I may just not understand how this worked completely, but didn't they both show at the same Fashion Week? McQueen and Keneley? Mochael did say that they had just seen the McQueen dress walk down the runway, and didn't Keneley start working on the dress months before Fashion Week? I may just not understand what's going on, but that how I figured it was.

How could she have copied something from McQueen's 2008 Spring Collection?

A. His spring collection showed last year.

Why wasn't Christian given the same treatment when he did McQueen-esque designs?

A. Because he worked for McQueen and perhaps the judges figured that the looks shown were ones he helped bring about. I dunno...

Doesn't she have any friends?

A. She has 1,105 on My Space!

Why is she such a grump?

A. Editing! In normal life, she'd just be whiny, no?

Enough with the drama...onto the dresses...

Wedding

If you're going to be derrivative, be spectacular. This was a well-made, spectacular dress. On the down side, it's a one-time-wear frivolity that is beyond most normal brides. And the design could hardly be called innovative. But it's for a runway show. If you can't be frivolous on the runway, where can you be?

Bridesmaid

O-key-doke...It's a gorgeous dress but the average American bridesmaid is around a size 12. Unless you're a runway model, no one needs to see that much of your leg. It needs a couple of inches of length at the very least. I did love the treatment of the top. Many modern bridesmaids dresses border on the vulgar. Kenley's dress evokes a nice silouhette and if the skirt were a few inches longer, would be totally appropriate for a ceremony in a house of worship and the party afterward.

How come no one is commenting on the ugly shoes that were paired with both these dresses? Really doesn't add to the dresses but I guess styling wasn't Kenley's strong point at any point during the season although she always knows how to doll herself up. If anything, the girl has a look and she sticks to it and I think makes it work. Why would a bride wear what looks like lace-up oxfords with that wedding dress? And those heavy looking black oxfords for that bridesmaid dress? If that was the style back in the day in the 40's and Kenley's being consistent, so be it, but, meh for me.

PaperPusher

I wish you various anonymouses would sign some sort of name at the bottom of your posts.

I don't quite the the Kenley hate, given that she's never sabotaged another designer or tried to win in any kind of underhanded way. She's just bratty in my book.

Weakest season ever? To me that's between this one and Season Two. I liked Chloe the contestant, but her show was so weak. Santino was creative, but lacked skills. Daniel totally misfired in his final collection.

Having peeked--okay studied several times--the BP collections, I don't think they're the weakest finalists. Each one has a couple of really beautiful pieces--yes, even Kenley's. They all have good construction skills.

I did think that this season had the weakest group of men I've seen. Jerrell has taste issues and the others weren't even in the running. I wish Terri had made it to BP--replacing Suede.

But I think the top three were picked out of a very, very uneven and arguable weakest overall field. Lotta hot messes.

I think they look particularly bad though because Season Four was so strong. I just keep comparing the differences between the final elimination challenges and the Wrestling challenge v. the Olympics challenge.

Buffalojd said...
Sigh....
I love a bitchy gay perspective - but i don't enjoy some of this nastiness.
***********************************

Thank you for saying that. It was the point I tried to make to the ever popular Anonymous a week or so ago. If anyone who uses Anonymous would put their name/nickname, it would keep the innocents from getting yelled at, lol. We can talk to them directly instead of a vapor.

SisterZip

My favorite part?

Tim: "Uh Kenley...don't you think this rope is suggestive of hanging?"

Kenley (blank slack jaw): "No." (pause) "I'm into rope."

Yanno...I wish she had done a rope wedding dressing...think of the societal/cultural/whatever implications.

Alex? Draw a rope wedding dress :)

Speaking of Kenley stealing inspiration from others, she so took the Zodiac challenge from Edmund.


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WC60N0ZZL.jpg

Hmmm...

It seems like our dear old friend 'Anom' is doing some serious shit stirring in here today.

Folks, talk about the show and the designers; there is no need to slam the other bloggers, there's no need to use hateful or insulting language.

Now be polite or I'm going to ask TLo to get crazy with the delete key, if you catch my drift.

End of diatribe #215...

I think Kenley actually doesn't really follow the shows, but has just vaguely picked up the aesthetic of each designer. So she can say "Christian rips off McQueen," but not know the collection well enough to realise she's making a full-blown rip-off.

Kenley didn't deserve the spot. It was stolen from Jerell! Her clothes have been AWFUL all season and the chicken-knock off dress is just as hideous.

If she wins this season. I will QUIT watching. *hurl*

Oh, and I am a brand new anonymous to this thread.

KK.

Stubenville said...

Now be polite or I'm going to ask TLo to get crazy with the delete key, if you catch my drift.

OOOH, you're so SCARY lol.

-STEPHANIE

Sorry boys, but I completely, 100% disagree with you. The dresses have some similarities, but it does not look like a copy to me. It's very possible she was inspired by the MacQueen dress, but she did not plagiarize it. Kenley's wedding dress was beautiful, and looked exactly like something she would make.

Her bridesmaid dress was cute too, but a little short.

Alot of these comments are cracking me up.
#1 It's not the "hommage" to McQueen that grates. It's the denial that she ever saw a McQueen collection after she mentions that Siriano's work channels McQueen! And this was the second time she was called for "hommaging" too closely.
#2 If you read Chris March's blog, all along he has said he dislikes her attitude and her aesthetic. No punches pulled. Now to the person who remarked that he copied the avant garde dress in the museum challenge - I think it's allowed to copy your OWN WORK. That was a totally foolish thing to say.
#3 All this crapola is because Kenley is a snotty nasty offensive person. For whatever reason. Tugboats, or tulle poisoning or just born that way. She just is. I would rather put money into Jerell's "tacky homo" pocket 100 times before I bought a really pretty dress from her because she is a creep. It's that simple and whether she wins or loses this competition I don't think she will succeed in the fashion world because she is a creep and clients and business people will not wish to work with a creep.
Now these peeps who are defending her (!) can bash me as they please but a person reaps what they sow when they're a creep when they sew.

weakest final three ever.

That would be season 2. Leanne's and Korto's collections are nice. However, I really enjoyed that season. This one is just blahblahboringblah.

And the shoes WERE ugly!

HERE's the inspiration for Kenley's dress...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRp5nE0Hlsc&feature=related

While thought it was slightly curious that Kenley didn't have a pal to introduce Tim to, what really cracked me up about Tim's visit to her apartment was the fact that when she said goodbye to him, she immediately dead-bolted her door. Um, Kenley, he's not going to barge back in with a loaded gun. Plus, you still have a camera crew in your apartment!

I hated Kenley's bridesmaid dress. WAAAY too short. Not at all appropriate for a church wedding. And seriously, biddie? I went to three weddings this summer, and all three of them had knee-length dresses. And the wedding I was in two summers ago had knee-length dresses. So get over your stupid self.

I am a regular poster - but going anon again to make this pt.m
The earlier Anon and Bailey are making a pt I was trying to address when Gotham, c'est, and prfanala ripped into a policitcal diatribe.

One of the problems with P.C. police is when they think that EVERYTHING "alternative" or basically not white/conservative is automatically immune from criticism.

And then IF a straight white conservative person has ANY legitimate critique of someone in a different group it is bigotted.

Look I don't agree with the language - but they kind of have a point. As a straight white mostly conservative female who has always fought against bigots (racist, sexist, "homophobe", sizist, anti-religious, etc) - I do think that plenty of the posters are the type they described. And I am basing this by some of the crap and insults that SOME have posted here.


So far I have been thrilled that TLo address the SUBJECT at hand and the people who have presented themselves on these shows or their work and not into ripping into other people for having THEIR OWN opinions.

I actually like the shoes with the bridal dress and the overall styling If you told me beforehand that those shoes would be paired with a bridal dress I would be like, no, no, uh uh and no way, but it works.

In general I like those shoes better than the Louboutin platform shoes that seem to be all the rage these days.

I'm with you all the way on this one. And I think Kenley's dress was a direct rip-off of the McQueen with a few changes.

Now to speak directly to Miss Understood:

Blah blah blah, Kenley, we get it. You've suffered for your art. The other designers ripped you off on the SHORT bridesmaid's dress. Yeah, cuz that's never been done. Just as the dead grandparent thing had never been done. (Hi, Suede!)

And honey, your bitter tears sweetened my tea this afternoon. Really. Cry all you want because we all know that attitude of yours is a front and it's what's standing between you and achieving all you desire. C'mon, even Elina on ANTM finally broke down and stopped with the 'tude, if only for a little while. (Not that I watch or anything. Um, no. It was just that one episode. Really. I don't watch ANTM. Ever. Seriously.)

just to point out some of you who might not have gotten the feathered dress reference: k's dress seemed more solidly inspired by the 1952 movie Hans Christian Anderson in which a ballerina (the red shoes) wore a very similar feathered tutu or pick your choice of any swan lake production. in particular since she draws from the 1950s-1960s genre which used feathers abound in costume design. heck, 1930s: ziegfeld anyone? i seriously doubt k's dress drew from mcqueen's when there are countless and much older similar dresses to draw from. why is no one up in arms over mcqueen drawing his inspiration from the same sources? i'd be hard pressed to believe that mcqueen invented the tutu / princess silhouette.

Oh Joanie, it's okay, lots of us watch ANTM.

But I'm going anonymous to admit it today....

moo said...Kenley has that GORGEOUS cream dress with the flowers and vines

That was my favorite dress of all the collections. It was ballerina pink on the runway.

Kenley - whatev. She can sew and tailor, obviously, but her retro/vintage style as well as her design concepts are not new, unique or revolutionary and I'd have a lot more regard for her skills if she at least pretended to acknowledge that. At this point, it's a tired look, Kenley.

I am hoping that the developing Mad Men style craze finally puts the last nail in the coffin of the tiresome, overdone yawnfest that has been the retro-40's/50's pinup girl look - one that has been gasping out its last re-treaded breath for too long.

The short dress is a total Miu Miu Spring 2008 ripoff.

Well, what ya gonna do? The judges love the girl.

I kinda have a soft spot for her, too.

However, how could she've been so lame to make a exact copy of that dress? That McQueen dress was a key piece in a very well-received and well-covered collection. Oh, I forgot, Kenley doesn't follow other designers' collections.

The handpainted dresses in her final collection are lovely and special, but not enough for the win.

PS - Loved the shoes she paired with the wedding dress.

PPS (sorry for hoggin') re the length of the bridesmaid's dress. This was for runway show and I imagine the salesroom version would be longer.

Check out pg 315 in Oct Allure. I think this is what "inspired" Kenley...

Ann NY

It's me, lynette. I'm changing personas because I'm gonna try taking a leap into the blogging world!

Anywho...I really like the hat for the bridal dress!

That's as opinionated as I'm going to get today. :-D

I'm impressed that Kenley painted the fabric on that one floral dress in her collection. That's worthy of note. It's still a bad Dynasty print but kudos for the artwork.

So Kenley obviously ditched one of her collection garments for her bridesmaid's dress. Korto's wedding dress is not in her runway show in its current form. Leanne's bridesmaid's dress is in her show but with a noodle jacket, right? Interesting that they made these changes at the very end. Good for them for having the flexibility.

@4:54 Kenley, good to see you, hon.

Anon 6:38, you're a hypocrite, because you did exactly what you accused others of by giving YOUR political point of view. Just drop it and ignore it instead of fueling it.

Just stop.

carol in la...

Kenley painted the floral print AND the vine with flowers, maybe more.

"Kenley deserved her spot" - no, she didn't. although i agree that for this particular challenge she definitely did a better job than either jerrell or korto, she was given too many passes throughout the season for completely fug designs. her attitude and dismissive behavior toward tim & the judges was just additional reason to send her home. this was producer manipulation clear and simple.

that said, i have peeked at the collections and i have to agree that hers was much better than jerrel's. although i love korto's use of color, i also found alot of problems with her collection in the area of proportion and fit. in my opinion, although there isn't alot of variety colorwise, leanne's collection is stunningly innovative and beautiful and i'm hoping it will be the winner.

I think Kenley's wedding dress is HIDEOUS, Alexander McQueen or not, and any bride wearing that would look like a Swan Lake/Bjork fool. It's not fashion, it's a costume. Also, the bridesmaid's dress is of course too short, but it's too tight across the bust. The models boobs are totally pancaked. I noticed this in Kenley's I Love Lucy BP dress as well (the one with the diagonal flowers).

Wait a second, she had that dress done at the 4 week mark, when did Mcqueen`s dress come out? Can somebody do a timeline for me please?

Kzspot

I missed last night's episode so I'll have to catch the rerun. But I have something better than the episode - tlo's blog!!

I'm sure this places me in the minority, but I'm going to say it: I do NOT like feather dresses. When I saw PPS's last year I instantly cringed. Everyone raved about it, and all I could see was a large dead bird walking down the runway. Same with Kenley's and McQueen's. I don't get how that look is attractive. I know, I know, most do. Not debating anything. Just weighing in my two cents.

I'm tired of talking about Kenley. She's robbed so much attention from other, more deserving designers. I'm going to wait until you post about Leanne's wedding dress so I can gush like a schoolgirl. LOVED IT.

Kenley did have a short dress going before the other two. She didn't invent the short b-maid's dress so I am not sure why she cared, though. I just don't think she can help herself. It is open mouth, insert bitchy foot.

1.) I think the two dresses went together.
2.) Kenley seems to run to extremes - she overreacts to both praise *and* criticism.

As far as Kenley being inspired by Swan Lake, give me a break! She told Tim that her inspiration for her collection was 'Painting the Roses' and she showed him her dress with the floral design she had brushed. She sat down and read a magazine or went on the Web and saw the McQueen dress, put it together in her crafty brain with PPS winning collection with the feathered dresses, and said, 'I can do that!' Didn't you wonder WHY there was no one she chose to introduce Tim to? And why he seemed to spend as little time as possible with her? Uli didn't introduce him to anyone in Florida, either, but Sir Tim walked with her on the beach and had a long, heartfelt conversation with her that was wonderful to watch. Kenley unwittingly creates the level of discomfort others feel around her and is responsible for the decision made to keep her at arms length. The woman just has no self awareness.

Rainwood said...

I'm tired of talking about Kenley. She's robbed so much attention from other, more deserving designers. I'm going to wait until you post about Leanne's wedding dress so I can gush like a schoolgirl. LOVED IT.
____________________________________

Amen.

What really annoys me about Kenley, even more than her bitchy attitude, is the fact that girl thinks she's a true talent and if you look at her collection, there's no cohesion AT ALL simply because it's a complete rip off fest: from mcqueen to balenciaga, nothing is original or makes sense together.

I don't get how people can still praise what she does or are able to respect someone like that as a designer. And to the ones who still believe the whole "I bet she doesn't even know she stole the McQueen dress" thing: it's one thing to find SIMILARITIES between styles, but when you have in one look the same fabric, same length, same color - 3 or four elements in common in two outfits? I'm sorry but it's hard to believe this is just a coincidence.

The difference between McQueen's dresses and Kenley's is that he thought about what he was doing with the tulle under the feather dress, whereas she just shoved a bunch of it up there and thought she made something.

So you can say she was inspired by his garment but not by his talent or skill as a designer.

The bridesmaid's dress was a better effort, but I agree with everyone about the length.

BrianB

Dear Anonymous 3:21,

How utterly insulting...and oh, by the way, fuck off.

On another subject, Kenley's dress kicked McQueen's dress' butt.

Kenley didn't win this; I'm pretty sure she and Leanne left together, so it was at best a tie.

I'm going to ignore all the sturm und drang and say I thought both dresses were nice. The wedding gown seems more impractical than most for a wedding, and I'm not really a fan of the feathers, but that's me.

I was glad to see that she showed some capability for introspection during the break, and I hope that fighting in the previews is mostly editing. It would be nice to see her grow and learn to see beyond herself. I do like that she's a fighter, I just wish she'd learn that not all criticism is an attack.

I've peaked at her collection and she has some really pretty dresses. It would be kind of funny to hear the collective outrage if she wins this thing.

That feather dress is FABULOUS. It's a DREAM and actually I like her's better than Mcqueen! :D However I wear vintage every day with my favorite era to wear being 40s and 50s. I have never hated Kenley like everyone else anyway. She just needs to grow up and learn when to keep her mouth shut. But she is very talented.

I love me some Jerrell, but dang that dress looked like someone got drunk on taffeta and swallowed a bunch of beads. Woke up in the morning and puked it all over the place. When Tim walked into his apt. I thought: wtcrap is THAT stuff!!!??? I was surprised.

I can not stand her either. Clueless bitch. She would have to be extraordinarily more talented before she can ever hope to have a career with her attitude and idiocy. As it is, she is mediocre as a designer and pretty low in personality.

Someone earlier (too lazy to find it) wondered if those in the audience at BP noticed or commented on the McQueen-ness of Kenley's dress.

This quote from Chris March's blog:

"Not original, and not a good idea to parade this sadly executed carbon copy in front of the fashion world. Good luck getting a job in the industry, sweetheart."

makes me think that yes, it was discussed. I would love to have been there to hear it.

That said, I do agree with TLo that these two garments did beat K&J's two in THIS challenge, but I'm still disgusted that they piled on the extra challenges -- Jerrell should have been a finalist.

("Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge?" indeed. Remember, don't feed the trolls.)

I will be so glad when this loathesome bitch is no longer on my tv screen so I don't have to waste any more psychic energy on her. I can't decide if she's just a really bad person or if she's got some sort of mental illness that prevents her from developing any empathy or self-awareness.

That said, I loved her wedding dress. I liked it better than McQueen's dress. But I truly don't see how any objective observer could look at the two McQueen dresses and not see that she totally ripped them off. Yeah, she tweaked hers a bit but this goes way beyond derivative or "inspired by" - this is stealing, plain and simple! And the styling, including the shoes, makes an even more direct link. FWIW, I railed about Christian's work last year but even he never did anything quite this blatant. Did she think she wouldn't get caught? It's like she really has no internal filters at all.

The bridesmaid's dress was very cute but waaaaay too short. Too Much Tootie! Nice color, though. But not at all desrving of the over-the-top praise the Duchess lavished on it.

So many ugly mean posts here.

Come on, can we lighten up a bit? Rungay is FUN!! This is the only blog that makes me laugh out loud and can instantly shed stress off.

I love this place. Most of us are here because we at least have that in common.

Reading the responses used to be almost as enjoyable as the blog itself because there are some witty and fun personalities here. Lately it's just become the same lame negativity and attacks you can find in most other forums. Why bring this place down?

Please? Please lighten up?

a bigger problem for me is the absolute inconsistency of kenley's designs. jerell had his share of disasters, too, i'm not letting him off the hook. but kenley's the one going to Bryant Park after making that heinous, heinous "hip-hop" outfit. and producing either dull or ugly dresses in questionable prints. she is NOT in the same class as Korto or Leanne, not all the time, not yet. girl's got skills, even though i can't stand her, but she hasn't honed them to the level of consistent, quality work Korto & Leanne produced.

i still don't like the bridesmaid's dress.

so i took a break to go pee and you know what? kenley is still my favorite designer!!

:)

yup still my fav designer = kenley.

Kenley did two nice dresses and Jerrell ignored Tim and got canned. End of story.

I wonder what went through Tim's mind when he saw Kenley's bridal gown...

I just DON'T understand all the praise for Kenley's bridesmaid dress. It screamed "junior prom" to me, probably because I saw at least a couple of people wearing a similar dress at my junior prom. It truly, truly wasn't bridal OR original. Heck, we even saw the *exact* same bodice (although a poorly executed version of it) last season on the dress Ricky designed for the 3-person "update a bad fashion trend" challenge.

I'm not trying to argue that she should have been eliminated because Jerell's stuff was indeed highly problematic, but she absolutely didn't deserve the praise she got for creating a rather boring dress on one the hand, and a (perhaps inadvertant) rip-off on the other.

I simply can't understand the judges' love for her dull, dull designs. As you guys so aptly pointed out, other designers in past seasons have been raked over the coals for creating derivative work--whether or not the other designers could possibly have realized that they were copying Gucchi, etc. Additionally, in past seasons, other designers have been highly criticized for being one-trick ponies (anyone remember Rami and his draping? Uncle Nick for always sending "Paris Hilton" down the runway or Jeffrey for always sending "Gwen Stefani"?) And yet, NOT ONCE have the judges leveled a similar complaint about her. She does nothing but 50s dresses. No jackets, no pants, no shorts, *nothing* else. How far can making only a single type of clothing in a single style possibly get you in the fashion industry? Why don't the judges criticize her for this as they have for past contestants?

It all stinks of producer manipulation, which I find detestable.

Finally worked my way through all the posts. If the "anonymous" who is always defending Kenley so vehemently is NOT Kenley herself, then Kenley needs to watch out as she has an obsessed, irrational stalker! So obsessed that she/he might well skin Kenley and wear her over tulle! Perhaps that is why Kenley deadbolted the door?

Hi everyone! THis is my first post!
I don't know, but I think I am one of the few who doesn't like Kenley's bridal dress and love Jarell's! Yes, I know. Even before I learned about the McQueen dress, I don't like it as a WEDDING dress. It immediately reminds me of the infamous Bjork dress. I love Jerell's (second to Leanne's), and I love all his blings and glitters. It will certainly makes the bride feel like a queen on her special day.

-dorris

Bailey wrote: "Normal" gay guys are completely ignored in favor of dudes who act flamboyantly for attention.

Are you saying you're normal and ignored? I never would have guessed.

My bet is they will give the win to Kenley. Since she so obviously should have gone home the past two weeks (hip hop & formal) They are just saving her for her pre-determined win.. happened before.. Jeffrey & PPS

I saw Kenley's wedding dress in the MALL in the 1980s, but she must be the "annointed one" this season..

Oh, TLo, I love you guys. You said it all. Of course, what gets me is her hypocrisy. She even copied the styling, right down to the shoes!

I agree with another laura about the bridesmaid dress being too short. Must not be a Church wedding - tsk tsk! Cheri

what if she had ripped off one of the other 'looks' in the McQueen Fall 2008 show. goodness gracious, check these out!

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/F2008RTW-AMCQUEEN

And here I was thinking that maybe Kenley had turned the corner just a bit, or at least was faking it better. But you can see from the bonus video over at Bravo, that she was upset at Tim about talking to Korto and Leann about the length of their bridesmaid dresses. Which again, like short bridesmaid's dresses are her's and her's alone.

And why did she even after she saw that Tim talked to Korto and Leann, that she still later then accused Leann of trying to sabotage her. And no Kenley, the other designers saying they didn't want you going with them to BP wasn't sabotage. It might not have been nice and certainly hard to hear, but it wasn't sabotage. To quote The Princess Bride, you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

I think to draw the line between inspiration or influence and copycat is time.

Yes, maybe McQueen's dress is his take on swan lake, but swan lake has been around for a long time, maybe he went to see some dancing, and got inspired by it and made the dress. It's his take and his idea.

What make Kenley's a copycat or rip-off is that:
1. McQueen's dress was shown Feb 08 for 09 fall. Kenley's version is Summer 08. Only months apart.
2. The material used, feather and tulle, is the same.
3. The length, is the same.

Yes, Kenley made some changes to the dress so that it's not an exact replica of the McQueen dress, but given the material used and the general idea of the dress, it's a rip off anyway I see it.

Every major designers, are inspired by vintage they found in vintage stores, or things around them. You can say, nothing is original anymore, because pretty much everything has been done before.

When one say the 80's is back, but you don't see the exact replica of what 80's look like on the runway, they use the 80's looks, take some elements of it, and change it to make it more now and relevant. That's influence.

But if your "original" work is strikingly similar to something someone shown only months ago, then it's not influence, it's copying. You're not interpreting a trend, you're tweaking a particular dress to call it your own "original" idea.

Major retail chains, say H&M and Zara or Top shop, all of their designers do is to look at the design of the major designer's ready to wear line, and pretty much copy the looks or specific dress, and make it on the cheap using cheaper material and manufactoring technique.

For Kenley who's been "designing" for Kmart or Walmart, that's what she's been doing, copying. You don't find anything "original" in Kmart, but some water down version of what may be 2 to 3 seasons older. I guess she's been working like that, and think that's what designers do, by copying and tweaking other people's design and calling it her own design.

Personally, I think she's a good seamstress.

Ms. Jarell on the other hand, is trying to be original, but somehow doesn't understand female body, and lost on taste.

Frankly, channeling classic like the 50's, it's hard to fall badly, unless you use horrible fabric and color, or your challenge is Hip Hop....Look at Audrey Hepburn, her look is classic and never seem dated or unflattering.

Nor if you copy a McQueen dress will make you fall badly, if you sew well.

Sorry, it's Feb 08 for 08 Fall. Not 09. typo.

It looks like Kenley gives Tim attitude again next week - right before he's made guest judge.

When exactly did the McQueen dresses go down the runway vs. when she was doing her collection? Maybe I'm ignorant of the fashion world but I got the impression that those dresses went down the runway during fashion week- at least from the way the Duchess was talking- so how exactly did she rip it off?

"How could she have copied something from McQueen's 2008 Spring Collection?

A. His spring collection showed last year."

Suzie, it says right there that the dresses were from his fall 2008 collection.

Tim: "Uh Kenley...don't you think this rope is suggestive of hanging?"

Kenley (blank slack jaw): "No." (pause) "I'm into rope."

Pervert that I am all I could think was "erotic asphyxiation"

I don't think the bridesmaid dress is even particularly special. It's cute, but not outstandingly so. It's too short, the colour is severe and the bodice is seriously unflattering on Shannone - as someone pointed out, her boobs are almost at her waist.

As an aside, Shannone sort of looks too old for the dress...she's fierce, but facially she looks a bit mature compared to the other models.

I'm GLAD Kenley is there! As if the McQueen dress was that original in the first place... This certainly fits her retro aesthetic.
L

Brownwyn,

"Maybe I'm ignorant of the fashion world but I got the impression that those dresses went down the runway during fashion week- at least from the way the Duchess was talking- so how exactly did she rip it off?"

McQueen's fall 2008 collection showed last spring. Collections are shown 6 months before the season that they are made for. This fall's fashion weeks showcased spring 2009 designs. The collections show samples from which buyers place their orders. This allows plenty of time for production, press etc. So images of this dress have been floating around for at least six months.

"Can someone please explain to me how Kenley copied a dress that had only been shown a few days earlier when she'd been working on her collection/wedding dress for a couple months?"

I agree. Are the McQueen dresses shown from the same Bryant Park show as Season 5 Project Runway? I'm no fashion maven, but the silhouette does look familiar. I can envision Audrey Hepburn in something similar ..... but perhaps without feathers.

With regard to the lack of friends/family shown for Kenley, editing did the same thing to Christian in Season 4. I believe he even commented on it in the reunion show.

I'm tired of the dumping on Kenley. She might not be a charm school graduate, but we all know that editing plays a big part in presenting the character/personality of the designers. I think she has a lot of growing up to do, but she is still relatively young. I like her retro-vibe and personal style. It's too bad she is so defensive and resistant to (constructive) criticism because she denies herself the opportunity to improve and grow as a designer. The ability to learn and incorporate new ideas is key to anything creative, especially if you want more than 15 minutes of fame.

The wedding dress looks like a variation on the Bjork swan dress. Aside from the color.I hate the bridesmaid dress too.

Does Kenley actually think that she's THAT good? She's only in the finals because of the Wendy Pepper effect. I hope she doesn't win all.

Leslie Huang said...
The short dress is a total Miu Miu Spring 2008 ripoff.

7:18 PM
============================

Really??? Got any pics of that?? I'm curious.

Good Lord! Some people are giving us other Anonymouses a bad name!

signed: NOT Anonymous for Kenley

CHC said...
Here's Chris March's comment:

"Then, there is the Kenley controversy: Did she or didn't she totally steal an idea from Alexander McQueen? Well, she did folks.

Looks like little Kenley tried to make a $100,000 dollar couture dress on her $1000 budget. A less-structured bodice, piles of cheap tulle instead of a complicated understructure, and instead of handsewn individual feathers, hot-glued-on patches of chicken hackles. Et voila! An Alexander McKenley original! Not original, and not a good idea to parade this sadly executed carbon copy in front of the fashion world. Good luck getting a job in the industry, sweetheart. "



OUCH!


Eww. I just read the Chris March blog and it is ugly! He is a fine one to be critizing a designer for using hot glue. The dress is well made if anything and if she can copy a couture gown that cost well over 100,000 and probably had more than 1000 hand sewing hours put into it, in her own little apartment then she is almost assured to get a job in the industry , sweetheart.

It is impossible to prove whether or not Kenley copied (or was inspired by) the McQueen gown. Is it likely? Yes. But I have to say it is probably just as likely that she was inspired by- Say French Couture Jacques Fath (look at some of his work from around 1950) or American designer Anne Fogarty who did similar rtw in the same time frame. Pricilla of Boston is given credit for popularising that ballerina silhouette for wedding gowns. It was extremely popular from the early 50's to the early 60's although not strapless, but for evening, cocktail and prom the same silhouette in strapless was extremely popular. So considering her constant referencing of the 40-50's era it is possible that she was unaware of the McQueen dress.

I think it's hilarious that TLo's "reunion show" had Blayne saying Kenley dresses like his grandma... then here goes Kenley showing off pictures of her fashion idol-- Grandma!

Once again, you nailed it!

Kenley's dress is a rip off of McQueen's only to those who don't see details. And in the design world, since almost everything's been done already, it's all in the details! Kenley's dress is very different.

suzq said:
Many modern bridesmaids dresses border on the vulgar. Kenley's dress evokes a nice silouhette and if the skirt were a few inches longer, would be totally appropriate for a ceremony in a house of worship and the party afterward.
--

I'm guessing this wedding scenario does NOT take place in a "house of worship"! Any bride wearing feathers is more likely getting married in a hotel. Or Vegas.

Big surprise, but I love Kenley's two dresses.

And honestly, between Korto's and Jerrell's dresses, Kenley would have been in the top 2 regardless, since those other two dresses were pretty fugly.

She may have ripped someone off, but she did it really well with a beautifully constructed dress, as opposed to Jerrell's dirty tornado of an outfit.

But you can see from the bonus video over at Bravo, that she was upset at Tim about talking to Korto and Leann about the length of their bridesmaid dresses.

I may be the only person on the planet who feels this way, but I don't blame her. I think that crosses the line from mentor to co-designer. Now if Leanne or Korto had figured it out on their own or peeped across the room at Kenley's short dress and been inspired, that would be different. Tim should not be giving such specific advice, especially at this stage of the competition and the stakes involved with this particular one, IMO.

Anonymous said...

Kenley's dress is a rip off of McQueen's only to those who don't see details. And in the design world, since almost everything's been done already, it's all in the details! Kenley's dress is very different.

Sure! That explains it! Michael Kors isn't in "the design world" and Nina Garcia Doesn't see "the details." That must be why they thought it looked like the McQueen dress. Silly amateurs.

Tim has advised about shortening dresses before. His advice to Sweet P during the denim challenge was spot on. Her dress went from patchwork hippy to more updated and stylish just by adjusting the length. It was good advice.


Ricky's dress was nice, but I really like Sweet P's and I thought she deserved the win.

http://tv.msn.com/tv/fall-tv-guide/tim-gunn-interview/?GT1=28103

interesting q&a with Tim Gunn. Speaks of Kenley's rudeness & a hint at what the finale holds.

SisterZip

Thanks Bronwyn. Designers collections are shown 6 months in advance of the season they are representing so that there's plenty of time to get merchandise in the store. It wouldn't make sense to send Fall 2009 down the runway at NY Fashion Week in September 2009.

I just messed up the season. Fall to me always means feathers. Isn't than when the birds molt?

Lighten up, it's just fashion!

Kenley should lighten up about Leanne and Korto stealing her short bridesmaid's dress idea (too bad she stole that idea from ME).

And Michael Kors, Nina, Chris March, and Veronica detractors should lighten up about Kenley stealing her wedding dress idea from Alexander McQueen.

Problem solved! Bring on the Middle East!

Laura Bennett needs to give this girl some lessons in manners!

And Kenley needs a voice teacher to get rid of the nasal intonations!

Re: Tv guide interview with Tim Gunn. Here's what he says about Kenley:

"The editing is brilliant. You only see a mere portion of what actually goes on. The conversation I had with Kenley in the workroom was easily a good 15 to 20 minutes. During her home visit, we had a very amicable time, and I saw a warmer, more user-friendly side of Kenley. But when she returns for fashion week, she's back with her boat barrels blazing, let me tell you. But, you know she does this to herself. I simply call her on what I believe to be ill-advised decisions. And then of course she pushes back in her Kenley-like way. Then, you're like, "Fine. All right. Fine. Do whatever you want." It's like my old refrain, "I can't want you to succeed more than you do."

WorkingWords100 said...

Laura Bennett needs to give this girl some lessons in manners!
=======================

Bad Mommy ain't got time for that!

She'd end up eating turtle poop in La Bennett's hands.lol...

PS Based on that snippet, wonder how Kenley felt when she discovers Tim is a judge. Karma is a bitch.

lou said...

PS Based on that snippet, wonder how Kenley felt when she discovers Tim is a judge. Karma is a bitch.

Oh good God, just because Tim is a judge doesn't mean anything. Kenley was rude to Heidi, Michael, and Nina the entire season and they put her through to the end. See, some grown-ups can actually put aside their personal differences and judge based on DESIGN instead of personality. Look how many people here thought JERELL should have won! LOL

once again, anonymous said...
See, some grown-ups can actually put aside their personal differences and judge based on DESIGN instead of personality. Look how many people here thought JERELL should have won! LOL

10:47 AM

==========================

If that was the case here, then TERRI should have won that thrid slot before Miss J and mean girl.

WorkingWords100 said...

"And Kenley needs a voice teacher to get rid of the nasal intonations!"


**********************************

Maybe Kenley and Sarah Palin could get a group rate.

PRfanalaPenn said...If that was the case here, then TERRI should have won that thrid slot before Miss J and mean girl. 11:04 AM

My theory about Terri's auffing is that Francisco Costa wishes carried a lot of weight at determining who was auf'ed. I believe, in general, that the guest judges carry considerable weight in determining the winner, while the regular judges carry a lot of weight in determining the loser - this makes sense given that they know the track records of the designers. Since for this particular challenge, the winner had been decided by the vote of the previous season's designers, they didn't want the winner of the CFDA Designer of the Year to show up and be given little input in the key decisions.

a said…
My theory about Terri's auffing is that Francisco Costa wishes carried a lot of weight at determining who was auf'ed. I believe, in general, that the guest judges carry considerable weight in determining the winner, while the regular judges carry a lot of weight in determining the loser - this makes sense given that they know the track records of the designers...

No doubt. And personality had something to do with her aufing, just the same way it played a part in mean girl's advancing. Not everything, but something.

Terri had a better track record than Kenley and Jerell in both design and execution. (I'm going by the judge's reactions) But her conduct seemed to rub Costa the wrong way (Recalling his ‘assistant’ remark), more so than Kenley's did. So if we go by this, then the regular judges would have auf’d Terri anyway, even after arguing with Kenley.

I would have taken Costa's judgment as being more valid anyway, since the other three would still have kept Kenley anyway, whether they thought Terri’s garment was better or not.

==========================

Since for this particular challenge, the winner had been decided by the vote of the previous season's designers, they didn't want the winner of the CFDA Designer of the Year to show up and be given little input in the key decisions.
11:35 AM

It’s always possible that the past season’s designers thought differently than Costa, too. More of them responded positively to Judy’s than Jerrell’s and mean girl’s outfits.
I'm not disagreeing with you. You make good points, but I'm just saying there’s that possibility.

My main point was that if the judges, despite who they are (regular/guest) were keeping the designers based on ability, rather than personality, then Terri would have been the most deserving for that third spot (based on their own reviews, and her track record). But it wasn’t.

Just sayin'...

Yeah, Kenley totally ripped off McQueen, but so effin' what?

Leanne is so far ahead of her, it doesn't really matter. Princess Tugboat is just a lotta background noise.

(Yes, I am totally "in the tank" for Leanimal!)

Good ole anonymous:

I think you misunderstood my point. Or didn't read the quotes from Tim. He was pointing out weaknesses to her and she disregarded his advice. So then, after disregarding his advice, learns he's a judge.

He'd still have the same opinion about those perceived weaknesses while judging.

capiche? It has nothing to do with being grownup.

I think I'm the only Kenley fan left in the world. Though I do think she needs a punch in the mouth or two. This thread just makes me sad. :(

No doubt, though, Judy Noodles FTW!

Anonymous LynnW said...


Maybe Kenley and Sarah Palin could get a group rate.

___________________________________

NICE! :)

Edina Monsoon: Thanks for the props re: my armchair DSM-IV diagnosis of Kenley -- and her grandmother! We'll have coffee sometime soon, I promise!

Anonymous at (4:54): Sorry you took such issue with my comments. In defense, I'll just say: Everyone everywhere tells the truth about themselves in everything they do. And when the camera is on, you can bet that what you see is what you get.

Take a look at that rerun of Finale Part I and you'll see Kenley's a photo of Kenley's grandmother from more recent times. She's in the center of the photo with other folks, and she's staring into the camera with a look in her eyes that screams: "It is MY world, and the rest of you just live here." See Susan Sontag's "On Photography" if you don't agree with that analytical method.

Kenley's got talent and vision, and a great sense of style. But make no mistake, she is a raging narcissist. Which means she'll be a huge success, and my 'diagnosis' will be confirmed in the "Devil Wears Kenley" tell all that comes out some day!

Steven Cortez:

NY Fashion Week was a few weeks ago. There 6 PR designers showed their work because at that point in the broadcasting of the show, 6 designers were still in the running. So, the other 3 are eliminated designers who nonetheless show a collection to keep the cat in the bag til the finale is shown.

The McQueen Dress was shown last fall in New York, so Kenley had plenty of time to see it, rip it off, and claim innocence.

a said...
I may be the only person on the planet who feels this way, but I don't blame her. I think that crosses the line from mentor to co-designer. Now if Leanne or Korto had figured it out on their own or peeped across the room at Kenley's short dress and been inspired, that would be different. Tim should not be giving such specific advice, especially at this stage of the competition and the stakes involved with this particular one, IMO.


I don't know it Tim crossed the line. But if I was the only designer in the room with a youthful short dress, competing for a prize with 3 other designers who were making dreary long dresses, and after Tim breezed through two of them had youthful short dresses, I am ashamed to admit I would be in a pretty foul mood.

lou said...

Good ole anonymous:

I think you misunderstood my point. Or didn't read the quotes from Tim. He was pointing out weaknesses to her and she disregarded his advice. So then, after disregarding his advice, learns he's a judge.

He'd still have the same opinion about those perceived weaknesses while judging.

capiche? It has nothing to do with being grownup.

First off, it's spelled "capische." If you're gonna be bitchy, don't make yourself look stupid while doing it.

Second, you assume just because Tim had some criticisms, suddenly he must HATE her collection and think its the worst. To the contrary, he actually had many positive things to say about it, at least when he checked in at the halfway point.

I read the whole interview and understood all your points. That doesn't make them any less biased or irrelevant, LOL.

PRfanalaPenn said...No doubt. And personality had something to do with her aufing, just the same way it played a part in mean girl's advancing. Not everything, but something.12:48 PM

I know it is all a matter of interpretation, but at this point Kenley had not spiraled out of control. The four "personality" things Kenley had going for her was that she argued / was rude to the judges; she has an annoying voice; she was annoying in the work room; and she was critical of other designers in the confessional (but she wasn't at the point where every other thing out of her mouth was "my design is the best and all the other designers suck"). Furthermore, other designers were starting to criticize their competitors, so she was no longer needed for smack talking. So the two personality traits that the judges are aware of wouldn't incline them to keep her, and the judges (save Heidi in her capacity as a producer) aren't privy to the workroom information. I am basing this on some of the clearly wrong statements that they made, like how collaborative Keith and Kenley were on the DQ challenge and how uncollaborative Blayne and Leanne were, how stoic Korto clearly had fun working on the jungle challenge (that one is a guess on my part) and MK starting to state that Keith and Terri were a good team based on their astrological signs (until Keith cut him off and told him differently).

By that time, Terri had clashed with Suede and Keith (twice); made the infamous "I don't know what you are packing..." comment; several designers commented on how she always made pants; Jerell said she had two faces (that had to come from somewhere); Stella said she didn't trust her; she celebrated Stella's auffing with "ding dong the witch is dead" and I think other comments were made as well. However, on the runway Terri was quite engaging. To me, based on what the judges saw, she had the better "reality show personality."

Presumably people have different ways of determining track records, I do it based wins and places. At the time of Terri's auffing, if I am recalling correctly, Kenley had the stronger record: 1 win, 1 co-win and 2 places; Terri had 0 wins and placed 3 times. This was the first time either had been on the bottom. So, to me, at that time, Kenley's performance would be the only reason to keep her.
****
Dang, when I previewed this post it was mighty long.

Corrections:

I am basing this on some of the clearly wrong statements that they made, like how collaborative Keith and Kenley were on the jungle challenge and how uncollaborative Blayne and Leanne were, how stoic Korto clearly had fun working on the DQ challenge (that one is a guess on my part) and MK starting to state that Keith and Terri were a good team based on their astrological signs (until Keith cut him off and told him differently).

Kenley dress looks so much like McQueen's that I thought it was the same dress until i looked at it a second time. The praise for her dresses were waaaaay over the top!

Tugboat!

Kenley's dress was fucking ridiculous, hands down. The poor model looked like a chicken.

I was floored when I saw the McQueen dress. How do the judges reward one of the contestants with a win when there is blatant plagirism involved?

By the way, guys. No critique of Cato's stuff?

Anon - 7:53 PM

actually I did NOT give MY POV and *I* am not a hypocrite - *I* said that it was hypocritical to judge the other because THEY have opinion. I did not express mine - other than on the subject of hypocrites.

anon 6:38pm

Prfanala:
Miu Miu - Spring 2008 RTW
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2008RTW-MIUMIU

I don't know, there are some similarities but nothing that really jumps out at me...

As a designer (not in fashion), my experience with people who say they don't pay atention to other designers is that they do, and then they tend to rip off the designs and claim they don't pay attention to anybody. To me that just shows how immature she is and disrespectful to the profession.

Anonymous 4:03 PM:

It IS spelled "capiche."

Don't believe me? Just for you:

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=capiche

If you're going to be so pompous as to correct other people's spelling errors, make sure that you yourself actually do know how to spell the word.

Calling someone "bitchy" who, from what I could tell, was only trying to have a good-natured exchange with you is out of line. As is your implication through your spelling "correction" that the poster is stupid. :(

I might be wrong about this, but is there such a think as intellectual property when it comes to design?
L

It's my sense that the judges favor

Quality and impeccable tailoring to messy, puckered, lack of proper fit;

A silhouette that makes a statement to one that is not thought out;

A garment that is "Derivative" of a respected designer over a look that is less well made; less well presented; less understood.

These criteria would all put Kenley's dresses ahead of Korto and Jerrell.

Speaking of Miss Jerrell, she is one classy number (remember how well he treated Stella when she was the last one to be chosen in the team challenge). She was nothing but gracious on After the Sew (which was even more fun with season 4's Christian hosting and Gillian as a guest). They played Ferosh Not Ferosh Season 5 contestents, and he only had good things to say about everyone.

Just wanted to add: I had no idea that Kenley had hand-painted her silk until I saw the Tim Gunn home visit segment.

I still like Kenley FTW, but Leanne's line is so crisp that her win is OK by me.

It's all about selling, after all.

If Betsy Johnson can make a fortune reinventing her boss at Paraphernalia, Mary Quant*, KC can cash in on the current "Mad Men"/ "Revolutionary Road" phenomenon, too.

*http://www.vintagedesignerclothing.com/johnson.html

I really liked Kenley's wedding dress, but after seeing McQueen's dresses I don't know what to think. Everything's been done before in fashion, perhaps, but within the same year? Kenley's is beautiful and isn't an exact ripoff, just a close ripoff. I defer to the judges' opinions on the ethics of it all.

I apologize for only reading about 100 of the 321 comments, but did anyone else notice the distracting bust fit on Kenley's bridesmaid's dress? The slight dart misplacement and extremely short hemline conspired to make that dress less than fabulous for me. Loved the neckline and the color though.

I was really looking forward to "meeting" Kenley's friends or family and was so disappointed that she apparently had neither in New York. I love the Tim home visits, especially seeing a glimpse into the designer's presonal life. Oh well, maybe next week.

krystina said...
Prfanala:
Miu Miu - Spring 2008 RTW
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2008RTW-MIUMIU

I don't know, there are some similarities but nothing that really jumps out at me...

12:02 AM

================================

Thanks for the link!:o)

This one jumped out at me:

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2008RTW-MIUMIU?event=show1622&designer=design_house64&trend=&iphoto=19

I generally agree on the idea of 'judge the work, not the person;' simply because an argument over design that carries over argument about personality is not mature. However, as my friend has pointed out, 'I want to like Kenley's clothes, but her personality just keeps me from it. I can't help but hate everything she puts out because she's so annoying.' Just think: the thought my friend had is going through the minds of more than half of the people watching the show (55% phone votes said they wanted Kenley to go; and I agree that Miss J's work was the worst of the four--and obviously so). Kenley's personality will ruin her chances of working with potential clients in the future and will probably ruin any chance of artistic collaboration with other designers. A successful design company is not a one-man/woman show--it's a collaboration between several designers and all designers (even the head designer) has to give and take.

Can anyone imagine Kenley in that kind of commercial situation after this season? Can anyone imagine wanting to work under Kenley's direction? Can anyone imagine a world like the fashion world welcoming Kenley into its folds when she has blatantly taken inspiration from another designer (several times throughout) and has refused to give that designer even a nod of appreciation?

There is a difference between saying, "Yes, I love McQueen and I took inspiration from his line; and I can only hope that this displays my awareness of the fashion world," and saying something like, "It must have been coincidence," or, "I don't pay attention to the fashion world at all." It is okay to be inspired so long as you give the inspiration credit. Designers receive inspiration from all kinds of other designers but you don't see a well-established designer say, "Well I'm not aware of the fashion world;" or "Well, I'm certainly not going to give anyone else a shred of credit for this work."

Project Runway, furthermore, is not just about giving the best design credit--but about giving the best designer credit. In the modern world, a good designer is not just someone who can design. A good designer is someone who can continuously create good design through an evolution of influences; a good designer can use new inspirations and combine it with their aesthetic taste--so the designer, in essence, is able to continue designing.

Can Kenley do that? Kenley has not shown an ability to evolve while staying true to her aesthetic--at least, not with great success. For example: the hip-hop challenge. She has not shown that her aesthetics can continue to surprise and delight over a wide span of influences and inspiration. If she is a great designer, there is absolutely no promise that she will be a consistently great designer. Can you imagine Kenley's style changing with the times in 20 years? Will she still be doing what she is doing now--or do you think she has the ability to positively evolve as mentalities do? I seriously have my doubts. She has shown she is rigid to criticism and is very hesitant to even self-edit; how can you expect someone like that to later have a business where (disregarding even the sales figures) she will probably not be able to get along with her co-workers? Or someone like that to design for longer than a handful of years with success?

I agree with what Danielle says, to a certain extent. The fact that whoever has heard about Kenley knows her from what they've seen on a reality TV show is unfortunate for Kenley. I also agree that unless her personality changes drastically, it will be difficult for her to get along in any business environment.

However, when I, as a fairly clueless fashion consumer, buy an article of clothing, I have no idea what type of person designed the garment. It could be a horrible grump who kicks puppies--I will never know.

Moving on, I have several friends (and, oh yeah, a spouse) who are warm, lovely people--until you out them in any sort of competition, like tennis, bridge or Trivial Pursuit. Then they become extremely irritating and almost unbearable to be around. That being said, they are all VERY successful in their careers. Maybe Kenley in real life is actually very nice (for example, when Tim visited her at home). Once in a competition, the Dr. Jekyll in her comes out.

Just guessing.

Anonymous D

Anonymous said...I might be wrong about this, but is there such a think as intellectual property when it comes to design? L 3:23 AM

This actually came up on the Rachel Zoe Project thread on TWOP:

Back in the early part of the 20th century when fashion was first starting to be industrialized -- clothes were no longer exclusively handmade by people, but often assembled by machine -- there was a lot more fashion innovation. Nowadays, it's all about a brand name, a look and a theme, but back then there'd be things that would come down the runway and represent something really new. For Instance: the first mini-skirt, YSL's trapeze dress, the bikini etc. Back then there were all sorts of copyright issues and designers would do things like have runway shows in very private places and not allow photography so they could jealously guard their designs. Some designers would allow sketch artists from knock off companies to attend their shows, look at their clothes and make detailed sketches, but they would charge a huge fee.

Now it's a lot more complicated because clothing design isn't moving along like it used to. A lot of designers look to other eras as inspiration and it's more about a story or a mood. For instance, one year Ralph Lauren dressed his models like hippie kindergarden teachers with clogs and jean skirts. Gautier did a collection based on the look of the Hassidic Jews -- prayer shawls and big fuzzy hats. How does Tom Ford sue someone for knocking off his designs when he's been knocking off the seventies and eighties to begin with? Also, being "knocked off" has become almost prestigious. If there are all these Prada bags for sale on Canal Street, that's just a reflection of how powerful the brand name is. If people are willing to buy it fake, the real thing becomes a status symbol.
---------
Clothing isn't covered under US copyright laws - it is excluded due to it being a "useful item". You can't use a custom print or artwork on the fabric (like Target did when they copied one of DVF's spotted prints), but the rest of the design is up for grabs.

Link:
http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com
/index.php?showtopic=3175875&st=280#

What Sewing Siren said. That could be my posts 90% of the time. Only I'm less knowledgeable and less fair-minded.

I've been surprised at Chris March's blog. He seemed like such a sweetheart during season 4, but he's been just mean in his Elle blog. If he were bitchy in a fun way that would be something, but he's not even that. It's been a disappointment.

Her weeding dress looks like a bad rip-off of Christian's work.

I hope she crashes and burns in the finale.

Guh. I got through the first 200 comments and then half of my brain shut of, so here's what the other half managed to come up with:

Oh Jerrell! You KNOW you're in trouble when you say "bridesmaid dresses are supposed to be ugly" in reference to your own work!

Okay now Kenley. I'll be straightforward, I hate her (or at least the person I see on TV). Editing has a lot to do with it I'm sure, but she sure gave the producers something to work with! I hate her arrogance, I hate her petulance, but mostly I HATE how she acts towards Tim. The judges as well, but I can sort of understand being defensive towards people who are there solely to judge you (especially Heidi). But Tim...he's only there to help! There's nothing aggressive about his approach or his advice.

Her dress. I agree with Sissy Bear 100%. It looked like a cheap knockoff of McQueen's gown. Yes there are only so many silhouettes you can create, but THAT one, in THAT color, with THOSE materials, AFTER McQueen's show? Please.

I was absolutely gobsmacked at how Kors GUSHED over Kenley's bridesmaid dress. I thought it was ugly, unoriginal, and poorly proportioned. Well-executed, certainly, but I really hated it. Frankly, it was only cute because Shannone worked the shit out of it, as usual. Lean back, girl!

The judging was fair. Based on THOSE dresses alone, she deserved her spot. But Jerrell won twice in a row before that, was in the running for a threepeat, and then won AGAIN. It wasn't fair that they didn't guarantee him his spot. Although after seeing his collection, I'm not terribly disappointed (I haven't looked at Kenley, Leanne or Korto's yet).

I feel like Kenley has the least original and interesting point of view. When your signature look is essentially a very slight reworking of a previous era, ESPECIALLY an era many designers return to over and over again, it's a problem to me.

Also, her narcissism gets to me. "I don't look at runway collections." Bitch please, if you want to DESIGN, you look at runway collections. You study them, you get inspired by them, you find your voice through them. Get over yourself.

Oh but the best of all was the claim, "NO this silhouette is TOTALLY, 100% ORIGINAL." That is in outright lie, and not even in reference to the McQueen look. To pretend you invented that silhouette is an arrogance that is unacceptable.

And as to the whole "Swan Lake tutu" thing...eh. I think the difference is that McQueen and countless others were inspired by ballerina tutus, but Kenley's design is way too close to McQueen's for comfort, regarding its construction, materials and the timing. Same with her Balenciaga tulip dress thing. Unlike Christian vs. Lanvin, his gown had a totally different look and feel. The tone between McQueen's and Kenley's was identical.

Also her shoe choice was appalling.

This is a terrible PR season. Sure there's talent, but I just don't feel the fire and creative spark like from the last seasons. PR needs a break. And new producers.

Phew. Sorry for such a long comment. I just wanted to get it all off of my chest.

This may have been said before (I don't have the inclination to read through all 329 bitchy comments), but, obvious inspiration aside, I actually like Kenley's dress a LOT more than either McQueen.

How could Kenley possibly NOT pay attention to collections? Her "Bright Lights, Big City" dress was clearly a Balenciaga rip-off.

Kenley's dress is definitely a poor rip-off from Alexander McQueen's. Just look at the fitting for both dresses.

kellie said...
How could Kenley possibly NOT pay attention to collections? Her "Bright Lights, Big City" dress was clearly a Balenciaga rip-off.

10:35 AM
==========================

It dosen't matter anymore.

At this point, she could smear shit on a dress form and the judges will call it ice cream.

Whatever makes ratings.

haupia mama said...
It's my sense that the judges favor
============================

Sorry mama, (cool name btw :0))
but you forgot to add...

"characters", bratiness and manufacured-drama that produces ratings over fairness.

And don't mention Miss J's friendly conduct on 'After the Sew'. Some folks want to use his aufing to make some political statements.

a said...
I know it is all a matter of interpretation, but at this point Kenley had not spiraled out of control. The four "personality" things Kenley had going for her was that she argued / was rude to the judges; she has an annoying voice; she was annoying in the work room; and she was critical of other designers in the confessional (but she wasn't at the point where every other thing out of her mouth was "my design is the best and all the other designers suck"). Furthermore, other designers were starting to criticize their competitors, so she was no longer needed for smack talking. So the two personality traits that the judges are aware of wouldn't incline them to keep her, and the judges (save Heidi in her capacity as a producer) aren't privy to the workroom information. I am basing this on some of the clearly wrong statements that they made, like how collaborative Keith and Kenley were on the DQ challenge and how uncollaborative Blayne and Leanne were, how stoic Korto clearly had fun working on the jungle challenge (that one is a guess on my part) and MK starting to state that Keith and Terri were a good team based on their astrological signs (until Keith cut him off and told him differently).

By that time, Terri had clashed with Suede and Keith (twice); made the infamous "I don't know what you are packing..." comment; several designers commented on how she always made pants; Jerell said she had two faces (that had to come from somewhere); Stella said she didn't trust her; she celebrated Stella's auffing with "ding dong the witch is dead" and I think other comments were made as well. However, on the runway Terri was quite engaging. To me, based on what the judges saw, she had the better "reality show personality."

Presumably people have different ways of determining track records, I do it based wins and places. At the time of Terri's auffing, if I am recalling correctly, Kenley had the stronger record: 1 win, 1 co-win and 2 places; Terri had 0 wins and placed 3 times. This was the first time either had been on the bottom. So, to me, at that time, Kenley's performance would be the only reason to keep her.
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Dang, when I previewed this post it was mighty long.

4:17 PM

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Alright a, let's keep this going.
God, I haven't even talked this much about the ELECTION...lol...

A think that at the time of the Zodiac challenge mean girl was at full-throttle bitch. This was the second time she got mouthy with the judges, and was already rude to Tim. Terri may have had squabbles with Keith, but she was never disrespectable with the judges. I didn't think that she necessarily clash with Keith (over the fabric on Olympic challenge), but explained a gripe about trying to take her fabric (in which she was in the right.) Some of the designers (Korto, Kelli, Leanne) had already made some comments over Kenley's behavior very early off in the competition. Once again, before the Miss J, and La Leatha talked about not trusting Terri.

Also, I do not think that the judges were completely oblivious about what was going on in the workroom. Even when MK mentioned that Terri and Keith must have worked well together on the Zodiac challenge, it just looked like some kind of opener for an argument. Even if he did not know, Tim did, and Heidi possibly did, too, (even though she's too wrapped up in herself to care). And Terri's clash with Suede and the "witch" comment about Stella was not as promoted as much as Kenley's off-putting the other designers (Daniel discussed her behavior after he was auf'd), insulting teammate Keith, and being obnoxious to Tim.

As for their track records, I can see Kenley having a slight advantage with the one win (I am not counting the Lipstick Jungle challenge. That was Keith's victory, and Kenley, if anything was more of a liability than an asset). Still, at the time of Terri's aufing, they both were in the bottom three once, and Kenley was argumentative, while Terri, though unpleasant, still wasn't as disrespectful as Kenley. Terri also didn't laugh at other people on the runway.

And Terri's zodiac outfit, though not great, was better than mean girl's. I still think that the producers thought that Kenley was better "reality show" fodder, (and definitely let Heidi know this) than Terri, despite the fact that Terri was the superior designer.

Once again, just my two cents.