Random Thoughts: Project Runway

Ah, Project Runway! A refreshing palate cleanser in this political season. No need to think about immigration reform or nuclear standoffs or teenage pregnancy or race relations... just blue mohawks, bad pattern-making, and snarky comments on other designers' fabrics.

So here's my thought: what would I think if I saw Diane von Furstenberg coming down the stairway toward me? I know perfectly well - I would think, "Who IS that? She looks awfully familiar. Great dress!"

How embarrassing would that be? She comes up and shakes your hand, and you're an up-and-coming designer, and you're thinking, "Oh my God, I should know her, and I JUST CAN'T THINK WHO IT IS AND MY BRAIN DOESN'T WORK AND COME ON!!!! I SHOULD KNOW THIS ONE!!!" And to make matters worse, although I do know who Marlene Dietrich was, I've never seen "Foreign Affair." Of course, that wouldn't disqualify me. Blayne has clearly never seen anything other than reruns of "The Hills," and he's still on the show.

Bottom line: I've watched the show too much, because I picked both the winner and the loser just from the judges' questions. As far as the designs went, I liked Leanne's, Korto's, and Kenley's about equally, for different reasons. I thought Korto and Kenley did a good job of staying true to themselves while meeting the requirements of the brief. (Although note to Kenley: SHUT UP!) Kenley's looked like something I would wear. If it were about six sizes larger, of course. The print was gorgeous in that fabric. Same with Korto's, and the flash of yellow - sublime. The light caught that fabric beautifully on the runway - yet another reminder that with great fabric and a good cut, almost anything can look beautiful.

Leanne's dress: loved it, loved the little jacket, but I don't have any sense of who Leanne is. (I do credit her with the best line of the season so far: "Leanne likes Suede, but Suede needs to stop talking about himself in the third person.") She does a good job of designing to the brief, but I'm still wondering exactly what her aesthetic is. In a way, I think she won because she was a little on the bland side - it's easier to sell. If it were just a straight challenge, with no marketability concerned, I would have put my money on Korto.

Side note: I read someone's blog entry suggesting that Tim Gunn gave Leanne too much help by suggesting she make the jacket smaller. I don't think so. He's the mentor - he's supposed to make suggestions like that. It was still up to Leanne to execute it. And he didn't touch the dress, which was the main attraction.

Poor Stella. She was funny and genuine, and I'll miss her. Why do they always get rid of the adults? Joe's was awful, and he was my second choice to get dismissed, but he's done some good work, and Stella had just had too many second chances.

Random notes:

Suede, what does it mean that you're "mad about camouflage"? I've never seen the guy wearing camouflage. Does he even know why it was invented?

What was up with Kenley's purple epaulets? Ugh.

Producers, please do us all a favor and NEVER EVER show the designers in their underwear again. I mean, both Jerrell and Stella have good bodies, but I don't watch the show to see them parading around in their next-to-nothings. If I wanted to see that, I'd watch the Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency and Plastic Surgery Emporium.

Nina's back next week! Hurrah!