S01.E01: Red Carpet

[Meredith Quill]

Quote

In it to win it, 18 designers pair up to concoct fabulous red-carpet looks. Will they go glam or "hooch-wench" for Monique Lhuillier and Eva Chen?

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I'm so annoyed that they put Farai and Kiki on the bottom with that fuschia dress.  I personally thought that the colour and the fabric were both beautiful.  With some editing, that design could be really cool.  I don't think the bolero was needed.  Regardless, I really liked that design.  It was so vibrant and luxurious looking.  Not many people take such risks with colour.  Usually everyone on the red carpet ends up looking the same.

I hope that the teams in the top get to know that they're in the top?

I really really didn't like the segment where the judges walked around backstage judging everything.  I just found it so boring.  (They had already judged everything during the runway.)  But I think it's just because I'm so used to PR's format.  We'll see.

Edited January 29, 2020 by Ms Blue Jay

[GoldaVining]

Aaaaaaahhh!! I'm so happy! This is exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. I am so happy.

 

 

[Aulty]

I am 2 episodes in and between this show and the one that will drop on Amazon in Spring I am not surprised that there are rumors of Project Runway getting the can.

This show feels more upbeat and fresh with designers who know what they are doing. Impressive credentials on most of them! Of course there is some drama and clash of personalities, but the runway was pretty good for a first episode. Looks like they pulled some really top notch guest judges for this show.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Aulty

[leighdear]

I'm not crazy about everybody being paired up.  Some are teams that have worked together, and some are strangers that are randomly paired.  I really don't think that's fair.  

The Asian team just made a traditional Korean Hanbok dress, though without the sleeves.  No innovation there.  Pretty, but not unique.  I'm betting they'll be one-way monkeys.  

Still enjoyed it and I love Alexa Chung & Tan as hosts.  

[amusebouche]

How does Alexa Chung stand up on those tiny pins? I like her as a host, though.

 

2 hours ago, leighdear said:

I'm not crazy about everybody being paired up.  Some are teams that have worked together, and some are strangers that are randomly paired.  I really don't think that's fair.  

I don't think it's fair either, unless they shake up the pairs for every challenge. I did think they got the winning dress right this week.

[Straycat80]

I’m a Project Runway watcher and getting bored with it. This show is more impressive and fresher. Lots of celebrity name dropping but that’s ok. So far not too much snarky drama between the designer like on PR. And so far normal designing and no gimmicky crap like making garments out of garbage. I like the hosts, judges, and a real audience and flashy runway show. 
I don’t mind the judges critiquing the designers post runway. I hope they have the designers work alone eventually instead of teams. And I agree it’s not fair some teams know each other and some just met.

I agree with the winning black and fuchsia dress. Also agree that the team who went home deserved the lose but I felt sorry for Nisheli, she seemed so nice. 

 

[FozzyBear]

Did the show mention how the pairings work? We’re you able to request someone? Did some people apply as teams and some as individuals? Are they going to get mixed up? I missed any explanation of how this worked or why some people knew each other and some didn’t.

Also, what was that fashion school they mentioned ? Saint something?

[Straycat80]

3 hours ago, FozzyBear said:

Did the show mention how the pairings work? We’re you able to request someone? Did some people apply as teams and some as individuals? Are they going to get mixed up? I missed any explanation of how this worked or why some people knew each other and some didn’t.

Also, what was that fashion school they mentioned ? Saint something?

No, they didn’t say how they paired the teams up. The school they mentioned is Central Saint Martin, it’s an art  school in London, England. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Straycat80

[Samwise979]

I actually loved the judges critiquing backstage and talking to everyone, not just the top and bottom like on PR. What I didn't like so much is how it kept cutting to the judges making comments during the fashion show. I wish they'd just film the garments walking down the runway so we could get a good look at them - esp since we get to see their comments backstage in the next scene. 

[dleighg]

as far as the pairs, I got the strong impression that they applied in teams.

And sorry, but that "fabric closet" runs a very poor second to shopping at Mood. I think there is going to be something missing there. They say "we'll get it for you if it isn't here" but that's very different from seeing something and being inspired by it.

[dleighg]

I cracked up when, right after the snakeskin dress designers got badly dinged for the model not being able to go to the bathroom, the male designer says "we're thinking about the future red carpet." I guess the future is when we no longer have to pee?

[MerBearStare]

4 hours ago, dleighg said:

I cracked up when, right after the snakeskin dress designers got badly dinged for the model not being able to go to the bathroom, the male designer says "we're thinking about the future red carpet." I guess the future is when we no longer have to pee?

That guy was a jackass. I was glad he was eliminated, but felt bad that his partner, who seemed very nice and hard-working, was eliminated too. 

[Straycat80]

The thing about the fabric closet was that if you ran out of material you could go get some more unlike PR where if you run out you are SOL. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

2 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

The thing about the fabric closet was that if you ran out of material you could go get some more unlike PR where if you run out you are SOL. 

I agree, I like the NIF room so much better.

There was so much bullshit drama on PR about the designers losing their fabric or forgetting some of it at Mood.  I think it's incredibly stupid that any of the designers had to suffer for that.  So so so so dumb.  Such a stupid distraction from what's really important.  The NIF closet is so much better.

However, you'll see that some of the fabric is out of reach depending on how tall a designer is - that is also monumentally stupid.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Ms Blue Jay

[Gloriosa]

On 2/1/2020 at 8:10 AM, dleighg said:

And sorry, but that "fabric closet" runs a very poor second to shopping at Mood.

Funny you should say that, because I had the opposite reaction.  I've always been concerned with the time limit for Mood shopping trips, so thought that being able to take their time and perhaps change their minds on fabric choices was a big advantage.   Oh, and I'd like one of those "fabric closets" for myself.

Edited February 2, 2020 by Gloriosa
Forgot to say: what a great runway. These people are good!!

[leighdear]

In the first couple of seasons of PR, they realized how much the viewers liked the quick look at MOOD and the fabric shopping, so they made those segments longer & more frequent.  Which cuts into time we get to see on them designing, sewing & fitting.  I'd prefer less MOOD, more time in the workroom on the actual processes. 

I much prefer NIF's approach with providing the stuff, and I think helps the designers keep from getting too out of control. 

How many times on PR did we hear a designer say something like "Why did I get all this ________  fabric and not get _________?" (Hello, nasty Michelle Lesniak!)

[Supagirl]

Well, I tried to watch this today, but I have a headache and the manic pace of this show just made it worse. Plus the truly terrible generic techno snippets of music seemed disproportionally loud to me.

I’ve watched PRunway since the beginning, so maybe I’m super used to that format, but I like the introduction to each designer so I get a chance to know or care about them a bit as the show unfolds. Who are these people? How were they chosen? Why are half of them (and the hosts) British?

Also, it seems everyone had to stand around quite a bit, which is weird. Sit down, calm down, introduce yourselves.

[GaT]

On 1/30/2020 at 4:02 AM, Aulty said:

I am 2 episodes in and between this show and the one that will drop on Amazon in Spring I am not surprised that there are rumors of Project Runway getting the can.

If you're talking about "Making The Cut" on Amazon, that show is hosted by Heidi Klum & Tim Gunn, so my guess is that it's going to feel a lot like Project Runway.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

It's only the first episode and I'm already so fascinated by all the different designers! There are so many people who already have serious careers in the fashion industry so I'm so interested to see how they do in the competition. This season on PR, we had one season who name dropped a celeb client but wow, these designers have worked with tons of celebrities. I loved when Nasheli said she has dressed Beyonce and Tan said she doesn't have to dress anyone else after that.

I liked that, like the Great British Sewing Bee, instead of a spending limit, they are giving a bunch of fabric to choose from in the work space. That eliminates the frantic running around and the drama of people forgetting a bag at the store or having to ask other designers to give them leftover material if they have to adjust their design later.

Julian the army guy and Hayley from Scotland got along pretty well for two people who just met. The white jumpsuit by itself was too casual for a red carpet, so thank goodness they decided to add that sheer overlay. I know the judges said that this look was too busy, but without that bird fabric, it was just a plain white strapless jumpsuit which is not a red carpet look.

Charles definitely seemed to take charge of his team, but Angelo had a lot of ideas and seemed easily distracted. This partnership might end up being one of those great yin/yang relationships. Charles didn't hesitate to tell Angelo to focus (and Angelo took no offense), and they really seemed to get each other when they had their a-ha moment about the wings as their concept. Charles is a generous and positive guy because instead of saying he had to rein in Angelo, he said that Angelo was the creative director from the beginning and had a lot of ideas. I liked their dress because I always love a classic looking black dress, but I loved how they made it different. Their styling was great too.

Narresh from India and Lorena from Mexico had a beautiful dress. I liked the slit in the bodice of the sari to give some drama for the red carpet. They chose a beautiful print too. This dress would look good in red carpet photographs and it also looked great in motion on the runway. I liked that it looked dramatic and memorable without being totally over the top.

Carli and Daniel aka Team Central Saint Martins are still a question mark for me, but I LOVED when Daniel asked if would be unacceptable to leave the edges of the trousers raw and her response was "No hem? Yes, it would unacceptable." After years of watching unfinished or crooked hems on Project Runway, I fully appreciate a designer who insists on hemming. But I should expect no less from someone who worked for Stella McCartney and Alexander Wang. Their design looked a bit too prim and casual for the red carpet. The white top looked like something you would find at Ann Taylor.

Claire and Adolfo aka the club kids might begin to annoy me. I'm always a little cautious when people describe themselves as edgy. Claire's idea for a 90s MTV Awards inspired "weird skank ho/hooch wench" look already gave me pause. But I did laugh when she described their dress as slutty but not illegal. Their dress looked so cheap, like something you would have found at Forever 21 circa 2000. I was shocked that the judges all loved it.

Ashton and Marco had a huge advantage because they have worked together for almost twenty years. Dressing Katy Perry, Black Eyed Peas, Ariana Grande, Iggy, Rita, and Fergie is pretty impressive. I was a little disappointed in their black dress. Between the shiny material and the cut outs and the rings and the sheer panels, it looked like something Nikita would have worn to go undercover at a club.

I felt bad for Nasheli because it seemed like she got the shit end of the stick. Isaac chose a fabric she didn't like (non stretch white satin always makes me assume it's not going to turn out well) and then stuck her with all the work while he wandered around aimlessly. As always, white satin shows every imperfection. Beyond that, I didn't like the actual design. Those pocket things just made the model's hips/stomach look big. Any actress who wore this on the red carpet would get the inevitable "is she pregnant?" caption on every photo. I agreed with the judges that it had a very Game of Thrones look and that sewing your model into a dress so that she can't go to the bathroom for six hours is not good.

Kiki and Farai were another team with a big advantage because they've been working together for so long. I know Nicki Minaj is a recognizable name but I could not recall one specific thing she's worn. Farai's work at FUBU, Apple Bottom, and Rocawear is a pretty strong resume but I liked that she wanted to show she could do other things in this challenge. I liked the separate pieces of their design, but I didn't like them as one outfit. Worn together, it was too much. I liked the corset top and the ruffled pants, and I loved the color. I liked that the bolero used the same rich red color and added some purple for contrast. I just felt like it was too much to have all three pieces together. I don't think they deserved to be in the bottom.

I like Angel and Minju aka Central Saint Martins team #2 so far. They seem drama free and I loved their fuchsia dress. Often with red carpet looks, designers go skin tight because actresses want to show their body shape. Sometimes they go in the opposite direction with major volume for a statement. I like that this dress had volume without swallowing the model. It was dramatic and would photograph well on a red carpet. I also agreed with the judges that it would work on a lot of different women (age, styles, body types).

I don't know if Isaac was just doing some chest puffing during judging, but for him to dismiss it as "just another day"  if he were eliminated was a huge contrast to Nasheli saying that winning the $250K would make a huge difference since she has three kids and is working three jobs.

[TexasGal]

I don’t know, because I know they are from different places, but Monique Lhullier’s voice/accent made me think it was Nina Garcia talking.  It was distracting to me.

So they will be in teams the whole time?  Hmmm....not sure how I feel about that.

[Ashforth]

I actually signed up for Netflix today in part so I could watch this show. First thought: Alexa is so painfully thin, I ached a little for her every time I saw her arms and legs. It makes me fear for her health. But I liked her personality, and Tan's (I haven't watched the new QE, so he's new to me), and I thought they were personable and enthusiastic without being over the top or obnoxious (Klum, I'm looking at you).

I hated the team thing, as I always do in individual competitions. Nasheli got totally screwed because of her asshole "partner" who didn't even care about being eliminated. 

I liked that Alexa and Tan were in the workroom watching the design and execution process. I loved that the judges looked at each garment, not just "top" and "bottom" looks.

All in all, a good start!

[Fireball]

  

On 4/26/2020 at 2:31 PM, Ashforth said:

I hated the team thing, as I always do in individual competitions. Nasheli got totally screwed because of her asshole "partner" who didn't even care about being eliminated. 

I completely agree! It's an individual competition and should be judged as such! Nasheli was completely screwed by it being a team thing.

On 2/11/2020 at 8:26 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Claire and Adolfo aka the club kids might begin to annoy me. I'm always a little cautious when people describe themselves as edgy. Claire's idea for a 90s MTV Awards inspired "weird skank ho/hooch wench" look already gave me pause. But I did laugh when she described their dress as slutty but not illegal. Their dress looked so cheap, like something you would have found at Forever 21 circa 2000. I was shocked that the judges all loved it.

I hated that dress! It was so cheap looking and tacky! They had to corset the model into it so the dress wouldn't fall off, so I'd think using the restroom would be awkward. Do you bring someone along to help you cinch you back into the dress?

On 2/1/2020 at 6:50 AM, dleighg said:

I cracked up when, right after the snakeskin dress designers got badly dinged for the model not being able to go to the bathroom, the male designer says "we're thinking about the future red carpet." I guess the future is when we no longer have to pee?

Lol I had the exact same thought! 

 

Also I hated that black dress with the rubber gloves that Alexa was wearing at the first! The hands on the gloves were placed such that it looked like the dress was feeling Alexa up! Also what the heck were they trying to say with Rubbers? A rubber is a condom in a lot of places.  

[Cora Casey]

I agree about Farai and Kiki's dress; it had potential. And I also found the backstage judging segment a bit redundant. But overall, I'm loving the show!