Friday, February 5, 2010

Project Runway 7, Episode 4: Soup Is Good Food


I think the thing that most struck me about this episode, aside from it being an hour-long ad for Campbell’s Soup, was how they used it to plug ProjectRunway.com, a little-trafficked website where you can buy things related to the show. If you Google 'Project Runway' it doesn’t even show up on the first page of search results. Of course the Bravo site is still the first result, which I’m sure pleases Lifetime to no end.

The Challenge
Ok, so it wasn’t breast cancer survivors like Diana and I predicted, but you have to admit it was a good guess. Instead it was “woman whose lives have been impacted by heart disease”. It just rolls off the tongue, like “Diabetes” or “The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”. We spent a fair amount of time at the beginning of the episode loudly saying “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!” Eventually they sort of explained it.

Still, very inspiring stories and as my friend LaughtAtlantis tweeted: “I love it when they have real women instead of models on Project Runway. Some of the designers get befuddled by "actual size" bodies.” Wait, what are these things protruding from the sides of you body about waist high… Oh! They’re hips!

The Loser Edit
Jesus had the Loser Edit from his first appearance on camera. I wonder if they get footage of every designer before every challenge talking about how confident they are and how sure they are that they’ll do well. Over confidence: Check. Revelations about their backstory and personal struggles: Check. A truly hideous gown: Check. Future Project Runway editors can just watch this episode to learn how to cut together the Loser Edit.

Mila
I am puzzled. I haven’t really liked any of Mila’s designs so far, with the possible exception of her burlap dress, and yet she keeps landing in the top 3. Her “Stars and Stripes Forever” gown last night just needed some blue trim and a fake lantern to land her in a patriotic propaganda musical number. Yet, I think the only reason she didn’t win was because the judges felt only a few women could pull that dress off (I would question any could). With the winning gown to be sold on ProjectRunway.com, they needed something with a broader appeal. I just don’t like her stuff. I don’t understand why the judges seem to love it so.

Mini-Mila
And Maya, the Mini-Mila, also landed herself in the top three with her… WTF was that? Even guest judge Georgina Champan admitted she wasn’t sure if she should actually like Maya’s gown. Here’s your answer: you shouldn’t. The woman had some strange golden window-curtain-pull turned snake wrapped around her waist biting at her boob.

The Winner
Thank goodness Amy won. Her gown was elegant and moved like a dream. Otherwise I think I would have had to fly to New York and give Michael and Nina a talking to.

3 comments:

  1. WTH was Maya's ILL-FITTING dress doing up there? Gross! It sagged in the one place that no woman EVER wants to sag!

    They could just as easily have had Jonathan's or Seth Aaron's or Ben's up there- at least those pieces fit. Harrupmh!

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  2. I thought the same thing about Maya's dress. Especially the snake bit(e).

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  3. I couldn't figure out why Maya's dress was in the top three, especially because it didn't have the branding in it. If the model had accidentally left the clutch in the workroom, she would have been toast. I would have replaced it with Jonathan's dress, which I thought was a lovely shade of red, moved beautifully, and - wonder of wonders - fit well!

    I disagree with you about Mila's dress though. I actually thought this deserved the win for this more than last week's creations, which I found unmemorable. I didn't like the top of Amy's dress, even if it did move well. Yes, Mila's dress looked like a float-topper, but this is a design competition, and it was much more interesting and innovative look.

    And hey! Thanks for quoting me. I do love that sudden shock of "what do I do with a short person?" and "how do you design for a pear shape?"

    I also enjoyed looking at Heidi when Jesus' dress came down the runway. Because frankly, no matter how tasteless, tacky, short, shiny, etc., that dress was... Heidi was grinning from ear to ear. If she weren't pregnant, it would be right up her alley.

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