Project Runway Season 9

[cheepmunk]

I was a little annoyed on Julie's behalf that they didn't ask her back for the sportswear challenge after Cecilia quit, though she probably still wouldn't have done well with the time constraints.

But I'm biased because I hated the decision to bring back Josh C. Asking the designers who they wanted to return instead of just bringing back the last eliminated contestant only added to the clique-ish, icky feel of the episode. Plus, it was supremely unfair to Julie, who managed to outlast Josh the first time.

 

[Menace]

I totally agree with happytrail and cheepmunk.

 

[MyNameIs]

I was a little annoyed on Julie's behalf that they didn't ask her back for the sportswear challenge after Cecilia quit, though she probably still wouldn't have done well with the time constraints.

But I'm biased because I hated the decision to bring back Josh C. Asking the designers who they wanted to return instead of just bringing back the last eliminated contestant only added to the clique-ish, icky feel of the episode. Plus, it was supremely unfair to Julie, who managed to outlast Josh the first time.

I agree with this completely. I thought for sure Julie would be the one brought back. Not only did she outlast all the other three designers, she's also much better/funnier/more interesting than Josh, whom I really can't stand.

Has it ever happened that they brought back a contestant over one who was eliminated most recently? For some reason I feel like that has happened?

 

[Zann]

^ yes

I THINK it was when that guy, who was HIV positive, had to leave because he was getting sick and they brought back the recently eliminated person

 

[MyNameIs]

^No, I don't mean if they've brought in someone back who was already eliminated. I know they've done that. I mean, has there ever been something similar to what happened with Julie - the person eliminated last was not brought back but rather person who was eliminated before her?

 

[cheepmunk]

It's even worse because I think Josh C. was eliminated two people before Julie. IIRC, the elimination order was Josh C. and then Fallene and then Julie, so actually two people got screwed when they brought him back. And both of them, IMO, were more interesting designers than Josh. Fallene was seriously underqualified for this competition, but at least her aesthetic wasn't booooring. I can't remember one single thing Josh C. has made.

I guess it's possible that they asked Julie and Fallene to come back and they both refused, but the editing made it seem like the designers were allowed to pick whoever they wanted, which pretty much ended up rewarding the cool kids over the better designers. It's frustrating because this challenge was so much more suited to Julie's skills and aesthetic than the other challenges they've had thus far.

 

[Littleathquakes]

I'm telling yas, they're making up new rules as they go. it's so ridiculous, Julie shouldn't have even been eliminated considering that Cecilia said she would've rather went home immediately after the elimination. The producers should have called her on that the minute she uttered those words in the back room after Julie's elimination, & spared Julie.

Josh C has no design aesthetic.

 

[Inaya]

I really was rooting for Bert in the beginning because I am in awe that he worked with designers like Arnold Scaasi et al, but he is so catty and negative, it's ridiculous (not to mention his pieces are really dated and strange aside from that first dress he won with)

 

[BlueberryMansion]

I honestly didn't love anything tonight. Well, I loved the paintings!

I liked the idea of Anthony Ryan's, but it looked so sloppy and unfinished. I guess he was going for a kind of deconstructed, unfinished look, but instead of looking effortless, it looked like he ran out of time but got lucky because it was an avant grade challenge.

Did Josh really take credit for Laura doing better because he was mean to her last week?

 

[Littleathquakes]

omg the clothes were all so ugly. I think Kenneth Cole was the only one being honest with some of his criticisms.

Josh's dress was hideous, I don't know how they saw any beauty in that. and that heavy fabric that he used...they make floor mats out of those things. And yes, he did take credit for Laura doing better because he was mean to her! what an ego.

thank God Josh C got called out on his Alexander McQueen vibe , except nowhere near as polished as a real McQueen outfit. it reminded me of F/W 2008.

 

[silk skin paws]

I was bored by this week's challenge. The idea of avant-garde show should be about pushing the boundaries and at the least interesting. Maybe the designer's didn't have enough time due to constraints. Josh M's design was too literal. I liked the construction of the skirt and the skirt will flatter different body types yet hated the color. I didn't like the top. I hated Anthony Ryan's look. The pieces of fabric looked cheap and Oliver's look wasn't as bad as the judges made it seem. I prefer Oliver's dress over Anthony construction project dress. Bert design was kooky, constumey (a reason why designers were send home) and not avant-garde or fashionable.

 

[Menace]

omg the clothes were all so ugly. I think Kenneth Cole was the only one being honest with some of his criticisms.

Josh's dress was hideous, I don't know how they saw any beauty in that. and that heavy fabric that he used...they make floor mats out of those things. And yes, he did take credit for Laura doing better because he was mean to her! what an ego.

thank God Josh C got called out on his Alexander McQueen vibe , except nowhere near as polished as a real McQueen outfit. it reminded me of F/W 2008.

I KNEW that dress was ugly. When I heard the judges praise it I was like "REALLY?"

Also, did they say Josh C's design was similar to McQueen? I don't think so... they just said McQueen sees beauty in the dark and can translate that into something very beautiful... which Josh C did not do...

 

[Zann]

I think Josh C was destined to fail at Project Runway. Poor guy.

I cannot CANNOT believe Heidi liked BERT'S OUTFIT! Is she like still on hormones from her 10th child because that outfit was so cheap and stupid (my opinion). Ugh if Bert is in the final then this show has lost it.

I agree that this episode was boring. Nothing was exciting. Nina should have been there.

 

[cheepmunk]

I can't with these designers. When I think of some of the two-day wonders in past seasons' avant-garde challenges, this one falls way short. The best part of the episode was seeing the kids' paintings. What a talented bunch.

But also, some of the designers should consider that, when they've been outdone artistically by a 12 year old, they maybe need go back to the drawing board. Did I really hear Olivier tell Tim that his look was avant-garde because he personally had never used chiffon before? And then Laura called him a good designer! Not if he thinks that the very existence of light blue chiffon is avant-garde, darling. Ugh, I want them all to go away.

As a side note, I'm so glad they (producers or contestants, I don't care) cut back on the bitchery this week, but Josh M. treating Becky like a flower he helped bloom was a little unbelievable.

 

[MyNameIs]

I haven't watched the episode yet, but I saw the pictures of the looks.

I didn't hate Bert's look.

I didn't love Ryan Anthony's look, but I'm glad he finally won.

I think asking designers on PR to create an 'avant garde' look is kind of an oxymoron in itself and I don't think it's realistic to expect to see a successful avant garde look from them. First, I think the idea, inspiration has to be more organic then whatever it is that Heidi or Tim announces to the designers on the morning of. Second, they have less than a full day to actually create the look. I really doubt even John Gaultier could succeed given those two restrictions. Finally, true avant garde would probably not find much support from the judges anyway. I mean, no offense, but the people on that panel are not some sort of artistic geniuses. And considering that producers' input is probably involved in the decision making, I doubt true avant garde would be rewarded.

With that said, and taking the avant garde requirement with a grain of salt, I thought all the looks were fairly interesting/decent.

 

[cheepmunk]

I didn't love Bert's (though I did love that Viktor admitted to secretly loving it -- but only secretly!), but I didn't hate it either. It certainly wasn't as bad as Olivier's. At least the silhouette was interesting, which is more than can be said for some of those chiffon nightmares.

I think asking designers on PR to create an 'avant garde' look is kind of an oxymoron in itself and I don't think it's realistic to expect to see a successful avant garde look from them. First, I think the idea, inspiration has to be more organic then whatever it is that Heidi or Tim announces to the designers on the morning of. Second, they have less than a full day to actually create the look. I really doubt even John Gaultier could succeed given those two restrictions. Finally, true avant garde would probably not find much support from the judges anyway.

No, I agree. In fact, I was annoyed by the number of times the judges mentioned wearability in their judging, as if that has anything to do with avant-garde fashion. And I think it did happen this time that the dresses that strayed too far from ready-to-wear were heavily penalized, so you're right about the judges not rewarding avant-garde.

But still, I feel like designers in past seasons did an overall better job of meeting the challenge. There were a couple dresses this time that I think came close, but just fell a little short. Basically, the hideous outfits this time were close to ready-to-wear (i.e., boring), whereas in previous seasons, the hideous outfits were at least unusual, like a model wearing a nude jumpsuit pooping pastel-colored blobs of fabric.

 

[BlueberryMansion]

And am I the only that didn't see anything avant garde about Laura's outfit?

 

[Zann]

^ was she the one who did the long tan dress? I still can't figure out who is who with the names.

I'm surprised Becky was safe. Come on. She just put cubes on a dress. I guess PR wants her for more "witty" comments lol

 

[Kate_Moore]

I didn't like any of the dresses. What a mess.

 

[Menace]

Project Runway, as a whole, is a big mess in itself.

It wants designers to design stuff that "appeal to the mass" but "is not costume-y and is fashion forward" if these designers could do that... they would be working for big fashion houses already in the RTW department.

I don't get why they have these "avant garde" or "couture" challenges when the biggest thing to come out of the show was Christian Siriano's deal with Payless Shoes and Heidi Klum's athletic wear on Amazon. The only reason I can think of is that it's fun to watch people fail.