S13.E13: Finale, Part 1

[BarneySays]

What a mess.  Char makes some nice clothes, but they're not fashion.  But she is a beautiful person inside and out.  So, I can't begrudge her being on my TV.  Not that any of the others were much better in the creativity or fashion departments.  They all seem to be fighting for a little patch of real estate in K-Mart. 

 

I simply do not get the praise of Sean.  Well, I do in the sense that he gets the seal of approval for being young, gay, male, not unattractive and not dumb as a rock. That is, an acceptable winner.  Oh, and Americans think "accent=intelligence and sophistication."  I hated his outfits if for no other reason than his models seemed so uncomfortable in them.  None of them seemed at ease.  And his tailoring is still so crappy.  Those pants that Heidi cooed over were puckered all over the ass.  And that middle panel on the wrap-around percal looked so cheap, with that horrible sewing.  The only potential positive is that they clearly wanted us to think he's the winner, so odds are good he won't be.  (Not that I could really be bothered regardless.)

 

Amanda's stuff seemed refried (haven't we seen it all before?  Over the past 40 years?).  Pure kitsch.  And Kini- that was all a mess.  As someone sagely pointed out above- who does denim for fashion week?  It's really disappointing that these designers are so limited in talent that they could not even conceive of this as an opportunity to make a real statement. 

 

And the cast seems to be circling the drain.  Tim was "profoundly" something or other at least twice tonight.  And told one one of the contestants he loved them.  Honey, that Victorian gag you work is getting away from you.  You're going to have to start wearing an ascot if you keep it up.  Nina simply should be put out to pasture.  She gets more offensively stupid each season.  She, the editrix, told a designer to "hone in" on yada.  (Someone else also made the same mistake.)  You "home in" on something, Nina.  You hone a craft.  And this dimwit's in publishing!  Heidi is the only saving grace.  Agree or disagree, she is honest and sincere in her comments.  

 

This show's choice of sponsors just cheapens the entire premise of the show - that they are looking for the next big thing in fashion.

 

I don't think it's a matter of choice.  This is the best they can attract at this point. 

Edited October 17, 2014 by BarneySays

[RedheadZombie]

I ain't watching no reunion of this cast.

 

I'll be watching to see if Korina redeems herself.  If she shows some self-awareness, I wouldn't mind seeing her again.

 

I like all of these designers on a personal level. When Tim did his at-home visits, I enjoyed getting to know their families and home life.

 

I always enjoy the home visits.  Tim is always such a gracious guest.  At first glance, one may assume he's a prissy fuss budget, but he really seems to click with people from all walks of life.

[KittyS]

Ugh! Sean's Julius Caesar interpretation was so literal. He sure is adorable, though.

As soon as they showed Kini sitting in the workroom complaining about how bored he was because he had nothing left to do, I knew they were foreshadowing a major collapse. Sucks that they were so hard on him compared to everyone else.

Char's backstory, personality, and personal style are compelling, but as others have said, she is a far better stylist than designer.

I thought Amanda looked so pretty and natural when they announced the Rome trip. Stay away from the bold lip color! I always like it when the designers use some of their money to produce jewelry they designed, so props for that.

This season's final four would be middle of the pack on most other seasons. The pedestrian sponsorships, weak talent pool, and shortened timelines are ruining this show. Give me my old Project Runway back!

[cafe au lait]

Just looked at some of the decoy collections.  Wow Fade and Sandhya were a thousand times more interesting than Char.  Char is a stylist.  She could maybe be a designer for the Target house brand, but she is not fresh, interesting, or high fashion.  She just seems like a nice woman who knows how to dress well.  Fade's stuff in the decoy collection was fresh, interesting, and incredibly cool.  It was young and actually rather fun.  

 

PR really needs a prize for the auf'd designer with the best decoy collection.  Fade really put a ton of effort into his and he should get some recognition for it.  He is obviously a better designer than any of the final four except for maybe Kini.  

 

 

I'm not really sure that you could call any of what we saw tonight from Amanda, Sean, Char or Kini truly "fresh" "interesting" or "high fashion".  

[sinkwriter]

 

Well, I will never know anything about Red Robin burgers, because, despite being a sponsor of the show, they never even showed us any of their burgers - just fries.  Endless, greasy, salty fries.

 

LOL! Yeah, I have no memory of the fries from that outing, so they couldn't have been good.

 

 

High fashion and catwalks go with edgy make-up brands, and food like salads with quinoa and quail eggs, not burgers and fries.  High fashion pairs with the Four Seasons, or at the very least the freaking Radisson, but certainly not a hotel that advertises having guest laundry.  The shoe sponsor should be Christian Louboutin, not Aldo.

 

But... but... high fashion should be for everyone! If the sponsor was Christian Louboutin, a large portion of the viewing audience wouldn't be able to afford it! 

 

All joking aside, I totally get what you're saying. The sponsors in the most recent years don't really scream high quality products that should be paired with the unusual, inventive, creative world of high fashion and couture.

 

Tim was "profoundly" something or other at least twice tonight.  And told one one of the contestants he loved them.

 

I think he said it to all of them. I definitely noticed him saying it to more than one, because the first time I was mildly surprised at the familiarity, the second time I was like, "Huh. That's nice, I guess."

[LilyoftheValley]

At the very least PR could have an accessory wall sponsored by Nieman Marcus.  I mean, I like Aldo just fine, but I wear it to work because their stuff pairs well with my boring work clothes.

[LexiconDevilOne]

Red Robin has some yummy hamburgers (the one with the egg is one of my faves) and bottomless fries (I have a 17 year old, he has a bottomless stomach.) We only recently discovered them.

The collections look super boring. Hopefully, some of them step it up. Otherwise...Amanda for the win.

edit, one and on are two different words, entirely :)

Edited October 17, 2014 by LexiconDevilOne

[cafe au lait]

Well, I will never know anything about Red Robin burgers, because, despite being a sponsor of the show, they never even showed us any of their burgers - just fries.  Endless, greasy, salty fries.  The stoggy, old lady Mary Kay makeup just looks odd with many of the looks on this show.  Best Western is still a horrible name for a hotel brand and it just makes me think of bland, uninteresting hotels I stay at when out of town on business without a proper per diem.  

 

High fashion and catwalks go with edgy make-up brands, and food like salads with quinoa and quail eggs, not burgers and fries.  High fashion pairs with the Four Seasons, or at the very least the freaking Radisson, but certainly not a hotel that advertises having guest laundry.  The shoe sponsor should be Christian Louboutin, not Aldo.  

 

This show's choice of sponsors just cheapens the entire premise of the show - that they are looking for the next big thing in fashion.  

 

Middle America does not eat quail eggs and they do not wear Christian Louboutin shoes. They shop at mall retailers like Aldo and they eat burgers and fries at chain restaurants like Red Robin. The premise of the show is to take the elite world of fashion and make it accessible and entertaining for middle American; so that advertisers may sell them their products.

[Surrealist]

I am doing the makeup next season and I'm using Sharpie dayglo perma highlighters.

Well, if that's the case, then I'm definitely tuning in.

Maybe next season, Samsung could sponsor again and the models could step out of that "fancy" refrigerator and onto the runway.

As far as Char is concerned, I meant she has a certain personal style that's pretty cool. She could try injecting a little of that into what she creates.

I didn't assume Char makes her clothing, but she has an eye for color and details. Sorry about that. My post might have seemed vague in that part.

[Kitty Redstone]

All of the designers' families seemed so nice and supportive.  I wonder how Sean could afford to set up a studio in New York on such short notice?  Or would that come out of the $9,000 budget?

 

I'm glad it was a final four rather than a four-to-three showdown like some seasons.  The preview and how they change/tweak their collections is so much more interesting than a last minute challenge.  I wasn't wowed by anyone though, and even with the harsh criticism Kini received I still think it will come down to him and Amanda.  Sean's is boring and has too much fringe and Char's is too all over the place. 

 

I appreciate the advertisers for this show even if they are companies I may never shop, eat, or stay at.  It demonstrates that PR has a fairly diverse audience, and that has to be good for the fashion industry.  I don't wear Mary Kay makeup but feel sort of bad that the company is getting a bad rap.  They're pretty clearly trying to appeal to a new, younger demographic without pissing off the customer base that has kept them business.  There's nothing wrong with that.  Aldo's has an interesting story, too, and I don't know if I would have bothered looking them up had it not been for PR.  Red Robin is a more curious supporter, but I've seen them advertise on a whole bunch of different shows and am chalking it up to a growing chain trying to get as many eyeballs as possible.

 

ETA:

 

If we're going by the sponsors, that wasn't the premise of the show for seasons one through eleven. It's only the past couple of years where the bottom of the barrel brands have been latching on to a sinking ship because the retailers with a pedigree to protect don't want to be tarnished by PR's rapidly plummeting cache.

 

PR has never been about couture or high fashion, though.  Lord & Taylor, Bluefly.com, Banana Republic, Piperlime, and Macy's are hardly the holiest of holies in the fashion world.

Edited October 17, 2014 by Kitty Redstone

[Kitty Redstone]

That's exactly what they are.  I just don't see any difference between the quality of the early sponsors and the ones from the last couple of years.  Mileage varies, obviously.

[Muffyn]

I have learned so much from this show.  I am going to put all of the dark eye shadow I own on.  All of it on my lids right now.  It's a great look.  Then I'll see if I can score some of that sweet silver blush.  My goal is to look as freakish as possible.  Use the eye shadow to make sure I can barely keep my eyes open and the blush to create a fine death pallor.  That should get me a featured zombie spot on The Walking Dead. 

[lucindabelle]

Oh I don't know. I shop at Neuman Marcus and qvc. One and the same customer in my case. In fairness I shop at nm more.

Anyoneelse think Tim was wildly unfair in his handholding of char, his wish to stay right there with her? Was he in the styling room with her too? I get that her backstory is cool and Detroit is a depressed city (even the river walk is depressing, was there recently and as you go down the river in a boat you see a lot of burned out abandoned sites) but... So what! This isn't queen for a day. No sketches?

Her clothes were butt. Ugly. The judges were ridiculously soft on her hoochie clothes.

What is the point of doing he preview literally the day before? Two weeks before makes sense. Not the day before. It he'll even two days before. To give serious feedback at that stage is just cruel.

[film noire]

 

She, the editrix, told a designer to "hone in" on yada.  (Someone else also made the same mistake.)  You "home in" on something, Nina.  You hone a craft.

 

As much as I am perpetually annoyed by Our Lady Of Nina, I think it can be argued that "hone in on" is becoming an accepted usage (info at link).

 

http://grammarist.com/eggcorns/home-in-hone-in/

 

What a strange show tonight -- so glib, the false & dull drama -- and the further debasement of the once great Tim Gunn.  (I don't want Tim to feel things -- profoundly or otherwise.  I want him to eat sleep drink and breathe fashion, putting all other forms of human emotion aside to fulfill his destiny; staring at a sleeve like Eisenhower pouring over the maps on D-Day, pronouncing it good,  bad or indifferent.  I want Vulcan Gunn back -- well, if Spock were into Schiaparelli and Chanel -- flickers of feeling made visible only every so often, rare events making Tim's heart an elusive, near mythic thing; a unicorn of hearts, if you will.  His emotion an interesting twist, a dash of something added to the man in the suit obsessed with the clothing on the mannequins. But that Gunn is gone. Now he's non-angular and blobby around the edges, busy feeling shit every two seconds, cheerleading and saving designers and being bitchy at reunions. Before he's done, there will be a fucking TED talk about his growth emotionally on PR and then I really will make a Tim Gunn cake and eat it and declare this show dead to me.)

Edited October 17, 2014 by film noire

[GaT]

I liked Kini's collection best, but the judges were absolutely right about his styling, it was horrible. When his model walked down the runway with that giant blue bag, I couldn't imagine why she was holding it. My least favorite was Char's, I didn't think there was anything special about any of her outfits. I liked Amanda's more than I thought I would, but I'm over the long dresses & plunging necklines. Once again Sean has a strange white outfit that the judges love & I don't. I just dont get it. 

[lucindabelle]

Oh I know, I'm just saying I think there's a deep flaw in all of that kind of thinking. The whole branding my customer thinking. Because I, like many people, might be wearing a target t shirt and joes jeans (170 bucks) from niemans on the same day. And I'm not unusual. Virtually everyone I know does that. Super rich people I know also but from strawberrys or Annie sez when they see something cute. An awful lot of it is convenience.

I...I believe the whole concept of demographic is pretty flawed. It assumes artificial divisions. Also people do different things at different times. I for one would not stay at a best western in Rome but I absolutely would on a domestic business trip. It just all depends. People do this kind of niche marketing in entertainment a lot (my field) and it's flawed for the same reason, in my opinion. And many people do mail order because of convenience... Busy schedules or rural locations.l. And not price point at all. And I have a relative who has spent thousands and thousands on gem stones from tv, because she can, and is often sick and at home and bored. Not saying here are no differences at all, just that there's overlap and when I hear the "my girl" stuff I just wonder who that is since I and everyone I know is a lot more eclectic.

That said I do think the tone of the show has been lowered tremendously going from Vera wang to actress on gossip girl, and lord and Taylor's to beck to product of the day.

[blaase]

These designers suck, Sean doing everything in fringe just proves the guy has no ideas.

Kini has no taste, and his denim coats are hideous and it's about damn time he got called out for his designs. I think the judges completely over praised him all season.

Amanda is all over the place, she is like a low rent Uli.

Char's clothes look like something you can find at forever21 or some other cheap store at a small time mall.

[lucindabelle]

Have to laugh there is a forever 21 at Avery upscale mall near me... A mall with Tiffany's and nieman Marcus and la perla... And to try to fit in they have forever xxi on the sign.

Edited October 17, 2014 by lucindabelle

[Brookside]

I've tried to "like" several posts here (concerning Char's hideous romper amongst other nastiness), but more often than not the "thumbs up" button doesn't work. The mods aren't answering my question about this bug, so I just wanted you all to know that anyone who would like a thumbs up is welcome to a virtual virtual one.  I know how we all look for validation of our posts :-)

[LexiconDevilOne]

Oh I know, I'm just saying I think there's a deep flaw in all of that kind of thinking. The whole branding my customer thinking. Because I, like many people, might be wearing a target t shirt and joes jeans (170 bucks) from niemans on the same day. And I'm not unusual. Virtually everyone I know does that. Super rich people I know also but from strawberrys or Annie sez when they see something cute. An awful lot of it is convenience.

You're not odd, I do it all the time. My friends laugh because they know I love a good deal and a cheap price on my certain items of my clothing (and my son's.) But, I like style, and labels, so I spend money on nicer upscale clothing, as well. Most of them are never certain just what pieces are the cheap clothes, and what aren't.

The garment I receive the most compliments on is a K-Mart $10 special...It astounds me to this day, that dress receives so many compliments every time I wear it.

Thank God for the anonymity of the computer, because I never told anyone exactly how little I spent on that dress....

[phoenix780]

When they had a pop-up question asking who was Char's biggest competition I about had a heart attack, because that to me suggested she was a frontrunner.  Thankfully, they torpedoed Kini so he can roll into next week as the underdog.  I'm betting on him.  He'll get bonus points because the judges fixed him, and therefore they're recognizing their own awesomeness by rewarding his. 

 

Tonight was a waste.  I thought it was the real finale, I don't need this random collection of nonsense.  Although I will say the lady from Best Western had the best voice ever- I thought it was dubbed or voiceover or something.  So clear, so well-said.  I still don't see it as that awesome a prize (despite staying in a fairly-nice Best Western last week for work).  But she rocked, imho.  

 

As far as the fashion goes...I have to ask this: does anyone ever really wear Sean's kind of fringe?  

 

I understand it's a runway show, so it doesn't have to be wearable.  But I don't see it as that exciting to where it's that kind of over-the-top runway randomness.  It's just...fringe, as I've only experienced on pillows, really.  And so I keep imagining someone sitting on it and getting it all tangled and possibly knotted. 

[tobysmom]

I fell asleep right after the runway so I didn't get to hear the judges comments - there are a few pieces that I liked out of everyone's collection but with a little minor redo.

 

As mentioned I love the fabric and blouse that Char did, but those shorts were too short; yes definitely needed to have the blouse with a black pant.  I also really  liked her dress (the white top with the greyish/black/white bottom).  Only problem is that I think it was too long, if it were a little shorter and matched with a different shoes (I wish they do away with clunky and bootie shoes) I think it was really good.

 

Amanda's were okay; nothing earth shattering and things we have seen before.  I did like her last dress and I loved the back; but I think it would have looked really good if it were a short dress not a maxi.  And those blue splotches she put down by the hip area - not a good thing; especially when seeing them from the side (I just looked at the photos on Rate the Runway).

 

Kini's, oh dear Kini - the only one I really liked was the one dress with the crop like top with the grayish fringe or whatever that was.  The others were "not good" - Sorry dear Kini.

 

Sean's - hmmmmm.  I'm one of the few that actually like Sean I think but man Sean do away with the fringe.  The white dress was okay but I think it made it worse with the orange fringe thing hanging down the back.  I did like the black pant outfit - but again, without the fringe.

 

The orange/white fringed skirt I did like; but to me I think it would have looked better without the black waist band.

 

But again, what do I know :).  But, none of them had a wow factor.

 

OH I wanted to add - I love Red Robin :).  My niece (she is 29) and I love going there about once a month.

Edited October 17, 2014 by tobysmom

[joelene]

I don't mind Sean's fringe frenzy at all. Bring it on, I say. I like Amanda more and more with each episode and I like her stuff. If I cared enough to have an opinion about who wins this season it would be one of these two.

Kini seems super sweet and nice but I've never responded much to his clothes. The judges were spot on here.

Char is Char. Not much more to say, really.

[tv echo]

I hope Kini gets it together and overhauls his collection in the right way because I want him to win.  My second choice would be Sean.  Amanda's collection and Char's collection just don't do anything for me.  While Amanda's designs are more original than Char's, I find Amanda's modern '70's design aesthetic really unappealing.  There's also something about Amanda that I find irritating, but I can't put my finger on what that is.  Incidentally, this is a clothes design challenge, not a jewelry design challenge.  While accessories and styling are important, if you need jewelry to make your clothes the winning design, then I don't see how that merits you the title of Project Runway winner.

 

However, like others here, I also got the feeling that Amanda will win when the judges were saying that women would want to buy her clothes.  I believe the winning designer's' collection is made available for sale on their website (remember the horrible season when Gretchen won with her mall-ready clothes?).  So would the judges award the win to a designer whose clothes couldn't be sold to the public?

 

Maybe I'm wrong and the producers are doing that kind of manipulative 'red herring' shenanigans -  where the judges bash Kini this week, and he completely redoes the styling and modifies his outfits, then next week he wins (because he listened to the judges).

Edited October 17, 2014 by tv echo

[RealityCowgirl]

So sad. So depressing. The best I can muster: they're all nice people.

Fringe. Denim. I never want to see either, ever again.

Held out a tiny bit of hope that seeing them moving might salvage something (was seriously underwhelmed by the stills). But nope. They suck.

I'm not giving up. But it's truly sad. I want my old PR back, too.

[Julia]

However, like others here, I also got the feeling that Amanda will win when the judges were saying that women would want to buy her clothes.  I believe the winning designer's' collection is made available for sale on their website (remember the horrible season when Gretchen won with her mall-ready clothes?).  So would the judges award the win to a designer whose clothes couldn't be sold to the public?

 

I don't see why not. If they have them made on demand in some third world sweatshop they can make a fair amount of change selling to whoever does like them. Even if it's a small percentage of viewers, it's a small percentage of ~2 million viewers. It's not like all that many of their winners turned out to be marketable.

 

Sad if true, though. Nina can't get them a line at JC Penney? I guess her confidence in their work has limits. 

[RealityCowgirl]

Regarding Amanda's collection, the maxi dress thing was already done by Uli several years ago.  Maxi dresses are simply not at all fresh.  They are stale and uninteresting at this point.  To me, Amanda is just following trends, not setting them.

Major, major difference? I remember Uli's being quite lovely, out of breezy, gorgeous fabrics. Amanda's seem to just sit there. Hate her fabric choices, just as I did all season.

[Iboatedhere]

I don't know if it's because I genuinely like all of the designers as human beings or, if it's just that I genuinely do not care anymore but I'd be okay with any of them winning.  

[RealityCowgirl]

Refrigerators, TVs, hotel rooms and fries (boo-yah) don't belong in the narrative of a fashion show.

The two sponsors where product placement makes sense are presenting themselves as butt-ugly. $10 or $1000 doesn't matter if they're butt-ugly.

Edited October 17, 2014 by RealityCowgirl

[Beden]

 

I also felt that Amanda's black and white knit dress didn't belong with the other two. The cut of it was boring.

I felt that it was a direct takeoff of Laura's stuff from back in the day, though Laura would have taken that basic shape and made it sing. I also hate the yutz colors Amanda uses; mustard? Really?

[Booger666]

I actually liked Char's. I wonder if it is because she is the only one who really used color and I love color. Also, she seems to design for a girl with curves and I prefer that look to clothes that look good on stick figures. The fabric she got in Rome was great. I would not wear her clothes, but if I saw those outfits in a mag I would pause and look at them.

I was confused by Kini's feedback. I thought they said they styling was horrible (agreed), but he had good pieces except for the coat which had to go and needed to put them together differently. Then he is talking about reworking the whole collection. I'll be curious to see what he does change next week.

I don't get the love for Sean and Amanda. To me their clothes are very blah. Amanda's look bulky on the model and the knit seemed to weigh her down. I didn't mind Sean's orange skirt, but didn't get the orange skunk stripe down the back.

I wish they would give the designers more time and mentoring for fashion week. Five weeks isn't much time to create something truly interesting and fabulous.

[dialyn]

What I really don't get is how Kini would be so drawn to such drab fabrics when he comes from Hawaii, which has such a color infused culture.  Is it a weird kind of rebellion on his part?  He seems such a sunny personality and yet his designs are so heavy and dark.  Most of the judges' remarks seemed pointed more at his styling than his clothes, though.  I do think he is stuck in a rut...he wants his denim, he wants his dark clothes, he wants masses of detail, but the results are repetitive and heavy looking.  Of all the designers, I would have anticipated more from him but the results seem so sad.

 

Actually there is much I don't get.   Char who clearly knows how to dress herself with style doesn't seem terribly successful at doing the same with her designs.  I still don't understand Amanda's fascination with the 70s but if we have to have an all maxi dress collection, I would much rather look at an Uli collection than an Amanda collection.  It's not that it is so bad but it is so boring, and the colors are terribly drab (which is where the resemblance to the 70s end; I remember much more color then).  And Sean, Sean, Sean....basing his idea on an assassination doesn't seem like a great idea.  Fringe as a blood, really?   And is it a good idea to use make up greatly resembling a zombie?  Trendy, maybe; attractive, not so much.

 

I understand the judges being hard on Kini.  I don't understand why they weren't equally hard on the other three.  I'm not into fashion so I probably missed something here, but I can't imagine giving a second look to any of the looks they trotted out.  In a way, maybe five weeks was enough because I don't think an additional two months would have induced these four to come up with anything remarkable.  There is just a deficit of imagination here.  Maybe it is a time restraint thing, but I'm not so sure of that anymore.

[Day2Day]

I'm as bewildered by this photo as I am of last evening's episode.  Both leave me scratching my head and longing for the "good old days" when PR was enjoyable to watch .

[Lamb18]

Amanda's collection also gave me a Gretchenesque vibe, so I'm wondering if she will win. Gretchen designed jewelry for her collection, too. Although Amanda has no granny panties that I've seen or ugly boots.

[alrightythen]

I have an idea.  Stop sending the finalists overseas to get “inspiration” when they’re going to make the same stuff they always make anyway.  Use the saved money to allow the designers two days for their regular challenges. I want to see creative and quality designs.  If I want to see a quick tour of Europe I can watch the Travel Channel.

 

I was over the fringe the first time I saw it this season.  Sean has never impressed me.  Bleh. 

I too love color in clothes.  When Char picked that fabric and said she was going to play on all the colors, I thought, ”this could be nice.”  Then she made hoochie shorts.

[Rancide]

So, Amanda is pregnant, yes?  I'm not just imagining that?

[NY2TX]

I disagree with a few who've characterized this season as boring.  I have been a loyal viewer since the beginning and this may be my favorite season yet; it certainly ranks near the top in my book.  I think we've seen our fair share of dramatic looks, and the overall skill level has been on a par with prior years.  And IIRC Tim characterized the rainway challenge as the strongest of any in PR history. That's not the same as saying this season, or group of designers is the strongest, but it is fairly high praise given the context.  And while it's always important to separate personal opinions about the designers from their actual work, I will also say this particular group is by far my favorite ever.  Korina notwithstanding (and she may be my least favorite ever, which is saying something; not in terms of design ability, but with respect to attitude), it's remarkable just how many of this season's designers seem like genuinely nice people (Kini, Char, Alexander, Sean...and how lovely and gracious was Emily when she was the final designer eliminated prior to fashion week).  In fact, other than Korina, I can't think of anyone I don't like on some level.  Even Mitchell, who rubbed some the wrong way at the outset, did a complete turnaround in my opinion.  And Sandya, who clearly wasn't feeling the love from some of her fellow contestants, never took the bait, or allowed herself to get drawn into any petty conflicts.  I'm going to miss most of these designers.  That's surprising since I am usually more than ready for an extended break once the season is over.

Edited October 17, 2014 by NY2TX

[RealityCowgirl]

What I really don't get is how Kini would be so drawn to such drab fabrics when he comes from Hawaii, which has such a color infused culture.

Yes! I've never gotten that about him, with the drab colors and his must-use fabric.

I live in the land of denim, and we all know it has its purpose and LIMITS. Even the working cowboys keep it in perspective.

Edited October 17, 2014 by RealityCowgirl

[Suzysite]

 

Sandyha could have done a fabulous Roman circus collection and her models could have worn full clown make-up.

Well, you are not far off, judging by her decoy collection.   Clown makeup galore.

http://tomandlorenzo.com/2014/09/sandhyas-project-runway-season-13-finale-collection/

[pasdetrois]

Kini had been stroked and encouraged during all of the competition, and Tim praised him at the home visit, so of course he was profoundly shocked at the critique. He's a sweetheart and a great seamstress, but the heavy dark denim has been so wrong all along.

 

I don't mind fringe, but it's weird to see it on every.single.garment.

 

Amanda's clothes are just too heavy.

 

I don't even think Char is a good stylist. There's nothing about her look that I don't see on the streets of DC every day. I do love her hair though. As others have said, the shorts outfit and black and white dress could be found in any department store.

 

I do think the mini-runway was produced just to red herring the viewers. I doubt Char will win. Maybe Tim's fawning over her is his effort to resurrect his reputation after his godawful behavior on the PR mentor show.

 

ETA: do the decoy designers have more time than the final four to produce the decoy collections? Because there is way more design in some of the decoy collections.

Edited October 17, 2014 by pasdetrois

[Day2Day]

alrightythen,  I was thinking the same thing!!!  For as much "inspiration" as they seemed to take in on that trip, they could have saved a ton of money and packed up and visited NYC's Little Italy community !!!. Is there some sort of Haight-Ashbury section in Rome where Amanda received some sort of revelation???  Sean's "once upon a time" Roman inspired story was comical... I expected an audible snicker from Nina... along with another major eye-roll.

[dialyn]

 

 

And while it's always important to separate personal opinions about the designers from their actual work, I will also say this particular group is by far my favorite ever....  In fact, other than Korina, I can't think of anyone I don't like on some level. 

I don't disagree that there are some likeable people on Project Runway (though I can't say I feel strongly about any of them since I really don't know them), but I didn't see any fashion designs that were that inspiring, certainly not these final looks. 

 

I doubt Char will win. Maybe Tim's fawning over her is his effort to resurrect his reputation after his godawful behavior on the PR mentor show.

It will take more than that for Tim to resurrect his reputation...he just looks like he is playing favorites again.

 

 

...or as much "inspiration" as they seemed to take in on that trip, they could have saved a ton of money and packed up and visited NYC's Little Italy community !!!

They saved some money on the Best Western rooms in Italy...they looked pretty low rent to me, especially compared to the suite they ended up in when they returned to New York.

[Day2Day]

.

http://tomandlorenzo.com/2014/09/sandhyas-project-runway-season-13-finale-collection/

 

 

 

[NY2TX]

 

I understand the judges being hard on Kini.  I don't understand why they weren't equally hard on the other three.  I'm not into fashion so I probably missed something here, but I can't imagine giving a second look to any of the looks they trotted out.

 

I think the judges gave the feedback they felt was appropriate for each designer, based on the looks they were presented with.  And perhaps their feedback was more pointed with Kini because they have particularly high expectations from him, based on his work throughout the season.  And IIRC from prior years there have been designers who took the judges feedback to heart and were duly rewarded as a result; perhaps that's the arc we're going to see with Kini.  I do think his final collection is going to have a much different vibe than we got from the three pieces he showed the judges in the preview, but I guess we'll know for certain next week!

[HunterHunted]

Kini's clothes remind me a little bit of Stanley's from season 11, except Stanley knew, understood, and wanted to design for an older rich woman. I think the difference is probably age. Stanley is 15 years older than Kini and had a substantial career designing for his type of customer. Kini is younger and doesn't have those years of success to counter the judges' criticisms.

I'm not saying that the judges are wrong, but this show is never going to produce another Christian Siriano. However, smart designers can use the show to advertise their already decent businesses to a wider audience. I never liked a single thing that Emily did, but there are women dress like her and are into her esthetic in nearly every major american city. They'd appreciate knowing more about someone who designs for them. Given that, Kini needs to get a better handle on who his customer is and not who he'd like her to be. It seems he's been imagining her as younger than she might be.

[Julia]

What on god's green earth does Italy have to do with art deco, and what does art deco have to do with the sixties and the seventies and the intersection of bohemian and mod? That was seriously the weakest fable Amanda's come up with so far to explain how the challenge relates to the latest iteration of the only garments she knows how to make. Not as weak as Sean's ridiculous excuse for fringe, though, so that's something.

 

Now I really hope Char gets a shot at a good job, even though I don't think she's earned a win, and Kini's family is adorable.

[Frost]

His styles were not just old lady--they were old lady dressed for a funeral.  There was no joy to his collection.

 

I too am baffled by Kini's dark, heavy aesthetic when he's from Hawaii.  I also am wondering if it's even possible to spend $9000 on the denim fabric he used for his collection.  What happened to all of his money?  When he was moaning about having to redo everything he said he had no extra fabric to use.

 

Well, you are not far off, judging by her decoy collection.   Clown makeup galore.

 

Thanks for the link.  I loved her collection!  Didn't care for the weird lip thing but her clothes were striking.  That 'fearless' dress is amazing!

Edited October 17, 2014 by Frost

[Pepper Mostly]

The single best thing about this episode was Tim Gunn's hula lesson! I haven't laughed so hard in an age. and say what you will about Tim, (I still love him, despite everything), he's a great sport, and I always love his interactions with people's families and friends.

 

Sigh. Remember season 1? When the designers had, what? 8 months to make their collections? Five weeks, no wonder the final collections are dull and uninspired.

[backgroundnoise]

For as much "inspiration" as they seemed to take in on that trip, they could have saved a ton of money and packed up and visited NYC's Little Italy community !!!.

 

Amanda:  Rome makes me think of the sixties and seventies!

 

Sean:  I already have my collection thought out and it's orange, not red.  So Julius Caesar had orange blood, right?

 

Kini:  I'll say I was inspired by Rome, but you know and I know that's BS.  Denim for the win!

 

Char:  Pretty fabric.  That inspires me to use every color in the print--hey, that will tie my collection together!

 

It was downright laughable that all the designers had pictures of Rome on their inspiration wall and NONE of it was reflected in the clothes.  But they can't seriously have expected the designers to not have already thought out their collections with only 5 weeks left.  Did they really think the designers would be starting from scratch once back from Italy?  Just makes the show look dumb.

Edited October 17, 2014 by backgroundnoise

[Pattycake2]

Personally, I generally think that makeup is makeup and that it probably is all made in just a couple of factories like nail polish.  It's the makeup artist who creates a good or bad look.  Have the designers had only five (really four when you consider Rome) weeks to make a collection in the past?  I seem to recall the the time being at least a couple of months with Tim's visit halfway through.  Then the designers would have an entire week in NYC before the show to finish up and do the dreaded extra look.

I would have loved a room like the BW in Rome instead of the overpriced drab ones I've stayed in. And I loved seeing Tim in Rome.  He was a sculpter and actually taught sculpting at the Corcoran Museum in DC.  He must adore Italy. 

 

I had to laugh when Sean said his place was too small to work in.  Didn't Christian sew up his entire collection in a closet as well as sleep in it at night?  I don't know who is going to win.  I'm clueless on this one.