Project Runway, Ep. 8: It’s Raining Men, Hallelujah!

Before I recap this episode, can I just get this off my not-so-substantial chest? On Tim Gunn‘s Facebook page and mylifetime.com, folks are gripe, gripe, griping about the team concept. Having just followed the Fall/Winter fashion shows, I keep wondering–when DON’T you work in a team as a designer? You have investors, major fashion houses (many owned by conglomerates looking for name recognition and return on investment), vendors, and other players. You have to work collaboratively or you won’t succeed. I keep thinking of the recent shows by Proenza Schouler and Rodarte–teams, people–and how fresh and lovely their creations were. So, the team concept is here for the season. Can we just see how it plays out?

Thanks! I feel so much better!

This week, the challenge is to create a collection of tear-away clothes for male strippers. Really, I could not make this stuff up. And the designers have one day to do it! Menswear is hard enough, but it has to be tear-away and done in a day? Thanks, Heidi and creative team for dooming us to a pitiful collection. Tim tells the duos that each collection must include a suit–“suave, sophisticated,” both modifiers I associate with strip shows. Why not dress them up like cops and Indians and sailors, like the Village People? I mean, that would be fun.

The designers really seem lost struggling with menswear. Stanley and Richard have done some beautiful, well-fitted pieces, but can’t seem to tailor these clothes to save their lives. I LOVE that Daniel does a trench coat–I mean, isn’t stripping sanctioned flashing?

In short, the clothes look horrible, all the judges are gravely disappointed (although Nina has a giggling fit the whole runway show), and Heidi lectures them sternly that there are no winners, but oh, are there losers. Team Shades of Gray is not on the chopping block; Team Slick and Hip gets read the riot act. Amanda is out–finally! And Layana whines and whines and whines. This was a very sad episode. Isn’t it time for a road trip, powers that be?

Best lines of the night:

“I smell chaos and bedlam,” Tim

“Michelle’s vest looks like the Lollipop Guild from the Wizard of Oz,” Daniel

“It looks like something that might have fit but was sent to the wrong dry cleaners,” Richard

“This is like a weird dream,” Zac Posen. And so it was.

Green, Green, It’s Green They Say

Morgan as The Gatekeeper at the entrance to the Emerald City (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Washington Post reported yesterday that Pantone Institute has declared Emerald to be THE color of 2013. Their website declares that Emerald is  “Lively. Radiant. Lush…” and equates the color with well-being, balance, and harmony. I think of gemstones, grass in spring, and where the Wizard of Oz lives.

In any event, Emerald is popping up in furniture, paint, home decor, cookware, linens–you name it, you’ll fine it. The word that comes to mind now, at least for me, is “edit.” I don’t want my home to be all over green–too much like the Emerald City. Instead, pick a few items to get your green on. Linens, for instance, or accent pillows, or a kettle for the stove. In that way, you freshen up your home without breaking the bank, AND have the ability to switch when Emerald is declared passe. In the meantime, say it along with me: “Who Rang That Bell?”