Project Runway Recap: Season of Baggage

38 Comments

1. 1
   Derek Hazelton
   Posted February 9, 2012 at 11:59 pm

   As I mentioned on Twitter, part of why I was finding this season to be so wack is the lack of team challenges. It’s the team challenges that reveal the alliances and the bitch cattiness and give the viewer the best glimpse into the designer’s actual personalities.

   Frankly, Chunk stole Hobosexual’s idea and didn’t even own the fact that he did it. And Hagatha’s excuse in the workroom of Chunk being “inspired by what he saw” made me see red because we clearly saw Chunk having no idea what he was going to do and blatantly copied Jerell’s design and was a cunt about it when called on the carpet for his forgery. I really wanted to like Mondo, but his excusing Chunk’s blatant ripoff while chastising the Kara/Kenley friendship/assistance they give each other makes me want to puke. If Chunk makes it to the end (which I’m afraid is going to happen), then this will be a bigger clusterfuck than Ms. Trini (who couldn’t sow) winning. If designers who blatantly rip off other designers win, what kind of a precedent would that set? Other than whining to the judges and being an all-round sad sack pays.

   Rami needs to not smile anymore, because he looks so awkward and uncomfortable while doing so, or wear those wife beaters with breast pockets. He may want to show off his arms, but breast pockets on men are never a good look.

   I don’t give a fuck that the judges loved Kenley’s look, but they looked like pajamas a 13 year old girl would wear at a sleepover. As ugly as Mondo’s outfit may have been, at least it was something an ADULT could wear, if need be.

   Jerell, stay bitchy. Love, me!

2. 2
   beebs
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 2:24 am

   I just realized, from the pics, that jerrell’s coat has 3/4 sleeves. I hate that.

3. 3
   Shana
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 2:34 am

   My G-d this episode was boring. It would have been more interesting if the face-off contestants shopped and worked in separate rooms. Getting ‘inspired’ off each other is too repetitive. Seeing the same outfit, or color, or pattern choices over and over annoys me.

   I liked Chunk’s outfit better because it looked like it was for an adult, while Hobo’s may have attracted a fifteen year old who rarely showers and has frizzy, frizzy, frizzy hair.

   Kenley’s outfit was ridiculous–how do you pee? The whole outfit sits on the bathroom floor while you sit on the toilet? And the way one of the judges called the orange shoes “booties”, just emphasizes how juvenile the outfit appeared. I don’t understand how the judges liked it so much.

   Mondo, don’t try to rip off yourself (although Flipit, your joke about your Mom’s 60th birthday and your plans for her 70th were hilarious. Good idea about the therapy bills too!).

   Scarlett should have gone home for his outfit; the pants were too high, the legs were too short, and the top part would have been recyled as cleaning cloths in any modern household. How dowdy. At least Rami had a good piece, Scarlett’s was awful from top to bottom. Personally, I find his stuff ugly.

   Mila’s outfit had a depressing feel to it, like even though it swung around the bottom, I still got the impression from watching the model walk that she was in an uncomfortable straight-jacket.

   What is the point of Cofee coming in the room while they are working? She never comments with any good advise or usable feedback. I mean, at least with Tim, doing the opposite of what he tells you to do gives you a greater chance of winning. Here, Coffee’s presence seems useless. Much like Hobo’s.

   Saddest of all, there was a JCP commercial during the show, and there was WAY better stuff in the commercial than anything the designers did.

   Overall, another episode where the recap was 100% better than the show. Thanks Flipit.

4. 4
   Shana
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 2:39 am

   **By Coffee I mean Hagatha**

5. 5
   sweetroisindubh
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 6:08 am

   Gah! I felt like the Hobo/Chunk coat drama was so manufactured. Seriously, if someone said to me, “Hey, make a look for winter!” I’d probably make a coat. Maybe I’m alone in thinking that their designs didn’t look that much alike. Yes, it wasn’t in Chunk’s original sketch, but they all change their minds all the time. It’s not like Hobo is the first guy to ever make a coat so everyone else in the world who makes a coat stole the idea from him.

   Maybe my rant is just the result of this season being ridiculously boring. Flipit, your recaps are pretty much the only reason for watching at this point!

6. 6
   lindaw205
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 6:09 am

   I agree that Scarlet should have gone home. I remember my sister wearing an outfit similar to that in the 70s and it was fugly then, too. I’ve started recording the episodes and fast forwarding to the end because they are so boring!! The best part of this season is your recaps, flipit!!

7. 7
   outhousekitty
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 7:20 am

   I think Kenley’s look used to be called “coolotts” (sp). I had a yellow polka-dotted pair when I was in first grade back in the 60′s. *shame* Anyway, mine had a zipper from my neck to my future fupa and going to the bathroom was quite the ordeal, what with my having to drop the whole thing to my knees and keep it off the floor while trying to climb my little ass onto the toilet. But I rocked that look! lol

   I would have have sent that bitch home. You know she’s going to bring back poodle skirts before it’s over.

8. 8
   Lisa
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 7:21 am

   I didn’t think Hobo and Chunk’s outfits looked alike at all. And Chunk’s was so much better than Hobo’s.

9. 9
   cattyfan
   Posted February 10, 2012 at 9:21 am

   Chunk’s outfit was way better than Hobo’s. Maybe if Chunk had gone with a color, the perception that the designs were alike might have gone away.

   I liked Mondo better when he was more introverted.

10. 10
    sayhuh
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 10:37 am

    Oh, boy, I had been gone from this site for a long time (it was getting too addictive for the time I had available for this kind of thing) but I just couldn’t contemplate watching this train wreck and not getting Flipit’s reactions to his old, beloved Hobo, Chunk, Whateverthehellishegoingtocomeupwithnowhausen, etc. So glad I’m back! One teeny criticism this week, though, Flipit. You couldn’t come up with a better Diego photo than that blurry one? I especially needed a good one because I had just run across a story on Andrej Pejic that came complete with his Dossier cover, and I have no problem with men who look like women who look tons better than me (heck, take away the caterpillar mustache and I’ll even throw Austin in that category), but I really don’t want to look at a Fat Bitch (as in Heidi) face over a skinny boy body with protruding ribs, hips, and strangely tiny moobies. Let’s just say as soon as I’m done writing this unnecessarily digressive and long comment, I’m heading to last week’s recap for a Diego antidote shot. Another digression: I do love how the caption for the photo came out all garbled like you put it from English to Chinese back to English in Babelfish. I always laugh with them, but that one for some reason made me extra happy.

    Anyway, see why I couldn’t come back to this site? Dammit! All I really wanted to say was:

    Did Mila put shoulder pads in her cape?!?!? If she didn’t, why is her model only a hood and a bucket of black paint away from looking like Andre the Giant wearing the holocaust cloak in The Princess Bride?

11. 11
    Flipit
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 10:42 am

    Sayhuh!!!!! Welcome home!!

12. 12
    lestermaddox
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 10:54 am

    For the record culottes are a knee-length, split skirt – neither Kara nor Kenley made culottes. Kara made wide-leg pants and Kenley made a but ugly romper fit only for a 5 year old.

    Between Michael and Jerell, I liked Michael’s look much better. Jerell looked like he hung tons of fabric around his model and sent her down the runway. Michael’s look was polished and finished. There was some similiarlity in the patterning of the fabrics, but IMO not really in the design – other than that they were both coats with, you know, sleeves and such. Michael’s end product did resemble his sketch, though there were obvious changes once he started putting it together. That Jerell pulled out a win on this one speaks volumns about the fug that is this season.

    I hated Rami’s design, but I can’t believe Austin got a pass with the high-waisted, pleated pants he sent down the runway. At least Rami made a beautiful jacket and pants. Yeah, the color was off, but the design was pretty.

13. 13
    Clair
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 11:35 am

    Hate NotHeidi. Hate her over-botoxed face, hate how boring she is and especially hate the way she adds an extra syllable to some words, “Coming u-up on Project Runway…”

14. 14
    Derek Hazelton
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    @lestermaddox, I don’t think Jerell’s win speaks to the quality of the designers, so much as it speaks to the fact that they didn’t like the fact that Chunk just didn’t say that he was inspired from or simply stole Jerell’s idea and didn’t own up to it. If he had been honest, and not a pussy, he would have won. (Although, IMHO, I’ve seen nicer coats at Burlington Coat Factory!)

15. 15
    LaPetiteChanteuse
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 1:38 pm

    This was some fecking nonsense. Hobo’s girl looked like a homeless person with all those ugly, bulky layers. If Chunk ripped anyone off it was Irina from season 6. Mila’s girl looked like she walked out of Target and I’m surprised they didn’t call out her poor sewing more. At least Rami’s looks are always well made. I loved that blue jacket with the suede. So what if the top was weird? That’s why it was covered up. Worst results of the season so far.

16. 16
    itchy
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 4:06 pm

    I liked Kenley’s look. So if the hetero male perspective counts for anything, there you have it.

    What I don’t understand is what the fuck Mondo is doing there. Everything he makes is the same one-trick gangbang of patterns/colors/fabrics, and it always ends up looking like a huge, stupid mess that would make me burst out laughing if I ever saw it for real. But since there’s no way they’ll ever let Chunk win, then I’m guessing this season’s his.

    And yeah, Chunk’s coat was way better. Mostly because it actually looked like a coat. Hobo’s outfit looked like he just tossed a whole shitload of different fabrics over his model, slapped on her ass and told her get the hell out there.

    Janks is creepy as hell to look at. Why?

17. 17
    cattyfan
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 7:16 pm

    “Andre the Giant wearing the holocaust cloak in The Princess Bride”

    Hahahhahahhahhahah!!!!!!

18. 18
    MrsMiaWallace
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    I was always a Rami fan but he has seemed so lackluster this season I was glad it was him over Miss Scarlet. At least she can be counted on for something unusual if not always good… And his season was fall… those bright neon colors are not fall and the combo of those greens and blues don’t work for any season. I loved his jacket from the back in the workroom but when she came out on the runway it was a mess.

    The blatant thievery and then nerve to be sassy and incredulous at being called out was very annoying, Chunk has been boring to look at, listen to or watch design all season. Now he is even boring at being a thieving bitchy asshole. Bring back Flamingay!!!

    I agree that Kenley’s was interesting and different but did not seem wearable or fashion forward. More like a costume from Boardwalk Empire “the lesbians wear racy bathing suits” episode.

    I actually liked Jank’s look although it wasn’t very inspiring I think its pretty hard to inspire with SPORTS WEAR, which was the challenge. I would very much wear that on my drive to the Hamptons for labor day with the top down and all those silky light fabrics and my hair all rippling in the wind***. The look was effortless and very modern Great Gatsby in a way to me.

    ***Scenario in no way represents my actual life, lifestyle, car or hair’s ability to be attractively windblown

19. 19
    sagittariuskim
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 9:32 pm

    Why is this season so boring?

20. 20
    maryedith
    Posted February 10, 2012 at 10:43 pm

    No one, NO ONE, over the age of two would be caught dead in Kenley’s outfit. Retro and cute in theory, but I call shenanigans on HideMe and English Whatever saying they would wear it. I mean, can you imagine sidling up to anyone who knew you, even on Facebook, in that modified onesie? And trying to act like it was just something from your closet that you threw on that morning?

21. 21
    Momomma
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 12:06 am

    Have not read the recap yet ( I am sure it is superb as usual) but, I just got done watching and I am more pissed off than a stripper on quarter night. I refuse to watch this trash any longer and will have to only rely on my beloved flipits version of events. I am not saying that Rami had the best design there but at least my midwestern behind would consider wearing it, there were several on that runway that were way worse! And don’t even get me started on the Wanna-be Heidi or the fact that I miss hearing make it work.

22. 22
    chaosbutterfly
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 1:00 am

    This whole challenge just made me mad. To not even make the designers use the bag was some bullshit. Back in the day, not only would you have to use the bag, you would have to take apart the bag and incorporate the fabric from the bag into the design. And then the model would have to be able to remove the bag fabric from the outfit (without ruining said outfit) and reassemble it into the original bag right there on the runway. Like a bag transformer.

    That last part probably wouldn’t happen.

    But the point is that these challenges used to actually be challenging. These are the so-called All-Stars! Telling them to just make an American sportswear look for a season is not a challenge. That should be easy for these people.
    It also speaks to the designers’ quality or laziness that most of them couldn’t be bothered to come up with an original idea even though the parameters were wide open. And then when one actually tried to do something original and cool(and failed horribly, but at least he tried), his ass gets sent home. But the people who do the same boring ugly thing every day of their lives get rewarded.
    What is going on, PR?! What is really going on? Is everyone (except Rami, clearly) sucking dicks this season? This can’t be life.

    And I guess I’m in the minority about the whole Michael/Hobo thing, because for the first time this season, I liked what Hobo did. Certainly, it was better than Michael’s. Michael’s was uninteresting, the jacket and tunic were the same fabric (which I hate), those tights were tragedy and made his model’s legs look like they were wrapped in some old wrinkly scrotum skin, and those shoes didn’t go with the look or season. And it did read old. Like a middle-aged socialite too lazy to put on pants.
    Jerrel’s was an art school poncho, but the pieces formed a cohesive, wearable and youthful look. It was also the best thing out there from the winners. If it hadn’t been Jerrel, it would have been Kenley’s infant onesie, Janky’s…I don’t even know what to call that lazy bullshit she did, or Mila’s boring ass tent.
    So I think he deserved his win.

23. 23
    itchy
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 1:54 am

    “Why is this season so boring?” Simple: Because it’s an “all-stars” season. And this just doesn’t really work in reality tv.

    The thing that makes reality TV most interesting is being exposed to characters we’ve never seen before, and who also tend not to be camera-aware. By the time they’ve been around the block, they know exactly where the camera is — and they also know exactly how they’ll be edited/potrayed and received by the public.

    All-stars works in sports because 1) the notion of who is an all-star is easily quantifiable, and 2) there’s no judging involved. Either you score the points or you don’t.

    All-stars might work in reality TV if some or most of the contestants were previous winners or at least runners-up. None of this current crew won their season, most didn’t even come close — and with many of them you gotta wonder how the got on the show in the first place.

    Take away Heidi Klum and her accent, and the goofball judges, and what’s left? This season.

24. 24
    cattyfan
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 6:07 am

    This website and the shows have begun to seep into my sleep. I had the most bizarre dream last night. Chuck was working on some bizarre down-filled coat (all puffy and misshapen…not unlinke him.) The other designers got called in for a critique, but Chunk wasn’t there. He had fallen asleep on his coat, and none of the oother designers bothered to wake him. they all got sent to Mood to get fabric for an added part to the challenge, so when Chunk finally woke up, not only was he behind on the weird coat, he had no fabric for the second part, either. And all I could think was, “I can’t wait for the recap.”

    But since Flipit doesn’t recap my dreams, I guess I’m out of luck…

    No…I was not drinking heavily before bed.

25. 25
    S-Natch
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 6:54 am

    Catty, darling. Your recent post has me concerned that you have been taken over by the spirit of a T&T mom who met her demise by being impaled by a rogue tiara tossed into the air by an irate Russian mail order bride. Please tell me that you are not currently carrying a female fetus you intend to name Destyny or Ovarina.

26. 26
    sagittariuskim
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 11:01 am

    @itchy I don’t know I think the all-stars seasons of ANTM and Top Chef were pretty good. But maybe that’s because a lot of the contestants didn’t gain any self-awareness, from their first time on the show. And the producers didn’t hesitate to bring back the “villains”.

27. 27
    AmyOops
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 11:55 am

    Hagatha in that polka dot onesie?

    MY EEEEEEEEEEEYYYYES!

    Now I’m blind. Thanks, @maryedith

    @S-Natch: or Saryniti! Wait…that actually HAPPENED, right?

    Love the recaps, but I have to agree that this season is BORING and the team challenges help bring the drama. Take note, Lifetime! Yeah. That’s gonna happen.

    Oh, and I must add a disclaimer: My use of the term “Hagatha” in no way undermines the undying love and devotion I have for the irreplaceable and fabulous Ms. Tabatha Coffey.

28. 28
    cattyfan
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 6:42 pm

    S-Natch…no fears. There is no HarrmahnEe’ or Prahvidense in my future. Just restless nights with increasingly bizarre versions of these shows playing out.

29. 29
    S-Natch
    Posted February 11, 2012 at 7:22 pm

    @Amy – yup, that’s taken!
    @Catty – Thank gawd – Bwhahhahahahah!

30. 30
    Shana
    Posted February 12, 2012 at 1:23 am

    @ AmyOops: Yeah, sorry, I think I got their names mixed up in my post. Short white hair, tough British accents…bleach Anne Robinson’s hair (host of ‘You Are The Weakest Link’), and I’ll get totally confused. I meant that Hagatha’s presence doesn’t impact at all (TABITHA, on the other hand, gets shit done).

31. 31
    AmyOops
    Posted February 12, 2012 at 10:40 am

    @Shana: She does, doesn’t she? But Hagatha? Not so much, I agree.

    But Michael (I refuse to call him Chunk LOL), I ADORE! I have since he first appeared on PR. My memory is essentially useless these days (waaaaay too many nights “out” in my twenties), but he’s come an awfully long way since his season, no?

32. 32
    Shana
    Posted February 12, 2012 at 5:02 pm

    @ AmyOops: yup:)

33. 33
    LAC
    Posted February 13, 2012 at 8:51 am

    Flipt, thank you for your better than this POS show recap. I consider myself reasonably fashionable and I am getting nothing from this show. Kenley, Betty Grable called from the grave and would like you to stop doing the same shit week after week. Was there a carbon monoxide leak in the workroom? Because the excitement level was a zero, which made Kenley’s squealing even more annoying. And no throwdown in the break room? Damn, I am getting spoiled by the “Drag Race” show, because I expect my queens to be telling each other to go back to glitter town where they came from.

34. 34
    Jazzy
    Posted February 13, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    just watched this epi and it was a snoozer. NO ONE in their right mind would wear that polka dotted nightmare from Kenley. I liked Hobo and Chunk’s looks. They weren’t that similar – that whole fight reminded me of the chick one season who showed a sweater then got pissed when someone made one. Get over yourself already.
    I miss Flamingay so much. Why doesn’t someone give him his own show?? That would rock.
    It’s my theory that this All-Stars series was to give Mondo the win he clearly deserved in his previous season. I hope I’m right, b/c if Janky or Kenley win I’m gonna barf.

35. 35
    maryedith
    Posted February 13, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    This may be the dorkiest thing I’ve ever written, but there was a Real World/Road Rules a long time ago — I think it was the first one, come to think of it, where the people had matured somewhat and that made it really interesting. The English guy from Real World England was a lot nicer, etc. I’m just saying this because I don’t think this season is boring just because we know these guys or because they’re more aware of themselves. I think the camera people or editors or producers or whoever are just…asleep at the wheel in some way. Some episodes feel like infomercials — especially Hagatha’s “mentoring” sessions.

36. 36
    maryedith
    Posted February 13, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    Sorry for the double post but I forgot to say: I’m watching Face Off and finding it totally absorbing in the way PR used to be. Maybe these competition shows just have a limited shelf life?

37. 37
    AmyOops
    Posted February 13, 2012 at 4:53 pm

    @maryedith: Totally agree. I think it also comes down to budget…Lifetime are just fucking cheapskates and have ruined our show.

38. 38
    Shana
    Posted February 15, 2012 at 5:08 am

    @ maryedith: Yeah, I’m loving Face Off too!