It's back!!!

Project Runway is BACK and better than ever! I am SO happy! Tim, Heidi, Nina and Michael have all been sorely missed and they did not disappoint with this first episode of Season 6!

First, let's discuss the All-Star challenge. I was pleasantly surprised by several of the designers, particularly Uli. I love how she stepped out of her comfort zone and used solids with lots of structure. The result was beautiful dresses with feminine silhouettes and amazing craftsmanship. Another surprise was Daniel Vosovic, but for me it was a less positive one. I don't think there was a single piece of his that I would wear. I just don't have the body for his pieces, plus they really were not my style. I understand the judges' decision and of course I'm happy for him. He was my favorite designer in his season, but his final collection was ultimately a bit disappointing. I think the years between then and now have been good for him- he has truly found his esthetic. Santino was as hilarious as he's always been, so that was no surprise. Jeffrey made some beautiful pieces that I could have pictured him making in his season of P.R. Korto did a really nice job, especially on her red carpet dress. That was a dress I would DIE to wear! Sweet P's leather dress was stunning and a real surprise. I always liked her dresses on her season, but I never felt like they really stood out. That dress stood out! I was not a huge fan of Mychael's designs, but Chris March was a HUGE surprise! His red carpet gown took my breath away. It is true that he needed a VERY tall model to pull it off, but even so, you could clearly see where he was going with it and it was SPECTACULAR. In the end, I was happy for Daniel, of course. I think this show was a brilliant way for Lifetime to kick off the new season.

Next, I must admit, I was nervous that the show would change after moving to a different network, but I have to say that it felt NO different. The producers are obviously not trying to fix something that isn't broken, right? I think that it is bound to succeed even though it is no longer on Bravo because the style of the show remains the same and all the key elements are in place- Tim, Heidi, Nina, Michael, and of course very talented contestants. Also, the designers all seem SO nice. One of my issues with Season 5 was that there were a lot of designers who seemed to be trying to make a name for themselves through TV rather than through their work. Blayne was a perfect example of that. I was sick of his "licious" catch-phrases by the end of the first episode. Too bad his catch phrases never CAUGHT ON! Too bad for him, that is. Not too bad for the rest of the world!

Ok, let's talk about the episode!

WIN: Christopher Straub
AUF: Ari Fish

In a previous post, I said that I thought Christopher would be a top contender and he won the first episode tonight! Go Chris! I hope he continues to do well. I respect that he works with inexpensive materials and that he is self-taught. In tonight's episode, he mentioned his lack of a sewing vocabulary (smocking and godets were the terms he didn't know), but I think that you can be self-taught and still be very successful. In order to go really far, he'll eventually need to educate himself a bit, but his raw talent is definitely apparent. A lot of the designs tonight were very impressive and if tonight's episode was any indication of what we're in for, this might be the best season of Project Runway yet!

As for Ari, I understand where she was going with her design, but ultimately, I think the judges made the right decision. Conceptual design can be really tough and I absolutely think it has its place, I just don't know if its place is on a competition reality show. I think that given the freedom to just do her thing, Ari would probably make some really interesting fashion, but given the challenge, it just didn't work.

Now, for the drama: Am I a horrible person for thinking that Johnny was milking that former addict thing? I mean, breaking down, crying, talking about quitting- all on the FIRST challenge! I really feel for him as a recovering addict and I of course want him to be successful, but I thought that it was all a little dramatic for the opening episode. I guess that's what makes for great TV, right? And in the end, his dress was stunning, so maybe a little breakdown was good for him! And what about Mitchell and his naked model?!?! Ridiculous! I think he was an idiot to do something SO detailed on a model he had never seen. It seems as though her measurements were WAY off from what he was given, but he should have planned better. I just hope he learns from his mistake!

The personalities seem good without being too over-the-top. I like that. I like it when the show is mostly about the work. Big personalities obviously make for good TV, but to me they get so tiresome so quickly. As far as personalities go for this season, I think the most loveable is Epperson. He is absolutely charming and I love that he's a little older, but still in it to win it. I didn't love his dress, but that doesn't mean he won't win me over down the road, right?

Other runway favorites this week were Gordana, Louise and Shirin. Let's talk about Shirin for a moment- that capelet that fell back and draped along the back of the skirt was absolutely stunning. I would absolutely LOVE to wear that dress!

What about you? What did you think of the first episode of Season 6?

Project Runway- who's your fave?

I visited the Project Runway page on Lifetime.com today and checked out the Season Six designers' portfolios. I have to admit- it was kind of exciting! Before the end of the month, we'll have our darling Runway back! Whoo-hoo!!!

I digress... anyway, I thought I'd give myself a little preview, which I don't normally do. I tend to wait until the first episode to start passing judgement, but I just couldn't help myself. I'm not sure if it's the length of time I've had to wait for this season, or the offensiveness of The Fashion Show, or some combination of the two, but I couldn't wait until August 20th. Anyway, I watched a couple of videos of this season's contestants, but mostly I spent time looking at pictures of their pre-Runway designs to get a feel for each of their design esthetics. It's funny when you think about how they must cast these types of shows because even in the handful of photos and sketches posted for each designer, the different "types" the producers have cast are abundantly clear.

For example, there are at least two recent fashion school grads who just seem so wide-eyed and optimistic, and fortunately less egomaniacal than Kenley. Also, there are two who remind me of Santino in their shredded, edgy, avant garde perspective. One is more urban, but basically the same feeling is there with both. A lot of the designers seemed to have a very strong point of view, so I am really looking forward to seeing how they handle the challenges each week. One designer's claim to fame is that he designed the wings for the Victoria's Secret runway shows- they're in his portfolio pics!

The one designer I'm already favoring is Christopher Straub. His designs are interesting and unique, but they also have commercial appeal. They were all very feminine, so he seems to understand the female body, but there is also a lot of interesting detail in his designs. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do- I hope he goes far. How embarrassed will I be if he's eliminated early on? But I am also pulling for Gordana Gehlhausen- her designs are right up there with Christopher's. I like her work for a lot of the same reasons I like Christopher's, plus she has the same cute accent as Uli.

Take a minute to visit the Project Runway page on Lifetime and get your own preview of the designers. Leave me a comment and tell me who's your favorite!