S14.E14: Finale, Part 2

[potatoradio]

 

I think her point is that nobody should have to learn to camouflage anything, hence the short tops, see through thingy etc. At least, that what I understood from her collection and her website (the adress was posted here but I don't find it anymore... anyway...). I totally commend her for that because I'm getting tired of people getting shy when a little bit of fat is exposed and I fucking hate people say "she should cover herself, it's an eyesore" when they see a heavier woman wearing shorts as if cellulite has ever blinded anybody (except maybe Karl Lagerfeld but that's another story).

Too bad her clothes really were not my thing (I wouldn't be caught dead in a pastel anything because I hate it, like lace, blouaaargh) and she has no direction (or as some would say: talent) but I really think her intent was good with those eeeemmm... things : you don't have to hide, you're beautiful as it is.

Thank you.

 

Dear Nina - if you really want to "brave" and put some sincerity behind that golf clap applause, here's dare for ya. Put a plus size design in the pages of Marie Claire without one word about hiding "trouble" spots or other euphemisms that your magazine uses to lecture everyone on what parts of the body women should be ashamed of. Yes, I understand that fashion designers want to focus on their vision and therefore, prefer very thin bodies so that everyone just sees the clothes, but you know, I thought the show was far more visually interesting with different body sizes.

 

The biggest travesty of this season was, as others have said, the judges and their complete patronizing and self-congratulatory attitude toward being "inclusive," while the looks on their faces as Ashley's models came down the runway made me wonder if they'd need smelling salts for seeing a (gasp) midriff that didn't have a visible ribcage. You want to be revolutionary and forward thinking, show? Give all designers a range of body types to design for and just STFU about who should and shouldn't wear what. That's petty and dismissive and gives me a sadz.

 

Kelly's and Ashley's collections were, to me, the most visually interesting. Kelly's looked fun and I quite literally said, "wheee!" a few times. Ashely's is totally not my aesthetic, but I still thought it was entertaining, in a "I would never in a million years wear that, but hey, I kinda see your vision and whatnot" way. Edmund and Candice put me to sleep.

 

 

And I'm sorry, but thinking that a successful designer doesn't need to sew or understand construction is like saying a successful architect doesn't need to know how to draw or understand engineering.  It's impossible.

 

well, unless your name is Anya and you're hawt and have a "good eye" . Snerk.

Edited November 7, 2015 by potatoradio

[greenbean]

Delurkng to say ... I completely understand why Ashley won, and no, the fix was not in.

 

[...]

 

Between Kelly and Ashley, I think there was little to make one collection (not individual pieces) stand out in comparison with the other. On the other hand, experience in the business, consistency, and being in on the Zeitgeist have always been legitimate tie-breakers on the show since season 2. Ashley had all those things, and she has the tools to hit the ground running. Even had she won, the road ahead for Kelly might seem unclear.

 

This finale was a perfect reflection of how terrible this season was. The fault rests almost entirely with the designers. With the exception of Kelly, I never felt that any designer was striving toward something or was transformed by the experience. When they were eliminated, they deserved it (including Swapnil, who was this seasons Ven).

 

I agree with your assessment. I don't think it was a fix. Candice and Edmond were never going to win. Their collections were sub-par and inconsistent. I would have given Kelly the win because she had the stronger point of view, and the higher highs. But her collection also had the deeper lows compared to Ashley's designs, which were on trend. Ashley's collection was also the most cohesive and consistent, even though it was safer than Kelly's.

 

Candice is the one who really threw it away imo. I expected more from her, as did the judges.

[slothgirl]

I loved how Kelly managed to be the only one to ever make a fanny pack look nice.

 

I really don't understand the hate so many have for fanny packs. I loved the wood dress with the pack that matched up the knot in the wood. Given how so many women are always complaining about fashion being unpractical, I would think that fanny packs would be every woman's dream accessory. How is a purse that hangs from (read: "falls off") your shoulder or crosses your body (read: "bunches the fabric of your top") more fashionable than one that goes around your waist? Especially if the actual "purse" part sits on the front of your hip at about the same place as a fanny pack (at least that's where I wear my cross body bags) and if you were going to wear a belt anyway? How is it less fashionable than a belt and a cross body bag or purse hanging from (again.. read: falling off) your shoulder. It's like saying "belts are fashionable and purses are fashionable, but anyone who does the obvious thing of combining the 2 is TACKY"

 

Plus, you don't lose it when you put it down or get God-knows-what on the bottom of it every place you set it. And it's FAR more secure when traveling than a loose purse.

 

I really want belt bags to become a thing. And I LOVE Kelly for wearing one herself whether it's trendy or not, and I love her for trying to bring them back! They don't have to be the traditional fanny pack shape (and maybe that's where she went wrong) but belt bags ROCK.

 

 /end rant I've held in all season!

 

They pigeonholed poor Edmond into a "sexy" rut

 

I blame Heidi for that. The combination of his tight sexy clothing, plus the fact that she obviously found HIM sexy (and who can blame her? That man is FINE! ) doomed him to being summed up by "sexy" no matter how you looked at it.

 

This is what happens when a show is more concerned about rewarding work ethic and not work product.

 

I'm almost glad to hear that Ashley won, it makes it all so perfect.  

 

I don't understand your post.. are you being sarcastic or serious? I certainly wouldn't place Ashley's work ethic above the other 3. All 4 of them worked hard all season and on their final collections. Edmond was the most prepared contestant the show ever had. Kelly's attention to detail (whether one likes the details or not) wouldn't have gone far if she wasted time or didn't take this all VERY seriously. Candice may not have had the best demeanor, but she certainly was no slacker in her work ethic. And of course, Edmond and Kelly also had refreshing attitudes towards others all throughout the competition (aside from Edmond's Hanmioa disaster)

 

On the other hand, Ashley GLUED her decorations on her final piece which is supposed to be the showstopper.

 

How low-budget can this show get?  When the Lexus guy showed up, I thought he was going to award the winner a new car.  But, no.  He just wanted to announce that the contestants got to drive the 20 blocks from the workroom to Bryant Park in 2 cars among the 4 of them?  Seriously?  

 

I think a car is part of the prize package, but I've been wondering all season if it is the same prize contract that both Nick and the winner of UTG turned down because it was a costly lease or something,

[Vicky8675309]

OMG I can't believe this show. I just got caught up on this show (haven't seen the reunion) and am so pissed off. I haven't read any comments yet but doubt I am alone in my surprise and horror that Ashley won. I'm sure she is a nice woman but I am not a fan of the character/designer I watched on this edited reality show. Her crying, constant victimhood, insecure, ugly ass print picking, repetitive designs, sloppy fitting, crappy sewing ass drove me nuts all season. My disgust at the pandering delusional hypocritical "judges" is making me want to puke.

Edmond or Kelley should have won. I felt bad for Candice--the "judges" were so harsh with her. Yes, she annoyed me through the show but by the end of part 2 of the finale I felt bad for her and I hope after seeing who they picked as a winner, she realizes the judges opinions are messed up this season. Despite not being a fan of Candice, I would have picked her over Ashley for a winner. Poor Kelley--she was so upset at not winning. I think she is a winner since she will get many fans by being on this show (I hope she capitalizes from her exposure on the show). Same for Edmond (he's my favorite) and I hope his dreams are actualized. I am not a fan (duh) of Ashley but I do not wish anything bad on her. I don't think she is a happy person and I don't think she is very talented based on what I saw. I'm sure PR (and Elle) will promote her sad/negative/always the victim "designer". I hope she doesn't sabotage herself.

I really disagree with the judges about their pick as winner. Anyone of the other 3 would have been preferable. Especially Edmond or Kelly.

I hope I am not the only person upset/disappointed/enraged and I'm off to read the comments.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Vicky8675309

[slothgirl]

designing flattering clothing for plus-size women as a group is next to impossible.. There are five main female body shapes; apple, pear, rectangle, inverted triangle, and hourglass.

 

So, the question is, can a plus-size designer be profitable creating outfits that are only flattering to 1/5th of the plus-size market?

 

To be profitable and successful, a designer has to create clothing that is both attractive and flattering to the greatest number of customers. That is quite a challenge for those designing for the plus-size market, and I think it's why we don't see designers creating collections especially for plus-size women that are as flattering and fashion-forward as those which are available to taller, thinner women.

 

IMO, this is true of anything over a size 6 (a REAL size 6, not the vanity size 6 that would have been a 12 twenty years ago) so I'm not sure why it affects plus size designers more. Once you are past the runway model ruler shape, you are dealing with the other 4 shapes and dressing for them. I can accept that it becomes more crucial the larger you go, but the right cut and drape for your silhouette plus the right color (not to mention personal taste) is something that women of ALL sizes take into account, therefore all designers should be taking into account.

 

But they don't and that's the real issue. They all still design for runway models and even thinner women aren't THAT tall and thin. They aren't doing a variety of shapes in smaller sizes either. Higher waists are in these days it seems and as a low-waisted person, if I wear them, I have no waist at all and look frumpy even as a size 6. ALL women seem to be concerned about looking fatter, even those who aren't fat. So adding bulk where you don't want it isn't an issue that only affect plus size.

 

Of course, there are plenty of women who wear styles that aren't flattering to them simply because they don't even realize they look like crap. (Hell.. I love the dreaded FANNY PACKS!) and there is plenty of dreck out there that ends up on clearance racks even in small sizes.

 

Besides, designers don't want to do quantity over "quality". I'll bet they'd all rather design ONE dress for a celebrity than a line of RTW for Target.

 

but that dress made the model look like she was 500 lbs.!

I think that we get used to what we see in the mirror, and our ability to accept ourselves even the little bit that we do requires us to "normalize" our own body. When I spent all my time in the world of ballet, I thought the middle-aged women who took exercise classes at the studio were "fat". They probably had a BMI of 20-21 and they were usually toned. Now that I am one of them, I think girls who are as thin as I was are scary skinny, and a woman would have to be much larger for me to call her "fat". On the other hand, people still comment on how "thin" I am, but because I am so much bigger than I was, I've changed what I consider flattering on me. My body has gone from ruler to pear and now I'm getting a middle-age belly. It's disconcerting even at my size.

 

Ashley is not just a little overweight. She is dangerously and clinically obese. It would be interesting to know what her view of her models was. Compared to her, they are all small and the differences in their body shapes may not be apparent. To the fashion world they are "Plus", but from Ashley's own perspective, they may all just be "thin". She calls them "plus" because that's how they are defined by the world she wants to enter, but they are NOTHING like her own body shape.

 

So my point is that the extra weight that she is adding to her models may not even register to her when she looks at them if she has internally "normalized" her own body.

Edited November 7, 2015 by slothgirl

[RCharter]

I don't understand your post.. are you being sarcastic or serious? I certainly wouldn't place Ashley's work ethic above the other 3. All 4 of them worked hard all season and on their final collections. Edmond was the most prepared contestant the show ever had. Kelly's attention to detail (whether one likes the details or not) wouldn't have gone far if she wasted time or didn't take this all VERY seriously. Candice may not have had the best demeanor, but she certainly was no slacker in her work ethic. And of course, Edmond and Kelly also had refreshing attitudes towards others all throughout the competition (aside from Edmond's Hanmioa disaster)

The point is that they got rid of a very talented designer due to lack of work ethic, not because of work product.

 

When you set the standard for the show that you're rewarding work effort over work product or that work effort should even be a criteria on which to send a person home you get a winner like Ashley.  Someone who produced inferior work product....but put in a whole lotta effort.

 

When you want to watch Project Really Nice, Project Really Hard Work, or Project But I Tried Super Hard......this is the result the show deserves.  So....Ashley and her ugly collection absolutely deserve the win.  I guess since they all worked so hard, they had to give extra points for who worked really hard at crying, and who worked really hard at creating a sob story.  So Ashley for the win!

[Vicky8675309]

glued on flowers…. yet she won. Didn't she also sew an inside zipper on the outside and then paint it darker so it wasn't as obvious? Also how did she fix the busted zipper that happened right before the runway? Seriously, her collection was atrocious!

[Rhondinella]

The plus size models were horrible walkers. Yikes.

 

 

Thank you!!  I just finished watching and came here specifically to comment on this (since everyone else has said everything there is to be said about Kelly being robbed and the season being fixed for Ashley).  What was up with those plus-size models?  Watching them walk made me wonder if they were actual professional models at all or just random women from off the streets who were the right size.  Some of them seemed like they'd never walked a runway in their lives.  I just kept thinking how Ms. J would have a field day imitating their pitiful walks.

[backgroundnoise]

Since OMG A PLUS SIZE FW SHOW seems to be such a innovative, daring thing to do, I bet these models do mainly print work and so don't have the same experience in actually walking a runway show.

[Madding crowd]

I'm going to be unpopular and say that Swapnil's fashion week showing was very costume and overworked. I didn't really like much of it and don't think he would have won. I also don't think there was any particular fix in for Ashley's win. The judges always favor clothes that have an original point of view and are cohesive over well done and classic, always. I didn't particularly care for Ashley's looks, but I did think her point of view was original. My main complaint was regarding the construction; I also maintain that a fashion week collection needs to be impeccable. As for whether or not plus size women can or cannot wear this; I have an issue with the idea that plus size people have to be constrained to whatever a thin person thinks they should wear. I wouldn't wear it because it isn't my style, but I would have no problem with another plus size woman wearing this or anything else they want to wear. 

 

As for Kelly being so much younger than Laura Bennett as mentioned above, well she is 31 and Laura was 42 when she showed on PR. Laura was interested in evening wear and Kelly is interested in disco wear so I don't think the two can be compared. I don't care for Kelly's work or her personal style. She seems nice but no nicer than Ashley, Candice or Edmond. 

 

I also kind of walk a line with Tim Gunn. His favoritism annoys me and yes he was rude and unprofessional with Swapnil. But, I think he really cares about his role as a mentor and since fashion is very subjective, I think he is giving his genuine opinion on what the judges will like. In the end, we all have our preferences which is evident by how some love and some hate Kelly's clothes. The judges are human beings too. In the end, I thought Ashley or Kelly would win. I wanted Edmond to win but it seems the younger generation is really going away from elegant gowns and towards casual looks and i think that was reflected in the decision by the judges. This is all my opinion of course, but I continue to believe there is no conspiracy, just a decision by the judges in a very middle of the road show.

[Rhondinella]

Since OMG A PLUS SIZE FW SHOW seems to be such a innovative, daring thing to do, I bet these models do mainly print work and so don't have the same experience in actually walking a runway show.

 

Ok, excellent point.

[slothgirl]

I think the reason that Kelly was so distressed and upset is the same reason almost everyone here is.  She saw what went down the runway.  She saw exactly what we did.  While not my aesthetic, Kelly's clothing was fun, well made, and looked good on her models.

 

She, also, did what the judges had asked of her.  I can't imagine what was going through her head while she and Ashley were standing on the runway during final judging .... "Oh, I've got this, I really got this!!!...."I'm gonna win - I can't believe I'm gonna win"....."Wait a fucking minute - what did Heidi just say? - Did she make a mistake?  Ashley won? - HOW CAN THAT HAVE HAPPENED? - WHAT THE FUCK!!!!"

 

 

The past few episodes, plus Tim's reaction at her home visit gave her a false sense of security. And as you say, she did just what they told her to do after the mini-show.

 

As to the internal monologue you posted... well, that was what was going through everyone else's head at that point, so I can believe it was going through Kelly's too!

 

 And Nina practically offered her a job on Marie Claire, too.  Ugh.

Yes and no.. I think she offered to mentor her. So on the one hand, she wants to make sure that what goes in MC won't embarrass them, but on the other hand they want Plus in MC because that's the latest bandwagon. So in some ways, Ashley is perfect... she's just insecure enough to allow someone as bitchy as Nina to "mold" her, but she already has (or so they thought... wonder if they are surprised by the reaction to this win?) fan appeal and market buzz. If they read the internet chatter early in the season, they would have assumed that fans would have LOVED an Ashley win.

 

Also, Tim was noticeably absent during the final judging.  I may be wrong, but I think he was always there - not to judge, but to offer comments, much as he does throughout the season now.  

 

I honestly don't think that Tim thought that Ashley deserved the win.

Don't they usually also do the "someone else is here to celebrate with you!" bit and bring Tim out to congratulate the winner on the runway after the family? Did they do that this time? I don't remember Tim being there for that, but I also was busy shaking my head and rolling my eyes, so I could have missed it.

 

I felt so bad for Candace. I hated that she didn't do her line, just because she honestly trusted them that her clothes weren't good enough. Now, I didn't like some of the pieces last week, but were they really too "costume-y" for fashion week? I just feel bad that they trashed her.

I almost cried when Kelly left the runway. She always put so much more effort and herself into her clothes, that seeing her devastated just saddened me so deeply. The judges built her confidence up, and then didn't have the backbone to follow through.

They badly needed Candice to tone it down, not because she would win if she stuck to her vision, but because her collection would be the most memorable if she had included all those over-the-top pieces. They needed Ashley's to be the one people talked about the most afterwards.

 

They really messed with Kelly over the last few episodes, knowing they were only going to give the win to someone else, and it was all just to fake everyone out. It was cruel.

[tobeannounced]

I about gagged when Ashley referred to "the plus size community."  Really?  Is that a thing?  She said it on Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe too.  I'm plus size, but I didn't know we had a community.

 

Also gagged over the fake fawning about how "brave" Ashley is and how "brave" using plus size models is.  It's not cancer, people.  And I'll believe it when I start seeing it represented in fashion magazines.

Edited November 7, 2015 by tobeannounced

[sinkwriter]

 

I about gagged when Ashley referred to "the plus size community."  Really?  Is that a thing?  She said it on Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe too.  I'm plus size, but I didn't know we had a community.

 

I imagine there are plenty of communities online. I didn't find that comment offensive or ridiculous. Lots of people bond online for many reasons. (Including us here, chatting about TV, LOL.)

[laprin]

I don't think the judges liked any of the collections that much so they said screw it and voted for an agenda.

Edited November 7, 2015 by laprin

[RealityCowgirl]

I about gagged when Ashley referred to "the plus size community."  Really?  Is that a thing?  She said it on Fashionably Late with Rachel Zoe too.  I'm plus size, but I didn't know we had a community.

 

Also gagged over the fake fawning about how "brave" Ashley is and how "brave" using plus size models is.  It's not cancer, people.  And I'll believe it when I start seeing it represented in fashion magazines.

We tried sending you an invitation, but the post office returned it to headquarters. Something about a wrong zip code.

;)

[TwirlyGirly]

RococoChanel, on 07 Nov 2015 - 08:06 AM, said:RococoChanel, on 07 Nov 2015 - 08:06 AM, said:

<snip> Kelly had a lot of wins on the show and I totally understood her aesthetic, but all the clothes in her final collection looked CHEAP and like they came out of a Delia's catalog circa 1996. <snip>

 

 

 

I think Kelly's issues are twofold; prior to PR, her designs were based on remaking/redesigning inexpensive thrift store finds, and she has no formal training in design.

 

Working with luxe fabrics can be downright scary, especially when you're used to chopping up a jacket you plucked out of a bin at the Salvation Army for 5.00. She has neither been exposed to nor worked with the type of fabrics the judges would expect to see used by designers who were given 9000.00 for the materials for their collections. In Kelly's TH after the budget for the runway show was announced, I remember her saying her car only cost 500.00.

 

Had Kelly been able to go to design school, she would have been exposed to those types of materials and been taught how to work with them. Although her aesthetic is not my style (former disco queen here, but my crowd did not dress like that; we wore drapey full skirts in soft fabrics because that's what looked best when spinning across the dance floor), her entire collection would have been elevated had she used better quality fabrics and trims.

 

I think Kelly shows a lot of promise. What would benefit her, I think, would be a trip to Europe (London, Paris, Milan) so she can really immerse herself in high fashion. She would then know how to integrate those fabrics and design elements into her signature style. Unfortunately, unless an anonymous benefactor knocks on her door and presents her with a hefty check, such a trip is out of Kelly's reach, I'm afraid.

 

Pity.

 

Quote

SLOTHGIRL, on 07 Nov 2015 - 1:31 PM said:

Ashley is not just a little overweight. She is dangerously and clinically obese. It would be interesting to know what her view of her models was. Compared to her, they are all small and the differences in their body shapes may not be apparent. To the fashion world they are "Plus", but from Ashley's own perspective, they may all just be "thin". She calls them "plus" because that's how they are defined by the world she wants to enter, but they are NOTHING like her own body shape.

 

So my point is that the extra weight that she is adding to her models may not even register to her when she looks at them if she has internally "normalized" her own body.

 

 

That is an excellent point and one that I had not even considered, but I think you're absolutely right.

Edited November 7, 2015 by TwirlyGirly

[BadThoughts]

I think Kelly's issues are twofold; prior to PR, her designs were based on remaking/redesigning inexpensive thrift store finds, and she has no formal training in design.

 

Working with luxe fabrics can be downright scary, especially when you're used to chopping up a jacket you plucked out of a bin at the Salvation Army for 5.00. She has neither been exposed to nor worked with the type of fabrics the judges would expect to see used by designers who were given 9000.00 for the materials for their collections. In Kelly's TH after the budget for the runway show was announced, I remember her saying her car only cost 500.00.

 

Had Kelly been able to go to design school, she would have been exposed to those types of materials and been taught how to work with them. Although her aesthetic is not my style (former disco queen here, but my crowd did not dress like that; we wore drapey full skirts in soft fabrics because that's what looked best when spinning across the dance floor), her entire collection would have been elevated had she used better quality fabrics and trims.

 

I think Kelly shows a lot of promise. What would benefit her, I think, would be a trip to Europe (London, Paris, Milan) so she can really immerse herself in high fashion. She would then know how to integrate those fabrics and design elements into her signature style. Unfortunately, unless an anonymous benefactor knocks on her door and presents her with a hefty check, such a trip is out of Kelly's reach, I'm afraid.

 

Pity.

The producers did her a disservice by describing her as coming from Boston. Springfield (although technically, she's from Monson) was once an elegant city centered on precision manufacturing, but now seems to fall behind year after year. The best fashion she might experience would be a few boutiques in Northampton, but they would not be enough to expose her to a broad range of fashion. I hope she does get out of the area.

[zxy556575]

The show has always skipped over the financial details of the contestants' lives during Tim's home visits. Have most of them gone back to work, or are they devoting their attention full time to their collections? If the latter, it seems like six weeks is sufficient time to make 10 outfits. Six months is just asking for procrastination and foot-dragging indecisiveness. I've also never really understood why designers arrive back in NY with so much left to finish, in addition to all the necessary alterations/model fitting. Time management, people!

 

I'd like to see a rule change that allows finalists to hire seamstresses or contract out some work. What do I care if they personally sewed every stitch? I'd much rather see well-made pieces that are an accurate representation of the designers' ideas. Ashley would probably be getting a lot less flack if her garments had at least been well constructed.

Edited November 7, 2015 by lordonia

[Merneith]

 

The only one who really probably deserved a win was, oddly, Swapnil. See his collection: http://samisblond.blogspot.com/2015/10/swapnil-shinde-decoy-collection.html

 

Oh DAMMIT, Swapnil.

[slothgirl]

Wow... I finally got through all 8 pages of posts!

 

. Saying "strong woman" is like calling Tenley Albright a "woman doctor." It's redundant.

 

Hee.. a figure skating reference that has nothing to do with bad designs or nude illusion netting!
 :)

 

What was with that runway last night?  It looked like a high school gymnasium that they tricked out just for the show.   The runway was at floor level.   Did NYFW refuse PR use of a real runway?

 

Commentary on The Project Runway Facebook page reads like a hearts-and-minds campaign between exuberant overweight people and those calling bullshit on the show.

I wonder if anyone other than folks associated with PR even attend the show? They make this big deal out of everyone showing at Fashion Week, but I get the impression that no one of any real importance in the fashion world is even there to see the PR show. It also seems to be in a smaller venue than the early seasons (meaning fewer seats to fill once all the PR folks are taken into account). Given how cheap'ed out the sponsors of this show have become (soon it will be the Goodwill thrift store accessory wall with hair and makeup by the toiletries section of Wallmart) it wouldn't surprise me if they were doing the show in a high school gym in Queens and it only coincides with Fashion Week, but is not a real part of it at all.

[ByaNose]

Yeah, I think star power of PR has weakened over the years. As with all reality shows. The venue did look a lot smaller and I think it's the same reason that they don't the show at Parsons and created the work room in a studio. The only real designer who has made a name for themselves is Chrsitian Sorano and that's because Heidi wears a lot of his stuff. I still enjoy the show (as horrible as this season winner is) and, I just like watching the show to see who out of those people will win. It's the same reason I like Survivor, The Amazing Race & Big Brother. It's a big game and you never know who will win. With all that said, I haven't been this appalled of the winner since Gretchen Jones. At least, there was a divide between Heidi, Nina, Kors & guest judge Jessica Simpson. Here it seems they were all in agreement. Ugh!!

[leighdear]

So I respectfully disagree with the posters who are complaining it was a "terrible" season that "jumped the shark."  (By the way, "jump the shark" has jumped the shark by now.)  I hope the show gets renewed again.

My personal new phrase for this is that "This show has Cartwheeled the Catfish".  

 

And yeah, even though I'm not happy with the result, I'll be watching again next season too.  

[HunterHunted]

The show has always skipped over the financial details of the contestants' lives during Tim's home visits. Have most of them gone back to work, or are they devoting their attention full time to their collections? If the latter, it seems like six weeks is sufficient time to make 10 outfits. Six months is just asking for procrastination and foot-dragging indecisiveness. I've also never really understood why designers arrive back in NY with so much left to finish, in addition to all the necessary alterations/model fitting. Time management, people!

I'd like to see a rule change that allows finalists to hire seamstresses or contract out some work. What do I care if they personally sewed every stitch? I'd much rather see well-made pieces that are an accurate representation of the designers' ideas. Ashley would probably be getting a lot less flack if her garments had at least been well constructed.

They are allowed to contract out a certain level of work as long as they can provide receipts and they have paid market rate. Emilio had someone make him a textile with his logo. And didn't Dom have all of her texiles made just for her? Jeffrey Sebelia had to eliminate wigs and some pleated leather work because he couldn't show receipts. Kara Saun got in trouble because she got a shoe designer to specially make her shoes for free. And they oohed and ahhed over Gretchen making her own jewelry because presumably that is something contestants have outsourced in the past with receipts to prove it. I think the contestants have to do all of the primary sewing on the clothing, but specialty work like making prints, jewelry, laser cutting, and even Jeffrey's pleating are allowable with receipts. I bet you some measure of beading can be outsourced.

Tom and Lorenzo said that designers have told them that production told them to arrive in New York with some work unfinished for them to shoot the finishing.

Edited November 7, 2015 by HunterHunted

[millennium]

I wonder if anyone other than folks associated with PR even attend the show? They make this big deal out of everyone showing at Fashion Week, but I get the impression that no one of any real importance in the fashion world is even there to see the PR show. It also seems to be in a smaller venue than the early seasons (meaning fewer seats to fill once all the PR folks are taken into account). Given how cheap'ed out the sponsors of this show have become (soon it will be the Goodwill thrift store accessory wall with hair and makeup by the toiletries section of Wallmart) it wouldn't surprise me if they were doing the show in a high school gym in Queens and it only coincides with Fashion Week, but is not a real part of it at all.

 

I always had the impression the show was held at some ungodly hour of the early morning, so as not to interfere with any of the real designer shows that may be using the space later in the day.   The celebrities or industry people in attendance always seem very B or C list.

 

I have often wondered what respect, if any, Project Runway gets in the actual fashion industry.  

[Calamity Jane]

I always had the impression the show was held at some ungodly hour of the early morning, so as not to interfere with any of the real designer shows that may be using the space later in the day.   The celebrities or industry people in attendance always seem very B or C list.

 

I have often wondered what respect, if any, Project Runway gets in the actual fashion industry.  

Whatever it is now, I'm sure it's less than it was 10 years ago.  Sadly. 

[millennium]

Even the Guest Judges aren't from industry backgrounds, but are product tie-ins.  Hard to miss Carrie Underwood's commercial for her new album.

 

I eagerly await Colonel Sanders as a guest judge.   Or maybe Flo.

 

Kors was wise to jump ship when he did.

[HunterHunted]

There show used to have fantastic guest judges: Donna Karan, Francisco Costa, Diane Von Furstenberg, Roberta Cavalli, Kate Spade, Vera Wang, Catherine Malandrino, Cynthia Rowley.

[slothgirl]

There show used to have fantastic guest judges: Donna Karan, Francisco Costa, Diane Von Furstenberg, Roberta Cavalli, Kate Spade, Vera Wang, Catherine Malandrino, Cynthia Rowley.

Now the show has elevated itself above Vera Wang, judging from trash-takling comments made by Zac criticizing outfits for looking too much like Nancy Kerrigan (yeah, I know... let it go, Slothgirl.. it was just such an ignorant thing for someone of his supposed stature and experience to say)

[Calamity Jane]

Even the Guest Judges aren't from industry backgrounds, but are product tie-ins.  Hard to miss Carrie Underwood's commercial for her new album.

 

I eagerly await Colonel Sanders as a guest judge.   Or maybe Flo.

 

Kors was wise to jump ship when he did.

Yes, it seems to me - just an impression, nothing I've really researched  - that things have fallen off pretty dramatically since Michael, his oh so sharp tongue,  and his orange face left the show.  And I think the last season he was on, his heart was not in it at all.  He was smart enough to see where things were heading, maybe he realized the talent pool was greatly diminished for whatever reasons, the product placement was getting more outrageous, none of it was the same as it had been.  I wish I could quit, but heaven help me, I'll watch until the bitter, bitter end.  PR junkie, that's me.

[NikSac]

I wonder if anyone other than folks associated with PR even attend the show? They make this big deal out of everyone showing at Fashion Week, but I get the impression that no one of any real importance in the fashion world is even there to see the PR show. It also seems to be in a smaller venue than the early seasons (meaning fewer seats to fill once all the PR folks are taken into account). Given how cheap'ed out the sponsors of this show have become (soon it will be the Goodwill thrift store accessory wall with hair and makeup by the toiletries section of Wallmart) it wouldn't surprise me if they were doing the show in a high school gym in Queens and it only coincides with Fashion Week, but is not a real part of it at all.

 

I've wondered this before too. Who goes to this show?  Does anyone actually seek out the PR show anymore, if they ever did? I would just because I like the show (in spite of the crap that's happened on it at times), but only if it was free, and I'm no fashion industry person, guru, merchandiser, or anything like that.

 

re: the bolded part - aw c'mon now, they've still got CVS/Walgreens/Rite Aid and Target to get through before they're into the Walmart cosmetics.

[Broderbits]

Millennium said:

 

Kors was wise to jump ship when he did.

Yes, it proves what a savvy businessman he is. When he started on PR his star had fallen quite a ways since he was the Next Big Thing. His exposure on the show has allowed him to rebuild his brand back up to a billion-dollar business, and I imagine he left when his contract let him.

[Former Nun]

Didn't she also sew an inside zipper on the outside and then paint it darker so it wasn't as obvious?

 

 

Not dark enough!  It ruined the piece for me.  I'm tired of all those "obvious" zippers anyway.

[NikSac]

The show has always skipped over the financial details of the contestants' lives during Tim's home visits. Have most of them gone back to work, or are they devoting their attention full time to their collections? If the latter, it seems like six weeks is sufficient time to make 10 outfits. Six months is just asking for procrastination and foot-dragging indecisiveness. I've also never really understood why designers arrive back in NY with so much left to finish, in addition to all the necessary alterations/model fitting. Time management, people!

 

I'd like to see a rule change that allows finalists to hire seamstresses or contract out some work. What do I care if they personally sewed every stitch? I'd much rather see well-made pieces that are an accurate representation of the designers' ideas. Ashley would probably be getting a lot less flack if her garments had at least been well constructed.

 

Hm that's a good point. Much as I don't want them to focus on the "non-fashion" stuff too much, it'd be interesting to find out at least a little bit more about their finances before/after.  I'm not talking showing bank statements, but what is it that they do for a living that they can leave for weeks, possibly months, do they end up losing jobs over this, etc.?  Do they end up getting a boost after the show even if they don't win?  I'm sure I'm forgetting some but "Kelly from the deli" is the only one where I remember hearing much about what she did outside of design, and I assume that was probably a just barely minimum wage gig.

 

I really like that idea about them being able to hire people to do some of the work, too. Maybe the designers can't even afford to hire people on their own but what if they could use a portion of their fabric budget for that purpose?  Could be interesting to see what choices they make between fabric and construction. Ashley for example probably could have benefited from having somewhat cheaper fabric but having someone help her sew. Kelly might have benefited too if she could hire someone who was better able to work with the fancier fabrics she's not so familiar with. The designers who can already sew really well would benefit too, because they could afford more nice fabric and not having to use the money to hire others. The more I think about it I really, really like that idea!

[mansonlamps]

I can't imagine that someone like Kelly, or frankly any of these finalists with the possible exception of Candace whose house made it seem like she has money, could afford six more weeks with no paycheck. I assume they make their runway fashions at night after their full time jobs. Which definitely puts the earlier season contestants and the independently wealthy at an advantage. So what else is new;)

[NewDigs]

Bolding mine.

Even the Guest Judges aren't from industry backgrounds, but are product tie-ins.  Hard to miss Carrie Underwood's commercial for her new album.

 

I eagerly await Colonel Sanders as a guest judge.   Or maybe Flo.

 

Kors was wise to jump ship when he did.

Norm MacDonald might be an improvement.

Though Flo might be the straw...

[Kromm]

I'm shocked Ashley won.  I thought Kelly had it.

I just deleted this show off my DVR.

I got nothing other than that was a steaming pile of horse shit. Kelly was the winner as far as I am concerned.

I managed to stay unspoiled until I was able to watch last night and all I can say is what utter and absolute horse shit. I didn't even particularly like most of Kelly's stuff this season, but she won that runway by a million miles. Ashley's collection wasn't made up of beautiful pieces that just happened to be plus-sized, it was a bunch of tacky, ill-made, fat people clothes. I'm definitely plus-sized by the fashion world's standards and I would be embarrassed to wear any of those garments.

OMG I can't believe this show. I just got caught up on this show (haven't seen the reunion) and am so pissed off. I haven't read any comments yet but doubt I am alone in my surprise and horror that Ashley won.

The show is making a ridiculous (and frankly horribly condescending) political-correctness-driven statement.  

 

Ashley's collection wasn't just bad. It was ludicrously bad. Rewarding it to seem to "accept" plus-size (or maybe exploit it) should terribly insult every plus sized woman who actually kills herself to look good. Turns out they can just wear horrible lace, in putrid pastel colors, with bad fit and form choices.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Kromm

[Wings]

The show is making a ridiculous (and frankly horribly condescending) political-correctness-driven statement.  

 

Ashley's collection wasn't just bad. It was ludicrously bad. Rewarding it to seem to "accept" plus-size (or maybe exploit it) should terribly insult every plus sized woman who actually kills herself to look good. Turns out they can just wear horrible lace, in putrid pastel colors, with bad fit and form choices.

 

Yes yes yes yes yes!

[Kromm]

Candice's kind of bored me.

Well that's because the judges (deliberately?) sabotaged her with their critique. She took out everything non-boring, because they hammered on that. Then guess what? They didn't reward that change.

[SSAHotchner]

I couldn't even come here before tonight. Such a travesty. I will not watch anymore. It's been going downhill for years, but this is the last straw for me. Shame on Heidi. 

[zxy556575]

I can't imagine that someone like Kelly, or frankly any of these finalists with the possible exception of Candace whose house made it seem like she has money, could afford six more weeks with no paycheck. I assume they make their runway fashions at night after their full time jobs. Which definitely puts the earlier season contestants and the independently wealthy at an advantage. So what else is new;)

 

Do they get paid for their appearance on the show? Contestants on other reality shows sometimes get more money the longer they stay.

Edited November 8, 2015 by lordonia

[Miss Ruth]

Frankly, I would like to see what Ashley designs for the morbidly obese woman. If the junk she wore is any indication, I guess I wouldn't want to see it after all.  :)

[anonymiss]

I really don't understand the hate so many have for fanny packs. I loved the wood dress with the pack that matched up the knot in the wood. Given how so many women are always complaining about fashion being unpractical, I would think that fanny packs would be every woman's dream accessory. How is a purse that hangs from (read: "falls off") your shoulder or crosses your body (read: "bunches the fabric of your top") more fashionable than one that goes around your waist? Especially if the actual "purse" part sits on the front of your hip at about the same place as a fanny pack (at least that's where I wear my cross body bags) and if you were going to wear a belt anyway? How is it less fashionable than a belt and a cross body bag or purse hanging from (again.. read: falling off) your shoulder. It's like saying "belts are fashionable and purses are fashionable, but anyone who does the obvious thing of combining the 2 is TACKY"

 

Plus, you don't lose it when you put it down or get God-knows-what on the bottom of it every place you set it. And it's FAR more secure when traveling than a loose purse.

 

I really want belt bags to become a thing. And I LOVE Kelly for wearing one herself whether it's trendy or not, and I love her for trying to bring them back! They don't have to be the traditional fanny pack shape (and maybe that's where she went wrong) but belt bags ROCK.

 

 /end rant I've held in all season!

 

 

I blame Heidi for that. The combination of his tight sexy clothing, plus the fact that she obviously found HIM sexy (and who can blame her? That man is FINE! ) doomed him to being summed up by "sexy" no matter how you looked at it.

Kelly made the fanny packs flattering while also being functional. I think she had them sling across the torso which elongates and accentuates rather than as an additional pouch across the waist, which most people don't need another of.

Edited November 8, 2015 by anonymiss

[AwesomO4000]

... & while I liked the colors in Ashley’s collection, I didn’t see a single outfit I liked, & I thought a number of them were badly fitting. [snip] ... but I think the last outfit in her collection may feature in my nightmares tonight.

 

I agree. Though I think I liked the plum lace and granny-pantie dress in spite of myself.. and in spite of the fact that I know it's been done before, so for me that it was on a plus-sized model - who had the beautiful hour-glass type figure to pull it off - did not make it innovative, so my liking it I think was partly due to the model rocking the outfit.

 

That last outfit, though? When I saw it, my first thought was in Wesley's voice from The Princess Bride as he was describing in his bluff to Prince Humperdink what the people would be thinking/saying after Wesley subjected him to a duel "to the pain" and they would be seeing Prince Humperdink's subsequent disfigurement... "Dear God! What is that thing?" Because yeah, how that thing could be in a winning collection, but somehow Edmond's final two dresses made him out of the running just seems rather random to me. In fact, I'm pretty sure that in a past show there was one poor designer who was eliminated in a wedding dress challenge for putting silk roses all over her dress in a much more artistic manner than Ashley's outfit, even though it was exactly what the client wanted and it fit her very well (if I'm remembering correctly). But I think it was declared too quaint and derivative and not fashion forward enough. And with not enough of the designer's voice... That last one at least didn't apply to Ashley here - I think that was her voice - I'm just not sure that's enough to excuse all the rest.

[dbell1]

I swear Zac's voice and face changed when he was praising that 'finale' dress and she said the flowers were glued on. Any other designer would have been ripped to shreds for using a glue gun, but she skated by that too.

Did Aube at least get the MarieClaire spread? She deserved it after what she had to wear and sell all season.

[NikSac]

Do they still do the model awards on this show?  I know they did for at least one season, but I didn't think so anymore. If they do Aube deserves it 100%.

[breezy424]

So, when it comes down to it, it was either between Kelley or Ashley.  Edmund just dropped the ball.  He did have a few very nice designs but he also had some meh pieces and it didn't have cohesion.  What was his 'theme'?  I can't remember.   That's how bad it failed.  Too bad.  I think he has talent.  Candice?  For all her ego and belief in being a mentor, she failed in the theme and cohesion department as well.

 

Was is a travesty that Ashley won?  What was so special about Kelley's collection?  What was sooo different?  Studio 54?  Like that's new?  While Ashley had lace and flowers, Kelley had glittered shoes and headphones.  Most plus size women wouldn't wear Ashley's designs?  Would most non plus sized women wear Kelley's or even Candice or Edmund's?  Ashley's pastels - yuck?  Kelley's spandex glitter rich looking?  Not.   

 

In the end, there were no 'stand out' designers this season.  But I give it to Ashley.  Like it or not, she did have the most original theme.  What she designed was fun.  She had the most cohesive collection.  I don't particularly care for lace but she did have nice color combinations and it was fun.  Kelley had some great pieces but her theme was nothing special or original.  Ashley didn't win because she was the fat girl designing the first PR collection for plus size women.  She won it because she had the most original cohesive collection.  The other designers lost because they set the bar on themselves so low they held the door open for Ashley.   

[WicketyWack]

Ashley's first model walked like someone put stilettos on a 50-year-old trucker.

 

Her collection was just as horrid as I feared. Speaking as a big girl, I'd much rather they had waited to anoint a plus-size designer who actually knows how to design for plus-sized women. That whole outcome was so condescending and insulting to bigger women. Here you go, ladies, here is a designer "for you," never mind that she doesn't address any of the issues that big girls face when choosing clothing. And never mind that the clothes are unfinished, amateurish and fucking glued together. 

[RemoteControlFreak]

The producers did her a disservice by describing her as coming from Boston. Springfield (although technically, she's from Monson) was once an elegant city centered on precision manufacturing, but now seems to fall behind year after year. The best fashion she might experience would be a few boutiques in Northampton, but they would not be enough to expose her to a broad range of fashion. I hope she does get out of the area.

Kelly has lived in Boston since she was 16; she's about 31 now (http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/11/kelly_dempsey_watches_project_runway_season_14_finale_monson_massachusetts.html).  That's plenty of time to be exposed to high end fashion stores. And she wasn't living in a convent in Monson.  Fashion is accessible in magazines and online and she might have even had a car to travel further than Northampton.

Edited November 8, 2015 by RemoteControlFreak

[RemoteControlFreak]

I can't imagine that someone like Kelly, or frankly any of these finalists with the possible exception of Candace whose house made it seem like she has money, could afford six more weeks with no paycheck. I assume they make their runway fashions at night after their full time jobs. Which definitely puts the earlier season contestants and the independently wealthy at an advantage. So what else is new;)

Edmond appears to have an established design business in Atlanta:  http://www.edmondnewton.com/#!bio/c1e20

 

According to Ashley's home visit she lives in her sister's house and also works as a nanny to her niece, so her living expenses are covered.