S17.E14: Finale

[Lemons]

1 hour ago, joanne3482 said:

I thought Karli's dress evoked more Garo with the shoulders. 

Thijin really is the best model. Kate really is the worst. Although Hester had one that also didn't have a good walk, while Hester kept praising her walk. 

I wonder if DVB will follow through with her job offer. 

Another designer foiled by that model named Kate.  The clothes always look ill fitted on her as she clomps down the runway.

  There was also another model that had enormous floppy breasts and it really does distract from the clothes.  One of the reasons Sebastian’s long leather dress was so stunning was the model wearing it didn’t take away from the dress.  The dress was displayed beautifully which is what you want. 

[Lemons]

1 hour ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

I just have to say how it warms my heart and give me the feels to see chyrons saying "Sebastian's husband" "Garo's husband" "Hester's wife" - I know there's still a long way to go - but if you're old like me, did you ever think you'd see that? 

In fashion and the arts? Yes. Now we need to hear it outside of the arts more often. 

[millennium]

2 hours ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

I'm always a little tickled when there are declarations of "the fix is in!" and then that person doesn't win.

It came close, too close in fact.  Hester never should have made it this far.   During the season she was told not once but twice that if not for her having immunity, she would be gone.  This is the woman who made the turkey costume.   Show that one to Diane Von Furstenburg! (who once sat in the row in front of me at a Madonna concert; she looked 30 years younger then ... probably because it was 30 years ago).

I thought it tacky of Von Furstenburg to tell Hester if she doesn't win there's a job waiting, with the two other guys just standing there listening.

The editors tried to fake us out, being sure to slather on the DVF praise for Hester at the show, while leaving out all such comments she may have made about Sebastian and Garo.   But DVF's gushing didn't jive with other comments about Hester's collection, which were faint: "She really knows how to accessorize."

In the end, there was no elation associated with Sebastian's win, just a collective "Phew!" that Harley Quinn didn't sashay away with the prize and leave us feeling like fools for having watched all season.   Like we dodged a candy-colored bullet.

I had to laugh at the dearth of celebrities at the show, because you know if someone really famous or noteworthy had been there, they would have been featured.   Instead we got Kovid.

On the plus side, the venue for the show was great, the music was excellent and the production value was first class. 

Did anyone catch Brandon citing Clueless in reference to one of Hester's designs?  LOL

Edited June 14, 2019 by millennium

[violet and green]

Fabulous! A very fitting winner! And so lovely to see his emotion after his show and then again with Meana's warm congratulations. The man designs like a dream and should have a marvellous career. It's a beautiful Cinderella story of talent, dedication, and perserverance.

I am also very pleased Diane von Fürstenberg shares my admiration and appreciation for Hester's work and has offered her, informally at least, though very sincerely, a mentorship/work in her fashion house.

That was a really good season.

And so lovely to see Afa again! I hope he had a good time in New York.

So great to see PR back in form. Christian was a surprising delight.

Can't wait till next time!

[Samwise979]

Yay!! Sebastian!! So happy he won. 

After the runway shows I had a feeling Hester would win because DvF was like, she is so good! to Elaine. Speaking of which, anyone else get the feeling the "tie breaker" between Hester and Sebastian was the fact the DvF wants Hester to work for her? There was a part when the judges were talking about how much Hester could benefit from the mentoring and then Karlie said, she (Hester) would benefit from your mentoring. (Your meaning DvF.) Just wondering if that swayed them toward Sebastian. 

Anyway. Yay!! Sebastian!!

[Ashforth]

Are corsets really futuristic? Really? In what future for women is that?

[millennium]

5 minutes ago, Samwise979 said:

There was a part when the judges were talking about how much Hester could benefit from the mentoring and then Karlie said, she (Hester) would benefit from your mentoring. (Your meaning DvF.) Just wondering if that swayed them toward Sebastian. 

I think Sebastian's ace was in the hole was his shared heritage with Nina.  I suspect Nina's opinion carries a lot of weight.   His story meant a lot to her.

Just want to add, I think Karlie did a great job for her first time out.   I find her warmer and much more likeable than the Klum of Doom.

[Sharpie66]

3 hours ago, Toodleoo said:

Sebastian’s cream colored jacket with the leather chain-stitching just below the waist and elbows...I would wear that everywhere.

Oh, hell, yes!! This was my favorite thing out of all 30 outfits.

[Caseysgirl]

Watching the clip of Christian’s runway from his season, I’m remembering what a nasty arrogant little asshole he was,in spite of his incredible talent. It’s nice to see that age & success has helped him become a seemingly nicer guy.

[HurricaneVal]

1 hour ago, Lemons said:

In fashion and the arts? Yes. Now we need to hear it outside of the arts more often. 

I don't know what market you live in, and I know ads are different across the country in different markets, but here in the left leaning Seattle market, a lot of TV commercials for major brands and products have same sex couples in their ads--mostly M/M.  A lot of them featuring them raising children together too.  Also lots of ads with interracial couples as well.  They aren't featured, in that they have the actors front and center narrating "Hi!  I'm Jamal, and this is my husband Gunther.  We just looooove Downy fabric softener because it makes the sheets in our bed so soft and easy to roll around on." But Jamal and Gunther are shown doing normal couple stuff together in these ads, and it just seems...normal.  In fact it takes a while before you notice, "hey, that insurance commercial had a same sex couple!" that's how subtly it is done.  I have often wondered if those same ads run in Alabama.

Christian was a great mentor.  I liked Karli as host.  Brandon grew on me, and I think he's a strong judge.  I liked that two day challenges were the norm rather than the rare luxury this season, and I appreciated the focus on design drama and not personal drama.

I am very happy with the Sebastian win.  A Garo win would be OK too.  Just not a Hester win, she was not my cup of tea, though I do not doubt she is genuine.  I just find her too twee for words.  I also didn't like how smug an was during the finale, like she had a lock on the win.

So keep those lights on, Christian, and bring in the second season of this fantastic reboot!

Edited June 14, 2019 by HurricaneVal

[GaT]

Well, I wanted Not Hester to win, & they did! So I'm happy.

[RealityCreator]

I'm still processing the fact that they made the right decision.  I was so sure they were going to pick Hester!  I'm so happy for Sebastian. His collection was head and shoulders above the others.  He followed the advice he was given to strip it down - and what a difference it made!  He will get a lot out of the CFDA mentorship.

[RealityCreator]

4 hours ago, ArtFossil said:

Mine was a small scale print, on a black ground. It was an amazing dress and I wish I still had it.

Mine is too, but it's a newer one.  I have it and it's gorgeous and it's flattering even if I gain or lose a few pounds.  Genius.

[tinderbox]

Thrilled Sebastian won.  So well deserved.  The best part of his victory was that he didn’t expect it.  Hester?  I completely believe she thought the win was in the bag for her.  Funny how that works.

I thoroughly enjoyed this season.  Appreciated the judges, loved Christian, and I must say the editing kept me guessing all the way until the winner was announced.  

Edited June 14, 2019 by tinderbox

[Love2dance]

I loved season 17, the finale, and the winner. What a great competition. Congratulations, Sebastian.

But I do have questions about the model selection for the final runway. I don’t get it. Supposedly they arrive to the finale mere days before the runway, with ten or more completed outfits. THEN they choose their models? I don’t believe it.  There is no way most of those outfits could have been altered to fit the bodies of all of their models in just a few days. I fervently believe they were given their models’ measurements before they went home to design the final outfits. One of the designers even hinted to it a little by saying he “hoped” he’d get a certain model for a certain outfit. I don’t see why they had to pretend a whole fake scenario.

Other than that, as was said before, bravo Bravo!

[Vermicious Knid]

The right person won, yay! He captured elegance and innovation in his work. I was so hoping DVF would look at Hester's stuff and say "I don't understand. What is that supposed to be?" But no, she loved it. I finally realized how to really describe her collection. It was sophisticated clown clothing.

I'm going to disagree with most people and say Christian was not a good mentor. Most of his  criticism was negative rather than constructive. He was most useful during the home visits but tonight he was so abrasive. Actually barking at Sebastian when he was thinking about going to Mood "No thread!!" Rude, and not your decision. But I've never liked him or 99% of his designs.

[RealityCreator]

12 minutes ago, Love2dance said:

I loved season 17, the finale, and the winner. What a great competition. Congratulations, Sebastian.

But I do have questions about the model selection for the final runway. I don’t get it. Supposedly they arrive to the finale mere days before the runway, with ten or more completed outfits. THEN they choose their models? I don’t believe it.  There is no way most of those outfits could have been altered to fit the bodies of all of their models in just a few days. I fervently believe they were given their models’ measurements before they went home to design the final outfits. One of the designers even hinted to it a little by saying he “hoped” he’d get a certain model for a certain outfit. I don’t see why they had to pretend a whole fake scenario.

Other than that, as was said before, bravo Bravo!

Garo straight up said he'd made the gold dress for Kate based upon what he thought were her measurements, and he thought he'd either been way off or she'd lost a lot of weight.  So it seems you're right (and it would make more sense) that they have their model's measurements before they get back to NYC for the finale.

[Delete]

Great season with minimal negative drama. I enjoyed seeing the close friendships happen between the designers, and building up of each other instead of tearing down.  Christian was a wonderful engaging, and delighted snarky mentor. He was truly there for the designers, and really gave them tips that benefited them. 

Hester grew on me like the wacky hats that seem permanently stationed on her head. I think she’ll do really well. Garo has his niche corseted style, and it has done well for him, but quite frankly, I wanted to see Bishme’s collection over Garo. Too bad! So sad! 

I have always admired DVF. She took a signature style and made a name for herself. She had an incredibly saucy life. Great mentor for Hester if the job offer stands and is accepted. 

Im so pleased that Sebastian won. Well deserved. He is without a doubt up there as one of the PR superstars. It was quite pleasant to see the softness come out with Nina. It doesn’t happen often. 

The Bravo folks need to pat themselves on the back for amping up and bringing life back into this show without resorting to sensational tactics that are often seen on some of their other reality shows. 

PS.The venue that the runway show was held in was beyond beautiful.  🤩

Edited June 14, 2019 by Barbara Please

[Sesquipedalia]

Queerest. Runway. Ever. Okay, a lot of NY runways are pretty queer, but I don't remember another season of PR where all the finalists had their same-sex partners there with them.

I really enjoyed this season. Hester's clothes are not my taste, but I thought her collection was well-made and entertaining. She turned out to be quite the professional. I hope DvF really does give her a job.

I loved Nina's exchange with Sebastian about how he's the embodiment of the American Dream. I admire her, and his collection was well deserving of the win. Felicidades!

Looooved Christian as the mentor this season. He was so cute and endearing and really seemed to care about the designers, while still maintaining his bitchy persona. I will always love Tim Gunn, but Christian is a worthy successor. 

Enjoyed reading everyone's takes. Bye until next season.

[anonymiss]

I was 100% in agreement with DVF. Hester served designer XXI meets XXX and I loved it. It was fresh, fun, fashion-forward, creative. It was a bona fide designer with her own point of view. It was joyfully executed, with every look being a delightful surprise. I can't stand the dime-a-dozen skilled dressmakers doing perfectly pretty clothes I can buy in any department store already. 

I love when DVF waits till the others commit their opinion and all reinforce their group thinking, and then she schools them, reminiscent of when she did it by saying, "Actually, I knew Jackie O. and she would wear this." 

Edited June 14, 2019 by anonymiss

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I have lived through far too many seasons of PR that ended with the worst person winning, so I looooooove that Sebastian won! He has made so many great things over the season and his final collection was really beautiful.

I was so worried when he started second guessing himself and questioned whether he should start making more stuff. I loved how clearly annoyed Christian was when Sebastian said that maybe he would go to Mood to BUY THREAD.

I think Sebastian was right to take out most of the belts. As gorgeous as they were, he didn't need all of his models wearing them.

Last week when we saw some of what Sebastian had made, I was afraid the judges would say it looked like the orange construction netting that was used in a previous season's unconventional challenge.

Hester's designs throughout the season have been very juvenile, derivative, ill fitting, and poorly made aka Hot Topic crap so I was expecting her final collection to look like a clown fucked a rainbow. I was pleasantly surprised that not everything was a neon glitter bomb. Honestly, it looked a lot better than I thought it would.

I still can't believe that the judges find her so fashion forward/refreshing/creative. Just about everything she makes is a rip off of something else. The look that Brandon said he loved was the Clueless "Cher flunked her driving test" outfit. That opening look was one of those cheap looking costumes from Leg Avenue that you order on amazon a few days before Halloween or a college costume party (Slutty nurse! Slutty Alice in Wonderland! Slutty Marie Antoinette! We have slutty costume versions of everything!). I mean, seriously, it was a strappy top with a tutu and a garter belt. Thijin was working it, but not enough to distract me from the actual outfit. I had to laugh when Hester say she likes to start new trends. By remaking stuff from the 90s? I really hated what the stompy angry looking girl who did the twirl was wearing (the thick suspender strapped top with a sheer long sleeved shirt underneath).

Although Garo's collection wasn't my favorite, I felt bad that the judges were clearly not into it. Their feedback/comments made it obvious that he was not in the running to win.

I loved seeing all the former contestants in the audience! And I really liked that this season's designers and the finalists' families were in the room for the announcement. It always seemed sad to hear five people clapping when the winner was announced in previous seasons.

[HunterHunted]

Hester's esthetic isn't really my bag, but it was a very well done cohesive collection that communicated her ethos very well. I liked Sebastian's more because it's more my style. They both were really good.

Marni saved Garo's collection. You can see that when he was doin the model fittings, Garo was planning on matchy formal pumps for every look. It was just a series of dresses. Even Rami and Christopher Palu managed to make pants and a couple of separates. I think Marni's  suggestions made his stuff look more cohesive and punky than they really were.

All around it was welcome return to form after wallowing in dreck on Lifetime for years. Bravo Bravo!

[PaulaO]

Hester’s first runway look reminded me of season 1’s challenge to make a dress for Sarah Hudson’s video.  Team Austin created a Marie Antoinette look and wound up in the bottom. 

[sunshine23]

14 hours ago, hula-la said:

We have Commencement tonight for my school. While the students and parents/family members in the audience will be stressed, as they are missing Game 6 of the NBA playoffs (I'm in Canada), I'm stressed, as I'm missing the finale of Project Runway. PVR has been set, and I'm nervously hoping for a win for Sebastian (and for the Raptors, too!)

Looks like both your wishes came true.

I was truly afraid to watch because I thought Hester would win due to her big build up all season, but thank goodness I was wrong. There were several things that made me smile and while I still love and miss Heidi and Tim, made me appreciate the new verson of PR.

1. Christian is so darn cute and seems to be having such a good time that he literally makes me smile when he's on screen. His interactions with the designers appear authentic ("If you go to Mood for thread I'm going....to......murder.....) and make me laugh. 

2. Standing next to each other, Hester and Christian looked like they could be twins.

3. Loved the interactions between the finalists. They seemed to truly enjoy each other and respect each other's work.

4. There wasn't anyone I loved to hate this season which was actually quite refreshing since "that" person usually stays around way too long.

Congratulations Sebastion! Well deserved. Now where can we purchase your clothing?

[HunterHunted]

4 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

I'm going to disagree with most people and say Christian was not a good mentor. Most of his  criticism was negative rather than constructive. He was most useful during the home visits but tonight he was so abrasive. Actually barking at Sebastian when he was thinking about going to Mood "No thread!!" Rude, and not your decision. But I've never liked him or 99% of his designs.

Honestly, this was very necessary for Christian to say. Every bit of that trip to Mood is time a designer cannot work on their designs. I'm not sure of the distance between their workspace and Mood, I think we could comfortably estimate anywhere from 90 minutes to 2 hours wasted on a trip to Mood with driving time, time to set up the cameras, and the "shopping time." Sebastian needed a big old klaxon saying "You're wasting 2 hours on thread!!!!!! Do you not have any other thread that might work?" And Tim Gunn has said nearly the same thing many times over. 

[Fake Jan Brady]

I'm surprised Mimi wasn't cast in anyone's final runway. Hopefully she was too busy with other glamorous work.

I loved everything about the finale, especially the win, although I was dismayed the editors had Bishme praise Hester's collection instead of his papito's! 

Apart from his collection being beautiful, Sebastian just seems like the sweetest man. Very satisfying win.

[becauseIsaidso]

I popped in and out last night only to see Sebastian's line which, thankfully, came down the runway first. So glad he won. Did not like Christian in his 'fierce' season and from what little I saw of his mentoring, I would still prefer Tim Gunn - even though I was royally annoyed with him during that horrible Under The Gunn for which I had had such high hopes. I may tune in to the next season, but if they start pulling the crap of making someone judge's pet yet again, I'll just bail forever. I want to see the designs and how the designers work, not put up with headgames.

[Nidratime]

Quote

I really hated what the stompy angry looking girl who did the twirl was wearing (the thick suspender strapped top with a sheer long sleeved shirt underneath).

Don't they all look angry (or totally bored), no matter how they walk or what their size?

[Kanner]

I am so happy. I was pulling hard for Sebastian the whole time. I loved his collection.

I knew Garo was out. I also have an appreciation for what Hester does and thought all of her stuff was well made and unique. I could not have been mad at her winning with this collection.

I thought the same thing about Karlie's dress looking like Sebastian's collection.

I have to say it again. I really really loved Sebastian's collection.

Christian was just on point this episode. He has been great the whole season but the back and forth with Sebastian about the thread was hilarious. 

On another note:

Was the runway space the same location as the shootout scene in Jon Wick 3? It look so familiar.

[MartyQui]

I’m so happy Sebastian won, and I want that teal coat dress (and somewhere to wear it).  The less said about Hester the better.  I thought Garo’s collection wasn’t particularly well made, and quite a few of the looks were really derivative of Vivienne Westwood.

[pasdetrois]

They all produced much better work than we'd seen, given time. Production: please stop dumbing down the show by relying on the stupid challenges and ridiculous time frames.

So happy that Sebastian won. He's smart and talented, commercial, and he'll take to being mentored and not embarrass CFDA or PR. Unlike other PR winners who disappeared from sight, there will probably be some promotion behind him.

Garo's looks were pretty but nothing special, nothing new.

Hester's collection was better than I expected; the craftsmanship was there. Perhaps if she'd stuck with the toned-down baby blue (the Clueless dress) the judges would have liked it better. Her designs are not my cup of tea, but I hope DVF helps her out. I think DVF thinks that with mentoring there's a market for Hester's work.

My friend's mother owned a dress shop and kindly sold me a DVF dress at deep discount. I wore it everywhere and made several others. I think the dress pattern was from Vogue, which made me feel very fancy.

Edited June 14, 2019 by pasdetrois

[Lemons]

7 hours ago, HurricaneVal said:

I don't know what market you live in, and I know ads are different across the country in different markets, but here in the left leaning Seattle market, a lot of TV commercials for major brands and products have same sex couples in their ads--mostly M/M.  A lot of them featuring them raising children together too.  Also lots of ads with interracial couples as well.  They aren't featured, in that they have the actors front and center narrating "Hi!  I'm Jamal, and this is my husband Gunther.  We just looooove Downy fabric softener because it makes the sheets in our bed so soft and easy to roll around on." But Jamal and Gunther are shown doing normal couple stuff together in these ads, and it just seems...normal.  In fact it takes a while before you notice, "hey, that insurance commercial had a same sex couple!" that's how subtly it is done.  I have often wondered if those same ads run in Alabama.

Christian was a great mentor.  I liked Karli as host.  Brandon grew on me, and I think he's a strong judge.  I liked that two day challenges were the norm rather than the rare luxury this season, and I appreciated the focus on design drama and not personal drama.

I am very happy with the Sebastian win.  A Garo win would be OK too.  Just not a Hester win, she was not my cup of tea, though I do not doubt she is genuine.  I just find her too twee for words.  I also didn't like how smug an was during the finale, like she had a lock on the win.

So keep those lights on, Christian, and bring in the second season of this fantastic reboot!

I was thinking more of real life.  Where politicians and teachers and other jobs don’t have to hide their true identity. 

[doodlebug]

9 hours ago, Jordan Baker said:

I think he was a popular winner. As I recall, he won Fan Favorite in addition to winning the season. It was clear that he was crazy talented, but he was almost eliminated in the prom-dress challenge. He didn't get along with the client. (This was a real-world challenge.) I think that was his only real miss.

His avant-garde look with Chris March is probably my favorite PR outfit of all time.

He was also very young and a bit snarky. His favorite catch-phrase was "hot tranny mess." But he made great clothes.

He's also been a terrific mentor this season.

I assume he's been the most successful of all the PR winners.

Christian was certainly one of the favorites, though his season had a lot of great talent.  He was very young and kind of immature, but funny as he** most of the time.  I think he was just 21 at the time, pretty full of himself as kids that age tend to be. His esthetic was kind of a cross between Seinfeld's puffy shirt and Adam Ant, lots of ruffles and embellishments.  Like any good designer, he has evolved and his career encompasses a lot of different themes these days.

He was also probably the best dressmaker ever on the show; he made elaborate garments, often doing a top, bottom and jacket, and still managing to finish his garments well before his competitors who were making single, much simpler, stuff.  There was a lot of praise for the quality of his work and his fit was usually impeccable.

His one misstep was the prom challenge where he was asked to make a prom dress for a typical teen girl with an attitude whose vision was not his esthetic and whose figure was not model-thin.  He pouted and did a lousy job.  He has shown a lot of growth since then as he now is known for designing beautiful garments for women of all sizes and shapes.

He was my favorite during his season, but there were several others that season who could've won, too.  My favorite season of this show, ever.

[Lemons]

8 hours ago, Ashforth said:

Are corsets really futuristic? Really? In what future for women is that?

I haven’t seen anyone outside of a costume wearing a corset.  They look so uncomfortable. 

[Diane Mars]

I'm so happy Sebastian won ! I LOVED his effortless, chic,  so "now" but timeless collection ! I Loved the belts, too...

He has a really brigh future ahead, because I'm seeing him like the Hermès brand ! Fantastic job. (And I'm really hard to please, but here nothing to complain about. I WANT to wear some of his pieces or accessories. I really WANT THAT badly !)

[jacksgirl]

Re Christian as a mentor,  I am certain that TPTB did not want Tim 2.0. Christian was more involved in design and fabric decisions than Tim and Christian is a (very successful) designer, Tim is a teacher, so they are coming from different strengths. Christian is more effervescent,  Tim more thoughtful. Any smart designer on Project Runway would be wise to take the advice of these two. They have proven themselves right a lot more than they were wrong. I started PR with Jay,  Kara Saun and Wendy Pepper. Stayed through Christian and Chris March, and after this reboot, I am back in.

[SheTV]

Hester's posture annoyed me almost as much as her "designs."  And then, 90% of the time, she slapped one of her beret/graduation mortar boards against the back (not on top) of her head which made her look even more hunched over.  Every time she was on screen, I was thinking of cartoon vultures.

[njbchlover]

9 hours ago, WaltersHair said:

Christian was voted fan favorite, but he was a pill all season. Fast mouth and cut everyone to ribbons. But he was hella talented.

He's mellowed a great deal and is the perfect foil for Tim.

Was Christian voted fan favorite in his season or was Chris March?  I can't remember.

[mwell345]

Glad Sebastian won.  

Garo made, I think, 2 mistakes (not that I thought he was going to win anyway) but he should never have omitted last weeks dress from the finale.  And since he had 17 looks, I'm not clear on why he strugged to make that one dress fit his model to the point where the construction was noticeably shoddy.  Didn't he have anything else he could put her in that would require less altering.   It's not like that dress was a show-stopper.

Hester didn't bother me that much - in fact one of the things I liked about this season was how supportive and friendly all of the designers seemed to be with each other (with the exception of Tessa).  I watch this because I like the challenges, not to  see interpersonal dramatics.

Overall, I liked the season very, very much and  I had reservations going in.  I was afraid Bravo was going to subject us to guest judges like Bethenny or Dorit (perish the thought).

But they kept the integrity of the show, while changing it up just enough to make it new nd different.   I thought the challenges were interesting and somewhat unique.  I liked Karli as host and Elaine Welteroth as a judge.  I liked that Nina was back for continuity.   And I loved Brandon Maxwell (because of him, I don't miss Michael Kors anymore).

When I first read that Christian was going to be the mentor, I was impressed.  He's been through it before so he can relate.   I think he did a great job.

I also liked being able to hear what some of the judges were saying to each other when the designs went down the runway.

So overall - A+++!!!

[missyb]

Most of Hesters fashions and ideas reminded me of Gwen Stefani and Harajuku girls. Kind of that baby girl punk. OK for attention seeking but not very plausible. But, she was very creative and good at putting these visions into clothes. Just nothing I would want, except maybe for a halloween party.

[heckkitty]

My only disappointment:  WHERE IS MIMI?????? 

[RedbirdNelly]

I loved Nina's congrats speech to Sebastian. It was very touching, and his life story is amazing. If I have it right, he was a serious ballet dancer (did he say he was professional? or stopped short of it), then cleaned buildings after moving to the US and now this. He's clearly a driven individual who will not be stopped by ego to do what he needs to do to survive and get to the next level.

One thing that puzzled me a bit was how Garo's corset obsession was never questioned. I'm not saying corsets should be banned or are offensive to me, but they have some negative connotations especially in 2019. Seeing a male designer include them again and again, and rightly noting they work better on a larger model where you can cinch up a woman, was a bit odd to me. Using them less often wouldn't have raised the question to me, but since he kept going back to it, I was a little surprised we never heard the judges question whether that was entirely appropriate--they questioned other things.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Hester's designs throughout the season have been very juvenile, derivative, ill fitting, and poorly made aka Hot Topic crap so I was expecting her final collection to look like a clown fucked a rainbow. I was pleasantly surprised that not everything was a neon glitter bomb. Honestly, it looked a lot better than I thought it would.

I agree with you - and on this episode Hester didn't get on my nerves every two minutes. I thought her opening model coming out with the big old Marie Antoinette wig on was just brilliant (although I'm a more costume-y type person). 

Hooray for Sebastian. That first dress going down the runaway just gave me the chillie-willies. It looked so elegant and something high-end that I would have worn had I not outweighed the model by a zillion pounds and had a great deal of money. 

Garo made a tactical error not putting out Everybody's Favorite Dress on the runway. Plus the zipper debacle. 

DVF dresses were IT back in the day. I had one back in my thinner/ more disposable income days and I wore that thing to pieces. 

I really did like Christian as a mentor. He reminded me of a snarky grandmother, a little cutting but always with the contestants' best interests at heart. 

[enoughcats]

4 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Just about everything she makes is a rip off of something else.

Let's go way, way back to the Christian year.  Christian was 'so fashion forward'  and it became obvious the next two years that Christian had kept his eyes open when he did his two appreticeships   in London.  One at McQueen and the other at Vivianne Westwood.   To those experiences gave him lots of ideas to adopt for his designs.  Then add his nickname (Princess Puffy Sleeves) which someone explained is the way you fit sleeves when you're rushed- puffy sleeves cover a multitude of fit issues.  Lest we forget that he and his model wore the same size slacks, right to to the skinny jean look. 

Rip off or adaptation: word choice up to the writer/speaker.

[suzeecat]

Hester's aesthetic reminds me a little of Betsey Johnson.  She would have won on Lifetime and I wonder if they gave Sebastian the win because they knew they would alienate us diehard followers with a controversial Hester win first Bravo season out of the gate.  I just loved everything about Sebastian's runway and was very happy and satisfied that he won. 

[sasha206]

I'm so glad Sebastian won.  He was the only one with a truly cohesive set that showcased a variety of styles and impeccable taste.  Any woman could wear his designs.

That said, I really didn't like Nina's comments about the Latina stuff.  Ethnicity, gender, sexual preference should not make it into congratulatory remarks in my mind b/c even though the right person won I felt like it could bring into question her impartiality.

Meanwhile, what was Hester saying about her designs?  She was going to give us something we've never seen before?  I didn't see it.  Aside from the stupid opening design, I didn't see anything that was revolutionary.

Garo's line was a mess.  Some nice pieces, but I didn't see the cohesive collection he did.  

13 hours ago, WaltersHair said:

I'm going to say this now and you can hate me later. I've never understood the Von Furstenberg love. Those wrap dresses with huge prints made my eyes bleed back in the day and I was actually too young to be into fashion yet.

Same here!  And unless I've missed her other designs, it seems like she's a one trick pony and has been riding that wrap dress forever.

[Kaiju Ballet]

10 hours ago, millennium said:

thought it tacky of Von Furstenburg to tell Hester if she doesn't win there's a job waiting, with the two other guys just standing there listening.

Although a nice offer, I thought it was weird to basically signal that she didn't think Hester was ready to be a designer on her own yet, regardless of the outcome.

That gave me the glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, Sebastian would win (and I wouldn't have to quit this show again, ha!)

Does anyone know what the backstage person used to get the stain out of Sebastian's fabric?

Kate really is the Model of Doom.

[JenLily]

Now that I've had a few hours to digest, I can actually talk about the fashions we saw.

Hester's runway show really wasn't bad at all. Her looks were creative and interesting and there were a few pieces (the first dress, the lavender and red coat, that last dress) that I actually loved. I'm kind of excited that DVF was so into her because I think with the proper guidance, she'll do some pretty awesome things.

I loved so many more of Garo's pieces than I was expecting to. That black trench coat and the black zip-up hoodie sweater dress especially were right up my alley, and there were a few dresses that I'd love to have. And I loved those gloves on the last model. Impractical, sure, but they looked so cool.

1 hour ago, mwell345 said:

And since he had 17 looks, I'm not clear on why he struggled to make that one dress fit his model to the point where the construction was noticeably shoddy.  Didn't he have anything else he could put her in that would require less altering.   It's not like that dress was a show-stopper.

This really bothered me as well. I'm not sure why he was so fixated on that dress when there were probably other looks available that would have required far less work to adapt. I agree that Kate's dress and the one right before that killed his chances of winning.

What else can I add about Sebastian's collection? Everything he sent down was so beautifully constructed and interesting and I'd wear every single one of them. I loved the floaty dress Nina had him make even more without the belt and that teal trench dress was to die for. Honestly, I can't even pick a favorite, he really knocked it out of the park. I'm so delighted that he won and I can't wait to see how they adapt his pieces for sale. I hope I can afford something.

No one mentioned it but Christian's reaction when Garo told him he was leaving out the paillette dress was hysterical. He was so horrified you'd think Garo told him he was planning on killing a dog on the runway. I must've rewound it at least four times. 😂

[byrd]

13 hours ago, raven said:

Uncle Nick!

So far loving Sebastian's.  I thought Garo's started really strong - I loved his first few pieces - and then went downhill after the outfit with the gorgeous cream pants.

I surprised Garo's collection was so botched. He overthought the whole thing. Who wouldn't listen to Christian ??? He needed to include the sequin dress. and remove the botched corseted gown. Sometimes they second guess even what the judges liked that's just crazy. Sebastain collection was just crazy , luscious, gorgeous!!!!!!

Edited June 14, 2019 by byrd

[Kaiju Ballet]

46 minutes ago, sasha206 said:

That said, I really didn't like Nina's comments about the Latina stuff.  Ethnicity, gender, sexual preference should not make it into congratulatory remarks in my mind b/c even though the right person won I felt like it could bring into question her impartiality.

I normally would agree with you, but in this case I felt it would have been odd if there wasn't any comment made. It tied in so well with an earlier challenge where the judges brought in photographs of significant moments in their lives. Nina's personal story seemed to parallel Sebastian's, and her remarks acknowledged such.

I think if anything, if Sebastian's work was not so exquisite, she might even ding him for not living up to the story he was trying to tell. I even loved what he said about the makeup referencing the indigenous people of Colombia.

I teared up, at any rate, during Nina's comments and Sebastian's reactions.