Project Runway Ain't Got Nothin on Us

Special treat for you today...straight from my classroom!

I'm teaching Fashion Merchandising this fall, on a 4x4 block, which translates to 1 semester of class delivered in 9 weeks! (i.e. I'm locked in a room with the darlings for 90 minutes each day.  90 MINUTES WITH 27 TEENAGE GIRLS.  That explains alot, huh?   Nah, they're all really sweet and most of the time they're not giving me the eye glare of doom.)

It helps they still think I'm fashionable.  Lord help me when they figure out how old I really am.

The week before Thanksgiving, they had a project to practice their understanding of the elements & principles of design, and basic garment shapes (straight, a-line, bouffant, bustle, etc.)  I like to call it Trashy Fashion, and it was inspired by the Season 6 episode of Project Runway, where they created fashions from newspaper:

In essence, each group has two days to design a garment and accessory from newspapers, packing tape, and any recyclable materials they bring from home.  On the 3rd day, we have a little fashion show and then they get to parade through a few classrooms of willing teachers. (We've never been invited through the math hall. I have no idea why.) 

This year's fashions may be the best bunch ever!  They're amazing!  Group shot (heads chopped off for obvious reasons):

And some closer detail shots of the dresses!  The hot pink on this dress is recycled Forever21 bags:

Some of the little trims I allowed because these girls are master negotiators.  Their argument was..."but it's leftover from a previous project, so technically it could be considered trash".  Um, OK. Pickin my battles, daily.  And that's not one of them! haha!

There was so much detail on this next one, I wish I had taken closeup shots of each little piece.  It was incredible!!

Yes, this is a boy, and his girlfriend is in the class.  She insisted he be the model for their group.  He was cracking me up in his runway walk.  By far the best runway model!  The dress is beautiful. It has an intricate woven/pieced bodice that this photo doesn't do justice to.  And the fanned ruffle placement on the skirt?  So well thought out.

 The colors on this dress come from recycled color copy paper.  I love the pops of color!
 

The zebra duct tape snuck in under the radar of "is this allowed".  She was taped into that dress pretty darn fast, on the principle of "ask for forgiveness later".  haha!  It really is cute.

Pretty cool, huh?  Keep in mind, they had roughly 3 hours to make the garment (and an accessory), and they're "fitting" real people, not rail thin models or a perfectly proportioned dressform.  (well, for the most part.  Of course they're little things, they're teen girls!)

In any case, I'd say the PR folks should be paying attention. We're gunning for them.

TGIF everyone!!

Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 12-13

The ad campaign is called The Louis Vuitton Express, and I just spotted it in my August '12 W magazine. Have you seen it yet? Very interesting:

image credit: Louis Vuitton

There are about 4 different decades colliding in these garments.  It's decade soup.  I love love love the necklines and oversized collars (shades of Downton Abbey showing up yet again?) Also...the hats.  I think I love them?  I love to look at them at least.  I also love the idea of luxurious fabrics, but the patterns are of course a little too subdued for me personally.

ha.  gotcha.

Also?  That hair handbag looks suspiciously like Chris March's runway collection for Project Runway (season 4? maybe?):

source

I remember being completely creeped out by the hair skirts, dresses and collars. And I completely hated this particular dress.  It looks like he wrapped the model in clearance aisle tapestry ribbon, then stuck a hair skirt on her.  (what's that saying about a hair shirt?)

And I'm pretty sure I remember Nina and Michael being creeped out by the hair too.  Hmmm. Wonder what they would say about LV's collection??

Project Runway: Kenley Collins

So it's probably no surprise that one of my favorite designers on the new Project Runway: All Stars is Kenley.  She has a very vintage, retro aesthetic (remind you of anyone??)

One of the suggestions we heard from Isaac Mizrahi recently was that she needed to "try something different", which sort of opened the gauntlet of complaints from the remaining designers about how she "always makes the exact same dress".   Even Mondo complained...Why is she still here? She makes the exact same thing over and over.  Really Mondo?  YOU want to go there?  I mean of any PR contestant of any season the ONE person's designs I can spot without fail are MONDO's.

I love him.  Don't get me wrong.  But he has a definite and identifiable design aesthetic.

Exactly like Kenley.

Do his designs have a more dramatic flair?  Yes.  Would I wear hers before his?  Yes.  But that's personal preference, which is, by the way, the epitome of Fashion.

But back to the original complaint/suggestion at hand...has Kenley made the exact same thing over and over??  I don't see it.  But you can decide for yourself...

And with that...Project Runway All Stars is on in 10!

the week in review...

Well... First I watched the entire first season of Downton Abbey.  How have I been missing this all this time??  PEOPLE.  You're supposed to CLUE ME IN.

I love Mary.  I loved to hate her at first...then I got to know her better and now she's my favorite.  I can't wait to see Season 2!  More on their fabulous fashions after I've had a chance to collect images of my faves.

Then I watched some Project Runway All Stars.

Kenley

Mondo

Michael

Austin

Yup, I broke my PR abstinence because so many of my favorites are there... Mondo, Michael, Sweet P, Kenley, Austin, Jerrell.  You know, I always loved April before, but I dislike her immensely in the 2 episodes of this All Star season.

Then I rewatched this season's episodes of Fringe because...  Peter and the gang return tonight!

Oh dear, how I've missed you.

It's the weekend!  I hope to do something productive this weekend.  Including working on a dress I've had in my head for a while, maybe one of these:

Butterick 5600

Butterick 5598

I've also been wanting to make some jewelry.  And I haven't written on my novel-in-progress in a few weeks.  The characters are starting to have conversations in my head throughout the day, which usually means they need to be taken for a spin.

That all sounds pretty ambitious though, so we'll see.  I'll be sure and keep you posted!

TGIF!

Woohoo!!

What a week.  I had 2 "Professional Development" days, 3 brand new classes of little children to educate (ha, "little" as in many of whom are taller than me), and an absolutely wonderful bronchitis/sinus infection to make the evenings a real pleasure.  (that last one was sarcastic. In case you didn't catch on.)

I even fell asleep halfway through this last night:

Project Runway All Stars

How awesome was it to see Sweet P and Mondo and Anthony!  And April and Kenley! I was always one of Kenley's biggest fans, and always suspected she was a victim of unfair editing during her season (which I think was later more blatant in Wretchen's season. Who was truly Wretched and no one will ever convince me otherwise. NO ONE disses Tim Gunn).

Anywho.

There was no progress on my Ottobre top.  But I plan to whip it up quick this weekend and then move on to something else, maybe something from my stack of Butterick/Vogue patterns (from the sale last week) or maybe a Colette pattern.  I'm really wanting to do a Colette pattern... I've also never blogged my finished Violet blouse, because it still needs buttons. (who else waits 4 months for buttons?)  I think I'll go with pearl and stop worrying about "perfect" so I can start wearing it!

Right now I'm starved so I'm going to veg and watch some of him

Fringe Returns Next Friday!!

and eat some of this

Happy Weekend!

Famous Frocks

Oooh, have you seen this book:

 

I think it looks really intriguing!  The jacket copy at Amazon lists some of the famous frocks, belonging to beloveds such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Jackie Kennedy...  Wow.  And patterns are included too (although sadly only to a 37" bust.  Since when is a 37" bust a Large?)

One of the authors is a patternmaker and teacher at Apparel Arts in San Francisco, which makes me really excited.  There seems to have been a rash of sewing books the past few years written by people with limited experience and skill sets.  Sewing, like any other creative art, is something that really evolves and grows over time; call me old fashioned (or just OLD), but I'm ready for some real experience and solid talent to break onto the scene!

Shannon mentioned just today that most sewing books on the shelves right now seem to be directed at the beginner...but there are an awful lot of us out here who are NOT beginners and haven't been for quite a long, ahem, time. So I'm looking forward to this one!

Also, I hate to ask.  Really, I do.  But did anyone watch the premiere of PR last week?

I haven't yet.  On the fence here.  I'm still not over Wretchengate.

idiocy.

Don't read if you haven't watched the Project Runway finale.

Unspoiled peeps gone? Ok.

Here are my favorite tweets culled from the random THOUSANDS that got tweeted in the minutes after the finale aired.

"Seriously, who is going to wear Gretchen's adult sized diapers? Being organically dyed doesn't make them wearable. "

"everybody better get in line for their granny panty-diaper style bottoms because apparently that's ~the future~"

"If Gretchen's finger is on the pulse, the body must be a corpse. "

"Nina should be forced to wear Gretchen's clothes all next season for allowing her to win"

"Nina: While you put Gretchen in Marie Claire, Anna Wintour will have Mondo in Vogue."

"#ProjectRunway, you are dead to me."


Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

#TEAM MONDO!!!

Project Runway at fashion week...

If you watch PR, you might know that they showed at Fashion week this week! Of course, all of the designers remaining thus far had a collection to show, so as not to spoil the remainder of the season. Several will be eliminated between now and the finale, so it's just a guessing game at this point.

Here are my favorites, some of whom surprised me and some of whom didn't surprise me in the least.

First surprise? I freaking LOVED Mondo's collection and he's one of my least favorite personalities on the show this season. My favorite things from his show (it was actually hard to choose just 3!):




The colors, the patterns, the silhouettes. I pretty much loved the entire collection. Go Mondo! Now I'm hoping he's in the final 3!

I loved Christopher's collection even though it was very simple. Thus far on the show he has been in the background, one of those "quiet ones". But everything in his show was very wearable and pretty, I think.




I love love love Michael C. I think he's a doll on the show and have never been quite able to figure out why the other designers hate on him so much. He seems sweet and genuine. (SPOILER: I was happy on this week's episode to see a little bit of turnaround from Mondo.) Here are my favorite pieces from Michael C.'s show, even though the collection itself was a little too Las Vegas Show Girl for me:



I love April, she reminds me of a student I had in class, so I've been rooting for her even though I don't necessarily share her design aesthetic. This is a nice piece though:


Valerie's collection was... Interesting. But I liked a few pieces, although it was more like concept art than clothing. This was my favorite:


Gretchen's collection was fugly. Could it be my intense dislike of her on the show is coloring my view?? I don't think so. I read some reviews and it's a pretty universal 'blech' response.

And WTHeck is going on with the pleats on these pants anyway? There's like some weird zigzaggy stitching across them horizontally where the widest part of your hips would be (if you had hips, which, this model does NOT.) And the darker ombre of the fabric right at the crotch looks like she pee'd her pants. Now THAT'S a print faux pas I don't think I've encountered before.


I dislike Andy on the show too, and other than the celestial headdresses, which I found fascinating, his collection was not my taste either. But I did like this one:


(I think that dress leaving the runway in the background was my 2nd favorite piece, but I didn't show it here because honestly, it would only look good on that 10 year old boy figure of the model wearing it. It's very Calvin Klein in that way.)

I'm terrible at guessing the final 3 (or 4!) and I have never once guessed the winner on this show correctly, so I'm not going to start hazarding guesses now. Mondo's is my favorite, hands down, so I hope he makes it through!

Tom & Lorenzo blogged all the collections (I snagged pictures for this post here, there and everywhere) and they have the entire collections on their blog. So go see and report back on your favorites hasta pronto!

TGIPR.

(Thank God it's Project Runway)

They're back! In NYC! And Nina & Michael are there! That LA season must have just been a bad dream.

I actually loved the winner for a change. (Emilio)


This was Lu's favorite (Seth Aaron):


And I loved this one too. (Pamela) Obviously her sketch didn't end up even remotely resembling her final garment! Makes me wonder why a bathing suit was the garment she would choose to represent her as a designer??


and this was very Art Deco cool too: (Jonathan)


PR! Its been a long time. I've missed you! (Even though you were technically on just a few weeks ago but so lame we will Never. Speak. Of. LA. Season. Again.)

korto & me

Guess what I did tonight??

I went to a runway show of Korto's new line for Dillards!!! Woohoo!! This was the most fun I've had in ages! This is Lu, me and my friend Lisa, all wiggly with excitement before the show:


And these are the emcee's shoes..which were so spectacular, I knew I better bring proof for you:


And then the fun began!!! I've never been to a "real" runway show, and this is probably as close as I'll ever get. It was SO much fun to see Korto's stuff come down the runway, with the cool tribal music bumping and flashes going off... But you just want to see the clothes, right?

So here ya go!

(ahem. He's carrying her jewelry line.
You know, in case you missed it.)

So after all the amazing clothes, they all came out and did the final runway walk...and she trailed them at the end! Just like the real thing!


And seriously? How gorgeous is she??


And sassy too!


So then we waited around to get our picture with her. Of course I fangirl-ed all over her and she was the sweetest thing! And that's how Korto & I became BFFs.