Project Runway

Project Runway Season 2 bested the first season by bringing us a compelling cast of characters/contestants this time around. First of all, the "recurring characters" of Project Runway are attractive and articulate fashion experts whose own careers are well-established enough that they don't need to star in a reality TV show. Host and executive producer Heidi Klum, the supermodel nicknamed "The Body", comes across as intelligent and authoritative, even as she tosses each week's loser with a curt "You're out; auf wiedersehn" and a kiss on each cheek. Contestants' mentor Tim Gunn, head of Parsons Design School, has the amazing ability of providing feedback to works-in-progress with his wide vocabulary and catch phrases "Carry on" and "Make it work." Judges Michael Kors, fashion designer, and Nina Garcia, Elle fashion editor, return from last season to cross-examine the contestants. Kors in particular has a biting yet matter-of-fact way of condemning a design.

Sixteen designers dwindle down to a lucky final three who each get the chance to present a collection at Olympus Fashion Week in New York, the climax of the series. The designers compete in a weekly challenge, usually the task of designing a dress around a particular theme or using specific materials under an extremely tight deadline. Each designer has a model who wears the dress on the runway before the judges.

Klum presents each challenge and announces the modest amount of money they have to work with. Gunn checks in on the contestants as they frantically design, sew, and fit the dresses. Contestants also speak directly into the camera in interviews where they discuss their inner thoughts and external conflicts. The completed dresses are modeled on the runway before Klum, Kors, Garcia, and a guest judge (this season's celebrity judges include Badgeley & Mischka, Nicky Hilton, and Iman). The designers with the best and worst designs remain on the runway for questioning by the judges. One by one, designers are asked to leave the runway until the winning and losing designers of that challenge are announced. This selection and elimination process is always handled somewhat differently from one episode to the next, keeping the suspense high for the viewer.

What makes this reality show effectively better than most others is that the contestants MUST have talent and skill to get cast! In Season 2, the designers vary from fresh fashion school graduates Daniel Vosovic and Diana to the older Marla, who already owns her own business. The cast of this season is particularly memorable. My favorite designer to watch is Andrae, a 30-something designer from L.A. with an affected accent, who famously breaks down and cries on the runway.

This season the "villain" role played in the first season by Wendy Pepper is the ever-watchable Santino. From his intimidating height to his rude remarks and outlandish designs, Santino elicited gut reactions from the other contestants and had no qualms getting into verbal tussles with the judges.

Some of the challenges from the first season were also re-introduced this time around, such as making a dress from plants and flowers. Some of the challenges were complicated and yet made for great television. For instance, designers were taken off guard when told to design a dress using only the clothes off their back. Another time, designers were given a digital camera and instructed to take pictures, select a single photo, and use it as inspiration for a dress design.

For a reality show in its second season, an element of gimmickry seeped in. Designers were asked to design a dress for My Scene Barbie. They also had to design a dress suitable for the racks of Banana Republic AND design a window display using their live model. Nevertheless each challenge was always rooted in fashion and always fun to watch.

Another attribute of this wonderful series are the strategic decisions made in editing and sound. The original music for the show is catchy and viewers learn to anticipate the cues: this bit of clanging music when we hold our breath before Heidi Klum announces the winner, that bit of sad music when the losing designer walks off the runway with the camera relentlessly following their silhouette as it disappears from view.

Sophisticated reality show viewers now know that behind-the-scenes producer decisions and crafty editing can mislead those trying to guess the winner of an episode or of the series. Project Runway is no exception to these practices. But we don't feel manipulated. At each episode's conclusion, viewers see the winning dress, hear what the designers and judges have to say, and either agree or disagree with the outcome. That's the power of fashion. Someone else may decide what's in or out, but everyone is entitled to keep their own opinion.

I love this show - got hooked on it last year, and this year it's even more fun, what with the challenges being even more, well, challenging. If you ignore all the overblown ego crap - and there's a lot of it (not naming names, but you know who you are, Santino) and just watch it for the creativity factor, it's very inspiring.

My favorite challenge so far was when the designers had to design outfits for each other - that was particularly creative, especially when they had to model them on the runway.

This year, I especially admire Chloe, who never participates in any of the cattiness or ego games, she just stays high-minded, focused and sticks to her work, turning out brilliant outfits week after week. I think she deserves to win, hands down.

8/10/08: So Chloe won, then Jeffrey Sebelia the next year and Christian "Fierce" Siriano last year, and we're well into the new season now, the fifth. Some contenders shaping up, looks like it's going to be a lot of fun.

Although reality TV starts to get to me after awhile, BRAVO has done an excellent job with "Project Runway." By cleverly combining creativity with the standard rapid elimination proceedings so familiar to reality TV, a slew of 12 amateur fashion designers compete for their chance to win big with a fashion contract and a place at New York's infamous Olympus Fashion Week. What makes this show so interesting is how creative some of the designers can be and how their personalities are conveyed through their designs. You'll pick a favorite and root for them each week. Although this show has been criticized in the media for being a rip-off of UPN's successful "America's Next Top Model," it combines artistic bravado with competition, as opposed to looks and luck. It's an interesting concept and it works well here. Unfortunately, the future doesn't bode well for "Project Runway." According to several industry publications recounting ratings numbers, the show has been doing very bad in the ratings and there isn't plans for a second season unless things take a turn for the better.

Project Runway is not your usual "reality" television program. Unlike most shows today, where the characters are either straight out of the local Wal Mart or straight out of acting school, the Project Runway cast comes off polished, but not fake. Funny, but not forced. Combine that with the excellent editing by the producers, you get entertainment that you eagerly look forward to week after week. The "challenges" for each week are not nearly as interesting as the comedic outbursts and bizarre dialogue that goes on between the contestants. You couldn't write a script this funny! Often times, watching an episode again and again will allow the viewer to pick up on things that you miss the first time around. The panel of judges are rather non-professional, which makes this show even more hilarious, as the comments they make about each designer's outfit that week are the topic of much conversation. The show also includes guest judges each week who often don't know any more about fashion than the man in the moon. This combined with over sensitive designers makes for one side splitting show. If you've never watched this show, or if you have no interest whatsoever in the fashion industry, you may want to take a look and see what all the flap is about.

I'm writing this review during the airing of the last few episodes of season 20.

The standout since the new lineup in judges and mentor is clearly Christan Siriano. He had the difficult task to follow Tim Gunn who was so beloved by fans. Siriano manages to give good advice to the contestants while showing an entertaining personality and not copying Gunn whatsoever. The judges do a good job too in alternating talking to the contestants. A show host is really not needed anymore. I welcome the new concept and lineup of judges and mentor for sure.

Here's where it all goes wrong for me. The rehashing of the contestants is absolutely ridiculous in season 20 and was ridiculous in All Stars before. There are contestants who show up every 2 or 3 years to this show. What made this show interesting was to see each year new contestants with new aesthetics. Another aspect that I think is awful is the American culture dispute that is woven into the show. It's a reality competition show yes, they've got to show some drama in the work room yes, I understand, but stop with the culture battle. The rest of the world is well aware that the culture division is huge in the US these days. In season 20 people of one skin color repeat constantly how they support people of the same skin color, while emphasizing that the lady with different skin and hair color has to go. The 2nd on the chopping block for them is then the only guy left who has not their skin color. What is this? Is this about fashion or cultural division? Fashion and music can unite people and make people appreciate each others cultural differences. It's a craft and it's art. Instead in season 20 everyone is talking about who is the bigger victim due to cultural injustices inflicted on them in the past. This is also very visible on the social media accounts of the contestants, in case you the reader think I'm making this up.

Lastly the judging from the judges is alright, but of course there are always cases where you will disagree as a viewer. I hope PR comes back with new contestants each year. The All Stars format can be left discontinued in my opinion. And focus on the fashion and the contents of the contestants character and stop with culture division.