Tuesday, March 13, 2007 by
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Y'know, almost everyone brought their A game this week because there were an unusually high number of good entries.
This is a reversal of the normal Project Runway blogging phenomenon known as recap/rethink. Normally, when we have to rethink a garment it's because we thought it looked good until we took screencaps.
In the case of Emmett's dress, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that it's a lot prettier than we'd realized. Sure, the design is pretty basic, but it's fitted perfectly and that fabric is absolutely gorgeous.
Having been in his store a couple times now, we're not sure we'd say this about the current Emmett aesthetic (which tends to be more classic and tailored), but during the competition he was working a "cute 'n girly" vibe big time. This dress is the definition of both. The only problem is, "cute 'n girly" is not what one thinks of when one thinks of a Hilton sister. Plus, we get the impression that this is not a particularly photographable (shut up, it's a word) dress, which would have to be a requirement for someone like Skanky Hilton.
Now this is a classic recap/rethink. It's still pretty, but looking at the pictures we're not sure why it was considered such a contender. First off, it's way too basic - to the point that it looks like something you could pick up in any chain dress shop in America.
Second, the color is ... kinda tacky. Santino and Nick picked cool, sophisticated blues to set of Skanky's eyes. This? This is more of a prom dress blue. Too bright, too shiny, not very chic.
Third, it wasn't executed all that well. The bust is really poorly fitted and there's puckery going on all over the place, which is somewhat surprising because Chloe had a rep for perfectly executed garments.
Yeah, the braid is nice, but if that's the only good thing you can say about it, then the dress isn't all that great.
Now this, THIS is how you do "basic." This dress is gorgeous and dramatic.
We don't lovelovelove the cut on the skirt. Empire waists tend to make even 90 lb. models look a little bottom heavy, so we question the idea of making the skirt even fuller than it needed to be. Two things save it from looking like a fat dress: the bodice is perfectly fitted and because the top of the dress is so body-conscious (i.e., tight), it gave Kara a little wiggle room to go crazy on the skirt.
Second: girl knows what she's doing because the skirt flows beautifully. We also like the straps on the back. We can understand why this wasn't picked. Like Emmett's, it's probably a little too sophisticated for Skanky and because there's a potential of making her look fat in pictures, it really wouldn't work for her. As a standard party dress for the type of gal that doesn't have to worry about Page Six? Perfect.
[Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]
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27 comments:
Emmet's is lovely (but maybe not body conscious enough to win this one?).
Chloe's entry was one of those that had me wondering why they were always praising her sewing and fit, saying she understands a woman's body, etc. Sometimes she hit it out of the park, but to my admittedly untrained eye this one looks unimaginative and poorly made.
Kara's is terrific. I wonder if a different color would have made it more of a contender in this particular competition.
Emmett: same as always, nice fabric, boring design. Chloe: boring. (Love how they styled Grace's hair to show the braid.) Kara: really don't get the wings on the side. A little gamesmanship, perhaps? "You know I'd give you that black fabric if I could, babe."
I remember those dresses now. I didn't like Chloe's at all, couldn't understand why it wasn't bottom... but I must've forgotten a few others, LOL.
Both Emmett and Kara's dresses are lovely. Classy and sophisticated. How she could have preferred Santino's bargain basement Uli dress I can't fathom...
I liked Emmett's dress from the beginning, but thought the color was too staid for his client. It was well made and chic, though, and I was sure would be in the final 3.
Chloe's was too much like her Clothes Off Their Back challenge, even to the colors. It did look like something Nickie would wear, though-cut to there and short.
I love Emmett's and Kara's. They're gorgeous! Chloe's is too simple, poorly executed, same color she used for the previous challenge...I was disappointed, and I LOVE chloe!
Loved Kara's obviously she should have used some shade of blue.
I think Chloe's was in the top purely because of the braiding--Nicky did gush a lot about how much she likes braiding. And Chloe's braiding was much nicer and more subtle than Santino's--If made better, it'd be a lovely dress. But the fit really was bad.
Emmett's and Kara's were both better than the top three, I thought. But you're right--they're not so good for photo op time. As for making her look fat, don't you get that with Santino's also? I also think they got lost in all the dark colors on the runway this week. I really would have loved to see more color variety than black/brown/blue--one of the reasons Daniel's made such an impact.
You know, I always thought that Chloe got an easy pass on her construction, but I noticed a lot of small issues that add up. Her seams were often very puckery. That can be from a number of reasons, many relating to the short amount of time they had to work. The other designers had similar issues, but Chloe's fabric choices (esp all that shiny charmeuse and satin in later eps) would bring out the worst in the sewing machine. Not to be to fabric-nerdy about it, but her things especially pointed out the reasons that pressers in clothing factories earn more than sew-ers.
Indeed, "photographable" is a word--if anyone tells you otherwise, you know where to tell them to go. No, not there! To dictionary.com!
Thanks to you guys for providing a daily Runway fix, so all of us addicts aren't jonesin' in between seasons.
Lots of love to you from the Funshine State--mwah!! :)
I did not understand how Chloe and Nick got in the top three on this. Santino's I didn't like, but I can see the appeal. But those other two? Gross.
I LOVE Kara's dress. If only she had gone with a color other than black, I think it would have been in the top three for sure.
I thought the braid on Chloe's dress looked much better in back than in front. In front it just added to the puckery look.
I love Kara's dress. I would wear that in a second!
LOVED Emmett's dress but you really had to see it in motion to truly appreciate it.
I'm having a hard time remembering why I was such a big Chloe fan. Most of her dresses are just OK.
This was one of Chloe's worst dresses in the competition. Luckily, she totally brings it in the next two.
I love the way Emmett's dress flows. I always thought Shannon was a great model. And I was completely surprised that Kara's wasn't top three.
"It's a word, but wouldn't 'photogenic' have been more appropriate?" refuels the German T&L's feud.
I can't reiterate enough how much I love these screencaps. You can see all the details you can't while watching the show. Thank you, boys!
I have to agree with Eric3000: "I'm having a hard time remembering why I was such a big Chloe fan."
And I LOVE LOVE her!
Kara's dress is beautiful. I just wish she had used a different color.
Chloe's looks fabulous. It's simple but very elegant. I agree on her color choice, kind of tacky, but I think it worked on Grace.
Laurent said...
Chloe's looks fabulous. It's simple but very elegant. I agree on her color choice, kind of tacky, but I think it worked on Grace.
Yes, but I thought her dress looked very similar to what she made for the Clothes Off.
Chloe's dress has a great back view. However, it was a bit like the dress that won her the “clothes of your back” challenge. Same color scheme as well as the racer’s back. I do love the flounce on the hem and it’s a lovely design. However, the sewing on the dress is not great and the fit through the bust is not pleasing.
I love that you guys refer to her as Skanky! Don't stop! She seems addle-brained with a taste for gimmickry.
Emmett's was lovely and beautiful, I agree even prettier up close. More shiny fit issues and puckering with Chloe. Kara's was just ok for me..
Chloe's = And they criticized Laura Bennett for that kind of plunging neckline.
Emmett: I would wear this. Model is lookin' Rory Gilmore there.
Kara: Love the dress, not the shiny shiny fabric.
Chloe: Too many plunging necklines on this show. I'd gotten tired of it with Kara Saun, so every time after was like gah, do something else! It does, however, look like something one of the Hiltons would wear.
-Em
these three are great.
at first i kinda wonder what emmett's doing. but the dress looks cute there.
tim said he likes chloe's dress, me too! he said that chloe made it beautiful without being totty or something.
not really basic i think.
grace's back is beautiful!
kinda wanna know what lotion she uses.
these three are good dress + good model.
bravo.
I love Kara's dress but...sans wings. It's a beautiful dress.
Thank you for commenting on Chloe's bustline! It was my long-term complaint throughout S2--the girl just couldn't design a dress for Grace's buttons! I hated all her fittings in the bust, but this one was particularly egregious.
Kara's was beautiful--I though that if she had done it in a different hue (pink? like the example dress?) it would've rocked. I don't like the saddlebag style but totally could have seen blah-Hilton (thanks, FugGirls!) wearing it. Or Lindsay Lohan.
THEY HAD TO HAVE SOME KIND OF COMPLIMENT FOR CHLOE'S WORK....LOL
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