Getting inspiration for art from art. This is not as pretentious as it might sound. Fashion students really do study art history in school and also clothing of the past, and this episode certainly brought me back to classes I took a lifetime ago.
For this challenge, the five hopefuls for fashion week go to the Met to get ideas for creations to propel them into fashion week. As Tim Gunn points out, there were thousands of artifacts in this museum, so the field trip was only limited to three galleries: Greek and Roman, European art, and the Temple of Dendur.
We all know that Rami is the queen of the drapes. In all fairness, a lot of his style has yielded some successful results. However, it has gotten to the point where we all (not just Chris March and the judges) can predict he’ll look to the Grecian statues for inspiration. He creates a lovely, wearable dress, but it’s no match for what Christian, Jillian, and Chris March create.
Speaking of Chris March, I like that he guffawed in the Temple of Dendor. Everyone was so quiet and proper in the museum, and it was nice to see someone break that up. He goes for the 18th century, a drag queeny era if there ever was one. Big dresses, big hair, and lots of make-up – definitely his speed. While he repeats the gigantic shoulder in this one, it’s not the same. The other one looks like a gigantic Mickey Mouse ear, while this one had a very strange elegance as it was crumpled around the model’s shoulder. However, Nina Garcia and Michael Kors have to jump on it after Roberto Cavalli expresses how much he likes the dress.
While Jillian has made bad time management her signature, she makes an elegant and understated black coat hiding a splashy gold dress. She looks to a Renaissance painting depicting Jason and the Argonauts, but hers looks very modern.
Christian goes for ruffles and tons of them in his Spanish Renaissance inspired ensemble. While it’s also easy to point out this feature of his is predictable, he often creates some very complex items. Well, having the lightening bolt on his head doesn’t hurt.* I have to admit that I find his statement about the play on masculine and feminine very intriguing.
Sweet P creates a chemise that takes the colors of a peacock painting. It’s very mod and Twiggy. Too bad it doesn’t do much for the judges. I like her and her outfit, so I’m really sad to see her not go on to Fashion Week.
The final “in” is a total mindfuck. After selecting Christian as the winner and Jillian as in, the judges can’t bring themselves to send Chris March or Rami home. However, there isn’t a definite in as they put Chris March and Rami in a competition. Both will have to make collections for Fashion Week, and from there the judges will decide if one of them will get to have their showing in Bryant Park.
Next week, we’ll see them all in the same room again. Hopefully, the producers have thought about their alcohol policy and limiting how many martinis the former contestants are allowed to drink. I just can’t get out of my head one Season 2 contestant’s incoherent response to a viewer letter. It was some comic relief for sure. Stay tuned.
*I’ve referred to Christian as Harry Potter in earlier posts.
Tags: art, Art History, Project Runway, reality tv
My money’s still on Rami getting in.
I did kind of feel like the challenge was a bit vague: I mean, Chris’s outfit wasn’t wearable (and am I the only one who thinks that the judges should have taken the fact that he was already eliminated once into consideration?)
Also, Christian is … lamentably … my favorite to win, but if he does, I’m going to build a time machine, and go back and drown the little bugger at birth. He’s so godsdamned insufferable and I just want to wring his little neck … and maybe set that conjoined muskrat free once and for all.
My reply is about Santino (sort of),
As for being insufferable, Christian is in good company. Santino before him was difficult to get along with, and at times his arrogance seemed unearned. The same goes for Jeffrey Sibelia. However, both of Christian’s spiritual brothers had amazing collections durin fashion week.
Now to compare someone else to Santino. The judges thought they had Santino in a box. His dresses were often out there and they were unfinished. Then he creates a refined take on “1940′s boudoir.” Here, the judges see Rami as the draping guy, so he has the opportunity to completely surprise us all like Santino.
Now onto something non-Santino:
I still think putting Chris and Rami in limbo regarding Fashion week is a mindfuck. Are they going back to using decoys?
i think the winner is still a toss up if you take a look at the past season’s winners.
1. jay mccarren: funky and modern
this season’s equivalent, chris march
2. chloe dao: sleek and tailored
this season’s equivalent, jillian lewis
3. jeffrey sebelia: edgy and modern
this season’s equivalent, christian
4. rami kashou? because they haven’t had a winner who does drapy and sophisticated. or one that looks ~that~ hot in tight jeans either!