Wow. Those do looks shockingly similar.

I do think he used quite a bit of grey, but regardless, the collection succeeded in doing what it was mean to do - make people take Christian seriously. The clothes are well-constructed, stylish and on-trend, and the reviews have been very positive.

Good for him.

I agree. I thought of Lanvin right away. He's very talented, but he's also very young. I have mixed feelings about this collection. A lot of it really does recall his last one (one of the dresses is almost identical, just in a different color), and I think most of his casual garments here are just flat-out ugly. Love a lot of the dresses and there's also some great use of color there that impresses me. The yellow, blue, and gray gown in the second to last picture is stunning.

I love this collection, I think it's gorgeous! I love the dresses especially.

I like Christian's fit and structure. I think he still mostly designs for models and once he breaks out of that he'll start to find his own voice. But seen side by side with the Lanvin and Ricci pieces it is a bit too close for comfort.

I agree with you both! I love the collection, and one of the neat things about it to me is that this time he designed for a much broader range of women (literally and figuratively). There are clothes in this collection that almost anyone can wear. A couple of things look like office wear from the fifties, and some are derivative, but how much real originality IS there, anyway? He maintained some of the fabulous fluffy things that were innovative last time, and I really love the draped and layered pieces. The basic gray really made the colors pop, and there was a definite look. I wish he would not use so many anorexic models, though.

He DOES look like he worked his little ass off though....some of the pieces are absolutely stunning. I am glad to see he ditched the puffy sleaves, FINALLY!

the collection is masterfully tailored and constructed, and the gowns are gorgeous

go princess!!

I think it's okay.

To be fair, though, that whole strips of layered fabric-ting that Lanvin had is all over Bloomingdale's and Macy's, and has been done quite a lot before.

I'll agree that he's far too derivative and he honestly doesn't have a good sense of color (the greys, yellows and oranges are just predictable and show no skill) but...well, I don;t know where to go from that. Let's see what the buyers think!

"Tlo said: But Tom counters with the point that fashion is all about re-appropriating and reinterpreting things that have gone before. Lorenzo counters that reinterpreting is one thing, but looks that came out only one or two seasons ago? That's not reinterpreting; that's ripping off."




I'm somewhere in the middle, but I don't think he's reinterpreting/ripping-off Lanvin & Ricci; I think he's reinterpreting/ripping-off Winslet & Blair.

Me thinks he's been watching too much of two movies & is stuck on two iconic scenes: Winslet's entrance in Titanic (hence the hats, that will get you hit by a cross-town bus), and Linda Blair's pea soup scene in The Excorcist (hence that horrrible color pop choice).

Overall, I hate the skinny pants (done to death, and are right up there with the baby doll sihouette as being unflattering to virtually everyone, no matter how skinny). I do like his jackets (some are fabulous) & most of his dresses.

I'd been saying I'd like to see him use color, but here I see that his color sense is pretty bad, and see why he's kept away from it. His use of color steers those parts of tthe collection into a ditch. I think that color sense is something you either have or you don't, and you can be a terrific designer, but still be bad at that, and that is why most people need the right collarborators, to keep them from making those mistakes.

--GothamTomato

Sure, he's still finding his voice, and yes, some of the silhouettes were very familiar. But again, taken on its own, I think it's stunning, and I think the choices of color represent a big leap from the sea of black he used in his ProjRun collection. Plus, it's still a very cohesive, well-styled, dramatic collection, which was always one of his big strengths.

I agree those look similar to the other collections you mentioned, but if you hadnt posted the pics, I wouldve had no clue. On its own, I absolutely ADORE Christians collection especially the color pallette. It just happens to be right up my alley. I am definitely going to follow his future collections, and if I had the money I would buy many of those looks.

I'm underwhelmed.

http://projectrunway-newsday.blogspot.com/2008/09/christian-siriano-spring-2009.html

This is a video of Christian's show. At the end Monsieur Gunn delivers effusive praise for the collection, citing its years worth of evolution encapsulated in the few months since Christian's PR4 win.

He adamantly annoints Christian as the "next great American designer".

An Nina would say he is "on point". In the orange gowns, did I detect a bit of Judy Noddling??

I like his collection quite a bit. Especially the colors.
Sue me.

Wow, that first Lanvan dress (the orangey one) is stunning and I want the shoes!

As for Christian's collection, me no likey too muchy, though I think there are some very wearable pieces. I think the second to last dress (the one-shoulder, which normally I detest) is absolutely gorgeous.

And. . . though I was never a big fan to begin with, I have to give him a this: it's an achievement for someone so young. The potential seems to be there, so if the star-maker machinery doesn't chew him up and spit him out, and if he's willing to learn, he has plenty of room to develop and grow.

There is some judynoodling, geegee.

But that long puke green Lavin rip-off is terrible.

For the most part though, the is a very worthy followup to his previous BP collection. I far prefer this than to the BP one.

Well done, Princess!

Could someone please take away the skinny pants pattern? Even those stick women don't look good in them. Geez, design something that doesn't make a normal woman cringe, or give her a camel-toe.

Even though it looks alright, it really confirms more and more that PPS designs for the sake of designing, rather than making a woman look and feel attractive.

To make that much gray look that good? That takes a genius and he clearly is one.

He's so young, there are going to be overt influences in his line for some time to come. However, the maturity he displayed in bringing back just enough the last collection to be consistant while also stepping out from behind the color black and puffy sleeves. I'm impressed.

Brava, Christian!

I am no fashionista, but my impression of his garments were that the fabric choices and colors were gorgeous. I loved the styling on the models as well, but sometimes I'm so distracted by their hideously thin bodies that I miss the actual clothing they're modeling. Does he pick them that thin on purpose?

Oh MAMA MIA - how did I miss it the first viewing -- Tim says "Holla atcha boy" at the end of his interview!

I think that this is great, but derivative... but then, who at 22 (23?) isn't? Artists and writers often start out using their idols as a jumping off point as far as style goes, and I think that's what Christian does here as well. To his credit, it does look like "him" based on his last collection. Hopefully in a few years he will have grown into himself.

Christian has mad skillz, that's for sure, but....I'm begging for more color and he gives me orange and chartreuse? Those colors flatter no one. (Actually, they're flattering on darker skinned people, but make the pasty faced models look like death....as does the yellowish lipstick he put on some of them.)

He's done wonderful things with some of the grey mini dresses, but they are clearly derivative of the Lanvin look (speaking of which....the dark blue Lanvin dress....MUST HAVE. It's probably ridiculously expensive and I would never actually wear it, but it is art.)

I do love Christian's looks with the subtle gradation of colors, with the grey mixing in with the blue and/or chartreuse. Mad skillz.

Jay McCarroll, please show next time. I want more than noodles and ruffles.

I like Princess' collection. I think it shows enough of his own point of view to differentiate it from Lanvin and Ricci.

If you haven't already, you two should read Fashion Babylon.

Eh. PPS still does nothing for me. Funny that the few things of his I kinda liked were "ripped off" from Lanvin.

Go away for a few, travel, eat at fine restaurants, go to museums, go to a petting zoo, visit non-tourist places, work at Borders, live. Then do a collection.

Yeah, they're gorgeous. Love the colors. but you've got to be so freaking skinny to wear the pants. The models have toothpick legs. The skinny pants would look terrible on an average woman.

He still has trouble with color, with the exception of that gorgeous orange piece. I wish he'd used a bit more of that color rather than the yellow.

Enough has been said about the clothes, so I'll comment about the models. I think his choice of models for this collection is not as good as his PR show last season. The models last time had the personalities to show off the clothes to their full advantage. These models look too sleepy, sickly and boring to bring life to the gray palette. (And there's that one girl in the chartreuse blouse that clearly looks 13 to me. She looks silly in the clothes, like she raided her mother's closet.)

I love his palette this time, and he's doing draping like everyone else. But he has serious issues with pants tailoring. The crotches look un-fitted, and awful! But he has some very nice looks, like the mult-colored one-shouldered mini in green and gray.

Very pretty but predictable.

Who exists in his target market?
And what would you wear the clothes for? Can you make a living making clothes for super skinny young women who attend see and be seen events?
I'm sure you can but there is a limit of how many designers can live there, isn't there?

I love Christian, he is a sweetheart, he is the age of mine own darlings, but I am concerned.

Lanvin! I was trying to think where I had seen the one shoulder and strapless looks. Thank you!

I was kinda meh on many pieces, but I LOVE his pencil skirts, and I think the organza blazer is really stunning too. That kid is muy talented.

I really love this collection. I feel like it's a shame that he put the couple really derivate looks down the runway at all, since they aren't the show-stoppers in the collection. The long Lanvin-like dress could have been ditched and it would probably have just made the collection look more cohesive.

Why don't people use more black and white? Is he trying to say the world is gray? It's not that gray.

I don't know one thing about fashion and I thought it was derivative. I just didn't know of what.

It's all very pretty. But it looks like things I've seen before...somewhere.

Anon 1:40 said, "Jay McCarroll, please show next time. I want more than noodles and ruffles."

I know. . . I'd love to see a full, pull-out-all-the-stops Jay McCarroll collection.

im sure you could find something that looked exatly like every single designers outfit all over the world, theres NOTHING thats different

i thought the collection was GORGEOUS! amazing

Boyses, were you at Christian's show? If so. . . how did the crowd respond?

Damn. Those are very, very similar.

I must admit though that I really like these. The colors are great, love how they were used int he detailing, love the use of sheer fabrics, and oh how I covet those grey pleated dresses!

But gah! The orange tights! Looks like the borrowed Duchess's tanning lotion and forgot to apply it anywhere else.

I like the use of chiffon or gauze or whatever the material is in some of the looks. Some of them are a little sloppy-looking but some of them are very interesting in the use of that fabric. Especially for day wear. I especially love the little chiffon glove in the one look.

I wonder if Mr. Siriano picks his models depending upon their resemblance to himself. Most of them have the same short black haircut as he does, and it's a little distracting seeing at the overall look and imagining his face at the top.

I think it's pretty good. Love the gray and chartreuse color combination. His color sense seems moderately fresh to me. And I'm not so worried about his work resembling the work of other designers. Some years I feel as if they're all doing the same thing anyway.

I just hate every single pant of the collection. There isn't a way to make that into a pant for his customer. And I don't have a fine eye, but there are nearly literal repeats from his own PR BP collection. Those are disappointing in and of themselves. But then you see the Lanvin and Ricci selections, and I think, well, now PPS's stuff even looks chip by comparison. Sorry, Princess, but get back to the sketchbook. I'll look forward to the next collection.

I think it's beautiful especially for one so young, but the zippers drive me up the freaking wall!!!

I'm pretty critical and frankly I think it's gorgeous! I love some of the shapes and maybe he'll bring back those lovely hats!

Oh merciful heaven! Look what I just found:
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/the-worst-of-new-york-fashion-week-im-not-going-to-lie-its-kind-of-scary-257423/#photoViewer=1

Other things I remember reading the comments:

Am digging the shoes. Or at, least, what I can see of them.

To quote the Dutchess: the crothes on those pants are INSANE!

Would also like to see a full Jaysus collection.

I like the collection but you can't help but compare to some other designers' collections out there. Having said that, it's still beautiful and one of the best collections a PR designer has ever shown. Congrats and good luck PPS!

Gorgeous! Simply gorgeous!!

I like the ones with chartreuse accents. Some look like filler pieces and others look a bit like parody. I wish someone would do him a favor and throw those fabric covered cartwheel hats away.
Whether he can get these into stores, is anybodys guess. I hope his backer has enough patients to at least stay with him for one more collection. An overnigth success is very rare.

His clothes aren't as avant garde as his last collection.

He picked up where he left off in his last collection and made clothes that are more ready to wear. He used his signature details in many of the looks and offered something new.

As a designer, people aren't looking for someone who changes season to season... so he referenced his last collection, but made it better.

I ADORE this collection. PEople complaining about his use of color have no clue. The grays are gorgeous and the combination with the tangerine and chartreuse are really gorgeous. the gowns, are to die for.

My favorite piece is the organza blazer with the orange tank. Stunning.

The kid has a ton of talent, and when designing chic, well tailored, beautiful clothes, he's bound to create something close to someone else.

I don't think the Lanvin dress is a complete ripoff. The silhuoettes aren't identical and the strapless flowy dress isn't that original of a concept that one designer owns it.

The fabric on Christian's version is much heavier in the front so it does have a different take.

The collection is cohesive and beautiful. This is his debut collection at BP and it is truly stunning what he has accomplished.

His collection has gotten a lot of favorable reviews and I think Lorenzo is being too harsh because he is a young designer. I think he showed his point of view and created beautiful clothing.

Stunning achievement Christian and look forward to seeing your next collection.

I love grey for any season and the grey/chartreuse combination works for me -- orange and grey is just OK. Overall, he did a great job and I'm interested in watching him progress as a designer. I was a believer in Christian from the start on PR last season so admittedly am not the most critical observer of his collection, nor knowledgable enough about high fashion to pick out influences.

Thanks for sharing it with us, TLo, and I hope you'll include reactions from others in the industry in future posts.

I'm not impressed. I'm glad he used color- and he used some beautiful ones. But there were too many things he kept resorting to that are not aesthetically appealing- exposed zippers and exaggerated poofs. For RTW, I have a hard time imaging this on "real" women. It would be extremely unflattering and terribly impractical.

And some of his models were overwhelmingly, frighteningly thin.

You gotta hand it to the kid for getting this together and showing so soon after his PR win. But yes we've seen a lot of those looks before. Personally I think the gray/yellow and gray/orange combos are flat out ugly and unflattering. But I think the grays work well paired with white or black. What is up with all the exposed front zippers? That detail really bugged me in his PR finale collection too.

I thought Christian was ripping himself off. It looked too much like his PR show. I'll also have to go along with those who thought the orange and electric chartreuse were not great color choices either for his models or the collections. Those colors were mid-century throwbacks for both fashion and interior design and they are DONE.

I also wanted to scream when I see those exposed zippers on the pants AGAIN. Several of the short dresses are lovely, and quite saleable as Fern would say but the rest? The women who would be drawn (or able) to wear these clothes don't have the money to afford them if they're couture.

And yes, there are lots of extravagant looks from other designers but the purpose of the runway now is for the designer to get talked about so people buy his/her handbags, shoes, perfume, etc. where most of the revenue comes from. If you don't have an accessories line, the clothes have to sell or be capable of being modified so they can sell when put into production. Who's going to wear those hats? And do the clothes still look special if you modify them so people would wear them? I worry for PPS.

Gorgeous colors, beautiful shapes and textures. Pretty stunning for someone his age.

Hated the zippers, though.

"brooklyn bomber said: I'd love to see a full, pull-out-all-the-stops Jay McCarroll collection."




Count me in on that.

I still think that no other PR finalist has ever surpassed Jay's final collection.

--GothamTomato

Its fabulous. If I were a girl I'd wear em all.

Gotta mostly disagree with Lorenzo on this one. Fashion is pretty incestuous, case in point: the similarity of the giant drawstring-waist onesie and baggy overall looking pieces I saw from Marc Jacobs, DKNY, Michael Kors, Diesel in recent fashion week photos.... How does that happen? Were they all watching old Dexy's Midnight Runners videos when they got their inspiration? Anyway, I think Christian has put a distinctive Christian stamp on this collection fairly effectively. You can compare it to his PR line and even the stuff he did for Sew Not Over and see how he's evolved, and as evolution implies one thing directly evolving from another, a lot of this had to come from Christian internally. To be honest, I actually like Christian's "lightening bolt" diagonal pieces a tiny bit better than the Lanvin piece that they kinda sorta resemble. Those pieces are gorgeous, really. And I like the color palet. *ducking* (It's very Leo.) In any case, I do think Christian's new line is a pretty decent sophomore effort and will probably raise his stock a little bit at least, but he's got a ways to go before he fulfills the promise of Tim's lofty prognostications.

Like Laura I was going to comment on the models. Jesus, they're ugly. And not improved by the "color pallette".

I love the grey palette with the occasional burst of citron and orange. Not sure who can wear those pants, though. And after seeing the Lanvin and Ricci photos, I agree it's derivative. Still, he has a wonderful eye and the tailoring is exquisite. Overall, I think the collection is gorgeous.

I think he's still dressing himself. Every single model looked as much like Christian as the talented hair-and-makeup folks could manage. I suspect that's what he tells them he wants. He has talent, but it's not going to be good for anything until he moves on from dressing himself to dressing women.

Ripping off!
Not only what TLO pointed out, but I saw those full layered and layered ruffled look and gown, even in the same colors, by Versace in the magazines this week.
Christian, like last collection, just looks at all the other top designers for more than inspiration - but for ideas and starting points.
There are a million other ways to find inspiration, and keeping your nose in the computer looking at everyone else's collections is not the one of them.

Sorry, I just don't see the "big deal" with Christian, and I have seen it all before, but done better by others.
Karma's a bitch.

Grey is the right color for now, and I especially like how he mixed it with yellow. Very cool. I love, love, love the transparent trench coat.

GothamTomato said...

I still think that no other PR finalist has ever surpassed Jay's final collection.

Omg, I totally agree. I loved that collection. I loved his Spring 2007 collection Transport too. I'd love to see him every season!

It's not only derivative, it's bad derivative, and much of it is ill-proportioned.

And look at those pants! They are horribly fitted. They are wrinkled, some are baggy at the crotch, and they have those dreadful zippers. Nobody wants to see your zipper!

Some of the dresses are okay, but that big orange one is just a joke, and the last gown makes the model look fat. There is such a thing as overdoing ruffles, and Christian still hasn't learned when to stop.

I must say, though, that I do like the grey/orange and grey/yellow palette.

The puffy layered look is the general trend now in fashion. Everyone is doing it. However I can still see Christian's own personal twist on his clothes. I think it's a strong collection. It's contemporary and fashion-forward yet still uniquely him.

I love the colors he's using.

Sometimes I think he needs to make some choices about how he spends his time.

Concentrate more on his line.

But... then I think, "he's so young!". Isn't doing a million things what young people do?

TLo, Robin Givhan echos your thoughts:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fashion/2008/09/hilfiger_part_2_and_siriano_pa.htm

put some black rimmed glasses on the models and they'd all look like princess.

No likey. "smell her!"

The Lanvin look is the same down to the shoes.

Princess has talent but I agree with Lorenzo. Ten years down the road he will be more interesting and possibly GREAT!

I thought he had about one-third of a fantastic collection. The similarities to Lanvin and Ricci don't bother me quite as much as do the skin-tight pants. When your pants make models (plural) look pear-shaped, then you know it's time to retire that silhouette from your repertoire.

But I did like the dominance of silver-grey and especially the sheer greys with the orange and chartreuse piping. And I like that he's still playing with the fluffy layers. That does feel thoroughly Christian and I hope he continues to play with that technique.

Laura said: "These models look too sleepy, sickly and boring to bring life to the gray palette. (And there's that one girl in the chartreuse blouse that clearly looks 13 to me. She looks silly in the clothes, like she raided her mother's closet.)" Actually, I thought she and another model looked more like ten.

Some of the collection I liked but most "meh." (But that's just me.) I think he has the talent to be be a fashion force if he doesn't burn out from the over exposure.

Good for Christian! Whether you like his designs or not, Princess has not stopped designing or getting good press since he won PR. The boy is a hard worker and I wish him all the success in the world.

Maybe I just don't care because, frankly, I'd love to wear a lot of those pieces. I was actually surprised to see so many beautiful, wearable pieces in his collection. His last one was borderline costumey, and I thought this one's unexpected use of color made it chic, interesting, and quite stunning.

And say what you will about the Lanvin "knock-off". It's on trend and I wouldn't be surprised if you spotted some bloated Hollywood baby-machine walking down the red carpet in Christian's design in the near future.

My ONE quabble with Christian as a designer though... I don't really love his play on volume. At least not from a consumer's standpoint. It's always either full on top and skinny on bottom or skinny on top and full on bottom... and never really in the most proportionate way. I'd love to see something from him that flatters a woman's curves instead of obliterating them.

GothamTomato said...

I still think that no other PR finalist has ever surpassed Jay's final collection.

Yes. I so agree, it also had to do with a certain unique spirit in the whole undertaking, you could feel that in Jay's final collection.

PR veered from that, and it's boring this season. I stopped watching. But I also stopped waiting for Jay to decide what he wants to do.

Christian is getting waaaayy too discussed for a sophomore effort that hardly breaks any exciting vantage points. It's like watching the synergy of making a brand - how boring. Westwood was NEVER like that in the beginning, as well as so many other real designers. Sorry, but... Reality TV missed the point - don't insert into the same old system and perspectives, open up another angle.

I still don't get why Tim KEEPS repeating this whole "Christian is the next great American designer" thing... it's really sad.

I hate the skinny pants but I love his collection. Well done, Christian!

Congratulations, Christian!

Everybody copies everybody. No big deal. I LOVE it!!!!

I think it was very sweet of Heidi, Tim and Nina to show up to his show... I read that a bunch of PR executive producers were there too. That, coupled with all of the nice things that Tim has been saying about Christian, makes me think that PR really, really wants to see Christian succeed and are actively doing everything they can to help him do so.

Christian has the kind of support, backers and publicity machine behind him that Jay never had. All in all, while many liked Jay's season 1 collection more, Christian is much more of a businessman (or at least is being guided by the right people). I think he needs to put out a couple more collections, and then try and brand himself in accessories or something along those lines. He's great at keeping himself talked-about, so I think it's possible.

There is something about Christian's collection-- maybe the "Detail detail DETAIL!"-- that makes it too messy and bordering on unclean and even squalid.

Maybe he should just go all out for squalid but with more architecture, less detail detail DETAIL.

Let's make squalid a nice word in 2009! Go, Christian, go!

There are a couple outfits that aren't horrendous, but c'mon, we've seen this from him before. Most of it anyway.

And really? A walking ode to menstruation? I know I don't need to point that one out, folks.

For me, it's still too much of the same thing over and over again. I'm going to wait for Christian to really break out of his box and show us something unique. Until then, I'll go grab a few more zzzzzzzzs

I agree with both of you and taken on its own, Christian did a wonderful job. I think he is growing as a designer but it will not be until his 5th or 6th collection that I will really see Christian in his designs and not leaning too much or getting inspiration from other designers. She is a high-end gal and this collection speaks to that, so way to go Christian!

Anonymous said...
"Christian has the kind of support, backers and publicity machine behind him that Jay never had. All in all, while many liked Jay's season 1 collection more, Christian is much more of a businessman (or at least is being guided by the right people). I think he needs to put out a couple more collections, and then try and brand himself in accessories or something along those lines. He's great at keeping himself talked-about, so I think it's possible.

4:16 PM"
===================================

You have to remember that Jay turned down the prize, because he didn't want anyone taking claim in any of his future endeavors and profits. That was the ULTIMATE proverbial middle finger to Bravo and Weinstein & Co. That made a big difference in how Jay and Christian were treated after their wins.

Christian is playing by the rules, and since Tim is still corporate, he is doing his job by promoting him.

You have to remember that Jay turned down the prize, because he didn't want anyone taking claim in any of his future endeavors and profits. That was the ULTIMATE proverbial middle finger to Bravo and Weinstein & Co. That made a big difference in how Jay and Christian were treated after their wins.

Oh I know, and I guess Jay was just really unlucky that he had that in his contract - I know Chloe, Jeffrey and Christian didn't have to deal with having their profits taken away from winning. But at the end of the day, playing by the rules is getting Christian really far, isn't it? Even if Jay got around that clause, I don't think he would be too happy and cooperative with the guidance he would get from the big suits. Christian seems to be allowing himself to be guided, and it's working out really well for him, as he already received big backers for his first show (Victoria's Secret, LG Electronics). He knows how to play the game.

PRfanalaPenn said...
You have to remember that Jay turned down the prize...

WHAT??? Jay didn't take the cash prize? I don't know this part of the story.

I was loving the dresses until I saw the Lanvin! It is almost the same exact thing! He could be cited for plagarism!! I am really surprised, and shocked that Tim Gunn spoke so highly of this collection that looks ripped off!

It is great to see some of this work, because I was never a fan of most of the work he did on PR (particularly the matador/medieval clothing), and this is a departure. The orange creamsicle dress & hat are particularly beautiful, though not my style.

I hadn't seen Lanvin's collection, so I wouldn't have known that he was treading close to someone else's style. However, in the English-teaching world, if my student had turned in writing this close to something I found on the Web, the only word I'd be able to use to describe it would be PLAGIARISM.

Hi all,

By comparison, I'd like to direct your attention to Michael Kors spring collection (slideshow at nymag.com) Take a gander at the men's pants, i.e. 1960's VW mini-van hippie floral paired with a mustard jacket. Then tell me how ghastly you think Christian's color choices are. heehee.

At least PPS can claim this as only his 2nd collection...the Duchess has no excuse.

I think the kid is doing just FINE, though I will echo that satiny, skinny pants are a big NO. (I'm a size 4 and that look is a certain ba-donka-donk and camel-T) Just walk away from those pants kiddo.

sallyb -- austin, tx

I find Jay a fascinating individual that seems to be self destructive, for example, who would wear the Colonel Mustard suit and expect to be taken seriously as a business person. He looked like a cartoon character. He has lots of talent in a very creative field, but would you invest with him? PPS seems to know how at 23 to get people to back him financially, that is the difference. However, Jay's experience laid the ground work for PPS's success. Let's see what happens. I liked many of the pieces in Christian's collection, but the pants did not work and need to be put in the back of the closet. The skirts were beautiful and I loved the color splashes.

Carol in LA said...
PRfanalaPenn said...
You have to remember that Jay turned down the prize...

WHAT??? Jay didn't take the cash prize? I don't know this part of the story.
================================

I think that if I remember correctly, Jay turned down the entire prize.

(I'm sure that TLo could verify this.)

There are some looks in the collection that don't thrill me, but overall I do love Christian's collection....I see a bright future for our little PPS!

I thought Jay turned the money down because his prize was working for Banana Republic for a year,,, which would never work for him. The prize has improved to meet the tone and tenor of the competition. Jay was not given managment piece with either, isn't that covered in his documentary.

I think it's nice.

BUT, I think the tremendous amount of praise bestowed upon her my be a bit premature.

She is still young. IF she can get over herself and find her "designer" voice as opposed to her "fierce" voice, she may do well. But I'm not holding my breath.

Loved every single look, would wear every single look. I was amazed. Christian really brought it off, and at 23? Amazing!

So, the pants are supposed to fit badly?

Wow, what an interesting collection. Still Christian, but I'm impressed by what he brought. It still misses the mark for me in a few places (weird fit in pants, shapeless blouses were uggo), but my love renews because his most fabulous piece was worn by the wonderful Debevc!

"prfanalapenn said: You have to remember that Jay turned down the prize, because he didn't want anyone taking claim in any of his future endeavors and profits. That was the ULTIMATE proverbial middle finger to Bravo and Weinstein & Co. That made a big difference in how Jay and Christian were treated after their wins."




It wasn't a middle finger - they wanted him to sign a very bad contract. If I recall correctly, there is a different contract that winning designers must sign now. And that is what makes the difference.

--GothamTomato

I thought that it was great no matter how similar it looks. I get inspired by things that I simply glance at and like, then later reinterpret to my likes and needs.

I like the collection. There's something very sweet and romantic about it.

hello, i'm patsy stone said...
BUT, I think the tremendous amount of praise bestowed upon her my be a bit premature.

She is still young. IF she can get over herself and find her "designer" voice as opposed to her "fierce" voice, she may do well. But I'm not holding my breath.


LOL. The "she" and "her" cracked me up, Patsy. You're hilarious, woman : )

" suzie smartie pants said...
I find Jay a fascinating individual that seems to be self destructive, for example, who would wear the Colonel Mustard suit and expect to be taken seriously as a business person. He looked like a cartoon character. He has lots of talent in a very creative field, but would you invest with him? PPS seems to know how at 23 to get people to back him financially, that is the difference."





I don't think Jay's yellow outfit is a symptom of being self-destructive, and don't think it has anything to do with being taken seriously as a business person. I can think of many designers who regularly dress in a charicaturish way. Have you ever seen Karl Lagerfeld?

Actually, I think that Christian is more cartoonish. The real difference between all the media attention that Christian is getting, is because is he comes in a more marketable package for the media (a pixie-ish, neutered, non-threatening gay man, who comes equiped with his own catch phrases, and appeals to the teeny-bopper set). Yes, he has talent on top of that, but at the core of it, more than talent, is an entity/package that the media can easily define, digest and exploit.

--GothamTomato

beautiful. i love it.

Gotham Tomato, you nailed it exactly. Beautifully put!

I LOVE his lightning bolt dresses and the beautiful minidresses cut on the diagonal. Derivative or not, the spots of orange and chartreuse are gorgeous. I wish I had the body, youth, and occasion (and $$) to wear the chartreuse/grey inidress

I totally disagree with you saying that it is similar to nina ricci. nina ricci's looks are very ageds (blazer, and skinny pant look is not something that specific). plus i think that lanvin dress is a lot more weightless and parachutey than his.I dont think that you can say that he ripped off those looks because a lanvin dress like that isn't so original, plus he used lots of layers and utilized a different neckline. In addition, that purple dress you compared it with isn't similar to any of the dresses in his collection, it may hay similar folds, but the structure of the sleeves is COMPLETELY different.

yuck
boring
grey

he's afraid to make his own statements

you should also check out the s/s 2008 Jil Sander... the transparent tops...well but unfortunatly that's not the first time a PR contestant "references" another designer...I'm not a hater but sorry I dont see anything new and exciting in his designs...I dont know how New York works but in Paris this would be a yawn.

I think it's gorgeous.

Kat said..."I think it's beautiful especially for one so young, but the zippers drive me up the freaking wall!!!"

Me, too! For someone so gifted to show so much exposed metal - ?

I liked the gray but not the accents, and thought it looked only slightly evolved from his PR runway. And then TLo pointed out the Lanvin and Ricci influences...

Weinstein & Co (Tim included) want Christian to be successful because it adds to their credibility. So I'll take their endorsements with a huge grain of salt! Cheri

They are VERY similar, and I also think that the pants do not fit very well. They are too bunchy on these skinny skinny ladies. Also, the colors are kind of bland until you add in the weird yellow-green. Some of the looks are nice, but I'm quite disappointed.

Gorgeous!!!!

MOST TALENTED PROJECT RUNWAY DESIGNER EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think all the pants are dreadful but the collection has some fun, elegant themes

"Overall, I hate the skinny pants (done to death, and are right up there with the baby doll sihouette as being unflattering to virtually everyone, no matter how skinny). "

AMEN!!

And what's with those wacky hats? He has a grapefruit wedge on one model's head and what appears to be a microscopic view of a split wheat germ on another's.

Jay who? He's so 5 seasons ago! Isn't he teaching now? As we all know, those who can't make it in the real world are the ones who usually end up teaching. Jay had his moment in the limelight, but he blew it. Instead of blaming everyone else for his failings, he needs to take a hard look at himself. Jay is rude, bitter and unprofessional. He has no business sense and does not know how to market himself or his clothes. I doubt we will ever see a real collection from him ever again. Jay McCarroll is a has-been.

It looks like all the models are styled to look like him!

I think it's a GORGEOUS collection, and it's as much Christian as it is anyone else. I come down on the side of "clearly echoing inspiration from other designers, but he's young and new and there's enough of his own mark here to make it legit."

Go, Princess! You continue to design beautiful, exciting pieces.

" Anonymous said...
As we all know, those who can't make it in the real world are the ones who usually end up teaching."

You're making a general assumption that isn't true. Nick Verreos, for example, is a well-established designer and a teacher.

The color choices are funny. He's taken flak for using so much black before, so what does he do this time? Mostly GRAY! That ISN'T a major step.

He is very young and talented, but he needs time to evolve.

that mustard colour isnt the new black for this fall, is it? cause I do not look good in that colour.
W2M

My big problem is with the color. I think a huge challenge for a designer is choosing the right color palate for the season. This greyish silver thing is just unimpressive and demonstrates that he was unwilling to take a risk and choose defining colors. Hints of green and orange is all we get? It is just one step away from the all black collection from last year.

PPS didn't really impress me on the show and still doesn't. I did like the short dresses and now I know why: I've already seen them! And I don't even follow fashion as closely as 99% of the peeps on this blog. I agree, he is young and needs to step back a bit and find his own voice but I also understand needing to strike while the iron is hot as far as the post PR recognition factor.

i think Christian is talented but I'm not a big fan of this collection. The color choice is meh and I am tired to death of the skinny pants. I think in 10 years Christinan will have a lot to say, for right now, not so much..

I loved it for the most part. Maybe too much gray/silver but otherwise I thought it was awesome. And it still looked like Christian, despite the similarities that were pointed out with other designers. I don't care, it was great.

There are a few pieces that make me go "huh?" but most of it is pretty great. I hope this really firms up what he has established for himself thus far.

*sigh* I love PPS!

"anon said: As we all know, those who can't make it in the real world are the ones who usually end up teaching."




Um, are you including Tim Gunn in that assessment?

--GothamTomato

The collection isn't completely original, but I don't think it's a ripoff.

the only similarity I see is the the the Lanvin orange dress compared to Christian's chartreuse, and even then they looked different enough.

The silhuoettes are similar, but not identical.

Imo, a gorgeous collection, and shows that he's very talented. what do people expect, it's his first real collection. That in mind, it's an outstanding effort

The contract the designers sign now is entirely different than the one Jay would have had to sign. That one featured agreeing to the extortion of 10% of all future profits of his line to the Weinsteins. By the way, Michael Kors gives them 5% of his profits (not sure if its his gross or net). I guess it's possible that the brothers bailed him out in his 1990s bankruptcy debacle. In any case, Jay never got the money or the support he deserved. You also notice Jeffrey has been MIA for the most part, partly I suspect for ditching Melanie right after the end of PR and marrying Cassandra Church. I still believe Laura was correct and there was a huge deception involved in the creation of his runway show collection. Those two blue dresses that didn't look anything like the rest of his collection did look suspiciously like the faulty construction and design aesthetic of those created by his BF Santino Rice in the earlier season of PR. Somehow, PPS has figured out how to swim the shark infested waters and not get eaten alive...good for him.

I loved it! 95% of the collection I absolutely loved.

One thing about the models, though... why do some look like they just wolfed down a hot dog with extra mustard? The yellow lips are not good.

"You also notice Jeffrey has been MIA for the most part, partly I suspect for ditching Melanie right after the end of PR and marrying Cassandra Church. I still believe Laura was correct and there was a huge deception involved in the creation of his runway show collection. Those two blue dresses that didn't look anything like the rest of his collection did look suspiciously like the faulty construction and design aesthetic of those created by his BF Santino Rice in the earlier season of PR."

Didn't know angry little peanut left his kid's mom for a younger prettier girl.

Fame. Ain't it a bitch?

Interesting that our fabulous Laura may have been on to something. Good for her for speaking up.

Btw, ewwww at the My Name is Earl facial hair. He just aged an extra ten years. What a bad look.

Some of the pants are "every woman's nightmare." So are Nina Ricci's.

And what's with the ridiculous hats??

Absolutely... LOVE IT! While a number of his pieces recalls his last collection, I feel that he uses it as a jumping point. I see extreme growth and maturity in Christian's second collection. Bravo!!

I should like to club him in the head with one of those horrid shoes for hiring that girl in the striped off the shoulder sheath. She is one tic tac from dying of malnutrition. Unconscionable. I'm on board with models being taller and thinner than humans, but that is just...appalling.

my two cents, and maybe somebody mentioned it already but I cannot read all the posts now.
I really liked the gray-orange combination and the dresses and skirts are very very pretty. I don't like the pants at all, is it the fabric or what? it's very puckery all over, it just doesn't look polished.
anyway, I like it better than his PR finale collection, mainly because of the variety and the more vibrant color palette.

I don't like the skinnt light color pants.

I like the short dresses.

Some of the long dresses are quite beautiful.

Though I agree that he seems to be channeling Ricci and Lanvin designs - thanks for researching those angles.

Still Christian is delightful in his own way.

He got rid of the puffy sleeves, now if he can just get rid of the tight fitting pants. Is it just me or does anyone else think he designs for women built like himself ?

"anon said: As we all know, those who can't make it in the real world are the ones who usually end up teaching."




Um, are you including Tim Gunn in that assessment?

Methinks, someone missed the operative word -- USUALLY.

I don't like Christian, but I have to admit the collection is fabulous -- even if it is derivative.

Having not seen the other collections before you posted them TLo, I must say that I thought Christian had matured from when he won PR. I didn't like most of the PR stuff he did, and I liked a lot more of this collection. I love the gray palette.

That being said, yes the clothes looked similar. So what will happen next? Will Fern Mallis give him 50 lashes with a wet noodle? Does he get in trouble? Or does everyone just talk about him behind his back?

I think somewhat derivative can be forgiven when the clothes look that beautiful.

it's not for everyone, but the craftsmanship is fantastic.

And I love the color palette. I think it's too much grey, but the color accents are fantastic. It's definitely a cohesive collection that tells a story and you can see the inspiration. Bravo!

"mazeway said...
I should like to club him in the head with one of those horrid shoes for hiring that girl in the striped off the shoulder sheath. She is one tic tac from dying of malnutrition. Unconscionable. I'm on board with models being taller and thinner than humans, but that is just...appalling."

YES. I have to agree with most of the model discussion here. There is slender and sleek - and then there is sickly and frail. The one model you pointed out also made me do a double take. Her face and arms are not exactly the picture of health. And as others have said, some of these models look like kids in their mommies clothes. I remember this article from a while back:

"Healthier models expected on catwalks in N.Y."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16876142/


But this article is dated January 2007, and yet we still see dangerously underweight models. So much for voluntary guidelines. It's the designers' responsibilty.

To me, it doesn't matter if he;s ripping anyone off, because that is one ugly collection. All grey, with the grossest contrast orange and yellow ever.

He's young, he'll get better as he settles down and grows away from his London roots. But those big floppy hats have to go. I would have rather he carried over the puffy sleeves from last season than the stupid costume hats.

I'm not a fan of this season's color palette. I hate it when gray carries a whole collection. But that's just me.

Are the insane crotches on the pants some kind of twisted tribute to The Duchess?

The pegged pants are getting a bit, uh, tired, aren't they? The collection is interesting but not breathtaking. He's still young, though, and I think he is so stultifyingly creative that any derivation is unintentional.

I wish Princess the very best as he matures and hope ten years from now TLo will feature a retrospective of "we knew him when".

Btw, uncle vanya, AWESOME avatar! I love Harvey Birdman!!!

oh god how can runway models be so ugly

Hate.the.fugly.hats.

Well, the collection certainly looks PPS-like.

I'm not sure how well the color story works with a variety of skin tones and hair colors, though. And the yellow lipstick makes the models look diseased.

As to ripping off Lanvin and Nina Ricci, the shapes referenced aren't all that unique. Even though I still think PPS is an annoying brat, I'll give him a pass there.

Beautiful collection. Don't mind if some of it is derivative. Hasn't all fashion been done already? So glad to see a PR graduate who really does deserve to be on the professional stage.

In the words of Santino, Michael Kors has made his whole career "appropriating everything Halston already did."

So I doubt PPS has to worry about whether or not his clothes look somewhat similar to Nina Ricci/Rodarte.

I agree with those who've said that the pants are terrible. I also agree with those who criticized Siriano's choice of models. They look deathly thin, making me spend more time gaping in sympathy at the models' bones than looking at the clothing.

There are people saying the greys don't work, but yes--it totally does. He does them well, and he pairs them with the right colors. It just makes sense artistically.

I agree the clothes were a bit too inspired, but I think he's off to a great start. I don't want to see him using too much of someone else's idea again, though. That would be disappointing.

Nothin' but love in this corner!

I saw the collection on video over on Newsday and was really pleased with it. What you're asking is a philosophical question, to which there is no right answer.

I remember a comic strip from ages ago. An artist was sketching the Hudson River Valley, and someone walks up to him and says, "Sorry, it's already been done." Another variation would be walking up to Amy Heckerling whilst she was writing "Clueless," and saying, "Jane Austen did it already."

True, there are point by point rip offs, as in what Forever 21 did to several designers. But then there's inspiration, and the realization that all creative ideas have a wellspring. Shapes, words, designs get imprinted in our conscience and they're a part of us, as much as those shapes and styles had become a part of Christian. It's what the artist/ designer/ writer/ director brings to it that's his or her very own that makes it stand out, or tweaks it a bit.

In Christian's case, I think he done well for an itty bitty fellah with a big, big creative brain.

I just love the transparent grey shirts and jackets with the ribbon-like colored trim.

I think Christian has a voice, and furthermore, I don't quite see how any designer can be expected to show work that isn't derivative in many ways, unless they do incredibly bizarre avant-garde looks that would be more gallery art than fashion.

Christian's voice involves a lot of gauzy layers

The looks you showed from Lanvin and Nina Ricci weren't particularly original themselves.

How is Christian's collection derivative in a negative way, while Kenley's winning dress from the photo challenge was derivative of Balenciaga in a positive way?

I just don't see how the collection is derivative of Lanvin and Ricci. Perhaps they both design romantic clothing, so people who like lanvin may like this collection as well.

but I mean, Lanvin's shapes are not that original in and of themselves. Christian's hemlines are different, the colors are different, the volume is different.

Do I see similarities? Yes.

Is Christian's collection completely original? No

But look at his fabrication and detailing, and it's impressive work. and the collection screams Christian, it does not scream Ricci or Lanvin. So he's exuding his point of view, not the point of view of another designer.

I disagree. I think he knocked it out of the park on this one. The Lanvin looks are similar, but those collections arguably derive as much from his work on PR as he might from them here.

This was a great collection.

Wow...its a lovely collection. I must admit some of his garments look shockingly similar to those of other designers. I, however, feel that Christian is being very smart. The fashion industry is all about trends and labels. Christian is aligning his work with that of older and wiser designers, those who already know how to predict or form trends. He's just following the trends set by these designers. He's lucky that he has his fame from PR to act as his label and byers are going to snap all of his stuff up because of it. He's very talented, though still very young. He has time to learn and grow still even though he has already hit the big time. I'm just glad that his collection still has that spark that was so wonderful in his PR collection. (I hate his hats though...millenary is a very difficult skill to master and he just hasn't...and he shouldn't try to...and most of them from this show look like the ones from his PR show...they looked poorly made even then.)

A young collection, yet often unsexy. Problematic combination.

His color palette is serviceable, though dated, but the fabrics cheapen the effect -- why is almost every piece shiny? Major fit issues, which plague over half the looks, some boast hasty-looking embellishment. (For the record, the fit of the second Ricci pant is also hysterical, kneecaps and phantom wang.)

The silhouettes puzzle; some of these thin women are wide rectangles, others have banjo hips, many of the waists are wrong. The hats are a miscalculation, all but the oversized cloches look a bit cheap. He is completely stumped by gowns, the Lanvin knockoff is a non-sequitur besides. Except as noted, the short dresses are generally successful.

Needs an editor, and to rehearse the basics: line, fit.

Au

ps: I've long enjoyed the illustrations on the PRG banner -- is that your work, guys?

" Anonymous said...
As we all know, those who can't make it in the real world are the ones who usually end up teaching."

Thanks, Anon. You just insulted a significant portion of the population, you know. Believe it or not, most teachers CHOOSE to teach because they think it is important, not because they can do nothing else.

Can someone please explain to me why the zippers all show? That bright silver glaring out of the garments seems like an amateur mistake, but I'm assuming it must be some sort of statement that naive little me have missed in some way. Nope, I don't get it.

Anon should try teaching a class of third graders for just one day! Hah! Cheri

while its not without its flaws and derivations - not just of lanvin & ricci, but his own BP show - i do think this is a stunner of a collection for such a young artist. christian's got a ways to go yet, but i dont think it will be long before he gets there. he is undoubtedly a great talent. congratulations, princess!

Loved the blouses and shoes. The pants looked cheap.
And The hats hair and makeup just made me wanna chop off the models head so I could see the garment!

The cover photo TLO picked for the blog story looks like it came from his fimale winter collection.
giggle giggle

**yawn**

The dresses are gaawwrrjuuss!

Well as that sage Tyra Banks said, if you're going to copy off of someone, then do it better.

I took one look and said, "Judy Noodles". Maybe it's inspiration via propinquity (I'm sure they've been running into one another for ages – the Project Runway family is a close one) - but I have to wonder. Which came first – chicken, or egg?

Christian is no doubt a talent, but he's young and I agree that there is still too much of other designers' work in his own.

I can see the Lanvin and Nina Ricci influences, but the first thing that came to my mind when flipping through the pictures was Jil Sander's spring collection for 2008. The transparent layers and color palette are really quite similar.

People can we keep in mind that this kid is TWENTY FREAKIN TWO??

My God, he's a CHILD!

Most 22 year olds I know are barely able to hold down some entry level bullshit job.

Though Christian's a child prodigy, we'll probably look back at this as his pupa stage- colorfully speaking. I don't mind the myriad shades of gray because the fabric texture and designs are gorgeous. The splashes of color seem tentative, though suprisingly bright- just like the striping on a chrysalis.

I am tall and thin and still couldn't wear the satiny skinny pants. He's still dressing models at this point.

I look forward to watching Christian's talent evolve. Tim's right, IMHO, the boy's got talent.

i lurv the variations of the flowy ruffley dresses.

Yuck, Yuck and more Yuck.

Sorry, but I don't like Christian's "asthetic" IF you can call it that. I deplore the retro-80's looks with a passion.

I still can't figure out how he won PR with rip offs and no voice other than puffy sleeves.

And his styling always makes me think "cougar" even though these girls are not more than 20.

Love the original designs, don't like the *cough, cough* interpretation.

Well, it certainly looks like Christian's work. Not a fan of all the fabric or color choices. not feeling the hats or the tight, satiny pants. There were a few flashes of good stuff for me but overall I was not moved by it.

Sidebar - Patsy Stone, did you get a new face? Good work. So much more animated than your previous picture. Almost lifelike. Kisses.

Eh. I've never yet been sold on anything PPS puts down the runway.

I admit it, freely and without shame...I love the hats. Love 'em! The red ensemble is nothing short of fabulous.

That said, there's a wee bit too much gray and sheer about the collection to win me over completely, but there's atill a lot to like.

Yes, very derivative. And yes, agree, he still needs to find his own voice.

However - the collection as a whole, for a young designer, was amazing. And I think it will be taken seriously. I don't think Christian will be hailed as a visionary for this collection. But I think he's got it in him to continue to wow. A lot of the pieces have deja-vu effects but again, I think he's evolving.

Overall B+

So I guess I'm agreeing with both you! (as is my wont....=))

I just wonder if anyone, at age 22 or 23, should be showing a full collection as a completely independent designer. In any other profession that involves large amounts of technical skill and the development of a personal aesthetic , one would still be learning the ropes. (I'm thinking here especially of architecture as a suitable comparison to fashion.)

I think Christian has talent, but still has a lot to learn and develop.

And let me add that the mean-spirited statements here about the uber-talented Jay (and who cares if he's less or more talented than Christian) are completely unnecessary.

Hm. There were some pieces I liked. I liked the skinny pants he did for his PR collection, but HATED these ones. I think part of it is the zippers -- they just pull your eye right to the crotch. They're so shiny! On a pant that tight, I think a side zipper is in order.

I hate the colors, though. I liked some of the grays when they were alone, but gray and orange??? Blech.

Sort of agree about the Lanvin thing--but its not a problem in the entire collection, in my opinion, so he has credibility.

Is that Lisa modeling look number 2? I saw Lea...



I hate the majority of his hats too

hate the color palette, but other than that the dresses are all simply lovely! not too wild about any of his pants looks though....

Oh, and I also agree about the uber-skinniness of the models detracting from the appeal of the designs.

Way too much of one color. There are some pretty looks, but taken as a whole, I would say it's way too monochromatic.

I just love it when you two disagree. So. Much. Fun!

I'm no fan of the lime green, but in small doses it's okay.

However, to anyone who complained about the gray: Apparently it's the "new black" for next season.

LOVE IT! Always have loved Christian, always will!

I LOVE it.

Bill said: "Sidebar - Patsy Stone, did you get a new face? Good work. So much more animated than your previous picture. Almost lifelike. Kisses."

Oh, Bill, you just don't know how similar Terri & I are. I have 2 faces and 4 patterns, too.

still like them similar or not......And was that Selita Ebanks that opened the show? Love her and so glad she isn't totally pigeon holed by Victoria's Secret!

FIERCE!

Gorgeous collection. Christian is the most talented designer from PR.