aislinnluv

Seriously??!! Sometimes I wonder where they come up with these challenges. Considering the the challenge itself, the minute amount of time and the small amount of fabric from which to choose, this week the designers really did well to finish with garments that were not just presentable (in most cases) but some that were quite pleasing. Some I loved: Michael's, Mondo's, Kenley's; others I thought were not as well done as the designers' previous work (Anthony's and Mila's) and one was just so far out I thought Diane was laughing at it, not giving it the nod (Jerrell's). Rami's skirt was delicious. I never did quite figure out what "Fruit of the Forest" was supposed to taste like, but maybe it was mushrooms? The psychedelic kind? I love Austin but he seems to be slipping back into the style he had in the first season, not quite as good as I think he can be. Oh, well. I still watch, mostly for that kick to get me back into the sewing room.

I don't understand why the team leaders felt they had to control everything so much. Lead, but don't get in the way. Cripes. I think several of the dramas that went on would have been avoided if the team leaders hadn't been on such power trips. There were only a couple of things I thought were even wearable - and man, I am SO over the exposed zipper BS. Zippers were interesting when Jeffrey did them in season 4 of PR. aren't they a bit passé by now?

There is some crazy BS going on with the judging. I guess that's not unusual, though. First crack out of the box, they ignored Viktor's stunning b/w creation made from the PJs and sheet. WTF? Bert's dress was interesting but given a choice, I would have taken Viktor's dress in a NY minute over Bert's. And Olivier's sheepskin thing - ugh. I think they've become delusional. I am waiting for Anya and Olivier to come up with something so horrific that the judges can't possibly like it (unless they're getting some cash under the judges' table to prefer someone). There have been some winners of PR that I vehemently disagreed with - Irina, Gretchen, Leanne, to name a few (trying to research past winners is proving tricky and my memory fails me). Maybe my head is not in the right design space. This stilt challenge resulted in some unattractive designs - out of proportion, color challenged, just plain yech. Could we have something a little closer to real people and real fashion, please?

I started with doll clothes, of course, Barbie and another fashion type doll whose name is lost. My first sewing project for myself, that I recall, was made of some grape-coloured dotted swiss fabric provided by my maternal grandmother. (Looking back, it looms rather naff in my memory) The project was a sleeveless dress, a sack, and it had a belt thing on the back. I don't remember wearing it, but of course I must have done.

I haven't been all that impressed with Althea's designs. Her first win - what were the judges thinking? Work? Who could wear a skirt that short to work? As to the subject of "stealing ideas", the judges have been inconsistent about that. Rami (season 4?) egregiously stole Jeffrey's zipper trim idea and they said nothing. Other times they were quick to point out "repeats". Irina's ski lodge outfit looked so 80s but they didn't say a thing. Overall, I'd have preferred to have Gordana stay. Though the judges kept saying they "didn't know who she was as a designer", I thought she had more original designs than some of the others. The fighting between Irina and Althea is a pale redux of the Wendy-Jay-Laura dust-ups. All in all, this has been a long-awaited, disappointing season of a show I normally love.

I'm a designer and I am always looking for inspiration and good ideas. This book looks like a lot of fun!