Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > November > 29 > Entry
Boy trouble
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The high: Yippee! The rare menswear challenge.
The low: Apparently none of the contestants knows how to press down a collar.
Let’s start with some quotes of the day:
“The shirt is kind of a nightmare.”
“The fit was, like, beyond horrible.”
“This is the worst thing I’ve ever made.”
“It’s a disaster.”
You know that phrase “abject horror”? Well, it would describe the sensation I felt watching catastrophe after catastrophe parade down the runway in the name of menswear. Now, it’s been a long time since I’ve set a sleeve or fitted a pair of trousers. But I was confounded that most of the designers encountered so much trouble on this challenge. Maybe designing three tailored pieces, including pants, was too complicated for two days’ work (which might explain why hardly anybody presented trouser looks to Sarah Jessica Parker in Week 2 for her pants-heavy Bitten collection). Maybe the deceptive simplicity of outfitting a male TV personality threw the designers off.
Poor Sweet P and her rumpled barfly shirt. All model Marcus needed was a 5 o’clock shadow.
Elisa’s earth-toned vest ensemble seemed well-made, but only if “Today” show correspondent Tiki Barber were reporting live from Burning Man.
And Carmen’s disastrous shawl-collar “shirt”? The jacket didn’t offend; if time and fabric permitted, I would have sewn snaps onto that bad boy, topped them with buttons to fake out the judges, and presented my look as a shirt jacket. Would have matched the newsboy cap, too.
Once again, I winced at the winning design, Jack’s cartoonish shirt and pants. I would have put money on Kevin’s pastel shirt and vest, however shiny and ill-fitting, or even Steven’s contrast-collar sweater. But an iffy double dose of stripes? I want to see what a videocamera does to that.
The last word: That dour wife, Ginny. Fake smile. Halfhearted handshake. Bored demeanor. Where’s the love, girl?
What were the designers’ problems this week? How could so many talented people flub the fit and such a basic design?
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Project Runway
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By computerdiva
November 29, 2007 8:45 AM | Link to this
When in the world are they going to get rid of Ricky. He hasn’t done anything they like and he didn’t finish a boring suit. Come on. I know Carmen’s was a diaster but I think she did better than Ricky.
By lovelyliz
November 29, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this
One of the things I hate about this show is how they create situations/challenges that would never happen in the real world. There have been some doozies since the inception of Project Runway and I don’t see it getting any better.
The crazier the challenge, the more likely I am to watch Life over on NBC.
By molulu
November 29, 2007 10:59 AM | Link to this
I liked Kit’s outfit best, it was quirky but conservative and it was finished!
For the life of me, I don’t understand why menswear is so difficult for designers. This challenge reminded me of the one last season where they had to design for “real” women and the contestants had a cow.
I disagree with loveyliz, these challenges force the contestants to manage time (can you create a decent 3-piece suit in a short time frame?), make critical choices (how much fabric should I buy? What’s plan B?) and actually deal with a client’s demands. (Tiki’s wife hated Carmen’s look. Girlfriend, that was your clue to change gears, quick!)
THAT’S fashion, that’s LIFE.
By lovelyliz
November 29, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this
Time management is one thing, but creating and outfit out of garbage, live plants & flowers, Home Depot, the clothes off their back, Barbie, doggie wear, etc.
The waste management was a low point for me.
By Baba
November 29, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this
Waste management: The episode at the recycling plant? I remember poor Kayne and his bottlecap dress.