At first glance, it's tough to find a through line here. Jillian doesn't work in a narrow aesthetic. Of the 3 finalists, we think she has the widest range, although she clearly excels at sportswear. Her work is always meticulous (with the exception of the denim coat) and almost always perfectly fitted (weight loss and prom dresses, we're casting knowing glances in your direction). She has a fondness for full skirts and pants and a real affinity for jackets and coats. So much so, that she could make a career solely out of the latter.
She obviously doesn't reach for the prints all that often except to add small visual points of interest to certain looks, like the pink tartan ruffle on the avant garde coat or the eye-catching print in the menswear challenge. She prefers to add her own detailing to bump up visual interest, rather than relying on patterns or even textures to do the work. In fact, we think it's her eye for detail that makes her work. Whether it's the equestrian and military touches she returns to again and again, or the poofy almost bubble skirt on the tangerine dress or the gold piping on the art inspiration jacket or the almost-but-not-quite detail in the bust on the prom dress, Jillian takes an almost architectural approach to building her looks.
She also has a certain...we guess "wit" would be the word, in her designs, as in the jockette look of the Diva challenge or the rodeo Twizzler dress, or the racing stripes on the weight loss dress, or even the aforementioned pink tartan. She almost always has something going on in each look that makes us go "Hunh. That's an interesting take."
She has the Nina-required "point of view" and even demonstrates a certain level of innovation, but like her personality on the show, it's quiet and requires a second look, which sets her apart from her more put-it-all-out-there competitors.
[Photos: Barbara Nitke/Bravotv.com]
70 comments:
on a whole I loved J's work. She will go far
I'm so glad you guys do these season recaps on the designers. Looking at these made me realize that I really prefer what Jillian herself wears and not so much the designs she's done on the show, with the AG coat as an exception.
I love Jillian's designs. It's tough not to lapse into a morass of patented PR-clichés, but her clothes generally are "wearable," "expensive-looking," "fashion-forward," and "sellable." Her coats make me swoon.
I think Jillian could pull off an upset win. She had a strong showing at Bryant Park, and she's got a Chloe Dao vibe. Maybe on PR the wackadoos only get to win every other season. Last season it was Jeffrey. This season it might be time to bring it down, and I don't think Rami's collection was strong enough.
Because reality TV depends heavily on personality, it's hard sometimes to be objective and approach them on strictly on their design capabilities.
But I think that she has a strong POV, that is, her style has some benchmarks which she's made her own: the fitted, flared coats, the short skirts that swirl out, the fitted bodices, the finishing details that show some restraint. I don't get the feeling that Jillian is flailing when she designs.
She's very strong. What I like about her final collection was the degree of innovation she used in the gear-like piecing of that wonderful black jacket. That type of fearlessness is the mark of a great designer.
I didn't care that much for her work at first but got to enjoy it as the show went on. I know you'll do her Fashion Week collection separately, but it was my favorite of the 5 and I was surprised by that. My opinion is that she'll go far, and good for her.
chelsea g, agree about the lapse into PR-speak, but what else can you do? Her stuff can be quite striking and is very wearable, I think.
Jillian, Rami & Christian. Those three deserved to go forward.
you should see teeny project runway at www.masondixonknitting.com !!!
its so cute, and "Jill goes to the Oscars" is FABULOUS!
anon at 1:14
Thanks for the link. There's some great knitting there. I voted for Annabel the rat.
I find it interesting that Jillian did so many simple halter/bare shoulder looks -- except for those that were elaborate coat/jacket looks. If it weren't for the latter, I'd wonder if she were avoiding setting in sleeves! But she's certainly proved she can and beautifully detailed too.
I sincerely hope that Jillian wins. Not because she needs it but because she DESERVES it.
Had my boy Chris made it into the final 3, I'd still hope that Jillian takes it all. I loved Chris's designs for his collection, very forward, very thinking out of the box, but not very restrained when it comes to wearability and market-ready. Jillian however also thinks outside the box but with the refinement of a confident designer who knows when too much is just too much.
I have to agree on what Jillian's wore on the show--those were some of the most adorable outfits to ever grace Project Runway.
OH GOD, the Twizzlers Dress!!
So many bad memories! She should be punished for that dress alone.
She certainly has more range (imagination?) than many other contestants. I can see her having a long, successful career.
I still think she cheated on the weight loss challenge dress, though. ;o)
Great analysis, boys. As I've mentioned before, I think Jillian has been the biggest surprise of the season. I recall, after seeing that loopy audition tape, that we thought she was going to bring the crazy. But instead she brought the goods!
She has definately been the most versatile and consistant. She has never played it safe with something simple, because of the time constraints. She has gone balls to the wall all season. She also has a point of view while still being wearable. And most of all, she has an eye for what women who earn their own money will buy.
The girl has got it all.
I think she deserves to win, both for the work of the season, AND her Bryant Park show. But I think the judges may have other ideas.
--GothamTomato
Jillian's my choice for the win based on her final designs. Of her work on the show, I loved her menswear look (a tough sell for me cuz I normally don't like collars that don't match the rest of the shirt), overalls, avant garde and art inspiration looks. She's the most well rounded and versatile of the final designers and she showed it in her collections. And she's the most professional to boot.
At some point in the season, it became clear not only that Jillian is the most versatile designer, but that she understands or, rather, intuits, the conceptual demands of fashion. She understood "avant-garde" better than the other contestants in the same way that she understood the elevated tackiness required for the wrestling challenge. What many of her designs have proven is that she has a strong aesthetic, but can translate it in a new and rich way when asked to (the greatest example of this for me is her work for the wrestling challenge, which was the least tacky and the most expressive of the group).
I'd be disappointed if Christian won, because his clothing is repetitive and, often, ugly. Show me a person who would wear the clothes from the Met challenge, and yet, we hear the judges repeatedly asserting the mantra of "but is this wearable?"
One last note: it was painfully evident in the reunion episode (and yet I"m surprised no one has mentioned this) that Jillian's personality was edited out of the show so that she would seem like an unemotional wallflower. Did anyone else notice all of the pictures and videos of her horsing around with her peers? Also, she seems pretty popular with the other contestants, and human robots are rarely that popular.
At this point, I am not watching the finale (after the fix was in with Chris) But I do hope Jillian wins. She is the most interesting designer of the three, I believe. I like much of what she designs because it has a little quirkiness to it.
It took all season, but I've warmed up to J. I'm not crazy about her output really, but it was generally impeccable each time. She has a backbone of steel, and indeed is "ballsy". I also like (although it took me a while to get it) her ability to speak succinctly and cleanly without mincing words about what is on her mind.
She has a slammin' figure, too.
Although I think Christian is most deserving, the Bravo editing makes me think that Jillian will be the winner.
I could not express my thoughts about Jillian's designs any better than Gotham Tomato. So, just ditto her comments for me as well.
Oh, and add that although she comes across as a monochromatic personality, she clearly expresses her imagination in the finishing details of her work. Never over the top, but always just enough. Very clever, indeed.
If Jillian doesn't win (and, I think she just might) she's sure to find a financial backer. At least, I hope so, because she could become a major American designer and deserves the chance.
She's just got this swing to all her work and a delightfully, quietly, surprisingly, witty point of view.
As Heidi says: She's ballsy. She's so quiet -- and, then, Pow!
-- desertwind
Thanks for showing all her looks together. It really helps to see them as a group. I was not drawn to her at first, probably because she was so quiet. I am hoping she wins it all, based on what I see here. I haven't peeked at the collections for any of the finalists, so I may change my mind at the end.
I had forgotten about the overalls from early on, so cute. My favorite is the coat with the plaid lining that she made with Victorya. I love the pop of color that lining gives it.
The woman knows how to tailor. Look at her menswear--she made 4 pieces! And they fit perfectly.
I agree with everything Gotham said. She deserves to win and I am behind her all the way. (although I'll eat my hat if they don't pick PPS.)
Jillian and Christian have been my 2 favorite designers for most of the season. Both produced consistently strong work. Both took risks, and faltered a couple times.
I hope either of them win. Both are incredibly talented and they should be successful with whatever happens.
I really do hope Jillian can become the next Donna Karan. She deserves it.
Girl loves her piping.
Thanks for the overview. She kinda lost steam in the middle challenges (boy, did I hate her justification for barely using any original fabric for the weight loss challenge), but came back strong for the finish.
I'm always interested to see what she'll come up with.
I'm "sew" on team Jillian
What happened to Kit's Sew Not Over collection?
Please, NOOOOOOOO!! Wait until after the finale! Now I'm going to have to embargo one of my favorites website for a whole week. I can't spoil the last show...
Sus, it's here. The boys just haven't commented on it yet.
It was easy to overlook her from wwek to week because she was quiet and her designs were rarely controversial. But looking at the whole, I find her work to be youthful and fun. I would be happy to see her win.
SUS said...
What happened to Kit's Sew Not Over collection?
Hi SUS,
That'll be next : )
T&L
Holy moly, according to a newsday interview with Jillian, she makes her own clothes for events. If she made the clothes that she wore on the show, she could have made it to Bryant Park on those looks alone. Her clothes are to die for.
"anon said: I really do hope Jillian can become the next Donna Karan."
But hopefully a less nutty version.
And from what I saw in Jillian's final runway show, she's already more interesting that the Divine Miss K.
--GothamTomato
Beyond her being my week one pick to take it all (on the Tressame site), I have really enjoyed everything that she's produced. While there were a few that were not as strong as the others, it was always fresh, flirty and fun (I know, i gag on alliteration too).
I also really admire her personal restraint. Anyone can run around like a mongoose on pixie sticks and be entertaining to a certain extent. It takes a very bright individual to let your vision come out naturally and speak for itself.
Anyway, win or lose, she is going to fulfill her destiny and really make it far.
I honestly remembered these pieces being better. Seeing everything lined up side-by-side actually makes me like her less - I actually don't see much of a point of view here. Having said that, I've somehow managed to keep myself from looking at the final collections so as to not spoil it for myself, so I don't know what her output in the end was.
"Please, NOOOOOOOO!! Wait until after the finale! Now I'm going to have to embargo one of my favorites website for a whole week. I can't spoil the last show..."
Hunh?? What's getting spoiled here?
"like a mongoose on pixie sticks"
Love that description, daxx!
This is a fantastic service, boys, presenting each designers' looks over the whole season! Thank you!
That said, I'm still not feeling the Jillian love. I totally admire and respect her extreme competence in executing (most of) her work. But, other than the avant-garde coat, none of her work excited me. For sure, though, I think she has the emotional discipline necessary to succeed in the business...if her emotional blankness doesn't turn potential backers off.
I LOVE JILLIAN and her designs!
Gosh, looking at all of her designs I just realized I didn't like ANY of Jillian's designs on the show except the Prom dress.
I still like Jillian, though, very much. May she find her niche and do well. I have a feeling her best is yet to come, because she IS very, very young still.
I was shocked to see that she is not from a rich & sophisticated family. That really knocked me over.
Jillian's going to win this season. Christian's great too, but Ms. Beckham's more likely to wear Jillian's designs.
All in all she's my favourite designer of the season. Chris is my favourite in most ways. But when it comes down to it I like almost everything Jillian made and I would honestly really want to wear it [if I could ever afford it.]
She's really brilliant and the person I would like to see win this all.
I can sum up the body of Jillian's output for the entire season by saying fug, fab, fab, fug, fabfuggish, fug, fab, fug, fab, fab with a hint of fug on the lower half.
It IS the detailing that makes her garments special. She has a good eye and it tranlates well.
OK, this is me being confused again: There's no Bitten challenge in the pictorial overview. Is that because it was Rami's design? (It's been so long I cannot recall who was team leader on that one.)
i'm really worried because christian is my favorite =) he rly deserves to win more than jillian because he may have an immature persinality, but when he's working, he's rly very serious and doesn't let others get to him. jillian's a ball of stress and lets people distract her. christian is more focused and has a more avante-garde and couture POV. posh is more likely to wear his designs. i'm still worried though because jillian's final collection was fabulous.
personality* sorry typo in last message, i don't want people thinking i'm an uneducated blogger
and call me out for it =)
Actually I prefer how Jillian herself dresses rather than her actual designs. For me her stuff always seems to be not quite there, or missing an extra something.
I looove Jillian's style of design, and would be thrilled were she to win.
Jillian is extremely talented. I love her work and I know she'll have a brilliant career in fashion.
Love those recaps with all the looks together. Thank you, guys! I don't think Jillian will win - it's obviously between GoldenBoy and PPP - but it doesn't really matter, she'll get a lot of offers, her designs are very wearable and marketable.
Did anyone notice that they kept airing a clip of Jillian obviously pissed off saying something like "do I still hear you talking? I didn't THINK so"...and then never actually showed what happened in any episode? Or did I just miss that?
I also thought by her audition tape that she was going to be "a legend in her own mind" (how accurate was THAT??) but she turned out to be pretty normal.
Also call me crazy but if I were a contestant on this show I would be dressing in my own designs too every day. What better way to showcase your designs and what you can do when you actually have the time? It seems like very few of the females think about that on PR. I LOVED Jillian's dress she wore to her final runway show, too.
Watching her audition video, I thought we had a major squirrel on our hands with Miss Jillian! I'm sure her personality was edited considerably from the final TV product, but I'm impressed with her focus and professionalism. I'm lukewarm on much of her work, but interested enough in her point of view to keep an eye on her in the future. I think PP is the favorite to win, but it would be kinda cool to see Jillian pull it out!
Oh, good! I was hoping you would do this feature again this season! It's really helpful to see all the designs together (although it's complicated by all the team challenges).
Suzzane- I notice the lack of "I didn't THINK SO." this season too. They did this last year, also, with Laura.
Michael Kors: Are you a virgo?
Laura: No, I'm an architect.
Never made it on air outside of a "Coming up this season!" montage.
She has a great eye for subtle details. I love her stuff.
suzanne said:
Also call me crazy but if I were a contestant on this show I would be dressing in my own designs too every day. What better way to showcase your designs and what you can do when you actually have the time? It seems like very few of the females think about that on PR.
Laura Bennett did that last season, and it seems like the judges kind of dinged her for it, complaining that she always did v-necks. Thanks to TLo, we saw that when you lined up her designs, in reality it was mostly Laura, and not her models, wearing the v-necks!
So I guess it can kind of be an unfair advantage or unfair disadvantage to be a woman wearing her own designs on PR!
After the whole Chris thing, and seeing how far the judges will go to pander to the audience favorites, I really don't trust the whole process. But, then again, this is reality tv, and I kind of have known all along that its more about personality then it is about fashion. Still, I'm going to watch, cause I genuinely am a fan of the show. And I think all of the designers really get the opportunity of a lifetime by being on it.
*sigh* We all know Christian is going to win. As much as I want Jillian to win, it's not going to happen. It's simply matter-of-fact.
I'm rooting for Jillian. She has what it takes to successful in the fashion industry.
Although I wasn't the biggest fan of Jillian's work or her personality during the season, her BR collection was the clear winner for me. I hope she wins PR4. Of the 3 finalists, she has the most complete package. Rami doesn't seem to have the range, Christian seems too willing to let it go to his head and he also seems to stay within a particular box when possible (albeit a pretty and ruffly one). Jillian maybe doesn't have the evening wear gene at present, but I'll bet she'd find it soon enough.
-- rainwood (who Google decided to let back in so long as she pretended they'd never been introduced. Does anyone else have this problem?)
I have a feeling that Jill will go to farther places than the other designers. She really has that "thing" about her designs that are just so....captivating!
It's good to have these recaps. I really loved Jill's collections before she go voted off the show. I hope to see more of her soon!
Thank you so much for showing her complete body of work. Her point of view is distinct. I am a big fan of the fit and flair myself. Jillian is very talented and I think regardless of whether or not she wins, she will benifit the most from having been on the show.
I love Jillian's - especially the sweet surprises that she always adds for that extra oomph on every design!
It's not that I don't like Jillian, although I'd like to see some personality from her, she played it very safe throughout. Even her Avant Garde look is safe. The twizzlers dress was fun if not her most creative look.
The Diva outfit seemed like a weightlifting outfit on crack. Ntot bad, but not exciting and safe. The final jacket was cute, but I didn't like the piping and the underdress was hideous.
I think the key to Jillian's aesthetic is that a) she designs for herself, and b) she's tiny. That's why she keeps it simple and structured with details built into the clothing rather than layered on top -- nothing to overwhelm her wee little figure. It's not the most exciting approach, but it is highly wearable for many figure types.
Suzanne said...
Also call me crazy but if I were a contestant on this show I would be dressing in my own designs too every day. What better way to showcase your designs and what you can do when you actually have the time? It seems like very few of the females think about that on PR. I LOVED Jillian's dress she wore to her final runway show, too.
Suzanne, I agree with you, but I think most of the female designers have worn at least some of their own designs. I'm thinking of Kit, Carmen, Victorya, Uli, Angelia, and Chloe.
Sexy or dowdy. Amazing that these looks came from the same designer.
Jillian's work is impeccable and varied. She's truly talented.
They're all very talented but I think I like Jillian's work the best of all.
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