Project Runway Season 9--Episode 3 "Go Big or Go Home" --Nick Verreos MyLifetime.com Recap

The Circus--and OVER-exaggerated Body Types...come to Battery Park New York!!!



This:



Equals:

Project Runway Season 9 Designers Joshua McKinley and Julie Tierney design for Challenge No. 3

Last night's 3rd Episode of Project Runway Season 9 involved STILT Walkers and designing outfits for them--that were NOT COSTUME-Y but more "Couture" as their Mentor Tim Gunn, suggested. It was a MESS!!!! I was so amazed (and not in a good way) at how BAAAD these looks were that I thought I was watching a horrible "Day At The Circus" Documentary...The designers/contestants were teamed up and well, to begin--one of the teams Josh and Julie wanted to do "Torreador Couture" and ended up doing Elephant Clown Circus Wrangler, as my images above shows you. It really should have looked like this:

Christian Lacroix Haute Couture Fall 2008

I know it is not fair to compare a $50,000 Haute Couture ensemble---which includes a hand-beaded jacket that probably took 400 HOURS to make--to an outfit on Project Runway that was made in 12 hours but there was nothing chic or modern or even something that looked wearable in Joshua and Julie's Outfit.

And to think that these were even in contention for the Best:



Becky and Kimberley: One shoulder striped, pouffed/Leg-o-Mutton sleeved jacket with contrast over-sized cuffs and asymmetrical collar paired with gold-studded army-green trousers ensemble. Enough said. The top was SOOO "Fashion School Graduation Show 101" in terms of its silhouette, styling and fabric choice. Yes, the pants fit extremely well (the judges agreed), but still: It WASN'T that good...to be considered a "Top".



Cecilia Motwani and Danielle Everine: The chiffon fabric of this look was cut and sewn BEAUTIFULLY!!! I give both of these girls points for that. But if it wasn't for the 1967 "Medicated with Way-Too-Many-Dry-Martinis-Housewife" bouffant hairdo, they might have won...

but in the end it was this that won this awful & creepy challenge:



Anthony Ryan Auld and Laura Kathleen: This was the ONLY look--a red gown with a gathered blouson top with feathered shouldered detail and thin-belted waist--that came close to NOT being COSTUME-like and from the Circus and actually reminded the judges--and me--of a gown that was just "stretched"...Laura won as a result.



The Really Bad:







Bert Keeter and Viktor Luna: These two designers argued throughout the entire challenge and the result of their look was a MESS! Using brocade from the Mood Fabrics HOME and Sofa Section (is there really such a department? I may be making it up!) is NOT a good idea!!



But it was THIS Tutu concoction that really made the judges sour:





Bryce Black and Fallene Wells: These two designers tried to do "Black Swan"-meets-Punk. Not so much. The basic black cami looks like it came from Forever 21 and that tutu, low-hanging waistband and under-skirt pants? It all looked like a drunk 50-something former ballerina had hijacked the stage and needed to be escorted off. Fallene was "Auf'ed"...



If you really want to know what I thought of the entire Episode...





Here is a preview of my recap for myLifetime.com:



Send In The Clowns



Off the Bat ...

I know that I will risk sounding like a big ol’ “Negative Ninny” right off the bat (I promise, just this week!), but ... boy, were these outfits AWFUL! Just awful! Good, I had to get that off my trimmed yet still hairy chest. Oh, and let me add the following while I am on a roll: I am all for Team Bert in this Viktor vs. Bert History of Fashion Terminology Lesson. Don’t say “Elizabethan” or “Victorian” or “Gothic” when you haven’t a CLUE what those terms refer to. Go buy François Boucher’s “20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment” and then talk to me. Don’t use the incorrect terminology and not expect to be clocked on it. OK, I am done for now. Let’s discuss this week’s Circus on the Runway Challenge....



Click HERE to continue reading--and of course, please let me know what you thought (in the comments section).

Project Runway Season 9--Episode 2 "My Pet Project"--Nick Verreos MyLifetime.com Recap!!!

Puppy Pee Pee Pads, Bird Seed Couture and College Girls out for Happy Hour...Yep, it's Episode 2 of Project RUNWAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!

What Do Puppy Training Pads...

College Girls at a Drinking Party...

And Bird Food...

Have in common? Read On kids...

Last night was the second episode of Season 9 Project Runway and the challenge this week was to create a look out of Pet Shop Supplies. Yes, in the infamous "Unconventional Project Runway Challenge". Some did AMAZEEEEENG work and well, as usual there were some Pet Poo Poo Train Wrecks. Let's begin with my favorite:

Anthony Ryan Auld--the "Southern Belle" of the bunch, created an outstanding and very chic mini dress out of a muslin base and bird seeds. The way he glue-gun'ed those sunflower seeds onto the neckline into a gorgeous degrade' effect...it was sublime. Not to mention the rest of the seeds on the dress looked like teeny-tiny caviar beading. Yes, it was a tad too short and I know there is chatter saying "all he did was glue seeds to a dress", but that is what is precisely so amazing! He was able to combine the conventional and unconventional into one AMAZING dress.

His creation was a "mini-me" of an Alexander McQueen dress, like the one above from the Metropolitan Museum's "Savage Beauty" Exhibition. He should have won but instead Olivier I-come-from-Ohio-but-sound-like-Catherine Duchess of Cambridge won after a little bit of a judges' dispute between Miss Nina and Heidi (Miss Nina won!).

Some of the others that I thought were really strong were:

Viktor Luna's Wee-Wee Pad Ruched dress was definitely one of the best. He was the strongest at making a dress that completely disguised his use of "pet products". I think he was not in the top because the judges viewed his silhouette as maybe not "chic" enough. PS: "Chic" is the new "Fierce". I think the styling didn't help him either, I get that he wanted to make it more edgy with the shoes and belt, but the necklace was way too "Real Housewives of the OC" for the judges taste.

This was a strong effort by Kimberly Goldson. It is a bold look, and the roping of that bustier was outstanding, but not memorable enough to get her into the Top 3. Joshua M.'s was better and if the judges were to pick one non-chic (directional) ensemble it wasn't going to be this one.

Speaking of Tan-o-rexic Josh: I didn't really agree with the judges on the dislike of styling with Joshua's outfit. I thought he really made a complete look from head to toe. Yes, she probably would have looked much better with clean, almost glossy make-up, but the shoes and rest of the outfit look like they could be right off the Versus Runway (like the look from Versus Fall 2010 above). Unfortunately, there in lies the problem...Nina and Michael have a fear of funky, edgy and color (see Mondo Season 8!) and therefore poor Joshua will go far but might not make it to the end. I would love to see a Finale Collection from him...I think it could be kooky, fun and, yes, maybe great! But soooo NOT "NY Fashion Establishment".

Anya Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe 2008 Ayoung Chee, once again, put out a great outfit. It was colorful, creative and stylish. The girl definitely has a sense of style. Let's see if she can do anything else besides a halter top before I predict her ability to make the finals! But at least we know she can SEW, GLUE and thread rope!

The POO POO of the Bunch:

Bryce's was the worst of the night. This is a perfect example of a outfit that got derailed and the poor designer who didn't know how to get back on the tracks. It hit all the prerequisites for being eliminated: Tacky, predictable, HORRIBLE styling and bad fit.

It was a cross between a homemade Priscilla Queen of the Desert Costume and...

One of those tacky Heatherette dresses from several years ago (see above). It is amazing he made it another week, although in "Project Runway Land" boring usually gets you eliminated over crazy, so Bryce is granted one more week.

To me, designer/contestant Julie Tierney was lucky not to make it in the bottom 3. Yes, she used unconventional material and did her best to infuse her own style into the garment, but the point was to make the unconventional look wearable and this just looks like...

She's homeless and found paper bags in the garbage and decided to create a coat-dress out of it. Pobrecita, as my mom would say.

But now onto the Worst Poo Poo of this Challenge according to the judges:

First off (a positive!) Joshua #2 Christensen should really take stock in the fact that his garment was not that bad. In any other week he definitely would have been in the middle, but in a challenge in which "unconventional" is the key word, judge Michael Kors was right, this ensemble just doesn't cut it. Next to very creative (good or bad) looks, his well, looked like it was from the Deep Discount Rack at Century 21.

Besides being too "conventional", the silhouette seemed a bit dated (so 90's Spice Girl) and as Guest Judge "Alice + Olivia" designer Stacy Bendet also said: she could see this girl at a college bar. Ouch.

See the look of "Oh Dear!" the man on the left in the photo above has? Yep, that's the same look Nina had when she saw Josh No. 2's dress standing in front of her...

Below is a preview of my Blog on MyLifetime.com:


Episode 2: Haute Pee Pee

Camel-Toe Nightmares
Last week, Season 9 of "Project Runway" began with a Pajama Party BANG, as the 16 contestants designed looks from their sleepwear and a bed sheet. For some reason, most of the designers drank the "Ugly Crotch Kool-Aid" and decided that somehow we would be impressed with the results. Not so much. Hoochie-mama-too-tight-leggings designer Rafael was sent home, and I was left with one too many bad camel-toe nightmares. But, it's a new week, and new nightmares. This time involving puppies and pee-pee! Intro Redux As this week's episode begins, I am struck by the new "Intro" showcasing Miss Heidi, Nina, Michael and our beloved Tim. It was a cute twist on previous season's intros, but I kind of miss the old style in which each designer was introduced with a "catch phrase." It always helped us identify who's who and would give us an amuse bouche of their personalities.....

Click HERE to continue reading...

Project Runway Season 9--Episode 1--Nick Verreos MyLifetime.com Recap!!!

A Crotch KRAZEE Pajama Party!

This:

Equals This:

Dress from designer/contestant Bert Keeter, Project Runway Season 9--First Challenge

Last night was the Season 9 Premiere of Project Runway on Lifetime. It featured the MOST EVER contestants EVAAAH (!!) on any Project Runway season: Twenty. But then, after a "Showdown of Designer Musical Chairs Judging" by Miss Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Miss Nina Garcia and Michael Kors, 4 were sent home (or back to their "Hotel Hiding Place" to wait it out and be sequestered for a month of doing nothing).

Then the official 16 Designers got off-and-running very early the next morning with a 5AM Wake Up from Gunn. The Challenge was to create a look using what they slept in plus a bed sheet from their Atlas digs. The results of the Project Runway Pajama Party were lots of KRAZEE Crotch pant ensembles (somehow they all drank the Bad Crotch Pant Kool-Aid!) and yes, some decent looks. But, nothing extraordinary. Huney, give me a bed sheet and silk pajamas from China Town and I'll give you a one shoulder Grecian-Goddess draped gown!!!! Besides my favorite from the winner Bert Keeter--here were some that I also liked:

Fallene Wells: Such a cute, fun quirky dress. And so well made! Nice side invisible zipper darling and LOVE the drawstring hem!

Becky Ross: Well made, well fitted one shoulder dress. Love the baby blue color (I'm sure it was "too pastel-y" for the judges) and the details and styling (Gosh this model is GA-GA-Gorgeous!).

Olivier Green: I LOVED the suiting he showed in the "Road To Runway Special"! Incredible. And this jacket and skirt look were consistent with that. This look is very Alexander Wang-meets-Calvin Klein. Very New York City! The only thing I fear is the all-gray-all-monochromatic-simple chic aesthetic might end up "Too One Note" for the show and the judges. Time will tell...

But, now, let's go back to those CRAZY CROTCHES:

Designer Julie Tierney's outfit of a printed & color-blocked top with "Parachute"-looking wide-legged pants was a bad look strewn together from a Goodwill Store. The pants were a MESS. Julie showed some AMAZING outerwear during the "Casting Special" and so I assumed she would have done a FAB Cocoon coat out of all that poly-cotton bed sheet fabric...but nope, she did some FUGLY pants!

Next up on the Bad Crotch Alert: Joshua Christensen. Huney, those shorts were three sizes too small. Exhibits A and B: Notice the pulling "whiskers" on the crotch and the side pulling opening up the pockets and rising the outseam of the short. Classic Pant 101 signs that it is TOO DAMN TIGHT.

Someone who called in sick during "Pant Making Week" of Fashion College, was Laura Kathleen. Boy oh boy oh boy! First off, those pants are a NASTY shade of "Day After a Nuclear Explosion Gray". And then, again, we have a KRAZEE Crotch and too-tight waist. When you can make a size 2 model look "hippy" you know you've done something wrong! Notice the pulling of the darts and upper hip area. I'm getting the feeling that I may need to give a Fit Class to incoming Project Runway contestants. For a BIG fee!

Just-learned-how-to-sew Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2008 Anya Ayoung Chee's look, which was one of the judges faves (still don't know why), also was a victim of amateur pattern-and-fit education. Michael, Nina, Heidi--they all LOVED her pants but look above: I want to grab about FOUR inches off that saggy crotch!

Finally, skirts were not immune to fit problems last night. How designer Cecilia Motwani slipped past the judges "Worst List" is beyond me. If that model took one more step, we would have seen her BRITNEY! Not cute.

But the Worst Offender was Rafael Cox, who became the first official Season 9 Casualty (technically the FIFTH!). His was pretty BAAAD. Just for the plain fact that those gray leggings made the model look like a homeless Tranny going to the liquor store at 1:58am is enough to get the Auf Wiedersehen !!

Here's the "Intro" to My Recap of the First "Premiere" Episode:


Fashion Grand-Daddy Is BACK!

Gather your friends, uncork the red wine, get some crudités and put your best skinny jeans on. Why? HELLO: Season 9 of "Project Runway" is finally upon us! (Gosh, we missed you, Tim!) When we last left the "Grand-daddy" of Fashion Reality Shows, there was MAJAH drama: In case you forgot, the favorite of last season, Mondo Guerra, didn't win and instead the crown went to Gretchen Jones, who quickly gained the moniker of “America's Most Despised Woman on Reality TV."

Before you knew it, there were rioters with pattern shears demonstrating in front of Parsons and the Lifetime headquarters. OK, not so much. (I love to exaggerate!) Cut to nine months later, and the anger has subsided, and now, we're moving forward. New season and (I'm sure) new "characters" to love and hate. Oh, and yeah, there's the FASHION!

To Read my entire Recap--Click HERE on MyLifetime.com "Project Runway Blogs" and of course, PLEASE let me know your "Two Cents"!!! I LOVE reading all the comments!

Project Runway Season 9--Guess Who Is Blogging the Recaps for MyLifetime.com?

Yep, me...

Returning Blogger: Nick Verreos, to blog Project Runway Season 9

I'm so excited to be joining designers Mychael Knight, Johnathan Kayne Gillespie (both from Season 3) and "Momma Peach" , Peach Carr (from Season 8) as a Recap Blogger for Lifetime's Website--MyLifetime.com. I am honored (sorry, I know, I sound as if I am receiving an award!!) to be a "returning Blogger" for Project Runway.

I will--as always--try to put my "Uncle Nick" twist on things, and see the episodes both as a Designer who owns a company for ten years, a Fashion College Instructor, as well as someone who has "been there/done that", oh and yes, be a little funny and sassy at the same time :) Just a little bit. I can't wait!!!

Click HERE for my BLOG on MyLifetime.com.