8/30 Show Discussion **Spoilers**

[Runway victim]

Vincent should have made a black sportcoat to go with his outfit, then he could have been as much of a jetsetter as Michael Kors.
I have never seen Michael wearing anything but a black t-shirt and jacket, be it on PR, or any other event he might be seen attending.
In fact, I think his Mother was wearing the exact same thing on last weeks challenge. They must have had Michael Kors design an outfit for his own Mother in some footage that was not shown on the air.

Would LOVE to hear the judges describe why they choose what they wear:

Michael Kors: Excuse me, I really think the Miami Vice look is going to make a comeback & someone told me black is slimming so........ I put the two together......and I think it's really "chic". And it "speaks to me".

Heidi Klum: Well, since my name is Heidi, I thought wearing a "Heidi" dress for this episode would be really cute. And it looks "very expensive".

Nina Garcia: I'm the Fashion Director of Elle, I get tons of free stuff & can wear whatever I want & I look "adorable" because my look is very retro/fashion-forward mixed with classics.

[syd18]

I thought Vincent's outfit was horrible. What was up with the rhinestone encrusted crotch?
I also hated Kayne's outfit. His outfit really emphasized how short his legs are.
Angela's outfit was horrid. It was so wrinkled and just blah.
However, I thought Laura and Uli's outfits were really pretty.

[Juliana]

I liked Jeffrey's blazer alot. But to what country can you jetset to? (or airport lounge you can drink in?) does he think a jeweled crotch is appropriate?

I live in Soho/the Village. Even around here where jetsetters abound, he'd have quite a few raised eyebrows!

[Runway victim]

I think the competition is now at the point where the individual challenges aren't as important to the judges as the cumulative body of work.

They really are looking for a certain design aesthetic (Laura, Michael) & a definitive POV (Jeffrey) . And not just a one trick pony (Uli).
And the judges may think Kayne is out of his league (poor guy, I really like him).
Still not sure why Vincent is still there?????? Maybe based on his having had his own line? (The designs he showed in his submission video were better than anything he has sent down the runway during the show.)

But on that note........... I think the $100,000 prize is awesome but.......... an apprenticeship with Macy's INC brand?

Seems like most of the designers this season are way beyond that in their designs and experience.

I can see some past designers learning a lot about the industry @ Banana Republic because they were not as accomplished in their careers.

But working as an apprentice at Macy's????? Laura, Vincent, Jeffrey!!!!!! I just don't see it.

[DagnyTaggart]

Just like the past seasons, I believe that they do not "work as an apprentice" for BR or for Macy's - they get a "mentorship" from those places, i.e., they get advice and stuff like that.
I do not get the Uli is a one-trick pony criticism. Is Diane Von Furstenberg (sp?) a one-trick pony? Yeah, Uli likes prints and dresses - it's her signature - but I would happily own 10 of her dresses and know that people don't think I'm always wearing the same thing when they see me in them. Her dresses share a style and point of view, but they are not all interchangeable.

[corprip]

This is from Andy's Blog:

There was a visa issue with one of our designers that was a nailbiter through the trip. First we were told the designer may not be able to leave the country, then we were told that they might not be able to return. Oy vey! It all worked out.

It so had to be Uli!

[Runway victim]

Just like the past seasons, I believe that they do not "work as an apprentice" for BR or for Macy's - they get a "mentorship" from those places, i.e., they get advice and stuff like that.
I do not get the Uli is a one-trick pony criticism. Is Diane Von Furstenberg (sp?) a one-trick pony? Yeah, Uli likes prints and dresses - it's her signature - but I would happily own 10 of her dresses and know that people don't think I'm always wearing the same thing when they see me in them. Her dresses share a style and point of view, but they are not all interchangeable.

I stand corrected you are right regarding the mentorship. I was confused. I'm relieved-I just couldn't see that happening.

And the Uli comment was in reference to the judges assessment of her in the last competition.
Same goes for Michael & Laura & Jeffrey comment- these are how I see the judges viewing these individuals. IMO

[MFWalkoff]

I like the way the show is broadening its horizons in terms of location and the structure of the challenges. But this week's specific challenge was an exercise in subjective snobbery and smoke-n-mirrors.

What does an "international jet-setter" really look like? I think Vincent made the best point about this challenge when Michael tore into him for underdesigning his outfit. MK went on about there being no X-factor or wild-card (paraphrasing) to it, and Jeffrey said, "I'm the X-factor."

For a minute, after Michael replied with "this is a design challenge", I agreed. But if you think about it, the idea of a jet-setter is so time- and locale-specific that it could mean any number of looks. WHO the person IS would dictate the look more than any style out of a book.

The judges were giving very New York and Paris-centric comments. Designers like Angela and Kayne were doomed before they made their first sketch, because of their backgrounds. And it's not a matter of knowledge or education, because Angela knew who Catherine Whatshernom was in Paris.

The look the judges were whining to see was actually their own and their friends'. The theme for the challenge was very narrowminded, which is ironic since the rest of the episode kicked the show up a level in my opinion.

[ManySkills]

I agree that the judges only seem to reward a fairly narrow aesthetic.

Angela may not quite have had the talent or skills of the other designers, but I also think she took alot of grief because her point of view was artsy, young, and showed maybe a hint of European flair.

MK and Nina G and many of the guest judges are not that young anymore, and mostly have a middle-aged, classic, American sense of style.

I for one was sad to see Angela go.

Good luck to you, A. Hope to see some of your designs out in the real world!

[VeronicaBelle27]

This seems to be the least talked about episode of the show in 3 seasons! I haven't verified this, it just seems that way. I wonder if some viewers stronger than I kept their vow not to watch the show after the insensitivity the producers, the judges, the contestants, everyone involved has shown the average American viewer. I'm not that strong, I love the show too much... and though I'm being extra snarky in my comments while watching, and probably in upcoming posts, I haven't yet been able to not watch it. The day is coming though, folks, it's just a matter of when... In the most recent issue of US Magazine, the TOC alludes to Project Runway plus size issue; I flip to it eagerly, hoping for some awesome apology or something, anything... it was just a review of the Mom/Average woman show, and happy-happy-joy-joy publicity for PR itself that it's celebrating the average woman (with one episode ). Ugh!!!

Anyway, onto this week's rankings:

Laura: Wow, I loved the dress, it looked great on her, and it traveled so well.
Number 1!

Michael: I loved how crisp it was after a long flight, I mean, I understand it was seersucker and all, but it looked like it just got out of one of those stand up steam pressing machines! I also liked the design itself (updating the Nehru collar, unbelievable, and those cool cargo pants), and a big Go*da*n! to his little catwalk. Number 2!

Jeffrey: Really cool look.. really suited him, and it did look expensive for $75. Also, it travelled well. Glad he finally won a challenge, now he could stop whining. Number 3!

Uli: She's getting a bad rap all of a sudden for having a POV. Well, sorry, Michael Kors, I know that for you, Mr.-Tailored-Neutral-Basics, it's really hard to find a market when you are a designer with a distinct viewpoint. Give me a break! It was very pretty, I loved the prints, and it travelled well. Number 4!

Kayne: Not for nothing, but I kind of didn't hate it as much as EVERYONE else. It was extremely well made, it suited him (no accounting for personal taste) and his personality. He did not deserve to be standing next to Angela. Number 5!

Angela: Ugh. Horrible. What the hell was she thinking using linen in a travel (or any other!) challenge???????? Maybe she thought that "Silk/Linen" would be a magical fabric that would not wrinkle like a brown paper bag? And that's what the pants looked like, a wrinkled brown paper bag, with rosettes stapled to it... topped off by a magenta lampshade top. And it didn't fit her well, you are supposed to be able to design for yourself the best! Tied for Last!

Vincent: C'mon, now!!!! I could have done better than this and I failed sewing in 9th grade. The pants were about 4 sizes too big for him, the pockets looked like they were ripped off from the front of a bookbag and stapled on, and that V-necked black cotton shirt was probably so easy to make well, and he just didn't make it well at all. No effort, and a distinct lack of respect. Since when is a black shirt and black cotton pants "designing"? This effort, coupled with every single other design he's produced thus far, should have gotten him ousted.