I really like Project Runway, but good gracious why do they keep insisting on switching things up every season?  First it jumped networks, then it brought back all-star contestants (I do think that was brillz), now it's losing Michael Kors?  Can anything short of a miracle (and/or Austin Scarlett) revitalize this program?

Every reality show run(way)s its course, and this fashion competition is getting ready to start its eleventh season.  Not only are we losing the snippy and fabulous Michael Kors, the competition has changed as well.  Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled at the return of host Heidi Klum and judge Nina Garcia, and I think that Zac Posen will be an amazing replacement for Mr. Kors.  I just really don't do all that well with change.  Of course, through all the ups, downs, and modeling turn arounds, there is one constant that lays all my fears to rest.  Tim Gunn.  If these new tweaks in the show are tacky or visionless, there's no doubt Tim will be telling the producers to "make it work!"

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The new season of Project Runway will be premiering on Lifetime at 9PM ET on January 24th.  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Kors is citing scheduling issues for his inability to return, but thankfully he'll make an appearance when he serves as a guest judge on the finale.  

The addition of Zac Posen isn't the only twist for viewers or contestants.  Each of the challenges will have the sixteen designers competing in teams.  We all know this show is famous for finding one or two–or five!–up and comers each season who don't play well with others.  That switch will definitely create even more drama among the over tired, totally drained designers.  That must be the point, right?

In the hour before the premiere airs, we'll be treated to a Road to the Runway special which will be hosted by Marie Claire’s Zanna Roberts Rassi.  The special will feature commentary from past fan favorites as well as introduce viewers to the sixteen new contestants.

Throughout the season, we are sure to be treated to a plethora of insane challenges as well as some fabulous guest judges.  This time around, celebrity judges will include Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Miranda Lambert, John Legend, Joan and Melissa Rivers, Emmy Rossum, Kristin Davis, Jordana Brewster, as well as fierce 2007 winner Christian Siriano.  Fashion designers Tracy Reese, Chris Benz, and Rachel Roy will also make appearances.  I will certainly be tuning in to see how this whole "team challenge" thing works!

TELL US-WILL YOU BE WATCHING SEASON ELEVEN OF PROJECT RUNWAY?

[Photo Credit: Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com]

There's a shake-up happening on Project Runway. Finally. Season 11 is about to wrap up filming and there's a whole host of changes in the work for the veteran fashion show. 

One change for the upcoming season is that Michael Kors will not be a full-time judge! He's not leaving the show, but filling his chair part-time is designer Zac Posen. Michael says his schedule won't allow him to focus on the show full-time since he is busy with his fashion line. He will be judging the finale as a "guest judge." 

"This was an amazing opportunity," Zac told the NY Daily News. "I hope I'm here to give a new perspective to the designers." Heidi Klum and Nina Garcia will both be returning as full-time judges. 

Zac says he's loved working with the show but wished he could have spent more time in workroom observing Tim Gunn. "I wanted to be behind the scenes with Tim. … I was seeing the clothes on the runway, but Tim had all the background interaction."

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Heidi who doubles as an executive producer for the show, said the second twist is that designers will now compete as teams however there will still be one winner. This is a twist that Bravo's failed The Fashion Show attempted to deploy. 

"You can imagine the designers' reactions when we first told them," Heidi revealed, "but it resulted in some really interesting conflicts and partnerships. And that is how designers work in the real world – they do have to work on teams and manage teams – you get to understand their personalities more."

Wow! Tons of crazy stuff happening on this show. Hopefully that will improve the quality of the work coming down the runway, cause let's be frank this show has become kind of a disastrous mess since Lifetime took over. 

Project Runway premieres January 24th at 9/8c on Lifetimes. 

[Photo Credit: Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com]

TELL US – ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANGES? DOES IT MAKE YOU WANT TO WATCH PROJECT RUNWAY?

Last night on Project Runway, I don't know what the heck happened. There were bake sales and sign waving, begging on street corners, and tye-dying t-shirts, and hawking things, and ring-around the teams. And lots of bickering. That happened too. Ugh… please, too much going on – just sew already! 

It was all around cuckoo. Everyone was divided into three teams of three. Can we please get this Elena on some anti-anxiety drugs. Or at least some Ramona Singer Pinot Grigio or something. 

Team One was Team Maximum Manic Pixie Drama, aka Christopher, Sonjia, and Gunnar. Team Two was Team Maximum Former Soviet Bloc Face-Off, aka Elena, Alicia, and my poor besieged Dmitry. Team Three was Team Delusions of Grandeur, aka Ven. And Melissa Ven. And Fabio Ven. 

CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR MORE – AND THE FASHION TRASHIN’!

So – who thinks those teams were magically staged by the producers for maximum drama? I must give Sonjia props, she got those two bickering bitch queens in line, kept them focused, and didn't put-up with any cockfighting malarky. As for Elena, even Paxil couldn't keep her ass in line. Poor Dmitry was having flashbacks to Soviet work camps where he was forced to dance, dance, dance for his country. More szeequens nahwow! Aaahh… the negativity of Hell-ena! 

So, all the money they made hawking t-shirts was the budget. They had to make two outfits for fall and one must contain outerwear. Cue sleeve-induced meltdowns. Oh, whoops… wrong season! 

Anyway, let's trash some looks. 

[All Photo Credits: LifetimeTV.com]

[Show as slideshow]

Sadly it was Alicia's turn to go. Her lack of confidence and her lack of stand-out designs finally underwhelmed the judges enough to send her packing. Ven, Fabio, and Melissa should consider themselves very lucky that the judges were already over Alicia before the runway show even started. 

TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE WINNING AND LOSING LOOKS? WAS IT ALICIA'S TIME TO GO?

Project Runway celebrated the wrap of its 10th season last night in NYC. 

Nina Garcia, Tim Gunn, and a slew of contestants and celebrities were on hand to party it up.  Strangely, Heidi Klum was missing from the festivities. 

CLICK THE CONTINUE READING BUTTON FOR THE PHOTO GALLERY!

[Show as slideshow]

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On last night's Project Runway the designers took a field trip to Lord & Taylor where they were confronted by the ghosts of season's past. Before them sat 9 mannequins from previous seasons' designers and a daunting task: make a cocktail dress inspired by a previous designer's work.

Sadly, the mannequins did not bear masks with the previous designers' faces. I have to say I was sort of giggling thinking of the variations in past winners. I noticed The Sleeveless One Who Shall Not Be Named did not have a mannequin. Is it because Lord & Taylor costumers don't wear schmattas or mumus?

The winning look will be sold at the NYC Flagship Lord & Taylor and online. The winning dress will also be featured in their 5th Avenue window. Here's all the Project Runway for Lord & Taylor looks.   

It's important to keep in mind the Lord & Taylor costumer who is sophisticated (matronly), loves fashion (wealthy), and timeless (my mom's age). The retail price must be between $200-$300. And – NO Moods! The Lord & Taylor manufactures will provide notions and materials. 

CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR THE FASHION TRASHIN’!

Christopher is going to make, like, the best gown ever. EVER! Better than Barbie? Does that make him sound like a tulle? See what I did there? Sorry… couldn't resist! 

To say there were problems this episode was an understatement. They could've mopped the workroom floor with all the tears.

Also, I think this was the day the colorwheel took a vacation. Everyone had a meltdown, everyone cried over Lord & Taylor not making them feel good about themselves, and everyone used NO COLOR. Seriously, y'all! Have those designers ever been to L&T. Them peeps love color. Black does not automatically mean sophisticated. 

So no one went home last night. Which is the dumbest thing ever. It was supposed to make up for Andrea and Kooan leaving the show on their volition. I can think of a few designers that still should have been sent packing… 

Anyway, let's trash some looks! 

[Photo Credits: LifetimeTV.com]

CHRISTOPHER: Christopher won for I don't know what; an ace bandage with an uneven gaping hole in the back? A ace bandage that failed at its job? Oh, and a plain boring boresville skirt.

Also, 65,000 other REAL designers have already done this style much better: Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Jil Sander, Olivier Theyskens to name a few. I can't believe that won. NEXT! 

ALICIA: Sparkly tennis dress. From The Great Gatsby era. So shapeless and that skirt was wonky-o! She said this was "inspired by Chanel…" Karl Largerfeld has a hit out on you girl. RUN! 

ELENA: Ok Star Trek. This is a mess. AGAIN she is over-designing and just doing too, too much with volume. The material was really heavy, so she layered about a thousand over-lay straps on top? It was just super unflattering, Michelin Man shaped, but at least she tried something other than a totally bland cocktail dress.

GUNNAR: Department store figure skating costume. Save it for the 2014 Olympics, kiddo! OK, it was a little cute, albeit generic. 

FABIO: Oh, wha… sorry. Fell asleep! Those straps in the back remind me of my Baby Bjorn. 

MELISSA: Roland Mouret called Melissa and Victoria Beckham. He wants both y'all to quit stealing his dress, but he did point out that at least Vicki can do a decently tailored version. C'mon girl  we expect better, you actually have chops! I do like the neckline and the fabric choice at least. And I usually think she does a great job, she just choked on this one. 

DMITRY: Well, I may be clouded by my love affair but I like this… I know, it's a little (a lot) severe, and it's got tons going on, but the fit is impeccable and it's kind of interesting. I thought this was one of the best options on the runway and was surprised the judges completely overlooked this. I do wish it had some color.

SONJIA: She really struggled after last week's lambasting and was afraid to show too much of herself. Don't ever do that again, because the result was well-fitted but completely boring. Also that little sad, flipping, ballerina skirt peplum. Sads. 

VEN: C'mon… TRY! This is so matronly. So overly done. SO mother of the bride. At least we didn't have to hear him speak very much last night… 

TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED NO ONE WENT HOME? DID CHRISTOPHER DESERVE THE WIN?

Last night on Project Runway it was the dreaded “real women” challenge. I so hate this challenge. First of all, I just want to see amazing clothes and I want to minimize anything that involves bitching designers, throwing tantrums, and refusing to try at making decent clothes for “regular people.”

The special twist was that the “real people” were nominated by a friend ala What Not To Wear and the PR bitchies were the poor slobs sent in to do the make-over. Really, really, really never was there a day that I wished for Clinton and Stacey more!

There’s not much to say about this challenge except that the usual bitch queens were even more bitch queens and Ven’s arrogance was the most plus-sized thing in that workroom. He was horrid every step of the way and I felt terrible for his client – both for her so-called make-over AND because he was so dismissive of her. Not only that, but he was blaming his attitude and design flaws on her for being “fat” and “unhappy.”

He was terrible from start to finish and thankfully his fellow designers were all disgusted by his attitude. I just want to remind you that: “Working with the plus-sized is very, very challenging.” Isn’t Ven plus-sized? His horrible client should just go shop at Kardashian Kollection! <<eye roll>>

The most surprising thing was that Gunnar was extremely pleasant and concerned about his client. It made me kinda like him. Sure, sure – it was the reality TV gods tripping with us and trying to make us like a snippy, snide queen whose evil spider monkey hiss still haunts me in my sleep. Anyway, good for your mantsie pantsie for being real person and letting your lady shine. Too bad the outfit was a hot hideous mess!

[Photo Credits: LifetimeTV.com]

CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR THE FASHION TRASHIN’!

[Show as slideshow]

TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH THE WINNER AND LOSER? SHOULD VEN HAVE BEEN SENT HOME FOR HIS HORRID ATTITUDE AND WRETCHED OUTFIT?

Aaaahhh… last night the bitchery on Project Runway was at an all-time high. Apparently the producers think we want that – we don’t. We want high-quality interesting fashions. We didn’t get that. We got meltdowns of epic proportions instead. And one delightful Dmitry who is slowly warming my ice cold Reality TV fashion blogging heart. Marry me you Russian dancing boy stud with the deadpan stare.

So last night the designers had to divide into two teams and create a “capsule collection” of work wear for Marie Claire Work – which is apparently a magazine? Is that like the magazines Ramona Singer appeared on the cover of? AKA: no one has heard of them and you can get them for free next to the trashcans outside of the 7-11? Anyway, yay! Product promotions!

So Gunnar (crazy skunk head loony boy with drama coursing through his veins like a fiery will) and Raoul (already eliminated once and back with a desperate vengeance) are picked last. Cue the meltdowns. Shockingly it was Elena, Dmitry‘s former Soviet Bloc comrade, who suffered from the biggest bitchery fit last night.

CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR THE FASHION TRASHIN’!

Oh, lawdy that girl has issues that need to be quelled. She should calm down by drowning her insanity in some vodka cause she was yelling, hollering, and carrying on more than usual last night. “I hey-ate teamz,” she glowered. Ok, well teamz hey-ate you too. And you know what I hey-ate? A grown woman wearing overalls and neon yellow slip-on shoes carrying on like a five year old who was told NO CANDY!

Girl, put your big girl panties on and stoppit with the shenanigans before Heidi gets all bitchress German Fraulein on your ass and reprimands you with an auf. Dang, Elena (aka psychotica) is rapidly becoming a contender for ultimate reality TV villains!

The other troublesome thing about last night is what these people think real people wear to work. I mean, I like to bust out my hoochie wear to go to the office (which thankfully happens to be my living room), but people that work in an actual office probably aren’t wearing flying  monkey costumes, shortie skirts, and awkwardly sewn white chiffon pants. And if they are, I need to stop working from home!

So, yeah, that’s all a long way to describe that last night was a disaster. BTW: JoAnna Coles of Marie Claire classic was the guest judge. So let’s get to a-trashin’ the looks.

[Photo Credit: LifetimeTV.com]

Team Elena So Crazee (aka Team 6): They won – barely. Melissa had the winning look and Raul was sent home for being boring. Surprisingly, during judging no one but Dmitry and Raul called Elena out on her horrifying behavior. I think they were scared of her. I am.

[Show as slideshow]

Team Chiffonee (aka Team 5): This team had some serious issues with matronly materials and styles!

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TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH THE RESULTS? SURPRISED NO ONE BUT DMITRY AND RAUL CALLED ELENA OUT ON HER OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOR?

So last night on Project Runway meltdowns happened, two designers said sayonara, and based on some of the so-called work appropriate attire walking down the runway, some of these people have never led life in the real world.

Both Andrea Katz and Kooan said their good-byes by vacating the competition. Raul returned with a vengeance and continued to suck. The designers went to the Michael Kors store to learn what befalls quitters who aren’t bitchy enough – they pussy out and quit PR! They were also there to have it rubbed in their faces about what a big, flipping deal MC is.

So the designers had to create an outfit for the everyday woman on the go. She’s the girl who does everything – she works and cocktails and goes to match.com mixers, she does club hopping and sample sales and mommyhood and then she travels from Paris Fashion Week to Disney World to Kenya but she’s only allowed to have one outfit to wear to everything. So it can’t wrinkle, it can’t be uncomfortable, and it has to be versatile. So that’s like no biggie right?

Yeah – some of these people have never had a job in an office and apparently think all people everywhere work in the office from The Devil Wears Prada.

The guest judges were designer Rachel Roy – who always provides good critique and thoughtful comments – and Hayden Panettiere who was there as the celebrity cuteface.

The best part about this episode was the abundance of Tim Gunn providing actual mentorship and we need more of that. So thanks for a subtle small reminder of what this show used to be.

Since nobody cares about anything but the clothes, Reality Tea is providing you a snap-judgement photocap. C’mon you know that’s how you watch the show, too!

OK, let’s trash discuss some looks!

CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR THE FASHION TRASHIN’!

[Show as slideshow]

[All Photo Credits: LifetimeTV.com]

THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE AND ALL THE DRAMA? DID YOU AGREE WITH THE WINNERS AND LOSERS?

Well, that was a hot mess of ugly wasn’t it? On last night’s episode of Project Runway the designers were required to find inspiration for a red carpet look from some sort of new Lexus (i.e. shameless product plug which I ignored because it has nothing to do with fashion). If all of that wasn’t exciting enough, they had to work in teams of two (aka: drama-bitchest extraordinaire.).

After making googly eyes at the car and learning the body color must be featured in the design, there’s a twist! They have to design for a “celebrity”!

And not just any “celebrity” – a former PR alum. All of which but Laura Bennett came from the much less exciting Lifetime years of the series. All of the “celebrities” were women, which was good all for everyone but Raul and Alicia, who have nary any experience in the evening gown department. Oopsie!

The returning designer celebrities were Anya Ayoung-Chee (still not wearing sleeves, I noticed!), Mila Hermanovski, Laura, Irina Shabayeva, Kenley Collins (still loud and bossy as ever!), April Johnston (now with hot pink hair), and Valerie Mayen (who?).

The guest judge was… Oh wait, I forgot because her critique went like this ‘I don’t like that. The Emmy’s? Never been! I wore something like that once. Oooh, shiny!’ Can’t they get any people actually involved in the fashion business to participate in this show or has it truly lost all credibility?

Since nobody cares about anything but the clothes, Reality Tea is providing you a snap-judgement photocap. C’mon you know that’s how you watch the show, too!

OK, let’s trash discuss some looks!

CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR THE FASHION TRASHIN’!

[Show as slideshow]

For a hilarious, behind-the-scenes take on this episode, please read Laura Bennett’s no-holds-barred Lifetime blog. This woman needs to be on Housewives, stat!

[Photo Credits: LifetimeTV.com]

THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE? WHY DO YOU THINK GUNNAR AND KOOAN MADE TOP 2? WAS RAUL THE RIGHT CHOICE TO GO HOME?

Last night on Project Runway the designers hit up Dylan’s Candy Bar in NYC to blow their wads on sugary-sweets. And sadly it wasn’t an all you can eat buffet following the shopping trip – nope, it was the unconventional materials challenge! Our designer friends were tasked with making an entire outfit made from candy in about six minutes!

Fire up your glue guns, put your sugar rush to use, and start… uhhh…weaving Twizzlers! The guest judge was Dylan Lauren, owner of Dylan’s Candy Bar and daughter of legendary polo shirt hawker designer Ralph Lauren. Why wasn’t he the guest judge? Oh, Michael Kors probably hates him or something.

Dylan’s critique went like this: ‘I like candy. This had candy on it. Where’s the candy? Oh, candy!’ Please get useful guest judges.

Since nobody cares about anything but the clothes, Reality Tea is providing you a snap-judgement photocap. C’mon you know that’s how you watch the show, too!

OK, let’s trash discuss some looks!

[Photo Credits: LifetimeTV.com]

CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR THE FASHION TRASHIN’!

Fabio: Lady Smurf’s prom dress. Holy monochromatic, much? The bodice was interesting, but the skirt was a flop.

Buffi: Right, so the Betsey Johnson schtick can only take you so far. I thought the bodice was interesting and the skirt – well it was’t too bad but her offensive accessorizing and ridiculous Disney Princess color scheme was immature. Buffi needs to grow up her aesthetic or start designing for Limited Too!

Raul: The color scheme reminded me of Little Mermaid. I just kept hearing “A Whole New World” while this was walking down the runway. It was pretty amazing that it looked like it was made of actual fabric, however the varying hem lengths were distracting and competing. Raul over-designs.

Andrea: Definitely NOT number 1. I agree with Tim Gunn. She did a whole lotta carrying on for some dots sewed together and a giant bunny tail explosion in the back.

Nathan: I thought they said no costumes? Oh, well this is what Judy Jetson wore on Halloween when she dressed up like a space hooker.

Audios Lantie: Poor Lantie, once again she drowned in her own over-thinking and as a result was sent home. And yeah, the result was a hot stinking mess of umbrellas and hacked apart rain boots. I think Rainbow Bright wants her dress back, but not the boots – Lantie can keep them!

Dmitry: How the heck was this made of candy? How the heck was this not in the top three? How obvious is it that this guy started out designing dance costumes. Love it!

Alicia: Remember Gilligan’s Island? This is what Mary Anne wore when she got dressed up. It’s totally a costume. The stripey details on the bottom of the shorts were a great effect, though.

Gunnar: This was totally 80′s and totally fabulous. I’m not going to knock it – he did a fantastic job and this definitely doesn’t look like it was made from candy. Go big or go home, kid!

Melissa: Bratz Doll. Goth Hersey Kiss. Ugh, Mary Kate Olsen would never wear this!  This was a mess and it looked like a design school project. The technique with the licorice started out cool, but she spent so much time on that and everything else suffered. Melissa tries too hard.

Kooan: We have veered sharply into crazy town. It reminds me of the seventies latch hook crafts. Not cute. Hot mess. NEXT!

Elena: I agree with everything the judges say (for once!) Stay-Puff Marshmallow girl. What was she thinking with that color? It’s horrendous and unflattering. She’s lucky Lantie was 0 for 2 and she has a target on her back now.

Christopher: Cute, but conventional. Just like him. His aesthetic is copying the aesthetic of already established designers. It seems like the judges are drinking his kool-aid though. They see dollar signs, commercial appeal, and perfect for the Lord & Taylor crowd!

Sonjia: The trick with the sharks was genius, but I didn’t get the apron flaps in the front in the back. I think it was one detail too many.

Congratulations Ven: This was amazing. There is no way I would have thought this was candy. It was elegant, sophisticated, and interesting. Props to Ven for winning the challenge and making such a gorgeous dress.

THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE? WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE LOOKS? WAS LANTIE THE RIGHT PERSON TO SEND HOME?