PROJECT RUNWAY, FINALE, PART ONE
Ah for simpler days when finale meant the end, not prelude to the end, but Project Runway is rather formulaic, and the second to the last week means the designers are 10 weeks into their three month gestation period and Tim arrives to put out any fires.
At bat first, Carol Hannah Whitfield who has left Charleston to work in a suburb north off NYC- now I could tell her our magic fairy creative dust does not travel that far from Manhattan, but I will be the grateful girl that they are all out of that LA place and back to the madness and bad weather of NYC-it is snowing. Inspired by the gothic architecture she saw at Duke University on her drive north, Carol Hannah has clearly wasted little time. Tim thinks one of her dresses looks like a skater’s costume, but I rather like the grey tulle confection. She has done some amazing designs and Tim reminds her she has accomplished a lot but has far to go- he sees one outfit as matronly- I think it is retro 30’s movie star. CH is not a fashion school graduate, and that worries her, but Tim is encouraging as he enjoys a nice Southern meal with her family and leaves on a positive note.
Second on our line-up is Irina Shabayeva on the Upper West Side of NYC, Irina, in a tiny Madhattan Apartment, has been inspired by her roots in Coney Island and presents a very impressive and orderly storyboard of her concepts manifested into a collection. Her parents are from The Republic of Georgia, and brought the children to have the NY dream. Tim thinks it looks a bit forced and she has a lot to think over, much less, make. Tim has lunch with her parents and Irina says the parents are counting on the two daughters to have the accomplishments they could not have. This is an AH-HA moment for me- her pushiness is born of a need for parental approval and pride- I can identify with that.
Last at the plate, (oops- this means they all strike out in baseball lingo, still have Yankees fever- next week I promise to be over it and writing in pre Thanksgiving cooking analogies), is Althea Harper in Dayton, Ohio whose inspiration is Sci-Fi movies female characters. Tim tells her to edit, edit, edit, and she too has a lot of work. Tim meets her nice, normal looking Midwestern family, as they beam with pride. It seems that for all of these girls, it will be like any other challenge, last minute hysteria.
Tim calls Irina to tell her she cannot use her pivotal look, a Coney Island tee shirt, as the image is trademarked. I do not envy her, as she has parents who are less supportive than the other two designers and seem to be invested in her success as if it is meant to compensate for what they could not do.
So far, Carol Hannah looks best to me, but who knows, when the ladies get to NYC, CH is a no-show?? Carol Hannah has a contagious stomach virus, but shows up like a limp dishrag the next day. Tim edits a few pieces, but she has a lot of interesting details. Irina has a very black collection. They have one week to pull off a very changed collections. This is just like college; no matter how good your intentions, it always comes down to the last night. No-Doze for Three, s’il vous plait.
Model go-see time, and they do well. Michael Kors and Nina Garcia pop in with good advice- mostly to be the most ultra THEM, possible. Nina says she does not like an all black collection- ouch Irina. Carol Hannah is still dragging, as they each choose one outfit for one model, to lead off for the judges.
Tim and Heidi have another surprise- a 13th look and Logan, Chris and Gordana are back to help. GORDANA looks a lot better with make-up on- like a different woman, one you would trust to know fashion- don’t get me on not wearing make-up. 30 minutes at Mood and they are off to the races. Gordana is so cool, and Carol Hannah is sick again. Hello out there, this very unglamorous pressure cooker is called fashion. Take a look at our montage:
Quiz: A. Fashion is a creative, glamorous field, where you get to look fabulous and hob-nob with the glitterati?.
B. Fashion is working like a dog, sclepping and ruining your neck sewing, under incredible pressure, with astounding competition and usually looking like an unmade bed?
