Project Runway: New Zealand - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Your Project Runway: New Zealand Topic!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

A friend of mine moved to New Zealand for work and she said that joke about how everyone there knows everyone else is true, which is why I totally cracked up when so many of the contestants already knew each other.

I KNEW from the way that the camera zoomed in on the bottles at the opening party that the drinks would have something to do with the challenge, but a Scandinavian cocktail dress with a twist based on a soda flavor? I know the show needs sponsors, but really? That said, I am always up to try a lychee drink. I always feel bad for the designers on various PR shows because it seems they keep cutting the length of time they're given to complete a challenge, but this might be the shortest ever. Thirty minutes to sketch, thirty minutest o find fabric, and a day and a half to make this Scandinavian inspired cocktail dress based on a soda flavor!

I found it difficult to feel bad for Beth when she was at the fabric store and she said that Nicole had the exact fabric she was looking for. I know it's the first week so they don't know where anything in that particular store is, but I'm still going with you snooze, you lose.

I loved that the designers were getting punch drunk the first night in the work room.

I hated the giant pockets/panels in Misty's romper. Was her model wearing something underneath in case someone taller was standing next to her? I'd hate for someone to be at a cocktail party and have someone looking down the giant hole in her dress at her underwear.

I loved all the pin tucked detail on the bodice of Judy's white dress but I wish there had been some kind of wow factor from a distance. The slit on the side looked REALLY high.

Beau's dress was a combination of boring, frumpy, and unflattering. I'm fine with a cocktail dress that doesn't bare a tone of skin, but the cut of the top was not flattering. The only interesting aspect was the color blocking on the skirt, but the color combination made it seem dated.

I had to laugh when Kerry said that Nicole's dress was very her but very skanky. I actually thought that her dress looked boring as fuck in the workroom. It was a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. That's been a million times. The only thing I liked about it in the workroom was the color. The leather bodice did not make it more interesting. I think that actually made it look like she was trying too hard to be hip and edgy but failing. It was like the equivalent of Amy Poehler insisting she was the cool mom in Mean Girls. Hated the lime green knapsack looking purse that Nicole used from the accessory wall too. I know she had watermelon mint, but here's no need to be so literal.

From a distance, I liked Camille's dress because I liked the shape and that you could tell there were some unusual design elements. Up close, I didn't like the shapes she added as watermelon seeds. I also thought the shoes she chose weren't dressy enough.

I liked Peni's pear and basil dress. The cut and silhouette were nice and he added some detail that alluded to the inspiration without being too on the nose. It wasn't the most unique design I've ever seen, but it looked good and it fit his model well which is more than several of he designers can say.

Kerry's dress was boring and shapeless. His coat looked too casual/sportswear for a cocktail event.

Beth's purple elderberry dress was not my favorite. The strips coming up out of the bodice gave it a costumey kind of look, like it was a wannabe superhero costume.That was the only interesting part of her design though. The rest of the dress was just a regular tight cocktail dress.

Lenon's red dress turned out better than I thought it would when she was panicking. Considering that she scrapped the ruffles completely, I was surprised that she had something presentable. Granted, it aws pretty plain without the ruffles but she was smart to use that print on the shoulder, at the waist, and at the bottom. I didn't like it as much on the bottom because when the model came out, it looked like she was holding a wrap in front of her legs. Did she not have time to hem it or was that deliberate? It was really kind of Kerry to help Lenon the morning of the runway.

Massey's white dress was so boring. It was a white dress with a purple ruffle on the bodice. The end. When the designers were all on the runway, I was trying to figure out if he was wearing a Hawaiian print romper or a shirt and shorts that were the same print.

Jess's floaty white lychee dress was one of the few that had an element of drama. I didn't love it, but it did have great movement.

Caitlin's sherbet colored dress looked like a smock you wear at the salon. Her model's makeup looked gorgeous though.

Matt's dress was NOT a cocktail dress. It was like the athleisure version of a cocktail dress. The most interesting thing was the way he tied the sash around her waist and shoulder. The dress itself looked like the kind of loose grey sweatshirt material dress that girls wear when they're too lazy to dress up. That's a dress you run errands in, not the kind you wear to a cocktail event. I was cracking up at the judges saying it looked like a club dress. Maybe I'm biased because I just got back from Las Vegas, but I don't think I've ever seen a single woman at a nightclub in a loose dress with long sleeves and a funnel neck.

I can't really argue with Benjamin's assessment that you can be a great pattern maker but that doesn't mean you have taste, but I didn't really like what he designed this week. I hated the huge ruffles on top of the sleeves, but I was sure that was the weirdo kind of design element that the judges would love. I also hated the gigantic clutch he gave his model from the accessory wall. From a distance, it looked like she had a huge baguette tucked under her arm. From a practical point of view, it blocked my view of what she was wearing. I also hated the length of the sleeves which covered half of her hands and I hated those earrings. Given my history with PR judges, my utter hatred meant that the judges would make it the winner.

After so many years watching the original PR, my ears did not want to accept every time Georgia said, "One of you will win and one of you will walk."

When it was down to Nicole or Massey, I was certain that they would keep Nicole for the drama because Massey seems more quiet and less likely to cause trouble.

I liked what Camille, Nicole, and Benjamin were wearing on the runway. I know it's shallow, but when you're on the runway you are representing your brand so yeah, what they wear for judging makes me sometimes give them major side eye.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I try to be open minded and non judgmental about the contestants, especially in the early weeks, but Beth wearing that My Little Pony shirt was taking me to the edge.

Lenon modeling that bright yellow bra over her shirt totally cracked me up. I am fine with PR as a design show. I don't need all twists and requirements. I definitely did not need the Scandinavian soda flavor inspiration last week and I did not need the designers forced to swap the items they selected at the mall.

While I understand their frustration, they're all in the same boat so I found it really rude for Kerry to loudly say, "Judy, why do you have such bad taste?" This coming from a guy who's wearing a shirt covered with watermelon slices, mind you.

In contrast, all Judy said about having Caitlin's pink shoes was that it changed her design because it wouldn't work with her original color palette, yet Caitlin (jokingly?) said that she was offended that Judy seemed not to like her shoes.

I found Peni's story about loving shoes now because he was a poor kid who had to walk to school barefoot very sad and sweet.

I understand Kerry's frustration with constantly being asked questions. He shouldn't be put in the position of having to take time out of his work time to help people who don't know as much as he does. It's one thing if you want to help other people because you have extra time, but you shouldn't be constantly interrupted by other contestants.

Kerry made a great fabric choice. That bright red and blue pattern for the pants. I also liked that he used it for the inside of the jacket sleeves. The white jacket provided a nice contrast.

Caitlin's pink bomber jacket was fine, but my issue was that the white leggings underneath were just white leggings. The white top underneath the jacket was more interesting though.

I don't think that Beau's look was streetwear (and he totally hid Lenon's yellow bra beneath the top), but he did create a striking runway look. The pink was a nice pop of color for the belt and collar and the big sleeves were very dramatic. The shredded tassel part at the bottom of the cropped pants was a cool detail. Overall, I liked this look but it wasn't streetwear. Then again, Matt's dress last week was definitely not a cocktail dress and he totally got away with it.

I didn't like the pale pink color Matt used for the pieces underneath the long white death jacket. I didn't like all the straps and other crap hanging off the jacket either. I wasn't crazy about the big red paint streak down the back, but at least that added some color. I don't think this is the kind of show where you should be saying, "I'd like to sew better but it looks cool."

Judy's outfit was blah. I liked the fabric she chose for the top though. And I really liked the gold slashed/twisted detail on the jacket sleeves. It's a simple technique but it was really effective the way she did it. I also loved that she was totally honest with the judges instead of trying to bullshit them. I think if she had chosen a different color or fabric instead of that light blue denim, I would have liked it more.

Massey's outfit looked like a stiff poncho with a long white skirt. I feel like most women wouldn't wear that top because it would make them look huge. I liked it much better when he unzipped the poncho and turned it into a one sleeved top.

Jess's big leather jacket looked really cool. I didn't like the pink leggings underneath. I wanted to see the top.

I liked the top Benjamin made (although it did not look like streetwear at all). I hated the frayed pleated distressed bottom though. It looked like Burning Man circa 2008. Once again, I knew my dislike for this outfit meant that the judges would love it.

Beth's design was not streetwear either. It looked like a librarian wearing sneakers with her work outfit after hours. Part of the problem was her color choices, but overall it just wasn't streetwear to me. And instead of using the opportunity to defend her design to the judges, she just kept saying that she doesn't do streetwear because she does colorful 50s stuff.

I thought the judges would love Lenon's look. The vest jacket with the huge hood and contrasting pattern seemed like something they would totally be into for a streetwear challenge. The rainbowish trim on the hood looked like the same fabric she used last week so did she buy more of that fabric or did she have some left over from the previous challenge? It was not constructed well. I wish that her designs more like what she wore on the runway, which was bright and fun.

Misty's pants had the same problem as Benjamin's - frayed does not necessarily equal streetwear, people. I thought the top was too dressy for streetwear.

Peni's felt like the most streetwear look overall.

Camille's look was a mess. Wearing a sports bra and sneakers does not make your outfit streetwear.

Interesting that this week we got to see the judges inspecting the garments up close which we didn't get last week.

Wow, Massey really turned it around! From almost eliminated last week to winner this week - congrats!

Lenon took her elimination well. I always appreciate when the designers don't act like elimination is the end of their lives. Now I will never solve the mystery of how her name is pronounced. I assumed it was like John Lennon, but I heard several of the designers pronounce it as len-ON.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Loved that the designers were told that the unconventional materials challenge had to be fashion, not a wearable art project (aka gluing shit to fabric). But booooooo for a group challenge. I always feel bad when a team struggles because one person is being stubborn/lazy/otherwise problematic.

I loved Beth and Misty's red and blue patterned dress. The way that they used the designs to make a completely new print was smart and looked so great. The dress looked very bold coming down the runway.

Jess and Massey's blue (non-corporate) cropped jacket and skirt was definitely veering into the wearable art category. The flowers made of wire was a cool idea but they took it too far. I didn't like the weird ruffles along the side of the skirt. I could hear Michael Kors in my head asking what woman would want to make her hips look bigger.

Judy and Kerry's design was interesting. I liked the way they wove together the phone cords to create a diamond design and then used that over the sheer fabric of the sleeves to create a texture.  I liked the design that added to the back of the jacket too.  The coat had an updated Matrix look. The fringe look they created for the jumpsuit was cool too - it had a very flapper vibe. I totally get that they chose the grey satin to match the chain they used for the fringe, but the shiny satin fabric they used made it look a little cheap.

Beau and Matt were the most disjointed team so I felt bad for them. Sometimes you just get lucky and vibe well with another person and other times you don't. Their styles and personalities are so different that I'm not surprised they weren't a harmonious team. I liked Beau's skirt. The VHS tape and keyboard keys he used on the skirt created a cool texture. I wasn't as crazy about Matt's top which was shapeless and just looked like he glued strips of shiny stuff and a rectangle of bubble wrap in order to adhere to the barest requirement to use unconventional materials. And I agreed with whichever judge questioned why the silver strips weren't sewn down. Leaving them the way he did seemed lazy.

I liked Benjamin and Caitlin's design better from a distance. From farther away, it had a great silhouette and looked expensive.

Cami and Peni's green motherboard dress was not executed well. It was just green shards attached to a dress. There were too many bare spots on the dress which made it look unfinished. I was worried that Peni was going to cut a finger off while he was cutting the pieces!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Wow, Peni is one of seven kids? Holy crap. Ha, I don't know why I sound so surprised. I went to school with a number of large Mormon families (one had eight or nine kids, each a year apart) so it's not like this is the first time I've seen someone from a big family. It's always so shocking to see that many kids in one family though!

Kerry's Banksy shirt reminded me of this awesome Halloween costume I saw a few weeks ago!

While I'm all for sustainability and a print designing challenge, I felt it was so unnecessary to make the designers go to the dump to introduce this challenge.

The designers had to at least suspect that there was more to this than designing a reusable shopping bag, right? I don't like when the challenge has a nonsensical requirement so when they were initially told that they also had to create a red carpet look related to their shopping bag, I thought what in the hell, PRNZ?! But once it was explained that it just had to be inspired by their bag concept, I was like okay, FINE.

Still ridiculous: 15 minutes to sketch and design before fabric shopping for their red carpet dresses. Come on, show! You really couldn't give them 30 minutes? An hour?

I didn't love Jess's outfit. The sheer black top with the frilly neck ruff over a bra with sparkly black pants seemed really dated. It looked like something you would have seen in a music video circa 2000.

Benjamin's pink dress looked like a shower curtain in the front. I know that we all want to be comfy, but this dress was so loose and shapeless that if any woman wore that on the red carpet, people would be asking if she was trying to hide a baby bump. I also didn't like the ribbon ties on the shoulders which looked very juvenile. The color reminded me of Gwyneth Paltrow's Oscar dress. I didn't get a good look at the back on the runway because of the editing, but it looked like those flower walls you see at boba shops. I HATED the flat black mules he put on his model. Why would you wear those shoes with that dress? Ha, when he said that the model liked it, I laughed because you know that no one cares if the models like what they're wearing.

Kerry's chose a bright bold print that would definitely look good on a red carpet but the actual design of the dress did not look red carpet at all. It was more like a casual sundress to wear to brunch and then maybe a walk on the beach.

Camille's magenta gown was definitely a risk which I appreciate, but I felt that her attempt to make it structured didn't go far enough which resulted in it just looking lumpy, misshapen, and messy in the front. The back looked better because it was simpler.

I was really afraid that Judy jinxed herself when she said that making gowns is what she does. I liked several of the dresses they showed in her portfolio but what she sent down the runway tonight was kind of blah. It wasn't terrible but it didn't wow me. I know that she had a lot more time to work on the dresses in her portfolio (not just a day and a half) but I wish she had done something more exciting.

Massey's dress was not red carpet AT ALL. It was also not flattering or interesting. The shape made his model look big and boxy. I also hated the huge cutouts going down the front. When Andreas advised him to show some skin and make it sexier, I'm pretty sure this is not what he had in mind. Scribbling some stuff on the back with a marker (especially when his model's hair covered it all up) was really pointless. I hated the styling too. Her hair looked flat and greasy. She didn't look like she was going to a red carpet event.

Caitlin's red ruffled dress was fun but I never understand why people think "red carpet" means "wear red." If you wear red on a red carpet, the dress blends into the background.

I didn't like Beth's tight seafoam satin dress. The only interesting thing about it was the removable flounce at the bottom (and I didn't like the colors she chose for that part - why white and purple?). I did like the pleated part at the bottom of the skirt though.

Peni's dress had drama so I will give him that. I liked the cut out sections on the bodice which looked laser cut (and I know that they didn't give him a laser so kudos to him for achieving that effect with a knife). The big stand up collar made it too costumey though. The shiny fabric also cheapened the overall look and contributed to the costume vibe, as did the dark eye makeup.

I can see why Andreas warned Beau about his dress going too bridal. I thought the gigantic ruffles on top were just too overwhelming and made it look like his model was hiding behind a curtain and peeking out at a party that she wasn't supposed to be at.

I felt bad when Misty had to redo all of her stripes of fabric because the model's measurements were off. i'm glad she realized that the yellow and black combination looked too much like a bumblebee and didn't continue hat, but the dress she ended up creating was too plain. It was just a plain yellow dress with a few skinny black stripes running down. I hated the ties in the back which looked so cheap, lazy, and last minute like she didn't have the time or skill to put in a proper zipper.

Weird that part of the assignment was to include some aspect of sustainability in their design but it wasn't really mentioned much on the runway.

Hahaha, I had to laugh when Beau said, "Do I think my design is better than Massey's? Again, two different design aesthetics - but gawd, yeah."

I was fine with Judy winning. Based on the fact that the other designs in the top three were Benjamin's pink shower curtain and Peni's bondage top, I liked hers the best.

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Aulty]

Once again, I liked that that Andreas told them explicitely what they want and what they don't want - it also helps me as a viewer when it comes to the judging. Still, I think the connection to sustainability was not obvious in some designs and in my opinion it was a weak runway (I thought only Kerry, Benjamin and Judy met the red carpet brief)

I would have loved for this to be a streatwear or ready to wear challenge rather than red carpet. The joyous prints would've lent themselves better for something more accessible, and the models could've carried the bag-prototypes on the runway too.

During the judging, they criticized Benjamin's fabric, but then mentioned, I think it was regarding Beau's dress, that of course there were some budget restrictions.

Random thoughts:

• A team challenge with Kerry and Benjamin - they'll either kill each other or come up with something great.
• Misty's bag was really cool, I was expecting the judges to tell her that her bag will be produced too.
• I love all the Pounamu jewellery the designers are wearing.
• Camille's design process is really interesting. If she had had more time for this challenge, the dress would've been really sharp.
• I did not dislike the guest judge model this week, but the challenge deserved someone with some knowledge in sustainable design as this was the prominent theme of the week.
• Please give them a challenge where they must not use solid colour fabric, I need some more prints and patterns!

[Aulty]

I think Andreas is a pretty good mentor. He and his critiques are everything Tim Gunn wasn't in the later seasons. He makes - what I feel are valuable - suggestions regarding construction and design. The show/Andreas also explaine the challenges, especially what the do and don't want the designers to do, which I also appreciate as a viewer.

[Aulty]

The designs look a lot better in the photographs than they did on the runway.

I liked almost all of the looks, including Beau and Matt's. I wasn't keen on Jess & Massey, and what Camille & Peni did has been done in one form or another by other contestants on other PR seasons and it never worked on any  unconventional challenge ever.

[Aulty]

I actually liked the challenge - a Scandi silouette with a colour palette inspired by the flavours (I actually like Höpt) was not a bad start. 'Salted Lychee' and 'Pear & Basil' would've lent themselves to layering different textures of off-whites and cool colours while 'Elderberry & Herbs' and the Watermeldon one could've gone more towards colour blocking and prints. At least thats what I would have done.

Sadly the majority of the designs was rather generic and had little to do with Scandinavian design.

I liked Benjamin, Beau, Caitlin and Misty; Kerry's was nice too. Nicole, Lenon and Massey's where fugly and sending Nicole home was the right decision

[Aulty]

Ugh, so many raw edges!

Seeing how the designs have turned out I am curios what we would have ended up with without the item swapping. Personally I would have been more excited if they were told to buy a specific type of item, like shoes. With pants, tops, bras, shoes ... it was a weird mixture.

Lenon is a very nice person, but they focussed to much on them in the first two episodes and it was really annoying. Their shoes though! No complaints about the elimination.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

19 hours ago, Aulty said:

I would have been more excited if they were told to buy a specific type of item, like shoes. With pants, tops, bras, shoes ... it was a weird mixture.

I agree. Plus it's a lot easier to incorporate a shoe than other items like a mustard yellow shirt. I was also curious about whoever got stuck with the bra. Like do you have to actually show (or showcase) the item, even if it's not an item of clothing that you would normally see?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

21 hours ago, Aulty said:

The designs look a lot better in the photographs than they did on the runway.

I was trying to figure out why they used these pictures instead of shots from the runway show, but now that you mention it, maybe it's better this way because we got to see them in greater detail.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

21 hours ago, Aulty said:

Please give them a challenge where they must not use solid colour fabric, I need some more prints and patterns!

Yes! I know a lot of people criticized Uli for her use of prints every week, but I'd rather see week after week of prints than the designers who use black every damn week.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

21 hours ago, Aulty said:

The show/Andreas also explaine the challenges, especially what the do and don't want the designers to do, which I also appreciate as a viewer.

Same here. I don't like when the judges say that this or that didn't fit the challenge when it's not something they were specifically told to do (or not to do). Giving them clear expectations helps the designers and it helps us understand what the judges are looking for.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Best inadvertently funny quote this week was from Beau: "Remind me to never ever bone again."

As avant garde challenges go, this one wasn't too bad. Using a car as inspiration is pretty open to interpretation so any designer with half a brain could find a way to connect whatever they wanted to make with something on the car, whether it was the color or the shapes or the lines.

Benjamin's silver and blue polka dot design didn't look avant garde to me at all. It looked like a shiny raincoat made out of a space blanket that was sliding off his model's shoulders. I guess the giant hood was supposed to be avant garde, but I didn't think it was enough to make the whole look avant garde. His poor model though. I don't think I've ever seen a model so hot that she had to remove the entire outfit. On a shallow note, Benjamin has great cheekbones.

Peni's looked like a new version of a straitjacket  because his model's left arm was encased and immobilized inside the garment. I alo didn't like how he split his design into two completely different outfits on the left and right side. It reminded me too much of the half and half Sonny and Cher costume that everyone has seen. I also hated the tight scuba looking hat on his model and I really didn't like her makeup.

Kerry's design looked like a Judy Jetson costume. The shoulder pads looked like two throw cushions.

The only thing that looked remotely avant garde on Misty's model was the half mask on her face. The woven design she made for the top was graphic and interesting but it was basically a black dress.

Beth's structured dress was the first thing on the runway that looked even a little bit avant garde.

I know that Caitlin was having the requisite mid season meltdown so I'm glad she was able to pull herself together and create something to put on her model. That said, what she created looked like a cheap cocktail dress with a mess of trim hanging off the bottom on one side. She had an interesting idea with the giant loop on one shoulder inspired by the seatbelt but I think she got so flummoxed by her critique that she didn't know what to do.

Camille's black sculptural dress was confusing to me. I couldn't decide if it looked like an avant garde dress with a sculptural element or a messy arts and crafts project. I assumed that meant the judges would love it.

Jess's dress was just a black dress with a red pleated detail. I didn't think she pushed herself nearly enough to do something avant garde.I felt for Jess when she said that she hadn't received any feedback from the judges yet because she'd been in the middle the first four weeks. Of course no one wants to be in the bottom, but it's tough to get absolutely NO feedback for that long.

Judy's black dress had a very Disney villain look (interesting since one of the other designers told her model that's the vibe she was trying to create). I liked all the swooping lines and I agree with Andreas that removing the sheer part was more effective. Bonus points for cutting those pieces so precisely because it would have been really obvious if she hadn't cut nice smooth lines. Her makeup choice with the black eyeshadow mask was great too.

Beau's red ruffled dress obviously had a lot of work put into it, but I felt like a big ruffled skirt was more red carpet than avant garde. I think he did a better job refining all the foof at the top than he did last week, but it didn't marry well with the bottom.

Two wins in a row for Judy! I thought she did the best at fulfilling the challenge requirements AND creating something beautiful.

Once it was down to Caitlin and Beau, I would have kept Beau based on this week because Caitlin's dress was a mess. She seemed to have no concept. Beau took his elimination well though. He wasn't angry or bitter when he said goodbye to the other designers, which is always nice.

[Aulty]

As avant guard challenges on PR go, this was a pretty good. A lot of work and thought go into car design, and there were certainly enough jump off points for an AG challenge. I feel that the results were a lot of interesting silouettes and shapes.

Kerry's was borderline gimmiky, but also really cool and well made. I liked Benjamin's fabrics, especially the tinfoil/blue one, and he was right when he said that this will stand out. His poor model, Georgina and the panel coming to her aid and being comforting highlighted that this is not as catty a show as some other PR season were. I usually don't watch the Models of PR, but I might watch that one later, I'm sure the incident is featured there. Misty's design I liked too, even though all we saw her do during the episode was walk around chatting to other people.

I wasn't too keen on Judy last week, but her dress this week was very Anne Sophie Madsen, so her win is OK with me. No quibbles over any of the bottom choices, anyone of them could have been eliminated. Peni has been dangerously close to the edge for a while now.

Again, Andreas and the Holden-Lady explained the challenge well, and the consultation rounds with Andreas are one of the best parts of the show (even without TG style catch phrases ;-).

[Aulty]

I think I am developping a slight hate-crush on Benjamin (I blame it on his fabulous hair), but his design looked like a mumu with pants. The back was nice. I think Caitlins is actually something that would sell in a resort/cruise context. I remember a Marcus Lupfer pant with a cheeseplant-print that looked cool - it was blue though.

Usually a lot of air time for a struggling designer heralds bad news and I feared for Peni when he did his jump suit last minute. Apart from the bellypouch, it looked good. And while we're on the subject: why do we see so little of Misty? Her look was great (my favourite), and Kerry did well too.

Judy was lucky and Jess will know why she went home as soon as she sees her design on TV. The colours probably looked better irl, but very washed out on screen.

The challenge was alright, some wallpapers were stunning - I would have gone for Kerry's - some were a bit lame. Would it be so bad to have a wider selection to make sure that not only the fastest runners get something that suits their style?

I still love Andreas, great consultation again. Especially with Kerry and Caitlin.

I dunno if it was in the preview for next week or the episode itself, but those stupid Cardi B noises and references are so annoying.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I'm usually not a fan of any challenge where the designers have to physically compete for their supplies or material. I'd rather just see them get out the button bag and pull names. But I know, I know, the draaaaaaaama! I thought it was pretty funny that Jess and Caitlin were both so stubborn about who reached the tree first that they had to have the camera guy check the footage.

Side note: I have suspected for a few weeks now that Jess is a stealth bitch but she hasn't been called on it yet because she accompanies most of her bitchiness with laughing and/or smiles.

Peni's gray and white outfit was terrible. Who makes a body suit with a turtleneck? And who makes a body suit with a big white patch on the belly? Is the model supposed to be a star bellied sneetch? A koala bear? Ha, the judge who described it as a Teletubbie nailed it. The long coat was very bold and graphic because of the thick white stripe so he should have stuck with that idea and applied it to the rest of his design.

This was supposed to be a high fashion color challenge and Beth's dress looked like neither. I get that she was going for a water color effect but unfortunately, the colors were so pale that from a distance, her design looked like a very simple white prom dress. And she made no attempt to hem the skirt at all.

I liked the gold and white wallpaper that Caitlin chose so I can see why she and Jess both wanted it. I just wish that the gold she used on the pants showed up a little better on the runway. I liked the way it looked up close. The bodice crop top was very cheap looking and the lace up thing in the back is how you avoid having to fit something to the model very well. She didn't put any darts or shaping into the top so when the judges had the model remove the sheer piece, it was obvious that the stiff fabric was just a bandeau covering her boobs. It was so stiff that if a little kid was standing in front of her, he would have been able to look up and see underboob. Just terrible. I couldn't believe the guest judge liked that top so much. That is the kind of top that girls who don't know how to sew make as part of a costume because it's just a rectangle of fabric, some grommets in the back, and a strip of fabric to lace up the back.

I didn't like the shapeless burgundy shawl/jacket thing that Jess designed. It looked like a piece of fabric that the model wrapped around herself. I also didn't like the tight turtleneck underneath or that particular shade of sky blue. I also didn't like the styling. Normally I don't like to critique the styling too much because this is Project Runway, not Project Styling, but since the judges were obsessed with one necklace last week, I feel okay saying that the overall styling for this outfit did not help matters. Ankle socks with slingback kitten heels? No.

I really did not like Kerry's design this week. The leaves he painted on looked kind of sloppy which made it look like an arts and crafts project. The black and white striped fabric he chose was very bold, but what is it with turtlenecks this week? Why did everyone make turtlenecks? Are turtlenecks suddenly considered a trendy high fashion thing?

I had high hopes for Camille's design when she was in the work room, but I did not like what she sent down the runway. The shiny dark blue top with long sleeves and slouchy shoulders reminded me of an oversized pajama top while the bright yellow skirt made of cut outs was very spring to me.

I didn't like Benjamin's design this week. I've used the shaving cream marbling technique on paper so it was interesting to see it used on fabric, but the overall effect was too mild and it ended up looking like the kind of effect you can get from paint splattering. The actual garment itself looked like a church outfit from the 80s from the front. I hated the apron ties in the back. It seems like a way of not having to fit the the top to the model or put in a zipper.

Poor Judy. I agreed with Kerry - her first dress looked interesting and mimicked the pattern of the wallpaper. What she ended up sending down the runway was too simple. The dress was nothing. I really liked the white vest she had on top of the dress with all the geometric cut outs, but I was pretty sure that was not going to be keep her out of the bottom. I like that she had enough self awareness to know that her garment wasn't great (unlike some designers who are convinced their designs are The Best Ever no matter what).

I didn't like the pattern that Misty created for her dress but I appreciated that she was one of the only designers to paint very boldly on her fabric. What she created was very graphic.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I loved Peni's sister's pep talk: "Get your shit together!"

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I enjoyed the designers' reactions to this challenge, from Peni questioning his sexuality to Kerry talking about how he has never gone to the gym.

I thought it was mean to give them an athleisure challenge and then say they couldn't use any spandex. Did they expect the designers to make leather leggings? I liked that Andreas quizzed the group on the challenge before he let them buy fabric. He really wanted to make sure that they understood what they were supposed to be doing. But only one day for this challenge? Come on, show! I understand what athleisure is, but the idea of making luxe/high fashion designs seemed impractical. Gym clothes are gym clothes. Athleisure is NOT luxe or high fashion.

Interesting that several of the designers pointed out other designers whose sewing skills aren't quite up to snuff this week. I definitely remember Kerry saying that Cami had ideas but didn't have the skills to pull them off and later I remember Benjamin saying that the construction of his garment might work against him (and Caitlin had to tell him that he sewed part of his garment together!).

I think too many designers relied on jackets and spent a lot of time on jackets and the actual athleisure elements (the top and bottom) were afterthoughts.

Attention: makeup artists. Just because the designers tell you that it's an athleisure challenge and the models should look like they just came from the gym does not mean that you have to give these poor models shiny sweaty looking faces. You can give them natural looking makeup with a little bit of glow without slathering what looks like vaseline all over their faces.

Cami's white jacket was too loose and shapeless so it wasn't flattering and it looked bunched up and messy. Underneath was just a crop top and bike shorts. I know they mentioned it being orange in the workroom but it looked reddish on my screen.

Benjamin's look didn't seem like athleisure to me at all. I will give him credit for making several pieces, but ugh. Ugly shorts, another fucking turtleneck (why is everyone obsessed with turtlenecks this season?), some kind of half ski romper looking thing, and a jacket that looks like a fraulein costume. It should tell you something when the designer says it looks better on the runway than it does up close. The construction looked atrocious. The bottom of the left side of the jacket was obviously not the same length as the right side. The zipper was sewn weirdly too.

I give Peni credit for trying to make up for his Teletubbies body suit last week. The one he made this week looked much better, mostly because he made much better design choices this week. I didn't love the Matrix looking coat as an athleisure piece (because let's be real - imagine trying to stuff that huge long coat into a tiny gym locker), but it was definitely dramatic and looked better than most of the other jackets on the runway this week. His bodysuit was one of the few things on the runway that looked like someone would actually wear it to the gym.

Caitlin's outfit looked like it was made out of a garbage bag. And great, another turtleneck. How in the world would you work out in that outfit? No one wants to wear a long sleeved WHITE turtleneck to work out! You would see sweat stains on the white fabric while the turtleneck and long sleeves would make you sweat even more than usual!

Misty took a risk using that pop art lip fabric ALL OVER. I think it would have been better if she'd only used it on one piece, but using it for both the crop top and the leggings was a lot of giant lips. I wasn't a fan of the jacket. It was big and boxy and it had that huge flap in the back. It was really unflattering.

I liked the straps on Judy's black top but the rest of the outfit was fine. Not terrible, but not amazing. Given how fugly some of the other designs were, that was enough to keep her out of the bottom in my book. I thought the jacket was cute.

The giant orange jacket on Kerry's model looked like a Halloween pumpkin that exploded. I hated the pants that were split all the way up the front over leggings. Again I have to ask who the fuck would wear any of this to work out?

Jess's was very simple and didn't look like workout clothes. Once again I ask who would work out while wearing a turtleneck? The striped pants were too loose for leggings so the didn't seem like gym clothes either. The jacket thing looked like a a bath robe.

I have no idea how Caitlin's poofy garbage bag outfit won this challenge. I guess my idea of gym/athleisure wear is not the same as the judges'!

Cami took her elimination well. She seemed understandably disappointed but still upbeat.

Edited November 12, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The designers' official bios:

Beau
Benjamin
Beth
Camille
Caitlin
Jess
Judy
Kerry
Lenon
Massey
Matt
Misty
Nicole
Peni
 

Edited November 12, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Ma megabyte]

I like that Andreas quizzed the designers on the challenge this week, but even so some of them didn't have a clue.  Three turtlenecks?  One straitjacket?  Four large coats?  And the winner, clearly made of garbage bags.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

6 hours ago, Ma megabyte said:

Three turtlenecks?  One straitjacket?  Four large coats?  And the winner, clearly made of garbage bags.

And a partridge in a neoprene tree!

[TVbitch]

Oh my god, the trash bag won! I am speechless. ... ... Oh dear god, that means she will be immune next week. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I always feel bad when the designers have to repurpose old bridesmaid dresses because it's an extra handicap to have to work with polyester in addition to not being able to choose their actual color/print on top of having a client to please. I'm glad that they got to go to the fabric store to get more material so that they weren't stuck with only the material from the dresses.

To be fair, several of the dresses were not the worst colors I've ever seen on PR. I remember there was a season on PR: US  where they had far worse fabric to repurpose. And at least they weren't required to make the bridesmaid dresses into new bridesmaid dresses.

Ha, I loved that Andreas pointed out all the white fabric while they were still at the fabric store so that the designers had the option to choose different colors/patterns before they left the store.

Ugh, Benjamin can STFU. I loathe when reality contestants claim "I want this more than anyone else." First of all, until someone invents a machine that is capable of measuring how much you want something, GTFO. Secondly, it doesn't matter how much you want something. Wanting something really badly doesn't mean you should win anything. As far as I'm concerned, all that matters is your performance. A guy who weighs 110 soaking wet is never going to be a defensive linebacker no matter how much he wants it, so please spare me this fairy tale about how much you want to win because it has no bearing on anything.

Was there a minimum requirement for how much fabric the designers had to use in their final design? The amount Jess used seemed to get smaller and smaller as the episode went on.

Judy's red halter neck crop top and pants were fine. They weren't terrible but they weren't exciting. I give her credit for using all that red fabric from the dress. It didn't look like she had to use any extra fabric from the store.

Kerry's yellow pants and white top were also fine. I felt for him since his model asked for pants and then didn't like what he made. Girl, please. You knew he had yellow pleated polyester fabric and you asked for pants. What did you expect? I wasn't crazy about the shiny white top but I didn't see much of it due to the white trench coat on top. Given how loose and flowy the pants were, I thought the white coat had too much volume and made her look like a big marshmallow. He also shouldn't have had the model's long hair pulled in front on both sides because it covered a lot of the top and coat. I agreed with Georgia - if you get an obnoxious color like that, you should play it up instead of trying to tone it down.

Misty's outfit wasn't that great (burgundy crop pants, sheer black long sleeved top over a bra) but the huge sleeves/wings gave it runway drama. I thought her model did a great job trying to sell it to the judges: "The bottom is me and the top is who I want to be."

I liked Peni's outfit. The bold black and white print he used for the pants was a great choice. I'm glad he ended up changing the design of the top because it initially looked too similar to the original dress. You can't just chop the skirt off and say you made a top. I know his model asked for the long coat but I think it would have looked better without it.

Jess was definitely at a disadvantage because she had shiny satin, so she was smart to make those poofy sleeves. If she had tried to do something sleek, straight, and fitted, you would have seen every wrinkle and pucker.  But good lord, could she have made that crop top any smaller? The non-sleeve part aka the part on the model's chest looked like it was about three inches wide. It looked like her model was about a millimeter away from a nip slip (or more likely having an entire boob pop out). Given how much fabric the original blue dress had, it seemed like a total cop out to use so little of it in her final design. Hated the red stripe on the front of the pants. She probably would have been  better off using the red patterned pants she originally made because the blue crop top with the blue pants looked too matchy matchy. One of the blue stripes on the front of the pants was crooked so either she didn't sew it on well or she didn't fit the pants properly on the model and they were pulling. And ANOTHER corset back top? Didn't she just do that last week? Corset backs are a way of saying, "I couldn't be bothered to fit this top properly so I just attached a few grommets, got a piece of string, and pulled until it fit the model." If you're going to put a model in a crop top and tight pants, those pants better make her ass look amazing. These pants did not. I hated the cobalt blue eye shadow all the way around the eyes.

Benjamin's orange outfit was a mess. I hated the too long sleeves and the foofy faux fur at the bottom of the skirt. Those two elements combined with the print made it look like a cheap mall outfit circa 1999.

Caitlin's outfit, oof. I hated the top. I couldn't believe she wanted that blue and white polka dot fabric. The one shoulder top she made with one long mutton sleeve was so ill fitting and had terrible proportions. And then to make things worse, she added  that horrible ruffle to the neckline. Just so bad. The pants were well made and fit her model really well though.

Ha, this is the week I always feel sorry for the ONE designer who is safe. Poor Judy had to sit in the stew room by herself for lord knows who long with no one to talk to. Then again, maybe she was just glad to have some peace and quiet after listening to Jess in the workroom.

At least there's no more immunity after this week. Misty took her elimination well. When it was obvious that the judges had Caitlin and Benjamin in the top two, I didn't really care who won.

I understand why Kerry and some of the other designers are getting annoyed by Caitlin "collaborating" with Benjamin so much. It's reminiscent of Claire and her twin from PR: US a few seasons ago, but what Benjamin and Caitlin are doing is not breaking any rules so there's really nothing to do about it but roll your eyes and wait for Caitlin to have to do something completely on her own.

Edited November 19, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[TVbitch]

I liked Peni's outfit, too. I even thought it had a shot at winning and made a nice statement coming down the runway. But then the judges ripped on it, so I guess I am not up on what is fashionable. But then again, last week a trash bag won, so maybe the judges aren't either.  

[ElectricBoogaloo]

8 hours ago, TVbitch said:

I guess I am not up on what is fashionable. But then again, last week a trash bag won, so maybe the judges aren't either.  

Ha, exactly. At least with Heidi Klum, I know what will get high scores from her (short, tight, shiny, cleavage showing). But with these judges, I have no idea what they're looking for. They've kept Jess week after week despite boring silhouettes/colors/designs and they gave Caitlin a win for her garbage bag outfit. I clearly don't get what they consider to be a winning design aesthetic.

[Ma megabyte]

Maybe we need a new word for what the judges are looking for:    Trashion

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I prefer the button bag for choosing models, but I know that doesn't provide as much potential ~drama~ so of course let's have the designers decide who gets to choose next!

I had to laugh when Caitlin tried to spin the situation as "I draw designs in my sketchbook but I don't get ANY help from Benjamin because we don't discuss our designs." Girl, PLEASE. You know that there are cameras around, right? There is footage from the first EIGHT episodes of you getting feedback, assistance, and advice from Benjamin. It's not against the rules, but don't act like you haven't gotten any help from him when we have seen the two of you staring at your dress form and having conversations about "What should I do?" and "You need to _____."

Ha, I love whenever the designers (on any season/country of PR) say that they're going to make something innovative and then they end up doing something that I have seen at the mall.

On the one hand, I love that Andreas gives such specific and helpful feedback to the designers. On the other hand, part of me wishes that the designers were left to sink or swim on  their own because he definitely steered some of the designers away from their original designs/fabrics while they were still at the fabric store..

I hated Georgia's white satin top on the runway. I hated the shapelessness, the neckline (which looked unfinished), and the shininess.

Kerry's white dress with the cage strips on top was just okay. I didn't think it was super dressy for an evening wear look. The dress itself was very basic in shape. Without the gold strips he used to create the cage, it was a pretty boring dress. I agreed with the judges about the weird hem.

Poor Peni. I've had back problems before so I really felt for him. Sometimes there's nothing you can do but stretch, take some painkillers, and wait for it to get better. Most of the time there's nothing you can do to prevent it and there's nothing you can do to fix it. His half and half color blocked dress was fine but there was nothing special about it. The silhouette was nothing new (sweetheart neckline, high/low skirt, color blocking) so it would have been passably boring if it had been made well, but the construction was terrible. It looked unfinished everywhere and it was unflattering on the model. I hated the way he sewed the waistline which looked like it should have been covered up. I was afraid that the model's boobs were going to fall out of the top.

I agreed with Andreas about Caitlin's fringe being very small. I've used fringe on costumes before and using fringe as shirt as Caitlin's doesn't have a lot of impact and movement which means it ends up looking more like a stripe rather than fringe. I also agreed with Andreas that doing a white jumpsuit after she'd just done white pants the week before was too similar. What she ended up making was underwhelming. The fringe looked so sad because it was too sparse and the fabric was puckered everywhere she sewed the fringe on. The jumpsuit didn't look like it fit the model very well either. Not everything has to be skin tight, but the way it hung off the model made it look like an off the rack mall outfit from the juniors department that isn't going to fit anyone perfectly. I don't know anyone who would wear a white satin jumpsuit. It would show every wrinkle from sitting down and I know if I wore something like that, I would inevitably spill red wine or spaghetti on myself (probably within five minutes of arriving to whatever event I was attending).

I wasn't a huge fan of Jess's puffy black dress. From far away, the technique she used wasn't very noticeable but up close it looked like a ski jacket. As Andreas pointed out, with all that puffiness, you have to really make an effort to create a flattering shape on the model's body. I did like the low back but I really disliked that she left the bodice very plain.

Benjamin's black sequined dress was okay but I've seen that dress a million times before. I bought mine at the mall for $20 when I was in college. If you want to see it in real life, just wait until New Year's Eve and you'll see a bunch of girls wearing something similar. I hated that he put the model in black tights and boots. With such a long black dress, there should be some bare leg.

I liked Judy's grey dress with the black cage element because she chose a fabric with great movement. It wasn't something shockingly innovative it was beautiful and it fit her model perfectly. The black boning element gave it something extra without being totally over the top.

Ha, Benjamin does not have a poker face. The look on his face when Jess was announced the winner was verging on hilarious. It was even worse when she was given a $2000 gift card. One thing I've disliked hearing him say throughout the season is that the reason he likes Caitlin and his model Grace is that they like the same things he does. Wouldn't life be boring if you surrounded yourself with people who only like the same things you like?

One thing I like about PRNZ is that they don't try to draw out the results. Once Georgia announced Jess was the winner, she immediately called Benjamin, Judy, and Kerry as safe in one sentence.

I would have been fine with either Peni or Caitlin going home because they were both boring ideas that were poorly executed. I thought they would keep Caitlin for the drama and because she's won two challenges, so I was a little surprised that she was the one who was cut. Knowing what I know (meaning what we saw of the design and construction process), I was more inclined to keep Peni because he lost a lot of sewing time the first day due to his back and then he changed his design on the second day, both of which led to his unfinished looking garment. Caitlin, on the other hand, made poor choices from the beginning (white satin, small fringe, and then not enough fringe). Like the super annoying codependent twins on PR: US, it would have been interesting to see what Caitlin made if she didn't have Benjamin to lean on, but I knew that the chances of the judges eliminating him any time soon were slim to none.

[oldCJ]

I don’t understand why so many of the designers didn’t have their models wear the  necklaces. Wasn’t that the entire point of the challenge? To design a dress that shows off the collection, not just the earrings and bracelet. 

[TVbitch]

I like Peni better than Caitlin, but, to be fair, he should have gone home for that dress. I feel for his back issue, but nonetheless the construction of that dress was an abomination. It literally looked like two large rags stuck together. Caitlin's was in much better shape and the judges gave it more favorable comments, so I was shocked they sent her home. I wonder if they found out just how much help she was getting and that factored in. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Wow, Benjamin was really petulant and bitchy this week. I guess he really needed his BFF Caitlin around to keep that under wraps. Jess nailed it when she said he was being sulky.

[oldCJ]

Did Jess just provide us with the world’s largest camel toe? I think she did. 

 

Loved Peni. He has such a great personality. Hope he finds success. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I liked that the challenge was suit-inspired (rather than "make a suit") because it gave the designers more room to be creative, as opposed to a bunch of blazers. Peni really took it the furthest but because he listened to Georgia and used all the white wool (instead of the other materials he had bought), it ended up looking a bit too sloppy/casual instead of sharp, fitted, and powerful. It's too bad because it was obvious that they all liked the concept. I felt bad that they were so focused on that one tiny strip of fabric that he added to keep his model's boobs from popping out. I didn't love it but I appreciated that he recognized there was a problem and he tried to fix it (unlike some designers who we've seen on other versions of the who didn't even bother trying to address the fact that their model was on the verge of showing too much).

Benjamin's was the most boring and traditional version of a suit. I wouldn't even call it an interpretation since the jacket looked like a traditional blazer that you could have bought at the mall 20 years ago or today. The shorts were a little more out there, but not necessarily in a good way, especially if you use the male judge's criteria of imagining a woman wearing this in a boardroom full of men. Sorry, Benjamin, but using suede to make a classic black blazer doesn't make it different enough.

I understand why the judges gave the win to Kerry. They've made no secret of the fact that they love runway drama, no matter what the actual assignment is. Most women would look ridiculous sweeping into a work meeting wearing that huge cape, but it looked good on the runway and that's what the judges want. He was smart to add such a contrasting color to the inside of the cape which made it even more dramatic. Heh, but the "I'm only wearing a bra under this blazer" look is what Mr. EB and I used to refer to as Victoria's Secret Business Attire (back when VS sold clothes in the back section of their catalog, this was a common look).

I liked Judy's forest green design even though I could see there were some issues with it. What I liked: the silhouette, the color, and how it made her model look like a badass boardroom version of a superhero. Unfortunately, I felt like it needed some more tinkering to make it better. I think most of that was due to construction issues, but I give her credit for pulling that off despite her admitted lack of tailoring skills. I disagreed with the judges who didn't like the other material or said it would have looked better in all leather. I think if she'd used leather for the entire outfit, it would have ended up looking too costumey.

Oh, Jess. I feel like she's been a stealth bitch all season and getting away with it because she makes all her bitchy comments while smiling and then follows them up by laughing. But if I had to choose sides this week between bitchy Jess and sulky Benjamin, I'll take Jess. Was there anything he DIDN'T complain about this week? He hates capes, Jess stole his model (which, let's remind everyone, is not what actually happened), wah wah wah. Compared to all that whining, pouting, and barely contained anger, Jess seemed rational and reasonable (even when she was cackling about how she chose Gracie as a model). I liked the bright blue color that she chose (and I'm so glad that Andreas kept following the designers around the fabric store and telling them not to get boring grey material), but there was A LOT going on with that jumpsuit. What I really hated were the pleats she put on top of each thigh. I also wish the pants had been a little longer because the length she had made it seem like this was meant for a shorter person and then she swapped in a taller model at the last minute. Didn't she do an asymmetric neckline/top last week too? I did love when Judy put on this jumpsuit and was running around the workroom (and this is not the first time Judy has tried on Jess's design so I kind of hope we get that every week from now on) and the guys said that she looked like one of those inflatable things in parking lots. It's funny because it's true!

[TVbitch]

That one guy about Kerry's.... "Business woman need something like this to feel as powerful as all those men in the Board room with their dark suits." Um, first of all, what decade are you in? And secondly, I would feel like an absolute fucking idiot wearing a floor length cape to a business meeting. ...or any size cape for that matter!  

I hated Jess' and don't know anyone who could wear it. 

Peni's was sloppy for the second time in a row, so he had to go. Too bad he couldn't pull it together better. I do think it actually looked better in black. 

Judy's deserved to get through, but her constant "ironic smiling" grates on me. 

Benji's was the only garment I would actually wear, but I realize that is not the judges' criteria. He is delicate and bitchy, but deserved to go through.

I kind of question these judges' taste level. But I say that as someone who has lived in sweats for the last 10 years.  :)

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Just before I watched this episode, an article entitled Judy Gao designing for Paris Fashion Week from her parents' Epsom house but I didn't click on it because I was like DAMN IT, I JUST GOT SPOILED! I mistakenly thought that meant she had made it to the PR: NZ finale, so I was surprised when the judges clearly did not like her dress.

When she was the last one left on the runway, I thought the judges were going to say that they were sending her to the finale too (hey, it's happened before on other versions of PR!). When that didn't happen, I thought Andreas was going to go backstage and tell her that the judges decided to keep her. When that didn't happen either, I was like what the hell did that article actually say?!

It turns out that Judy was invited to show collections at fashion week in Paris, London, Milan, New York and Vancouver! She said she can't afford to go to all of them but that she's probably going to go to Paris fashion week because the theme is 3D printed dresses. I hope she starts a GoFundMe so that she can go to at least one more fashion week.

I liked Judy all season so I am disappointed she didn't make it to the finale, but I'm sure this more than makes up for it (at least for her, if not me). I didn't disagree with the judges' critiques of her dress though. It was fine but there was no real wow factor to it. I did think it was a bit hypocritical when one of the judges said they couldn't tell who Judy's girl is by looking at this and who would wear it. Really? Who would wear that monstrosity that Benjamin created? And who in the real world would be walking around in a chartreuse lace suit with a giant neck ruffle? Or a head to toe fuchsia and red leather jumpsuit?

I had to roll my eyes when Benjamin got himself into a bitchy snit about how Kerry thinks he's top dog. Oh, I see, Benjamin. Only you are allowed to think that! I had the same reaction when Jess told him backstage that after being declared this week's winner, she finally feels like she has a chance to win this competition and he just sniffed and said, "Really?" OMFG, dude. Can't you be gracious for two seconds and just say, "Congratulations!"?

I hated everything about Benjamin's design (and not just because of his shitty attitude). I hated the drab color which made it look like he had started with a white fabric and then sent his model to Burning Man. I hated the hideous mutton sleeves and all the ruffles hanging everywhere which made it look like a dress for a two year old. And I agreed with the guest judge about how terrible the pants looked with that ripped uneven hem. Seriously, that was so ugly and frankly unprofessional looking. I also hated the color of the pants because it looked like he made a pattern out of muslin and then didn't have time to make them with the brown material.

I laughed when Kerry said that Jess's pink and red combination was a lot for the eyes. This coming from someone who made a chartreuse suit. I'm all for bright colors, but pot, meet kettle.

At this point, I hope that anyone but Benjamin wins just to wipe that smug supercilious look off his face. There's being confident and there's being an arrogant douchebag.

ETA: One other fun fact from the Judy article - she's a nationally ranked chess player!

Edited December 10, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[TVbitch]

I didn't really like any of the looks. I don't think they would get you into the finale on the US version. Are puffy sleeves a thing in NZ? I will have to ask my friend from NZ! 

When the male judge was actually wearing chartreuse, I figured Kerry would go through! 

I have a male friend who has Benji's exact same OTT smug sense of humor. When Judy said she didn't like his, um, whatever that was, he said very snidely "of course not, it's not for you, Judy!" But he was smiling the whole time. That is EXACTLY like my ballet dancer friend. Benji did the same thing to his mom on the phone, so his attitude I think is somewhat a put on and it doesn't bother me as much. I was shocked to hear his mom say he didn't come from money, cuz I totally presumed he did.  

I was surprised neither Judy nor Jess had previously thought about what their collection would be. Um, really? Okay maybe I can see if at the beginning you don't think you have a shot at the finale, but when it is down to 5 and 6 people, maybe you want to put a bit of thought into that.

All in all, much like their version of Bake Off, this has kind of been pretty lackluster for me. All apologies to my Kiwi friend! 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was surprised that Judy and Jess hadn’t already at least partially planned their collections too. Maybe they’re the types who need to be in the moment but I assume anyone who comes on this show plans to make it to the finale and has some designs (or at least some ideas) ready for that. 

I didn’t love anything on the runway tonight. Nothing really wowed me. I can see why Judy was eliminated though. her look was the least runway ready, for lack of a better phrase. I really hope the final three bring it with their collections. I need something to knock my socks off! 

[roguery]

She’s great! She’s enthusiastic, natural, kind, warm, and genuine (and I think she’s darling-looking.) Wish she’d host the American PR! I like the PR NZ mentor very much, as well. He seems straightforward, helpful, and also genuine and kind to the contestants (particularly when he’s having to usher them off the show.) Wish he’d mentor the American PR!

Edited December 17, 2018 by roguery

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ha, I loved that the intro and the home visits took about only ten minutes total and then we got to the runway show.

Kerry's first black blazer with the sheer arms and foofy shoulders was a little too similar to his chartreuse design from last week. When the second design came down the runway, I thought oh, Kerry, is your entire collection blazers? You don't want this to look like a collection of work clothes from the mall. The most interesting thing about the second look was the black and sheer top which was barely visible under the blazer and pants that looked like a grey version of knotty wood. The black outfit was okay but not amazing. I did like the purple color he used in  the other design. Overall I felt like his collection was more ready to wear with some foof added here and there for drama. I didn't see anything innovative or new. I also didn't see anything that had a wow factor.

Benjamin's collection was drab and boring. Not only did I hate the blah colors, but I hated all the extra shit hanging off. I don't need straps hanging off the sleeves and neck and I don't need to be infantalized with all those stupid ruffles.

After Benjamin's oatmeal collection, I loved seeing all the color that Jess used. I liked that she added texture to her collection by quilting one jacket and using suede for another. I didn't love the white shoes, but I really liked the tinted sunglasses which made her girls look cool and aloof.

I knew that Benjamin would win based on the rapturous looks on the judges' faces during his runway collection. That was only cemented by the judges comments to the other designers.

I loved seeing Massey and Matt take pictures of the designers on the runway afterward!

[oldCJ]

Benjamin’s designs remind me so much of Brandon from season 16. Dangly bits and all, only without the aesthetic appeal that Brandon’s had. He could have sent the models out nude and he would have won. The judges were so enamored of him from day one. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

8 hours ago, oldCJ said:

Benjamin’s designs remind me so much of Brandon from season 16. Dangly bits and all, only without the aesthetic appeal that Brandon’s had. He could have sent the models out nude and he would have won. The judges were so enamored of him from day one. 

I totally agree. 

[TVbitch]

The real winner was Benjamin's hair conditioner. 

It was kind of hard to see a "collection" in 5 looks. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

15 hours ago, TVbitch said:

The real winner was Benjamin's hair conditioner. 

Hahahaha! And he was never hesitant to shake his mane of hair at the camera!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

In theory, I feel bad that PR: NZ didn't film/air until it was too late for the winner to participate in the international season of Project Runway: All Stars. Then I remembered it was Benjamin and I couldn't decide if I would want him to participate just so he could get smacked down by people like Dmitry.