S14.E11: The Runway's In 3D!

[anonymiss]

Yes, Candice's dress had obvious references to Spanish tangos but am I the only one who, when I first saw it, thought 'Damn--it;s Morticia Addams dressed up for the holidays?

Yes. And it reminded me of Helen of Cry's version but Helen's was more Spanish and less Morticia. It was actually really pretty with its flattering neckline (which is why I think it won).

Edited October 17, 2015 by anonymiss

[designing1]

 

New York bridges all look pretty much the same to me (sorry!), so I didn't get the point of being assigned a particular bridge.

 

Perhaps a closer look would help:

 

Brooklyn Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

Queensboro Bridge

Edited October 17, 2015 by designing1

[Kromm]

I'm sorry, but why haven't the judges called Candace out on her highlighting her model's boobs the same way - putting crap in front of them

I think because arguably in this case it worked. There are multiple ways to do the same thing where they straddle both sides of the line. If Candace had done that even slightly differently the result may have crossed that line, but I DO think it stayed on the proper side of it.

New York bridges all look pretty much the same to me (sorry!), so I didn't get the point of being assigned a particular bridge. However, no one but Kelly really referenced the bridge anyway. And, yes, the challenge demanded too many unrelated elements. 

That's not too surprising a point of view with the Manhattan and Queenboro, but really nothing else in the world looks quite like the Brooklyn Bridge.

Yes, Candice's dress had obvious references to Spanish tangos but am I the only one who, when I first saw it, thought 'Damn--it;s Morticia Addams dressed up for the holidays?

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Admittedly it's not haute couture to do that, but the other side of it was that it seemed better made than much of what we see go down the runway on this show these days.  That counts for something at least.

I can't believe there is a lack of talent in the application process, so what is going on? Maybe the past designers they are using for screening are good as designers but really poor at recognizing new talent?

Why can't you believe in a lack of talent in the application process?  It's like the endless singing competitions. There have been SO many draws on the talent pool for so long now that it shouldn't be surprising that the quality of those applying has fallen. It's inevitable, I'd say.  I mean sure there are a lot of people in the world and they all wear clothes, and a lot of people sew and make them.  But the talent pool for DESIGNING clothes, and well, was likely always a limited one.

Kelly, while being adorable and lovable and all that, showed a very mediocre look with atrocious fabric IMO, and to be the clear winner with that in an avant garde challenge competing with the top five designers is just really sad for Project Runway 

Kelly seems to be one of the nicest people they've had on the show for years. That said, and combined with her "underdog" status ("Kelly from the Deli" makes for a perfect underdog story) it's a shame that's being played out like she's a better DESIGNER than she really is. She's hardly hopeless, but I don't think there's any genius there either.

[PepperMonkey]

If I've led anyone to believe that I think the talent this season is "lesser" than say, season 13, 12, or even 11, that was not my intention. I think they've all steadily gone downhill, starting actually with 12, the season of Kate's first return from the dead, and Helen, of course. That was the beginning of the end of my Tim love also, as he gleefully watched the girls pounce on  Alexandria at the reunion show.

 

I thought 11 had some decent talent mixed in.

 

My observation about the talent pool this season was just meant to highlight the fact that I care way more about where the hell is Swatch than I do about the runways or even who wins. Guess I should add: as long as it's Edmond or Kelly who wins. I'll be temporarily pissed if it's Ashley or Candice.

 

Brooklyn Bridge FTW!!!!!!

 

(ETA: Leighdear!!!! Does your boyfriend Chris Nunez know you're cheating on him with Dmitry?!?)

Edited October 17, 2015 by PepperMonkey

[slothgirl]

I've been reading a ton of comments this season about the designers and their lack of talent compared to past contestants, and, honestly, I've sort of been wondering if people have been remembering the older shows with rose colored glasses. But it became painfully obvious when they showed Merline's look side by side with Kini's that Merline wasn't even in the same league with Kini for a similar look, not only in sewing skills which we all knew, but in design and even styling. And there's no excuse this time, they went to Mood and they had two days.

Even the people on Kini's season weren't in Kini's league when it came to execution. While it's true that Merline has construction issues, I don't think comparing anyone with Kini is a fair example of past season's vs current season. There were plenty of people BEFORE Kini who couldn't whip out a perfectly fitted and constructed garment in the 20 minutes it took him! In fact, his lightning fast and immaculate execution was frequently commented on at the time, as well as the fact that he had time left over that he could have used to come up with more interesting designs.

[mansonlamps]

Why can't you believe in a lack of talent in the application process?  It's like the endless singing competitions. There have been SO many draws on the talent pool for so long now that it shouldn't be surprising that the quality of those applying has fallen. It's inevitable, I'd say.  I mean sure there are a lot of people in the world and they all wear clothes, and a lot of people sew and make them.  But the talent pool for DESIGNING clothes, and well, was likely always a limited one.

Because in an international talent pool it seems hard to believe this is the best talent out there. That's a whole heck of a lot of people! I went to the fashion show at Purdue this year and I saw more design talent at one university than some of the contestants on PR this year and these were the ones that were actually selected, wonder what the rejects were like.

[slothgirl]

Because in an international talent pool it seems hard to believe this is the best talent out there. That's a whole heck of a lot of people! I went to the fashion show at Purdue this year and I saw more design talent at one university than some of the contestants on PR this year and these were the ones that were actually selected, wonder what the rejects were like.

There is a 3rd option. It's not just "This is the best talent" vs "The screening process isn't working".

 

Option 3 (and the most likely in my view) is that the best talent doesn't want to go on this show anymore. There are probably far better avenues to a career in fashion than showing your worst work on this silly show. Even if you make it to fashion week, they are given less and less time to do their collections. In some ways the best situation to be in would be getting auf'ed just in time to make the cut off for fashion week, but leaving you the MOST time to start planning your collection (while waiting in the auf'ed persons' lockup) Of course, anyone who goes on this show that hasn't already thought abobut their collection before they even get there is a fool. I'll bet Edmond has his already planned out.

[sinkwriter]

 

New York bridges all look pretty much the same to me (sorry!), so I didn't get the point of being assigned a particular bridge.

 

I wish the challenge had been a bit more open-ended. I liked the long-ago challenge where they went through the streets of NYC looking for inspiration and everyone came up with something different. For one of his challenges Jay did the Chrysler building, Andrae chose pebbles and gravel in a pool of gutter water, etc. And each person seemed to come up with something really interesting. But when you're forced to use a specific bridge and there's not much to it but triangles or x's and the swoop of a cable... I don't know... I just wasn't inspired looking at those bridges. (Except the Brooklyn Bridge. That one's lovely. Almost cathedral-like.)

Edited October 17, 2015 by sinkwriter

[ratgirlagogo]

 

Anyone who thinks her design needs an additional something to punch it up and "immediately thinks of a poncho" should have been auf'd for that reason alone.

I laughed so hard when Ashley said that I had to stop the recording and leave the room to calm down.  A poncho!!??!! Christ on a cracker.  I almost feel like she should be auf'd from the planet for saying it.

 

I knew as soon as I saw merliene"s dress that we had seen it before. I'm so glad they showed kini"s umbrella dress or I would have had to spend ages googling.

Funny that when I googled to get the name I wanted for my reply here - one of the first results was my own post here on PTV from last year:

Kini's dress did remind me of Christian Siriano's, but not so much of Leanne's petal constructions.  It reminded me  even more of  Anna McCraney's winning dresses from season one of The Fashion Show:http://projectrungay.blogspot.com/2009/07/tfs-congrats-and-bye-bye.html

She did that cupholder dress over and over (and yes, of course  I had to look up her name - it's really hard to remember much about The Fashion Show even though I watched every season).   Kini gets points from me though, because he didn't bust out the same cupholder every time - when he did it, he had an actual reason for doing it.  It DID look like an umbrella and again, it was germane to the challenge.

Kini's version of this was much better made, looked  much better and better answered the challenge.  Merline's was not bad but I see why they auf'd her.

 

 

I guess by default Kelly wins it.  But damn it looked like a couch

That reminds me. The color was awful and I thought it might have been upholstery fabric again. There's a reason it was sitting on the shelf.

I think it might have been CAR upholstery fabric. Kelly said herself that she was pretty sure nobody had bought any of it for a really, really long time because it was so ugly and out there. The weirdness of the fabric is part of what I liked about it, in fact her design was the only one I really liked - she deserved the win and agree with aradia22 that she will probably have more fun with the printer than the others.

 

Remember when the avant-garde challenge would actually produce some avant-garde looks?

Yep.

http://projectrungay.blogspot.com/2008/01/go-team-sissyfierce.html

http://projectrungay.blogspot.com/2008/01/team-victor-ian.html

Two of my favorite looks in the history of the show, BTW.

 

OH forgot to mention, I cackled when Edmond was like "this IS avant garde for Ashley - it's not a circle skirt with box pleats!"

Edmond also was the one who pointed out that Ashley's poncho looked like a choirmaster's robe.  I can't believe none of the judges could see that - I didn't get superhero cape from it at all.

 

Do the contestants do their own make-up?

I've been wondering this all season since we have at least four that are wearing a TON of overly visible foundation.  At least Candace's looks as though she's doing it on purpose - I like it even though I know a lot of you don't. I've said before how much I love Kelly's highly original hyper-80's retro look, but her makeup looks like she's trying to cover up a skin problem.  Worst of all are Ashley and Merline - their faces look like they're coated in clay, all the more obvious with Ashley since she cries so much - like the song says, it's easy to trace the tracks of her tears.

I hope the Mary Kay people aren't the ones responsible - but if not, why doesn't the show bring them in to help?  Awful looking makeup.

Edited October 17, 2015 by ratgirlagogo

[film noire]

I don't care if he literally slept the entire time and whipped out a garment in 15 minutes blindfolded. It's called Project Runway not Project Work Ethic. 

 

I agree, but I'm thinking the show needed Swapnil to be bitch-slapped by Tim Gunn (sahib of Project Runway,  shoes he filled a little too eagerly)  because we can't have diversity of talent/process in this show, the viewers need to believe that design work is mostly a product of dutiful industry, like the mice in Cinderella. 

 

Because in that light, the wtf nature of a self taught contestant getting this far in a search for the next great professional design talent (and with some of the shit she's shown) makes perfect sense: it's all just sweat equity, then. No room for someone who works draping and design out in his head -- smoking or laughing or snacking away -- then turns his hand to what his brain has already put together (either consciously or otherwise).

Edited October 17, 2015 by film noire

[Freckledbruh]

The show needed Swapnil to be bitch-slapped by Tim Gunn (sahib of Project Runway,  shoes he filled a little too eagerly)  because we can't have diversity of talent and process in this show, the viewers need to believe that design work is a product of dutiful industry, like the mice in Cinderella. 

 

Because in that light, the insanity of a self taught contestant getting this far in a professional designer search (and with some of the shit she's shown) makes perfect sense. it's all just sweat equity, then. No room for someone who works draping and deisgn out in his head, smoking, then turns his hadn to wha this brain has put together (either consciously or otherwise).

To me it is just like the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality. Who cares that so-and-so spent the entire time working and presented a hot mess and the other designer whipped out a nice, finished garment in a couple of hours? The hot mess gave "100%" so it is all good and the one with more talent didn't. That's just crazy. All I know is that would never fly in a workplace. Companies don't care if you gave 100% if the job isn't done well.

[Lemons]

Can you really look up to a Spice Girl? Or am I just 100% unfamiliar with anything she's done past 1997?

 

You can when you're 9.

[WicketyWack]

Was anyone else seriously distracted by Aube's big black panties ruining the look of those sheer side panels? Ashley joked about telling her not to wear underwear but a skin-toned thong would have been a million times better and less visible than black boyshorts.

[ratgirlagogo]

I was almost struck blind by the awfulness of the poncho, so no.

[leighdear]

If I've led anyone to believe that I think the talent this season is "lesser" than say, season 13, 12, or even 11, that was not my intention. I think they've all steadily gone downhill, starting actually with 12, the season of Kate's first return from the dead, and Helen, of course. That was the beginning of the end of my Tim love also, as he gleefully watched the girls pounce on  Alexandria at the reunion show.

 

I thought 11 had some decent talent mixed in.

 

My observation about the talent pool this season was just meant to highlight the fact that I care way more about where the hell is Swatch than I do about the runways or even who wins. Guess I should add: as long as it's Edmond or Kelly who wins. I'll be temporarily pissed if it's Ashley or Candice.

 

Brooklyn Bridge FTW!!!!!!

 

(ETA: Leighdear!!!! Does your boyfriend Chris Nunez know you're cheating on him with Dmitry?!?)

My men Chris & Dmitry know where my heart REALLY lies.....With Nyle from ANTM!  ;-)

 

I'll admit that I haven't watched a single reunion show after they aired the first one.  I have refused to witness any of the subsequent episodes, with the inevitable whining, Monday morning quarterbacking, editing blame and parade of excuses.  I just can't stomach that.  I don't see this season being any different, but at least they haven't been carving each other up in ITM's.  I haven't decided yet.  

All I know is that would never fly in a workplace. Companies don't care if you gave 100% if the job isn't done well.

Absolutely agree.  The hard work and "100% effort" is useless if it doesn't result in something of worth.  

[auntlada]

Was anyone else seriously distracted by Aube's big black panties ruining the look of those sheer side panels? Ashley joked about telling her not to wear underwear but a skin-toned thong would have been a million times better and less visible than black boyshorts.

 

If I've learned anything from America's Next Top Model (and I'm not sure I have), it's that models should always care thong underwear matched to their skin tone to jobs.

[Bebecat]

Just as on ANTM, since it was mentioned, the show seems to have mid-series, to looking for weirdos who might possibly fit the category (model, designer) rather than just best models or best designers. And it shows on both shows. Tyra can put all the 5'3 girls on she wants but it is not going to change what clients want. Models have always been extra tall and thin tomshow the clothes the way designers have been taught. Sure, some plus models coming along, which is great, but not so much the shorties. And now PR looks for the "quirky" the disabled, the downright "weird" as long as they seem to be able to run a sewing machine. Nothing against diversity but it has shown in the overall talent, Imo, this search for the pulling heartstrings or making for "good" TV.

[limecoke]

I do not begin to understand why Ashley did not go home on this challenge.  Her design was ugly, cheap looking and, as she said herself, the 3D element was not cohesive with the design at all, and yet, the judges loved it.  Something stinks in their reaction.  You cannot tell me that Heidi, Nina or Mel B would ever be caught dead in that thing.  I'm tired of the upside-down umbrella skirt but, as uninteresting as Merline's was, it was far superior to Ashley's.  Oh well, I've had a hard time understanding the judges decisions the last few seasons so it's nothing new.  

[Kromm]

I do not begin to understand why Ashley did not go home on this challenge.  Her design was ugly, cheap looking and, as she said herself, the 3D element was not cohesive with the design at all, and yet, the judges loved it.  Something stinks in their reaction.  You cannot tell me that Heidi, Nina or Mel B would ever be caught dead in that thing. 

Because Ashley is the season's... okay I want to say "pet" but that could be taken wrong. Whatever the current term is for someone a reality show wants you to feel sorry for, who they then contrive to build a storyline about overcoming disadvantages and discrimination. Oh, that's not saying she has no talent or that she hasn't suffered a lot of true discrimination in her life, but this show (like a lot of reality competitions) loves to create those sagas, with their victim/underdog/social outcasts who triumph and make the viewing audience who identify with them feel extra connected and extra special.

 

She's a decent seamstress, with some design talent, and a compelling story. So... about on par with most of the lackluster talent this show now presents. Equally as capable of alternating weeks when she turns in something okay, with ones where she turns in total garbage... but it's unlikely the person placed in this position will go home. They don't always take this to the place of these folks winning, but Top 4 was pretty much guaranteed. Which means.... she was never going this week, but COULD go next week. Or not. They could play it both ways.

[Lukeysboat]

but really nothing else in the world looks quite like the Brooklyn Bridge.

Check out the Roebling suspension bridge in Cincinnati; you might be surprised.

[Kromm]

Check out the Roebling suspension bridge in Cincinnati; you might be surprised.

I know Roebling designed them both. And they're both suspension bridges, and both made in large part of granite, so there's that, but BB uses a lot more cables in it's design and has that double archway design for the towers. I doubt that's unique either, but the exact combination of the three things (the cables, the huge double archway design for the towers, and the towers being granite--because it wasn't so many years until steel started being used for towers) is pretty iconic. The other thing that's always interesting about crossing the Brooklyn Bridge is something most people won't have seen simply from the usual side shots--the big overhead side-struts overhead for much of the crossing. There's also one of the widest pedestrian walkways on the BB of any major bridge.  That's part of the image of it too. You can see both of those things here:

 

 

From below:

 

 

 

I know the Roebling Bridge also has overhead struts too, certainly that's another design element Roebling brought over, but the Roebling Bridge is far narrower (and frankly painted pretty differently, and with the steelwork of the struts done as latices rather than just solid beams) so visually that actually is still a big point of difference. 

 

As for the cables?  It seriously IS a lot of cables on the BB.

 

Edited October 18, 2015 by Kromm

[Ms Blue Jay]

Why does Kelly get the Brooklyn Bridge AND NO ONE ELSE?

 

Anyways I thought Kelly should have won, which she did.  Edmond was my second place (along with the judges').  Merline did a Kini rip off who I thought ripped off someone else (but very honestly can't place which designer it was - maybe it's a popular technique like Nina was implying).  Candice did a mermaid skirt which, if you tune into any Golden Globes award show, you'll see 1,000 of those in varying colours.

 

Tim Gunn saying to the judges that Candice took a risk because she tried a non-black colour?  Just kill me.  And is it really fair that Mel B. was a judge when she decidedly did not care whether a design was Avant Garde or not?  She pushed the design that everyone fully admitted did not meet the challenge.  At least she kind of redeemed herself by admitting that Kelly actually did.

 

And Ashley.  Stella McCartney did this only a few seasons ago.  And rip-offs of it were EVERYWHERE!  And it of course was a ready to wear runway show!   Not Avant Garde at all.  When the judges deliberately do not mention these comparisons, or the producers choose not to air them, I really wonder why.  Maybe because it really makes the designer who did it look very bad.

 

Edited October 18, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[sinkwriter]

 

As for the cables?  It seriously IS a lot of cables on the BB.

 

Kromm, I'm getting heart palpitations looking at how high up those cable/bridge workers are in that picture. EEEEEEEEEEEK. Scared of heights! Don't fall! Scared of heights!  (*GRIN*)

Edited October 18, 2015 by sinkwriter

[ChelseaNH]

Why does Kelly get the Brooklyn Bridge AND NO ONE ELSE?

 

Because she won the previous challenge.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I understand that she won the challenge and gets to pick the first bridge.

 

However, that does not explain why a second person did not get the Brooklyn Bridge also, AFTER that point.  Why is it decided that 2 people get Manhattan and 2 others get Queensborough and a second person does not get Brooklyn?  2 bridges had 2 designers, and  1 bridge (Brooklyn) had 1 designer; do you really not understand what I mean here?  It is a very strange arrangement.  It seemed like a biased set up for Kelly to win yet again.  I fully admitted that I think she did the best job and thought she should have won, but still.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[sinkwriter]

With five designers remaining and only three bridges, there was going to be one bridge that didn't have two designers on it. No matter who won the previous challenge, it seems like reasonable math to say, that person will get their pick of the bridge, the other designers will split the difference between the other two bridges. It could have easily been anyone else, if they had won the previous challenge. I don't see it as a bias or a set up in this case - I don't think anyone completely ruled this challenge. Even the judges said that Kelly's win was very lucky because her choice of fabric was pretty scary and could have gone very very wrong. And I don't think it's any different than any other challenge where the winner from the previous week got an advantage that the others didn't. That advantage didn't always work for the person who won previously - they often lucked out that they had immunity or they would have been in the bottom or even going home.

[mansonlamps]

I am going to miss Merline always calling Tim , "Tim Gunn." Every. Single. Time. Cracked me up.

[Ms Blue Jay]

But sinkwriter, how is it decided that Brooklyn Bridge is an advantage?

 

1)  Because everyone agrees that Brooklyn Bridge is the best one?

2)  Because that's the one Kelly chose?

3)  Or because they want Kelly to have a bridge no one else has, and not have her compete with someone else?

 

Or all?  And then they didn't let any of the designers choose (I forget; was there button bag?  They could have had button bag to let a random designer also choose Brooklyn Bridge next; then eliminate that bridge, and so on).  Just straight up decided this assortment.  Found it capricious and arbitrary.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[auntlada]

I suspect that whoever won would get a bridge by himself or herself. It just somhappened that Kelly won and chose the Brooklyn Bridge. Then there was a button bag for the others. I did not record it, but I think it was not an obvious continuous shot so that they probably paused and put the right buttons in the bag before drawing and then started shooting again.

[BradandJanet]

I'm afraid of heights, so bridges are not exactly my friends, but when I looked at the photos of the three bridges, I had a thought. There are a lot of interesting design elements on the towers, the ironwork, archways and other elements that might be recognizable to someone who knows the particular bridge. Did they all incorporate something from the bridge? Kelly did with the bricks. Edmond used the X pattern from the steel but it wasn't very visible. Ashley was trying to make something "bridgey" with the printer that ended up being bones on a bright blue cape. Not sure how Merline or Candace referenced the bridge. Of course, none but Kelly's was in anyway avant-guard either, but that's another issue. 

[slothgirl]

Kromm, I'm getting heart palpitations looking at how high up those cable/bridge workers are in that picture. EEEEEEEEEEEK. Scared of heights! Don't fall! Scared of heights!  (*GRIN*)

Not me.. I LOVE heights and I always want to climb those bridge pathways when I see them!

[Julia]

I'm afraid of heights, so bridges are not exactly my friends, but when I looked at the photos of the three bridges, I had a thought. There are a lot of interesting design elements on the towers, the ironwork, archways and other elements that might be recognizable to someone who knows the particular bridge. Did they all incorporate something from the bridge? Kelly did with the bricks. Edmond used the X pattern from the steel but it wasn't very visible. Ashley was trying to make something "bridgey" with the printer that ended up being bones on a bright blue cape. Not sure how Merline or Candace referenced the bridge. Of course, none but Kelly's was in anyway avant-guard either, but that's another issue. 

 

Honestly, I didn't process the crocodile pattern on Kelly's dress as bricks, but I thought the lacing detail looked an awful lot like suspension cables.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Julia

[BradandJanet]

Honestly, I didn't process the crocodile pattern on Kelly's dress as bricks, but I thought the lacing detail looked an awful lot like suspension cables.

 

I think you just didn't stretch enough to try to make sense of what went down this runway, lol.  

 

I'm surprised everyone didn't go with a cable look. It's such an obvious detail. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Kelly's 3D printouts were also intended to be very bricky and I thought she pulled that off.  

 

Of course, none but Kelly's was in anyway avant-guard either, but that's another issue.

 

That's why I give her the win even though some others commented that it was ugly.  It definitely wasn't pretty, but I found it really innovative.  You could definitely see the inspiration which made it artful.  And honestly, it wasn't that horrifying for me.  I could definitely see it in a fashion show.  Artful fashion eventually inspires dull commercial fashion that we wear in our regular lives.  It's not supposed to that palpable or wearable.  I thought it was pretty exciting.  The fabric wasn't that sexy but what can you do.  She had a vision and that was the closest fabric she could find.

 

Edmond's was kind of artful and I thought he executed it absolutely beautifully, that's why I also give him runner up.  I know "I would wear that" isn't as legitimate a criteria, but I think a lot of women would want to own and wear that dress.  Even though it's meant for a skinny Minnie.  If you covered up the waist cutouts in sheer black or something.

Edited October 18, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[HunterHunted]

For the most part the Lifetime crop of designers only really do avant-garde designs during an unconventional materials challenge. I think that's part of why Kelly did so well. She had crappiest fabric to work with and had to be innovative. Yes, she chose that fabric. However, she might have started to do really dumb things with her design if she had a similar print on a silk.

[WicketyWack]

This episode has taught me something: that the area between the eyes is known as the "root" of the nose. I know this because of the horrid nose piercing of the 3D printing company director who introduced the challenge. It looked screamingly painful.

 

I wasn't really sure if Merline was being serious or not when she said "I love living in a 3D world. I see things in 3D when I walk." Merline, honey? Reality is in 3D. 

Edited October 19, 2015 by WicketyWack

[Kromm]

But sinkwriter, how is it decided that Brooklyn Bridge is an advantage?

 

1)  Because everyone agrees that Brooklyn Bridge is the best one?

2)  Because that's the one Kelly chose?

3)  Or because they want Kelly to have a bridge no one else has, and not have her compete with someone else?

 

Or all?  And then they didn't let any of the designers choose (I forget; was there button bag?  They could have had button bag to let a random designer also choose Brooklyn Bridge next; then eliminate that bridge, and so on).  Just straight up decided this assortment.  Found it capricious and arbitrary.

How about... the Brooklyn Bridge is the one that people all over the world know the appearance of, and has the most iconic visual elements, whereas the other two bridges are (visually at least) barely identifiable even to locals (who might mix them up visually I mean). I mean take the Queensboro Bridge. It's actually fairly interesting looking, but you'd have to go pretty literal to leverage that. And even still, you'd need a side by side photo with the bridge, whereas people have the Brooklyn Bridge in their heads already from so many years of being in movies and TV (the Manhattan Bridge is the real dog of this challenge--it doesn't have any interesting visual elements other than arguably the main tower design, which has a combo of laticework and a single big arch--and that's hardly unique).

 

Now it could be argued that the other two being less iconic gives more freedom to experiment with the design, but I think we've all seen through the years that the judges are all too likely to pull out the "didn't follow the challenge" objection whenever they're not slapped in the face with a direct visual resemblance between an outfit and the inspiration. They say they don't want literal, but... of course they do.. unless they want to slap someone down. So coming up with some rationale like "I saw triangles and was inspired by those triangles"?  It's bunk. It's not what they want to hear. They want the same color. If possible the same texture. If it has a visual element of the original in it, it better be BLATANT (like maybe photo realistic) or they're going to nitpick.

[Bebecat]

Most boring avant garde show ever.

[Kromm]

I think you just didn't stretch enough to try to make sense of what went down this runway, lol.  

 

I'm surprised everyone didn't go with a cable look. It's such an obvious detail. 

The Queensboro Bridge doesn't HAVE cables, so that's an obvious reason that wouldn't have worked. It's a cantilever bridge.  It's got a big lattice of steel girders instead.  Visually, if it were on a neck line or something like that, instead of being wires or laces, it would have to be something a lot chunkier, like metal chain.

 

The Manhattan Bridge IS a suspension bridge, so it has cables, but it's a standard suspension bridge (vs. a cable-stayed suspension type) and so the number of cables is far less. Most of the cabling on this type is completely vertical, so if you are representing it at all it would have to be something straight up and down on the dress.  Whereas the cable on The Brooklyn Bridge have that big complex web of cables--so it's the only one that could be represented the way Kelly did hers.

 

I wish they'd ditched the Manhattan Bridge and used The Williamsburg Bridge instead. 

 

Edited October 19, 2015 by Kromm

[dgpolo]

 

However, that does not explain why a second person did not get the Brooklyn Bridge also, AFTER that point.  Why is it decided that 2 people get Manhattan and 2 others get Queensborough and a second person does not get Brooklyn?  2 bridges had 2 designers, and  1 bridge (Brooklyn) had 1 designer; do you really not understand what I mean here?  It is a very strange arrangement.  It seemed like a biased set up for Kelly to win yet again.  I fully admitted that I think she did the best job and thought she should have won, but still.

No matter which bridge Kelly picked she would have been the ONLY designer to have that bridge, she chose The Brooklyn Bridge (smart girl) the button bag was used to find out which bridge the other four would have. Kelly was given the choice of which bridge as the winner of the last challenge and this challenge was set up so that the winner (whoever it might have been) would be the only designer assigned to that bridge.

Kelly won because she was the only designer to actually do an avant garde look. The show would have no idea that she would be the only one to do that, that she had the BB was not the factor that won her the challenge, what she did to express her inspiration was, she could have fallen flat even with the BB as her inspiration. I'm not really sure what the problem is about her being the only one with the BB, she could have crashed, someone else could have stepped up.

 

In the recap I got to see Edmund's dress up close and I think he did better than I originally thought. Kromm said this:

 

 

The Manhattan Bridge IS a suspension bridge, so it has cables, but it's a standard suspension bridge (vs. a cable-stayed suspension type) and so the number of cables is far less. Most of the cabling on this type is completely vertical, so if you are representing it at all it would have to be something straight up and down on the dress.

Edmund's dress had vertical stripes, which I didn't really see or notice on the runway, also his bodice- everyone was paying attention to the upper V where the breast's were, but the still photo really emphasized the big X that it was, along with all the little x's from the 3D printer. And didn't he say it was very windy the day they were doing their drawings by the bridge? and that was what the big swoop of fabric was supposed to represent? So I think his dress was very inspired by his bridge and the only problem was it wasn't AG enough, maybe if the swoop had been much larger or something?

[BradandJanet]

A metal gear cosplay costume would work for this challenge--overlocking gray metal pieces representing the lattice structure. Very avant guard. Unfortunately, I don't get to New York enough to identify the bridges from photos, but big bridges have metal frames. Apparently, most of the the designers were thinking generic bridge anyway, if they were thinking bridge at all. 

 

 

[Kromm]

A metal gear cosplay costume would work for this challenge--overlocking gray metal pieces representing the lattice structure. Very avant guard. Unfortunately, I don't get to New York enough to identify the bridges from photos, but big bridges have metal frames.

Not the Brooklyn Bridge, but that would probably fit for the Queensboro.

[Julia]

Is it weird that I think Natalia's steampunk dress from UTG would have done really well in this challenge?

Edited October 19, 2015 by Julia

[sergiane]

I can't stand Candice anymore! It's always the same dress! (at least she changed color). This season is so uninteresting!

[Calamity Jane]

Is it weird that I think Natalia's steampunk dress from UTG would have done really well in this challenge?

I'm going to guess it would not have, if she's the one I'm thinking of that was totally underrated by (among others) Tim Gunn.  heh.

[Julia]

I'm going to guess it would not have, if she's the one I'm thinking of that was totally underrated by (among others) Tim Gunn.  heh.

 

Point. Is it weird that I think Natalia's dress, if it had been produced by someone Tim didn't have his panties in a wad about, would have done really well in this challenge?

[Bebecat]

I don't get PR's fascination with bridges and buildings as inspiration for clothing. I could see maybe parks, zoos, nature, etc...I suppose. But they get carried away with this stuff. My favs are when they are designing for a specific event, which is what will happen in real,life. People go to a designer for very special occasions, if at all. They could do a lot more with weddings, sweet sixteen, award shows, first day on a new job, etc...

[kelslamu]

Before I read anything I wish to ask what the hell happened to Nina?  She's acting nice and it scares me.

[kelslamu]

These designers have no vision.   Edmond: "I looked at the bridge and saw X's.   And then I put my name in the X's."

 

WTF?

 

Kelly's was a freaking Halloween costume.   All it lacked were a couple Matchbox cars glued to the belt.

 

Ashley's get-up would have looked great on Gorgeous George.   Or maybe Andy Kauffman.   (The James Brown reference upthread was spot-on, too.)

 

Candace's would have been a stunning dress without all the 3-D nonsense, but it wasn't avante garde and it bore no relation to any bridge.  But of course her father worked on a bridge -- almost fell off a bridge (gasp) -- so who are we to question?

 

What do you know?  Merline sees in 3-D when she's walking.   Quite a skill.   Now if she could only manage to chew gum. 

 

 

 

Peeve: Candace gushing about how the 3-D printer dog and pony show was "all being run by a woman."   What is so surprising or impressive about that?   It feels like left-handed sexism.

 

And apropos of nothing, there is entirely too much high-fiving on this stupid show.   Merline even pantomimed high-fiving herself tonight.

I wondered if anyone else caught that Merline sees in 3D. lmao  I'm going to let the amber alert comment go as I don't think she really thought about that one before she said it.  Candace's surprise at a woman-owned business was just about stupid.  I just can't unsee matchbox cars on Kelly's design now.  

I'm really tired of Ashley and her lack of vision, I guess.  She should have been auf'd for even thinking about making a cape like that.  I just saw a slightly tacky summery outfit covered with a huge ballooning blue cape that had white things stuck to it.  She should have gone before Merline or both at the same time.  

I thought Kelly's too literal.  It was almost as if the judges were surprised by the simplistic literality (sp? even a word?) of it and decided to love it.  I am glad she got the printer though.  She just seems to be the most genuine person on there right now.  

[slothgirl]

I wasn't really sure if Merline was being serious or not when she said "I love living in a 3D world. I see things in 3D when I walk." Merline, honey? Reality is in 3D. 

I thought she said that she sees things in 3D when she WORKS. I took it to mean that because of her background in architecture, she thinks of clothing in 3 dimensional terms from the beginning rather than just as sketches that have to be adapted from a 2D concept to a 3D reality. Shape and form, not line and silhouette. It's one of the differences between being a painter and being a sculptor. Painters create an illusion of depth; sculptors work directly with depth and mass on something seen from every angle

 

Maybe I'm giving her too much credit (or other designers too little) concerning her thought and design process. I'm not sure her looks have relied any more on shape vs line than anyone else, and certainly they all seem to have trouble with the fact that their outfits need to look good from every angle.

 

At any rate, Merline does seem to live in another dimension! (and I love that about her)

Edited October 19, 2015 by slothgirl