Project Runway Season 9 Recaps: My myLifetime.com Recap for Episode 7-- "Rhymes with Witch"!!!

Oh The Drama...

The Newest Cast Member of "A-List: New York", Project Runway's Joshua McKinley???

I realize I'm a "little late" with my BLOG Recap posting (well, just 3 days!), you see I've been traveling like a Flight Attendant Who's Rent Is Due: I flew to West Virginia last week to host a FAB Fashion's Night Out and "Project Style" event in West Virginia, and the day after, flew to NYC for some very important business meetings (which I cannot divulge just yet! wink wink!) in addition to attending the Project Runway Season 9 Finale NYC Fashion Week Fashion Show (Recap to follow in an upcoming post, of course!). But I am back home in Los Angeles--and catching up!!! So, let's get right down to business and discuss this last Project Runway Season 9 Episode, "Can't we All Just get Along?"

First Up: Bye Gretchen Jones...

Hello Joshua McKinley. It's Official, we have a new Reality Show Villain in the House!!!

Time to talk about the Orange Elephant In The Room: Contestant/designer Joshua McKinley. This episode was all about him! It seemed the "Joshua McKinley Show" replaced the latest episode of "Project Runway". Drama was the theme of the night--and 99.9 % was conducted by Drama Queen Numero Uno. Joshua really proved himself to be a conniving, bullying, bitchy queen, in this past episode and all the while shamelessly evoking the passing of his dear mother to get "pity points".

He was such a you-know-what, he made Mommie Dearest look a tad likeable! Why he didn't do Logo's atrociously brain-numbingly bad reality show "A-List: New York" (see my lovely graphic/photoshop work above) instead of my beloved little show, is beyond me. He would have been perfect! (maybe he tried out and didn't "make the cut', who knows? Why did he do Project Runway, I wonder? To be America's Next Top Fashion Designer or to be the Poster Child for Passive-Aggressive Bitchy Queens everywhere. I guess only he knows.

My fellow myLifetime.com Recap Blogger, Laura Bennett summed it up beautifully in her blog: "Coming this fall to Lifetime, it's "Project Joshua"! Joshua struggles personally and professionally to make his dream of becoming a fashion designer come true! Watch as he develops a pattern of behaving badly toward others, and then insincerely apologizing! Be amazed as he simultaneously plays the bully and the victim! Talks tough and then cries! Curses and then admonishes others for cursing! And most astounding of all, watch as this designer uses the death of his mother to explain away all of his antics! It's tasteless fashion! It's blatant insecurity! It's "Project Joshua"! Viewer discretion is advised." Indeed Miss Laura. Indeed.

Now, let's get to the FASHION:

Red Carpet: Viktor Luna's black and white gown with printed bustier and high side slit was a STUNNER! It didn't win (the judges don't really like gowns as we all know)

The Challenge this week was the "HP and Intel Challenge", in which two teams of five (there were ten remaining designers) had to create a cohesive mini-collection of five pieces in addition to making--and using--a custom print using HP technology. Both teams for some unknown reason made black-and-white prints (next time, there should be a rule to USE COLOR!!!). The No-Drama "Team Chaos"---with Anthony Ryan, Viktor (gown above), Anya, Olivier, and little Bryce--was the winning team naturally. It was the Best Collection. I really liked what contestant Olivier Green did:

Yes, it was GRAY, and I almost back-slapped him for that (can we please see something other than Gray from Mr. Faux British Accent???). But the jacket was excellently tailored making even judge Michael Kors gasp with glee.

Anthony Ryan Auld's look was very good as well. Cute, modern, quirky, very Philip Lim-meets-Jason Wu. It had all the elements of what gets you into Anna Wintour's "Little Black Book".

The Winner was Anya Ayoung-Chee. Yes, Miss Trinidad and Tobago-I-Had-No-Idea-How-To-Sew 4 months ago, well, she is learning and learning quick!! A chic printed high-neck sheath dress with black cap sleeves. Very Nina. Very NYC. And Thank Goodness it wasn't yet ANOTHER one of her long flowy maxi dresses!!!

The Bottom Group (quelle surprise) was the one "headed" by Drama Queen Bi*** Joshua, with Bert, Becky, Kimberly, and called "Team Nuts & Bolts". They never got along, they never worked cohesively together and it showed.

I kind of liked Bert Keeder's design. It fit well and the big print worked with this style of dress. The length was just odd. I'm sure he was trying to be "modern" about it but it just didn't succeed. The booties and especially the bang'ed hairstyle were ON POINT, however.

Miss Drama Queen's Look was a mess. The whole look was a bit on the tacky side, mismatched and dated. The geometric jacket was interesting but that's about it...

It also reminded me of Stephen Sprouse Louis Vuitton collaboration of a few years back. A FEW YEARS BACK, are the operative words here (as well as being a "knock off"!). Listen, let's be honest--right about now, Miss Joshua could do a FAB red carpet gown and I would probably get an icky-poo face because of how miserable of a person I think he is...

But the Worst was Becky Ross' look. You just knew she was going home the minute she landed on the same team as Miss Drama Queen. He's not going (hello, it's Reality TV, they LOVE a Villain!). Her design, well, didn't have much design. It was completely wearable and completely fine. But not in a Design Competition. It was something from a "Limited" Mall Fashion Show. As a result, it was "Bye Bye" for Becky. Becky: Trust me, you are lucky to be GONE from the Drama Queen! Have fun in your "Sequestered Apartment" along with the other cast-off's!!!

As always, here's the Introduction to My Recap of last week's Project Runway Season 9 Episode "Can't We Just Get Along?" from myLifetime.com BLOG:

No-Drama Thursdays ... NOT! Last week, "Project Runway" viewers got a "drama reprieve." This week? The Drama Is Back, kids: We got an immediate amuse-bouche of things to come when the opening credits had barely finished and Josh McKinley was spouting things like "The Winning Look from last week's Avant-Garde Challenge should have been MINE!!!" So we knew it was only going to be a matter of time until the nails, gold-hoop earrings and wigs would be a-flying — once again.

Team Mean Girls Part Deux
So what brought the claws back out? Let's begin with the Challenge: As the 10 remaining designers sit with bated breath, their smiles are instantly turned into dropped heads and "Oh no's!" as Heidi announces that they are to be split into two teams of five, with no team leaders. However ... Anthony Ryan (the winner from the previous week's challenge) gets to pick who is on "his" team, and then Heidi gets to "randomly" pick from that bag who would be the other team "Non-Leader." Take a guess who it is? Just one guess … of course, it's Josh "Queen Mean Girls"! Do you think for a hot minute it would be anyone else? HELLLLLLSSSS no! Side note: I don't even think there are actual names on those chips in that bag, but if there were and Olivier's name came up first, even Miss Heidi would quickly throw the chip back in the bag and keep doing it until Josh's name was picked! Just sayin'.

Click HERE to read the rest--and make sure to leave me your thoughts and comments!!!

Project Runway Minute: TEN Designers left on TV...but the Project Runway Finale Fashion Show is THIS Friday in NYC!!!

WHO. Is. Not. Going. To Show. In. NY Fashion Week...this Friday????

NY Fashion Week is upon us! And so isthe Project Runway Finale Fashion Show

Hope everyone had a relaxing Labor Day Weekend!
Now, it's back to Fashion...and of course, discussing my Favorite Show Project Runway!

*As you may also know--if you're a "Super Fan!"-- Mercedes-Benz NY Spring 2012 Fashion Week begins this Thursday September 8th (on "Fashion's Night Out" Day!)
*The invitation-only Project Runway Finale Show is this Friday, September 9th--same as last year--to the date!
*Now, the whole season has been already shot--and mostly edited--up to the Top 3 (or 4--sometimes there's that extra designer for a "twist")
*But--in "TV Land", as of last week, there are still TEN designers left.

The Four Stars: Michael, Nina Heidi and Tim

* Which means, that after Thursday's episode--where we assume one more designer will be gone (although it could be a Double Elimination!)--there will still be NINE.
* So, NINE designers will get the opportunity to show at Lincoln Center NY Fashion Week since they wouldn't want to "give it away" by just having the "Top Three" Finalists show (then why watch the rest of the season!) This has occurred for several seasons where the "NY Fashion Week Calendar" unfortunately didn't coincide with "TV Time".

Project Runway Season 8 Winner Gretchen Jones' Finale Collection, NY Fashion Week Spring 2011

* I did the math and that means that if you make it onto the show (usually 16 designers get picked), you have a 56 % chance that you'll be showing at NY Fashion Week. Lucky them!

On a similar note: Maybe Heidi needs to change the Intro to (Pretend the Project Runway theme Music is playing) "NINE Deeeeeeeesigners will get To Show at NY Fashion Week...but only ONE will actually win the $100,000 Prize and title of Project Runway Winner!"

So, My Question For This Week Is...Who Do You Think Will be Showing on Friday? Nine will show, in other words, Who will be "Auf'ed" this week by Heidi and not show his/her collection:

Anthony Ryan? Anya? Becky? Bert? Bryce? Joshua M.? Kimberly? Laura? Olivier? Or Viktor?


The following, to me, are the designers most in jeopardy (in alphabetical order):
A) Becky--according to "Mean Girls Joshua", she's not really a "Style Icon"
B) Bryce--poor thang has been in the bottom A LOT, or
C) Olivier--who is just loosing steam by the minute! If he does one MORE gray ensemble, I will SCREAM!
I think one of them (hopefully TWO!) will be going home--and not get the chance to show their collections along with the other eight designers...
Who do think? Let me know below in the poll!

poll by twiigs.com

Project Runway Season 9 Recaps: Avant Garde or Avant NOT???

A Tale of Glue Guns, A Christian Siriano Knock-Off, Hoochie Dresses...and a Hofbrau Hostess at a Mall....



This Thursday's "The Art of The Matter" episode on Project Runway Season 9...featured Avant Garde. Or so, that was the premise. The designers/contestants were paired with young art students from the Harlem School of The Arts and they were to create an Avant Garde look inspired by the young artists' work. "Think COUTURE NOT Costume!" Tim suggested, or as I would say "Think Nicki Minaj at the VMA's!" (so the young-ums can understand). Most of the creations missed the mark and ended up being Avant-NOT. Let's Take a Little Photo Look at some things I need to get off my No. 2 Clipper-trimmed chest--before you get to reading my RECAP of the Episode:



First of All Kids---This:

Glue Gun

Does NOT Equal This:

Brother Project Runway Sewing Machine

During this Challenge, several of the designers hot glued their way through the two days they had. Miss Laura Kathleen, Andrew Ryan Auld and Olivier Green, all got Glue Glue Happy. Olivier, in fact, almost hot glue gunned his model to his creation!! Tim got notified of this (probably by the producers who were watching and thinking "Umm, this AIN'T OK! Let's get Tim back in here!"). Tim questioned him on it and chastised him but after some lame "I'm only hot gluing the dress not HER!" excuse, it was all fine...I'm just saying, they had TWO WHOLE DAYS to make something and SHOULD NOT have had to be using glue guns!! They should be BANNED from Project Runway. Also...



This Is Avant Garde:

Guo Pei Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2010

Comme des Garçons Fall 2009

This...Is just HOOCHIE: Season 9 Contestant Viktor Luna created the dress above which somehow ended up in the middle. It was BAD. Not Middle Bad but Bottom Bad. She is SO NOT Avant Garde. She looks more like she thought she was going to get into the BET Awards and still didn't. Also...



How This:



Straight-jacket creation also ended up in the Middle is beyond me. This Avant-Nasty gown was created by Bryce Black, who for sure, should go home next week, just because I said so! I think even Nicki Minaj would have passed on this if it was on a rack for her perusal...



Bert Keeder--yes, the "old guy" who hates all the "inexperienced untalented kids" in the workroom--made this gray "Empire-waist" pleated "carrot" pants ensemble with geometric padded brightly colored pieces. It was a bit of a miss, in it's Why-Does-She-Have-a-Baby-Bump shape--but then again, its color scheme and idea could have easily been part of the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall 2011 Collection inspired by Frank Gehry, Jean-Michel Frank, and the Memphis movement of the eighties. I "get it", and so did Miss Heidi, who liked it as well.



Laura Kathleen's half glue-gunned yellow organza ruffle-tiered gown:



Was romantic and kinda pretty I admit, but A) Not Avant Garde (maybe the hair and make-up); B) Not original; and C) On a similar note, very close to a low-rent knock off of...



Project Runway Season 4 Winner Christian Siriano would have done WITHOUT the GLUE Gun--One of Siriano's gowns from his Spring 2009 Collection above.



The Winner:



Was Anthony Ryan Auld's brushstroke-inspired gown, which was the best of the bunch according to the judges. After seeing all the others (it was "Slim Pickins" as they say!) , I guessed that this one would win.



However, I want to see A.R. do something more other than a basic base of a dress in which he "piles" stuff on it--his Avant Garde creation reminded me just a little bit...of what he did for the "Make a Garment from the Pet Store" challenge (above photo).



Now, the REALLY Worse:



HUUUUNEEEYYY!!!! Poor thang: Designer/contestant Olivier Green--and his model! Olivier has been so blah and uninspired lately, I can almost hear crickets as the model comes down the runway! So, for this Avant Garde Challenge--in which he was inspired by a very colorful painting--he decided to be "Sexy Blah". It was GRAY and Sad. Not just gray but the color of PUTTY! And then, if you look closely at his model...



The opening was so high, her UNDERWEAR-panty strap was showing!!! (photo above). This was ALL THINGS WRONG!!!! It reminded me of one of...



Those Stripper-like "gowns" some past Miss Universe Pageant contestants decide (against their better judgement) to wear.



A Wolf Serving Beer...

But the worst was Joshua Christensen's creation. Josh C. was lucky to have been "invited back" after being eliminated (and you KNOW he was happy to see his boyfriend, "Mean Girls Josh M.) so this was his chance to "step it up".



He was inspired by a painting of a wolf-like creature (above w/ Tim Gunn in the Parsons Workroom). When he began--after Mood Fabrics shopping---he had faux fur and from his sketch, it looked like it would be a gown of some sort. But then, it went into a territory best described as a cross between something one can find in a local mall (Hello Bebe!!) and...

A Hofbräu Waitress Costume

So...it was Josh C. who got eliminated...AGAIN!!!





Below is an excerpt of my mylifetime.com blog:





Happy Times ... Last night, on Season 9 “Project Runway,” the contestants were done with their bitchfest of last week, and as those introductory scenes from their Atlas Apartments proved, it was all “Kumbaya”/happy times/let’s just all get along with each other. As Queen Mean Girl said, “I’m done bitching, now I’m going to be nice.” Yes, GURL, you keep telling yourself that. Even Bert “I-Can’t-Stand-All-These-Kids Keeter wants to make amends ...We’ll see how long that will last.

Art Class Is in Session They all meet Monsieur Gunn at the Harlem School of the Arts to get their next challenge: to create an avant-garde look inspired by artwork from students of the school. Go Nicki Minaj at the MTV VMA’s or GO HOME. The “Project Runway” contestants meet their student artists and have a design “powwow” where the young kids (the Harlem School of the Arts students, in case you were confused) draw a painting that the designers will be inspired by. The one thing I got out of this was that somehow these young kids can DRAW better than the fashion designers on this season’s “Project Runway”! ...



Click HERE to read the rest of my myLifetime.com BLOG Recap!!!

Project Runway Season 9: Episode 5 Nick Verreos Recap: Mean Girls Edition!!!

Mean Meaner and Meanest



Last night's Project Runway Season 9 "Teams-and-their Captains Challenge for Heidi!" episode was a DOOZY! I know I have said this before, but seriously, it was a DOOZY! What ever happened to a show that was about THE FASHION!!?? Oh no darling: Last night, it was all about who can-be-the-biggest-bitch and cause the most drama, and yes, get the most "TV Attention". Before I let you go to my MyLifetime.com Project Runway BLOG to read my RECAP of this week's episode, a few things...



Forgive me, but...I Had To Do This:



Mean Girls Queen: Project Runway Season 9 Villain of all Villains, Joshua McKinley (middle) working her "Mean Girls" pose...in her pink pleated mini and bubblegum pink pumps!



Reality TV Land crowned a new Villain, Joshua McKinley, as well as a Sub-Villain, Bert Keeder. Joshua M. was cruel to the point of disgusting with his "teammate" Becky. Yes, he did apologize, but PUHLEEEASE, only after the realized "Oh Dear! I'm gonna come off REALLY bad on TV...maybe I should dial it back a few notches and 'pretend' apologize...and make sure the cameras follow me when I do it!!"



On the subject of Bert: Bert Keeder was one to LOVE in the beginning of this season, yet it didn't take long--briefly 4-5 episodes, which BTW, that's ONLY like 7 or 8 FILMING DAYS in "real time" kids!!!--to become a nasty bitchy queen. Oh Berty...



Also, The Boyfriends Are Back Together!



FIDM's Debut Student, Joshua Christensen, got another chance after he was "Auf'ed" in the beginning of the season--to join the contestants and continue onto Project Runway. His boyfriend, Mean Girls Queen Joshua M. was very excited to see him but more excited was Joshua C. He smiled and hugged so tightly, you'd think he had been deployed for six months to fight in Afghanistan and had finally gotten off the ship and saw his pregnant wife!



OK, let's talk about the "fashion":



"Team Joshua M"'s basic tank dress was one of the two winners last night. I get that it is very sell-able and all, but seriously? This dress is already at Forever 21: And has been there FOR A WHILE...all Team Joshua M. and Anya (who made it) did, was slop this neon athletic ribbon/trim on it:

And VOLIA! It's FASHION!!!! Not...

A few I liked:



Viktor Luna's cropped motorcycle jacket and purposely wrinkled gray jersey dress was great! Very Alexander Wang. Modern, sporty and (God forbid!) also Fashion-y.



Bryce Black: Barely out of design school and perpetually-in-the-bottom Bryce, did quite well in this challenge! Good for little Bryce. Professor Nick gives him an A!



The Worst:



Anthony Ryan Auld: Oh HUNEY. WHERE. Is. This. Girl. Going?!! She's broke, decided to leave College (cause she couldn't afford it) and is now going back-packing through Eastern Europe (it's cheaper!) by herself! Those romper-diaper-shorts were very Mahatma Gandhi. But the difference was, Gandhi's actually look more CHIC!



Olivier Green: Poor British-accent boy from Ohio and his creation. All she needs is a bonnet and a buggy and she will look right at home at an Amish farm in Pennsylvania.



Danielle Everine: I had high hopes for Danielle. I really thought she was going to be that "Silent but Deadly" contestant, in terms of her creations and really be this season's Leanne Marshall. But nope. She just loved doing green chiffon blouses. As a result, she went home.



And now: Here's a "Taste" of my MyLifetime.com Recap for this week's Episode. And as always, I would LOVE to hear your "Two Cents" and what you thought of Mean Girls Joshua, Bert, and everything else!!!





"Mean Girls": The Parsons Edition



Five things I learned from watching last night's episode:

1) Joshua M. is mean. OK, he's downright CRUEL.

2) Bert is also mean, but in a Bitchy Old Queen sort of way

3) Mean and bitchy gets you places … at least on "Project Runway"

4) Reality shows LOVE a villain ... or two!

5) A basic tank maxi dress can win in a fashion design competition! Who knew?



After last week's "Dress Nina la Diva" episode, the remaining contestants woke up only to find boxes in their Atlas Apartments. I started to get the shakes, as this reminded me of my Season 2 "Figure Skating/Make a Costume for Sasha Cohen" Challenge, when we received boxes of snap-on body suits and leggings to wear during our ice skating outing. Oh happy times! No figure skating for these kids; they were going to the New Balance Track and Field Center at the Armory. Heidi and Tim were there to tell them that they would be working in four teams of three....



Click HERE to continue reading my Mylifetime.com Blog.

Project Runway Season 9--Episode 3 "Go Big or Go Home" --Nick Verreos MyLifetime.com Recap

The Circus--and OVER-exaggerated Body Types...come to Battery Park New York!!!



This:



Equals:

Project Runway Season 9 Designers Joshua McKinley and Julie Tierney design for Challenge No. 3

Last night's 3rd Episode of Project Runway Season 9 involved STILT Walkers and designing outfits for them--that were NOT COSTUME-Y but more "Couture" as their Mentor Tim Gunn, suggested. It was a MESS!!!! I was so amazed (and not in a good way) at how BAAAD these looks were that I thought I was watching a horrible "Day At The Circus" Documentary...The designers/contestants were teamed up and well, to begin--one of the teams Josh and Julie wanted to do "Torreador Couture" and ended up doing Elephant Clown Circus Wrangler, as my images above shows you. It really should have looked like this:

Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Fall 2008

I know it is not fair to compare a $50,000 Haute Couture ensemble---which includes a hand-beaded jacket that probably took 400 HOURS to make--to an outfit on Project Runway that was made in 12 hours but there was nothing chic or modern or even something that looked wearable in Joshua and Julie's Outfit.

And to think that these were even in contention for the Best:



Becky and Kimberley: One shoulder striped, pouffed/Leg-o-Mutton sleeved jacket with contrast over-sized cuffs and asymmetrical collar paired with gold-studded army-green trousers ensemble. Enough said. The top was SOOO "Fashion School Graduation Show 101" in terms of its silhouette, styling and fabric choice. Yes, the pants fit extremely well (the judges agreed), but still: It WASN'T that good...to be considered a "Top".



Cecilia Motwani and Danielle Everine: The chiffon fabric of this look was cut and sewn BEAUTIFULLY!!! I give both of these girls points for that. But if it wasn't for the 1967 "Medicated with Way-Too-Many-Dry-Martinis-Housewife" bouffant hairdo, they might have won...

but in the end it was this that won this awful & creepy challenge:



Anthony Ryan Auld and Laura Kathleen: This was the ONLY look--a red gown with a gathered blouson top with feathered shouldered detail and thin-belted waist--that came close to NOT being COSTUME-like and from the Circus and actually reminded the judges--and me--of a gown that was just "stretched"...Laura won as a result.



The Really Bad:







Bert Keeter and Viktor Luna: These two designers argued throughout the entire challenge and the result of their look was a MESS! Using brocade from the Mood Fabrics HOME and Sofa Section (is there really such a department? I may be making it up!) is NOT a good idea!!



But it was THIS Tutu concoction that really made the judges sour:





Bryce Black and Fallene Wells: These two designers tried to do "Black Swan"-meets-Punk. Not so much. The basic black cami looks like it came from Forever 21 and that tutu, low-hanging waistband and under-skirt pants? It all looked like a drunk 50-something former ballerina had hijacked the stage and needed to be escorted off. Fallene was "Auf'ed"...



If you really want to know what I thought of the entire Episode...





Here is a preview of my recap for myLifetime.com:



Send In The Clowns



Off the Bat ...

I know that I will risk sounding like a big ol’ “Negative Ninny” right off the bat (I promise, just this week!), but ... boy, were these outfits AWFUL! Just awful! Good, I had to get that off my trimmed yet still hairy chest. Oh, and let me add the following while I am on a roll: I am all for Team Bert in this Viktor vs. Bert History of Fashion Terminology Lesson. Don’t say “Elizabethan” or “Victorian” or “Gothic” when you haven’t a CLUE what those terms refer to. Go buy François Boucher’s “20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment” and then talk to me. Don’t use the incorrect terminology and not expect to be clocked on it. OK, I am done for now. Let’s discuss this week’s Circus on the Runway Challenge....



Click HERE to continue reading--and of course, please let me know what you thought (in the comments section).