And the Winner Is...
Alrighty kids, last night was the Project Runway Season 9 Finale and yes, it was a DOOZY! The show--and season--ended with another controversial ending and winner (we had barely gotten over the whole Gretchen thang!). There has been much criticism about not only the winner, but the show itself--none more biting than by my Fab friends Tom & Lorenzo and their Recap HERE.
Although they do make some very valid points and there's no denying that the show is different than it was "back in my day" (Season 2 Rocks!!). I come from a place where I am an "Alumni"--a Graduate perhaps--therefore, I have a soft spot for the show. I want to see it succeed and have the show--and its designers do well. Sometimes, I turn a "blind eye" to its "bad parts" and hope for the best but I think that everyone can agree that the level of the talent was "lower" than usual and the DRAMA was rather "heightened" maybe, as a result.
I've been getting comments on my BLOG at myLifetime.com saying that I am "toe'ing the party line" in terms of Lifetime and the show. I think it's important to state that Lifetime or any of the producers of the show have NEVER tried to edit me or say "Umm, do you really wanna say that?" and I thank them for that and allowing me to voice my humble opinion. You--the fans, the readers, can make arguments for both Josh or Viktor winning, however, I still feel that out of the four collections shown that day at Lincoln Center, Anya's was the best.
Oh, and BTW: this is just my opinion, and to add: I tend to go for the "Anya" aesthetic": I like prints and easy-breezy Resort-y gowns. That's what I like. You may not. That is the great thing about fashion, it is subjective and we can all have our OWN opinions. I attended the Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week Project Runway Show and I was there to witness it all. Let me just also add that the collections look different on TV than they do in person. When you see the collections live, you get the 3D experience, a sense of flow and a power from (some) of the pieces. On television it often can seem slicker with it's fancy camera angles and close-up shots.
From the live show, I thought Joshua's was "questionable" (I would have bet he was a "decoy" and not a Finalist!), Viktor's was good and I loved his prints (but I was apprehensive about the no-lining dresses), but I did remember thinking Anya's Resort Luxe-looking collection was one of the most cohesive. But, I also felt, she's not the Winner, not with all those similar-looking printed caftans! But then if not her...who was??? Well, yes, it was Miss Anya Ayoung-Chee. How was her collection the "Best"??? Let me Review them all: Kimberly Goldson:
I liked Kimberly's collection but I remember sitting there at Lincoln Center thinking "Those black wedge heels for EVERY LOOK, don't look so good!" and at the same time, loving that black sequined gown and not loving that "Bootie-Bump" skirt. It was very Baby Phat-meets-Rachel Roy. Which I love. But is that the next Top American Designer? I didn't think so. These looks are already out there--versions of them--in stores. It doesn't take fashion to well, "another level" per se. A counterpoint that many commentators are making to me is that neither does Anya's; which is a valid point. I guess the difference to me is that Anya's looked Luxe, while Kimberly's looked more suited for the Contemporary Department of a Store. Joshua McKinley:
Joshua--such a controversial "Love-him or Hate-Him" character this Season. He almost got the Project Runway crown. Why? Because the judges just LUVED his designs. And he edited. He learned from their critiques. And yes, it made for GREAT TV to have the "Villain" be up against Miss Anya. I liked his collection BUT...it suffered from being TWO different women. One, loves plastic-accented jersey gathered tunic gowns...and the other, neon green 80's bicycle shorts! No one argues that maybe he should have won (boy, would that have been a WEB uproar!!!). But what people are all angst-ridden about is... Viktor Luna:
Now, this is where the controversy kicks in--everyone and their puppy thought Viktor should have won. His collection was good; but not all-together cohesive good. At least for me. His prints were AMAZING. But then, he went into an S&M Bondage, sheer chiffon, Frida Giannini-for-Gucci Fall 2011 girl. The reason he didn't win--as opposed to Anya--was the same as for Joshua--he also suffered from what I call the "Two-Headed Woman" syndrome. This was also a collection that did not benefit from the LIVE viewing. In person the collection was not very impacting. It was much more subtle and almost delicate (even with its bondage elements). I think if he was able to have made a 35 look collection it could have been amazing, but with only 10 looks to make an impact, it left the audience wanting more. Anya Ayoung-Chee:
Miss Anya...How could she have won? I just don't get it? She only learned how to sew months ago...She never finished her dresses with an opening/closure!... Her collection was the most cohesive. She had ONE GIRL in mind and she stayed true to that vision. You may not like that ONE girl or think it was too narrow in its scope, but to my eyes it was the most cohesive and complete collection that day. Congratulations to all four of the finalists and take it from me, its not always winning that makes you a success!! To Read My myLifetime.com Recap of the Finale Episode, scroll down kids... "From Beauty Queen to Fashion Queen"

Top Three...NOT!
Last night was the "Almost at NY Fashion Week" penultimate episode of Season 9 Project Runway, or as some people called it, Part One of the Finale. The Top Four Designers, Anya, Joshua, Kimberly and Viktor get $9,000 and 5 weeks to complete a ten-look collection and are told that upon their return, they will be narrowed down to THREE. They go home. Mentor Gunn goes for his visits. Seeing Tim in a full-on suit and tie (looking like a bank manager) while in gorgeous Trinidad and Tobago, was quite hilarious. Not hilarious was the fact that Miss Anya had NOTHING done--after three weeks of being home. I guess when THIS:
Back in NYC, after their return, Tim Gunn announces that for their Final Challenge--and for the judges to decide who will go on to actually show at Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week, they will have to present three looks that are "representative" of the collections they would be showing. Let's see: Viktor Luna: Viktor's was the strongest. He had gone on a trip to Guadalajara, taken photos there which then he had made into prints. The silhouettes and styling was sleek and contemporary. Loved that white leather and beaded motorcycle jacket. It was very Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga. I did not like the leather zip-up "car wash" over-skirt. I also liked the sheer high-low gown underneath. But for some reason, visually, the no-lining, oh-are-those-your-panties look, seemed unfinished and a little "Hoochie". But here's the deal: EVERYONE is doing it-- Exhibit A: Frida Giannini of Gucci Fall/Winter 2011--but I just think it's different when shown in a multi-million dollar venue like the Gucci Runways, with the lighting and that fierce late 70's make up and styling. It works here. Don't know if it works with Viktor in a Parson's Project Runway catwalk raised podium setting. Joshua McKinley: I liked some of the pieces he showed to the judges and had some questions about a couple of others (just like the judges). That neoprene jacket was very Narciso Rodriguez "Scuba Chic": Loved. However, the pink pants fit weird; too wide and should have been skinnier and tighter on the model. Also, the length was too short, just about an inch and a half. Trust me kids, in fashion, an inch and a half matters. The dress was OK, but yeah, what was up with that tab? And I thought the black sheer jersey with plasticized neck was FAB. NOT FAB...was that he paired it with black stretch leggings straight from a Pat Benatar video. And what was the keyhole back openings? Odd. I did like the neckline and silhouette--very reminiscent of a recent Michael Kors Collection:
Kimberly Goldson: The ladies didn't fare as well as the boys, beginning with Kimberly. I liked the black glittery gown. That look is TOO HOT for words. If you're a woman with a boyfriend, don't EVER stand next to a woman who looks like HER! EVER.
But..."NO Sexy Back": that bubblegum pink skirt above. I get what Kimberly was going for. Lots of designers have recently "embraced" the hip-widening skirt look (Manish Arora's recent debut collection for Paco Rabanne, for example) . However, this doesn't mean A.) It works, and B.) women will actually wear it and/or want to buy it. If an actress wore this on the red carpet: Huuuneeeyyy! I do not want to be there the next day to see the "Fashion Police" Claws! Anya Ayoung-Chee: Finally, there was the worst. In my myLifetime.com Recap (which incidentally begins right below!), I said that it looked as if she made the pieces in a 48-hour challenge. Actually, they look as if she made them in 3 hours! They also seemed like clothing you could find at the Nassau Bahamas "Straw Market". All they were missing was a big Straw hat, a towel, and the "Make-Sure-You-Get-Back-to-the Princess Cruises ship back-in-time" notice card! The judges spent what seemed like HOURS trying to re-style her looks (as well as the other finalists, PS: Aren't they FINALISTS???) and saying what a mess they all were. And then, she was IN! Well, I have a couple things to say about all that: "One Day You're IN, and The Next Day...You're IN!"


CLICK HERE top read the rest of my Rant...ooops, I mean RECAP on myLifetime.com! And make sure to tell me what you thought too! I read them all!!! With a piña colada pretending I'm in a hammock somewhere in Trinidad and Tobago!!!

Ornithology Couture, Project Seamstress and Dreams of a Miss Universe National Costume Parade of BIRDS...
On this week's Project Runway Season 9, the Challenge was to create a "High Fashion Runway Look" inspired by Birds. A cockatoo, An Amazonian parrot, and a raven. An owl was there but alas, it wasn't picked (it might have been fun to see the KRAZEE mess one of these contestants would have done with an Owl as a Muse!). Part of me secretly wishes some of the designers went all out "Miss Universe National Costume Parade of Nations" .
Many designers have been inspired by birds of course, most notably, of course, the late Alexander McQueen comes to mind, especially his Spring/Summer 2008 Collection. Three dresses from that collection stand out as examples of "Bird High Fashion": These are stunning creations that would of course definitely be in the "High Fashion Runway" category of the Challenge, but somehow, because of their overt homage to the birds (the exuberant feathers!), if one of our little 'ol Project Runway designers made one of these, they might have ended up in the bottom for being too "literal". PUHLEEEASE! But, moving on...
Besides the Bird Challenge, the Project Runway vs. Project Seamstress Dilemma crept up once again in this episode. A LOT has been made of the fact that Miss Anya--or as I call her "Cin-Anya-rella". She : A) Just learned how to sew (according to her only 4 months prior top arriving in NYC for the Season 9 shooting); B) Has little construction knowledge and sometimes "forgets" to put an opening so an actual REAL PERSON can get into the garment; C) That she just "whips" up creations like no one's business and "makes it work", and D) The judges just keep letting her through and often times giving her the Win, even though it's been half-glued, half put together "on a string". Most of the comments on my myLifetime.com BLOG have been, in fact, about how a lot of fans are "miffed" at this. And naturally, so were Joshua and Viktor, the "Sewing/Construction Stepsisters":
Now, let me get this off my chest: I side with the "Joshua and Viktor Stepsisters" on this but with a small "BUT". I am of the "school" that as a Fashion Designer, you MUST learn EVERYTHING and learn it WELL. And that includes sketching, pattern making, draping, as well as sewing. These fundamentals are essential, especially if you are just starting out and are a "struggling" designer who cannot afford a pattern maker, draper and/or a seamstress. When I was first starting out in this industry, I made most my stuff. I had to. I had no choice. But...then , after I began my NIKOLAKI company in 2001, I hired seamstresses to sew my creations for me (they did a much better job!). But because I had that knowledge of construction, I could tell them--with confidence--of what TO DO and HOW to do it. In fact to this day, I sew a lot of my collection muslin's/toiles, only because I want to. But what does this have to do with knowing how to sew perfectly on Project Runway? Little. I sadly learned first hand, in my season--how sewing had little to do with the outcome. And it frustrated me, as it is NOW frustrating Joshua and Viktor. Anyway, if you want to read MY FULL THOUGHTS on this matter--click HERE, or keep reading below... For now, let's just cut to the "Bird Fashions": The Top: Joshua McKinley: As I began this posting, I said I kinda wished I would have seen some "Miss Universe National Costume" Bird-inspired Gowns or looks because most of the designs left me wanting just a little more. I am sure that by now, these kids are creatively drained. And it's showing! But still, the judges had to pick their faves. Joshua McKinley's was good. LOVED the color, the one-shoulder drape. Very "Sophisticated 70's"!! Oh wait, WRONG Challenge. Ooooops, well, it still worked for this challenge, although would you really consider this high fashion? Kimberly Goldson: She made this gown in THREE hours. Some of the wonky sewing shows this. But it's PROJECT RUNWAY not Project Seamstress! So, she's one of the top. I liked the gown. And I even liked the pearl trim so Boo Hoo Mr. Michael Kors! The Winner was Anya Ayoung-Chee. It was edgy, directional, High Fashion and not so literal. More importantly: It WASN'T yet ANOTHER Anya MAXI DRESS! Yes, she forgot to add a zipper in her dress but she "made it work" on the runway. Jushua and Viktor were not happy. I think if I was standing there--and knowing that she had forgotten to even put a closure/opening...yeah, I would have been pissed too! But, again--I've gone through six years of "letting it go", so I know now that unfortunately, the judges DON'T CARE. The Bottom: Laura Kathleen: Pants were too tight and the jacket: too predictable. But can we talk about HOW STUNNING her model is???!!! Blessed thing couldn't walk on the runway though for some reason--the shoes must have been too small or too big (or maybe it was the too-tight pants!?). Viktor Luna: One of the "Stepsisters" ended up in the bottom, because the judges deemed it too literal. the shredded raw-edged organza "feathers" were a bit much but I did like the painstakingly hand-shredding he was doing while in the workroom on this gown. I just wished he might have left it at that---oh and lined THE ENTIRE gown! The Worst was Bert Keeter: Plain and simple, it was BORING. The Bustier was cut to perfection, though. But in a challenge that was supposed to be HIGH FASHION and inspired by GLORIOUS Birds, this just looked like a very nice dress at a Saks Fifth Avenue Fashion Show, in 1998. And now, my Recap from the myLifetime.com BLOG:
Click HERE to read the rest... And don't forget to leave your Comments--I read them all!!!!

A Very Hair-y Bear-y Sheepdog-y Project Runway Last night, we had another episode of Project Runway Season 9. As always, there are several things I need to get off my HAIRY Chest: First, What Does A Musical Revival of "Hair"... Bad Brady Bunch Hippie Halloween Costumes... "Massive" Men... And Gay Bears... Have In Common? According to last night's episode, A LOT--The Challenge was to create a look and "image" for The Sheepdogs, an up-and-coming band from Saskatoon Saskatchewan (say that three times!). They beat out 15 other bands to win Rolling Stone's "Choose The Cover" contest. They were the first unsigned band to do so, in fact. Oh, and they are all MEN! And the designers were not happy--to design, create, and fit, men's clothes, that is. The results were worthy of many many MANY Michael Kors one-liner zingers! In fact, so many, that this week provided enough Kors-isms to last through an ENTIRE season! The Sheepdogs told the designers that they liked a 70's Boho/Hippie-but-2011-Hippie Vibe. The designers took that too far. The clothes were cartoony and costumey, for 98% of them. Madonna British-accented Olivier who is a specialist in Menswear did not fare well. Speaking of Olivier...this episode stood out for his insensitive and almost body-dysmorphic remarks against anyone who wasn't a size 2. He called his client, the lead singer Ewan Currie "MASSIVE" (he's not!). And it didn't end there, Olivier went on and on about not liking to design for "Plus Size" and that he got "The Fat One". Boy, did I just want to dump Olivier in a (Name your Local Gay Bear Bar) and have my MASSIVE Boys at him!!! The Hippie Winners and The Woodstock Losers: Joshua McKinley's creation for bass player Ryan Gullen: It was a costumey and reminiscent of a local community college musical performance of "Hair", but DANG, those pants fit very well. I didn't like those contrast back patch pockets though. No need for those. A little too "Fashion School First Semester Project". Bert Keeter's look for lead singer Ewan: He looked like a Viking during Oslo Norway's Gay Pride. And I actually mean that in a good way. Not sure if the braids were necessary, but at least the rest of his look was not a "Hippie Chick" costume. Viktor Luna's look for guitarist Leot Hanson: The jeans fit well and that fringed-and-braided jacket was outstanding. Not so sure about the tucked-in shirt. Most "rock-band"/musicians do not do TUCK-IN's but he was the Winner. Now, The Bad: Anya Ayoung Chee's look for drummer Sam Corbett: Huuuuuney!!! What. Were. You. Thinking? That is a Dashiki Don't. Kors, and guest judge Adam Lambert were having a field day with this one, saying that it reminded them of something...
And poor Sam, he got it AGAIN--this time from another designer, Kimberly Goldson. He looks like he sells some really cheap--and bad--pot somewhere in Amsterdam! Supposedly Kimberly is "famous" for her pants...but these were one of the WORST pair I've ever seen; too big, too loose, too much rise. I think Sam should get a special "Good Sport" award just for dealing with the embarrassment. But the BIGGEST LOSER--Massive in fact--was Olivier "I Hate Fat People" Green and his design. At least he mitered the print down the center front and it wasn't straight out of "Hair". But, the shirt was too lose, too cropped, and the entire look had no Design "It" Factor. Anyway, I think just for being so UGLY to Ewan, he should've gone home anyway. Now that I've quickly summed up my "Main" thoughts--Below you can begin reading my "Extended Version" and what I REALLY thought of this week's "Image Is Everything" Episode on myLifetime.com: The episode begins, and once again, within 30 seconds, there are two ominous hints at what’s to come: Anya’s can’t-sew issues and Olivier’s time-management problems are both quickly revisited. Unless the editors are trying to throw me for a loop, I just have a feeling one of these two is going home. And I just KNOW it isn’t Anya — those judges have drunk the Anya Kool-Aid, and they’re not sending her back to Trinidad and Tobago, that’s for sure! Oh and yes, Olivier still hates fat people …

Click HERE to read the rest of my Recap...and leave your comments on the site! I read 'em all!!!