S14: Swapnil Shinde

[yeswedo]

34 from Mumbai, India

[Rahul]

http://web611.32.119.new.ocpwebserver.com/fashion/biographies/biography.aspx?designerSlno=63

 

 

It appears grey contacts, kohl and leather jackets are not part of his daily routine but are added affections for the show.

[Julia]

The kohl, at least, seems to be something he does when he's on stage

[mansonlamps]

He's still handsome though.

[KFC]

I actually think he looks better without the colored contacts.

[Lovecat]

I think he is dreamy :)

[Tess23]

I hope he has a big supply of the gray contacts on hand. 

[Oholibamah]

A little disappointed that his eyes are the result of contacts, because whenever he's on screen I have to rewind the scene to figure out what actually happened. So dreamy!

[DrivingSideways]

I was told I was racist for questioning his eye color!  I watch this show with sensitive folks.  So I'm glad to know that I can go on mocking those contacts.  Between the eyes and the jackets, the overall effect for me when he's on screen is Michael Jackson in the Thriller video.

 

He looks 1000% hotter in the picture upthread!

[Jobiska]

I am the last person to feel people should turn to colored contacts, especially if they don't also have a prescription (why stick something in your eye if you don't have to? is my reasoning), but when I first saw people mentioning these were contacts, I did an image search, and unlike the lovely image Rahul posted upthread, I noticed that in a lot of photos, especially when Swapnil is on the runway with a collection and with typical runway lighting, his prominent brow ridge shades his eyes so much it's almost like he has an anonymizing black band across his face rather than having eyes at all!  So I wondered if he were hoping to bring his eyes out of the shadow more, as it were.

At any rate, brow ridge and all, contacts or not, he's gorgeous in my opinion.  But I also love his quiet efficiency and his funny talking head interviews.

[Gbb]

So what's the consensus? Gay or straight?

[mansonlamps]

I've been thinking straight all along, but I am certainly no expert.

[slothgirl]

I'm going with "gay"

[Gbb]

I've been leaning toward gay, but then my wishful thinking pops up. Whichever gender gets him (maybe both?) is lucky. Besides being hot, he seems sweet and funny.

[pheebs]

 

I was told I was racist for questioning his eye color!  I watch this show with sensitive folks.  So I'm glad to know that I can go on mocking those contacts.  Between the eyes and the jackets, the overall effect for me when he's on screen is Michael Jackson in the Thriller video.

Don't hate on me too much - here's an oldie but goodie from Youtube -https://youtu.be/x81iip6psks

*ducks and covers*

[leighdear]

He said specifically on "Road to the Runway" that he's gay.  But no matter, he IS dreamy and seems to be exquisitely well mannered and polite.  That's huge for me. 

 

I love listening to him too....*LOL*

[TudorQueen]

I'd be friends with him in a heartbeat.

[designing1]

The past couple of weeks have edited Swapnil as the likely recipient of Tim's wrath, with repeated references to him not working to his potential.

[TudorQueen]

Yes, my non-existent money is on Swapnil. And whoever it is must really get on Tim's last nerve to get him to say the "F" word on tv.

[NewDigs]

I speculate that Swapnil will not only get on Tim Gunn's last nerve BUT will also get the Tim Gunn save.

[Julia]

Feh. Swapnil is what they pretended Sandhya was - a new sensibility informed by a different culture - and she got nothing but tongue baths until she more or less forced them to send her home. If they do go through the farce of throwing him out because the weaker designers aren't capable of better than what they're producing, it'll be so Tim can save the winner again.

[RCharter]

The past couple of weeks have edited Swapnil as the likely recipient of Tim's wrath, with repeated references to him not working to his potential.

 

I think it will be Swapnil who gets yelled at by Tim....and the story will be that this "tough love" of Tim brings Swapnil to his senses and he works at full potential and finally wins a challenge.  

 

I hate this idea because I think Tim has been insufferable this season, but I can't think of anyone else that would make Zac smile and say "finally." because the only designer Zac has really been a prissy miss to this season has been Swapnil.

Edited October 7, 2015 by RCharter

[Tony]

It's already been three challenges where he produces mediocre crap and gets the warning for not trying. How many chances are they going to give him? He's just lucky there's always someone worse who needs to be auf'd.

[RCharter]

It's already been three challenges where he produces mediocre crap and gets the warning for not trying. How many chances are they going to give him? He's just lucky there's always someone worse who needs to be auf'd.

The last three challenges he had: 1 look that was in the bottom which Heidi and Nina liked the top of, and only Zac had a problem with.  At that judging Heidi in fact told Lindsey that she needed the level of creativity that Swapnil had.  The challenge after that he is safe, although his look was far superior to Kelly's.  This last challenge the judges were mixed on everyone and he wasn't in the bottom three either.

 

Any warning they are giving him is not based on his work product, but based on tim's incessant whining to the judges about how he thinks swapnil should work harder.

[mansonlamps]

Any warning they are giving him is not based on his work product, but based on tim's incessant whining to the judges about how he thinks swapnil should work harder.

 

 

Really?  I thought it was Zac's sudden insistence that Swapnil was coasting, not Tim's.  Tim just sort of passive aggressively agreed with him I thought.

[RCharter]

Really?  I thought it was Zac's sudden insistence that Swapnil was coasting, not Tim's.  Tim just sort of passive aggressively agreed with him I thought.

Tim did an interview with EW where he made it clear he went to the judges to complain about Swapnil not working hard enough.  And that he went to them multiple times asking that Swapnil be sent home.  Not because his work was bad, but because he felt like Swapnil was taking too many breaks.  He got upset because he felt like the judges were rewarding Swapnil by just judging Swapnil's work and putting him in the top 3.  Zac's comment was clearly connected to Tim's continued complaining.  The judges aren't in the workroom so they have no idea if the designer is coasting or not.  Zac especially wouldn't have made a comment about how he was "tired" of Swapnil coasting based on his work because Swapnil was in the top three all of the prior weeks.  So, Tim got to Zac and now Zac has it in for Swapnil. 

 

Tim doesn't mention the designer by name, but by the description you can tell he is talking about Swapnil.  And its a bitch move, IMO for Tim to ask that a designer be sent home for anything other than that designers final work product.

[mansonlamps]

Tim doesn't mention the designer by name, but by the description you can tell he is talking about Swapnil.  And its a bitch move, IMO for Tim to ask that a designer be sent home for anything other than that designers final work product.

 

 

I didn't see the article, so had no idea why Zac suddenly was all over Swapnil.  Couldn't agree with you more about this being a total bitch move on Tim's part though.  What the hell? 

[Julia]

Tim doesn't mention the designer by name, but by the description you can tell he is talking about Swapnil.  And its a bitch move, IMO for Tim to ask that a designer be sent home for anything other than that designers final work product.

 

Actually, I think if that's what happened, it shows a distinct lack of nads of any type. 

[CraftyHazel]

This somehow doesn't surprise me in the least. I used to adore Tim Gunn, but after watching "Under The Gunn" I lost all respect for him. I think he's actually a nasty, gossipy man at heart, who puts on a sweet, fatherly facade when it suits him. I also think he's gotten too big for his britches and shouldn't be present at judging, nor running to spill backstage drama to the judges. He's not acting as a mentor these days, he's more judge, jury, and (gleeful) executioner. I've actually taken such a dislike to him that it taints my enjoyment of the show.

I do think that Swapnil is going to impress everyone this week. I can't imagine that Zac's happy, "Finally!" could be for anyone else. Every single other contestant has won at least one challenge.

[Julia]

I'm just not understanding how it is that Swapnil's seen quite a few challenges which, JMO, he should have won go to people who made far less accomplished and original things (anyone think that weird 'french' thing Ashley and Candice made beat Swapnil's indian outfit?), and now we're seriously discussing the idea that he's at risk because people who are making much worse garments are trying harder. Which, seriously, I love Kelly to bits and I'm all over giving her MIss Congeniality and a contract to make designer fannypacks (or more to the point, an entry-level job at a fashion house), but I can't imagine any not-contrived reason to send Swapnil home before she goes.

[Misslindsey]

Didn't Chris March take breaks and naps, while producing some nice designs? Did Tim ever run and tell the judges on him? I think that you can put 100% effort behind something and that still does not mean it is going to be great or the best. So someone can make an absolute crap garment, but since they tried harder they should stick around. So if Swapnil does get the boot Tim probably will not use his save on him. 

[CraftyHazel]

Swapnil isn't the type to get the Tim Gunn Save. Tim saves that for the "poor underdog", and the only two people left who fit that description in any way are Kelly and Ashley. I loved Justin but didn't necessarily agree with his save...but I did think his final runway was pretty spectacular, so I was glad he was still there. Charkita was ridiculously overrated by Tim and was saved not on the basis of talent, but emotion. Her making the finale was a joke. Whoever Tim saves will almost certainly have an express ticket to the finale, and I'm betting on Ashley at this point.

[AuntieDiane6]

 

I think that you can put 100% effort behind something and that still does not mean it is going to be great or the best. So someone can make an absolute crap garment, but since they tried harder they should stick around. So if Swapnil does get the boot Tim probably will not use his save on him.

 

This is a TV show.  There are a lot of factors to consider.  Tim thinks Swapnil is acting bored, doesn't care and is SO OVER THIS.  Why save a person like that?

[RCharter]

This is a TV show.  There are a lot of factors to consider.  Tim thinks Swapnil is acting bored, doesn't care and is SO OVER THIS.  Why save a person like that?

 

You know -- the more I think about it, the more I feel like there just shouldn't be a Tim Gunn save at all.  

 

The show should be judged based on the designers work alone, not on percent effort they put in.  If they are "over it" but produce looks that qualify them to move on that should be the end of it.  

 

I had sort of been on the fence about the TG save before, but he has really only used it to save people he "likes" not those that necessarily have any sort of talent. He didn't save Justin because Justin was an amazing designer, he saved Justin because Justin listened to him and because he liked Justin.  In the end, Justin had an amazing runway show, but at the time Justin was saved he hadn't really sent anything that great down the runway, and he normally wasn't in the top at all.  Tim saved Char and it was just because he liked her.

 

Without the TG save, there will be weeks when the wrong designer gets sent home, but at least it will be because of what they put out on the runway.  There won't be a designer who gets to stay simply because they managed to suck up to Tim enough.

[CathinAZ]

I can' recall - has Tim used his save in every season since they added the "save" option? So far this season, I am fine with him NOT using it thus far and wouldn't mind if it is not used at all.

[RCharter]

I can' recall - has Tim used his save in every season since they added the "save" option? So far this season, I am fine with him NOT using it thus far and wouldn't mind if it is not used at all.

Yes -- he has had it for two seasons.  He used it on Justin and Char.  Frankly, I just don't think he should have it at all.  It seems evident to me that he "saves" designers based on their personality.  But this isn't Project Personality so a designer should be in or out based on their designs.

[Julia]

And he unofficially used it on Miichelle. He interviewed on Letterman tyat he wa the one who talked the judges out of sending her home.

[RCharter]

And he unofficially used it on Miichelle. He interviewed on Letterman tyat he wa the one who talked the judges out of sending her home.

and she officially had the shittiest attitude of anyone...ever about the prospect of being given a second chance!  How was he okay with her stank attitude, but somehow smoke breaks put him over the top?

Gunn is not going to use the save on a designer he apparently despises.   I'm not defending Swapnil or his loss of interest in the contest, but I don't even want to watch the latest episode just from reading about it.  I lost respect for Gunn on "Under the Gunn," I don't think this is going to improve my opinion.  Swapnil turned in the best outfits in the beginning but couldn't pull a win--I think he just gave up.  My impression from reading the forums (and I could be wrong) is that his crewmember liked nothing he did but wasn't specific about what she really wanted.....sounds like a set up to me.  In fact, the whole episode seem manipulated to kick Swapnil off, including the Gunn interviews and his chats with the judges.  Well, that's fine.  Swapnil may have well earned the elimination this week, but I don't think Gunn did anything for his reputation either.  Swapnil, I suspect, will return to India, and do just fine.  Not so sure about Project Runway.

Not with me -- I think I'm officially done :(

 

One day challenges, low rent sponsors, no trips to Mood, Zac trying to be Kors, no Kors, now Tim's pettiness and personal vendettas.  No thanks.  But here is to hoping someone else can convince MK to do a fashion show of some sort where he can snark.

[Julia]

and she officially had the shittiest attitude of anyone...ever about the prospect of being given a second chance!  How was he okay with her stank attitude, but somehow smoke breaks put him over the top?

Well, my observation has been that Tim appears to have a remarkable well of warm fellow-feeling for contestants who present themselves as victims and act like bullies. Granted he's also kind of obseqious about making excuses for the annointed favorites of the judges, but he doesn't seem to feel quite as strongly about that. Think about who his favorites have been lately - Michelle, Helen, Sandhya, Asha, Mondo, Amanda... That's quite the murderer's row of mean/whiny assholes right there.

[RCharter]

Well, my observation has been that Tim appears to have a remarkable well of warm fellow-feeling for contestants who present themselves as victims and act like bullies. Granted he's also kind of obseqious about making excuses for the annointed favorites of the judges, but he doesn't seem to feel quite as strongly about that. Think about who his favorites have been lately - Michelle, Helen, Sandhya, Asha, Mondo, Amanda... That's quite the murderer's row of mean/whiny assholes right there.

by golly, you are right!  how did I ever miss that, it was right in front of my eyes.  

 

He really has a thing about people he thinks are "cool, mean kids" Looking at him idly sit by and letting Mondo and Anya and Asha beat up on that poor girl on UTG was just sickening.  And then for him to later try to defend his actions.  

 

I mean, I'm just left wondering if the TG from earlier seasons was just some figment of my imagination....

[beaker73]

I could be wrong, since I've yet to watch the episode, but I read that Swapnil said he was there to learn instead of giving the standard "I want to win" response to "why are you here?"  I've been thinking about how Swapnil seems to have been pretty successful in India.  I'm wondering if Swapnil meant he intended to learn more about Western fashion since he clearly is well versed in the fashion of his own country.  Of course Project Runway is the wrong venue for learning anything useful (it's not a teacher's workshop, after all).  Wasn't Swapnil one of the group that didn't bring their sewing tools with them (probably wouldn't have gotten some of it through customs)?  He seemed to have a misunderstanding from the beginning--it's easy to forget when someone speaks English so well that some things about English can be hard for a non-English speaker to understand, especially as it relates to Project Runway.

 

Has everyone seen this discussion between Edmond and Swapnil about the first day's events?  http://on.aol.com/video/project-runway--outtakes--edmond-counsels-swapnil-519142408

This is exactly what I was thinking when he responded to Tim that he was there to learn.  I think he intended to come to PR get a different perspective and grow as a designer and then he finds himself making stuff out of Hallmark cards and crap from a junkyard.  He was clearly frustrated and threw in the towel and I'm OK that that went home.  This clearly wasn't the venue for him. 

 

BUT I am NOT Ok with how this went down.  If it's true that Tim went to the judges and asked to have him sent home - that's utter bullshit.  After hearing that, I fully believe that he was set up with an intentionally difficult crew member.  There was nothing that was going to make her happy and it would be a perfect excuse to auf him.  Then, of course, they go back and edit the previous episodes to make it look like Swapnil was a lazy ass and was totally deserving of it.

 

Lifetime has RUINED this show. Every season I say it's my last, but this time I think I finally mean it. 

[Christi]

Omg..he was the best..by a mile!

[treeofdreams]

Wasn't Swapnil's "client" the one who said she was hurt that her fellow crew members voted for her as someone who needed a makeover?  So she didn't volunteer, she didn't want a makeover, and she was feeling hurt and probably embarrassed about being put on national television as someone who needed a makeover.  And when Swapnil asked what she wanted, she didn't have anything to offer.  I don't think she meant to be difficult, she just really wasn't happy about the whole situation.  And then on top of that, Swapnil said he wanted to make her into a bombshell.

 

They should have let her decline the makeover and given it to someone who really wanted it.  Except, of course, this provided more drama.

Edited October 9, 2015 by treeofdreams

[JasmineFlower]

Wasn't Swapnil's "client" the one who said she was hurt that her fellow crew members voted for her as someone who needed a makeover?  So she didn't volunteer, she didn't want a makeover, and she was feeling hurt and probably embarrassed about being put on national television as someone who needed a makeover.  And when Swapnil asked what she wanted, she didn't have anything to offer.  I don't think she meant to be difficult, she just really wasn't happy about the whole situation.  And then on top of that, Swapnil said he wanted to make her into a bombshell.

 

They should have let her decline the makeover and given it to someone who really wanted it.  Except, of course, this provided more drama.

 

Maybe I'm too cynical about the "reality" tv process, but they all had a measure of "fake surprise" so I didn't take away anything from her comment that her co-workers voted for her as someone who needed a makeover. A few came in like "what's going on" and the whole "this is TG" and all that. It was a production of sorts so I didn't take much from her acting like she was ambushed by this process. I wasn't under the actual impression that was really the case and that all knew the makeovers were coming and likely volunteered for it. Don't think this was an ambush makeover situation.

[Thadeeeyus]

Has everyone seen this discussion between Edmond and Swapnil about the first day's events?  http://on.aol.com/video/project-runway--outtakes--edmond-counsels-swapnil-519142408

 

It was nice of Edmund to try and help.  He gave him some good advice. 

[Julia]

I would really like Edmond to win. I've kind of appreciated how he's handled pretty much everything so far to play hard without being an asshole.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Didn't Chris March take breaks and naps, while producing some nice designs? Did Tim ever run and tell the judges on him? I think that you can put 100% effort behind something and that still does not mean it is going to be great or the best. So someone can make an absolute crap garment, but since they tried harder they should stick around. So if Swapnil does get the boot Tim probably will not use his save on him.

 

Unless you're abusing other designers then your behaviour / activity in the workroom shouldn't matter in the fucking least.  Tim can go to hell.  Oh I am so angry.

 

Artists work in different ways.  Some are faster sewers than others.  Who cares?!  AGH!

 

We've all watched dozens of episodes where the designer flat out says to the model for the first fitting, I'm sorry I have nothing for you to try yet.  You couldn't pay me to care.  I really don't care how they use their time.  I am here to watch for the fun of the show and the results at the end.  Not to judge them based on whatever happens before the final product.  Unless they're cheating or something why are people like Tim taking it personally?

Edited October 11, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Calamity Jane]

I need help understanding here.  I've always thought that they filmed the entire season, and then constructed the episodes after all of them were filmed.  So at the beginning of this season, when they were giving Swapnil what I saw as a favorable portrayal, I assumed he would go through to the end, if not outright win.  They never showed "slacking" or smoke breaks or whatever other sins he apparently was committing.  Then suddenly about three weeks ago, he has the world's worst attitude and should be sent packing.  It was as if something we were never privy to had happened in the background, and so now we're supposed to have an unfavorable opinion.  That would make some sense if they were putting the show together week to week, but they aren't, are they?  Or have I missed something here? 

 

And no matter when/how the episodes were constructed, I have such a strong impression that something must have happened that massively pissed Tim off that he ran to Zac with, and from then on, Swapnil was not long for the show.  Maybe a comment slamming them both? Or some other kind of misbehavior?  The disconnect between the early part of the season and the past few weeks is so glaring, and nothing we were shown accounts for it, as far as I'm concerned.

[backgroundnoise]

After all the truly horrible people that have been on this show, who have actually screamed at the production staff (S3 Vincent), refused to share the hotel space (S2 Zulema, S12 Ken), disrespected the judges to their faces (S5 Kenley, S2 Santino), been rude and confrontational in the workroom (S3 Jeffrey) all this rage is directed at Swapnil?  A guy who has acted like a gentleman from day, who never blamed anyone else for his failings, didn't play the sympathy card, was liked by all other designers, who took Tim's diatribe with grace?  Because he's "wasting his potential"?

 

I think Tim is having emotional and/or mental problems.

[Thadeeeyus]

And no matter when/how the episodes were constructed, I have such a strong impression that something must have happened that massively pissed Tim off that he ran to Zac with, and from then on, Swapnil was not long for the show.  Maybe a comment slamming them both? Or some other kind of misbehavior?  The disconnect between the early part of the season and the past few weeks is so glaring, and nothing we were shown accounts for it, as far as I'm concerned.

 

This is basically what I said in the main thread.  Something doesn't compute.  If Swap did something really wrong, why couldn't they just say what it was and build a story around that?   Why push the not-giving-it-his-all story when it's obvious this was not enough to send him packing. There has to be something more.  My guess is that something went down or was said that would make Tim or the show look bad, and that's why it can't be addressed.  Anyway, I hope someone talks soon because it's driving me crazy.