A Few Tweeks for Twelve

Season twelve of Project Runway has arrived. This time around the designers have a chance at the largest prize package in the show's history. The winner will receive $150,000 from GoBank, a new bank account designed to be used from mobile phones; $50,000 of next generation technology from HP and Intel; a year's supply of Resource Natural Spring Water and an all-expense paid, spa trip for two to Maldives, courtesy of Resource Water; the chance to design and sell an exclusive collection at Belk; a complete sewing and crafting studio from Brother Sewing and Embroidery; a fashion spread in Marie Claire magazine; a 2014 Lexus IS 350; a $100,000 fabric allowance from Tide Pods; and a $50,000 styling contract with L'Oréal Paris. This prize package is worth more than half a million dollars. Damn..... maybe I should really get back onto that whole learning how to sew thing...

Aside from the crazy prize load, this season they introduced "Runway Redemption." Fans of the show got to vote on three designer, from past season, that they would like to see given a second chance.  personally voted for Valery from season 8 but Kate from season 11 won the vote and will be strutting her stuff again. I didn't care too much for Kate's attitude in the last season, but I'm willing to be open minded towards her again.

The other big change is on the runway itself. Our favorite mentor, Tim Gunn, will now be joining the judges on the runway. He won't actually be judging the looks but he'll be there to help give insight to the creation process and answer any questions the judges may have on what went on in the work room. Tim being on the runway will also allow the judges to get an up close look at the designs before they make their final decisions on who goes home and who wins the week's challenge.

As far as judging goes, each design will remain anonymous until after the looks have walked the runway and been scored. Only then will it be revealed to the judges who did what work. Though if the designer is clear in their own design voice they judges will be able to tell who made it any way....
Finally Tim has been given a new power, the "Tim Gunn Rescue." If he strongly disagrees with a decision the judges make he can save the designer from elimination and give them a second chance. The catch is he can only do this once. Someone this season will be saved by Mr. Gunn, but who will that designer be....

With the formalities aside let's take a look at how season twelve has started.

This season started things off with the unconventional challenge. The designers were greeted not only by Heidi and Tim, but also by 16 sky divers with brightly colored para-shoots. The para-shoots would be their materials for the challenge, and with them they would have to show the judges their point of view as a designer. In the work room they were also given similar fabric in black and white to use as supplemental materials. They were also given a day and a half to complete their looks.

A few designers have already made an impression on me, and not all of them good. Alexandria for one is very confident, she's already said she was going to win the first challenge. News flash dear, you were safe. You have to at last get in the top three to have a chance at winning. If she stays this full of herself it's gonna get old fast. Her design was well made, but personal I wasn't impressed with it. She may not understand the meaning of failure but I don't think she understands how irritating she's going to become either...

Another designer that already has me rolling my eyes is Timothy. He's a so called "sustainability" designer. So all natural is his deal. He took it to the point that he wouldn't let the hair and make up artists do much of anything to his model. No make up, no hair products, he wouldn't even let them use a hair dryer or iron on the girl's hair. I felt so bad for the model, she felt very singled out when all of the other girls got the full runway treatment. It's all fine a good to be aware of nature and wanting to preserve it, but his

extreme on it is going to wear thin fast in book. Judge Zac Posen also made a point to bring out Timothy's own contradiction in his design. He used a lighter to burn a texture into his fabric, which mind you is a synthetic plastic that when burned releases toxins into the air. With his model looking like a plane crash victim he found his way into the bottom three, yet managed to sneak through and survive to the next week.

Miranda and Timothy are actually designers from the same city, and her attitude toward him from the start should have been a give away to his personality. I just though she was being a bitch.... nope she was right he should just be ignored some times. Miranda herself though seems a bit awkward to me. She had a very strong sense to her, probably from her time in the military, but she's already from the start not following the rules. The designers were told that the extra material was to be added for touches not the full look. And yet she still went and used mostly the black additive fabric for her look, only using her para-shoot for accents. The judges had her in the top three until they learned of this. She found her rank doing a 180 to the bottom for not following orders. Her two piece dress stood out, but I wasn't a fan. I'd have liked it better as a full dress.

Despite his good sewing skills Sandro also found himself in the bottom this week. His taste level was highly questionable to the judges, dressing his model up like a Vegas show girl in the 1920's. It also didn't help that in his design her lady parts were hanging out the bottom. Poor girl, she did her best to stay covered up, but there's not much you can do when you have to reveal and turn at the end of the run way.

Rounding out the bottom three designers was Angela. Her hooded dress looked more like a poncho and left everyone in the judges chairs wonders where the rest of her look was. On closer inspection her sewing skills weren't up to par either and she was voted out. I was a little sad to she her go so soon, cause from the start she seemed like a nice person. I liked her personality and was excited to see what she'd make through the run of the show. Guess my design senses are starting off rocky this go around.

Kate, the returning designer from season 11, found herself safely in the middle much to her disappointment. I know I said I'd stay open minded and give her an chance. Though she does seem to be being nicer this time around I also feel like she's trying too hard to be nice. Though I will admit it was funny to watch her almost face plant running to grab the para-shoot she wanted to use. The dress she made was girly and cute, but I didn't feel like it was anything special.

Also in the safe zone was Justin. I thought his pink dress was simple but pretty. It had nice movementto it and was just plain cute. Justin is another first in Project Runway history. Just like all the others he is a capable designer out there looking for his chance, so what makes him a runway first? He's their first hearing impaired designer. His explanation made me smile a bit "When people first meet me they think I'm from another country. No I'm just deaf." He has an interpreter for when they receive their challenges, just to make sure he doesn't miss anything, but in the work room he's on his own. I like the laid back attitude he's been showing so far, and in some ways being deaf give him an advantage. If the other designers are being rowdy or starting to bother him he quite literally turn them out and focus on his own work. I'm curious to see how far Justin will make it.

Sue was surprisingly in the top three this week. I wasn't too big on her look, but the judges found it charming. I really don't get their taste some times... I will say the woman has guts though. She had to ask for help from one of the other designers cause she wasn't sure how to use the sewing machine. With the level of competition this show hosts it had to have taken some balls to admit you weren't sure how to use basic equipment. 

I also give points to Dom who was nice enough to hep out a fellow designer when she could have just ignored the woman. Dom's look landed her safely in the middle. It was sporty but not something I'd want to wear. I'd like to see what else she can come up with though. 

I am happy to report that my favorite look of the week wound up being the winner. Bradon made a mad dash for the paras-shoot he wanted, jumping over a fallen Kate in the process. Not being use to the type of fabric he wasn't sure what it was capable of doing, so rather than drawing a plan out he just started playing with the fabric. What he ending up going with turned out great. It was pretty, intricate without being over worked and flowed beautifully on the runway. I was happy to see him win and I look forward to his next creation.

So far season twelve seems to off to a good start. I know I didn't cover all the designers but hopefully the rest will make something attention grabbing this week to make me spot light them as well. I have yet to pick who I want to win but a few are on my "to watch" list already.

Until next time.