NashVogue

When I first saw the commercial for Bravo’s newest reality game show, The Fashion Show, I thought the same thing I’m sure most of you thought, “They are trying to fill the Project Runway void.” As most of you know, Project Runway was whisked away to Lifetime and is rumored to finally begin airing this summer.

I’m sure the loss of Project Runway was felt keenly by Bravo. It was one of the very few reasons I watched anything else on Bravo. Their answer was to create The Fashion Show, a show where designers compete for a $125,000 cash prize and the chance to have their creations sold on BravoTV.com. In concept, The Fashion Show appears to be a complete remake of Project Runway.

The Fashion Show has taken on the characteristics of several other of Bravo’s reality shows by introducing the new “Quick Fire Challenge”. Last night, the designers had to create a cocktail dress from a black t-shirt in one hour. The winner’s where then given an advantage in the main challenge.

Additionally, the judging of The Fashion Show differs slightly from Project Runway. The top and bottom designers are choosen by the votes of an audience of “fashion elite” who attend the runway show. A panel, featuring Issac Mizrahi, Kelly Rowland, and a rotating guest judge, then decide the ultimate winner and loser. The grand prize winner will be choosen in an American Idol veiwer-vote method.

In theory, The Fashion Show is a good idea. In excecution, last night was a disappointment. I am willing to be a bit open, given that it was only the first episode, but there seems a surprising lack of talent from the contestants. There were one or two decent looking outfits, but nothing compared to the calibur of Project Runway contestants where the true competitors could be seen right away. One of the contestants even bemoaned her ability to sew clothing. If construction is key, why be entered into a contest where you will be responsible for creating your own designs start to finish?

Finally, the drama level is already in full swing. There are several contestants who are catty and just plain mean for no reason. I understand there is a level of ego that goes into these types of shows, but there is no reason to be mean. Aside from the contestants, the judges are also brutally honest to the point of being mean. Where the ever-polite Tim Gunn would give his opinion and make suggestions, criticism was made with harsh and pointed comments. The final review saw no sparing for designer feelings. Mizrahi told one of the bottom two contestants that he questioned why anyone with her ability (or lack thereof) would even dream of being in the industry (not a direct quote).

I’m willing to give The Fashion Show another shot next week. However, all it has done so far is to make me more impatient for the reappearance of Project Runway. By the way, last night’s winning design can be purchased from Bravo’s shop for an I’m-not-sure-it’s-worth-it $298.

Photos from BravoTv.com.

Technorati Tags: Bravo, Project Runway, The fashion show

First Impressions: Pre-Runway

Kenley: Her attitude is still here! She needs to learn to take constructive criticism. Tim is just trying to help her.

Korto: Kudos to her to make two new outfits prior to runway! I hope she pulls it off. They look great so far.

Leanne: Poor Leanne and that model’s dog! Really…this is why your dog should NOT go everywhere with you. By the way – that blue dress is gorgeous!!

Comments on the Runway

                                            Kenley: color; bubbles, poof!, love cream with  flowers, ruffles anyone?, cartoonish, snubbed main model!

Korto: good fabrics, good cuts, classic color  combos without being overwhelming, more wearable for the everyday woman, love the white evening gown, love asymmetrical neckline on green gown, walked with daughter – too cute!!

                                                                  Leanne: good color combos, LOTS of wave detailing – she’s done this a lot before, love blue evening gown – it’s different than everything else. It all looks the same!! Shows off main model

In my opinion – the winner should be Korto. Her collection is best suited to the everyday woman. Her outfits are more practical, while keeping the high fashion qualities necessary to win.

The Winner is…

Congrats to LEANNE!! Her designs were beautiful, I just didn’t think they were the best. However, the judges know best – right? Congrats, Leanne, and best of luck!

Now…what do I watch on Wednesday nights??

Technorati Tags: Bravo, bryant park, Kenley, Korto, Leanne, Project Runway, Project Runway Season 5

What a surprise last night’s episode of Project Runway was! Expecting someone to go home (I was hoping Kenley would), I watched with the mind set of trying to figure out whose design was the worst. But, during the judges comment section, it was obvious they would not be sending anyone home. How they were going to end up with three at fashion week became the final question. The challenge was to create an evening gown inspired by nature. I wish I could find the names of the plants or the inspiring pictures, but I can’t. Sorry!

I still feel Kenley should have been sent home last night. She does not play well with others and always has an attitude with the judges. On top of that, her design last night was just not good. It did not look like a flower to me, but some odd sort of lizard. The snake skin texture on the dress coupled with her "scaly" looking leaves at the bottom created a look that just did not work. In her defense, I can sort-of see what she was going for, but the execution fell short.

Korto’s outfit was nice, but boring. Her inspiration was a very textured orange flower. I feel she needed more "oomph" in the dress. It has classic lines, but the details are lost. She should have done something to show her inspiration beyond just the color.

Leanne’s gown was gorgeous. Her inspiration was the lavender plant. The fabric chosen is very feminine and in  line with what I think of when I think of lavender. The detailing up the front of the dress reminds me of a lavender plant. I think the gown is gorgeous and dead-on. What I did not like was the blue fabric added to the bustle at the back. You can’t see it in the picture, but trust me, it did not work.

Jerell was the winner this week – and what a hollow victory it was. He did not get any perks for being the winner and is not immune from being eliminated in next week’s season finale: part one. Which means, even though he won this week, he still may not make it to Bryant Park. His dress was beautiful. I did have a problem with the neckline – it looks as though it needs to be pulled up. It is a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen. The color is gorgeous. His inspiration was the rose, and I think he got the colors perfect.  The detailing at the neckline is beautiful and showed off Jerell’s attention to detail.

I’m really excited to see what the designers come up with next week as their Bryant Park line. I think the final three will consist of Jerell, Korto, and Leanne. But, I have been wrong before. Who do you think will be in the final three?

Technorati Tags: Bravo, Episode 12, Jerell, Kenley, Korto, Leanne, Project Runway, Project Runway Season 5

In my opinion, this was one of the most entertaining episodes of Project Runway in awhile. The 5 remaining designers had to design a look for each other based on a musical genre.

The Winner – Korto: Korto designed a look for Suede inspired by "punk". This look was excellent. It suited Suede perfectly and he sold it on the runway. My favorite part of this outfit was the top. The way she imbedded the chains into the top was a unique way to incorporate this staple concept of punk culture. I also love the wash on these jeans. It screams punk rock.

Jerell: Jerell had to design a look for Kenley inspired by "pop". He nailed it. While Korto’s design was good, Jerell should have won. Kenley’s transformation was incredible. Jerell took her out of her 1950’s starlet look into the 21st century. She looked like a pop star. Additionally, the garment was extremely well thought out. She was sexy, but not trashy.

Leanne: Leanne was definitely middle of the road  this week. Her task was to design a look for Korto inspired by "country". The top she made was great. It was classy and country without being too over the top. The bottom, however, was lacking. To me it did not say "country". I know Leanne was trying not to be too cliche, but she definitely needed to take a bit more of a risk with the skirt. Furthermore, I didn’t think it was a very flattering silhouette for Korto, as it brought focus to her widest part.

Kenley: Kenley scraped by this week again. She should have been sent home this week. Her  designs have really been struggling and – when not designing a look straight out of the 50’s – has serious issues. This week was no exception. She had to design a look for Leanne inspired by "hip hop". This look has many flaws, but the most important is the high-waisted jeans. Not only is this look not flattering for anyone, but the construction is terrible. The pants pucker in the worst part of the crotch and the buttons are just an eyesore. The rest of the outfit is cheap and not so much hip hop as it is just an attempt at high fashion that fails.

Suede – is Out: I feel like Suede got the shaft this  week. His design may have been "safe" as the judges said, but at least it looked good! Suede had to design a look for Jerell inspired by "rock". I love the vest. I think the layering is a great detail. My main complaint with this outfit is that it is already Jerell’s look. The outfit he was wearing that day of his own was VERY similar to Suede’s design. However, he said his inspiration was Lenny Kravitz…and I think he nailed it.

Technorati Tags: Bravo, Fashion, Jerell, Kenley, Korto, Leann, Project Runway, Style, Suede

Confession time: I am addicted to Project Runway. It’s so interesting to see what these designers can do in such a short amount of time with the materials they are given. This season they have had to design outfits out of materials found in a grocery store and spare car parts. They have designed for drag queens and olympians.

Last night’s challenge was not as extreme as some this season, but was interesting none the less. The challenge was to create a head-to-toe makeover for a recent college grad to help them transition into the professional world. The catch – their mothers had input. And we all know how mothers can be with our clothing choices. (My mom is great by the way!)

Let’s cut to the chase: The top three.

Jerell: His look was classy and sophisticated, while maintaining the youthfulness of his client. She looks comfortable, yet professional. The outfit fits her perfectly and shows off her body type. She is a rectangle, and, while this look fits her, it would not look good on everyone. My one complaint with the outfit is the jacket. Since she is tall and thin, she has few defined curves. The jacket masks any curves that might have been created by the cut of the dress. Overall, the look is stunning. (Jerell was the winner last night. Twice in a row – good for him!)

Kenley: Kenley got very lucky last night. Her client was just like her as far as style goes. They both  love the vintage look. Since the client has the same fashion tastes as Kenley, her job was an extremely easy one. It is no surprise that the outcome was gorgeous.  As far as body types go, this look is  hit for pretty much everyone. The only one who might want to stay away is the apple, as the puffy sleeves will only draw more attention to your already broad shoulders. However, the skirt will offset this some, so you might be fine. Overall, the look is amazing. I want this dress. In my opinion, this was the best look of the night. However, since there was no challenge for Kenley (and we have seen similar looks from her several times before), Jerell was a good choice as winner.

Korto: Korto’s look is nice, though, definitely not the winner of the night (sorry!). The overall look is pleasing, but I don’t like the cut of the outfit for the client’s body type. She appears boxy to me. Her gorgeous curves are hidden behind the jacket.  The lack of fitting through the waist is the only issue. If there was more of a curve to the waist of the jacket, the look would be stunning. The skirt length and style is appropriate and draws the attention downward – thus slimming her somewhat broad shoulders and making her appear taller and slimmer.

Where there is a winner, there is a loser. Joe was "auf’d" last night. Towards the beginning of the season, I was a big fan of Joe’s. His designs were well-thought out and constructed beautifully. However, in the last couple of weeks, the construction and ingenuity seem to have gone downhill. Take last night’s outfit.  There is not much good going on here. The cross structure of the wrap top puckers (as though her chest is too big for the fit) and somewhat lopsided. You can see places on the skirt where it is puckering from poor construction. Even given her pose, the puckering should not be so pronounced. The fit of the jacket (even if constructed well) doesn’t fit her body type at all – as it draws attention to her broadest part and tapers her overall figure. She appears top heavy. Not a good look for this apple. Lastly, on an issue of taste, a red shoe is nice sometimes. It makes a great accent to a monochromatic outfit. However, in this instance, the red shoe looks out of place and mismatched (almost like she picked her shoes out in the dark!). The one redeeming quality is her hair. Nice job on the hair, Joe.

Tune is next week to see what the 5 remaining designers are asked to do. It’ll be interesting!

Technorati Tags: Body Type, Bravo, Fashion, Heidi Klum, Jerell, Joe, Kenley, Korto, Project Runway, Style, Tim Gunn