Top Design 9/17/08--"Window Display" summary

Previously on Top Design: the designers had to decorate bomb shelters. Oh, it was fun. They made them pair up, of course. The cutest couple, who didn’t win, but were super cute, were Nathan and Wisit. They got rid of one of the beds to make more space, since they decided they could sleep together. Hee. Andrea and Eddie won, because…I guess the judges liked their painting and they didn’t fill up the space with candles. Robert and Jennifer lost, since they pretty much drew a line down the center of the room and everyone was supposed to blend their styles. First the judges kicked off Jennifer, and then they kicked off Robert too for good measure. Surprise double elimination! Woo! (click for more)

Shazia says too many people are gone. More half naked shots of the boys. Nathan says winning would be amazing and he starts talking about being a starlet. Wisit tells us he graduated from Parsons (does Tim know him?) but he didn’t like his time in fashion. Eddie wants an individual challenge.

India is waiting for everyone in a strip mall parking lot. She wants to test them in “broader strokes”. Everyone will pair up to make window displays. Hee! Interesting. And actually more “design” than “decorating”. Andrea complains that she is paired with Preston, who has been in the bottom twice, and of course she’d rather have Eddie. India says of course they have clients! More reality TV stars! Sweet P, Daniel Franco, Jeffrey, Santino, and Andrae. Everyone recognizes them, I think. Eddie wants Santino. Jeffrey is rocking a 70s long mustache (the kind that hit your jaw but there’s no hair on your chin) and a red and tan stripped v-neck sweater. Yeah. Everyone else looks normal. Eddie gets his wish and he and Teresa get Santino. He thinks he is kind of like Santino. Honey, Santino could eat you alive. Kerry and Wisit get Jeffrey. Kerry kind of freaks out. Natalie and Ondine get Sweet P. Shaz and Nathan have Andrae. Oh they’re like twins! That means Preston and Andrea have Daniel Franco, who says that he was hoping to get “Team Gorgeous”. Oh man I have missed Daniel Franco. (Kmanpat: “I want Team Gorgeous too! Daniel can have Andrea and I can have Preston. That’s fair.”) They get 30 minutes to meet, and then one of them will be selected team leader.

It appears that each window has one outfit by the designer. Santino’s mannequin has a scary mask on so it has a face. It looks like a cape, with a hood. It’s “sick”. Under the dress is a black dress with a belt. Eddie totally takes over and just talks and talks while Teresa just stands there. I have no idea what he is talking about, though. Sweet P’s dress is a long strapless number with fat horizontal tiers in different autumnal colors. Ondine has made many many window displays. Natalie is also throwing ideas out, about butterflies. Sweet P thinks they’ll win. Daniel Franco’s dress is a chartreuse color. There’s a wide collar in a U shape, and the sides of the bodice are cut out. Then there’s a long ballgown skirt with a train. I actually like it. Andrea says she’d buy it in a heartbeat. Daniel Franco (I don’t know, I just feel like I always have to say his full name) has some poetry about his clothes. It’s actually descriptive of a landscape, so of course they’re going to go with that. He is glad to be making it easy for the people working with him. Andrae has a simple dark gray dress with a bubble hem and spaghetti straps. He starts talking about fall and elections and uncertainty. Nathan is depressed by the dress. Shaz speaks more his language, and is talking about vortices and whatnot. I think Nathan just sees a pretty dress. Jeffrey’s outfit is tight black pants and a black blazer, with no shirt. Actually it might be midnight blue. He tells them it’s inspired by “Blade Runner” but Kerry thinks he is talking about “Blades of Glory.” No…no that’s not the same at all. Jeffrey keeps talking and Kerry realizes he has no idea what Jeffrey is talking about. Wisit starts talking about graffiti and Jeffrey is confused. Kerry brings up mirrors and tiles and Jeffrey goes for it and makes him leader. Andrae picks his twin Nathan to be leader. Eddie is also chosen, and he makes sure to say that “we” will do a good job. Daniel Franco picks Preston, and Andrea pretends to be fine with it. Sweet P can’t decide, so she picks Ondine because she’s older. Sigh.

Now everyone has 30 minutes and $400 for paint, wallpaper, etc. Eddie is going for “Venetian mansion on the river”. Nathan doesn’t like Andrae’s vision but he’s the client so he’s going with it. Kerry is nervous about being leader and having to see the vision through. Wisit brings up his Rococo thing again, and Kerry has to shoot it down like Jeffrey did. Several times. But Wisit does bring up a good point, which is that there’s nothing special about a mirrored wall.

Shopping time! $500 to split between the hardware store and the craft store. They split up the teams. Preston takes almost all the money and gets trees. Ondine buys pink netting butterflies. Wisit is supposed to buy mirrors and spray paint, which he claims is not available (no paint? OK…). Instead he is buying “pretty things”. Kerry buys every mirror he can find for the kaleidoscope idea. Eddie breaks a mirror, apparently by touching it. Now everyone goes to the “Top Design Showroom” at the “Top Design Warehouse.” What is this? Is this like the center they were in last time, where they could go to all the super expensive showrooms and borrow furniture? It looks like a thrift store. But they get $600. Nathan doesn’t want to play it safe, so he’s getting some ethnic stuff.

3 hours to work. Eddie lets us know that “communicate and plan” is his mantra. By which he means “tell Teresa what to do by waving my arms around and talking really fast.” Preston has to trim and paint trees. Shaz asks Nathan if the wall is straight, and Nathan replies “Honey, there ain’t nothin’ straight on this show.” Hee! (Kmanpat: “Who needs me to make comments when they can do it themselves?”) He is worried about working with Shaz because she’s not really a hard worker. Kerry has foiled wallpaper, which seems to be shiny silver with red designs. He was going to make squares but Wisit wants to hang strips on each end of the window to frame the yellow paint. That yellow is the exact shade of yellow that their ladder is painted. Kerry is going with Wisit’s idea as a compromise. Being the leader means you don’t have to do that, silly. Natalie and Ondine paint blue on the walls and try to get it all done.

Todd shows up to give advice in time to make it useful. He tells Nathan to put paper on the mirror before he cracks it, to give him more control. He also tells them to put the dress in front of their gray to make sure it doesn’t blend in. Todd tells Kerry and Wisit to test their adhesive to make sure it dries. So Kerry gives Wisit one of the biggest mirrors and makes him hold it up by himself while he goes outside to get stuff. When Kerry gets back in the mirror has slid down so there are big smears of adhesive on the wall. Why didn’t they test it with a small mirror? Kerry blames Wisit for the screw up. Lots of people spray painting. Eddie also breaks mirrors. Natalie loses the arm off her mannequin. Eddie says they’re good. Their window is magenta with silver wallpaper. Teresa is fine with being the assistant. They’ve also got archways painted in the windows. I can’t tell if that’s the same wallpaper as Kerry and Wisit. Preston and Andrea are spreading rocks. He looks mighty fine in his wifebeater.

Everyone gets 4 hours the next day to work and finish everything. Ondine is mounting wallpaper, black with giant silver butterflies. Kerry mounts mirrors in different sizes. Preston and Andrea try to plan how to hang their mannequin from the ceiling. They figure out the rope will hold and then Preston tells Andrea to “put the bar in her butt” so he doesn’t have to hold it up. He says it like 5 more times because Andrea is having some trouble with it. Andrea says he needs to get along with everyone. Andrae shows up to investigate Nathan’s plan. He doesn’t want to hear from Andrae, in case he hates everything. And this comes true, because Andrae had too much wicker in his house when he was a child and now he is allergic to it or something. Finally he is like, “No, I can’t do the wicker, I’m so sorry.” I expected him to put hand to forehead. Shaz says there is a lot of wicker in the room. Sweet P is freaking out a little bit because her team is kind of behind. I would think that she would understand last minute working. Jeffrey hates the wallpaper. Fabulous. He just says he doesn’t like it and then leaves. Daniel Franco says that his window is the most dramatic, even though it looks like everything in it is black—walls, floor, trees. Preston asks him to sign the corner of the wall. Santino asks if that’s the finished color of the walls, and Eddie right away says that they can rub black shoe polish on it. Inside the building you can see that these aren’t really proper window displays, but instead are just walls that they built and then put in front of the windows. Santino asks Eddie if Teresa is “doing a good job for [him]” and Eddie says no. she’s taking too long. Teresa thinks he’s just freaking out.

Kerry doesn’t know what to do about the wallpaper, but Wisit thinks if they paint the sides of the actual window black, it will hide the wallpaper and narrow the space. The black stain is working for Eddie and Teresa. Nathan is still worried. Everyone finishes, and Teresa is worried because last time was a double elimination.

The judges appear that very night, after dark, to be judges. So all of Eddie’s freaking out about the paint in the sunlight is pointless. Kelly has a purple sequined beret on and her hair is frizzed out so much it looks like she got struck by lightening. Shazia reminds us that Jonathan Adler is married to Simon Doonan, who dresses windows for a living. No really, they’ll be married probably by the time you read this. Andrae’s window is gray, with French molding creating big frames. Inside the frames are broken pieces of mirror. There are more broken mirrors on the floor, and some dark pink flowers. A set of black shelves, and a wicker chair covered in canvas, and some silver lanterns. There isn’t much color. Nathan explains to the judges the concept of grayness and uncertainty and turmoil. Jonathan rolls his eyes. Kelly doesn’t get it, she thinks it needs Cliff notes. She asks about the ethnic vibe (the lanterns are kind of Asian) and Shaz makes up some BS about Pakistan. Andrae says it’s not what he imagined but that’s why you collaborate. Hmmm.

Sweet P’s window. Sigh. Blue walls, with framed unbroken mirrors. The skirt is pinned to the wall so it sweeps back, and there is blue fabric running from the mannequin to the ceiling like a cape in the wind or something. Covering the fabric are pink and purple butterflies. There are butterflies everywhere, all over the walls, the chair, etc. Natalie says it was her idea to pin the dress to the wall. Sweet P loves it.

Jeffrey’s window looks tiny on account of the black paint. Of course they shoot it from the side so you can still see the wallpaper. The yellow looks a little muted, and most of the open space is covered in mirrors anyways. There seem to be glass globes on the floor. Of course the first thing Kelly asks is why they closed off the windows, and Kerry describes the kaleidoscope idea. The baubles on the floor, Wisit says, don’t have a reference except for visual interest. Jeffrey says this isn’t what he imagined. Uh oh.

Santino’s window has dark draperies, and draped frames. The walls look old with the shoe polish on them. Actually, with the mask on the mannequin it really goes well together. There’s a black chair and black ribbons and broken mirrors everywhere. Kelly asks if they can get closer and Santino says he wants them inside. He says that he’s happy overall. Jonathan looks confused.

Daniel Franco’s window is all black. Black walls, black trees, black rocks. And the chartreuse dress. Well, the mannequin is suspended so it kind of floats (points deducted for using super thick rope that is obvious) and there are shiny bits in the trees. Kelly loves the dress. They like the color of the walls, which was Teresa’s idea. On closer inspection it might be a very dark charcoal gray.

India gets right down to business. Preston and Andrea get praise for their simple design with flawless colors. The judges also loved Ondine and Natalie’s creative confident window. Ondine and Natalie win. Interesting. Even more interesting is Jonathan’s admission in his blog that he liked the window so much that he wanted to wear the dress. I’ll let you have a minute to let that image sink in. They get to leave. Preston and Andrea also can escape. Backstage Ondine and Natalie break open the beer. Eddie and Teresa’s window had fantastic colors and satisfied their client, but it was sloppy and the dress didn’t stand out enough. But they are in. I just noticed that Kelly has on purple leg warmers to go with her beret. Well…they are not as thick as leg warmers, they’re more like purple socks with most of the foot part cut off.

Jonathan was disappointed with Kerry and Wisit. He picks on Wisit because he has a fashion background. The black paint enclosed the windows so much you couldn’t see anything. Kerry says Wisit is very talented, but Kerry is the one that connected with Jeffrey. He knows he screwed up by listening too much to Wisit. Wisit thinks that Jeffrey was too demanding and that was why their window sucked. Andrae’s political ramblings didn’t go with his dress, and Margaret thinks it’s good they satisfied their client but their window still sucked. Nathan admits that he didn’t like the dress and that might have thrown them off track. Shaz believes they just didn’t get their window where they wanted it. Jonathan would have liked to see them make a good window first, and then inject their story. India tries to get Shaz to throw Nathan under the bus, but she says that she won’t, even if that means she goes home with him. Nathan doesn’t want to throw Shaz under the bus (really he says that) but he also wants to keep going after working so hard. He knows he dropped the ball. Kerry carries responsibility for the failure. Wisit, after hemming and hawing, admits that Kerry shouldn’t go home just because he’s team leader.

Nathan and Shaz made a high school art project. Shaz has been quiet and is always behind someone. Kerry and Wisit could have done better work. Jeffrey was the wrong client for both of them. Jonathan knows designers have to be able to change their minds but they made all the wrong changes. Nathan doesn’t want to go home, he says, so Wisit gives him a hug. Aww, they’re so cute.

Nathan’s window was bad, and he is team leader, so ultimately he is responsible. Shaz hasn’t shown her style yet, so they have no reason to keep her around. This is how you know she is safe. Kerry pissed off his client and the window was unsuccessful, and he was team leader. Wisit has a fashion background but didn’t shine. Kerry is sent home. Wisit looks really hurt. I’m glad Kerry took responsibility for listening to Wisit, but no one really brought that up. He starts crying in his exit interview, saying he’s a man of his word and takes responsibility for the design. He says there’s something bigger for him, “because bigger is always better when it comes to Big Daddy.”

Nest week: design for bachelors. Shaz says bachelors are disgusting and gross. I think I’m going to put that at the same level as the one male competitor on “Hell’s Kitchen” that says “I can’t lose to a GIRL”. Someone doesn’t want to design a room around a TV. Eddie talks down to the salesperson at some store.
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Project Runway 9/17/08--"Transformation" summary

Previously on Project Runway: everyone had to make avant-garde clothes based on a zodiac sign. Should have been done with 12 people left, I think. But this way they could invite all the executed designers back to pair up with the people left. No one really did anything avant-garde. Remember Jeffrey’s yellow and red plaid dress from Paris? Anyway, Jerell was chosen the winner, chosen by previous Runway alumni. Then they kicked out Blayne for some weird fabric-pooping thing, and also Terri for a boring dress, or costume, or something. I really think Kenley should have gone home but that’s probably because I don’t like her. She was very defensive about how her dress was totally her sign, even though no one got it. And she insisted that she doesn’t look at other designers’ collections, which 1. actually is a bad thing, apparently, according to Kors, but also 2. so far, she is the only designer this season who gets compared to designers on a regular basis. When she won, with her 80’s print and poofy skirt? Someone’s fall collection of 80’s, high necked dresses. Her finale collection has been compared to others. It’s just entertaining that she’s so insistent that she is unique and great and she’s the only one that reminds people of someone else. (click for more)

Blayne is finally gone with his “licious” and nonsense. He was fine when he wasn’t doing that. Leanne guesses that they’ll be making evening gowns for infants. Kenley has no idea why she was in the bottom, so she’s basically saying screw you and doing whatever she wants. Yeah, that’s a good idea.

Heidi doesn’t even let them pick models before some older women come out. Cue the tootling “crazy model time!” music. Korto says she knows what happened the last time there were moms, and she doesn’t want to have to kick anyone’s ass for making her mom cry. Hee. Jerell knows these are moms, but they sure as hell aren’t his and Korto’s moms (that’s fo sho) so he doesn’t have any idea what is going on. Hey, he has a good point. Heidi clarifies: they won’t design for these women. Leanne is relieved not to have to design an “old lady outfit”. So their actual clients come out: some young women. Jerell thinks they are so young it might be another prom challenge, but as someone who works with high school students, I can tell you those women are in college. These are the daughters, and they have all recently graduated from college. So now they’re getting makeovers, I guess to join the workforce. Everyone gets paired up. I have a question: why are the mothers even involved in this challenge? Wouldn’t it have been just as good to only have the girls? Are we that desperate for drama? Kenley of course gets the girl with the retro glasses and the blond bangs. Leanne thinks her client is 12.

Joe is sketching even before Tim shows up. Tim points out that since he is sure the mothers will have opinions, in essence the designers have two clients. 30 minutes to caucus, $100 at Mood. Joe is convinced that if mom likes his design, daughter will not. Kenley’s client Anna tells her she’s cute. This is going to be SO GREAT. (Kmanpat: “You mean grate. *snort*”) She’s going to do her usual retro thing. Shocker. Korto is a hip mom so she feels like she is with it. She’s making a wrap dress. Jerell’s client is a designer but she wants androgynous. This translates to a pencil skirt, blouse, and men’s cardigan. Leanne’s client Holly is a teacher, so she wants comfort but also authority. Mom is kind of bossy. Avital (stuck with Suede, fun) wants an interview outfit but she’s a photographer so it doesn’t have to be that conservative. She wants pants which kind of freaks him out. But he sounds like he’ll do it. Laura tells Joe she has no job yet but has some interviews. He’s planning a skirt suit, and they talk about where the jacket should hit her so it looks good.

Shopping time! It looks like some of them bring bags to reuse. Korto interviews that now that Stella’s gone she’s the queen of leathah now. Suede has a “Pucci-esque” print. I don’t know if that’s spelled right and I don’t care. It’s not a bad print, I guess.

Tim gives them until midnight tonight and also all day tomorrow. Leanne is making a dress with what looks like a boxy jacket. She starts talking about her first job and the editors oblige with a photo. She looks 7. She was making clothes for someone else. Joe worked in the stockroom at Gucci. His picture? He is every 80s business man. Oh man. Hilarious. You can see the gel. Kenley moved to New York right out of school with no money, she’s not going to stop now, etc.

“Top Chef: New York”! Coming Soon! Woo!

Jerell, who is working the jheri curl in his old picture, is brave enough to admit he started at McDonalds. Korto is worried about her jacket, which is not quite heavy enough to be tweed and instead is looking burlap. Suede is starting with the jacket because he’s afraid of the pants.
Tim brings in the clients for 30 minutes to fit. Jerell has a ruffled and sheer top, in a dark color. It might be cool. Avital asks Suede to make her less professional. Mom asks if he can make cuffs out of the print, but he thinks it’s cheap. The jacket isn’t so matronly, but with matching pants it probably isn’t great. Joe’s client doesn’t like pinstripes. Mom thinks she’ll look sharp. Jerell interviews that Kenley can only make 50’s dresses, as if we hadn’t figured that out for ourselves. Holly’s mom tells Leanne that the top of the dress makes Holly look flatchested. She wants it lower cut. She’s a teacher, it can’t be that low. Mom insists that if they were in a store they’d put it back. It’s not that bad. Now Leanne feels behind.

Korto tells Leanne she cringed when she heard her clients telling her to fix things. Leanne’s going to keep the detail but move it. It still puts her behind. Suede is draping his top long like a dress and he hates pants so much he is going to make a dress and just sell Avital on a dress. Joe is making…a pocket square? For a girl? Sigh. Jerell makes fun of him to his face, but Kenley does it behind his back. Jerell borrows some fabric to make himself a pocket square, in his close-cut blazer with no shirt on. Joe says he has so many opinions, like…he starts laughing and won’t finish. I don’t know.

Day 2. Tim brings the clients back in, sans moms. Cool. Joe thinks his client is more excited, and he wants to show off fit and tailoring. Korto’s jacket looks great. Holly loves Leanne’s new dress. Sadly Avital loves Suede’s dress and doesn’t want pants. I was hoping for some drama. Tim wants everyone to gather ‘round. Suede knows “gather ‘round!”s are never good so he’s just hoping not to have to design for the moms. Tim brings in a special guest: Jeanie Syfu, head stylist for TRESemme. The winning look is going to be in Elle. Woo. Now we spend time on hair consults. Everyone just agrees with everything, except of course Kenley tells the stylist what to do.

Tim time! He hates Suede’s pockets on the jacket and the sleeves because they don’t look even. Joe’s client is a graphic designer but his suit looks too much like a lawyer. Joe isn’t listening, because he thinks a professional look is the most important thing. Tim calls Jerell’s outfit stunning. Somehow…it feels fake. I don’t know, I just have a gut feeling that his statement was edited. Kenley has a vest going on, for some reason. Tim tells her that without a belt, the look is very masculine, the vest I guess. So the vest without a belt doesn’t go with the girly dress. He also tells her that the tulle could be the same length as the skirt, and we see that she has like 2 or 3 inches of tulle sticking out of the bottom of the skirt. Stupid. Kenley thinks Tim doesn’t get her so she’s not listening. Ugh, she bugs me.

Korto tells Joe she’s made her daughter some stuff. Her daughter is so cute! She’s always in Korto’s clothes. Korto can’t imagine her daughter at 21. Joe calls his wife and kids from the lounge. His main purpose for being on the show is to prove to his daughters that no one can stop you.

Back at the apartments everyone hangs out and trash talks people. Well, mostly Kenley says that Suede isn’t a good designer because, and I quote, “he can’t interpret his style into different looks.” Then she calls him a poser. I can’t even improve on that statement by making a comment. I’ll just let it sink in.

On the day of the show Tim gives everyone an hour with their clients. Joe’s client says a job’s a job, so she’s not concerned about the conservativeness of the outfit. Anna shows Kenley she’s been practicing her walk. There isn’t as much frantic sewing as there has been. Kenley thinks everyone else sucks and she’s sure she’ll be in the top three.

Heidi is rocking a green dress that is apparently one of Rami’s. Guest judge today is Cynthia Rowley. Why is Jerell wearing a flat cap covered in feathers? He looks silly. Joe: pinstripe skirt, wrap blouse in stripes, navy blazer with red piping. And a leopard print pocket square. I’m sorry, but his client isn’t that big, and this suit makes her look huge. She looks like a man. There’s no excuse for that. AND he popped the collar on her shirt. Leanne: boxy gray jacket with elbow length sleeves and a circular pattern on one shoulder. The pattern is in dusty rose and charcoal. Then the dress is a navy with a block of rose down the bodice and a gray belt. It looks pretty cute, actually. She still looks young, but whatever. Jerell: pencil skirt in black, chocolate brown silk top with ruffles and a sheer piece over her upper chest, and a black cardigan. I think for a designer you could wear that to an interview. Korto: wrap dress in a green leaf-like print. It is pretty short for someone that works in a lab. It’s short for work, period. The jacket is camel and has black piping so it accentuates her curves. It closes just under her bustline and then is open up to the high collar so it has a keyhole opening. I really like it, even though it has bracelet sleeves and I think bracelet sleeves look like you shrunk your clothes by accident. Suede: the jacket, which his client whips off really quickly, is brown with lavender piping and flares out at the wrists. The dress is one shoulder, with braided straps at the opposite shoulder, in the purple print. The straps cross in the back. Kenley: first of all, she put one of her feather sprays in the girl’s hair. You know those aren’t on the Bluefly accessory wall. She’s got her usual retro dress with a pinkish print. Then there’s a brown vest and a wide peach belt. It’s unfortunate because the belt is really, really close to Holly’s skin tone so from far away it looks like a cropped top and skirt combo.

Heidi kicks the moms out of the room, and makes everyone stay on the runway. Kenley gets to go first. She tries to kiss ass and say she thinks her look would look good in Elle. Heidi says she created a mini-me. Ha! She did! Nina labels it “charming” and Cynthia likes it too. Damn. Joe gets slammed for making a suit, because you can be professional without a suit. His client admits she likes it better without the jacket. Uh oh. Kors implies that Joe is too old and starts talking about a pocket square, and then Kenley starts laughing. And Holly too. Will no one say anything? Seriously, it’s so unprofessional and rude, and this isn’t the first time she’s done it. I hope Joe yells at her in the waiting room. Nina labels it cliché. Korto made a fun outfit to fit her client’s age of 21. Everyone loves it and it’s well made. Leanne’s outfit looks much much better without the jacket. I guess they thought the jacket hid her body. I think they like the dress but not the jacket. Heidi loves everything about Jerell’s client. Nina likes the cardigan with the frilly blouse. Suede’s jacket, you can see now, has purple swirly piping on the sleeves, and the same color on the pockets. Avital wanted something to go day to evening, and Cynthia says she should just change clothes. Oo. Nina doesn’t like it and she clams up. I will say, that dress and that jacket don’t really fit. I think the jacket might look better with pants. Just maybe not matching pants.

Good: Jerell (a wonderful transformation, sophistication without being old), Kenley (interesting print, done well, worked for her client), Korto (perfectly tailored jacket that looked expensive). Bad: Suede (ridiculous jacket, looks 20 years older and not like a photographer), Leanne (didn’t look fresh, old fashioned, frumpy), Joe (out of touch, poorly done, not contemporary, cliché). Sadly, unlike on “Top Chef”, there is no drama backstage in the waiting room.

Korto is in. Whatever, I want that outfit she made. Jerell wins. Take that, Kenley! I am a small person so I am glad that she looks pissed. He’s thrilled of course. (Tim’s Take says that the feathered thing Jerell was wearing on his head was originally for his model to wear on the runway. Can you imagine?) Kenley is in. Leanne is in. Joe aged his model (25 years for him), and Suede’s look was impractical and silly. Joe is out. He doesn’t think he deserved to leave, he’s got some versatility, he thinks he’s proven that he can follow his dreams. And he still got to show at Fashion Week.

Next week: “unique”, says Tim. Jerell wants to sabotage Suede. Tim flat out tells Kenley to “remove the sarcasm and facetiousness”. To which Kenley replies, “What does Tim know?” (Kmanpat: “More than you, honey.”) LL Cool J is here! Korto says they’re leaving Kenley out to dry. Woo!
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Project Runway at New York Fashion Week

I'm sure many of you know about this already but all 6 of the remaining contestants showed collections at Fashion Week. Each person got 10 looks, which is smaller than in the past. Eventually I'll post pictures of each one, but I want to wait until some more people get eliminated. Also if I wait long enough there will be hi-resolution pictures up, and I want to see those. Until then, you can see all of the collections here at Project Rungay, with slideshows and links to videos.

According to Bravo's schedule, the finale is split into two parts, so they can stretch it out over two weeks. It looks like single eliminations each week to get to a final 3. Either that or they'll mess with it like they did 3rd season and have a final 4. But the season doesn't end until October 15th, and you know they'll probably have a reunion after that. I wish they would time things better. There's really no reason to need decoys.
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Top Design 9/10/08--"Artsy Bunker" summary

Previously on Top Design: the second season looked like it might not suck. There are Quickfires now, and a random hot woman to host and judge. There are entertaining characters. They even started out designing in a real space instead of those fake half rooms they used so much. After being split up into teams, the designers each were assigned to one of the judges to decorate a loft for them. All clients were difficult and so forth, as expected, and there was drama and disasters, as expected. In the end the team that designed for Kelly won, but the team making a loft for India lost, probably due to their crappy couch that I wouldn’t even buy. Serge went home, but I didn’t feel too bad because he kept talking about how he didn’t play by the rules or whatever, and people who actually say that all the time are the people who aren’t really rebels. (click for more)

My friend Kmanpat is watching with me. He generally watches "Project Runway" but I coerced him with the promise of half naked boys. (Kmanpat: “Woo!”)

Kerry wants to show everyone he is a good designer. Eddie busts out the phrase “_____ boot camp”, which I think is up there with “I’m not here to make friends” and “thrown under the bus” on the list of reality show clichés.

Back at the workspace, India comes in to interrupt the playing in rolly chairs. She says they’ll each get a 12’ by 14’ room to work in this week. To make things more fun, they have to share that space with someone else. As they make random selections, Andrea says she is relieved to be paired up with Eddie. After last week and her disdain for her team, she’s glad to have someone with some skill. Todd shows up with an old school TV to show them about their spaces. Complete with old VCR. He starts showing them a 50’s school filmstrip style PSA about the “tension” in the world and also “attacks”. A couple of people already get it and are laughing. Then the screen spells it out for everyone else: “Home Fallout Shelter”. Hee. Bomb shelters. Now they are kind of freaking out. Ondine thinks that you might actually have to live forever in a bunker, post 9/11. Natalie wants to make something that won’t make you feel bad about being bombed. I see. India says that they have to showcase each partner’s style, but the two halves must go together. They’ll have 30 minutes in the bunkers to think, then $6000 per team to shop, the rest of today to work and a few hours tomorrow.

They’ve built bunkers in the studio? Maybe? Gray walls and cots, and concrete. They should be thankful there’s no toilet. They have skylights, which are probably florescent lights. Everyone tries to make things pretty. Robert and Jennifer butt heads since he is really anal about planning and is horrified that she won’t plan out fabrics and whatnot. Nathan and Wisit are getting rid of one of their beds. Aww, they’re cute together! Really they want the space, but it’s still cute. Everyone is really taking this seriously, in that they’re thinking about what they’d like if they were really stuck in this space for the rest of their lives. Natalie starts talking in confessional, and it just makes my head hurt: “If the world was to end, and I could plan it, because I was God, it would have to be something stupid…like…the Chinese built the Transformers…to bomb us back, because they were PISSED about the Hiroshima bomb.” Wow, Natalie, that IS stupid. Teresa says she is glad to have Natalie because Natalie is entertaining. Jennifer wants green and yellow, and Robert wants blue, so she says they need to move closer. He calls her colors muddy, and she snips back that he shouldn’t assume because she has a plan. She’s offended, like he said she had no taste. To be fair, it’s not swampy, but it’s also a lot of brown and not as much green and yellow.

Shopping time is at Plummers, with $3000 of their budget. Preston and Ondine (“His & Hers”) each have their own little area within the space. Nathan and Wisit (“Edited Elegance”) have minimal furniture, with at least a sofa. Robert and Jennifer (“Personalized Spaces”, ha) seem to be agreeing on furniture. Eddie and Andrea (“Country Garden”) almost buy a dining table, until Eddie realizes it doesn’t make any sense. They seem to have put pillows in a pile of stuff that was labeled, and now they can’t find them. Jennifer came along and took them, because the pillows themselves weren’t labeled. Andrea and Eddie are bitchy about it, but…label your pillows.

Now is another 30 minutes and $1000 at Pier 1. Kerry and Shazia (“Clean and Classic Spa”) are looking for tea lights. Your air circulation is not good enough for candles. She wants 50. Kerry knows that it’ll be hot, even if he doesn’t know about oxygen. Ondine is getting plates and stuff like that.

5 ½ hours to work. Nathan thinks Wisit will be quick with the fabric draping. They joke about how Nathan loves Wisit and will do whatever he says. Hee. Robert and Jennifer are painting and seem to at least know what to do. Eddie is painting a tree. A tree of life. Kerry and Shazia are painting the ceiling. Kerry notices that she complains about everything, and then says he has a work ethic that “young designers” don’t often have. Preston and Ondine have a good floor plan. These rooms are like a dorm room size, I just realized now that there is furniture. Everyone is fairly far along, except Robert and Jennifer. She thinks that dividing the room in half is so silly that they might as well draw a line down the center of the room. She tells Robert that the point was to have a unified space, and Robert says that it doesn’t have to be matchy-matchy, Jennifer, but she thinks it’s stupid. He says he has a vision so she should just keep working. Nathan is worried about time.

Preston and Ondine bring things of their own to decorate with. Preston can use his shirt, that is fine with me. (Kmanpat: “And me too!”) Andrea thinks they’re almost done. Eddie is going to take a nap.

Some people are done, pretty much, and some people are really behind. 2 hours left! Shazia says that Kerry’s energy is really good, because she tends to panic. Todd shows up again, just in time to freak people out but not to do anything about it. He offers to help Eddie and Andrea, but they’re just waiting for a mirror, I think. Todd calls Robert and Jennifer’s space “sad dorm room”. I can see some unpainted wall space above the door in Wisit and Nathan’s spot. He tells Natalie and Teresa to edit if needed. Eddie and Andrea are so far along they go to visit everyone else and make fun of them. Not to their faces but in confessional. There are still people hanging things and working right up until time.

Judging time! Kelly has on a ruffley hat thing and silly hair. Kerry and Shazia are up first. The whole room is in tan and light blue, which go well together. It’s very beachy. The beds are both in one corner, to make a little seating area, and there’s’ a little bar table and some tall stools on one wall for eating, and a big mirror. Lots of candles. It’s pretty airy and soothing, I like it. Wisit and Nathan have fabric panels along the ceiling which changes the shape of the room. They only have one bed, with a sofa on the other wall. The walls are a light pink, which is odd. There’s a bamboo rug, and a chair. Kelly notices that they’re going to share a bed. Jonathan practically giggles about it. It looks like Kelly and Jonathan are looking at some rooms, and India and Margaret are judging together. Natalie and Teresa have crammed their bunker with a ton of stuff. There’s a table in the middle, with the beds serving as benches, several shelves, sideboard at the far end, and a wall hanging. The colors are browns with a green ceiling. The whole thing has an Asian feel to it. Their theme is “Zen Den”, which probably explains it. Natalie says it is a place to “chillax” which bothers me. Robert and Jennifer used a bookshelf on its side as a room divider, except they divided the room in such a way that you have to walk past one bed to get to the one in the back. The front bed is in browns and golds, and animal print, and the one in the back is light blues and creams, and stripes. The walls are white with a blue back wall, and then some wall coverings over the beds that match. It definitely isn’t integrated. Jonathan says the first thing he saw was the divider. Jennifer says they sort of got along. Robert thinks Jennifer’s personality didn’t come out. Whatever. Andrea and Eddie have painted a light green over the walls, with the tree painted on the back wall, and then creams and chocolate browns. There are mirrors that face each other to make the space seem bigger, and some shelves. It’s nice. Ondine and Preston have shiny silver wallpaper on the ceiling, which somehow does not look that tacky. The walls are blue, with a darker blue fabric panel on the back wall. There are curtains so you can block off each bed for some privacy, and a small table near the door. The drapes are velvet, I think. Over each bed they’ve hung baskets and bulletin boards, which make it really feel like a dorm room. Although I wish my dorm room had looked this expensive. There are more wicker baskets on the walls in the “common area”, sideways, for storage. Jonathan asks about whose idea that was, but doesn’t react when told. Preston says you never can tell, but they didn’t seem too hesitant to praise other designers.

India said most of them really did a good job. Jonathan starts with Wisit and Nathan, who did a great job with the tented ceiling, and their “marital bed” (tm Jonathan) was “j’adorable”. Wisit literally covers his mouth with his hand and they snuggle. Jonathan makes fun of them. Eddie and Andrea also did a great job, making a cohesive space that was sophisticated and well-planned. They are the winners! Aw! Poor Nathan and Wisit. I just noticed, Eddie is wearing a bow tie. Eddie, honey, don’t do that. On the way out, Nathan hugs Wisit and then kisses him on the forehead. I saw that! Natalie and Teresa made a great room, but it was kind of over accessorized, which is why they weren’t top. They are both in, though. Kerry and Shazia’s room was beautiful and functional, but boring. They are safe. That leaves Preston and Ondine, and Robert and Jennifer.

Jonathan tells Robert and Jennifer’s space was a buzzkill. Jennifer tells them they couldn’t agree on what to do, and that her suggestions were “met with resistance”. She says Robert didn’t like some things and then that would be the end of it. He says that she didn’t have any direction except for a color, and then when she pulled colors, they didn’t match the colors she had told him. Kelly says that’s too bad they didn’t work together with only two of them, because in real life they’d have to work in teams all the time. Jonathan thinks that even though they divided the space in half, neither of them brought it. Preston thinks their space was cohesive, but Margaret didn’t think anything was going on. Preston reminds everyone that there was a lot of practicality in their design, but no one was excited and Jonathan did hate the baskets. He tells them that Eddie and Andrea’s room was practical but also exciting, and then Jonathan calls it and says it’s a dorm room.

Ondine and Preston’s room had horrid styling, like they were propping the room for a movie. They were both to blame for that. Jennifer and Robert could both do better work. They also are both to blame, but Robert is more experienced and probably was more articulate. Jonathan calls them “petulant” and I am glad for the vocabulary.

Preston and Ondine cooperated, but their space felt disjointed. Jennifer and Robert “failed to address any of the basic tenets of good design.” Ouch. Jennifer is out. Robert nods and looks smug. Then India calls on Robert and says that even though he is more experienced, he was also to blame. Then she sends him home too. Ooo! I rewound to watch his reaction twice. He seems to be calm about it. Jennifer is disappointed too. She says architecture isn’t as frilly.

Next week: Project Runway! I think they’re designing display windows. I see Sweet P, Santino, Andrae, Daniel Franco, possibly Jeffrey. Santino is pretty calm in the clips they have, but Andrae is still drama.
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Project Runway 9/10/08--"What's Your Sign?" summary

Previously on Project Runway: everyone got to meet Diane von Furstenberg and design a look to go with her fall collection. The inspiration was “A Foreign Affair” so everyone was supposed to do 40’s spy type stuff. Leanne won by making a great dress with this odd menswear coat. Everyone loved the coat although I didn’t really get it. Stella made a suit, which might have been cute if it had been well made, and then this cape that I think was too thin or something and looked stupid. So she went home. She seemed cool with it though. On another note, did you know Fashion Week was this week? Notice how many designers are left? I wonder what they’ll do. (click for more)

Terri wanders around singing “the bitch is dead” and she is glad. Suede mumbles to Blayne about dreaming about making dresses out of chiffon and pop tarts. Pop tarts would just crumble and fall apart, wouldn’t they? Kenley wants to win the next challenge. She thinks she will win the whole thing, she is so awesome.

Leanne decides to keep her model. Big whoop. Heidi announces “special guests” and when they come out, it turns out to be the eliminated designers. Eh? Oo, Wesley! Everyone who is still in the competition looks very nervous. Each of the designers that are left are working with one of the eliminated designers to create an avant garde look. Jerell says that is his bag, baby. Not to worry because the eliminated designers are only there for inspiration and are not able to return to the competition, unlike Angela and Vincent that time. Kenley worries because she doesn’t work well with others.

They are working in teams of 2, and Tim has additional information: the look must be inspired by the astrological sign of one member of the team. Avant garde looks based on astrological signs? This should be good. I kind of wish there were 12 people left so they could each do a different one. Tim breaks out the velvet bag to make assignments. Korto is signed up with Kelly, Kenley with Welsey, Joe with Daniel, Leanne with Emily, Blayne with Stella (they are thrilled), Terri with Keith (she’s pissed), Jerell with Jennifer, and Suede with Jerry. They will have 2 days, with 30 minutes to sketch right now (and a dossier with info about all the signs). The dossiers have colors, personality traits, all that stuff. People react as if they’ve never read up on their signs before. You guys, I am a scientist and I am fully versed on my sign and all the personality traits and how I interact with people and all that stuff. It’s fun. (Kmanpat: “That’s why you get along with me so well when other Cancers I know don’t get along with me, because you’re on the cusp so you must have Gemini traits but I think you’re really a Cancer because you’re moody and Gemini’s aren’t nearly as mo—ow!”) Leanne says she is unbalanced, and she wants to work with Scorpio because she doesn’t want to do something with scales. Cut to Blayne and Stella discussing scales.

Shopping time! 30 minutes and $250 to run around Mood. Kenley says Wesley takes direction well. (Kmanpat: “Welsey, come over to my house. *silence* *pouting*) Keith complains that Terri is using fur and making a lion costume. What do you care? You’re already out. He tells her not to use fur but she ignores him.

Suede and Jerry also have Libra and they seem to be trying to work in the scales. Suede wanted to move away from the animal thing. Terri says Keith doesn’t have the skills she has so she has no idea what is going to happen. He says that he’s fragile and she should “be gentle”. Snerk. So Terri pretty much rolls her eyes and says “Maybe he can pick up the pins that fall on the floor.” I love Terri.

Joe and Daniel are working with Aries. His print looks like red cabbage. This is somehow a ram. Well, it’s not really done yet, I guess. Jerry says he’s won prizes for avant garde design. Kenley says she is strong and progressive like her design and it’s awesome. Leanne finds it annoying that she never shuts up, and she says so. In the workroom. While Kenley is still in the workroom. Kenley complains that they are talking smack right in front of her, which…they are, to be fair, but I don’t like Kenley so it doesn’t bother me. In confessional Kenley says some girls don’t like her to have fun. Well, I don’t, so…yeah.

Tim time! Blayne starts talking about manifestation, or something? Libra is about being nude and then manifesting when there’s a “situation”? I don’t think Tim gets it either so he just leaves them. Jerell and Jennifer have an armor vibe. There’s a brocade looking plaid skirt (Tim says it’s houndstooth). But the skirt is very slim with like, saddlebags on the hips. Tim says he’ll either win or be out. Leanne is talking exoskeletons, with a black fabric curving around and over something underneath, I think. It looks really cool, like an insect without being literal. Kenley is trying to pin giant light bulbs to her dress form. Oh, those are forms for her giant leg of mutton sleeves. She has the following fabrics: purple plaid, zebra, and floral. It hurts my eyes just to look at them in a pile on the table. Tim calls it a costume, and also that it looks like Glenda the Good Witch of the North. Kenley waves him off. Wesley knows it’s messed up. Terri still wants to do a collar of fur, and Tim wants the dress to all go together. He says that Keith has innovation so she should listen to him. When did he show any of that? Anyway, this prompts Keith to give some advice, which Terri shoots down because he hasn’t spoken up before this. Except that he did, in Mood. Tim bails, now that he’s stirred the pot. Then Keith is like, you’re hard to work with, I’m trying here. Dude. Seriously? That’s not the way to get Terri to be nice to you.

The cameramen missed Welsey too. That’s why they showed him shirtless. Everyone is worried about how much work they have to do. When they get to the workroom Heidi has left them notes: they’ll be showing their designs before a live audience tonight at 8pm. So instead of having all night tonight, they have a lot less time. Also, two people are going home. (That still leaves them with 6 designers for Friday, so WTF is that?) The mad rush begins. Stella says she’s only worried about Blayne losing. Emily is working hard. Jerry and Suede whisper and then wonder why they are whispering. Terri watches Keith and then takes over from him and won’t let him do anything. So he bails and goes to the lounge to complain about her to Jerell. He abandons all responsibility for the look.

Tim appears to bring models and give them another hour. Also he delivers the bad news that there will no longer be immunity for any challenge winners. There is a ton of running around and freaking. Kenley is not impressed with anyone, because she thinks she is the best. Korto says her dress has to go to the party all pinned because she can’t sew it in time.

Everyone arrives at The Rose Center for Earth and Space for their fancy party. I thought there would be a runway show, but I think they are just going to be standing there and answering questions. When they arrive in the main room, the other secret guests are revealed: previous designers. Hee. Danny V (with a Monkees haircut which is not working for him), Christian, Carmon, Alison, Robert (season 1 Robert sadly, not Robert Best), Jay, and Kara Janx. Heidi says they’ll be picking the winner, but no one will find out until the runway show tomorrow. Oh, who am I kidding, Danny V is still hot. Kenley is up first, and when Heidi says her model’s boobs are saggy, Kenley says they’re where Heidi’s are right now. She even gestures to demonstrate. Sigh. I can’t really see anyone’s dresses very well right now. Keith says Terri won’t talk to him, but he just was bitching about her so, no sympathy. Christian hates the collar. Carmon criticizes Suede, that he repeated the bell/scale shape too much. Jay quickly guesses Korto’s sign that she was representing. Heidi hates Blayne’s color choice, because it reminds her of granny panties. She doesn’t get it. Jerell has 6 different trims on his jacket, and Danny V says it’s subtle and great. Kara loves Joe’s look. Jay mimes a scorpion for Leanne. Everyone schmoozes, and you can notice how tiny Christian is. Carmon looks like she could break him in half.

In the morning everyone gets up early to work. Terri says that Christian hated the fur collar so she’s scrapping it and adding color to the front. She is talking about working hard, as Keith is sleeping. Kenley plans to stuff her model’s bra. Korto has to sew everything still. Stella is hammering grommets. Heh. Suede refers to himself in the third person for the first time, 35 minutes in. He’s getting better. Joe says that Kenley’s outfit is like Mickey Mouse. OK, I don’t like Kenley, but giant leg of mutton sleeves are not Mickey Mouse. Tim actually has to go to the lounge and wake Keith up so he won’t miss the show. Wow. He didn’t take his elimination well, did he?

Guest judge for today is Francisco Costa, women’s creative director for Calvin Klein Collections. Blayne is up first, with Libra. I have no idea. It’s a nude leotard, except that it’s not formfitting, it’s more like a chemise, with nude tights. Then there are leather straps crisscrossing it, and over her right side there are bunches and bunches of colored fabric poofs in red, blue, and pink. I have no idea. It’s unbalanced, which, I thought Libra was balanced? Kenley: she had Aquarius. Sadly, it’s not bad. Huge leg of mutton sleeves in purple plaid, a black leather bodice, and a bubble skirt in floral fabric overlaid with yellow chiffon. The top has a high neck. It doesn’t look like Aquarius, that’s for sure. Terri: Leo. The dress has a high collar and then it’s open through her chest, and there are huge red swaths of fabric over her shoulders like sleeves. Then there’s a tawny bodice, with strips of trim down the sides, and a gold skirt. I think the red looks better than the fur. Also there are two strips of red fabric down her back to the floor. Notice: no pants. Korto, Aquarius: the top is dark purple strips, draped over her arms and chest, and then an empire waisted dress with a flowing skirt, in shades of blue. It’s gorgeous. The back has pieces of fabric that are sewn to look like waves. Joe, Aries: the skirt has layers and layers of tiers, and the top has sheer sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. Very flamenco. It doesn’t remind me of a ram at all, but Aries is a fire sign and it’s all in shades of red, so that’s something. But I think I can see her stomach; it’s a two piece. Jerell, Sagittarius: a jacket in a dark print, with sleeves that seem to be made out of several layers of trim, ending in a gold fabric that is in the bodice of the dress. The dress has a long slim skirt, with flaps of fabric over the hips to give the model some curves. Also she has an arrow wound around her head. The top is backless. I like the shape of the skirt but the jacket is whack. Leanne, Scorpio: simple red dress, with black fabric loops and whorls over the top of it, standing away from her body slightly. It’s pretty cool looking, actually. Suede, Libra: blue sheer top (over a lighter blue tank top) and pants. The sleeves are bell sleeves, and there are two pieces of fabric hanging down her back, that are shaped like bells also, to suggest scales. The pants are harem pants so they end at her ankle.

Korto, Jerell, Leanne, and Joe are called forward. One of them is the winner. Heidi kicks them out so they can yell at the losers. Blayne tries to explain his whackadoo design, that he tried to make it unbalanced. Nina says it looks haphazard and wonky. Francisco doesn’t like it either, and when she turns around Kors says she’s pooping fabric. Not pretty. Terri wanted heat and she says that she changed the fur collar after yesterday. Kors asks what Keith and Terri’s signs are and says they are perfect together. Of course they make faces and Kors practically begs them to dish. Terri says Keith walked out on her (not wasting time pretending to be polite, I see) and Keith protests that she wouldn’t listen to him or talk to him. Kors tells her that her career will never go anywhere if she can’t work with others. Terri is mad, and I don’t think she’s listening. She says she is shocked by these comments. Kors thinks she has no taste. Nina tells Kenley her outfit has nothing to do with Aquarius, and Kenley practically yells back at Nina that her sign is about strength, and also purple. Nina responds that she just did whatever she wanted and ignored the challenge. Kors has seen it before, and he can name specific collections that it reminds him of. Kenley says she doesn’t look at collections, as I snicker. Nina smirks too. Kenley whines that this is avant garde, but Kors says that avant garde is something you haven’t seen, and he’s seen it. Take that, Kenley. Suede talks about scales, but it doesn’t push the envelope enough. Suede is talking about himself in the third person again, to make up for the first part of the episode. It’s expected, and not crazy enough. Tim said in his blog that Suede and Jerry actually really didn’t get along, and they also threw Tim under the bus since they ignored his advice. And we didn’t see any of it.

So apparently they aren’t going to talk about why the winners were great. Blayne’s outfit was a ridiculous joke, Heidi says that’s bad. Kenley didn’t do Aquarius, and didn’t care about the challenge at all, and was very defensive. Backstage she’s saying this is all BS. Nina hated Terri’s outfit and it looked cheap. Also she should have taken responsibility; even though Keith walked out, that happens all the time. Suede was boring, which you know is not a good thing. And FINALLY, Kors says Suede is not ready for the third person. Everyone laughs at Suede.

Everyone comes back out to the runway. Jerell wins. Even with that stupid arrow? But now we won’t know why he won! Man. Leanne, Korto, and Joe are dismissed. Kenley is in. Terri’s look was poorly made and tasteless, Blayne gave them a joke, and Suede’s look was safe and boring. Blayne is out. Well, now he can go tan. Heidi won’t even get up to kiss him. He’s baffled. Suede is in. Damn, I like Terri. She is totally shocked. Tim gives a double hug. Terri says people will still hear from her. Blayne tells everyone to be confident and go for it.

Next week: “special ladies”. Older women? Moms and daughters? Jerell wears leaves on his head. That’s all I got.
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Top Design 9/3/08--"Impress the Best" summary

Previously on Top Design: there was a first season that no one liked very much, at all. We watched it, having been sucked into Bravo Reality by “Project Runway” and “Top Chef”, but somehow it didn’t measure up. Supposedly it’s been fixed. They have a host now, India Hicks. Todd has the Tim Gunn role now, mentor but not judge. Kelly, Jonathan, and Margaret are all back. Let’s hope Kelly is still dressing like a weirdo. Oh look, her hair is all frizzy and she has a purple sequined beret! Excellent. Just an upfront, I don’t know nearly as much about interior design as I know about fashion and food, so who knows what will happen with this. I do know I’ll probably be doing a better job when “Project Runway” is over and I only have to recap one show a night. (click for more)

Meet the designers time! Nathan Thomas, from New York, says he will bring absolute chic. Ondine Karady decorated sets for Sex in the City. Nice. Shazia Kirmani has her own company. She says the thing that sets her apart from other designers is that she’s brown. Oo, I like her already. Kerry Howard is known as “Big Daddy.” Alrighty then. When he was a teenager his parents lent him $1000 to redo his room, and they were so impressed they asked him to do the rest of the house. Andrea Schroder is a mom, and her husband is Rick Schroder. Yes, that Rick Schroder. What is she doing here? That is too close to real celebrity, I don’t like this one bit. She’s only here because her kids are grown and she’s bored. Eddie Ross is senior style editor of Martha Stewart magazine. He shows up in a waistcoat and jeans looking terribly cute. Natalie Williams refuses to be intimidated by anyone. Preston Lee is tasty. He is showing quite a lot of chest. Wisit Prapong used to be in fashion. Hoping for another Goil, were we? Did you know Goil is on Trading Spaces now? It’s a good fit for his spazzing. Wisit actually has a really good operatic voice, very high.

In comes India and Todd. Oh, Todd. Cut your hair. You look stupid. India is a designer in her own right. She is Heidi, and Todd is Tim. Seriously, Todd has stupid long hair, and a plaid short sleeved buttoned up shirt, and sneakers. First challenge: they have 2 days to fully furnish and decorate an entire apartment. They’ll be divided into 4 teams. Since there are 13 people, one team will have an extra person, and they’ll be penalized by having less time. Todd talks with his hands a lot as he says that they should make sure their own points of view come through, as well as the client’s. Did they tell him to do that? He looks like he’s trying to direct traffic. Or possibly he’s a bad actor in a school play. They’ve already divided them into teams randomly.

More intros: Teresa Keegan is from Vegas. She’s on the red team with Wisit, Ondine, and Nathan. Green team is Shazia, Andrea, and Serge. Serge van Lian is eclectic. He says he “breaks the rules” so he’s probably supposed to be the bad boy. Eh. Semi cute. The blue team is Robert, Preston, and Kerry. Robert Reid, from Houston, has a broad style and attention to detail. The orange team is Eddie, Jennifer, and Natalie. Jennifer Newsom is an architect. She thinks she brings something original.

Off everyone goes to see the lofts. Thank goodness they’ve got real spaces this time. The orange team has to design for Jonathan Adler. Red team has Kelly. She looks normal today. Blue team has Margaret, Green team has India. Interesting. Everyone uses buzzwords and is very particular. The lofts have white walls and concrete floors. All of the judges have a few particular demands. They all know what they want. As the clients leave, they tell them they only have $2000 for the whole thing. They get to go to a flea market! Heh. Various people complain about how in their world $2000 will buy one thing.

The orange team has a concept: “chic and dreamy”. They are looking for bright colors. Red team’s concept is “form over function”. They want it sophisticated and subtle. Blue team is “crisp and glamorous”. Robert tries to override his teammates, and Preston thinks they might clash. Green team has decided on “Caribbean classic”. Andrea has done this style, so she’s kind of taking over. Serge thinks if he wants to win he has to speak up.

At the thrift store, team members get $500. Others go to the junkyard with the same budget. The rest of the money is for flooring and paint. And drapes. Serge tries to go outside the box. Natalie and Eddie run around and find stuff. Kerry and Robert are looking for crisp and modern at the junkyard. They find some gates. Preston has maxed out his budget and says Robert promised him a lamp. Which he did.

Everyone gets ready in the morning. Many without shirts. India comes to get them and makes them come up to the roof. Jonathan is there, with a table full of empty picture frames. India asks them if they remember pop quizzes, and now they will participate in something called “Pop Design”. They have to make shadowbox displays with the frames and things from inside the apartments they’re living in. This is an individual test, and somehow this will be taken in consideration at judging. Winner gets immunity. They’ve got 30 minutes and ten they’ll be displayed in the apartments. So this is like a Quickfire.

Running around, and frantic gluing. I think some people have used their own personal items. Shazia is trying to mount apples without glass. She didn’t even get it up on the wall. Andrea has rocks and a piece symbol, only the piece symbol is wrong. Wisit has fashion sketches and flowers. Eddie has silver stuff but it’s all his own. Natalie has a calendar and stuff for New Year’s. No one gets it. Robert has silverware and barware. Kerry has grass and woven pieces. Teresa has flowers and rocks. Jennifer has “strong women” which isn’t obvious from the design but it looks cool. Ondine just got married and she has a monkey theme. Serge has “breaking the rules” but it just looks random. Nathan has “cleanliness is next to godliness”, but he knows it’s stupid, plus he broke his glass so there’s glass all over the floor.

Natalie’s design was very high school, Serge doesn’t even know the rules, and Teresa’s was disappointing, Shazia didn’t even really get started. Favorites: Eddie had stuff on tops of boxes, Kerry made a beautiful abstract display, Ondine’s was sweet, and Wisit’s drawings were risky. All four of them have won immunity. Wow. Andrea quietly freaks out that both her teammates were in the bottom.

Everyone gets to work on the lofts. Nathan realizes that both his teammates have immunity, so if they lose, he’ll be leaving. Andrea realizes that they’ve got a whole 8 rolls of the wrong wallpaper. It looks like they wrote down the wrong number possibly. Preston chafes at Robert trying to be organized. Andrea takes the covers off the couch cushions and washes them in the sink. She says they’re really coming clean and then asks Shazia to turn off the sink in about 5 minutes. There is ominous music and a lingering shot of the sink so you know what is about to happen. Sure enough, Shazia goes upstairs to wash something else and the sink overflows all over all their fabric and wallpaper. Oops. Now there’s fabric all over the place, but at least Shazia right away owns up to it. Andrea is pretty pissed. The orange team has a lot to do. Jennifer is working on the sofa, because Jonathan really wanted it, but she’s kind of slow, apparently. No one on the blue team knows how to sew. Robert tries to figure out the sewing machine and Preston discovers that there is paint on the floor. He was painting canvas inside the loft, and it seeped through. Oops again. There is a lot of running around, because apparently they only have 4 hours tomorrow to finish.

In the morning, Ondine notices that Andrea’s husband looks an awful lot like Rick Schroder. Heh. Andrea is surprised she figured it out, except that as we see the picture, it’s pretty obvious. She says she’s not trying to keep it a secret, but she wants to be a separate person and have her own credibility. Serge is ready to get some work done.

Back at the lofts, everyone gets right to work. Nathan wants to redeem himself. Robert tries to tell Preston how to do the artwork, but he finally gives up and is like, whatever, I told you what I think. He goes off to make lamps. Jennifer is trying to build a dog bed. I hope that’s big enough. Eddie says every gay has a dog so it’s not a big deal.

Todd comes by to make comments, of course on the second day when there’s really nothing anyone can do to fix anything. He gives Nathan and his team good solid advice on how to hang their drapes. He loves the Orange team’s paint job. The blue team barely talks to him. Todd suggests Andrea make some pillows. I am just noticing, Todd has two armband tattoos. I was not expecting that. He says that time will be the big factor for everyone. There is plenty of last minute running around.

The orange team is up first. They didn’t put any floors in downstairs, but there are wood floors upstairs. It looks cozy, with light blue green on the walls downstairs up to about mid torso. Lots of blues and whites, but upstairs are some oranges. Jonathan loves the dog bed. There’s red and orange on the bed, with wood. And this fabulous lamp. The blue team has dark dusty rose sofas in the living room, with these great iron gates in the dining area, and a dark blue bathroom. Kelly points out there are no lamps so it’s a good thing they have a candelabra. The bedroom has dark wood and a dark blue bed, which looks very rich. But then the headboard has pink flowers. Still no lamps. No one owns up to that. Green team is next. Stupid crooked mirror on the floor next to the front door. India is worried about that. The couch looks like crap. I guess Andrea took out the stuffing, and told Shazia not to put it all back, but it looks like she put the extra stuffing in the cracks of the couch or something. The bed is white with red stripes. It’s kind of good. Andrea says she was in charge of the bedroom, and seems to be taking credit for everything. Red team has a very warm loft with dark leather and lots of dark accents, along with a great table with a mosaic top. The bedroom is in beige and wood and it’s pretty cool. I think I like the red team the best but I want the blue team’s iron gates.

The judging takes place in a huge open room, with the judges all together on a couch and India in a matching armchair. Jonathan liked his loft, and the style reflected the designers. He said it was a little Golden Girls but all in all it was great. The other team that did well was the red team. They listened to Kelly and had some great shopping finds. The red team wins! That was the team with an extra person, and you notice they didn’t show how they had less time to work. The orange team gets to leave the judgment room also. Margaret had demanded hot pink and not dusty rose so she was mad about that. Kerry blames it on Preston. Kelly liked the art in the kitchen but the bedroom was lame. India tries to get Preston to throw someone under the bus but he refuses. Kerry also refuses. Robert immediately says that Preston has horrid time management skills, and spent a lot of time scrubbing the floor when the paint seeped through the canvas. She says they didn’t get lamps, or think about how one lives in a loft, things like where to put your drink. Preston speaks up and says that it’s Robert’s fault they didn’t have any lamps, because he said he could get them done. India also feels like she gave her team a clear direction. Margaret thought that the bedroom worked but the rest didn’t. Shazia admits to ruining the sofa. Serge says he worked the whole time on the floors, and Andrea pipes up that eventually she made him stop working because it was taking too long. When Serge says “I disagree” she smiles the most smug, condescending smile at the judges and proceeds to describe all of the work she did. Then she says that her teammates don’t have talent. They ask if Andrea was the leader, and Shazia explains how Andrea knew the style so they just kind of let her run things. This team has no qualms about pointing the finger: Shazia and Andrea point at Serge, and Serge points at Shazia.

Margaret feels her loft was random, and the thing she got that she wanted was the point. And the desk, and then Kelly pipes up that she got the bar. Margaret protests that she did not ask for the bar, and Jonathan knowingly says, “You asked for the bar.” Hee. They continue to joke around some, which is cute. Finally when they stop Jonathan says that India’s loft was worse, although her bedroom was better. He thinks Andrea saved that loft, and Shazia’s story about the sofa bored him. Serge didn’t seem to contribute to the design very much. Margaret finds it difficult to figure out who is responsible for her horrid loft, because that team was so protective of each other, up until Robert threw Preston under the bus. In the waiting room Robert tells everyone not to take things personally. That takes some balls. Preston did work hard but he is responsible for the sofas in the wrong color. However, Robert should have known that making lamps was a poor use of time.

Kerry has immunity from the Pop Design challenge so he is safe. Andrea saved her team so she is also safe. So that’s how we’re viewing that, I guess. Preston bought the dusty rose sofas, Robert didn’t get the lamps done, Shazia hid behind Andrea and told a long story about the sofa, and Serge was labeled the weak link but didn’t defend himself well enough. India tells Serge they can’t live with his design so he’s going home. What, no catchphrase? He’s had a good experience, but he wished he could stay longer, etc.

This season: lots of running, breakage, I think more team challenges, drama. Oh you know there is drama. Santino! Andrae! DANIEL FRANCO! Oh, that’s going to be fun. And a short montage of Kelly’s odd clothes. Jonathan Antin that asshat that had that show Blow Out. Simon Noonan who is so precious. Oh man, I hope Santino asks for some super crazy nonsense.
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Project Runway 9/3/08--"Double O Fashion" summary

Previously on Project Runway: for some reason we had to make clothes out of car parts. Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty cool and all, but I still think it would have been better had they forced the designers to actually take the cars apart. Leanne won by making clothes that didn’t look like they were made from seat covers. Korto’s coat was also so awesome, but apparently weighs like 30 pounds. Keith’s clothes also didn’t look like car parts, but his were boring and the skirt was so jacked up he had to tell his model not to sit down. So he was eliminated. And a sentiment that I saw in multiple places: when he had his exit interview, he started bawling, which several people said was super hot. I guess it’s all those who wanted to “comfort” him and make him feel better. (Kmanpat: “Oh, yes. Let me make it all better.”) (click for more)

Kenley appears to be trimming her bangs in front of the mirror. Stella is making coffee with a ladle. In her bra. I mean, she’s only wearing her bra, not making coffee in her actual bra. Terri thinks she should be able to figure out how to make it. It’s strong. Suede had to move into the other boys’ apartment, because there are only 4 guys left! Interesting breakdown.

One of the models has her hair all up messy with a ribbon. That’s because they don’t tell you that the model selection happens the same day as your runway show, while the eliminated person is cleaning out their table. When you see the shot of her you can tell. Heidi brings out Tim to give them details on the next challenge, like he’s a special guest or whatever. He says they’ll be designing for a “fashion legend”. Leanne is relieved they won’t be designing for Tim. Oh, man, how cool would that be? And evil.

Field trip time! Everyone walks down the middle of the street. Blayne wants to design for Mary Kate Olsen and marry her. EW. Stella says they’re at the meatpacking district so it could be a lot of people. Inside the showroom they find Diane von Furstenberg. Awesome! Everyone seems pretty starstruck. Kenley starts to cry because this is the biggest opportunity ever for her. Well, I might be starstruck but hopefully I wouldn’t cry. Diane says that today they’ll be creating a look for her fall collection, inspired by the movie “A Foreign Affair”. Diane gives a short synopsis of the film (mainly the important parts are: spy, worldly woman, Berlin, Shanghai, New York) and they can see some of her looks that she’s already made. Tim reminds them that Diane works prints and colors like no other, so she’s allowing them access to her fabric room. Also, American Express will produce and market the winning look to AmEx members. Damn, I don’t have one of those.

Tim gives everyone 15 minutes to pick out fabrics from the sample room. Jerell is in heaven with all the expensive fabric. Kenley has some black and white print that reminds me of her zebra pattern she likes. Still crying. Stella can’t get a fabric down and no one will help her get it down. Finally Kenley starts pulling bolts down onto the floor. This room is a mess. Tim announces 5 minutes and apparently they have to cut their own fabrics. Heh. Terri has fireworks. She’s making more pants. She makes a lot of pants.

They’ve got 10 hours to work. Leanne is relieved to have immunity but she really wants to win while she has immunity. Everyone gets a lookbook to get ideas and to get a feel of the collection. Joe notices that she’s got a lot of layers, which is what he’d like to do, but that’s a lot of time. Kenley asks if everyone is doing 3 pieces, in that tone that makes it obvious she doesn’t want to have to do 3 pieces to keep up. Suede ditches his jacket idea, something about making a vest instead of the jacket, with camo and masculine fabrics, I was trying to tune out the third person. He’s sitting cross legged on the table like a little tailor. Blayne has too many colors. It’s like his neon dress from the New York challenge. He insults Terri for making pants again. Which she has, but to be fair, those are kick ass herringbone pants. While she’s in the sewing room showing off her pants to Korto, Blayne and Joe are mocking her firework fabric by singing the national anthem. Joe complains about her blazer/pants combo that she always does, which you will note hasn’t been attacked yet. Everyone hangs out for dinner and shares what they’re doing except Stella, who says it’s not Leanne’s business and she doesn’t trust Terri. Why, she’s going to copy you? That was weird. She seems not to care what everyone else is doing. Korto tells Terri she’s making the baddest vest, so you make one too and we’ll see who is best. I still can’t tell if Korto is joking or if she’s really tired of Terri. She hasn’t interviewed one way or the other.

Jerell reminds us that they’re designing clothes for a spy/traveling woman. Or whatever. I think he gets it. In the sewing room, everyone discusses what pressure it is to design for Diane von Furstenberg. Korto is making an evening gown. Stella is making a cape. OH! Joe and Jerell make ching chong noises. That’s not cool. Joe is making a blouse with an open back and a mandarin collar. Leanne has a cropped trench coat (?) and a long gown. She pretends to be a spy, sneaking around the workroom and calling herself “Leanimal”. It’s kind of cute. Suede says something in third person. Kenley asks Joe if her gown looks bulky and he says no, while gagging behind her back. The print actually isn’t bad but it’s got a high neck and that’s a lot of print. She’s still defensive about not making three pieces, and she loves her print, but she also picked that horrid floral print for the team challenge.

Tim time! Suede has sort of a military thing. The camo is bleh. Tim worries about the fullness of the skirt. We ALMOST get away without a third person Suede reference. Leanne has a gorgeous collar, but then the jacket is too long and it doesn’t go. Joe wants to make a hooded shawl with pockets. Tim says he will say he’s ambitious, so hopefully he gets it done. Korto’s jacket has full sleeves, and she wants to put yellow under the strap, but it’s kind of like a bra strap. She’s got the same print that the model has in those AmEx commercials. Stella has decided this character is from Paris and not Berlin. Oops. Tim reminds her that the judges want cohesion from all her pieces, unlike last time. Stella responds that the judges were just stupid and that “the stylist in the oversized muumuu dress and waistband didn’t know any better.” Tim tries to apologize to Rachel zoe but Stella says she really did mean it. Tim sees Shanghai in Kenley’s dress, which is simple and that’s OK, but she needs to watch the waistband she has planned.

After Tim leaves, Kenley beams about how Tim liked her dress. She and Stella discuss, again, about how big this challenge is. Kenley cries about it, again. She says she’s worked for Kmart and Walmart but this is much bigger. She’s almost crying in the workroom. Lots of flailing. Stella likes her outfit but it’s not really rock and roll. The vest is two-sided and the fabrics are different weights. She’s not listening to criticism.

The day of the runway show brings us Jerell in his underwear, which has a fun zigzag pattern. He hopes the fashion gods are on his side. The girls say everyone has a jacket. Stella is wearing leather pants that seem painted on.

Tim appears to give them 1 hour with their models. Kenley’s top has cap sleeves made out of feathers. The one she herself is wearing, I mean. Terri has no blouse. Damn. Kenley only has one piece, but she says that she’s already done so that makes her better than everyone else. Everyone freaks out and badmouths other people’s outfits. Lots of frantic working. Joe thinks his polished outfit will be hidden among all the other crap everywhere. His shirt is cropped. I think they’ll notice it. Stella works up until the very last minute.

The weekly poll: What should Heidi’s spy name be? A. Venus Schnitzel, B. Mata Hottie, or C. Mrs. Stiletto. Ugh.

Fern Mallis is here instead of Nina. She was sick for a couple of days, that’s what’s up with that. Joe: pink mandarin collared top with frog closures, a darker pink sash, black skirt, hooded sleeveless coat thing. It does not look like a shawl. The sash at least means there isn’t any skin showing. The top has long tight sleeves and a big keyhole opening in the back. Leanne: long dark blue dress with a cropped jacket. Actually the jacket hits at her hips so it’s not that cropped. The dress has a short train, I think. The tope is draped in a cowl neck and the back of the skirt has a ruffle up to her waist. It’s very elegant but the jacket doesn’t go. Terri: herringbone trousers, black coat that looks like it’s made of fur, blouse. The coat has wide lapels but they look cool. The blouse has a ruffle down the front and you can’t really tell the print is fireworks. Jerell: dark blue miniskirt, copper blouse and brown coat. Over the blouse and coat is a neon blue belt which does not go at all. The coat is pretty open in that you can see almost her entire chest, and there’s a giant brooch. The blouse has a high neck. And remember that hat he wore that time, the green one? She’s got a small dark blue hat. At least this is supposed to be kind of period. Korto: long black and white print dress with a yellow underskirt. You can see the same yellow under the straps in the halter top. Then over that is a black cropped jacket with wide sleeves. I hate to say it but I don’t like it at all. The skirt looks weird and the jacket is cut in such a way that you can see skin on either side of the straps of the dress. It just looks like they don’t go. Blayne: dear God in heaven. Those are knee length harem pants. They are very wide and balloony, and then at the knee there is a band to bring them in, and then they end. Also they are polka dotted. Above the waist she looks pretty good; fitted jacket in black, with a poofy blouse in a colorful print. The jacket has a high collar. Blayne says that Diane was giving him the “googly eye” when she met them and that she must love a tan. I think your headband is too tight. Suede: long dress in a green and brown print, and a vest in grey with black trim. That vest doesn’t go. The dress is OK. Stella: pants and a vest in a brown pinstripe, and a cape. The pants are a little wide, and the cape is wrist length and black. The vest looks like crap, like she tried to put a peplum and it failed. (A peplum is what Kenley put on her model last week, that thing made out of air filters). It looks like she messed it up. Kenley: slim dress with a high collar. There is black trim at the hem and the collar. To be fair, I do like her print. Actually I like her dress but I don’t like Kenley.

Terri, Jerell, and Blayne are safe. See, you bitch about Terri and her always making pants, but she is ALWAYS in the middle. Korto goes first, and Diane asks to see it without the jacket. She loves the yellow. Fern thinks you can see the Shanghai influence. Everyone likes the jacket, so apparently I know nothing. Joe goes next. You can see the shawl is shiny. No one likes the open back, and when you look at the back of the skirt you can see that all the hems are uneven. Kors says that’ll make magazines in the “What was she thinking?” pages. Kenley talks about her one piece that she made, and almost cries, but Heidi right away reminds Diane that her lookbook had a lot of layering. Kenley tries to defend herself by saying that she thought Diane needed a simple dress. Heidi keeps attacking her for being lazy and only making one thing, but Diane finally states she likes it so Heidi shuts up. Kors and Fern like it too. Heidi must be pissed. Stella goes next, and Diane likes the mix of tweed and shiny fabric, but the cape is not cut properly? It’s a magician’s cape or something but not a cape for a woman to wear out on the town. Kors doesn’t like the construction and says the crotch is every woman’s nightmare and “she’s got something missing, if you know what I mean!” No, no I don’t know. What are you talking about? She’s a girl! Just say it’s insane. Leanne’s men’s jacket and long gown is a great combination. I forgot this is a look for a very famous designer’s collection and nothing ever makes any sense. Suede’s dress has too much fabric in the hip (there’s a sash tied there) and the back of the skirt is slit which is weird. In this case, they hate the herringbone. I don’t get this at all. How is Leanne’s jacket a wonderful contrast, but Suede’s vest, which doesn’t go any better, makes everyone think she got dressed in the dark? I mean, the vest was pretty bad, but I don’t think the random jackets were so much better.

Good: Kenley (simple and well designed, not costumey, but needs another piece), Leanne (met the challenge, mixed the influences, lots of good design), Korto (all the pieces were interesting, great neckline). Bad: Suede (the dress is boring and the vest is stupid, not good enough), Joe (the back was jacked up and looked homemade and messy, so it looked like he didn’t think about that), Stella (the cape isn’t cut right, they could see her vision but the execution was poor).

Korto is in. Leanne gives her a look of sympathy. Leanne wins. She is so thrilled, it’s so cute. Kenley is in. Suede is in. Joe’s look had too much going on, and Stella’s three pieces were all done poorly. Stella is out. She actually rolls her eyes which is great. She tells Heidi that her ego is too big to be here anyway. Huh? She says she did Stella 100% so she’s not worked up at all. Tim calls it an ebullient departure. She says “If you like my stuff, come buy it, if not, keep walking.” Stella to the end.

Next week: I think family members. Special guests that everyone is excited to see, anyway. Everyone is starting to hate each other. Someone is pooping fabric.

P.S. I recapped "Top Design" too! Check the post after this one.

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