Expect the Unexpected

I know there has been an eight day break since the last post. Well that is because a lot has been going on. As I stated when we started these review, we have time. It seems that not only will we have time but I will have ample opportunity to post.



As we age we tend to attribute aches and pains to the process of maturing. However, it seems that the ache that has sidelined me is actually a fractured tibia. Not to worry it is just the very tip of it but it prompted xrays that sent every orthopedic surgeon, worth their salt, into hyper mode. I am on track for a full replacement of my left knee in early or mid-March. So - - time is definitely not in short supply.



I want to take a little break from the review of fashion from the runway shows. Well actually I guess that is not exactly true. For those who are fans of "Project Runway" there is a show in Bryant Park that one can attend each March. The final show aired last night and a winner was named. For those of you, who like me, did not really follow the show religiously, there was a marathon presentation.



In watching the marathon, with my knee being iced and on pain medication, I was stunned at who was allowed to continue and who was voted off. I was also a bit disappointed with the judges and their assessments of the fashions and the narrow perspective with which they view fashion.

The staples, in terms of judging were Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, the former Editor at Large from Marie Claire Magazine and Heidi Klum. Let's start there.



I own one piece of Michael Kors. It is a sweater wrap with a shawl collar that falls to points in the front. He is not my favorite designer because I do not find his designs exciting or particularly fashion forward. He is a top fashion designer but let's face it, if someone said you can have a Michael Kors or a Donna Karan, give me Donna any day of the week and twice on Sunday.



Nina Garcia was the editor at large of a 'fashion' magazine that I, as a fashionista, pretty much ignore. I also refer to her as the former Editor at Large as Abigail Pesta was named Editor at Large in early November. Let's be realistic for a moment. Even though Marie Claire is a Conde Nast Publication, it isn't Vogue, it isn't Glamour, it isn't W and it certainly isn't V. The magazines allow you to play with the art of fashion. Marie Claire never gave me the sense that it really understood the art of the shoot.



Heidi Klum is legendary. No one can say that she has not stunned audiences on the runways of the world. No one can discount her stature in the fashion world. No one can say with any credibility that she has not reached the stature afforded to the rare few who are designated as 'super models'. That said, Heidi's taste is Heidi's taste. It does not necessarily translate to all women's taste and to me there was no accounting for the value held by garments she personally would not wear. It really should be all about fashion, not about your personal taste.



I understand that it was a competition but the situations that the designers were forced into were not realistic. Remember I have some exposure to this world and I know what it takes to construct some of the garments and that no one is going to give me $100 to construct a designer ball gown. If they do, I am not giving them anything that they will want to wear. Even so, I must say that it was clear among the designers who could sew and who could not. Those who could sew and understood construction fared much better than those who could not.



While the winner was not a surprise it was to me sad given the attitude of the industry and the need to begin to change that attitude. Irina Shabayeva came across as an egotistical spoiled brat. I found it strange that she would accuse one of the other designers of copying her ideas. Was she serious? Did you see the 'winning' collection she sent down the runway? Where was the originality in those designs?



Any fashionista would have looked at the head pieces and said "Prada". They would have looked at the leather, the black and the 'goth' aspect and said "Demeulemester". They would have looked at her "big" gown and said "Versace", even though it was a bad imitation. She won because she made a tee shirt that gave you a glimpse of her soul? Please, she bastardized a copy written image and used it as her own. Yeah I know all about copyright exceptions and the use of part of the image and the substantial altering that allows one to use someone else's image. However, don't then call this person brilliant. They plagiarized. It is what it is.

On the next season of "Project Runway" I would love to see two competing supermodels as staples with regard to the judges. Let's have Heidi match ideas with Tyra Banks, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Rene Russo, Beverly Johnson. Let's have an editor from a more popular fashion magazine or even a lifestyle magazine that has a healthy dose of fashion. Let's have people who really have to take these clothes around the block weigh-in. Let's have some more mature women on the show. Let's have a mix of models based on age, and OMG body type. Let's provide the designers an opportunity to really show what they can do. Give them three muses as staples and for each challenge they must design a look for all three. And finally, let's have a real stable of top designers weighing in, not just Michael Kors, he bores me.

But whatever you do, do not let Tim Gunn go anywhere. He is the bright spot on the show. He understands the importance of a collection that shows well on the runway. He understands style, which is not the same thing as fashion. He honestly, but constructively, tells the contestants what is wrong, missing, not working, difficult to pull off or just a plain 'don't do that'. I know he has held faculty and board positions at Parson's and that he heads creative design are Liz Clairborne. However, I don't know if he has ever designed his very own collection. I would love to see what he would do.

AHA! New concept for the show. Have the Tim Gunn's of the world design collections that would go down the runway on the final show along with the three top contestants. Let's add some pucker factor. Irina against Tom Ford, Carol Hannah against, Nicolas Ghesquiere (you did slightly copy his draping) and Althea against, Donna Karan (the sportswear separates queen). Barring the actual development of a line for the show, how about having them judge the final show. That would be amazing.

Who would I have picked? Probably Althea. The collection was cohesive and it was truly sportswear for now. It was comfortable, it was easy and she has much less attitude than Irina. The industry could use her humble stance.

a la prochaine

Debra