Pet Rock
Thoughts, ideas and videos from the world of movies, music, TV and everything else pop culture.
posts Next post »VIDEO: LIers discuss Hall of Fame-worthy toys
‘Project Runway’ episode 12: Irina, Carol Hannah and Althea are "in"
Who is in, and who is out? From left: Christopher Straub is going home, Irina Shabayeva is in, likewise Althea Harper. Gordana Gelhausen is aufed, but Carol Hannah Whitfield makes the finals.
It’s an all-girl finale folks.
The challenge is to draw fashion inspiration from the J. Paul Getty Center -- the fabulous art, the antique furniture, the architecture and grounds. Five designers left, three will be chosen to show at New York Fashion Week and two will be aufed. In the end, however, it was less about what the designers created for this particular episode and more about their cumulative work.
Not surprising in the least: Irina Shabayeva was first pick for the final big gig. Though her minty dress based on the painting “Mischief and Repose” by John William Godward was not our absolute favorite, she has undoubtedly been the superstar within the group since early on with work that is sophisticated and swanky – stuff you want to buy.
Carol Hannah Whitfield has a point of view and designs pretty dresses. Poor thing looked positively wrung out in this episode with makeup that was virtually melting off her eyes. Her dress however, inspired by a European Arts French bed from 1775 was beautifully made and glamorous.
Althea Harper’s ensemble, drawn from the architecture of the Getty Center was, well a brick, yet she makes the finals anyway, because she has been good throughout. Judges, who include Cindy Crawford, Cynthia Rowley and Nina Garcia, admire the fact that she took a risk.
So long to Christopher Straub, whose gown was supposed to conjure rocks and algae in the fountains at Getty. Additional waterworks from Christopher featured him weeping uncontrollably into his model's dress on the runway. That said, we actually loved his structural evening frock though the judges felt the material on the bottom was too stiff and he should have known it.
As for Gordana Gelhausen, well, she is knocked out of the competition after doing perhaps her best work ever. This simple strapless number is based on a beautiful Monet painting that reminds her of Europe and brings out her spirituality, she says. The colors are almost exactly extracted from the painting. The problem, say the judges, is that they still have no sense of her as a designer. She is sorely disappointed.
So, on to Fashion Week for the three gals –hope they can keep from stabbing each other with their scissors – this is no lovefest.
Motivational line of the week? Tim Gunn to designers, telling them to do such fabulous work that, “Nina Garcia’s stilettos blow right off her feet and shoot across the room.” Nina must have known that was the plan, so she wore strappy gladiators.
Tags: Project Runway , Nina Garcia , Cindy Crawford , Cynthia Rowley , Christopher Straub , Irina Shabayeva , Carol Hannah Whitfield , Althea Harper , Tim Gunn , Getty Center
