don't know what the real dynamic was between Angela and Vincent and who's fault the whole thing was [edit: From Tim's blog, it sounds like the problem was really Vincent's inability to play well with others.], but Angela didn't have anything to do with what went down the runway. So why should she stay? She can't even sketch!? These team challenges always have these weird, unsatisfying outcomes. Frustration starts early this season. Besides, Jeffrey and Alison's dress was a disaster.
Oh yeah, the challenge was to design a gown for Miss USA, Tara Conner, to wear for the Miss Universe competition. Yes, the winner's dress will be worn for the competition. 
There's no question that Kayne and Robert's dress should have won and it did. That dress was gorgeous. (Their model knew how to move in it, too.) Now I've got to watch the Miss Universe contest so I can see how Miss USA looks in it. This is as it should be, by the way, as Kayne is a professional pageant-gown designer.
Malan and Katherine's dress was flawed, for sure, but I thought it was interesting, and Laura & Michael's dress was way too simple and could easily have been a candidate for expulsion.
Folks on the Bravo Boards are not happy.
As usual, Tim is the man. On Jeffrey and Alison:
I think Jeffrey's next design will be to insert adhesive-impregnated torn rags into a canon and fire them at the model.
Ah well, Malan, we hardly knew ye. They say there's no crying in baseball, but there is certainly crying in fashion design. Good luck to you. You acquitted yourself honorably.
Until next week...
DRECK! DRECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am happy Malan is gone. He is either not true to himself or so true he upsets everyone else. I just watched all three of his auditions for all the seasons and his bio video and i really believe this guy is all over the place. He can't keep his head on in one direction. Great blog! Keep the project Runway blogs acoming!
Though I agree with you that Kayne and Robert's dress was perfect for Tara Conner, I severely disagree with your critique of Laura's gown. I would have to say that from a design perspective it was one of the most successful gowns, though not for Tara Conner specifically.
Laura's design was perfectly executed and flawlessly combined the classic silhouette with modern design. Out of every gown, Laura's visually elongated her model the most, had the best fit, and flowed wonderfully onstage, producing the effect of having full body and volume while still being long, slim, and sleek. The architectural overtones in this piece were stunning and created an image of a delicate gown with a (forgive the pun) strong-as-steel foundation.
I understand fully why this gown didn't win the challenge (ie. Tara specifically requested no white, and while this gown was not plunging and had a stunning back, the neckline would look stifling over her bust) but to assume that Laura and Michael's gown was "too simple" and thus could have been expelled is to forget that high fashion, like high art, is not merely an attempt to put the viewer's eye on a visual rollercoaster.
There is much to be said for what is left out, and much more respect for what we restrain.
Uhh... The Miss Universe pageant was last week, and it doesn't look like she wore the dress at all.
Nuh uh...she wore it! I'll have to dig up a picture when I get a chance.