Tuesday, January 29, 2008 by
Author
Maybe he should have spent less time talking to it and a little time listening to it because we're pretty sure it was saying "Stop! Please!"
Darlings, the more we look at this...
...the more we are simply overcome with ennui. Dull, dull, dull.
Worse than that: dated, which has been a real problem with Chris' work.
This is why we couldn't be judges. We really like Chris and we think he's very talented, so we hate to rake him over the coals - which we are about to do. Give us a sec to get our bitchpants on.
...
Actually, we can't work up the energy to rake him over the coals. We're so bored by this dress that we can't seem to string together the required 500 words to trash it. But for you, we'll try.
It's such a boring '90s Country Music Awards retread. We hate the boob flaps and we hate the thick straps that run all the way down to form pockets.
PLUS, he FRAYED them, kittens. He FRAYED DENIM. That is decidedly UNfabulous. According to him, his idea was to do the LBD in denim. Call us snobs if you want, but the classic LBD should never have frayed ANYTHING.
It's rare that we hate EVERYTHING Chris does, but we really hate everything about this dress. The skirt looks too tight and we don't like the way it slightly flares out at the bottom.
Chris, like Sweet P, seems to be struggling to find his way in the competition. Ever since his auf'ing and subsequent return, he seems to be straddling a line between playing it safe and giving in to his costuming aesthetic. He's got killer execution skills and a flair for the dramatic that rivals any of the other designers. He could make it all the way to the end on those two factors alone. He was just damn lucky that there were uglier garments on the runway this week, because the minute we saw this, we said "Nina's going to HATE that."
Another problem we have is with the accessorizing. Chris' work rarely seems "modern" to us. It doesn't help when he wraps scarves or chokers around the model. This is the third time he's done so this season. Chris darling, you're not working with drag queens here. You don't have to cover their Adam's apple.
See? She looks so much better without the scarf.
[Photo: Barbara Nitke/Bravotv.com - Screencaps: Project RunGay]
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118 comments:
OMG.."you don't have to cover their Adam's apple". HILARIOUS!!!!!!!
I'm not a fan of "sweetheart necklines"..even on a wedding dress. Definitely not in denim and the "boob flaps"! heeeee!
(still love ya Chris)
Oh! The Dress Whisperer? Dying over here!!!!!!! (brilliant)
I'm so proud of you two. Donning your bitchpants just for us. I hope you've taken out the can opener and have peeled them off for now.
I hate sweetheart necklines. They do this platter o'tits thing that I just find so B-movie.
And I had no idea that this was a scarf. Yes, it looks better without it.
"Dress Whisperer" -- ha!
I like the shape of the bodice with the big straps to the side. It's wicked sexy. The boob flaps and the pocket straps, not so much.
Chris needs to learn how to edit. Okay, so you like the fraying. That's not the point. The point (as Tim was trying to explain) is whether fraying conveys the idea of a little black dress.
It's a pity, because I really liked his idea, but he just didn't pull it off.
"Maybe he should have spent less time talking to it and a little time listening to it because we're pretty sure it was saying "Stop! Please!""
ROFL. That's a very dull dress. I didn't like it at all.
By the way, I love Marcia. She's feers!!
It looks like she is wearing it inside out to me.
His idea was fine, a denim version of the little black dress, but Sweet P was the one who actually executed it. Hers was a dress you could take out of the closet and dress up or down all summer long. This was..blah.
I agree about Chris finding his voice in the competition. Since his aufing he seems so gunshy about anything remotely dramatic or costumy (or maybe, actually since he got raked over the coals for the weight loss dress he came back to)but he can do dramatic and he should do dramatic. I know there's a unique aesthetic in there somewhere. Chris, let it out!
The boob flaps? Urgh. This dress is way too precious. Me no like it.
Classic commentary! He does seem a littel timid in his approach. The concept sounded great on paper but I had trouble seeing anything that said "LBD".
It's a shame he doesn't just go balls out with that beautiful model and take a chance. The judges will almost always accept an ugly piece with a definitive POV over a boring one. I agee that he could make it ot the end, but he'll have to take more risks.
I liked the way the dress nipped in at the waist. That's about the only thing I liked. The big straps going into pockets was an interesting idea, but it didn't work. I actually didn't mind that the skirt flared out at the bottom. I thought it was the only thing that gave the dress, well, flare.
Wow, I hadn't noticed how thick the strap was. It must be uncomfortable, certainly not aesthetic pleasing.
As soon I heard Chris say he kinda liked the frayed edge, I thought, 'uh-oh, remember what you said to Kevin about the prom dress hem?'
--GothamTomato
Yeah, I was afraid he was going to be in the bottom two for this boring, dated dress.
I think the LBD idea was great! I actually like the flared hemline and the general shape of the dress (which I thought was flattering), but it went off the rails with the frayed strappy thing and the boob awnings.
Chris darling, you're not working with drag queens here. You don't have to cover their Adam's apple.
Lulz!
Right on again, TLo! Although I liked the halter-swoop-into-pockets-thing, the LBD should never EVER have had a frayed edge and boob flaps. And to fray just one edge? What was he thinking?
And Dress Whisperer? Adam's Apple? Inspired. You've turned my Tuesday morning around.
Chris will survive your pulling on your bitchpants. He's still my pick for lunch companion/bitch party. Christian is growing on me a little, but I think he still may not have reached drinking age, right?
When this dress came down the runway, it just felt blah. Not outrightly ugly, it just left no impression on me.
Ricky's dress left a better imprint than this
I found Nina's comments on this dress in her blog interesting. She liked the idea of it but felt it was just off into too many places to work. She basically said in order for the little black dress idea to be the classic little black dress, the proportions of all the elements need to be dead on. Here they were not.
Frank
"He FRAYED DENIM. "
Hahahahahahahahaha.
Seriously. Enough said.
So, wait, are you bored or do you hate it?
I find this dress much more flattering than Sweet P's. Yes, it has too many gewgaws and whatnot, but it does emphasize the hourglass figure, which is the whole idea of an LBD.
It's almost like it's easy to take cheap shots at the costume designer. (Kayne had the same problem.) Everyone is on hair trigger to say "too much!" even when it doesn't apply. I think this dress is a slight miss, but if anyone else had made it, would it have been in the bottom 3?
It screamed LeAnn Rimes to me.
I screamed back.
Hate the boob-flaps. I would like the side-strips if they were not frayed and were flat. The pockets stick up and look unfinished. I did like the skirt.
I agree that editing may be an issue with Chris, but I think that that's just because he is second guessing himself over the 'costumey' label they gave him before he was eliminated. It's caused him to be hamstrung.
I think the problem he is having is similar to what used to happen, years ago, when they use to try to force left handed children to become right handed. It caused some to become stutterers.
The judges, with their commentary, have tried to force exhuberant Chris into a right handed box, and it has caused his creativity to stutter.
--GothamTomato
I think with the strap width and the boob bumpers he was using existing elements from the jean jackets and pants.
I do like the slight flair at the hem and feel that if he had been able to add several more layers of flair , each getting more flaired, the dress would have looked kind of cool in a torch singer kind of way.
Gotham, you rock.
GothamTomato:
"The judges, with their commentary, have tried to force exhuberant Chris into a right handed box, and it has caused his creativity to stutter."
Agree. C'mon, Chris, make it work in your own special way - also, LISTEN TO TIM GUNN
I actually thought this dress was very comparable to the other dresses this week except for the insane fraying. I rather liked the straps and the shape of the skirt, certainly more than I liked the low pleated hem of Rami's dress and the unflattering fit of Ricky's dress on the boobs. I am not counting Chris out for next week, since the challenge looks to be somewhat "costumy", but after that I'm afraid he will be leaving. This judges just don't care for his aesthetic, and that is fatal, as Kayne discovered. That is the one thing they tend to be consistent about!
Have these people learned nothing from the past 3 seasons?
ALWAYS LISTEN TO TIM!
Didn't hate the dress but loved your comments, especially the adam's apple one. Thank god there's finally one figure flaw I don't have to cover up every morning.
Me2
It must have been painful to have to criticize Chris, but in this case it was justified. I can see the garment he produced in our local western wear store (read faux cowboy), perhaps in the bridesmaid section. (They do feature western style wedding dresses. Yikes!)
Anyway, having lived in the south, may I suggest that you can say the most outrageous things about a designer's work as long as you follow the statement with, "Bless his heart!". Example:
"We hate the boob flaps and we hate the thick straps that run all the way down to form pockets....PLUS, he FRAYED them, kittens. He FRAYED DENIM." Bless his heart!
This simple phrase makes it clear that the subject of the critique is still your little love muffin.
I think this was one of your better commentaries. I haven't laughed out loud in awhile. I thought the dress was ok, but did not like the straps, breast pads etc. However, I could see young girls wearing it.
I didn't think Chris was going to get aufed because I think the judges impression of him has gone way up with the avant garde challenge. His POV was all over it and it is going to be the all time classic favorite. So he got an free get out of jail card this week. He think he will be #4.
I forgot to say that I hated the ruffle on Ricky's dress much more than the pleats on Rami's dress. And he used boob flaps too, just not as large as Chris. And while I thought Sweet P's dress was cute, I didn't understand the raptures from the judges when it was basically "boring" also. They just can't make up their mind what they are looking for this year.
I thought this dress made Marcia look hot. The girls are shown off nicely, as are her waist and legs. So if this look is dated, put me in a time machine and send me back there. It was one of the few outfits that actually flattered the model.
And I didn't mind the fraying. I thought it underlined the fact that this is denim. I did think the runway styling was a little off, but the dress itself was okay to me, not bottom three, and definitely better than Ricky's hooch-o-rama mama dress that won.
I love Chris. I really do. I didn't love this dress, but I liked it. I thought the shape was very nice, and I liked the detail of the straps. I didn't like the fraying, but I tend to think deconstruction is an excuse for not being able to sew worth a damn.
Hated the scarf.
As far as being "dated", it was no more dated than Ricky's dress, which the judges slobbered all over. Ricky's dress was nothing more than standard Barbie attire from the 80's.
LOVE the Adam's apple comment...LMAO
This was certainly not a favorite for me either, but it did have elements of a more flattering dress than did Ricky's...at least for my own body type.
If I were forced to chose between the two of them, I'd probably go with this one...
Kind of a left handed compliment, I know.
Gotham, I love you. That's exactly what I was thinking when I saw him going through his process. He needs to embrace the flair and fun, go big, and edit DOWN...not start boring.
I really hate these PR f*ers for not having an episode this week. Really.
Adam's apple, heh. Funny and yet true!
I just think that Chris sometimes overcome with aufing fear and it clogs his thinking.
But how many seasons is going to take before ALL the contestants realize that if Tim grimaces, frowns or looks at them over the top of his glasses, it's time to STOP. EVERYTHING. AND. START. OVER.
I hope Chris goes all-out-drag-queen-on-pageant-night just once and see his model stomp down that runway.
We'd see judges scattered like bowling pins.
Maybe I'm a drag queen at heart, but I like Chris's dress and I like the purple scarf. Just sayin'.
Serious question, fashionistas. Why is Chris' work dated when it is reminiscent of the 80s, but Christan's work is fashion forward when it is reminiscent of the 80s?
(And no matter the answer, I didn't love this dress either, and I loved Christian's jeans).
I really, really like Chris but didn't think it was fair that he was allowed to come back without any restrictions.
They should have made deliver a win in order to stay, like the did with Angela and Vincent.
Frankly I haven't enjoyed a whole lot of what Chris has done except for the avante garde dress and his very first dress. I think the attitude around here is not to criticize him cause he's a funny endearing queen. Which he is, but next big thing in fashion he's not. Get over it.
Meine titsen go flippity flap...
Fly away, boobies, fly away...
This dress was ok. I agree that the boob flaps should have not been there and the straps should have been removed. Also, why didn't he listen to Tim and cut out the frayed edge?
This dress had potential, but Chris needs to modernize himself before he can modernize his creations. He may be stuck in his past.
"hotchickenbakooti said: He needs to embrace the flair and fun, go big, and edit DOWN...not start boring."
Exactamundo. I would actually LOVE to see him in the final, and totally unleashed. What I would hope is, that what he wanted was just to get to Bryant Park, so he doesn't feel hemmed in anymore, but rather goes BIG.
I want to see him do a show that looks like drag queens on acid (and I mean that in a good way). Just crazy & bold & completely over the top joyful. Because that is what is always missing the most in these final shows: JOY!! Just the joy of fashion/joy of life. And Chris is just the guy to bring the joy.
Jay set the standard, in S1, that no one else has yet met. But Chris is the person that I think, has the most potential to (in poker terms) meet Jay & raise him.
That's what I want to see.
--GothamTomato
Being from the South (and having returned to it under duress), may I gently point out to Rosie's Girl that "bless your heart" does not, in fact, connote anything like affection? It is a phrase intended solely to drape the gossamer veil of insincere pity over antagonism, bitchery, and downright nastiness. It preserves the social code of politeness while conveying an understood meaning to the insiders' group... For example:
"Did you meet that Rosie's Girl? What on earth was she wearing?"
"It looked like a lampshade in a bordello... but you know, she's not from around here. Bless her heart."
See? Now you know.
Sissybear's dress had some potential but I agree- the details were a little dated.
BUT
How much did you love the comment about giving Christian a bottle???!!!
wannbe asked
>Serious question, fashionistas. Why is Chris' work dated when it is reminiscent of the 80s, but Christan's work is fashion forward when it is reminiscent of the 80s?<
Ooo. Good question.
Actually, "bless your heart" can run the gamut from "Isn't she just pathetic?" to "Isn't she just tragic?" It is a multi-use phrase, and I use it all the time. :-)
wannbe asked
>Serious question, fashionistas. Why is Chris' work dated when it is reminiscent of the 80s, but Christan's work is fashion forward when it is reminiscent of the 80s?<
Ooo. Good question.
When you find the answer, let me know, because I can't figure it out, either.
Not a fan of Christian's work but his 80's references are more in the punk/new-wave vein.
Chris' 80's references appear to be Joan Collins in Dynasty.
I agree with whoever said he needs to go over-the-top and work his way backwards rather than doing the kind of crap he did here. At least he'd have a shot of coming up with something original.
" Ann Marie said...
It is a phrase intended solely to drape the gossamer veil of insincere pity over antagonism, bitchery, and downright nastiness. It preserves the social code of politeness while conveying an understood meaning to the insiders' group..."
I'm a Yankee who has been living in the South for quite a few years now, and the above statement is quite true...
It didn't take me too long to realize that the words "That's nahce" actually translate into "Fuck you" more often than not.
I think Christian is more '80s than Chris and more one-note than Rami. Yes, he can sew, but why is he so teflon?
The judging has been so weird this season that it's no wonder that Chris doesn't know whether to go big or tone it down. Even listening to Tim is suspect since they are editing his comments to make it sound like he supported the judges' decision. Tim hated Ricky's dress and told him so. Then he wins.
There's no way of knowing which way the judges' wind is blowing, and they've been blowing lots of wind this season, that's fo sho!
Too many dresses - the designers has almost a herd mentality in this challenge except for Christian whose jacket was comprised of bits and pieces of outfits he made prior challenges and V-YA and Gillian's coats which were plagerism (V)and a retread(G) from the week before. Maybe they should haul them all into the produce section next so they will do something fresh.
I just love Chris, but this was not one of his better efforts. But I am very glad that the battle of the trenches saved him!
Bill said...
"It screamed LeAnn Rimes to me.
I screamed back."
Hahahahahahahahaha! Snort!
snf in va quoting Ann Marie said...
" 'It is a phrase intended solely to drape the gossamer veil of insincere pity over antagonism, bitchery, and downright nastiness. It preserves the social code of politeness while conveying an understood meaning to the insiders' group... '
I'm a Yankee who has been living in the South for quite a few years now, and the above statement is quite true...
It didn't take me too long to realize that the words "That's nahce" actually translate into "Fuck you" more often than not."
I am also a Yankee born and raised that has lived in the South for upteen years and all I can say is, you girls nailed it.
I loved the waist and the slight flare at the bottom, but the straps and pockets...not so much.
Chris needs to let his freak flag fly from here on out. Take the risk, wow the judges. Something. Anything. He has the talent. And he's adorable.
I liked his idea of doing the LBD in denim, and I like the general silhouette. It's really hard for me to see why the judges loved Ricky's dress and hated this one because they have many qualities in common. But he should have listened to Tim, and he should have thought more about how to create a 501 element while still preserving the simplicity and elegance of the LBD.
Why thank you for your feedback, Ann Marie. You are so helpful, bless your heart! (Now see, that is the more sarcastic usage, and believe me, I did learn early on what some of those phrases really meant- a 25 year old Californian in Oxford, MS, you know I learned the hard way. )
However, I lived in Mississippi and New Orleans long enough to know that tone of voice and delivery give the phrase multiple meanings. The usage I was going for was the same as that used by numerous grandmothers (referring to their grandchildren) "Why he is such a mess! Bless his heart!"
Cheers,
Rosie's Girl
I love Chris and I think he has such amazing potential, but it can't be denied that he's pretty hit and miss. I think he needs to compartmentalize what's appropriate for some situations vs. others.
Bill "It screamed LeAnn Rimes to me."
Well of course it did. This is what Chris was singing to his dress:
"How do I
Get through a night without you
If I had to live without you
What kind of live would that be
Oh I, I need you in my arms
Need you to hold
You are my world
My heart, my soul
If You ever leave
Baby you will take away"
Why is Chris' work dated when it is reminiscent of the 80s,
From my POV, I can only pin it down to the neckline and silhouette.
This dress had the sweetheart platter o'tits neckline, and the auf dress had a halter neck straight from 1979. His Paris Hooker dress also had a similar neckline and the ensemble looked 1950's.
While I find the both the silhouettes and the detailing on Princess's to be 80's, it nonetheless reflects a more modern image. And I do give him credit. I think he's the only one of the designers who has really put together pants that fit, Bless his heart (!!).
As much as I can tolerate Christian, Bless his heart, I have to say, he's not the designer who surprises me. That shirt has been done by him time and again. Whereas I'd have to say I'm always caught off guard when it comes to Sweet P. She started off rough, but has really started to deliver.
Rosie's girl.... LOVE IT! "Bless his heart."
I guess today, we'll all be southern.
I like Chris's personality (although some diva bitch came out that episode), but that doesn't mean I have to like his designs. I just don't.
This dress is not only dated and boring, but hideous.
To me, he could of went instead of Victorya.
Dress Whisperer! Love it!
heidi's left breast said...
"I hope Chris goes all-out-drag-queen-on-pageant-night just once and see his model stomp down that runway.
We'd see judges scattered like bowling pins."
From the look of the previews, heidi's left breast just might get its wish! Methinks Chris is going to own this challenge.
The Adam's apple line slayed me. Ha!
I did detect a little diva bitch too, trent.
I saw this dress on the rack at a flee market last summer while driving through Des Moines Iowa.
Bless her heart, it's the Ya Ya Dress
ummm...omfg. you all probably know about this already, but i just went to chris's homepage at http://www.chrismarchdesign.com/ and looked at the "about" section and saw his photo...whaaaa?!?!
adam's apple! HA!
Yes, some of the detailing (boob flaps! Hee hee! Frayed denim! Snort!) was way off, but I thought the overall sillhouette was much more flattering to his model (and a woman's body in general) than many of this week's efforts (I'm looking at you, Christian/Ricky/Trenchcoat-Twins). For a gay man, Chris certainly understands a woman's curves - and what's more, he celebrates them, rather than trying to disguise them with drapery/frippery/awkward cuts. He made Marcia look like she has an hourglass figure, and that's quite the structural feat on a stick-thin model. Then again, maybe that's where he's channeling all his drag-queen energy.
Great reading your blog as usual, TLo! I hope this week's lack of new episode won't translate into a week without TLo.
--J
Actually, to me the top is really retro-looking, as in *well* before the 80's.
More like 1940's sun dress and/or swimsuit bodices.
daxx said:
It's a shame he doesn't just go balls out with that beautiful model and take a chance. The judges will almost always accept an ugly piece with a definitive POV over a boring one. I agee that he could make it ot the end, but he'll have to take more risks.
11:31 AM
So true that the judges will take ugly, but with a POV over boring and/or poorly constructed. Boring and poor construction will get a designer sent home every time.
Go, Sissybear-you just go ahead and whisper to your dress...but listen to Tim Gunn!
If anyone is lurking in San Francisco, you can see the actual outfits from the Levi's challange in the Levi's building lobby at Levi Plaza.
I work right next door, and just went over to check them out. They're right in front of you right out in the open--you could reach out and touch them!
Wow those models must be so incredibly thin--the dress dummys they're on were even too big.
And I have to admit, seeing Ricky's dress in real life--it is actually quite cute, and exceptionally well made.
agnes gooch said"
But how many seasons is going to take before ALL the contestants realize that if Tim grimaces, frowns or looks at them over the top of his glasses, it's time to STOP. EVERYTHING. AND. START. OVER.
12:22 PM
OMG- will they never learn? Does Tim have to grab these designers by the lapels or whatever is on their chests, look them in the eye and literally scream at them before they get it? If Tim don't like it, it's almost 100% guaranteed that MK, Nina and Heidi aren't going to like it, either.
Hello babies...
See, I did not have that much of a problem wih this dress as I did with the challenge as a whole because I do not think that is was explained clearly or fairly at the onset.
I actually liked the dress ok, but I am TIRED of shortie dresses. Since since was kind of an A-line I would have extended the hemline and gone maxi on that dress. A little fresher...
Hardly anyone does maxis and they can be fab as executed by DVF,no?
The whole "iconic" vague direction BS they were given was what sent everything on a downward spiral.
I saw the Project Catwalk video and they had a very similar challenge with Mackintosh. Except they said "take the classic Mack and make something that is modern and new but that fits with the vision of this ICONIC brand." Bsically.
And then they were able to better produce garments that met the challenge.
The Levi's lady did not give a hoot about the garments being interpretations of iconic items such as the trench, LBD, etc...
They meant interpret the iconic item that are the 501 jean and trucker jacker and that fits within the vision of the brand.
But they did not communicate that AT ALL to the designers.
Nothing is more frustrating than vague, unclear and misleading direction. No one should be expected to read people's mind or to "interpret" people's words or even worst and this IRKS me about marketing to "anticipate your clients needs". Then they do not want "Project Runway". They want "Medium".
Love,
Milla
>More like 1940's sun dress and/or >swimsuit bodices.
Yes, exactly. Or Gina Lollobrigida or Sophia Loren -- women so busty they had to carry 'em around in a sling. Very va-va-voom.
I guess I am old and dated; it wasn't without it's problems, but I liked this dress.
Foolish, foolish people! You would think, by now, that anyone coming on Project Runway would have learnt the first rule of success: Listen to Tim! It's really amazing that there are people who still believe that they can ignore his advice and get away with it. Silly buggers.
i hate to have to agree with you on this one, but.... this dress was a mistake. well intended and well executed. but at its core a complete misstep.
there was a moment when it was still on the dress form and, instead of the halter, he had that strap wrapped around the neck like a choker-thingy. that would have been more interesting than the final product. but still. the neckline, the boobflaps, the fraying, the flare at the bottom... it's too much for one dress. i cringed when it came down the runway. he can do better than this. i'm really surprised by his choices.
and i'm with you on the styling. please no more neck accessories! the model is gorgeous. she doesn't need chatchkes.
OMG, I went to Chris' website and looked at his collection, and it is really amazing. I am totally surprised at some of the crap he has made with that collection out there. He can really make some stuff. So why the boring dresses? I guess it was what he had to work with and that was the best he could do.
Ok, what was up with the Levis lady? Why hasn't anyone called her out on her styling mistakes? WTF was she wearing? Come on, she can do better.
Gotham Tomato said:
"I want to see him do a show that looks like drag queens on acid (and I mean that in a good way). Just crazy & bold & completely over the top joyful."
Chris is a brilliant costume designer of conceptual theme garments which look stunning in a "Drag Queen" esthetic.
It would be a profound mistake for him to attempt to bring that to this venture. It would avail him nothing to send 12 Drag Characitures down the runway during the Fashion Week finals just for the shock value of it.
I think he is smart enough to know that. (Thank God).
GothamTomato said...
"I would actually LOVE to see him in the final, and totally unleashed. What I would hope is, that what he wanted was just to get to Bryant Park, so he doesn't feel hemmed in anymore, but rather goes BIG.
I want to see him do a show that looks like drag queens on acid (and I mean that in a good way). Just crazy & bold & completely over the top joyful. Because that is what is always missing the most in these final shows: JOY!! Just the joy of fashion/joy of life. And Chris is just the guy to bring the joy."
i totally agree!! i'd even go so far as to hope that he is the forth finalist, so that he can do whatever he wants and not have to worry about being judged for it. i just want to watch one big dragstravaganza, full of color and life and fun. out of all the contestants left, he's the only one who can bring the fun.
I liked Chris' dress, but it had some weaknesses:
- the straps, while having an innovative curve down the side to form pockets, needed to be thinner and sewn neatly. No buttons.
- the little "crotch triangle" needed to go.
- the neckline should have been a more streamlined shape, then you wouldn't have needed flaps.
- he needed to make it iconic in the 501 style: buttons down the front. I think the front buttons are what sealed the deal for Ricky.
As for Christian's outfit--two words: crotch collar. That collar made out of a pants crotch looked horrendous and uncomfortable to me. And the cropped jacket just looks unflattering in general.
I didn't love this one either.
BUT I STILL LOVE CHRIS!!
"fashion manifesto said: Chris is a brilliant costume designer of conceptual theme garments which look stunning in a "Drag Queen" esthetic.
It would be a profound mistake for him to attempt to bring that to this venture. It would avail him nothing to send 12 Drag Characitures down the runway during the Fashion Week finals just for the shock value of it."
I think you might be misunderstanding what I meant. I've seen quite a few of the Paris couture shows that look like what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about doing something for shock value or about drag charicatures.
I'm talking about fun & joy, and unbridled creativity. And about just not playing it safe and homogenized - so we can see that brilliance, because that brilliance has seemed stifled by these challenges.
Some of these designers don't seem to have that brilliance in them, but Chris does, & I'd like to see it break out.
--GothamTomato
Fashion Manifesto, you rock.
lala said... i just went to chris' homepage and looked at the "about" section and saw his photo...whaaaa?!?!
That photo must be at least a decade old (assuming Chris still had the same hairstyle and facial hair back then). What a difference.
"More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones"
I think it was Chris' answered prayer to be back on the show. See where that got him.
as a born and raised true "southern belle", I have used the phrase "bless his/her heart" forever and never gave it a second thought...until today! y'all are hilarious! and pretty much right on now that I think about it. :-)
Chris is still my favorite :)
the straps give it a farmer john overalls effect -- kind of detracts from the little black dress motif...and the fraying also dresses it down. i kind of like the little flare at the bottom, but i agree with the other posters:
"listen to tim...listen to tim...listen to tim.....!!!!
boob flaps, adam's apples & drag queens!!! tlo - you make my day!
and gotham tomato -- loved your comment about forcing chris into a right-handed box -- i agree with you completely! (and can relate to the analogy -- i & my 3 kids are all lefties - my poor right handed husband is the odd man out!!) thanks for your always right-on commentary.
Christian can do much better. I think he's afraid that the judges are going to say that every he designs is a bit costume-y. I mean, you know those judges, when they label you’re not getting that label off.
Oops... I meant to say CHRIS...
I thought it was OK. I don’t think there’s anything new or original going on here; a sweetheart halter neckline is not exactly fashion-forward, but I think Jillian's was worse. She should've gone home.
I'm glad someone mentioned the Mackintosh challenge for Project Catwalk, because the winning look was a coat whose skirt zipped off to become a jacket, PLUS the dress worn under it. And they don't have a longer time frame for the actual sewing, either.
Jillian would freak out.
LMAO guys...
I still love Chris though.
lala said:
"ummm...omfg. you all probably know about this already, but i just went to chris's homepage at http://www.chrismarchdesign.com/ and looked at the "about" section and saw his photo...whaaaa?!?"
LOL
Thanks for the link! It appears that Sissybear had himself photo- retouched into a member of Color Me Badd...
You might want to take another look at Rami's denim dress, too. Let's face it: Dresses should ALMOST never be made of denim. Sweet P is the only one who lucked out and chanced upon a method for making denim into a half-way decent dress.
I don't dislike Chris' dress like you do. To me it was the 2nd best attempt at making a purse out of a sow's ear.
If you want to have some FUN, check out the Thierry Mugler web site at http://www.thierrymugler.com/mode/gb/index2.htm
I was curious about him after Michael Kors compared the Team Fierce avant garde outfit with Mugler... It's worth checking out the site for the music alone!
bitchybitchybitchy said...
OMG- will they never learn? Does Tim have to grab these designers by the lapels or whatever is on their chests, look them in the eye and literally scream at them before they get it? If Tim don't like it, it's almost 100% guaranteed that MK, Nina and Heidi aren't going to like it, either.
Amen – Tim is right 99.9% of the time.
Once again the editing and the Producers f*ck with our impression of what really happens. The Producers severely limit what Tim is allowed to say to the designers; he is allowed to point out that something is a problem and engage the designer in a conversation and ask how THEY would solve it but Tim is NOT allowed to directly tell the designers what they should do. These restrictions came out in Tim’s podcast on the couture competition.
The example Tim cites was when Kayne had black boning showing through the bodice of his couture gown. Tim wanted to say "Here, take this beige fabric and make a lining so that boning goes away." What Tim HAD to say was something like "I can see the boning; I'm not sure how the judges are going to react to that." Kayne admitted it was visible and Tim continued "Okay, you have things you can do to hide that; make it work." It’s a little disingenuous that the Producers don’t want Tim to be too helpful.
It's just Cow Girl Gone Wrong.
very very wrong....
You know ~ besides it being dated it looks so thick. Thick thick.
Like if the model was attacked by someone with a box cutter they would not be able to cut her.
hephaestion said...
If you want to have some FUN, check out the Thierry Mugler web site at:
Mugler Site
... It's worth checking out the site for the music alone!
If it doesn't load properly, select 'Patrimony'
The web site is kind of like the Paris Couture Collections merged with Blade Runner, the Black Party and an Amsterdam leather bar... all filtered through high potency drugs. Don't try this at home kids!
Sorry Chris.
Not much to say about this dress.
Hope to see something from you next time.
I do like the shape of the top of the dress very much. If he had refrained from the excess detailing (boob flaps, frayed edges, the skirt) it would have been very nice. LBDs are supposed to be simple for the most part.
Speaking as a bitchy fag, isn't continually being overcome with ennui the natural state of bitchy fags?
Stubenville, I didn't know those were Tim's restrictions, but they make sense. I'm sure, since he's a teacher, they're not too difficult for Tim, because it's the same in education; you can show people where there are problems, but the've got to find their own answers.
And eric, I think you're confusing Bitchy Fags with Negative Queens (still one of my favorite Pansy Division songs).
I agree with Rain Brain: The dress, while not outstanding in any way, did fit and flatter the model's figure, something that neither Ricky's nor Sweet P's dresses did particularly well. If I had to wear one of those three dresses, I'd definitely pick Chris's. (Of course, that's in part because it would flatter my figure better than the other two. Strapless = not for me.)
I'd leave off the scarf, though.
Huggy Bear is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. This dress wasn't horrific, like Jillian's it just wasn't there. At. All. However, if he went the direction like Christian's he'd get dinged that he was too costumey again.
Poor Huggy.
Nothing 'poor' about him. I think he's lucky bear.
Honestly, I didn't think it was too bad. I liked the lines of it and how they accented the model's shape (except the breasts, but we'll get there). The construction of the bodice had a very architecture-y feel to me. The only major problems were the titflaps, and unfortunately they seriously detract from the look and hide the breasts in a very unflattering way. He also shouldn't have frayed the pockets (why, oh why did you do that, honeybear?), but the overall construction I found lovely.
I feel very similarly about Princess and Sissybear. There's an assload of potential there and I can easily see both of them in the Final Three, but they both need to break out of their old habits and expand their horizons a little. They both seem stuck in past decades, and it's hurting their work. I must admit I'm confused as to why Princess is stuck in the '80s since he's too young to remember them, but I digress.
I would also like to point out that I am Very Unimpressed with the anti-fat bias the challenges have shown this season. What's up with all the "you have to run a mile and then run around grabbing as much as you can" challenges after they brought on the only heavy contestant since Jay?
Is anyone else getting a "ha ha lookit the fat guy running" vibe this season?
yep, not perfect, but I kinda liked this one (and i liked the scarf, actually).
the thing is, ALL the denim dresses screamed LeAnn Rimes to me, even Sweet P's (god I HATE that pale pale wash - it shrieks trailer trash to me, to use an unkind term). So I don't see that THIS denim dress was any more "country" than the other denim dresses.
Jeans are kinda only hot as jeans, not as other things.
i liked the frayed edge too, because jeans - iconic, well-worn, levi's - are frayed and show some wear. I though the fraying here was a nod to THAT aspect of "iconic denim."
i want to see some garments that are either
1) insane (ie, made of flowers, moss, food) or
2) to-die-for gorgeous
i'm sick of this boring H&M shit.
Up till now I'd resigned myself to being bored and disconnected with the designers. I figure Rami, Christian & Jillian for final 3.
I would have been content. No expectations, no hopes.
BUT NOW YOU *ITCHES HAVE GONE AND RUINED IT for me...with all these posts introducing that little "what if" moment. What if Chris let his creativity loose? What if Chris made it to Bryant Park?....
And there I went, skipping down a brief-but-joyous path of excitement and color on the runway thanks to Chris Unleashed. Oooh...color and emotion again...maybe EVEN EXUBERANCE!!!!
That was a sweet flash of Wonder but Reality is calling me back, and I HATE the return trip!!
Don't lead me down that yellow brick road again. (You know who I'm talkin' to, GT et. al. Bless your lil' hearts...)
Rami, Christian, and Jillian at Bryant Park. Classic, simple, clean, sophisticated. Back to reality; I am content.
.sigh.
- Ignatz
I love Chris, I didn't think his dress was worse than Rami's, or Sweet P's, I think the judges have it in for him. I think he has the most talent of any of the designers, including Christian who never could have created that avant garde look on his own, and if he doesn't make it to Fashion Week, I will probably not bother to watch. Why waste my time watching draped dresses and 80s jackets come down the runway over and over??
I do love several of Chris' designs that are up on his website. Maybe he just doesn't perform well under time/fabric constraints. Everybody has their own work style.
Well this is exactly what I would expect from Chris. Tired. Rami is going to win because he is the best.
" Asian Spices said...
Well this is exactly what I would expect from Chris. Tired. Rami is going to win because he is the best.
4:12 PM"
This loser isn't me.
the shoes were a super cute plus tho!
This looked bleh and very 80's (I was there, I know).
Since I quite like Chris, I was very happy this was the week of the Ugly Trench War. I expected him to be sent off before the final elimination... and he was!
Yeah, Chris!
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