Couture

Last night's Project Runway challenge was to design a couture gown in two days. The definition of couture according to Webster's is the "business of designing, making, and selling fashionable custom-made women's clothing". Tim Gunn added to the definition by stating it should be handmade, beading and embroidery could or should be used.

My thoughts, well if the definition of couture is completely unwearable and designed for shock, and really, if Gwyneth Paltrow wore Jeffrey's dress on the red carpet it would be to quote Micheal Kors from last season's Nicki Hilton challenge, "a what was she thinking" moment, then Jeffrey deserved the win. It definitely looked handmade. Marilinda rocked the heck out of it though. She sold that dress. Talk about "making it work", she did. The real question is if Jeffrey hadn't had immunity would he have taken his idea this far?

Uli's dress was definitely her same pattern, but while she cranked that dress out probably from memory, the halter was handbeaded and embroidered. I need to see a closeup but according to Tim's definition of couture Uli did a beautiful job and was once again robbed of a win. It not only included handwork but it was wearable, it was gorgeous, was it a museum or gallery gown, no, but handmade and handbeaded, yes.

Laura's gown, definitely been done before, and unfortunately she didn't do it well. It looked great on the Paris model but the collar lost some volume on the trip back to NYC and definitely lost something in the translation.

Micheal's gown, I had flashbacks of Malan during the second challenge. Micheal did manage to do it better than Malan even though this was his first attempt at doing anything by hand. I couldn't get over the change in the gown just from tucking the cups in. Completely changed the whole feel of the gown. I knew he wouldn't be auf'd because he's been a solid contender every week.

Kayne's gown, I didn't see the problem that the judges had with. The flow of the gown was perfect, the bustier looked good, not tacky, IMHO. He held himself back and I really didn't think the gown screamed "pagent". Are they trying to beat him down as they did Santino in season 2? I thought they would have learned that if you beat someone down enough they start to lose their point of view and that's what happened with Santino's runway show. He went for safe instead of Santino which should have had tons of handwork, embellishments and gathers in the final products. Kayne does have "taste" issues but pagent gowns are almost always a bit on the gaudy side. Did he deserve to win, no, but I think he did much better than the judges gave him credit for.

Vincent's gown, what can I say? I'm so glad to see him gone. He deserved to be auf'd during the Recycling challenge, was given a win for the Everyday woman challenge that was so wrong on the judges part, and his gown, the front was a rip off of Laura's "down to the Bermuda triangle" neck line. He had a huge fleurchon on the waistline in the back, (was he channeling Angela?), and the sleeves were crazy. When Heidi asked him what he did by hand, he avoided the question. I have to wonder if the judges knew about the glue. Very couture glue is, NOT. Yes there were time constraints but good grief, he did no handwork at all that I could tell.

One thing I know, I know beading and embroidery and handwork. Uli did it right, same basic pattern but she managed a beautiful gown with handwork in two days. I could go to the machine and sew Jeffrey's gown right now with no pattern. Half the crap I manage to sew, when I'm trying to do a good job, looks like Jeffrey's "couture" gown. What am I missing?

So in the previews for next week, Laura has a meltdown. It made me sad. She's tough, she's woman hear her roar! Her quote about "designing for the Olsen twins" wonder that "Olsen Twins" is code for? Surely it can't be literal. The woman is looking so pregnant. I don't care how many kids you have, she has to be farther along than three months. Even as slim as she is, she's just really popped. I'm guessing 5 months, if so that would put her in a bad position trying to get ready for Fashion Week if she's in the final three. They usually give them 6 months to design a collection, if she's really three months that puts delivery right around fashion week, if she's farther along, while creating emotional havoc right now, she'd been in a much better place physically for fashion week.

I'm glad Jeffrey didn't get immunity this week because then he would have been assured a spot in the final four. That spot should have to be earned.

How many hours until next week's Project Runway?