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.

I just returned from spending three wonderful days in San Francisco where I was asked to host a fashion show/event (more on that in a later post) and literally dropped my suitcase and turned on the TV to watch this third episode of Season 4 Project Runway. Thank God for TiVo, since I got home after the episode aired and therefore could not have my weekly "Viewing Party" with Andrae, lots of champagne and cookies. For this particular episode, I decided to just put down several "thoughts". Hope you enjoy it and would love to read your feedback and thoughts on this episode.

1) Sweet Redemption:
While the episode unfolded--along with all the drama and frustrations--the words sweet redemption kept cropping up in my head, like little "Pop Up Video" bubbles. Now, let me preface my explanation by saying that I have had nothing but amazing opportunities as well as feel blessed by everything that has occurred in my life and my business as a result of being on the show. However, as you may remember, I was voted off Season 2 for making Daniel Vosovic a suit that was deemed "too feminine", as well as for a lack of pockets and jacket button/closures.

Yet, after seeing some of the creations in this episode, I could not help but feel a bit redeemed. Especially, since I remember at the time reading a lot of viewer comments saying something to the effect of "How could Nick not put buttons or pockets?" But somehow, I got to finish a fully lined jacket, a collared dress shirt, a silk scarf and skinny pants with a waistband and zip-fly in the SAME AMOUNT OF TIME as these designers. Go figure. Several of this season's designers could barely finish TWO pieces. It ain't that easy kids. Therefore, again, I have to ask the question I asked in my first recap: Are these really the most talented group of designers ever? (as Tim and Heidi proudly announced in the premiere episode).


Chloe Dao, the winner of Season 2, made a fabulous--and Challenge-winning--three-piece outfit for me, which included hand sewn buttonholes , mitered stripes and a fully lined vest. Season 3 winner, Jeffrey Sebelia made a great "Rock Star" outfit, which was (as far as I remember) fully finished also. So why couldn't these designers, who are supposed be more talented and have far more expertise than us, just finish a shirt or close the lining of a jacket? Just saying...

Now, back to the best and worst of the lot. Like the judges, I also had a difficult time trying to decide which outfit was the worst: Ricky's safety-pinned concoction, Sweet Pea's askew dress shirt or Carmen's 1920's Golf caddie go-go boy. In the end, Carmen 's badly fitting crotch was the one to go.

I did have a couple of favorites, most notably, Rami's, which looked straight out of the third floor at Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Store: Elegant, stylish and very Italian-looking. I also liked Kit's cardigan-like creation. He looked like a sexy "Mr. Rodgers". But the judges chose Jack's safe,well cut shirt and pants. It looked very much like it came from the Macy's I.N.C. brand.


2) Where did all those Men's Forms come from?
If I remember correctly , we didn't even have men's forms when we did our challenge. I actually had to fit it on one of the ladies forms in the room. Daniel Vosovic was a woman's 4, in case you are wondering, without the breasts of course! But, all of a sudden, when they return from the NBC Today Studios, there are a dozen men's forms at the Parsons Workroom. No explanation. Unfair and a bit bizarre.

3) Jack: It's called "Knocking Off"
Congratulations for winning this challenge, Jack. We loved your outfit as well as seeing your GINORMOUS pecs every other second, but there was no need to actually ruin your shorts and cut them to get the pattern. It's on page 535 of "Patternmaking for Fashion Design" by Helen Joseph-Armstrong, and is usually taught to every second year fashion design student. So, next time, no need to cut, just get that old tracing wheel out and some tissue paper and you are ready to go...

4) Speaking of GINORMOUS pecs...
Did a Bravo executive just write a big yellow "Post It" to the show's editors and say More Male Nude Skin? (I'm speaking to you Andy Cohen!!) What was going on? There was so much gratuitous display of male skin, I thought I was standing in front of an Abrecrombie and Fitch store! First, Jack was half naked through the entire episode. Then, after the constant parade of male models with their .00005 % fat content showcasing their taut bodies, I had to check my remote to see if the channel had changed to LOGO. But the sight of "I have the whitest teeth in all the United States of America", Tiki Barber (whom I admit I had no idea who he was) reassured me otherwise. Bravo knows its market demographic: It not only wants to make the gays and their girlfriends happy, but also the girlfriend's beer-drinking, football-watching husbands.
And finally:

5) Open Letter To Carmen:
Dear Carmen: There is a light at the end of the Project Runway Menswear Challenge Tunnel. I guarantee you will get a request (or two) to make your auf'ed ensemble for someone. Proof: Just ONE WEEK AGO, I received the following letter on my website regarding my "way too feminine suit" that I created for Daniel Vosovic TWO YEARS AGO, in which I was booted off the show for:


Dear Mr. Verreos, I actually just saw one of the episodes of Project Runway, and I am very interested in a suit that you constructed for another contestant, Daniel. I have been looking for a suit exactly like that forever. Do you still design men's suits, or is there someplace where you sell suits in that same style? If not, would you be interested in creating one? Please let me know.

Episode 2: Fashion Icon on-a-Budget?

First of all, I hope everyone is having a nice Thanksgiving and you are able to celebrate with good friends and family. While you are enjoying all the turkey, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, here is some "Fashion Gobble Gobble"(sorry, I had to do that!) to hold you stuffed until next week.
Like last time, I will do this week's recap in question form. Ready, set, go...and don't forget to check all my grammatical errors...

1) Was This Episode Boring or Was It Just Me?
Following the footsteps of a not-so-memorable First Episode, I was ready for a really good one. I invited friends over (Andrae stopped by and brought Gelato--Yeaaay!) and served Champagne and cookies. We were ready. And all I got was a "Yawn". Now, don't get me wrong, I am not looking for drama, especially "Created Drama" (think last season's "Mother's Challenge" or my season's "Take Nick's Model"). I am not a fan of that. But it would be nice to see some "Fashion Drama". This episode had the potential, especially, with the amazing "guest star" Sarah Jessica Parker and the teaming up of designers. You know if SJP showed up in my season, I would have screamed so loud and jumped and clapped so much, it would have made my scene with Olympic Figure Skater Sasha Cohen seem like "chopped liver" in comparison. Because of previous season's infamous Team Challenges, one expected more discussion amongst the designers, friendly arguments even, and thoroughly interesting creations as a result. Other than Sweet Pea and Elisa's mulling over hand-rolled hems and spitting on the fabric(I bet the cameramen and sound guys just about died and went to heaven after they saw that!), nothing much occurred. In terms of the designs that won and lost, I liked Victorya's loose tunic of a dress with the cropped vest, but surprisingly, I also liked Elisa and Sweet Pea's "polymorphic" dress and cape. Great color, fashionably styled, yet wearable. Poor thing, "Oliver Twist" twin, Marion's design did look, as Michael Kors stated, like something Pocahontas would have worn. Also, I can't help but think how many of the designers did leggings/tights because they were influenced by what Sarah Jessica Parker was wearing when she met them.
Overall, though, I felt this was a rather uneventful episode with rather unremarkable clothes.

2) Was it Uneventful because of their Budget and the fact that they had to design for BITTEN?
So then I began thinking, could it have been the fact that they only had $15 for fabric and trims and had to design for a "budget" yet fashion-savvy line? First, I don't know how they found enough fabric to create an outfit, especially at Mood, only having $15. The last time I was there, I was hard-pressed to find their "Dollar Bin". Actually, I never saw one. So how did they do it? I guess poly/cotton jersey is cheap, but even at retail prices, these stores can charge up to $8/yard for it. I would need at least 2 yards to make a top and leggings , and that's it. I have spent all my budget. What about a zipper, lining, or another contrast fabric? I have a sneaky feeling somebody somewhere sneaked these designers some extra cash... Just saying.
Now, in regards to designing for Bitten, ponder the following: Would it have been more exciting of an episode if the designers had to create an ensemble for Sarah Jessica Parker, for the Black-tie Gala/Opening of a Metropolitan Museum Costume Exhibit, in which she would have worn the outfit? All I kept thinking of was that photo of her with Alexander McQueen in his "Couture-Tartan" design. I know some people may think that she was a "fashion disaster", but personally, this was GENIUS! Who else would do that? That's one of the many reasons I LOVE Sarah Jessica Parker. she takes fashion risks. I think this "fantasy" challenge would have been possibly more fun to watch. But I do understand the tie-in with SJP and her line.

3) Is the Second Episode of every season going to be an "Ode To Andrae Crying Episode"?Now, remember, I was watching this episode with the fabulous Mr. Gonzalo, and he noted "Why is the second episode going to be about crying? I think I started a second episode trend " I cannot recall if anyone cried in the second episode of Season 3, but if they did, please let me know. But I could not believe all the tears that flowed in this episode. First Chris, then Ricky crying so early on in the challenge--he barely had met Sarah Jessica Parker for goodness sake--made me skeptically think that this was footage from his "exit interview" questionably interjected in the beginning of the episode. Then even Carmen joined in on the cry fest at elimination. The last straw was watching usually bitchy "I-am-the-fiercest-thing-since- John Galliano" Christian actually tear up. I swear I saw tears behind those Alain Mikli glasses of his!

See you next time, and keep on crying...and sewing!

In an effort to raise Eco-consciousness, NBC/Universal and all its entities, which of course includes the Bravo Network, proclaimed last week "Green Week". BravoTv.com asked me to write a blog on Eco-chic and what that means to me. I decided to not just give a lecture of sorts about one should do, in terms of clothing, to be more "Green friendly", but also add a Southern California twist to it. I have been taking "baby steps" myself in being more Eco-conscious by (finally) getting separate waste baskets for cans, paper, etc. as well as replacing light bulbs, and so on.

In terms of clothing, I thing my love for "Green" was given enlightened when I created a (according to Michael Kors) vulgar and very Green dress, made completely out of plants for the infamous Garden Party/Flower Power Challenge from Season 2 of Project Runway. I also think I have come a long way, considering "Going Green" for me meant wearing TWO , not just one, puka shell necklaces! That's how much "Granola Crunch Eco-friendly" I could bring into my style atmosphere. And like Puka Shells are really Eco friendly! That could be debated...
For my entire BravoTV.com blog on the Fashion Forward section :
Click HERE

This past Saturday night, I was invited to the 35th Anniversary L.A. Annual Gay & Lesbian Center Gala at the Hyatt Regency Century City Plaza Hotel. I was asked to give a speech and present the Corporate Vision Award to the Bravo Network. Attendees included Vice President of Production and Programming, Andy Cohen (who accepted the award), "Project Runway" Season 3 designer Robert Best, Season 2 designer Raymundo Baltazar and actor and activist, Wilson Cruz, who gave an emotional and inspiring speech for the Distiguished Achievement Award he received. You can see us in the photo , posing with the president of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Lorri L. Jean. Also present at the Gala was the entire cast of Bravo's "Workout" (who were being filmed for Season 2 of the show) as well as the lovely Betty Fraser, one of my favorite chefs from "Top Chef". There was also a accompanying auction with hundreds of items up for the guests to bid on , from trips to Argentina, Mexico and New York (we bid on the last one, but lost) to training sessions, beauty product packages, jewelry, and even a visit to the set of "Desperate Housewives". I also put bids on a very modern CD Stereo. We kept on playing "bidding wars" with one person the whole time. I even bitched out loud who this other person was who did not want me, under any circumstances, to get the stereo. David then whispered in my ear that the guy was standing right behind me, eyeing "his" stereo like a hawk! I walked away , giving him a dirty look of "It's YOURS!!" I never had bid on any auction of any kind and wanted to go home with my own X-mas present--or at least one for David's upcoming Birthday. Ah well, we had a fun time with the bidding war anyway and enjoyed the drama of it all!! I also donated a disposable camera, in which I took photos from my recent trip to Palm Springs (more on that in a later post) as well as to the Los Angeles' Ovation Awards. I am sad to say that no one bid on it. I later told David that we should have bid on it, so I could get the camera (and film) back! I also donated an exclusive illustration I did of my "My Scene Barbie" outfit. Someone (Thank God) did bid for this and I believe the sketch went for $150. All for a good cause of course. The event itself was filled with poignant as well as lots of funny moments. Drag Diva extraordinaire, Miss Coco Peru was the emcee and she did an amazing job. She even did a kick-up your heels ode to Chorus Line with her sexy back-up dancers. Ever since I first saw her perform about 10 years ago in NY's Barracuda, I have been a fan of Miss Coco. The Bravo Award was the first of the evening so my presentation and speech was one of the first. I was a bit nervous but thankful that it was out of the way, and then I could enjoy the show. Actress and Icon, Lesley Anne Warren was also a special guest, sitting on Miss Coco's "couch" for an interview. At the end of the night, I posed with her for photos.