#designergunnar

Project Runway All Stars Season 4 - Episode 6: Luck Be a Lady

Just in time before the new episode airs - phewww - I can post my review about the last one. I finally took the exam which was driving me crazy so now I have much more time for you guys while I prepare my Fashion History exam :D

The concept of the last episode was probably the most hilarious I’ve seen in a long time: Fashion Gamble! The designers had to roll the dice which were going to decide what fabric and for what occasion each designer had to work. The matchings were as follows:

- Dmitry: Velvet and Gallery Opening —> Velvet is basically always a bad choice
- Fabio: Denim and Masquerade Ball —> the first thing I thought about was Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears at 2001 AMAs
- Gunnar: Brocade and Masquerade Ball —> I thought a masquerade ball could be the only thing which could save Gunnar from doing really really badly. I was wrong.
- Helen: Brocade and Awards Ceremony —> good combo after all
- Jay: Denim and Sunday Brunch —> Boring.
- Justin: Silk and Gallery Opening —> The best matching of all, he completely missed this opportunity. I was already imagining a beautiful flowy powdery pink shirt, I got an ugly and common little dress.
- Michelle: Lace and Gallery Opening —> not bad
- Samantha: Brocade and Awards Ceremony —> same as Helen
- Sonjia: Brocade and Bachelorette Party —> maybe brocade was not the best choice for a party, but it could work out

You’re probably going to get shocked at this, but my favourite was Fabio, who was instead between the bottom two for the judges. I would like to start by saying that I wasn’t impressed by anyone this time, and it was a pity as I thought they were doing pretty well during the whole season. This time I was bored by more than one of them. There are different reasons why I chose Fabio as my favourite this week: first of all, apart from colour and material, I thought the dress was really nice, elegant and simple but at the same time very powerful and head-turning. I like the way it was constructed and draped in the front. Then, despite what the judges said - which was pretty predictable - I thought the colour was fine for the challenge. Let’s not forget he was designing for a MASQUERADE BALL, I don’t know, do you think someone would wear a grey cocktail dress to a fancy dress ball? I thought the colour really gave that extra feel to a dress which would just be a very nice dress in another colour; shocking pink made it a fancy dress - and anyway I hate the fact the judges always have such prejudices against bright colours, boring people. What’s more, the dress didn’t look costumy at all to my eyes, despite the heavy styling, which I liked as well - I thought the idea to use the necklace as a headpiece was really a stroke of genius. It’s true that he chose the least denim fabric he could find, but at the same time I cannot help thinking it was a smart choice: as I wrote above, a denim which looked like a denim would have immediately conveyed Britney and Justin in 2001. And we don’t want to see that anymore.

Jay was the worst instead, and I don’t understand how the judges could just save him. First of all, Helen was totally right when she told him it looked more like something a girl - a hooker, I would say - would wear to go to a club - even if I agree with Jay when he says that she’d better mind her own business. I HATE the shiny denim he chose - how could you on earth think that a SHINY fabric is suitable for a BRUNCH? - and the overall impression is that of a girl who is more interested to find her one night stand more than attending a brunch. Moreover, the dress - or is it separates? - is something that I’ve already seen, nothing new, nothing fresh.

Sonjia’s dress, the winning look, was a nice dress, but nothing more than something you can usually find in H&M. I praise her for making an entire dress out of golden fabric without making her model look like a whore though, it was sexy but not vulgar. What I was shocked about was imagining Alyssa Milano’s fat thighs coming out of that tiny tiny tiny dress. Let’s not find excuses saying that she’s pregnant, so it’s normal she’s fatter and bla bla bla. No. No way those thighs are going to get to an acceptable shape. Thank god there’s photoshop.

Gunnar was eliminated, so I was right the last time when I said he was the next one. It was definitely the worst after Jay’s, messy and schizophrenic, as the top didn’t really connect to the bottom. Once again I had the impression Gunnar doesn’t have any clue about what he’s doing.

I liked Helen’s dress, it was simple and traditional but fresh at the same time, and I didn’t mind the very deep slit, but it seems she can only do good when she creates something in red. I ADORED Michelle’s look, it was a pity for the shape of the skirt, which was not very flattering in my opinion; if it wasn’t for that, she would have been my favourite absolutely. I was stunned by how she manipulated the fabric and the colour choice was divine. Very chic.

Next episode airs tonight, and I hope to be able to post my review immediately while I’m preparing to go back to my lovely homeland Sardinia to spend Christmas holidays with my lovely friends and family :D

xxx

Project Runway All Stars Season 4 - Episode 5: Designing for the Duchess

I’m again late for my review - thank you for not having sent me any threatening message to have me write the post - but I’m basically doing nothing but studying for my philosophy exam - it’s a nightmare.

Anyway I’m here and I’m now ready to fill you in with all my opinions and thoughts about last episode of our favourite show.

The Duchess of the title is - of course - Sarah Ferguson, I guess the most famous member of the royal family after, of course, the MAIN royal family (and after Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, sadly remembered for their awful outfits at the Royal Wedding some years ago). Project Runway producers finally decided to ask designers to create my favourite piece of clothing: A COAT. I was really excited because I truly adore coats and they never had any challenge in which they were specifically asked to design one. Of course the winner’s design was going to be worn by the Duchess in person, so this was another great opportunity for all the contestants.

Sonjia hit the mark again in my opinion. It’s true, the Duchess is not a young girl anymore, so her look was maybe a little bit too girly for her, but hey, basically everyone went very young with their designs. First of all, I loved the fact she used neoprene (yes ok, I’m aware I have a problem with it) in grey, I loved the length of the coat and the fact it was asymmetric with the slit behind. It was elegant and sporty at the same time, and this is a very great achievement. I didn’t particularly like the print she used for the sleeves (I hadn’t noticed it until now) but I’m obsessed by the maxi-zipper she put in front, it’s just A M A Z I N G.

Benjamin’s outfit was not good at all, but Gunnar’s was definitely worse, and I don’t understand why he wasn’t even among the bottom 3. It’s a sort of Frankenstein coat made by using different style which can even work on their own, but that together make an awful match. The tweed print could make a nice trench-coat, but then it would have been too classic and predictable; at the same time, trying to insert an extremely different style in the sleeve part really wasn’t a good idea. As soon as I saw the two silver bands on the model’s elbows I understood it was the worst of the bunch. I say it again: Gunnar is the next one to deserve to go home. Please, kick him out.

I’ve already said Benjamin’s coat was really bad as well, and the judges already expressed everything I think about, which can be summed up in two points: it was too junior and the pockets were something as awful as can’t be described. For someone who started the episode saying coat is his creative field that’s not a very successful result. 

I definitely LOVED Dmitry’s coat, it was minimal without being too simplistic, everything about it was unique. I really appreciate how Dmitry can always turn things in his favour even when he’s in a bad situation, that’s an extremely important quality for a designer. I’m remembering why he used to be my favourite during his season <3

Fabio was the winner, I recognise his coat was extremely detailed and had a very good mixture of styles, but the overall impression didn’t really win me over. Jay, instead, could have edited a little bit, but I thought his creation was a good idea and I loved the fact he was one of the few to play with colours - I wouldn’t have put him among the bottom 3. Samantha was good as well, I like her style, I think it’s really cool taking inspiration from the past as she does and making something which can be really sellable without being boring. And I love oversize, so you can understand why I really liked her look for this last episode; it wasn’t maybe perfectly constructed, but the idea was extremely fresh.

Seeing the sneak peek for next episode I expect it to be HILARIOUS: fashion gambling this time. When I start thinking the producers have run out of ideas, they surprise me with something new and crazy. I love this show.

xxx

Project Runway All Stars Season 4 - Episode 4: Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve

Project Runway producers are cruel people. So cruel that they never stop surprising me over their sick challenges. This was the sickest and cruelest of all - crueler than children challenges or the worst unconventional ones: designers had to design a dress inspired by their past relationships, present status and future wishes. I immediately envisioned my outfit if I had had to get inspired by my past relationships: a shapeless black rag mess.

The prize for the winner would be a 10,000 $ gift card by Zale - yes, I had to look for the name of the brand on the Internet because I couldn’t remember. But the best part, of course, was the special guest of this episode: our one and only Nina Garcia, who invited the designers to MarieClaire headquarters - the reason for it is still mysterious to me - to explain the challenge.

Getting to the core of this last episode, Fabio was my favourite - and not because my name’s Fabio as well. I just thought he was completely right when he said, during the runway that this dress was perfect from every point of view. I guess it shows his exotic origins in the print, the shape is girly but unexpected and a little weird - completely Fabio style - but what I loved the most was the little details, like the peek-a-boos on the sides or the red lining of the top part, which made me think of the dress as a metaphor of a love which doesn’t have to be exhibited. 

I think there was no doubt about Kate being the worst. One thing I noticed this season is that the worst of the episode is always pretty clear - and usually there are many good looks as well. I was shocked after hearing basically all the judges saying the top was cute: I can tell you, that top is something my grandma used to wear when I was 10 and I used to go with her to the department store. If something could be saved, that’s the bottom part, which unfortunately was horribly unfinished and the bling of the top with the rawness of the skirt really clashed. I don’t even want to talk about that old-fashioned colour. Don’t know what happened to this girl, it seems like she regressed to season 11, where she was really mediocre and ‘forgettable’, while in season 12 she was definitely one of the best in my opinion and got really upset when she was eliminated. I don’t think she’s going to get any other change - she’s been in the show three times, I guess no one has ever had as many chances. Bye Kate, have a good life <3

I have mixed feelings about Helen’s dress. At the beginning I thought was one of the worst three in my opinion, then I noticed the neckline and I thought it was interesting - even if the back looked really strange. Then I thought that this girl makes beautiful things only when she uses red - and she basically told the same to Nina referring to red as a 'special colour, as Nina knows’. The styling as well, at the beginning I thought it was hideous, but then, thinking about it again, it reminded me of Frida Kahlo, and now the overall look seems better. Anyway, I really liked Sonjia’s and Dmitry’s, so I guess I would have chosen one of them as the winner this time rather than Helen - probably Dmitry; oh btw, I’m loving his attitude!

I feel like guessing something about the next eliminated designers: Gunnar is going to be cut soon. I feel it. He’s just the weakest contestant among the remaining ones, so let’s not be surprise if he gets kicked out next time.

Hope you enjoyed my little review this time as well, and for now I guess we have to say goodbye until December 4th, as this week the show isn’t airing due to Thanksgiving TV schedule. Happy Thanksgiving then to all the Americans who read me! 

Bye folks!

xxx

P.S: I just remembered one think really gets me mad: Nina saying 'No bueno’. I mean, she’s Colombian, I could expect such an idiotic exclamation from someone who doesn’t know a word of Spanish, but in this case we have a Latin American woman mocking her own people talking. I love you Nina, but please shut up next time your brain tells you to pronounce those stupid words. Thanks.

Omg, another thing - thoughts are just flowing freely through my mind - someone arrest Alyssa Milano’s stylist. She’s pregnant and she’s huge, much bigger than Kim Kardashian when she was pregnant - and that’s really difficult so achieve - so please refrain from dressing her like a mirror ball. Thanks again.