PROJECT RUNWAY.....Project Runway Season 4 Recaps: Episode 4

Children, Children , Children: How often do I have to say : NO MORE SHOULDER PADS!!!!!!! That's all I could think of when watching my sweet Bear of a love muffin, designer Chris March work his Joan Crawford meets Lipsynka magic on the Project Runway
catwalk.

My fellow Nick's Blog readers, yours truly was at the LA premiere of the Spice Girls concert Wednesday night (it was incredible by the way, and I will most surely have photos, and maybe a video for you) when the episode aired so I had to wait until almost midnite to watch it. I also missed the lovely debut of my Saturn commercial, but received enough text messages from close friends telling me that I had 'done good'! Let's "Make It Work"
1) Do We Like Team Challenges?
Maybe it is because I suddenly begin shaking incessantly with memories of my team challenge with Santino and Emmett and our much-talked-about German-Frau-Mistress-On-Crack collection. While, it was fun trying to bring Santino's visions to life, it was difficult for me and Emmett to put in our two cents in regards to keeping the "put-everything-and-the-kitchen-sink" Santino at bay. In essence, I feel the frustrations some of the designers feel during these dreaded "Team Challanges". My stomach just turns. They always begin these Challenges with the "Since in the real world, you will probably have to work with a team so therefore...". Well, darlings, I just don't think that these Team Challenges really reflect a real-life Industry environment. In a design company, especially large, corporate ones, such as Banana Republic, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY or Gucci,one is working with fellow "assistant designers" and have a leader, yes. But this leader is more of a "Creative Director" or "Chief Designer". These leaders do not necessarily "design". They give direction, they lead by giving the designers themes, story boards, ideas, actual garments to be inspired from. Then , the designers go to work designing. Everyone then consequently meets up to come together in terms of ideas and pieces that will become the group or collection. In a real Team Challenge, the leader would probably NOT have to make a garment but direct things and see if his/her designers got it right.
2) With that Being Said, then Why Would Anyone Ever Volunteer To Be the Team Leader?I certainly wouldn't. Since the first thing I think of is the show Apprentice. In that show, the Team Leader almost always is not just on the hot seat, but ends up being fired. It was pretty evident that in this episode of Project Runway, the Team Leaders suffered, especially in the case of Chris March. And don't think "Miss Opinionated Victorya" wasn't playing the game when she said she didn't want to be Team Leader. Poor Ricky just volunteered because Victorya and Elisa instantly voiced their unwillingness to step up to the plate. It's a difficult position to be in, but I guess I would have just said, well "I don't either" so let's do "rock, paper, scissors"!

In terms of what he created, I kind of liked it. He may not have chosen the best of fabrics. I realize that duchesse satin is difficult to work with. It puckers and it wrinkles easily. And yes, his construction was weak, but I understood his dress, it was "Day-Glo" Proenza-Schouler. OK, kind of. Any thoughts? I am sure that I might be slightly alone on this one...

3)Why Do These Designers Get To Have "Pre-Fittings" With Their Models?
Not fair. I am sure that many of us Project Runway alumni would have loved this opportunity at any of our challenges, especially the Team one. Could this be the first time in all four seasons of Project Runway that designers have been allowed to see their models at a "half-way" point? Please write me back and correct me if I am wrong.

4) Finally , Am I the Only One Who Will Miss Chris!
Poor thing, from the moment that first Challenge occurred where he was made to run the "fashion marathon" to those fabric-filled tents, he was doomed. In this challenge, he just got it wrong. His outfit made no sense with the other two. The judges were correct in saying that each of them looked like they were from three different fashion shows. There was no real commonality. The jersey tube dress was cute, but not original or inspiring. I've seen it on the sale racks at Wet Seal, way in the back! And that bolero jacket. I knew something was wrong when I saw him place about 8 shoulder pads--one on top of another--on the model form. I just about wanted to lunge myself through the TV and remove 6 of them!!!

I love Dynasty, I love Joan Collins, in fact, I am so dying for a Thierry Mugler Retrospective at the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art, but this was none of the above. It was something a Drag Queen from Long Island would have worn--10 years ago.

But, I so love Chris. I think he went home too soon. I was really eager to see more of his designs, because I just had a feeling that he would bring that element of whimsy and fun that seems to be much needed in this season of Project Runway. Every time I saw Chris, he made me smile and want to pinch his cheeks!!! You will be missed.