"Project Runway": Off to an Auspicious Start
It was the challenge that introduced us to the magic of “Project Runway”…
The contestants were taken to a grocery store and told they had to make an outfit from materials they purchased in the store. It was a challenge that showed the uniqueness of “Runway” and set it apart from other reality competition shows.
So when “Runway” decided to bring back its very first challenge for the fifth season premiere, I thought we’d get to see real creativity at work.
After watching the episode four times, I’m still looking…
In fact, what should have been a great challenge actually produced the season’s first controversial judging decision…
Tim Gunn called this the most diverse group of designers the show has ever had. So why then did so many of them pick the exact same materials—a tablecloth? In fact, two of them picked the exact same tablecloth! Tim told them he was concerned the judges would say that they were “a bunch of slackers,” but it was clear those words came from Tim’s own heart. He was truly disappointed, and so was I…
And then there was Blayne and Stella. Every time the cameras showed Blayne’s outfit, I said out loud, “What is that?” Even after four viewings, I still have no idea what his outfit—that Heidi called “bunny gone grunge”—was.
On the other hand, I knew what Stella’s was—ridiculous. She had planned to use garbage bags to make leather pants. But when she unrolled them, she decided they weren’t strong enough. So at the last minute, she draped the bags around her model and sewed them together. As Heidi said, it was “butt ugly.”
So one of them went home, right? Nope…
Heidi’s first “You’re out” was reserved for Jerry who created a white raincoat out of a shower curtain over some kind of white paper dress. It was bad. But his biggest snafu was that he accessorized it with long yellow latex gloves. As the judges said during their discussion, it looked like something a killer would wear.
But at least Jerry made something instead of just draping a trash bag over his model’s chest and calling it an outfit. And at least I knew what his was.
So why did Jerry go home over Stella and Blayne? Personality. Blayne is unusual and you can’t help but be curious as to what he’ll do next. And Stella with her rocker chick attitude is a wild card. Jerry was just another designer (And a cocky one at that. In his exit interview he insisted that his design was brilliant—which actually made me feel better about his leaving.).
There were some bright spots in the episode, including two (?!) designers from Columbus—Terry (who is originally from Chicago)’s top made from mop heads was great, although her tablecloth skirt was a little blah. And Kelli actually won the challenge—and rightfully so—after constructing a skirt out of vacuum bags (which she beautifully dyed), a top out of coffee filters, and fastening it all with the spiral of a notebook. And since she won and has immunity, she’s guaranteed to be around for at least two more weeks. Go Bucks!
Plus, Daniel’s dress made of plastic cups was very cool. However, I did not share the judges’ enthusiasm (nor did Tim) over Korto’s yellow tablecloth dress with the tomato and kale trim. Even with the trim, it was still a big tablecloth. And the kale and tomatoes were clearly kale and tomatoes. They weren’t transformed like the cups or vacuum bags.
I haven’t looked to see what next week’s challenge will be because I like to be surprised, but I hope whatever it is the designers step it up.
Because quite frankly, I want this to be the best season ever, for Bravo’s sake…
“Project Runway” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo…
The contestants were taken to a grocery store and told they had to make an outfit from materials they purchased in the store. It was a challenge that showed the uniqueness of “Runway” and set it apart from other reality competition shows.
So when “Runway” decided to bring back its very first challenge for the fifth season premiere, I thought we’d get to see real creativity at work.
After watching the episode four times, I’m still looking…
In fact, what should have been a great challenge actually produced the season’s first controversial judging decision…
Tim Gunn called this the most diverse group of designers the show has ever had. So why then did so many of them pick the exact same materials—a tablecloth? In fact, two of them picked the exact same tablecloth! Tim told them he was concerned the judges would say that they were “a bunch of slackers,” but it was clear those words came from Tim’s own heart. He was truly disappointed, and so was I…
And then there was Blayne and Stella. Every time the cameras showed Blayne’s outfit, I said out loud, “What is that?” Even after four viewings, I still have no idea what his outfit—that Heidi called “bunny gone grunge”—was.
On the other hand, I knew what Stella’s was—ridiculous. She had planned to use garbage bags to make leather pants. But when she unrolled them, she decided they weren’t strong enough. So at the last minute, she draped the bags around her model and sewed them together. As Heidi said, it was “butt ugly.”
So one of them went home, right? Nope…
Heidi’s first “You’re out” was reserved for Jerry who created a white raincoat out of a shower curtain over some kind of white paper dress. It was bad. But his biggest snafu was that he accessorized it with long yellow latex gloves. As the judges said during their discussion, it looked like something a killer would wear.
But at least Jerry made something instead of just draping a trash bag over his model’s chest and calling it an outfit. And at least I knew what his was.
So why did Jerry go home over Stella and Blayne? Personality. Blayne is unusual and you can’t help but be curious as to what he’ll do next. And Stella with her rocker chick attitude is a wild card. Jerry was just another designer (And a cocky one at that. In his exit interview he insisted that his design was brilliant—which actually made me feel better about his leaving.).
There were some bright spots in the episode, including two (?!) designers from Columbus—Terry (who is originally from Chicago)’s top made from mop heads was great, although her tablecloth skirt was a little blah. And Kelli actually won the challenge—and rightfully so—after constructing a skirt out of vacuum bags (which she beautifully dyed), a top out of coffee filters, and fastening it all with the spiral of a notebook. And since she won and has immunity, she’s guaranteed to be around for at least two more weeks. Go Bucks!
Plus, Daniel’s dress made of plastic cups was very cool. However, I did not share the judges’ enthusiasm (nor did Tim) over Korto’s yellow tablecloth dress with the tomato and kale trim. Even with the trim, it was still a big tablecloth. And the kale and tomatoes were clearly kale and tomatoes. They weren’t transformed like the cups or vacuum bags.
I haven’t looked to see what next week’s challenge will be because I like to be surprised, but I hope whatever it is the designers step it up.
Because quite frankly, I want this to be the best season ever, for Bravo’s sake…
“Project Runway” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo…
Photo provided by Bravo
