PROJECT RUNWAY Season 13 — Page 6

Fade's look was a miss on every level. It wasn't avant garde, it had no connection to the rain element, and it was very poorly constructed and sloppy. The concept with the graphics went nowhere and was completely lost.

I didn't mind Sandhya's design. It just needed some editing and more time. The length of the jumpsuit was all wrong. It was too long and created the clown pants effect. The coat had a beautiful treatment on the top and needed nothing else added to the front. The back should have been completely covered in smaller pinwheels (they were never going to turn because they have to be adhered with a slight distance to a flat surface) to show off the angles and reflection. She really was onto something.

---

^^ True enough, but of all those make-something-in-a-day reality shows that came along about the same time, this is the one show I still follow. Somehow the need to put SOMETHING out on that runway every show feels a lot like a theater opening night so I'm always empathetic as we count down the seconds to that runway.

And every once in a while a collection like last night rewards me for my blind devotion with something exciting and fun. (And for the record, I thought Sandhya's piece was batsh*t crazy in a thoroughly appropriate way.)

I think what Sandya made this week is the ugliest, most ridiculous thing that ever walked down the Project Runway stage.

Really? I've seen FAR worse. Just a couple of weeks ago there was that hideous sloppy unfinished green dress that somehow resulted in a ridiculous decision NOT to eliminate Korina (by far, one of the worst things to hit the PR runway). A few seasons ago was the candy challenge with the hideous dress made of beige twizzlers that kept falling off on the runway. In the same challenge was the awful dress made out of umbrellas. And I think that same designer made the outfit that she covered in what could only be described as a cosmetology smock. We've see butt cheeks hanging out of too-short shorts and skirts, diaper shorts and a vagina slip. Cirque du Rain wasn't as bad as any of that and at least it was in the realm of avant garde.

The funny thing about the dye dress was that when they announced the "rainway", my very first thought was to create a white dress, dust it finely in powdered dye, and let the color appear in a streaking effect on the dress. His idea was pretty close to mine and the effect was very cool. But he is SO LUCKY it worked because the dress itself was quite boring otherwise and not very well-constructed.

---

What the show desperately needs are new lines for Heidi. Same old speeches every show. She's so robotic with her delivery. Enough with the mathwork - "The three of you are in the bottom. Two of you are safe. One of you will be out. Blah blah blah."

^^ Thanks for the update on Nick Verreos and Christain Siriano, I think Siriano had a reality show as well after project runway, didn't he? He also has a deal with Neiman Marcus.

I glanced at his recent showings. Incredible work.

Rami Kashou is another designer who was already established before his appearance on Project Runway, mostly for his couture gowns seen on the red carpet. He was also my favorite, because he's so damn sexy!

But I'm talking about 'international brand status,' I guess, in the category of Kors, Hilfiger, Westwood, Gucci, Lauren ect. Thus far none of the contestants from Project Runway have been able to do that, yet. I hope one of them does, I think that would be really cool.

Updated On: 9/13/14 at 01:22 AM

Missed this episode. Sorry that Fade is gone. I can think of lots of the others I would have tossed instead, based on prior episodes.

I have a theory as to why Tim basically wasted his save this season. It was done to avoid being forced by the judges to save Sandhya. The amount of thought that goes into Sandhya's creations is impressive but her finished garments do nothing for Tim Gunn. It's obvious doing his walk-through critiques that he doesn't quite get her aesthetic or color palette. Fade unfortunately was collateral damage and a victim of unfortunate timing. I don't claim the gift of prophesy but I sense that Tim has set a trap for Sandhya. He's waiting for her to implode. This season he hasn't been marching in lock-step with Queen Heidi.

---

Fade unfortunately was collateral damage and a victim of unfortunate timing.

I don't think so at all. His poorly-made and poorly-conceived dress had nothing to do with any aspect of the challenge. If he were a full-time working suburban mom making a costume for a Halloween party, then it would have been great. It didn't fit well, the seams were all janky and the appliques were an amateurish hot mess. The ONLY avant garde element was in the makeup. Even Fade knew he was in trouble from the beginning and was expecting to go home.

---

I have been baffled by the Sandya-love expressed by the judges this season. The only garment of hers that I liked was the one on which she spent $500, cadged from other designers (and perfectly within the rules as stated). I can only assume there was such a dearth of innovation among the other designers that the judges were praising anything that looked remotely "new".

SPOILER BELOW:

But her final collection is yet another puzzler! It is elegant and shows little of the Indian-inspired (I assume) explosion of mismatched colors she has presented thus far. SOMEBODY got to Sandya! She at least deserves the Fashion Week prize of "most improved" and I won't even mind if she wins.

Someone, why are you assuming you can tell from the final collections who is a finalist? I know years ago the decoy collections were given less money, but--IIRC and we know I often do not--of late PR has been giving the decoys the same money as the finalists. (This makes sense: it does PR no good to have designers sending cheap stuff down the runway.)

I assume the decoys don't get a home visit from Tim Gunn (which may be a faulty assumption if they are working in NYC), but much as I love him, I'm not sure the Gunn visit is a magic solution.

That being said, I'm not a fan of Korina's collection (except for the leather vests), but I don't see any "train wrecks" in the photos, not even Korina.

(ETA Okay, I looked again. I think Emily's is a train wreck and what was Kini thinking with that giant grey triangle over the poor girl's crotch in that otherwise lovely evening gown? Kini's collection proves what the judges have been saying: great tailor, mediocre designer.)

Updated On: 9/15/14 at 10:35 PM

Absolutely! Any designer who would throw in the towel because s/he wasn't in contention for "the win" doesn't deserve to be a designer. That's like a supporting actor not learning her part because she didn't get the lead.

I rather like Sean's collection and I appreciate how he runs the gamut from daywear to red carpet to evening wear. The orange skirt is such a lovely surprise after the monochromatic outfits and looks like a "one off". But then he develops the color through different fabrics to stunning effect. He would be my winner, I think.

DISCLAIMER: I know absolutely NOTHING about fashion outside of PR. So my responses are often skewed because I don't know so-and-so has simply copied Betsy Johnson or somebody.

Sandhya's complete refusal to even try to see what the judges were saying to her is why I could never stand her and (like Tim) I couldn't understand how the judges kept liking what she was making. She managed to make some of the most absolutely hideous creations to ever walk down that runway and was often praised for it!

And maybe 9 year old girls do like wearing outfits like the one she made last night that she kept insisting children would like. Maybe some girls do need snaps in the back for easy access, if that's their thing. But I'm so happy that she's gone.