Project Project Runway Challenge #11 – The Highest Bidder

Welcome to season 13 of Project Runway and a new season of Project Project Runway! If you want to join in the fun this season get all the details here. Let’s jump right in…

Challenge – The Highest Bidder
Create a look from found items around your home. You can use fabric that is in other things like old clothing, but do not use fabric from your fabric stash. Make sure to make fashion and not a costume.

Time Limit – 24 hours

Budget –  0

Accessories – Choose your accessories from the Aldo Accessory Wall.

Runway Day – Runway day is Thursday, October 9th.
Just a reminder, only in-progress photos should be posted to the Flickr group before Runway Day. Save the big reveal for next Thursday. Please tag your photos with PPR13 and ProjectProjectRunway.

Ok, let’s talk about this episode. Warning spoilers ahead….

Kathy’s take: (Apparently I have a lot to say this week.)

Kini and Amanda – They are lucky they are quick sewers since they changed the whole thing midstream. Man were those pink pants high waisted, it gave her odd proportions. I like the idea of them, but cut differently. (I think I had something similar in the late 80’s.) The soccer ball dress with the white fur made me think Courtney Love, I think it’s the jacket. (I had a faux fur bomber in the 90’s.) The judges were right the dress was better without the coat. The last look was kind of fun, though the big ballroom skirt with a t-shirt style top has been done a lot too. All and all, I’m not surprised they won. I kind of figured as soon as they were paired up that they would win. Let’s face it these two are most likely going to Fashion Week.

Korina and Emily –

I kinda love that big colorful sweater, I would probably wear a toned down version. I think the fabric must have looked worse in person. The cushion vest was just odd. To me it looked like she just cut a neck and armholes in cushion. There was a lot going on with that look. I found it funny the judges liked it best. The cape with the red skirt and the trim on the sleeves of the top was really appealing to me. I liked the cape even though the judges thought it was too much. I’m shocked Nina hated this collection so much. I think I was attracted to the mix of red, black and grey in this collection as well as the trim, it had a Northern European look to it that I like. I think perhaps an edited version of these looks is what I really want.

Char and Alexander –

I loved the long blue coat made from the blanket, but it was the highlight of the collection. Hate the mess on the skirts and how the models couldn’t walk. I’m so over sheer cutouts. (Nina agrees.) The long dress could have been pretty, but the model couldn’t walk and I really feel like I’ve seen it before. I knew the judges would not be happy with the models not being able to walk.

I’m not sure about the obvious tv drama, sew off at the end. (The whole idea of show us your best design and you have 60 minutes is just ridiculous.) I don’t think either look was great. (The judges were way too into Char’s department store dress.) I don’t particularly like Korina’s attitude, but I think based on their work through the season, I would have sent Char home right away.

Susi’s Take

Korina and Emily -Oh my word. I have been making couch cushions (and pipe) for months now, and when Emily sent down the cushion vest with the fur trim (AFTER TIM SAID NOT TO!!!…) I nearly passed out. It looks like Kristoff’s sled ran into the upholstery shop at the bottom of the hill.
Char and Alexander-  “How to be successful on PR tip # 203. If the models cannot walk, you will be called out on it by the judges. Cut a slit up the back to fix the issue. Full Stop.
Sew off: Sewing a look in an hour is ridiculous. Oh, wait. That is what we do every week. (okay, yes, on a barbie scale, but for real.) There is a formula. Get jersey and start sewing would be one route. Or get chiffon and start draping is your other choice. “Romi” it up.  You are not going to prove anything with a 16 piece muslin-patterned, color-blocked, accent pipe in a bad/hard fabric. In one hour don’t try to contradict the last thing Nina said, just go to your wheelhouse and pull from your strengths.
For me, Korina’s age and immaturity really showed here. She was a hot mess, and the only thing she thought to do was try to bad mouth Char. “You shouldn’t be here!” she using so much energy to shout at the wind that she couldn’t even focus. Of the two dresses, Char’s was head and shoulders above Korina’s. Was that representative of their work? Probably in a nut shell, yes. Char was able to use her team mate and manage her time wisely. And Korina drove Emily off the cliff with her bitter pill. When Heidi gives you one hour, you and your partner should be running up the stairs from the runway room to the work room shouting “what can we do in an hour??” One team was doing that. The other team was just saying “why are THEY here? Oh woe’s me! I am so above this. I think I will write a treatise on my greatness. I DO NOT do tribal prints every time!!!”

Now I will say what I say every week: Korina, have you ever watched the show? You made it to fashion week. It does not matter that you made a decoy collection, you got to show. Congratulations. If Micheal Kors had been on the show still, he would have called you out on the runway. He does not like to see fighting. He would tell you that to succeed in fashion, you will need to work with other people. I would say, “always be nice”. Do NOT back talk the judges. They are industry veterans. Even if you do not agree with their feed back, you accept it graciously in the spirit in which it was offered. I tell my child when she is frustrated and sad to leave “Sweetie, we have to leave gracefully, or we will not be invited back.” And she is 5.