Heidi announces that this is the final challenge of the season and that of the five designers still standing, two will be eliminated. She declares that the designers are taking one last field trip and instructs them to meet me at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. Thus ensued lots of “Where are we going?” speculation. Didn’t any of them know that this is the address of the Metropolitan Museum of Art? I was absolutely ecstatic about meeting the designers there, because the Met is a major NYC obsession of mine and I was thrilled to share it. The Met is a treasure trove of masterpieces with something for everyone, and that’s a massive understatement: 5,000 years of art and artifacts! I’m at the Met all the time; it’s my church. Imagine my thrill for all of us when I learned that we would have access to this great institution before opening hours. Wow!
I greet the designers on the front steps of the Met and we enter. Their challenge: Choose a work of art to serve as the inspiration of a look of their choice. They have three destinations: the Greek and Roman Sculpture courtyard, the European Painting wing, and the Temple of Dendur. And we have a mere 45 minutes for all three! Any one of these destinations could consume days! Thankfully, the designers were presented with cameras to record their inspirations.
We return to the workroom at Parsons where the designers can print their digital photographs and select one for the inspiration for their design. They have an hour to sketch, followed by 30 minutes at MOOD with a budget of $300. They have two days for this last challenge.
Later in the workroom, I introduce the designers to Collier Strong, consulting makeup artist to L’Oreal Paris, who will advise them how to best enhance their designs through the makeup for their models.
I want to add that this is the first season in the history of the show when most of the designers didn’t disappoint me with the last challenge. In prior seasons, the designers performed in a way that said, “I don’t care about winning the challenge, I just don’t want to be out.” The results were lackluster at best. This season, most of the designers were motivated by wanting to WOW the judges, with our special guest judge being Roberto Cavalli. Don’t disappoint Mr. Cavalli!
Christian wins! His look was inspired by a dramatic 17th Century Spanish portrait by Bartolome Esteban Murillo. Christian brilliantly translated the militaristic costume in the portrait into womenswear. Was the outcome a little costume-y? Well, yes, in a way, but it was also dramatic and editorial. And most important from a design standpoint were the silhouette and proportions, which were sublime. His slim, dark jodhpurs offered the perfect counterpoint to the voluminous, billowing shirt in white organza. Over the shirt was a high-collared shrunken vest, and the look was topped with a fedora. Lisa looked ready for a stroll with her petit chien along the Avenue Foch. And Christian, you’re ready for an emblazoned tiara! Bryant Park, here you come!
Sweet P is out. Her inspiration was a colorful, highly-detailed, and exuberant 17th Century Dutch painting entitled “Peacocks,” which was nothing if not a fabulous inspiration. So, what went wrong? For me, it all began to unravel at MOOD: I was confused by her fabric choices, especially the print, because she seemed to want it to serve as faux peacock feathers, rather than layering the fabric in a feather-like way. The result was so disappointing and unambitious: a weird, dowdy house dress that could have been part of Shirley Booth’s wardrobe in Come Back Little Sheba. Although the dress was a very basic silhouette, its weirdness derived from these odd side pockets that looked like misplaced godets. Huh? And I was surprised to hear the judges applaud the fit of the dress. What? Lea looked like a waif who was being gobbled up. Sweet P, we love you, and we’ll miss you.
Chris disappointed me. I loved his inspiration: an 18th Century portrait of the Marquise D’Argence by Nattier. What evolved out of that inspiration was, in my opinion, a mere riff on the avant-garde dress of his and Christian’s collaboration. Chris used yards and yards of duchesse satin in pearl gray for the body of the floor-length gown and used a darker gray satin for a shoulder-piece-cum-collar. Then, he took a nap. I was annoyed. I was annoyed, because the shoulder piece was so derivative of the earlier dress and the gown wasn’t taken far enough. And I was annoyed, because there was plenty of time remaining to fix either or both. No -- he was content. Sigh. Chris, I can’t want you to succeed more than you do, and it was evident that I did.
Jillian was a strong contender for the win, again, as demonstrated by the judges giving her an assured place at Bryant Park. Her inspiration was a 15th Century narrative battle painting entitled, “Master of the Argonauts.” Owing to the fact that she was borrowing elements from many aspects of this highly detailed and complex work of art, her outcome was the least literal of the group and I applauded that. Furthermore, it was the most ready-to-wear, too. She created a stunning military-inspired fitted jacket in black with gold piping. The piping served to punctuate the gold lame lining of the jacket and the matching gold lame mini-dress. The effect was sexy and sophisticated and very, very modern. Frankly, we all swooned. Congratulations, Jillian -- you’re going to Bryant Park!
Rami was very close to being eviscerated by the judges for being “too expected” and “too Rami,” and I felt sincerely bad for him. He is the only one of the designers who didn’t use a work of art from the European Painting wing as inspiration. Had he, I would have been shocked, since the Greek and Roman Sculpture courtyard had “Rami!” written all over it. He chose a 1st Century AD sculpture of Aphrodite for his inspiration, and inspiration it was, indeed. Rami’s tactical error was to focus on masterful craft over drama. I truly loved his lavender matte jersey toga dress, but I was also cognizant that it was missing a “Wow!” factor. The qualities of his design were in the details. Those details required thoughtful study and how was that going to happen in this context. “Wow!” it was not.
So, the judges were deadlocked. Rami and Chris will both create collections and compete for a spot in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Bryant Park. When they arrive in New York at the beginning of Fashion Week, they will each present to the judges their three strongest looks. The judges will determine which one of them will be the third member of the Final Three. Fasten your seat belts.
Project Runway Synopsis - EPISODE 11: The Art of Fashion
This week's episode was quite the roller coaster for the five remaining designers -- all competing for the change to compete at Bryant Park. First, the designers went on yet another field trip, meeting Tim Gunn at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Once there, the designers had had to choose an inspirational piece from one of three wings -- the Greek and Roman Sculpture courtyard, the European Painting wing, or the Temple of Dendur -- and create a look of their choice. While Rami, somewhat predictably, chose a sculpture of Aphrodite housed in the courtyard, all of the other designers chose various works from the European Painting wing. In the end, Christian's androgynous take on a Spanish painting wowed the judges, including guest judge Robert Cavalli. Jillian's ready-to-wear take on "Master of the Argonauts" also won high praise and a spot in the finale. In a Runway first, both Rami and Chris advanced, having to create final collections to be judged before competing in the finale. And unfortunately Sweet P was sent home, just shy of competing at Fashion Week.
My take... BTW The Met is one of my most favorite places in the World! LOVING IT!
Since they are giving Rami a second shot...I think that they should NOT have aufed Sweet P. Rami has been told over and over enough drapping already! Therefore, to me, it is only fair to let Sweet P one more shot!
Sweet P needed to add a train...with more of a peacokesque feel. She came close...but, not close enough for the judges!
What do you think?
fuzzy
