‘Project Runway’: Lacking that certain ‘liciousness’
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It’s not hard to be a character on ‘Project Runway.’ In fact, for every legitimate unique visionary, there seem to be a few more contestants who try to stand out just with catchphrases and cattiness and general TV-time-grabbing kookiness. Since we ‘PR’ viewers are so jaded to the ways of reality-TV-star goofiness, those who try to play it up without anything to show for it end up wearing out their welcome. And unfortunately, just about most of the standout contestants this season don’t seem to have too many fashion chops to back up their cockiness or outlandishness. Here are a few who are standing out, but not necessarily for the right reasons:
Suede Baum: Halfway through the episode, where the designers had to create cocktail dresses out of eco-friendly fabrics their models/clients had chosen for them, I was debating who was irritating me more, Suede or Blayne. Claire thinks that referring to oneself in the third person is so played out, plus it’s extremely confusing when that particular name is fabric-themed. For a second I thought Suede was actually using suede in his design. Even the other designers were sick of his shtick. However, he redeemed himself slightly with his cute, challenge-winning cocktail dress and how he choked up as he talked about how proud his mom, Mrs. Suede, would be of him.
Blayne Walsh: You can’t pick up an already existing made-up word and pretend it’s your tag line. ‘-licious’ has already come and gone with the likes of booties and girls, and, as a writer, the term ‘liciousness’ makes my brain hurt. That’s like saying something is ‘riffic-est.’ I did get a kick out of it, though, when Blayne coined the term ‘Darthlicious,’ just because of the oxymoron -- what’s next, ‘Hitler-tastic’? Worse than his lame lines are the fact that Blayne’s designs fall flat, but really it’s possible I’m starting to love to hate him.
Korto Momolu and Leanne Marshall: The crying has got to stop. For some reason it was cute when Andre did it in the second season, and funny when Ricky did it all the time last season, but crying on the runway and backstage when your hideous dresses get unkind remarks, on the second challenge? Pull it together, girls!
Jerrell Scott: Jerrell is clearly gunning to be the mean girl on the show, and he’s actually fairly funny, such as when he complained about the ‘remnants of nonsense’ that the models brought back from the fabric store. But he hasn’t done too much to make the show more competitive, design-wise, so he’ll only truly be a ‘Project Runway’ legend if he has the chops to back up the one-liners.
Stella Zotis: She’s the female Vincent Libretti! So she’s somewhat irritating, but we need her.
For a second week, the runway show did little to inspire (and Kenley Collins’ ruffle-collared dress, which was one of the runners-up, looked like a Christian Soriano creation.) Bad attitudes and tag lines and meltdowns are all very well and good on ‘PR’ but we need some clothing worth talking about, designers. Make it work, already!
-- Claire Zulkey