After the first challenge in Gristedes I think it’s fair to say that most of us cringe at the thought of the designers working with unusual materials. It’s true it always makes for an interesting show, however it’s just so sad to see them flounder. In our experience, the designers either can’t think outside the box or create something so basic by using the most fabric-like material that the innovation the challenge calls for is lost.  On the flip side there are those rare gems that manage to rise to the occasion and laugh in the face of unusual and creative challenges, like first guest judge Austin Scarlett.

For this challenge, as soon as the designers arrived on the roof for their introduction and saw the cars I could cut the tension with a knife. Our favorite line was from Terri who asked ” What am I supposed to do with these cars? I don’t have blow torch!”

As we predicted many of the designers picked seat belts and other pieces of cloth they could easily form into fabric-like pieces. Luckily when they got in the workroom designers like Kenley and Leanne realized early on that to stand out they needed to avoid using seat belts or at the very least use them in a different way. Let’s face it, The judges either dock you for taking the easy road and following the flock or applaud you for taking something everyone else has and re-thinking that material. The choice is yours.

Jerell, Leanne, and Korto were the top three with their dazzling innovative designs. We love the Barbarella/ Judy Jetson look of Jerell’s design. Not only did the piece look modern it combined the materials in really great way and was totally wearable without being a bore. We agree with Rachel that we would wear Korto’s elegant weaved coat in a second. Just as Micheal said we think it was chic. This look took a lot of effort and time, and is an example of a great way to work a common fabric many of the designers snagged. Last, but not least is Leanne who never ceases to amaze! We definitely think she is one to watch. Taking a departure from her pleats and pintucks she made a party perfect cocktail dress out of seat material of all things!

It was no suprise that Keith, Stella, and Blayne ended up in the bottom three. Keith, who finally made a different silhouette ( we were in no mood to see more torn strips attached to a skirt or a sleeve), ended up boring the judges with his conservative look. One could chalk it up to karma for yelling at Alyssa for sitting in the makeup room! Come on! Then there was Stella with her  separates in the bottom three who in all fairness went outside her comfort zone. Be honest, you all thought she was going to make an all leather piece too! It didn’t make sense to Pr Alum Laura or to Micheal Kors and her skirt was clearly puckering and coming apart. Lastly, there was Blayne who rounded out the lowest scores with his elegant, but poorly made dress. We give props from his ‘licious’ departure with his more elegant design. We know he was reeling from not having anything hot pink to choose from. Unlike Heidi we liked the broken glass shards on the bust ( we aren’t superstitious), and we think the look is chic. However, as Laura pointed out it was ill-fitting on the top.

Ultimately, Leanne won with her snazzy dress and Keith was out. We agree with the judges choices for this challenge. Do you? Don’t forget you can take home a piece of the runway by bidding on these creative designs on our Project Runway Auction.  Bid now- and pick up Rachel’s Zoe’s book packed with all her fabulous style advice!

I still get excited looking at all the Project Runway originals we have in our office. Some of the designers were innovative in their design and execution of their garments from the first challenge, promising much talent for future challenges.

We put Terri’s garment on the mannequin–it has been one of the few that has been big enough to actually fit our bust form! Terri used safe materials to create her garment: a red plastic tablecloth for the skirt and mops for the halter top. Even though the materials were ordinary, Terri’s execution of detailing and construction were well done. She made a simple a-line skirt, but added ruffles to the back to add interest and create volume. The skirt had seams to make it fit well, but it didn’t have any closures, so I’m not sure how it stayed on the model. It was obvious Terri spent most of her time creating a braid pattern for the halter; the pattern was intricate and well designed. My favorite part was the open structure of the back–very sexy. This was sewn onto the model, so we had to use a rubber band to dress our mannequin. Even though Terri played it safe in design and fabrication, her work was solid. In last week’s auction, her dress was continually bid on by three persons and went for $70.

I also got to examine Wesley’s paper tablecloth dress–which had been completely cut off of the model! This dress was among my favorites as it was with viewers. In last week’s auction, this was one of the top dresses, with a max bid of $115. The same bidder nabbed both Terri’s and Wesley’s garments. Wesley, like many of the designers, played it safe with a paper tablecloth, however, his keg cup and flyswatter flowers added a pop quality to his design. Wesley used a muslin base for his dress, allowing him to create a good shape and movement.  Most of his time was spent cutting out individual petals for his flowers, but his craftsmanship and attention to detail were evident. The rubber gloves were interesting–they were tacky in design, but on trend in design conception. Wesley used rubber kitchen gloves adorned with a smashed keg cup. This dress was good, but the color is what made it standout on the runway.

Make sure you place your bid in this week’s auction and I’ll keep you updated on all the dirty design details!  

Today, I was able to take a closer look at more Project Runway garments from Episode 501, the first challenge. It is so interesting to see everything in person–epecially the detailing, construction, and artistry.

Blayne’s fiesty personality was evident in his “Girlicious” romper, which was topped out with a $60 bid in last week’s auction; the winner was a fierce battling “Blaynesmom.” Hmmm…if it really was his mother, is she going to be buying everything?! The romper wasn’t very attractive, but it was definitely innovative–as the judges noted.  Blayne used charcoal grey and white shelving liner for his design, which created a heavy, rubbery garment. Down the front of the design, Blayne create a net pattern with gauze, basketball netting, and shoelaces. He also used bright teal, pink, and green “No Fog” mitts to create a voluminous halter neckline for the romper. The romper was hand-stitched together with a lime green floss-like thread. This was another garment that they model had to be sewn into and cut out of! While the “Girlicious” idea was debatable, Blayne’s overall garment was well made, creative, and interesting.

I also got to peek at Jerell’s design–a colorful dress with flower detailing. In last week’s auction, this dress raised only $50. Jerell used a mesh laundry bag to create the bodice of his dress; the princess seams were well constructed, bringing shape to the garment. And, like everyone else, Jerell used a lace tablecloth for the skirt; however, he did dip-dye the skirt in fruit punch to give it more color and a stiff texture. Across the asymmetrical neckline, Jerell cut up a hawaiian floral garland to create individual flowers. Lastly, on the shoulder, Jerell used a bright blue Koosh ball, which made the garment really heavy. The dress was pinned together in the back, so Jerell must not have had time to finish it! While I didn’t find Jerell’s garment to be anything stellar, it was well made.

If want to be able to see a Project Runway original, make sure you bid on your favorite design at our Episode 502 auction. If you are curious to see more inside details about the designs, check back as we will keep you updated.

Working behind the scenes at ProjectRunway.com definitely has its perks! Not only do we have access to exclusive photos and videos of Project Runway, we also have the designs from the first challenge right here in our office. This week, we are getting ready to send out the designs to the highest bidders from last week’s auction, so I took a moment to examine the different designs. It was such an awesome opportunity to see all the detailing, stitching, and overall aesthetic up close in person.

Of course I had to see last week’s winning design–Kelli’s vacuum cleaner bag and coffee filter creation. What amazed me most about this design was it’s creative pattern from the bleach. It is evident Kelli focused most of her time on getting the pattern perfect for the bodice and skirt. Her hems, stiches, and finishing was efficient in design. She creatively used notebook wire ( see picture above) to create hook and eyes to fasten the dress. Kelli used a whip stich to hem the top of the skirt and attach the straps, coffee filter top, and skirt altogether–and she must have been pressed for time! Overall, it was evident the creative patterning and use of materials made this dress the winner.

I also had to peek at Leanne’s lucious candy creation, one of my favorites from the challenge. Leanne conservatively chose a bubblegum pink tablecloth for her main material, but her use of candy and coffee filters made her dress stand out. My favorite part of this design was the silhouette–the deep v neck and bubble skirt are very trendy and fit the candy ideology. Leanne also created ruffles with her white coffee filters. While the candy was adorable on the runway, it might not stay preserved for long. This design was also so tiny that it wouldn’t fit on our mannequin! Overall, I was impressed with how well Leanne’s garment was constructed under the time constraint.

If you are just dying to be able to see a Project Runway original firsthand, make sure you place your bid for this week’s auction–its going to be hot!