I want the blue, green, and yellow dress on my body NOW!

TLo, please make this happen. Y''all have enough connections to demand this for me, right? Plus, I watched ever terrible moment of this ridiculous show. Bravo owes me this.

Whitney, be careful what you wish for. you'll get Bravo's interpretation of the dress.


I did like this collection a lot. my favorite of the finale.

For whatever reasons, I think these clothes look horrible in photographs. I trust your judgment that they look better in person, but based on what I am seeing, most of them look poorly fitted, sloppy, and make size 2 models look larger than they are.

Sorry but JP's stuff was just plain ugly!!! Anna has it in the bag!!!

So true Anon 2:00. I still haven't forgotten the mass production butchery of her cup dress.

That fabric!

*shudders*

I actually love the dress you guys say is definitely in old-lady fabric. I think it looks very modern in a hipster-girl kind of way. I can see it on cute little glasses-wearing girls in Williamsburg.

Anna is the only basically decent person in this show -- everyone else is kind of an a-hole. And I think she's so talented. Rooting for her!!

I totally love Dresses #1, 2, 4, 7, 8, and 9. I do actually see a similar theme to them all, but it is harder to peg down as X or Y. She has variations on pleating, boat necks, v-necks on the grain instead of the bias, color (something JP and Daniella were sorely lacking in!) I really really want dress #4 and am trying to think of a way to make it for myself.

I can't say there was earth-shattering excitement here, but several of these dresses were beautifully makd, genuinely pretty, and wearable. She did indeed fulfill the mandate of the show's mantra.

And THIS is how you do skinny pants right! Daniella, take note.

I agree that it is down to her and JP, but I really think this show should go in the ready to wear direction so that they have their own unique niche separate from PR. Other than that all I can say is that long blue-green-yellow dress is my favorite piece from the entire season.

Oy, time for more coffee. The dresses were beautifully MADE!

You guys are slipping. How could you NOT give Nazri a shout-out?!? You usually would have had a big bold caption--"NAZRI IN THE MF HOUSE!"

I'm sorry I had to post this over here too... no one else on the Reco thread responded to it! Does no one else find that shocking?

Polgarra said...

I was just watching 'Road to the Runway' season 3. Tim Gunn is talking about the interviewing process and Says ' Some people we sent packing, and some people we wanted to see more' and they cut to a clip of a young Black man jumping for joy and it was Reco!!!

OMG You are right...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC9qRJmGP8Y&feature=related

@ 1min 19sec

To be honest, the way they threw this show together last minute I wouldn't be shocked if they just dusted off the files of some old PR rejects!


I wonder if all the contestants originally tried out for PR of if it was just a coincidence!

TLo, can you ask in your next interview?

I did like her stuff a lot, but I voted for JP. I guess it depends on which of the show's avowed aims you took to heart--were they looking for the designer with the potential to rock the design world with new ideas, or the designer who'd be most appealing to real people now? At different times during the show, they espoused both aims....perhaps one of the reasons it had such a seemingly random personality....

Ding-dang, TLo! I pretty much second that emotion on all of your comments.
Very pretty collection. Not always in love with the prints she chose, and can't imagine wearing those loopy pleat things (and it's not like anyone is asking me to do so), but all in all ~~ nice work, Anna!

Okay, not for nothing but I see no Hieronymus Bosch in this collection. I don't blame her for saying that, because the judges eat that shit up with a spoon.

When we first looked at the collections I guessed that this one was not part of the final three because it is so small of an effort from her. I do think some of the indivdual pieces are lovely, but so many are just basic dresses. I thought jackets were her thing. Too many very simple looks.

I do not agree with the judges critique. They were WAY too hard on her. The statement that it was too fractured was dumb. I thought it was kind of cute that she used some of the ideas she had for the individual challenges and took them further. But still the she could have done a lot more.

I think she will win, because she was nice. I think Bravo is going to make a mess out of her collection, though. Especially the elephant dress and the floral one.

When you guys interview Anna, please ask her how her collection relates to the painting ("The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Bosch) she said she chose as her inspiration. Color palette? I am very curious about that.

I really was drawn to her collection overall. Very wearable - and lovely to look at. The knit dress with the vertical stripes seemed much more vibrant than the photo would indicate. It moved beautifully and fairly glowed.

My money would be on Anna FTW.

Not exactly cohesive, but RTW. She deserves the win on that alone.

Aside from that, don't really care.

I ave to agree with MouseAnony, the girl can do pants. The pants and one jacket was all I really cared for though-from a buying point of view. Great execution and superb attention to detail but not my cup of tea style wise.

TampaBay

Though there was precious little evidence of the "real clothes for real people" goal during the series, and especially in the judging, I would have to say this collection is the only one that achieves that goal. Anna probably also annoyed/confused/angered the least number of people, so I think she'll win the most votes.

Are we done now with TFS?

I like how Anna uses the insides of things for accents. Like the crystals on the inside of the bow, and the color on the inside of the last dress. Makes me want to see more of her work. It is like she hides little treasures - like she rewards the viewer by stashing details that you see only on second look.

I'm with the consensus, though. I almost pity whoever wins having to see their work butchered by Bravo.

lindsey, totally agree. My first thought on seeing that first dress was "cute fabric" in a retro hipster sort of way (though I don't really like the cut of the dress).

Does anyone reading this sew? I don and I think most of Anna's looks can be found in the patterns books - at least in a special section in the Vogue patterns.

Yes, she adds some nice details and, yes, they fit well, but I maintain that she isn't very creative. She (sometimes) has a great eye for a fabric to use that really makes that garment, but I swear I have some patterns in my sewing room right now for a couple of her "designs".

I think she definitely knows her stuff, but her garments seem "inspired by" instead of original.

"I do" is what I meant in my second sentence. Typos! Ugh.

I don't know if this says good things about the collection, or bad things about my taste level, but I would wear both of the old lady print dresses, and I'm 26. I think they'd be perfect to teach in.

I won't purchase them, though, even if she does win, because Bravo will completely butcher the look.

Look #1 I disagree with TLo on this one - I thought it looked dowdy/blah from the beginning

#2 The jacket seemed out of place and I may have liked the dress, but couldn't see enough of it

#3 Did not like the fabric or the cut (neckline and sleeves), and I thought there was gapping in the skirt.

#4 The idea of the stripes was good but it looked widening. Also this looks like "lady parts" - reminds me of a Georgia O'Keefe.

#5 Love it

#6 Like it, love the color on the top - under that raggy looking sweater

#7 Great shape, great execution, flattering - could be an inch or 2 longer) but really like this

#8 Lovely and love the colors and the flow

#9 -eh not bad

#10 very pretty - like the extra detail of the color lining, but agreed that it does not look as well done as most of the rest


Haven't other designers gotten a lot of flack for doing (almost) nothing but dresses? One separates outfit?

But at least most of her stuff is pretty as opposed to the crap from JP. It seems unfair to complaint about fit or finish with Daniella or Anna or Reco and give him a pass.

That's because JP's didn't really have any fit issues.

Anna is my choice for the win. Her clothes are wearable and beautiful.

I wasn't as impressed with her collection as I thought/hoped I would be.

#1 was a very basic silhouette, except for the addition of those thingies in back.

#2 was a nice coat, but, again, the dress was basic.

#3 was just plain dowdy, as was #4 (though I'm willing to take your word for it that it was better in person)

Loved #5!

Not so much #6, the jacket looks oddly fitted and as for the pants, well, they're just pants.

#7 is cute.

I do not like the color palette of #8 at all, though, yes, it does move nicely.

Really liked #9, a nice take on the LBD.

Liked #10 as well, except for the neckline, which looks as though it's choking the model.

Overall, I was expecting better from Anna.

To our way of thinking, the win is down to her and JP. It all comes down to what kind of show they want this to be.

Well, no. Aren't you forgetting that "they" (meaning the TFS powers-that-be) will not choose the winner? I expect it will be Anna, not because "they" want any particular kind of show, but because so many people have a bizarre hatred for Daniella and JP. It will be a choice based on the designers' personalities, not their talent and not on their collections.

Anna is definitely my pick for the win. Her pieces (for the most part) fit properly, they are pretty and actually wearable (which is what I thought this show was supposed to be about). And I am 25 and would so wear that dress with the elephants. It is adorable in an almost vintagey sort of way.

First of all, Happy Birthday TLo!!

No comments on the shoes? What about all the bows she used that you guys hate so much?

You nailed it on the head with the last dress, I can totally see Oprah wearing that. Otherwise I liked a lot of it, and I do like it the best out of all of the collections.

Definitely not a cohesive collection, but she should win. I just don't see how JP's clothes can be translated, and he's more of a niche designer. With America voting, I can't see how anyone but Anna winning.

TLo said:
"Okay, now THIS is an old-looking print, we can't deny. It's a shame, because the dress is super-cute."

Well, super cute if you like the 80's. This is so bad on so may levels. a bow at the neck? Yek.

TLo, I'm shocked that you didn't include a shout-out to NAZRI in dress number 2! I lerve her. I see that another of the minions has proclaimed her glory. I second that emotion!

This was my fave "assortment" rather than collection, notwithstanding some issues such as, yes, fabric choices. Agree, it fit what the show was trying to get at.

Tlo, I don't know how you put up with the constant complaining by your readers every day, but you deserve a medal for it.

"Well, super cute if you like the 80's. This is so bad on so may levels. a bow at the neck? Yek."

Someone hasn't looked at the runways lately.

LOVED most of here pieces. I would totally wear them.

the girl wearing the last dress, is it tarah from PR 2?

Of all the collection on PR on TFS, this probably comes in second for clothing I'd actually wear (Jillian is first). Although there are several collections I loved more (Jay, Kara Janx, Laura), I wouldn't wear them. (I would wear Laura's, if I had a life after 5pm.)

I liked this collection, probably the best, but found it supremely annoying that she repeated everything she did on the show. It really makes it seem like that "bag of tricks" you mention is really all she's got. For that alone I don't think she should win, simply because it is mind-bogglingly uncreative. Her "inspiration" (uh, she was inspired to do a bunch of stuff you've already done?) didn't really come through that much either, considering the triptych itself.

The only look of hers I truly disliked was that navy gown. As the model walked back on the runway, the entire back was poufing out like a disheveled garbage bag. It did not look intentional, and if it was, well...bless her heart.

Anonymous said...
That's because JP's didn't really have any fit issues.

1,3,4,5,6,7,10
In the same way garbage bags and mumus don't have fit issues.

either ponchoy or just baggy

"Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
That's because JP's didn't really have any fit issues.

1,3,4,5,6,7,10
In the same way garbage bags and mumus don't have fit issues.

either ponchoy or just baggy"

Fit issues isn't defined as "clothes I don't like." All of those looks fit the models just fine. They were SUPPOSED to be poncho-y and baggy. Unlike Daniella's which she described as "second skin" when anyone with eyes could see it wasn't.

All of this emphasis on a cohesive collection makes no sense to me. It seems like an artifact of Project Runway and something that judges and others trot out to have something to say. Look, if collection A has ten looks that are cohesive but that almost no one would wear and collection B has ten looks that don't "tell a story," but that lots of people want to buy and wear, I'm not going to ding collection B because of an arbitrary standard that has no application in the real world.

You only wear one outfit at a time, right?

Put another way, compare Anna's collection to Leanne's collection (which I loved) from the last season of PR. A lot of people would want to own one of Leanne's pieces, but if you owned one, you really wouldn't have any reason to own any of the others because they're all so similar and so distinctively Leanne. You could own six or seven of Anna's pieces and wear them all without wearing the same thing.

Anyway, I liked both Anna and her clothes best, especially in light of The Fashion Show's brief.

I really thought the dress with the colored stripes was vaginariffic. Loved, loved, loved the way that pleaty column dress moved. Also loved the fabric of dress #1, but those darts...how is that a good idea? Also, no one-- NO ONE --likes a butt bow.

I had liked the pictures of this collection until I saw them moving on the TV show. The dresses were still ok, but i kept being distracted by the poor fit and construction on many of them. There was a gap between the buttons on one of the dresses, and on a skinny model!!! Made me appreciate JP's all the more. sadly, i didn't get my vote in the allotted time. (and why the short period, anyway?) All in all, none of these collections was all that terrific. sigh...
Peri

In this instance, I could care less about the cohesion of Anna's collection, I care about the wearability. Ok, Ok, I'm of a certain age, and I would wear most of these looks, except for the two gowns. So does that mean I am a "real" woman? You bet your Bippy (now THAT phrase DOES date me...LOL).
Fern says she would wear JP's designs...she can do it in her profession. I would be laughed out of volunteer events for the ASPCA!!!
And, I like the "old lady" prints.
Anna for the win.

Liked everything except #4, the striped/color block dress -- too "Mrs. Roper" for me.....

I didn't like as many of her looks as TLo, but if the goal was to sell clothes to "real people" - by which I mean people with typical (fairly conservative dress codes) work environments and plenty of expenses (housing, car repairs, kids, pets, prescriptions) to eat up whatever they make over the cost of food - she will be the winner.

Perhaps it was a mistaken impression, but from the short shots on t.v., it seemed that several of her skirts/dresses had a crease/pucker effect at hip level (where a pocket might be set) that I associate with the garment being too tight.

I loved her long vari-colored pleated dress, liked the black cocktail style dress as well as the salmon-colored one with the coat over it.

Her clothes fit better than Daniella's, as well as being, in my mind, prettier and easier to fit into a wardrobe than either Daniella's or JP's. I'd predict Anna for the win, JP for Judge's Choice.

I love everything, I want everything! Where to buy it?

I hope she wins, I voted for her.

I don't mind at all that she repeated stuff from the show-- it's okay to repeat elements so long as you're not turning out the exact same clothing that you were doing before. I really liked Jean Paul's collection, but in terms of what I would actually want to wear I'm rooting for Anna all of the way! If she wins, and they don't butcher it (two very big "ifs,") I'm definitely getting at least one of her items.

Loved it! Love Anna! In it to win it :)

This was my favorite collection. In Daniella and JP's collections there were only a couple pieces I could see myself wearing or even wanting to wear. Almost all of Anna's looks are something I'd love to wear.

Like you said, the long, colorful dress has a bit much on the bottom for it to look good on my (5 feet tall and curvy= not good in long, poofy things) but it's definitely something I'd try on for fun. It's gorgeous.

Aside from that dress, I think her collection is full of pieces for "real women." Anna knows women and what looks good on them. And she creates fun, stunning pieces women actually WANT to buy and wear.

She's the winner in my book.

I think in regards to JP's collection - he would have done awesome on Project Runway.

But I'm hoping Anna wins - after reading TLo's ideas on where how this show should progress...I think Anna's collection follows that as well.

Loved the color in her collection. Still confused as to why the judges didn't show more praise about it.

She had a lot of nice, simple, wearable, RTW, marketable clothes in a not very coherent collection.

And 'simple' isn't always a detriment - especially when trying to envision a collection that can produce a range of sizes... .

I get the spinster-auntie fabric dresses. She looks like she used the cut and patterns to update the silhouette while adapting a modern twist back to the retro fabrics. And I thought the fabric choices were pretty audacious because a lotta designers going for 'retro' would invariably have gone for obvious looks like bold geometric or hippy-ish '60s designs or glaring '80s neon.

I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed in the collection, though. It seemed to need some tightening up and a bit more dash. The styling was loose and underwhelming for a fashion show, too.

Oh, well. In the sense of style and execution, much better than Daniella's. JP's is intellectual and nichey. I don't care which two gets the top - each deserves if, I guess.

And that's about as much enthusiasm as I can muster about this show.

I loved loved LOVED that third dress; the print reminded me of the detailing you see on really old kimonos. Too bad the Bravo Version will RUIN it, as it's the fabric that makes the dress so special.

I thought the two Indian (granny) prints were actually kind of cool and the most Hieronymous Bosch of the lot. They weren't flashy on the runway, but they'd be pretty cool dresses in real life.

I'm one of those people who could wear JP's stuff--asymmetrical skirts aren't hard to wear, per se--Daniella's narrow silhouette's more of a challenge.

But while Daniella's stuff requires some toning and JP's requires some planning ahead as to where it's being worn, Anna's collection had the only outfits where I could just see them in my closet and on me without having to think too much about it. They were easy clothes in that sense. You can put them on and not think about them. The essence of ready-to-wear.

I ended up not voting because I ended up not having a strong preference. Daniella, whose stuff I'd like throughout the show, underwhelmed me--I liked the bolero over the bustier and the chain-maily vest and the necklaces. HATED the fit of the pants. JP had some cool skirts and jackets, but the lack of a palette annoyed me--just some more grays or even a white would have made it more interesting. In some ways, it was a weirdly safe collection.

Which leaves me with Anna. I suppose her collection was my favorite and I hope she opens her store--it would be a cool place. but only the moving stripe long dress will captured my imagination.

I think all the finalists were talented, but the lack of a mentor really showed, I think. I didn't see a development among the designers--everyone kind of fell back on what they'd done in the first place.

I loved the couple of times the judge/designers gave real insight. Isaac can be very insightful when he's not doing a snark performance. I found Isabel Toledo's comments on draping to be really interesting. (That simple challenge was one of my all-time favorites.)

And their comments were different than what Tim Gunn's would have been--Tim is more of an editor type. Isaac and Isabel really commented from a designer standpoint. (And I loved seeing Toledo, I've loved her work for years--brilliant sense of construction.)

I disagree with the "old lady print" assessments. I'm over the Tom Ford/Paris Hilton super-ultra, sexy-hot era and am pleased anytime I see a woman wearing something that suggests just a bit of restraint, class and understated elegance.

I'm tired of women's clothes that shout out "Look at me, dammit, I'm pretty! LOOK AT MEEEE!!!" Anything that gives us an alternative is O.K. in my book. I love it when women look pretty, but there is no need to be obnoxious about it.

Does anyone else think that blue and green pleated dress looked a little bit like Leanne Marshall's wedding dress from PR? That's all I could see when I looked at it.

Collections usually have a color palette to them, but this is just a mish-mash of colors and prints that do not relate to each other (sometimes they clash). Some of the fabrics look a little cheap.

That last dress looks like the model wrapped the comforter from her bed around her waist. She should never have shown that one. It absolutely had no relationship to the other looks.

Why the FUCK does Anna have to rip off LEANNE'S noodle pleating style? And why the FUCK doesn't anyone seem to notice??????

Anna is NOT innovative--except for those few looks in the middle that were perfect. NONE of these runway shows even come close to Christian Siriano's finale collection. I don't think any of these fashion show contestants ever will!

While he is not my favorite designer, at least JP's collection was somewhat interesting to look at.

Overall, I'm kinda "meh" about these finale spreads.

At Anonymous "In the same way garbage bags and mumus don't have fit issues."

Baggy clothes, particularly complicated baggy clothes like JPs, are often harder to fit than tightly-tailored clothes. If they hang all wrong, it SHOWS.

The more I compare Anna's and JP's, the more I wish that I had tagged JP as my choice. I like Anna's collection better for the RTW aesthetic, but JP's was the only collection that was impeccable. But I'm glad I didn't, since JP's collection would have been butchered by Bravo. I shudder to think what they would have done with it.

I am torn about Anna's collection, the disparate elements bother me, and I am quite surprised that it is bothering me so much. I guess in my mind it causes me to question whether or not Anna is a [air quotes]real designer[/air quotes], I suppose that I will have to see what she does post show. If I look at it narrowly, this is the collection with the most pieces that will sell on Bravotv.com and also sell the most overall units, so I can see that as a motivation from Anna's vantage point - whether it is because she gets a cut or just for bragging rights.

Re her reconstitution some of the techniques that she used in the "regular season," again there is the cohesion thing, but I think that I could accept it more if she pushed it further. I think she did this with the reconstituted Chanel dress, but not with the other looks.

Kathryn Noelle
7/22/09 5:58 PM Why the FUCK does Anna have to rip off LEANNE'S noodle pleating style? And why the FUCK doesn't anyone seem to notice??????



Maybe because its a bogus claim reiterated ad nauseum whenever there is a design with a pleat in it.

Leanne didn't invent pleats. Let it go, already.

Kathryn Noelle said...
Why the FUCK does Anna have to rip off LEANNE'S noodle pleating style? And why the FUCK doesn't anyone seem to notice??????


You are joking, right?
The technique that Leanne used on the 2nd episode of season #5 in which T and Lo coined the phrase "noodles" was circular strips of fabric cut out and applied to a dress to enhance it. The judges were not impressed. Over the course of the season she used very many different techniques to create self trim or texture for her various garments, many of them lovely but none invented by her.
Anna's dress has a folded back pleat that faced with a different color it is stitched down so the faced side shows. I don't recall Leanne using it, to this effect anyway.

Don't really care about these clothes one way or the other. But Nazri looks HOT!

It's like they're modelling someone's wardrobe, not a collection.

I know James Paul's fans won't agree or admit it if they do- whatever - but I think Anon had something of a point.

1,3,4,5,6,7,10
In the same way garbage bags and mumus don't have fit issues.


I was one of the many who thought his stuff was messy, so I went back and looked just for fit/size/mumu-ishness(sp?)

1. the skirt had lines that looked like pulling fabric and the top looked baggy.

2. there were some lines at a weird angle on the skirt starting just below the waistband - and some odd litle pucker on the bottom of that extra tab on the skirt

4 The sleeves and the skirt were too long and it looked like the shoulders / upper sleeve was not in the right place.

5 and 6 just loooked shapeless so the shoulders were all that had to fit. I know 5 had it's own shape, but I mean that it was so baggy that the woman could have any shape and still "fit"

10 the coat was so oversized that it could be a "one size fits all" - has anyone seen the actual dress other than it looks like the front is 18 inches longer than the back.

Larry you are right about the second skin comment! She had some pants that looked painted on, but most certainly not that first pair!

What's the point of wearable clothes if it's almost certain to make you look like a short, stumpy, fat-ass?

I don't know maybe it's my body shape and sensibilities, most of these pieces aren't pretty or unique enough to be as unflattering as they are.

I'm a plus-sized gal and I think I could actually wear and LOOK GOOD in most of this collection. Yes, even the blue/green/yellow dress. It goes without saying that I want Anna to win.

I get the reference to the Bosch painting. The painting has a lot of color, and fine details that reveal themselves the longer you study the painting. Anna's clothes are just like that.

As I said before, I could see all of this at a store like Anthropologie where funky knits and bold color and interesting detail abounds. Maybe that is too downmarket for all y'all but definitely speaks to the original goal of this show, real clothes for real women.


Suz

I loved the blue/green dress. In fact I'd buy that and wear it proudly. My feeling is that based on what they initially said the premise of the show is supposed to be that Anna's collection should win. Just not sure that's what will happen.

Sewing Siren said "You are joking, right?
Anna's dress has a folded back pleat that faced with a different color it is stitched down so the faced side shows. I don't recall Leanne using it, to this effect anyway."



Um,
Are YOU joking?? All I am saying is that, in my opinion, Anna's navy blue dress with colorful twisted pleating in tiers has the exact same style as Leanne's finale wedding with twisted pleating in tiers (sans the vibrant colors).

Whether or not Anna ripped it off from Leanne is impossible for anyone to prove, but can you really deny the similarities? Please look at screen shots of both dresses and really assess what you see. I know I am not the only person who reads this blog that has noticed the similarities.

I am also not a trained fashion expert. I have watched PR and TFS since the beginning and am just voicing what similarities I have noticed from a layman's eye. Given the noted similarities between Leanne's wedding dress and Anna's navy blue dress, it's just hard not to wonder if the pleating style that became Leanne's trademark didn't, in some way, seep into Anna's consciousness.

PR is watched by millions of viewers and I am sure some design ideas trickle into the minds of viewing designers. If a design style is praised on PR, why wouldn't it inspire aspiring designers to become familiar with that style? We all get some sort of inspiration from other artists, so why is it so far fetched to ask if Anna got her idea from Leanne?

I am not saying that Leanne invented pleats, but she sure got a lot of attention for making dresses enwrapped in them in the twisted and colorful style that she became known for. And, if Leanne ripped off her pleating style from some other designer, then it provides more reason for me to stand by the opinion that Anna's work isn't very innovative. I would even succumb to the idea that Leanne's work wasn't very innovative too, if that was the case.

I did like some of the looks that Anna made, so I am not totally anti-Anna, I just think overall the collection lacked cohesiveness and the pleating thing just really irked me. It wasn't something new to my eyes.

Regardless, these are just my opinions and they are just as valid as anyone else's. I appreciate that you disagree with my opinion. I just can't deny that the pleating style is VERY VERY VERY similar and should warrant at least a few threads of discussion.

Let's see...

Leanne's dress

Anna's dress

Nope. There are some minor similarities in that both dresses have tiered, pleated skirts, but since Leanne did not invent tiered skirts or pleats, it's wildly inaccurate to claim that just because there are some minor similarities, that means Anna somehow ripped Leanne off.

Oh, and this?

"Regardless, these are just my opinions and they are just as valid as anyone else's."

Is a crock. All opinions are not equally valid. If it was my opinion that Santa Claus is real and lives at the North Pole, then I have put forth an opinion that is totally invalid.

Look #5 is one of my favorites from this entire show. Beautiful. If she could have done a whole collection based on that look, I would love it. As is, I thought her collection was a bit disjointed but agree I would want to own many of the pieces.

Okay Kathryn, I guess you weren't kidding. I really thought you were.
For future reference it might interest you to know that Leanne's wedding dress is not pleated. The top skirt is constructed of multiple overlapping petal shaped panels that are folded under for a bubble shape. As far as I can tell the under skirt has multiple free floating petal panels and some loops too(I believe the model got slightly tangled in one). No pleats that I can discern.

Great collection, I hope she wins. We'll find out tomorrow :)

Pleats and petals are too different things, now can we talk about HER collection?

Kathryn Noelle said...

Um,
Are YOU joking?? All I am saying is that, in my opinion, Anna's navy blue dress with colorful twisted pleating in tiers has the exact same style as Leanne's finale wedding with twisted pleating in tiers (sans the vibrant colors)...

...I am also not a trained fashion expert. I have watched PR and TFS since the beginning and am just voicing what similarities I have noticed from a layman's eye. Given the noted similarities between Leanne's wedding dress and Anna's navy blue dress, it's just hard not to wonder if the pleating style that became Leanne's trademark didn't, in some way, seep into Anna's consciousness...

PR is watched by millions of viewers and I am sure some design ideas trickle into the minds of viewing designers. If a design style is praised on PR, why wouldn't it inspire aspiring designers to become familiar with that style?

...Regardless, these are just my opinions and they are just as valid as anyone else's. I appreciate that you disagree with my opinion. I just can't deny that the pleating style is VERY VERY VERY similar and should warrant at least a few threads of discussion.

Well, it is pretty clear that Anna's dress is pleated and Leanne's dress was not, and as the picture links someone else posted show, the dresses don't really look very similar. I can imagine such an attribution is only going to be made by someone whose only point of reference for fashion is PR and TFS, as you admit is the case in your situation. That's fine, but we can't overestimate the importance of reality TV show fashion to the actual fashion industry. No real designers are watching PR, waiting to crib the designers' "styles." It's just not so. These comment threads see a lot of similar comparisons ("That dress looks exactly like Christian's dress because there are feathers" or "Daniella's gray dress looks like Andre's gutter dress because it is gray too") and they really are little too simplistic and shortsighted. Inspiration can come from a wealth of different sources, and for most truly creative people it probably isn't from Bravo or Lifetime programming. Just sayin'.

Kathyn Noelle,
I hope you don't mind me saying this, but the tone and substance of your second post was much more constructive than your first post. I don't know how long you have posted or lurked on this blog, but every time that there is a pleat or some kind of embellishment, the designer is accused of ripping off Lee Anne and for some of us it has become quite tiresome. Although, of course, unless T and Lo object, you and anyone else are free to share those thoughts.

While I think that Lee Anne's wedding dress was spectacular and no matter what heights Lee Anne achieves in fashion that dress will be not recede in our consciouness, I don't agree that the pleating (or whatever) style of that dress is a trademark, or at least not an exclusive trademark. She has done quite a few different embellishments, so IMO, you can say that embellishment is her trademark, and again not an exclusive trademark.

So to a couple of your points made in your second post, I do indeed see similarities between Lee Anne's and Anna's dresses. Also, since I cannot read Anna's mind, I cannot rule out that Lee Anne's wedding dress did not "in some way, seep into Anna's consciousness," and even if that was the case, that it was out of bounds. However, it can also be completely organic or Lee Anne and Anna could have the same influences and / or aesthetics. I am not a fashion historian either, and if you want to go there, Lee Anne has made clothes that have similarities or touches associated with Thierry Mugler (or so I've been told) and Balenciaga. To take it a step further, I have seen similarities in the designs from the recent haute couture shows to other haute couture and RTW collections. It is pervasive in the fashion industry, there is not a lot of new stuff out there.

So there are quite a few plausible explanations about how Anna's dress came to be and a discussion of the similarities and differences between her dress and Lee Anne's may be interesting, but I think if you come out with both guns ablazing you may have difficulty getting someone to engage in a calm and polite discussion on this matter.

I know I'm way late to the party, but who among us can resist...

I don't really get why she echoed so many of her challenge garments, that seems really odd to me.

But, I think her blue vertical striped dress was much more successful here than in the "real woman" challenge - it needed the movement of the fabric, and the line & length of the skirt are better - plus she took off the Star Trek sleeves. But it looks really droopy in the photo. I liked it on the runway.

I hated the last evening gown, especially the way the back ballooned up as the model walked.

I love the elephant print! Not so much the shirt-tail hem, but dang - have any of the sewers seen that print around? Point me to it?

Don't love the collection, but since I couldn't vote for Reco, I hope she wins it.

This collection is pretty much meh for me, there are some nice pieces and interesting elements, but overall it lacks cohesion and there are some definite fit issues. Some raved about the pants, but am I the only one who sees an issue around the crotch area? It's not quite "insane", but it definitely needs some tweaking.

It's an okay collection but it didn't wow me at all. I wished the collection had been more cohesive. But I agree with others that this collection captured best what TFS said it was about: retail clothes.

There's not a lot in this collection that I would wear, it's all a bit on the boring and dowdy side.

Has anybody mentioned how that green/blue/yellow dress (and the Chanel dress from an earlier episode, for that matter) is similar to Leanne's designs from last year's PR? At least the technique with the strips of fabric.

I loved seeing Nazri present in all of her fabulousity, but Tarah closed the show.

Even after being screwed over by Shetangi, she's still going strong!

Hey, has anyone noticed that she pleats just like Leanne?

I kid.

I really LIKED that she brought the challenges back to the finale. Had kind of a full-circle thing. Gave the illusion that the show might have had anything to do with anything...

Has anybody mentioned how that green/blue/yellow dress (and the Chanel dress from an earlier episode, for that matter) is similar to Leanne's designs from last year's PR? At least the technique with the strips of fabric.

7/23/09 6:24 AM


perhaps we should all check our copies of the fashion bible for the verse that referenced Leanne Marshall's invention of pleats.

Can we get over this, people? Leanne did not invent pleats.

I am loving the LeAnne spat. :-)

But how come no one has mentioned that ridiculous bow on the back of Anna's first dress?! My eyes!

I myself can really only thnk of five new innovations in fashion in the last 100 years. Everything else is recycled, re-visisted or re-vamped with a new twist. The key to success is how well the designer can recycled, re-visisted or re-vamped with a new twist.

* Channel cardigans with above ankle skirts and small leather handbag with chain
* Dior's 1947 New Look
* YSL Pant Suits
* Mary Quant Mini Skirts
* Diane Von Fustenberg wrap dress with no zipper or buttons.

Is anything in Fashion really NEW?

TampaBay

Those pleats are definitely Leanne Marshall knock offs. Though I must say, I like them in multi colors!

Oh, give me a break! I can't figure out who's kidding and who's serious at this point.

It's wonderful that Leanne has so many loyal followers. TLo, maybe you can contact Leanne and ask her to make a statement about her invention of pleating and embellishment. Seriously, though, a little interview on the subject might be instructive.

Anonymous at 9:30, I complained about the butt bow on Dress 1. Horrid. Butt bows can be suffered if you're a bridesmaid at your best friend's wedding. Otherwise, no.

And as an aside, why not get an identity to post on Blogger boards?

The most hilarious thing regarding Leanne's "pleating" - those signature details she did weren't even pleating!!! How can Leanne "invent" and "own" something she didn't even do? Adding lots of fabric panels is not pleating. Pleating is doubling fabric back on itself in different ways and sewing it down. Damn, for such an oft-repeated claim I'm glad that nobody seems to know what they're talking about.

Anonymous on 7/23/09 at 10:30 AM said...Damn, for such an oft-repeated claim I'm glad that nobody seems to know what they're talking about.

Then again many off us get haute coutre, RTW, sportswear, mass produced RTW and bridgewear terms confused all the time. LOL! LL!

TampaBay

I really like her collection. I hope she wins, I really do.

GO ANNA!!!!

I voted for Anna. i think she has what it takes to make it in the fashion industry.

"Whitney said...
I want the blue, green, and yellow dress on my body NOW!

TLo, please make this happen. Y''all have enough connections to demand this for me, right? Plus, I watched ever terrible moment of this ridiculous show. Bravo owes me this."


Same here. If she doesn't win I hope we can buy her clothes on her site or something. Keep us posted, boys.

Other than the last dress I would wear every piece in Anna's collection and she deserves to be in the final three. And while I kind of understand the judges saying that her collection wasn't cohesive she used a work of art that was kind of vibrant and all over the place as inspiration so I exspected that of her collection. If she doesn't win I'll be surprised.

I think Anna will win it, although I preferred James-Paul's collection.

I like to see credit given where it is due. Two entrants in the PR series have clearly inspired other designers. One was Rami Kashou, whom Nina criticized for draping too much; I guess she forgot the three times he entered totally non-draped pieces, fairly crisp sundress type dresses. Rami has obviously inspired other designers since that season of PR.

The second one is Leanne Marshall. Leanne said her extremely cohesive collection had been inspired by watching the waves of the sea, although the PR judges referred to them as "petals". I love the blue, green, and yellow gown by Anna, and I do feel that the inspiration for what Anna has previously referred to as "pleats" (in her Chanel-inspired dress) comes from Leanne's sea-inspired collection for PR.

It is said that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", and I believe that is true. To me, these lovely ripples are a tribute to Leanne's imagination.
--Lina

Just because you first saw these elements on PR doesn't mean that those elements originated on PR.

Anonymous on 7/23/09 at 1:30 PM said..."Just because you first saw these elements on PR doesn't mean that those elements originated on PR."

You are totally 100% correct in your statement above. Nothing seen on PR originated on PR IMHO except Chris March's use of human hair-THAT I had never seen before!

TampaBay

TampaBay,

You've got me trying to figure out what's "new" in fashion.

Anna's split-color work can be found in the sleeves of medieval and Renaissance clothing--but have there only been five innovations in the past 100 years?

I'd add--the bikini and a whole lot of innovation in bathing suits made possible by post-WWII synthetics.

In fact, the creation of new materials and synethetic dyes post WWII are huge innovations and made things like DvF's wrap dress really workable.

The tee shirt and jersey as outerwear. That was part of what was shocking with Chanel--her little black dress was made out of a fabric used for underwear.

Sportswear, which sort of began in the late 19th, is the other big innovation I'd see.

Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake? Surely some innovation there, though I guess you could argue adaptation of traditional Japanese dress and armor and, in Miyake's case, an homage to Fortuny's pleats.

The other designer I'm thinking about is Vivienne Westwood--but most of her stuff is more along the lines of inversions and transmutations of older forms, so maybe not. Miucca Prada's completely that way . . .

So pleats and variations, thereof? Not so new. The posters who think Designer X ripped off Designer Y (Johnny and Lanvin excepted) seem to think there's no history of fashion prior to PR Season 1.

Anna has taught fashion, there's no question that she can draw on a huge variety of inspiration--she has no need to copy Leanne--not when she has Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga, Vionnet, Yves St. Laurent at her fingertips.

Glammy,

I stand correted. I forgot about the bikini and Chanel's little black dress.

TampaBay

Addressed to no one in particular:

Every so often in the comments section a poster will accuse a competitor of ripping off or stealing a design from a former competitor of a reality fashion design competition, and it is usually a very broad technique rather than an actual design that the accuser is claiming has been stolen.
All of the techniques that have been used by all of the competitors are in the public domain, so to speak. There are found inbooks like Pattern Making for Fashion Design by H J Armstrong where you can find the exact formula for making pleats, knive pleats, box pleats, accordion pleats, sunburst pleats you name it and countless variations upon those. There are also sections on flounces, separated tiers, attached tiers, petal sleeves, every conceivable type of gathered sleeve cap, High waisted trousers, cigarette pants, palazzo pants, ect.. and countless other things.
Moving on to draping-The Art of Fashion Draping by C. Amaden-Crawford, You can drape dresses, bustiers, flounces, ruffles, peplums, all types of collars, hoods. Everything.
Trims- look up Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Shaffer.
History- 20,000 years of Fashion History by Francos Boucher is a very good book, You'll see pleating from 1350 B.C.(Egypt), draping from 475 B.C.(Greece), flounced skirts and cinched waists from 1750 BC (Minoan).
Oh, also a garment remarkably similar to the post WWII bikini was worn in Roman times (4th century AD) called strophium and pagne.

Sewing Siren said...Addressed to no one in particular: -SNIP - 7/23/09 3:56 PM
.
Well I plan to totally rip off this comment and re-post it whenever the "copied" accusation comes up.

This was by far and away my favorite collection. I don't really get the point of fashion if you make art that no one can wear. (sorry James Paul.)

Didn't Isaac praise the first dress. I thought it was a tad matronly but looks better in the picture. Now the pachyderm print, yes that one definitely is mature. Ditto for the Oprah dress (that is totes an Oprah dress guys. Well played.) Otherwise, I would wear all of this shit. And probably the first dress too. The blue and green flowy dress reminded me of Judy Noodles in the best possible way.

Love Anna, hope she wins.

TampaBay,

It wasn't meant as a correction. I just got kind of interested in the question--so I was just thinking out loud. I was just kind of adding--in other words, I liked your post.

And Sewing Siren points out, there was an Ancient Roman version of the bikini--not in double knit though!

My fear is when they make them, they'll end up being old lady to the point of Coldwater Creek.

Sewing Siren, thanks for that list of books. Do you (or anyone else reading this) have recommendations of books that cover the history of jewelry?

Jeez! You guys are really sensitive about Fashion!

All I said was that the "pleating"/whatever you wanna call it is SIMILAR to Leanne's work. I wasn't knocking Anna's design or anything. In fact, I didn't even like Leanne's collection from last year's PR. I was hoping the crazy bitch lady would win.

And for that reason, along with you people's sensitive nature, I shall remain anonymous. I don't want to be a drive-by victim.

For the record, James-Paul for the win!

Susan ID,
Most the books that I own are more toward fashion history and construction or specific designers, I am certain that there are good comprehensive books about jewelry history, though. One book about jewelry that I love (but don't own )is called Africa Adorned and I think it is published by National Geographic.

Thanks, Sewing Siren.

Susan

i don't understand.. anna's big statement dress is just too much like leanne's wedding dress on pr :\ eh

lizzie
7/25/09 5:36 PM i don't understand.. anna's big statement dress is just too much like leanne's wedding dress on pr :\ eh


Good point. Never been raised before.