Jennifer Hudson in Custom Roberto Cavalli: Jennifer Hudson chose to wear this midnight blue beaded Roberto Cavalli Gown to last night's Oscars. It featured long sleeves and a high slit but still showed off JHud's new trimmed down figure beautifully. It was not one of my favorite gowns of the night, but her stylist said she had 2 Cavalli dresses to choose from and went for the more subdued gown because she wasn't a nominee and was just performing.

I say a Diva should ALWAYS look like a Diva on the Red Carpet! I would have liked to have seen the gown she decided NOT to wear.

Her hair was flawless and those earrings were gorgeous! But....is that her black bra peeking out above?!


Either way, she looked beautiful and she KILLED IT with her performance on stage!

Finale Fab:


I know I'm (almost) 2 weeks late but I wanted to do this post and recap the fun time I had attending the Project Runway Season 10 Finale Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week on Friday September 7th. As you may know, I flew to NYC to attend various events and parties celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Project Runway. Also, because I was one of the designers chosen to design a dress for the exclusive Project Runway Dress Collection at Lord & Taylor I was invited to the VIP "Unveiling" and to take part in Lord &Taylor's Fashion's Night Out event on Thursday September 6th.


It was a whirlwind of a week that ended with the Season 10 Finale Fashion Show at Lincoln Center. If you're watching and are a fan of Project Runway, you know that we are halfway through the season--on TV that is. The actual Finale of the season (which always involves only the Top 3 or 4 designers left in the show) won't happen for maybe another couple of months. "TV Timing" doesn't coincide with "Real Timing" and NY Fashion Week was happening right now, so ALL the current contestants/designers still on TV were able to show at NY Fashion Week so, you the TV viewer wouldn't know who the actual Top 3 or 4 were---only the designers, judges producers, editors...Tim Gunn, Heidi, Nina and Michael know--and yes, they are all SWORN to secrecy.


I was so excited to attend the show and happy to be invited, naturally. The fashion show took place in the largest runway show stage--called the "Theater"--at Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week at Lincoln Center.


It was PHOTO MADNESS when Miss Heidi came out (in a slinky sequined Alexandre Vaultier dress)--with fellow Project Runway judges Michael Kors, Nina Garcia (in Lanvin) and Celeb Guest Judge--the beautiful Jennifer Hudson--who was wearing a very fitted Emerald Green suit by Michael Kors.


I got to seat in the 8th row behind some of the most recent seasons' designer (the seating criteria  seems to depend on what season you were on, current seasons in the front, older seasons in the back). The really fun part of my row, was that I was with other "old timers":
  
Season 1 Winner Jay McCarroll and Season 2 Winner Chloe Dao (above photo). I felt so privileged. I absolutely LOVE those two so we had a BALL of a time watching the entire show together.

**SPOILER ALERT!:

Now--Like I stated before, at the time of the Finale Fashion Show there were still 8 designers left on the show, all of these eight showed their "mini-collections" (lucky them!!)--Here are images from each of their collections and which ones were my Top Faves for making it into the Final:
 

Gunnar Deatharage:

As we know now little Gunnar got the "auf" in this past week's episode. The NY Fashion Week Finale show occurred before this but to be perfectly honest, it was the weakest of all the eight collections. There was an obvious tribal/African-inspired theme. The clothes lacked directionality, drama and maturity. Let's look at the bright side: he got to show at NEW YORK FASHION WEEK!

Sonjia Williams:

Sonjia was one of my favorites so far in the season but her Finale Collection was all over the place. She began with a look that had her "Sonjia Turban Bow" which was cute...

But then she did some looks that well, were a bit odd--including this skirt over stretch lace leggings. I think Nina would call this "a miss".

Ven  Budhu:

Season 10 contestant/designer Ven Budhu of the pleated flower/rose fame--and "I Don't Like Plus Size Ladies" infamy--showed a collection of (almost) ALL Pleated Flower looks. It was a definite "F You" to EVERYONE--including the judges, I think (especially after watching last week's episode). My instinct tells me that he's not in the Finals.

He was one of my favorites from the Castings and a frontrunner at the beginning of the show and I know many of the other casting judges thought that he could have won--after seeing his designs and obvious impeccable talent and taste level but...

That episode with his client Terri and the fact that he kept doing those pleated flower treatments...well, that will haunt him forever. Nevertheless, his Finale Collection had some beautifully crafted Ladies-who-Lunch-and-impeccably-made-Red-Carpet clothes. Polished, elegant and gorgeously constructed. He needs to get a job as Oscar de la Renta's Design Assistant. Like NOW!

Elena Slivnyak:

I really liked Elena's Finale Collection. Mainly because she sent out very colorful--Spring 2013 ON TREND--clothes. I was surprised that she didn't do "Lady Gaga" structured multi-seamed coats with UBER shoulder pads. Instead, she opted for very now dresses.

Her very fitted color-blocked dresses were SO Heidi Klum; I can see Miss Heidi worshiping them. Her mini-collection was very Narciso Rodriguez as well. She either needs to send her resume to him--or to Max Axria of BCBG/Herve Leger Empire.

Christopher Palu:

Christopher--whom I think is one of the Top Four Finalist after seeing the Finale Fashion Show--did an outstanding job. However, there were some missteps. Some of the looks were disjointed, in terms of a collection. It's like he needed someone to get up in there to tell him "Yes, and Yes...and Oh No!". The first transparent sheer look with high slit skirt was very Video Vixen. And then there was A LOT of leather and Fall-like looks for a Spring/Summer Collection. This was his final gown on his Project Runway model:

A pretty dress but not cohesive with the rest of the collection and in my estimation way too referential of Christian Siriano.


Melissa Fleis:

Melissa was one of my top favorites from the NY Fashion Week show. I loved her high boat neck burnt orange leather asymmetrical dress. It was so chic, it was BEYOND Chic. I would not want to mess with that girl. I would just want to be her "Best Gay". She also did some sleek jacket and super-skinny pants looks that seemed very NOW. But she had TWO particular "Oh NO's":

First, a navy blue-and-black leather leotard/swimsuit(?) that was HOOCHIE-COOCHIE short! While the model walked, we (the audience) could see her white underwear., Not good. Whether or not this shows up on the show, will be very interesting. The other look that was an issue:

This white tank dress. It was very fitted and there was NO SLIT. The model could barely walk down the runway. I even noticed the judges--Heidi, Michael, Nina, Jennifer--turning to each other to comment. I just do not understand why Melissa did not put a slit--or two in this dress. The photo looks great. The runway LIVE version. Not so muchey.

Dmitry Sholokhov:

Wow. Dmitry sent out a very sleek, modern, polished collection. To me, he is one of the top for sure. Not only did I LOVE this cowl bias-cut dress above but his separates were so ON TREND.

The color story was dark for a Spring/Summer Collection but it still felt light. He also sent some looks that referenced his cut-out "HP Challenge" winning look, including this creme dress:

I wonder if one of those Final Challenges involves designing a look based on one of their Season 10 Winning creations. I really liked this dress. He is one of my Top Three for sure. Go Dmitry.


Fabio Costa:

Fabio's collection was probably my favorite. It was light, airy, very Spring 2013, and I LOVED, LOVED, his bias-cut, silk charmeuse, asymmetrical cowl draping. And I wasn't the only one who was gushing. EVERYONE I spoke to, also thought his was the best. But who knows who will be in the Top 3 or 4 or be in the Finals. We will soon find out...

Here are some fun After-Show Snapshots:

Jennifer Hudson looking slim and sexy in a high-low navy-blue/silver Versace Pre-Fall 2010 dress. I'm wondering why the bust doesn't quite fit and why, oh why...is her bra showing. I don't think this is how it is supposed to be. Trust me darlings, ALL those Versace dresses and gowns have built-in bra and under-structures so you DO NOT have to wear additional bras that may distract from the dress. This is why a Versace dress can cost in the THOUSANDS...like $6000 most times. It also looks like they lengthened the front chiffon tiers of this asymmetrical dress for Jennifer. I like the dress, I just have issues with her bra showing. That's a no-no. On a Positive Note: Jennifer does look TEENY TINY!!! Do we mind that the top section doesn't fit "the sisters" and that her bra is showing?

Washington DC Red Carpet
Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney, composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones and Country Music Musician Merle Haggard were all honored tonight at the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, which will be broadcast at the end of this month on CBS.
Red King: Gayle King looked elegant in this lipstick red one-shoulder gown. The clutch is a little big but she still worked it--Go on Miss Gayle!
Who Is The Bigger DIVA?