Friday, May 6, 2016

Project Runway All Stars Season 5 Finale, or About Damned Time

I had forgotten how exhausting recapping can be, so I'm pretty happy that this season is over and I can rest my tired brain for a while. This week's episode isn't really even interesting enough to recap, since there's no drama and all work, but here goes.

Oh, I do have to mention one very notable thing: none of the three finalists are white. In a field where the vast majority of designers are male and white, it's refreshing to see that everyone is encouraged to flourish on Project Runway. There also seems to be many more models of color on the show than are actually represented on fashion runways the world over. That said, 46% of PR winners and 60% of PRAS winners have been white men.

Ken, Kini, and Dom meet Alyssa at the One World Observatory on the 102nd floor of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the western hemisphere. There, our charming host tasks the designers with their final chore for the series: to create an 8-piece collection that draws on their experience in New York. They have a budget of $3000, but only four days in which to put the collection together. Unlike non-All Stars Project Runway, they will not be going home to their own studios for this challenge, and there certainly won't be any visits from Tim Gunn.

Before they head off to Mood to shop, the designers select models from the army of 24 very tall and skinny people on hand, three of which are male. Then they sketch their NY-inspired collections as they gaze out onto the city from the windows of the observation deck.

Kini tells us his girl is uptown, but wants to hang out downtown. A "Park Avenue Princess" who likes to wear funky silhouettes. Are there really people like that? I read an article not long ago that indicated that there were some really insular groups of people in Manhattan, particularly among the wealthy. The article specifically pertained to a newly-minted nouveau riche mom who felt that she needed to fit in with the other nannied-up penthouse-dwelling yummy mummies in her Upper Onesideortheother neighborhood. They all wore the same types of clothing, ate at the same restaurants, did the same types of physical activities wearing the same brands of yoga pants. The author wasn't local, so she struggled with the whole Stepford Wives thing that was going on. So I would imagine that it might not be acceptable for a "Park Avenue Princess" to buck the trend and dress like one of the fun people who live downtown. (If I could afford to live in Manhattan, I'd live in the West Village or SoHo.)

Ken is inspired by the Harlem Renaissance from the 1920s. He's playing on suiting, and taking the tuxedo pant to a new level. He also plans to use the tuxedo stripe motif in other pieces, like gowns and dresses.

Dom is inspired by the whole chaos and movement and energy of the city, which she noticed on her very first trip to NY back when she was 16.

At Mood, they have a very generous hour to shop. Dom is going to work with patterns, of course, but she intends on painting them herself. She purchases plain white fabrics, leather, a few small-scale prints, and lots and lots of fabric paints. Kini thinks his confused Uptown/Downtown girl would wear plaid, so he invests in a lot of wildly colored brocade fabrics that are slightly shiny and maybe a bit tacky. He thinks they're tasteful, but they're not really. Ken is still itchy from having to use a print last week, so he's sticking not only to solids, but to plain black and white. And maybe a little screaming yellow for a punch of color.

With only four days to complete 8 looks, each designer has a long and ambitious list of things they want to complete in the first day. Dom immediately sets to painting her fabric. She lays one out on the floor and daubs it with various shades of blues. The other, she suspends and paints with strokes of primary colors in a sort of plaid. Sadly, as the designers are taking a dinner break, a dress form passes out onto the painted leather drying on the floor. Just suddenly collapses right there onto her work. Accidentally. Uh-huh. Dom shrugs it off as a "make it work moment."

The next day, the designers come back to the workroom slightly disappointed that hoards of elves did not sneak in during the night to finish things for them. Zanna comes in for a visit. It seems oddly prescient of her to be wearing plaid, as two of the finalists are using plaid fabrics in their collection. It's also odd that the plaid doesn't quite seem to match up where the bodice and skirt join, despite the obvious expense of Zanna's dress. (In pretty much every shot, and definitely in every still on the Lifetime site, she has her arms positioned over the area in question, as if she knows it doesn't match up.)

She starts off with Dom, asking about her inspiration. Zanna cautions Dom not to create overly "easy" silhouettes, for fear that she'd be sending shapeless blobs down the runway.

Kini is told that his opening and closing looks should be powerful, but the collection as a whole should not be gimmicky.

Ken tells Zanna that he's considering scrapping his bright yellow fabric, but she talks him out of it, suggesting that the color would slap the judges in the face. And by this point in the competition, we'd all like to smack them around a bit.

Zanna leaves. Ken says, "I need help. I hope Jesus comes through the door." Unfortunately for him, Jesus is nowhere to be found. However, Alexander, Asha, and Layana are more than willing to lend helping hands to their friends.

So how are the helping designers chosen? Asha, Emily, and Sam were the last to be eliminated, with Layana and Alexander auf'd before Asha. Were they the most willing to work with the finalists? The least likely to sabotage anyone? Does anyone know?

Alexander, Layana, and Asha are godsends to Dom, Ken, and Kini. They are immediately put to work on both large and small projects and lend their hands through day two and day three. There's no tension, no drama. Nobody messes anything up for anyone else, apart from Layana not planning for enough seam allowance on a pair of Ken's pants that end up not fitting his bootylicious model. But he adds more fabric on the side seams and makes it work.


At the end of day three, the designers retire to the Hudson Hotel for a bit of champagne. They were at the Hudson in the very first episode - were they staying there? And if so, why were they being punished in such a cruel manner? If you've never been to the Hudson, let me illuminate my comments for you. Actually, it would be nice if the Hudson had illumination at all. Mr Minx and I stayed there several years back. I had gotten a deal on a room via Priceline.com's name your own price scheme; you can only pick the star rating and the neighborhood, so we didn't actually choose to stay at this particular hotel. Clearly, the Hudson is designed for young, spry people with good vision. The place is barely lit. Halls are dark, elevators are darker. I recommend packing a miner's helmet or at least a flashlight to improve the lighting experience. The rooms are tiny, and the beds are basically expensive mattresses placed directly on the floor. Honestly, if you are prone to falling out of bed, you won't notice at the Hudson, since you'll only fall about 8 inches. If you have bad knees and need to go to the bathroom more than a few times during the night, this is not the hotel for you. The Hudson is for you, however, if you are a bit of a voyeur. The wall separating the bathroom from the bedroom, at least in our room, was clear glass, so people could watch each other shower. Or poop. Thankfully, there was an additional shower curtain on that wall that could be closed for a bit of privacy.

The outside bar area seems nice though.

On day four, the designers have to get everything finished, models in hair, makeup, cheesy shoes, and cheesier jewelry, and down to the runway.

There are two guest judges for this finale, actress Debra Messing, and Marie Claire editor-in-chief Anne Fulenwider. (Fulenwider makes me miss former MC EIC Joanna Coles, whom I felt was simply lovely and a much better mentor, in the Tim Gunn vein, than Zanna).

Dom presents her collection first. Her painted leather is really great, and I like her use of other patterns as well, except for that painted plaid. To me, it's a bit overscale. The judges didn't seem especially fond of it, either, with Georgina saying that she really didn't need to use it at all. I felt it really detracted from the beauty of her painted leather.


Ken's collection is next, and while it's very Ken, it's also a bit boring as far as being a runway show is concerned. It's very commercial and ready-to-wear, which of course would be just fine were it on hangers at the store, but the collection was missing some showy runway glamour. Isaac thought it was the most chic of the three, and perhaps it was. Fulenwider didn't think he had a "wow factor," nor did she appreciate what she called his "Cruella de Vil" collars. Not sure what she meant by that; in the original animated movie, Cruella wore a fur coat pretty much the whole time. And the live action character, played by Glen Close, appeared to have been dressed by a team-up of Kini and Mondo.

Ken's hugely wide-legged pants are my favorite thing, and I was glad he did end up using the yellow. But the fit is problematic in both the yellow dress and the yellow top. I think it's clear that Ken is not going to be the winner of season 5, but I have been surprised before.

Kini's collection is very Kini - very showy, lots of weird ruffly things, insane fabric choice. It's also the most design-y collection to come down the runway. Isaac thought the collection was refreshing. Fulenwider thought there was an 80s story going on, and I'm not sure she meant it as a compliment. I can sort of see it though, what with all the bright colors and the unrelenting plaid, not to mention big shoulders. But I don't think that was at all Kini's intention. Gotta remember that these designers might have been born in the 80s, but it's not like they experienced the design of the period in the same way as those of us who are old enough to have been buying our own clothes in those days.

Meanwhile, Zanna is backstage with the designers, heaping praise on every look as it comes down the runway. She is a bit overly-effusive, which makes it seem fake. (While Tim Gunn has also been a bit over-enthusiastic about runway shows, he somehow never seems like a big phony.)

The designers are sent to the green room to wait while the judges deliberate. They seem to be torn between Kini and Dom, and I'm thinking they might go for Kini. But they are really feeling Dom's interpretation of New York. You know, the whole theme of the challenge. And that's where I think Ken and Kini get a little tripped up. Remember back to when the designers were sketching at One World Trade? Ken was inspired by the 20s Harlem Revival and was going to add tuxedo stripes on everything. Kini was designing for a confused Updown/Downtown girl. And both changed their stories to something far more dull, each claiming they were inspired by the geometric aspects of Manhattan. For Ken it was the architecture, and for Kini the grid in which most of the streets are laid out. Dom kept to her original inspiration, which was more about the feeling of the city, the chaos and excitement, than to any one physical thing.

Back out before the judges, Ken is told that he's the second runner-up, which of course is disappointing for him. He really grew in the time between his season and this one though. Not only is he a better designer, but apart from that one "I'm taking my ass home" fit he had a couple weeks back, he's been the picture of decorum and stress management. Then Dom is announced as the winner, much to her own surprise.

I've been #TeamDom from the beginning. Dom is so talented, and seems so sweet. She's the kind of person I wanted to be when I was in art school - a cool kid, but not contrived in any way. Totally "normal" in her artsy-ness. I would have loved to have friends like her. Instead, my cool normalcy made me a real nerd magnet, so I ended up hanging with girls who had vampire fetishes. I am so not into vampires. Anyway, enough about me (but hey, it's my blog).

Congratulations Dom Streater! May you have a long and fruitful design career. And don't forget about us plus-sized gals who would love to wear something you've designed (apart from a cell phone case). And Mazel Tov on the recent wedding and upcoming baby!

Posted by theminx on Opalescentminx.com
Because of recent content theft, I am forced to add this new statement to the end of my posts: If you're reading this post anywhere besides the Opalescent blog, OpalescentMinx.com (also http://minxbeads.blogspot.com) then this content has been stolen. Please do not support this thief!

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Met Gala 2016

The theme for this year's Met Gala was Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, and while some Gala attendees took that to mean they should dress like robots, the Met's signature exhibition explores "how fashion designers are reconciling the handmade and the machine-made in the creation of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear."

Robots, not so much.

By now, you've probably seen the amazing gown Zac Posen made for his friend Claire Danes. Using custom fiber optic woven organza, the dress looked baby blue in the light, but lit up in the dark.

From Zac Posen's Instagram account, http://instagram.com/zacposen
But you're not here to read compliments on pretty things, are you? You want to see the crazy and wackadoodle stuff that went down the runway. Believe me, folks, there was plenty of that!

The Olsen Twins don't give a crap about technology or fashion, so they once again raided their grandmother's closet for something to wear. They are going to be 30 this year, so they need to dress more maturely.

Model Bella Hadid was sadly attacked by a herd of rabid standard poodles on the way to the Gala and couldn't make it. (Givenchy)

Princess Grace's grandaughter, Charlotte Casiraghi in Gucci. It's like she's modeling all the colors of bedruffles available in the Brylane Home catalog.

Dakota Johnson, also in Gucci, is ready to get started on the upcoming Fifty Shades of Lace. Seriously, she looks like the marquee for a Saturday morning cartoon show.

Moschino designer Jeremy Scott seemed very proud of his custom creation for Demi Lovato, posting several pics of it on Instagram. I don't quite understand it. I am reminded of old Versace perfume ads, gilded picture frames, and baked potatoes, all at the same time.

This is Grimes. Grimes is edgy. Grimes gets to wear the ugliest dress in the Louis Vuitton collection that all the other cool young things were wearing to the Met Gala.

Not sure I've ever seen Chanel look sloppy, but somehow it does on Jemima Kirke. It doesn't look like it fits her properly. And her makeup would have worked better had she worn another color. Of course, maybe it's better close up. Or from very far away.

 Katy Perry in Prada. 'nuff said.

Did La La Anthony (basketball player Carmelo's wife) look in the mirror before she left the house? Did she realize that her right boob appeared to be pointing up? My chest hurts just looking at her.

Madonna has never heard the old Coco Chanel adage about removing one piece of jewelry before leaving the house. I've never been impressed by her exhibitionism, and her Givenchy costume makes me wish she felt she had something more to offer the world than her tits and ass.

Michelle Monaghan is wearing Rosie Assoulin. Is this leather? Is that a crepe paper streamer on the top? It looks sweaty.

SJP's costume, by Monse, was apparently inspired by Hamilton, the musical. Huh. Love the shoes. The rest, not so much. Clearly she's had some work done (lips look plumper, she looks vaguely like Kate Hudson). So why does she look so old? She's only 8 months older than I am.

Tavi Gevinson is a blogger. She managed to come up with the 30K to buy a ticket to the Met Gala, but then she couldn't afford to buy anything appropriate to wear. (Coach 1941)

Posted by theminx on Opalescentminx.com
Because of recent content theft, I am forced to add this new statement to the end of my posts: If you're reading this post anywhere besides the Opalescent blog, OpalescentMinx.com (also http://minxbeads.blogspot.com) then this content has been stolen. Please do not support this thief!

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