S05.E11: State Of The Art

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Tensions run high as the designers are pushed to the limit to create avant-garde fashion inspired by contemporary art.

[terrymct]

I agree with Ken. That WAS bulls$&t. Sam should have gone home again. Issac obviously saved him.

[Primetimer]

And, as usual, no one can agree on what 'avant-garde' means. Your editors discuss!

Read the story

[avecsans]

Wow what a non-shocker. Sam paints a rainbow on fabric and drapes it on the model, and that's avant grade, Isaac? Although I don't think any of them really can define what avant garde means. First Alyssa said that she was looking forward to seeing their wearable art. Then she told Dom her dress was too wearable?

Isaac is iconic. Boy George is iconic. Alyssa, you keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.

[DHDancer]

I'm glad there was a discussion about what avant garde was wrt the designer.  I agree that for Dom, that was very avant garde.  Ditto for Emily.  I definitely think AG means different things to different people, ESPECIALLY when coupled with "wearable"....

 

Sam really did looked hurt by Ken's comments: maybe his first real dose of reality?

[Whodunnit]

At least if he had added some sticks and kite string it would have been funny... this proves to me that Alyssa is a better designer than Sam.

[milner]

I wish at this stage, and considering they are all-stars, that Zara(?) wouldn't give them critiques.  Both last week with the seer-sucker jumpsuit and this with the rainbow dress, she saved Sam's butt.  He is supposed to be an all star designer, let his design stand.

[weightyghost]

With Emily, I can't believe they said it should be in all black. And that would make it MORE avant garde? Really??

And "it looks like a kite stuck in a tree" "I knnnooow I love it" stfu Isaac. Pretty sure he'll still sleep with you if he comes in fifth. It's time to stop.

[NorthstarATL]

I think Avant Garde can pretty much be defined as "wouldn't look out of place in a Star Wars movie", in which case Ken's was perfect. I knew Sam's trip to the bottom (not like that!) would result in Emily's elimination, but it was probably something he needed. Especially after the pandering explanation of his rainbow dress! (Though I DO think that gay marriage is the key to Sam's ultimate goal of Trophy Spouse who dabbles in design.) They were right about Kini. Without the black bodysuit that was not an AG dress. I wonder if he's not letting his resentment toward Sam dampen his creative skills? Man George was a fun judge. I still remember when HE was art! (AND he referenced Grace Jones, my all-time fave icon! Yes, truly iconic!)

[joanne3482]

My girls and I all screamed NO when Emily was eliminated. We liked her a lot and thought her dress was much better than Sam's. I didn't like Kini's body suit, but I also feel that way about morph suits. I don't like the no face thing. 

[awaken]

The top of ken's looked like a giant empanada.

[kitmerlot1213]

It would have been beyond awesome if Ken, Dom and Kini jointly walked off the show with a "It's obvious the fix is in--Sam's the obvious prearranged winner." There is no way in hell Emily should have been sent home--how insulting to all of the designers who actually designed.

 

Ken's telling Sam off might have been the first time he ever heard any type of negative comments--the fact that he was so shocked he could barely speak was pretty awesome.

[Maya]

These judges clearly wanted a costume. The bigger and more ridiculous, the better. In past seasons, they wanted something dramatic yet wearable.

[caci]

OK, (in a very small voice), I kind of liked Sam's dress, esp. over Emily's. However, I could see both going home, but it didn't surprise me that Sam stayed. What really surprised me was how much I liked Boy George and his comments. I have seen him before and wasn't really impressed. But, here, he was funny and insightful.

[TexasGal]

Wow, Boy George was a tough and articulate judge. I couldn't be more surprised. Ken's was the only one he liked, right?

Sam is just ridiculous. Totally agree milner, Zanna's critique saved his ass. Although, who are we kidding? Isaac would have found a way to adore the rainbow flag draped on his model.

I was pleased for Alyssa's look when she first came out on the runway, nice v neck cut and good hair. Then the eye makeup started to bug. Then they panned to the whole dress; so not flattering for her. She needs to bribe whoever styles the (no longer) beautiful Georgina Chapman.

[Rhetorica]

I just don't understand... what did Tim see in Sam and what does Issac see now? They're both totally unreasonable when judging him.

[RobertBestBarbie]

What will it take to get rid of Isaac as a judge?! I used to just adore Isaac Mizrahi, even when I knew he was a prima donna and a bitch. I still love his "Fabulous" cologne, which is as close as I'd even WANT to get to any of his "designs" these days, but good Lord, does he judge with his genitals or what?!?? There is no way even Isaac-of-questionable-taste could have honestly thought Sam's (and I use this term loosely) "garment" was great! Bullshit. It wasn't beautifully constructed (I forget which judge said that), it wasn't remotely avant garde, it was ugly, and the rainbow flag was not only a cliché, it was pandering to Isaac and Boy George..."Vote for me! We are family!"

I don't care if Ken did hurt Sam's feelings. Sam's a nasty little shit and deserves every bit of it. And for the record, I never ever thought I could or would side with Ken on anything.

I'll watch next week to see my beloved Dmitri. I could eat him with a spoon, he's so delectable. But of course King Mondo will be back, too, to reunite with his darling Sam...maybe I'll just record it.

I feel like "Project Runway" (all versions) is my abusive ex. I keep thinking it's not going to be bad, look, there's a glimmer of hope, a flash of glory days...and then nope, it all goes to crap. But I keep staying, waiting for things to improve, because I can't forget how great it was when it was good...

Sigh.

[Straycat80]

This is my first and last time watching this show. What horrible judging! Isaac, just ask Sam out for a date and get it over with, quit giving him a pass week after week. Emily did not deserve to go home!

Everyone except Sam worked so hard on their designs and the judges nit picked at stupid little things, Sam drapes, pins and tacks his material and calls it a day and dumbass Isaac loved his dress. I understood Ken's frustration and don't blame him for saying what everyone else had been thinking. Sam was obviously hurt though, I didn't enjoy seeing that.

I'm no expert at AG but I thought Ken and Kini were very dramatic. I'm glad Ken won. I'm claustrophobic so it was hard for me looking at Kini's model, I was worried about how could she breathe?!

[Maya]

With Emily, I can't believe they said it should be in all black. And that would make it MORE avant garde? Really??

Can you imagine if she had designed a black turtleneck sweater dress for the avant garde challenge? These judges are ridiculous.

[JunkJules]

Oh man, I think I have had it OFFICIALLY (TM Detox) with this show. Not that I haven't had it several times over since it moved to Lifetime. But this ep made my eyes roll so often and so far back in my head I nearly gave myself a migraine. At least Alyssa and Georgina seem to have become exhausted by Sam, but y'all are right, at this point, he seems elimination-proof. Although I think he'll be 3rd to Kini's perpetual 2nd and Dom's perpetual 1st. The producers & judges seem to be doing that thing where they're casting shadows over Dom's awesomeness so that she can "pull it together" for the finale -- even though she's basically been at the top of her game the whole time.

Totally agree that the definition (such as it is) of avant-garde should be clear at the outset. That being said, if the definition ends up being "design something that makes it look like your model's upper half is being eaten by a giant black taco," then CHECK PLEASE.

[Nidratime]

I don't think Issac should be invited back as a judge because he thinks with his dick. There must be other "iconic" designers out there who can take his place.

[jrlr]

Isaac needs to go away.  Now.  I can practically see the drool when he's getting his weekly wink-n-wave from Sam.  That thing that Sam made was not just bad, it was awful - amateurish in concept and no sense of design or proportion.  I didn't think Emily's dress was particularly avant garde, but Sam's wasn't even a dress, just a tucked and pinned piece of fugly painted fabric; he deserved to go home, not Emily.  Ken and Kini, well, I didn't even care about the garments because I'm so repelled by by the Spanish Inquisition look.  

[beaker73]

My sophomore year in college I was really into tie dye. That summer I bought plain white bed sheets and rit dye and tie dyed bedding. My sheets looked just like Sam's dress.

So...fuck you Isaac for saving a no talent ass clown like Sam. A dress that looks like a kite stuck in a tree is safe? Whatever.

Thank you Ken for calling Sam out. I don't even care that it might have been a little bit nasty.

And I'm sorry to see Emily go. I liked her in her original season and I like her now.

[njbchlover]

At least if he had added some sticks and kite string it would have been funny... this proves to me that Alyssa is a better designer than Sam.

 

And possibly better than Isaac!!  

[njbchlover]

With Emily, I can't believe they said it should be in all black. And that would make it MORE avant garde? Really??

And "it looks like a kite stuck in a tree" "I knnnooow I love it" stfu Isaac. Pretty sure he'll still sleep with you if he comes in fifth. It's time to stop.

 

I'm thinking that may have already happened...did you notice that cute little wave that Sam sent Isaac's way during the judges introductions?  

Edited April 22, 2016 by njbchlover

[DasFlavorPup]

This is PRAS season 2 all over again. Isaac's boycrush (Anthony Ryan/Sam) gets saved in a non-elimination when said boycrush clearly had the weakest design, is consistently and inexplicably over-praised all season, and then is handed a win for department store clothes over designers who create high-fashion and/or conceptual collections. I am hoping like hell this isn't the case this season, but I'm not optimistic.

[farmgal4]

I think Sam is giving Isaac Mizrahi a blowjob before every runway. Once again, he gives the judges an outfit that a 12-year-old could have easily made, but Isaac just LOVES it. If I were a contestant, I would be mad as fuck that the little bitch hasn't been eliminated yet. He should have been gone 3 challenges ago IMO.

[millennium]

I just saw a news item about two MIT students who designed gloves that translate sign language into computerized speech so that actual words can be heard.   The invention of these gloves means people who don't know sign language can now communicate with the deaf and mute.   The MIT students received $10,000 as a prize.

 

Now, think about Sam winning ten times that amount.

I'm thinking that may have already happened...did you notice that cute little wave that Sam sent Isaac's way during the judges introductions?  

 

The production and editing crew knows what's going on.

 

The designers know what's going on.

 

The viewers know what's going on.

 

What a fuck-you to all of us.

[njbchlover]

Ken deserved the win.  His was the most avant-garde of all.  It was reminiscent of Christian Siriano/Chris March avant-garde masterpiece, but definitely with a Grace Jones twist.  (Thank you, Boy George, for repeating the thoughts in my brain as the model came down the runway!)

 

Dom's was probably second for me, because, as Georgina said, it was avant-garde for her.  The coat was semi-avent-garde, but the dress was just a nice dress.

 

Kini's was definitely saved by the hood/bodysuit thing.  I do agree with Georgina, however, that Kini doesn't have a good eye for fabric (unless, of course, it is denim). He seems to pick heavy fabrics with brocades in strange color combinations.  I thought the dress was interesting enough, but not truly a.g.

 

Emily's, again, was a.g. for her, but it was not a.g. enough.  It reminded me of something that Fade may have designed for a regular challenge.  But, it was still better than Sam's.  

 

I'm sorry to see her go - she seems like a nice person - she never was super critical of others, her talking head comments were always constructive and complimentary - not catty or mean.  (Although, her makeup and hair style were a little out there, for me.)

 

Sam's narrative is what saved him, I think.  If the designers were not allowed to "tell their story", that hot mess of "Rainbow Bright gone bad" dress should have been eliminated.

 

Sam - well, what else can be said?  I'm glad that Ken spoke up to him and said what everyone else is thinking.  Sam does not have construction skills - he is good at tacking poorly draped garments together.  He doesn't even drape well.  I think of designers like Rami, who was a genius at draping, and Sam couldn't even hold Rami's straight pins, comparatively speaking.  

 

I wonder if Sam could be the reason that the judges don't do "up close" inspections of the garments, as they do on regular PR.  If they did, there would be no way that he could have remained in the competition as long as he has.

 

It doesn't even appear that Sam sketches much of anything during their sketching time.  I think he makes up things as he goes along.  

 

I'm curious - is he "self taught" or did he go to design school~~what is his background?  Also wondering what he has done since Under the Gunn, and if he is even moderately successful as a designer.  He obviously has some skills, because he is able to cut out a garment and construct it, but all the garments are basic, that any high schooler would learn in advanced Home Economics (or whatever the sewing classes, if they still have them, are called these days).  I went to high school a long time ago, and had four years of Home Ec, 1/2 year cooking and 1/2 year sewing.  By my senior year, I was constructing more difficult garments than Sam has created.  Hell - I've made Halloween costumes for my kids and myself with more construction skills than he shows.

 

I really hope that the fix isn't in - I had enough of that with regular PR last season's Ashley's undeserved win.

[dbell1]

In the immortal words of Ken last week: "###$$$## ###$$### $hit ####". How is that talentless hack still there?

[Miss Ruth]

njbchlover said, "I wonder if Sam could be the reason that the judges don't do "up close" inspections of the garments, as they do on regular PR."

 

Since PRAS is only an hour long, compared to 90 minutes for PR, I assume there isn't time to have the garments examined by the judges.

[njbchlover]

njbchlover said, "I wonder if Sam could be the reason that the judges don't do "up close" inspections of the garments, as they do on regular PR."

 

Since PRAS is only an hour long, compared to 90 minutes for PR, I assume there isn't time to have the garments examined by the judges.

 

You're right, MIss Ruth.  I forgot about that extra half-hour on PR....I usually DVR the show, and fast forward through all the tediousness of makeup and hair and the subsequent plug for whatever makeup or hair care products they must do, so it seems like it's only one hour long.  

Edited April 22, 2016 by njbchlover

[Miss Ruth]

I do the same thing with the FF function.  Those "ads" are so blatant, they seem silly.

[bobbyjoe]

It would have been beyond awesome if Ken, Dom and Kini jointly walked off the show with a "It's obvious the fix is in--Sam's the obvious prearranged winner." There is no way in hell Emily should have been sent home--how insulting to all of the designers who actually designed

 

You know, it's funny, but hubby and I had almost exactly similar thoughts when Isaac "Corrupt Judge" Mizrahi started that absolute bullshit about how Sam's dress was his favorite.  The other four should have combined forces right then and right there and said "this ends now or the four of us walk and you have no finale."

 

Sure, it would likely violate their contracts, but the producers and judges are blatantly cheating, so how much is the paper even worth that those contracts are written on?  Take it public.  Stop the show dead in its tracks. PR would have a publicity nightmare.

 

I can pretty much guarantee that the fact that the "what the hell is up with the judges" thing is starting to slip through on the actual show in comments by Ken and Kini means that there's a whole lot more like this (and probably more pointed) that ended up on the cutting room floor.

 

I'm angry.  Emily was the victim tonight of a corrupt game show where the eventual winners are pre-decided and the so-called judges go through all sorts of tortured leaps and shams to get to a pre-arranged outcome.  PR may have all sorts of clauses and fine-print in the show's paperwork that make what happened tonight technically legal, but in my opinion this is absolutely as rigged and corrupt as the 1950s quiz show scandals.  I'm totally serious when I say that isaac shouldn't just be fired from the show; he should be in front of an investigative committee.

[pinguina]

I agree about Sam's "design". It just looked as thought he wrapped a bunch of material around a body.  Other designers have painted or dyed their materials, but not in such a way that Sam did.  It was not good.  I also agree that if he hadn't told his "story" it would not even rated a "I think I get where you were going with this." It's as if the design wasn't real until he told his story, And I really hate how clear it was that Isaac favors him (You could see the smirk on his face when Sam's dress came out). I knew he wouldn't be eliminated.

Everyone else referenced the artwork and how they interpreted it with varying degrees of success (I thought Emily's was avant garde for her).  I don't think of avant garde as just an in your face, jolt to the system, uncomfortable feeling; it could be elegant, beautiful, extreme (I remember Cristian S. and Chris' design - beautiful, elegant).   

[AppleCore]

What a travesty. I wish there was more than a like button I could push to agree with most of the above comments. Any chance we could get the love/hate/sad buttons like Facebook?

Sam is ridiculous. Isaac's fawning over him is embarrassing. This show has jumped over the Technicolor flaming shark. sad.

[millennium]

You know, it's funny, but hubby and I had almost exactly similar thoughts when Isaac "Corrupt Judge" Mizrahi started that absolute bullshit about how Sam's dress was his favorite.  

 

Isaac's attempt to elevate Scam's design was painfully transparent.   Did you notice that after all the designers left the runway and the judges began deliberating, Isaac went negative on every critique but Scam's -- even on Ken's design which he had earlier said  he liked.    It was a systematic attempt to diminish the other designers in the eyes of his fellow judges and to justify his indefensible support of the only contestant who openly flirts with him.

 

It's disgusting and hard to watch.   

[PepperMonkey]

I admit I haven't watched the show yet; I always, always, ALWAYS wait to see if Sam wins. I won't watch if he does.

 

Have to pipe up and say Tim Gunn cannot STAND Isaac Mizrahi. He says he is one of the rudest humans he has ever met, and in one of his books, tells a story about Isaac firing someone because they were wearing brown. Who knows, for certain, if that story is true or not, but Tim does not care for him at all, so at least we know that Tim and Isaac aren't colluding to make Sam the winner. For whatever reason, everyone is letting Isaac run this judging shit-show and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. The same thing happened with the undeserving Anthony Ryan, who makes fringed leather necklaces now, and it appears the same thing will be happening with Sam, who is even MUCH less deserving of the win than was Anthony Ryan.

 

And someone mentioned Mondo would be back next week... as a JUDGE??? Cause that's AS BAD as Georgina judging Asha, her former intern, on this show. Mondo cannot be objective where Sam is concerned, and even if he could, the whole thing smacks of favouritism and shouldn't be allowed.

 

I may be over this entire franchise, except for PR Junior. Sigh. I'll be back to post more after I actually view this crap.

Edited April 22, 2016 by PepperMonkey

[Muffyn]

Emily was classy from start to finish.  Yes, the woman with blue hair and a love of hot pink eye makeup was professional throughout. 

 

And then there's Sam and his whatever the fuck that was.  Sam:  I drank dye and vomited all over some fabric then tacked it around the model.  I couldn't quite figure out how to keep it on her so there's a strap.  Because, gay pride!  I'm surprised he didn't ask for some of Isaac's semen to use as paint.  Maybe that's how he stuck the fabric to the model.

[Brookside]

Why are any of us surprised/shocked that Sam keeps getting a pass? Did Anya ever have a needle or even a pin near any of her winning "designs"?

And I'm certainly not defending Sam's why-is-one-boob-super-long-and-pointy amateurish mutant crap, I thought Emily's was uninspired, unflattering, and heavy looking. It should have been a double elimination as far as I'm concerned.

[MyFavShows]

I love PRAS because the calibur of the designers is (usually) so good compared to regular PR. However, I must admit that I have never understood Isaac and Georgina as judges. I disagree with them so extremely - like I'll love a design and swear it's going to be the winner, and then they send or almost send that person home. I agree w/ Heidi and Nina so much more and am usually very close to their opinions. I wish they'd swap the judges between the two shows. I also think Isaac would like a lot more of the regular PR stuff than AS because there is more "I don't know how to sew or do anything difficult but I can throw some crap on a model and just hope they like it" on that show.

Tonight Ken definitely deserved to win, and even though both Sam and Emily weren't good, I think Emily deserved the save because of her overall performance on the show so far.

Boy George was so interesting and funny as a judge. They need to bring him back again.

Excited to see Dimitri will be on next week - he is such a genious and deserved to win every challenge he ever competed in (but producers had to mix it up so it wouldn't be boring ;)). I wonder what his opinion of Sam would be if he were on this season? He would probably be even more angry than Ken because IIRC he had very little patience for unskilled competitors.

[rallymantis]

Yup. I thought my head would explode. I thought Ken showed elegant restraint. *I* would've said, "You're fucking kidding me!"

[millennium]

 I'm surprised he didn't ask for some of Isaac's semen to use as paint.  Maybe that's how he stuck the fabric to the model.

 

I think I just clutched my pearls.

[GaT]

As soon as I saw it was Sam & Emily left on the runway, I thought Bye-Bye Emily. Sam could send a naked model down the runway & he still wouldn't get eliminated.

 

Alyssa looked very Studio 54, but why do they keep putting eyeliner that practically reaches her hairline on her?

Edited April 22, 2016 by GaT

[RCharter]

Words can not even express how low this show has fallen when Sam can basically put a colorful parachute on his model and be safe.

 

Glad Ken got a win, but it is overshadowed by my annoyance that Sam is still in this competition.

 

Boy George is adorable....."I avant got a clue" has made me a fan for life.

[Miss Ruth]

GaT, I agree about the naked model, but she would have to be wearing flats.  :)

Edited April 22, 2016 by Miss Ruth

[RCharter]

I was pleased for Alyssa's look when she first came out on the runway, nice v neck cut and good hair. Then the eye makeup started to bug. Then they panned to the whole dress; so not flattering for her. She needs to bribe whoever styles the (no longer) beautiful Georgina Chapman.

 

Alyssa is just never going to win in a side shot.  I'm getting to the point where I'm going to have to buy my first set of Spanx.....Alyssa might want to think about it too.

 

I agree with Ken. That WAS bulls$&t. Sam should have gone home again. Issac obviously saved him.

I think the only reason Sam was even in the bottom was because he put heels on his model so Issac didn't realize that monstrosity was his.

 

But then again, everything else at least looked well designed so he probably knew that nonsense was Sam's

 

I had a feeling Emily was doomed when Issac was nodding over "are we all in agreement?"

 

Thank you Ken for calling Sam out. I don't even care that it might have been a little bit nasty.

 

 

 

Yup. I thought my head would explode. I thought Ken showed elegant restraint. *I* would've said, "You're fucking kidding me!"

Given Ken in the past I think he showed incredible restraint.  I'm so glad that someone called Sam out in an intelligent and low-key way.  Kini's attempt at "shade throwing" just looked petty.  But Ken just told it like it is, and Sam had no way to comeback from the truth.  He is a liar by omission (not admitting that Kini made his top), he is a snake, and he isn't talented.  He is coasting on his looks, and the fact that he thinks everyone should just be cool with it, and no one say anything to him about it is silly.  Its fine if you want to coast by on your looks, but you can't get upset when people call you out for it.  

 

I don't even know what Sam thinks he is gaining by being on this show except notoriety.  Does he really think people are going to be running to their phones to call the guy that put a kite down the runway?

[candall]

I've lost my energy to be all passionate and outraged about Isaac's transparent bias for Sam.   "I KNOW, right?  A kite!!  Hung up in a tree!!  How delightfully zany. . .and also incredibly avant garde!"  That's just fucking depressing.

 

 

I don't think it was fair to judge Kini's dress separate from the bodysuit--it was all part of "the look."  And wasn't it the fresh, innovative use of flats that sent one of Sam's jumpsuits, or that crude ridiculous circle skirt, straight to the top?

 

I liked Dom's jacket, but I thought the two eensy little prints in the dress were too subtle, and almost indistinguishable.  Might be my tv.

 

Sorry, Emily, I didn't get avant garde.

 

Agreed with Ken's win.

 

Sigh.  Let's just get it over with.

[millennium]

Alyssa is just never going to win in a side shot.  I'm getting to the point where I'm going to have to buy my first set of Spanx.....Alyssa might want to think about it too.

 

I think the only reason Sam was even in the bottom was because he put heels on his model so Issac didn't realize that monstrosity was his.

 

But then again, everything else at least looked well designed so he probably knew that nonsense was Sam's

 

I had a feeling Emily was doomed when Issac was nodding over "are we all in agreement?"

 

 

 

He is coasting on his looks, and the fact that he thinks everyone should just be cool with it, and no one say anything to him about it is silly.  Its fine if you want to coast by on your looks, but you can't get upset when people call you out for it.  

 

 

What bizarro universe am I living in where a guy with Sam's rather average appearance can coast on his looks?   Or is it simply that he's the only young gay guy there?

[RCharter]

What bizarro universe am I living in where a guy with Sam's rather average appearance can coast on his looks?   Or is it simply that he's the only young gay guy there?

I think he is just the best looking guy there.  I like Ken and Kini......but they aren't "cutesy" in the same way Sam is, and probably neither one would think to be so obvious in flirting to gain an advantage.

 

But as someone else said....its about time Issac just let it go.  He isn't even helping Sam at this point, because its just so obvious.  Issac has money and he isn't horrible, there has to be another cutesy gay kid willing to flirt with him.