While my Twitter followers know that I’ve been crazy, crazy sick with the flu, I’ve managed to feel a tiny bit better and rally to bring you guys some notes on the latest ‘Project Runway: Under the Gunn’ episode.
Project Runway:Under the Gunn Review – Season 1, Episode 6
You would have thought that Nick Verreos would have learned, by episode 6, that he needs to STEP BACK in his role as a mentor. But guess what he didn’t do for half the episode? Mmhm, he can’t just let go. My theory is that he is really invested on winning the mentor prize, and he forgets to remember that this is also a big deal for the designers if they win. And if they do win, they don’t want to win based on execute HIS vision. This is for THEM. It’s about them winning.
‘Under the Gunn’ Weekly Challenge with Pompeii 2014 (movie)
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The challenge this week was a little bit…all over the place. To be blunt, this was just a chance to work with some other big names and try to please everyone by getting name recognition. It ended up feeling like… “what, what’s our challenge?”
The designers and mentors were taken to the Getty Villa. If you haven’t been (I didn’t even know it existed, check out how culture I am) it’s basically…gorgeous. And inside of the Villa the designers saw a display of costumes being used in the new 2014 movie, Pompeii. From there, they met costume designer Wendy Partridge, who’d designed it all. We didn’t get much of a look at the costumes, which was sad. We also didn’t get much of a look at the villa grounds. We did get a long video clip of the Pompeii movie. After all of that, Tim Gunn told the designers that this was NOT a costume challenge. They were able to now be inspired by the costumes they saw, the Pompeii movie, OR just the freaking grounds of the Getty Villa in general. (This is why I have a WTF eyebrow raising. The challenge goal was not very clear.)
As they all dived into work, Nick sat in the middle of his group and started telling them what he wanted them to do. …
Again. He started telling them what he wanted them to do.
So it was like the Nick show! Like he was the designer and they were just the sewing team.
Anya and Mondo’s teams were golden, and worked together, and got great feedback.
Meanwhile, Nick’s team couldn’t work together (specifically because Oscar is a jerk) and they were all worried about how Nick might not hae their back, since he’d just thrown Isabel under the BUS in the previous challenge.
We really have to talk about that. When Isabelle was doing badly and it was clear she was being eliminated, Nick decided to add his two cents to distance himself from her and say it was all her fault. This is something that, on ‘Project Runway’ Tim Gunn would NEVER do. He has NEVER stood up and said, “by the way Heidi et al, so and so wasn’t even listening to me and they were really terrible!” Tim Gunn is a mentor. He is respectable, and he’s just…ugh. He’s wonderful. I really wanted Nick to think about “what would Tim Gunn do” during this challenge. Someone make him a WWTGD bracelet, okay?
The design process on this show, for whoever reason, is always pretty boring. That’s never the case on ‘Project Runway.’ It wasn’t even the case on ‘Project Runway: Accessory.’ And now that Isabelle Donola is gone, we REALLY have no drama for the workroom.
‘Under the Gunn’ Judging
As a surprise to us all, Nick’s team got the WIN at the TOP, and Anya’s team was in the LOW. Mondo said it was a good reality check for his designers, but at least they were all safe.
Somehow, Nick’s designers managed to create a miracle in having 3 pieces that all looked nice, had a cohesive theme, and also looked like they belonged toether. The idea of “warrior resort” is something I have a hard time with in my head, because if I’m a warrior, how am I ever going to relax? But these flowy capes and stuff did translate that idea into a reality. (Thank God that Natalia Fedner ditched the knitting nonsense, these resort warriors don’t relax poolside with knitted sweaters. Unless maybe they were loosely woven Fisherman sweaters because they were staying at Nantucket…or something. ANYWAY.)
When it came to Nick’s team, the judges loved this watery-looking fabric, and the romantic angle for this look. The tiny details of studs that brought all the pieces together really worked. Zanna Rassi Roberts (my girl!) thought Oscar had a really refined way of constructing garmets.
“When I saw your work last night, I’ll be blunt with everyone… It was a pile of hot sticky diapers. How did this happen? – Tim Gunn
For Anya’s team…we were told about all of these marbled idea that inspired them. There was a belt that was too big, that there was sloppy execution on some pieces that lacked symmetry (even if the idea was good), and that there wasn’t always a ‘wow’ factor in play. Unfinished edges and poor construction is really what made them take that low spot.Winner: Oscar (Duh – even though his personality is awful)Loser: None! They gave them all a pass. (I agree!)
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LET ME KNOW, DO YOU GUYS AGREE WITH THE JUDGES DECISION TO NOT ELIMINATE ANYONE? The MyLifetime.com poll says you do, but let me know what you Small Screen Scoop readers think – because you are the ones with the beeeest taste, we all know that.
Next week: STEAMPUNK. (It’s the thing futuristic-meets-past kind of thing that no one can accurately define, but is awesome and includes corsets.)
