Can I see a show of hands for all the people annoyed by Olivier's body issues? He had more than one "fatty" remark and he had no idea that "double D" is a bra cup size. Pathetic. His accent annoys me more and more every week. He seems to be one of those designers who prefers his models to essentially be a walking coat hanger. I am NOT a fan of that type of designer. As annoyed as I was with him, his design got him through without any critique from the judges. In my opinion, it was ill-fitting, inappropriate for his client and boring. Also, it's nothing we haven't seen from him. There was hardly any design to it. I will be happy when Olivier goes home:
Olivier's Look
There were two other designs that landed in the middle- Laura and Kimberly. Laura's dress was atrocious- the length, the silhouette, the fabric, the fit- everything about it was bad. I was amazed she wasn't called out on the runway for it. Kimberly's was half-good, half-bad. The top half was good- the blouse had pretty draping and was a gorgeous color. The bottom half was not particularly flattering and the fabric was a poor choice. Regardless, they were the lesser of the many evils on the runway this week, so they ended up safe.
Laura's Look
Kimberly's Look
In the bottom was Bert, Bryce and Anthony Ryan. Bert was criticized for being boring, Anthony Ryan for creating a cheerleader outfit and Bryce for failing (once again) to prove he's competent at design or sewing. I know that sounds harsh, but it's true. Bryce has been out of his league from the beginning. I completely agree with the judges' decision to send him home and if he'd been put through for another week, I may have thrown my TV out the window in a rage. Anthony Ryan's dress as cute, and yes, cheerleader-esque. If only he'd made the neckline asymmetrical, the cheerleader aspect would have disappeared entirely. Also, his girl was absolutely adorable and I loved how smitten her boyfriend is with her.
Bert's Look
Bryce's Look
Anthony Ryan's Look
Finally, the top three- Anya, Josh and Viktor- really shone this episode. Well, the boys, anyway. I was not a fan of Anya's design and I still can't figure out what the judges loved so much about it. The asymmetrical neckline, kimono sleeve, high-low hemline, layered belt, mixed fabrics- it was all too much. Where Bert offered no design whatsoever, Anya over-designed her garment to death. While I loved the restraint Josh showed in created his gorgeous black dress, I have to declare Viktor the winner (once again!) of the Would I Wear It Award. His colors were fresh and vibrant, the fit was stellar and the styling was so spot on, nearly everyone marveled at how the outfit looked like it already belonged to the client. Bravo, Viktor! I'm rooting for him for the top three for sure.
Anya's Look
Josh's Look
Viktor's Looks
The competition is getting pretty fierce and I'm excited to head into the second half of the season. My prediction for the top three is easy at this point: Viktor, Anya and Josh. I believe those three are not only skilled and talented enough to make it, but I think that they are savvy enough to make good decisions even as the competition gets more intense. We'll see, though.
At this point in the season, do you have a prediction for the final three designers? Do you have a favorite designer? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.
I loved Viktor's outfit this week! I liked the dress Josh did, but not nearly as much as Viktor's look.
ReplyDeleteI'm still underwhelmed by the talent level this season.
Viktor was robbed this episode! His look was--dare I say it--perfect. It fit his client to a tee, was well-designed, looked expensive, and most importantly showed some creativity.
ReplyDeleteJosh's LBD was well-made, and thank goodness his client kept his questionable taste level in check, but ultimately, to me, it was just a little black dress with some lace detailing. The best part were the shoes...so IMO, Piperlime won this challenge.
I actually loved Anya's dress, even the controversial sleeve. Ironically, it felt more avant garde to me than any of the looks from avant garde week. I agree with what Michael Kors said..her dress looked like it walked right off a runway during fashion week. Maybe it wasn't quite ready to wear and needed a little editing, but it was the most creative garment on the runway this week.
As for predictions, I wouldn't be surprised if your final three make it, mostly because it would fit with past seasons: the talent (Viktor), the drama (Josh), and the wild card (Anya). Those three would produce three very different collections that would make for a great final runway and some guaranteed workroom fireworks during the last episode. Plus, how fun would it be to see Tim travel to Trinidad to visit Anya at home? Would he still wear the tailored suit if she took him to the beach? Or might we get some pasty white knees!?
I suspect, as has become typical in recent seasons, their will be a fourth person in the finals, and my money is on Anthony Ryan. His taste level has been--mostly--consistent, and even when he's not on top of his game, like this week, he still produces a well-made garment. (We'll just ignore the hideous shorts he made during the team challenge with Bert and Laura.)
At this point I would say that Kimberly isn't consistent enough--this week was a perfect example of that, excellent top, but a skirt she could have been ripped off a West Hollywood drag queen.
Laura's never-ending stream of monochrome country club attire will eventually bore the judges. It's no surprise she's always in the middle, it's just that the middle isn't good enough when you get to the finals.
Olivier is proving to be rather one note as well, and his time management will eventually sink him. At first I thought Olivier had the potential to be one of my favorites because of his architectural approach to design, but he hasn't shown us anything new since week two. How many times can he make a boring pant and an asymmetrical criss-cross top before the judges get bored too?
And Bert doesn't seem to be able to understand current fashion trends. However, his clothes are usually well-made and he never seems to be in a time crunch. I'd say if there was a dark horse, it's Bert. Project Runway has always had a soft spot for the older designers, and just imagine the final work room if Josh and Bert were vying for the final final runway slot; it's a producers' dream! Besides, Bert seems like the kind of designer who could pop out a great design at any time and wow the judges into thinking they want to see more even though they know his week to week work is mediocre--think Wendy Pepper from season 1 or Michael C. from season 8.
In any case, Anya and Viktor seem to be locks for the finals. Josh's taste level is questionable, he's arrogant, and he's pretentious, but he's also good TV. Plus he's really only been in danger of going home once; the judges like him and they know he'll never commit the cardinal sin of being boring. He seems like a good bet for the finals too as long as he keeps his bedazzler in his tool box.