S15.E13: An Unconventional Trip

[Tony]

On 12/9/2016 at 8:29 PM, Oholibamah said:

I know this season is getting a lot of hate, but I think this is the strongest group showing at Fashion Week since Season 10. They've each won a bunch of challenges, put out some interesting stuff, and rarely had any horrific misses.

This is a strong group? Were we were watching the same show?

[Beden]

On 12/10/2016 at 3:02 PM, mauras said:

I think all the designers seem kind of tired and out of ideas.

Of course but that's half of the point/recipe of this hot mess; sleep deprivation, competition, snark, close quarters, removal from family/friends while dangling a large prize package they likely all desperately need--stir, mix and stand back.

The show has devolved from a reasonably reality design competition to just another excuse for cat fights, freak designs and pettiness to score ads $'s.

And that's a shame.

[Guest]

On 12/9/2016 at 6:29 PM, Oholibamah said:

I know this season is getting a lot of hate, but I think this is the strongest group showing at Fashion Week since Season 10. They've each won a bunch of challenges, put out some interesting stuff, and rarely had any horrific misses. The only thing I've hated from any of the four of them was Erin's vomit shorts.

Excited to see who wins! Will honestly be happy with any of them. 

I'm fine with this season, too.  I like it much better than last.  But I didn't watch most of the ol' glory days seasons a lot of people here seem married to.  And I remember in the Idol forums, each season seemed largely hated while it happened and then seemed to mostly be recalled as great in peoples' memories a year or more later.  It's like the patina of memory improves everything.  

[Maccagirl]

On 12/9/2016 at 7:22 AM, GreyBunny said:

I can't wait until next year when the sponsor will be Motel 6 and they'll have to scavenge materials from a dumpster behind a crack den somewhere in Jersey.

You win the internet award for this post!  I snorted out loud reading it!!  Thank you for the visual and giggles.

[Lamb18]

The conspiracy theories are fun, but I don't think the logistics of episode planning and costs associated with it really support the idea. Is getting Erin to Fashion Week really worth the additional expense of swapping out everything planned for one episode for something different at the last minute? I'd say No. I imagine all the episodes are planned and costed out to a dime, so to suddenly have to fly the contestants and production to Austin, pay for filming permits plus shipping the materials, arrange for the locations, getting the UC materials at the locations, etc., would hardly justify the cost of hanging on to a favorite contestant. Plus, the scrapped planned episode would have already had costs involved - some of which were probably already paid - so that's additional loss.

I think what's driving all these unconventional materials challenges is sponsors and the required product placement. If the City of Austin, the farm store, the barbecue place are all paying sponsorship fees, they need to be worked into the episode somehow and probably an unconventional materials one was the easiest way. 

[Wandering Snark]

This was one of the more 'forced' and spoon-fed product placements I've seen in many a year of reality teevee. So much so I felt kinda sorry for Nick coming out only to shill for Best Western. Tim then halfheartedly closed the deal but sounded like he wanted to say "Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to me being here either but let's just make it work..." ;-)

[Guest]

57 minutes ago, Lamb18 said:

Is getting Erin to Fashion Week really worth the additional expense of swapping out everything planned for one episode for something different at the last minute?

Plus they're the ones who put designers through, not us, so they don't need to change anything to put whomever the want where they want them.   

I never understood the 'chosen one' theories anyway.  The judges will have their favorites, just like we do, but they have negative incentive to pick a favorite that is different from the majority of the viewers.  To think they go out of their way to upset viewers kind of runs counter to the whole purpose of a tv show.   It's not like any reality show needs any winner to make a splash in the industry to succeed as a reality show.  See The Voice.  

[Kenz]

On December 11, 2016 at 11:06 AM, bunny52 said:

I didn't get the point of that stare down.  I saw it, but I didn't understand it.  Can someone fill in that blank for me?

Bunny52, there was a scene in this episode when the designers were sitting around the lunch table and the camera did a close up of each face. Each person looked nervous or suspicious or scared, and it was quite funny. It didn't last long, so you might have missed it.

[Mabinogia]

4 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

each season seemed largely hated while it happened and then seemed to mostly be recalled as great in peoples' memories a year or more later.  It's like the patina of memory improves everything.

I think it's more that each season gets worse and worse so that the bad season a few years ago is looking pretty good now that this season is a fucking mess. The only season I hate worse than this one was Ashley's season (was that the last one?) and it is for much the same reason I dislike this one. I feel like the winner was chosen from the beginning and all of this is a waste of time. If Erin doesn't win, this season will triumph over Ashley's season, so the jury is still out for me.

I just hate the feeling of manipulation I get watching now as opposed to back in the day when it did feel like most of the designers stood a chance of winning and if not, maybe getting work in the industry. This crop are just not ready to have their own  lines, with the exception of Laurence, who has a very clear, marketable point of view. The rest are either boring or trying too hard. I won't remember any of these people for anything they actually designed.

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Mabinogia said:

This crop are just not ready to have their own  lines, with the exception of Laurence, who has a very clear, marketable point of view.

But that's subjective.  If your opinions don't jibe with the opinions of the judges it doesn't really mean the judges are necessarily wrong or pushing some pre-made agenda.   I think Erin's as ready as anyone else out there.  I think she's stronger than Laurence as a designer.  I think I'd put Rik and Roberi up there, too.  

And I think any group of people is prone to groupthink, us included.  It's cooler here to like Laurence and ridicule Erin.  She's the kind of reality contestant people like-- she's drama free, lovely, she sews well, she doesn't get too wacky with color, pattern, materials or shape.  But her clothes are forgettable and nothing new, IMO.  

[Mabinogia]

Of course it's subjective. Most "art" is. Fashion is, in a sense, art.

I almost always go against "group think". Hell, I actually liked Wendy Pepper! It is my opinion (everything I write is basically my opinion because, beyond Erin is female, or has a dye job or wears glasses, most of what I would say about her is opinion) that Erin is a crafter, not a designer. She would be a great upcycler, taking used junk and turning it into semi-wearble art, which is a very hipster thing.

They all have a very narrow design viewpoint. It is just that Laurence's is more timeless. Basic lines, wearable, clean, classic. While Erin is more of the moment. Once the hipster movement finally ends will she or her fashions still be relevant? She will more likely be a flash in the pan. She is VERY on trend, which is, IMO, not a complement. Her paper doll thing was done by another designer, her yellow is a trendy color. She is all trend and no (IMO) substance.

To each their own. She is probably winning this thing so good for her. She is not the wunderkind she thinks she is,  so I hope she uses her money well. She is a slightly better winner than Ashley so she's got that going for her. haha

[Guest]

I'm not accusing anyone specific of groupthink.  I just meant if you read threads here it might seem like the majority of viewers like Laurence best so that means she must be best, and the judges must recognize that and have some other agenda, if they crown anyone else.  I just think the people who like Erin or someone else are less likely to say so.  

[Mabinogia]

I actually don't think Laurence should win, even though I think she will be the most successful. I think I would go with Roberi who has shown a nice balance of wearable and creative. His creativity also seems the most broad. He doesn't really do the same thing over and over. I probably like Rik the best because I've loved some of the work he has done but he's not really consistent.

Both Laurence and Erin are very narrow in their creativity, I just prefer Laurence's elegance to Erin's arts and crafts esthetic. I don't think either deserve the win, but I do think Erin gets inexplicable praise and the only reason I can see is because she is being uber trendy in her color choice. I don't think the judges are particularly good at what they do, despite being in the fashion industry because I think the fashion industry is very prone to group think. I think they are the ones who adore Erin because they think that's who they are supposed to adore because that whole crafty, hipster thing is in and they want to seem like they are "in" as well.

For me, Roberi or Rik are the acceptable winners. I wouldn't mind Laurence winning because I like her and I know this contest is a joke anyway, but I fear Erin is the chosen one and has been for a while because she gets overpraised for things others are getting dinged for (doing the same thing over and over). As someone else mentioned, when the judges don't like you, using the same color/shoulder/silhouette over and over is lazy and shows no vision while if they like you it means you have a strong POV. That's how you know who their chosen are. lol

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Mabinogia said:

that whole crafty, hipster thing is in

I don't know, I haven't seen this being "in" and if it was I wouldn't know until it was so far "in" it was on its way out, usually.  So I can envision they just liked some of her stuff because they like it, because that is why I do.  I don't like her coats at all.  I detest them even.  But the other stuff I've thought was quite pretty and interesting.  And a lot of people love her coats.  I think it's just a preferences thing.  I don't think the people who love her coats are doing it because they think it's cool to like them?  

I think Roberi's my favorite, though.  

[Mabinogia]

I actually liked her mealworm/guitar pick flowers. hated what she did with them because that top was just, it looked like the model had a cafeteria tray strapped over her boobs pushing them down so she looked like a board, but quite liked the flowers themselves. That's my problem with her work. I like parts of it, but she ends up overdoing it and fucking it up for me.

It's got to be hard, though, trying to be an innovative designer. Almost everything has been done. Everything worth doing has been done, so we end up with a bunch of WTF stuff because of the need to be different. It's got to be hard to put your own twist on something without that twist being ridiculous or making people wonder what you were smoking! And I don't just mean the contestants. I'm talking about "legit" designers too Like that one who did the paper doll fashion show by putting tabs on all the clothes. WTF was the point of that? I clearly don't get fashion.

I even liked her jumper though there was nothing new or innovative about it and I'm not sure I get how it is related to the worm board look. I'm pretty sure I've seen it in stores and catalogs every summer, or late winter when they do their "resort" clothes. (looking back, nope, don't like her jumper, don't like the lengths/proportions. Love the pattern though, but that's to the material designer, not her) But I also loved Corny's flower dress so what do I know. (Do still love this one though, on second look)

I also loved both Roberi's looks. I wouldn't wear the macramé one, unless it came with that model's body to put it on, but I would wear that tie dress if it were cleaned up a bit (I just relooked at everything and man were all those clothes sloppy! Seriously. None of it was well made (time constraints strike again). That was cool. I could see a very edgy singer wearing the macramé dress to the Grammy's. I could see anyone wearing the tie dress to a party.

Sorry I'm longwinded. I'm home sick. :(

[dleighg]

4 minutes ago, Mabinogia said:

I actually liked her mealworm/guitar pick flowers. hated what she did with them because that top was just, it looked like the model had a cafeteria tray strapped over her boobs pushing them down so she looked like a board, but quite liked the flowers themselves.

I agree-- the flowers themselves were pretty cool

[Guest]

Yeah, I thought the flowers were beautiful.  The silhouette... not so much. 

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

Project Runway Makes It Weird In Its Latest Unconventional Materials Challenge

Weirder than usual, even! The designers source materials at two legendary locations in Austin, Texas, but who's the Best (Western)? Your editors discuss!

[iggysaurus]

How were they supposed to get inspired by Austin when they weren't given any time to spend there? They didn't even send them out for a tour around the city or out to a music club or anything that would give them a feel for the city if they hadn't been there before. They just sent them straight from the Best Western (which is generic and the same in every city) to the farm supply store to get their materials. Was the farm supply store itself supposed to inspire them on behalf of the city of Austin (which apparently it's not even located in)? Or were they supposed to just be inspired by the "idea" of Austin that most people have from its reputation as a weird, liberal, college city? The concept of using Austin as inspiration would've been OK but the execution made no sense. At least when they have a challenge that's supposed to be inspired by NYC, they usually give them a helicopter ride over the city or send them out to research/experience a particular area or museum before deciding on their specific inspiration.

I'm positive Erin is going to win the season. It may not be pre-determined, exactly, but she is totally the kind of winner they want. They wouldn't want Laurence to win (even if she makes the best collection) because she doesn't drink the PR koolaid enough. And Rik and Roberi are fine but not as perfect a "PR poster child" as Erin would be. Erin is the exact mix of hipster/quirky/smug that they always seem to want to reward.

And UGH, I so hate her personal dress sense. Those little high-waisted short-shorts she wears every single week are so unflattering and flat out ugly.

[Wandering Snark]

1 hour ago, iggysaurus said:

How were they supposed to get inspired by Austin

It was this very thing that made the forced product placement even more crass than usual imho. Like going to a McDonald's in Paris or something equivalent. This is how you end up with people taking a trip to Austin and the only thing 'speaking to them' afterwards were plastic cups.

[djsunyc]

On 12/12/2016 at 2:38 PM, Winston9-DT3 said:

Plus they're the ones who put designers through, not us, so they don't need to change anything to put whomever the want where they want them.   

I never understood the 'chosen one' theories anyway.  The judges will have their favorites, just like we do, but they have negative incentive to pick a favorite that is different from the majority of the viewers.  To think they go out of their way to upset viewers kind of runs counter to the whole purpose of a tv show.   It's not like any reality show needs any winner to make a splash in the industry to succeed as a reality show.  See The Voice.  

what i don't like...at all..is when heidi says it's a blind catwalk - that they don't know who the designers are.  what does that matter?  they obviously know who they are after they talk to them and look at the designs up close.  the voting doesn't happen after the catwalk - it happens after every designer's piece has been revealed.

[Guest]

I figure it just means their initial score or comments for each garment are blind.  So by the time they vote, they know who did what, but when they're doing the actual judging they've removed any biases from it (to the extent they don't recognize who did what by the designs).  We just have to trust them to not say score one designer's garment highly when it walked, then all decide to verbally bash it and claim they didn't like it once they know it's his because they don't like him.  I'm ok with their honor system.  I figure it's better than announcing each designer as each look walks, or making them make their auf decision entirely blindly, based on just that look.  

Lately I'm preferring this sort of reality show where the viewers don't pick the winner more.  Maybe I don't share these judges' opinions entirely but I also don't want some specific niche designers winning over and over, like country singers win The Voice a lot.  

[HunterHunted]

On Monday, December 12, 2016 at 1:50 PM, Mabinogia said:

I think it's more that each season gets worse and worse so that the bad season a few years ago is looking pretty good now that this season is a fucking mess. The only season I hate worse than this one was Ashley's season (was that the last one?) and it is for much the same reason I dislike this one. I feel like the winner was chosen from the beginning and all of this is a waste of time. If Erin doesn't win, this season will triumph over Ashley's season, so the jury is still out for me.

I just hate the feeling of manipulation I get watching now as opposed to back in the day when it did feel like most of the designers stood a chance of winning and if not, maybe getting work in the industry. This crop are just not ready to have their own  lines, with the exception of Laurence, who has a very clear, marketable point of view. The rest are either boring or trying too hard. I won't remember any of these people for anything they actually designed.

Anya's season was my least favorite. Anya was a little like Laurence in that she was a cool hip woman with a sense of style. However, Anya wasn't really creative. What she was really good at doing was identifying a trend that was about to break through and copying it. The biggest problem with Anya is that the bitch could not sew. Not even a little bit. Ashley is somewhat creative and can sew. In my opinion, she has it all over Anya.

[Mabinogia]

HAHA, I blocked that one out. Forgot about Anya. Yikes! At least Laurence can sew so she's ahead of Anya in that. And Laurence is not trendy, which might be why I like her so much. I am not a fan of people who follow trends. Probably why I don't care for Erin. She strikes me as a walking, talking fad.

I can't believe I completely and utterly wiped Anya's win from my memory. There have actually been a lot of questionable winners on this show. lol (or I have no sense of fashion, which, if this show is the gauge for fashion, I'm just fine not to have).

[HunterHunted]

Laurence loves strong shoulders and that's still on trend. 

[Guest]

I liked Anya fine.  That was the first season we watched.   She was another cool, hip, foreign chick, like Laurence.  

[HunterHunted]

5 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I liked Anya fine.  That was the first season we watched.   She was another cool, hip, foreign chick, like Laurence.  

I don't know if you've had the opportunity to watch earlier seasons, but I would encourage you to do so. I like Anya as a person, but she is perhaps the least creative least talented winner this show has ever had. Anya does beachy clothing. In comparison to Ulli, Anya is second rate. Plus the models meant something in earlier seasons. The designers were aware of which models had killer walks and could really sell a crap garment. And the designers fought over those girls. "It's a muthafuckin' walk off!" I'm still surprised that all of these years later that I can remember Amanda (who was a brat), Nazri, and Maralinda.

I didn't intend to watch this season. My Tivo remembered that I used to love this show and kept recording it. You would think that after producing Christian that more designers would be clamoring to be on this show. I wonder if their reputation is that bad or if it's that there are so many other avenues (like Etsy) that no one bothers with the show.