New Year Runway Retrospective

New Year Runway Retrospective by Roxanne McDonald

To bring in the new year with “Project Runway,” we revisit the richest of challenges, the greatest of design moments, the finest of lines.

Hell, one could have a great piece just by reviewing all of the cheeky, fuzzy, funny, smart-ass comments.

Anyway.

It’s refreshing to watch a program championing creativity that is actually creative in its approach to challenges for the contestants. Some of the individual ones [and some highlights] appear below, though not all inclusive, due to this writer’s missing some episodes and having other things to do (believe it or not) besides, for Hell sake….

SEASON 1

Best Line: “Don’t sell your soul to go anywhere because you may need it someday.” Kara Saun

“Design for the Future” Imagine design for the year 2055, Tim Gunn advises: “Will it be for “The Jetsons” or Blade Runner?”

“Design for the Red Carpet” Create a dress for Nancy O’Dell, then host of “Access Hollywood.” Watch out for sequins and evening gowns, kids. Oh, and the contestants get an invitation to Michael Kors studio, which according to them rocks.

SEASON 2

Best Line[s]: any Santino imitation of Tim Gunn: “Designers, look out for Andrae. He’s our little lamb;” Santino saying, “If Van Gogh had had my personality, he wouldn’t have had to cut off his ear;” Tim Gunn’s comment about Nick’s poofy design: “She’s like an elongated marshmallow.”

“All Dolled Up” A surprise design challenge has contestants fighting to avoid elimination by creating a look for Barbie…the doll.

“Window Shopping” Design for a “world-renowned” clothing company: Banana Republic.

SEASON 3

Best Line[s]: “Hon, you have no taste: yours is vanilla, mine is rocky road.” Kayne to Laura; “She’s a beauty queen, not a disco ball.” Robert to Kayne.

“Couture du Jour” Remaining designers in Paris and tasked with creating a high-end gown which the esteemed Cat Maladrino will judge the hell out of.
“Waste Not, Want Not” Starting at a recycling plant in New Jersey, each contestant is assigned a recyclable material to create with. Jeffrey’s kicks ass.

SEASON 4

Best Line[s]: any one used in imitation of Tim Gunn, as when Steven mimics, “Designers…, you are all screwed.” Any one [in any season, really] by Michael Kors, who uses the greatest metaphors and references: “a little too MOB [mother-of-the-bride;” “looks like…, I don’t know…, a ‘Golden Girl[‘s]’ jacket;” “She looks like Barefoot Appalachain Lil’ Abner Barbie;” “She looks like a paper brioche.”

“Fashion Giant” Design for Tiki Barber, who is not only a football legend but knows more fashion details than sports fans who know him might suspect.

“I Started Crying” Design a potential piece which could become part of the potential line of Sarah Jessica Parker’s BITTEN.

“Sew Me What You’ve Got” In the first installment of the fourth season of the high-end competition show, the new contestants design to showcase their silhouettes and styles. One of them sits on the material to imbue spirit and whatnot.

“Trendsetter” Team up and turn don’ts to dos with Gawd-awful outmoded styles–70s trends, overalls, poodle skirts, pleather, shoulder pads, baggy sweaters, and dancewear, the zoot suit, and fringe.

“What’s the Skinny” And the title of the week is not just a euphemism: gross weight loss leads to great new looks…in most cases, save the peg-leg polyester and the flouting of a purportedly great material in a wedding dress.

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