PROJECT RUNWAY..... Nick Verreos Hosts LIVE WebChat for the Pre-Finale Episode October 10TH! Below is ALL the Info!

Project Runway Season 12 Pre-Finale LIVE WEBCHAT with Nick Verreos

I'm so excited to announce that on Thursday, October 10^th I will be in NYC to  host a LIVE WEBCHAT during Part I of the “Project Runway” Season 12 Finale! While the episode will air live (EST), you will able to LIVE WEBCHAT with me as the Pre-Finale episode is happening!

Ask Me Anything: Nick Verreos Hosts Project Runway Season 12 Live Webchat on October 10th

If you would like to ask me a question LIVE on webcam during the chat, send your question and e-mail address to liverunway12chat@aenetworks.com! We will select 10 people in advance and many more LIVE during the event! Now, obviously since we have NO IDEA what the Pre-Finale Episode will be about (and/or there will be an infamous Pre-Finale "Project Runway Twist"), until then, you can submit questions about the entire season--or at least what has happened so far...

Guest Judging: Nick Verreos Guest Judging on Season 6 'Project Runway", along with actress Kerri Washington, Nina Garcia and Heidi Klum

And I know there's A LOT of stuff that we can discuss like: Sandro Drama, Ken Outbursts, Your Favorite Creations So Far, Favorite Designers, The Judges. And since I was a contestant AND a "Guest Judge" back in Season 6, you can also ask me about "Behind-The-Scenes/What Really Happens"...

WHAT: Live Webchat With Nick Verreos During Project Runway Season 12 Pre-Finale Episode



WHEN: October 10th--9 pm EST



TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME: Send your question and e-mail address to liverunway12chat@aenetworks.com!  We will select 10 people in advance and many more LIVE more during the event!

Project Runway fans: DON'T MISS IT!!!!

PROJECT RUNWAY.....Nick Verreos "Project Runway Blog" Episode 7 Recap: Shoe-In!

SHOES! Tim Gunn and Anne Fulenwider, Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Announcing Episode 7 Challenge, Season 12 Project Runway

On this week's Season 12 "Project Runway" Episode, SHOES were The Star. The Challenge was to craete a look inspired by a pair of shoes. The designers went to the Marie Claire NYC headquarters in the fabulous Hearst Building where they got to "raid" the Marie Claire Accessories Closet. Well, they  really didn't get to choose willy-nilly. Instead,
the designers (except for last week's winner, Alexandria) had to play a
"Fashion History" game in order to pick the shoes.

 Shoe Heaven: Season 12 "Project Runway" designer Kate Pankoke goes for her shoe pick

 Shame on You: Designers Dom Streader and Miranda Levy (above) were the last designers standing at the end of the Fashion History game because they somehow called in sick during "Fashion History 101" classes

One of my biggest pet peeves (I have LOTS!) is when so-called fashion designers (and students of fashion design) do not know their fashion history. Once, I asked a former student of mine to tell me which designers in the past were most influential, and she said (without blinking an eyelash I kid you not!) "Jessica Simpson!". Well, you can only imagine the "Nick Look" I gave to her. Shade doesn't even begin to describe it.

Moving on...during this episode, one thing occurred that REALLY ANNOYED ME: When Tim Gunn (who I love and respect greatly!) said that "this group is composed of THE GREATEST DESIGNERS in Project Runway history." We all know Tim has said this, like, in the last TEN SEASONS! And every time he says it, it's a bit disingenuous as well as knife-to-the-stomach to some other seasons that REALLY HAVE HAD some of the GREATEST DESIGNERS. Ask most die-hard "Project Runway" fans who have followed the show since it's inception and they'll tell you--without missing a beat--that this season ain't one of them. Just sayin'. Let's just skip to The Runway:

Kate Pankoke: Little Kate was "Safe" with this white blouse and black split-front ensemble she created for her red and yellow "Surrealist" shoes. I thought it was a bit of a mess. The blouse was way too tight and those pants were so 1998. She looked like a mistress of a Russian Oligarch.

Ken Laurence: Two words--Too Short

Alexander Pope: Two designers--Alexander (above) was one of them and Miranda was the other--were bitten by the PLAID Virus. The judges did not like Miranda's but thought Alexander's was OK. Go figure because I thought it should have been the other way around.

Alexandria Von Bromssen: Several things here--I thought those thigh-high gladiator sandals were TO DIE Fab. The outfit Alexandria made was OK--a soft-and-pretty counterbalance to those Gladiator Sandals. And finally (and most importantly), her model Ya SOLD THE LOOK and was really the reason Alexandria's outfit was one of the judges' favorite. Just sayin'.

Helen Castillo: Helen's all black very New York and Parisian Look was the Winner. No surprise there. It was VERY Alexander Wang for Balenciaga Fall 2013 (above, right), and "Fashion Folk" LIVED for that collection.

Bradon McDonald: The judge's Prized Favorite of the Season--Bradon--was heck-bent on using this bouillonné technique. The word means "bubbling" in French but it is also a pretentious way of saying "a Pick-Up" or "Puckering". He had these beautiful beaded gold flats as his inspiration, and he went 1982 Prom-Tacky. The top is tragique and that half-circle skirt is straight out of one of my Pattern/Draping class assignments.

Google "Jupe bouillonné" (Bubbled Dress en francais) and you'll see what I mean--it is the exact same techinique one sees in very tacky Prom and Wedding Dresses. The technique was used BEAUTIFULLY by....

Couture Master Cristobal Balenciaga--especially in his Fall/Winter Collection 1967 "chou" coat

Bradon just graduated from my alma mater--FIDM--and I had just seen his "Debut" collection back in March, and he's obviously very talented...

Bouillonné Bradon: Bradon McDonald FIDM Debut 2013 Collection

He showed several bouillonné looks which he also brought to the "Project Runway Season 12" Castings/Auditions in which I was a judge. So, in other words, I guess, this bouillonné thing is one of his "Bradon Bag O' Fashion Tricks". Toward the end of this episode, he realized that maybe he shouldn't have used it and kept it back in his "bag". While I thought for sure he had one of the worst designs, he was not the designer that went home. This was:

Miranda Levy: Yes, the other Plaid Girl, Miranda Levy. Miranda did a plaid high-waisted pleated pants with top and bolero jacket look for her patent leather red flats. I liked her look. I certainly didn't LOVE it. But to me, it wasn't the worst. I was happy Miranda didn't do yet another pencil skirt (that's Miranda's bouillonné!). The mitering (matching of the stripes) of the CF seam of her pants was done much better than Alexander's (the other Plaid Girl). But I did think the models hair was a tad too...

Amy Winehouse...but Nina HATED this outfit saying that it was way too Christmas-y...

A Plaid X-mas

Here's my RECAP of this week's Episode--Enjoy! And please, don't be afraid to tell me what YOU think:

Shoe-In

I must confess, I'm a shoe-a-holic; I love
shoes. My two obsessions are YSL "Johnny Boots" and colorful suede
driving loafers from Florence Italy. I own three YSL pairs and about
four of the Italian ones. I get the suede loafers from a "secret" little
store in Firenze (and I am NOT telling anyone what the store is!). I am
only admitting this shoe confession to try and dispel the myth that
only women are OBSESSED with shoes. Lots of men are too. And to be quite
honest I think there are quite a few of us that are addicted to women's
shoes too! No surprise that some of the top designers are Christian
Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik and Brian Atwood. So right away, I was excited
about the challenge and interested to see if the designers could make
the shoes the star.



Justin...You're In!

Last week, the designers got to go GLAMPING. Alexandria won the
challenge (much to my dismay, since I liked Jeremy's bias-cut "love
letter" gown better), and Justin was out, almost. Tim Gunn used his save
and Justin was still in, not because (as Tim said) "he's one of the
nicest persons here," but because of his talent and that he needed "a
little more time" on the show. OK Tim, if you say so.



Shoe Krazee

For this week's challenge, it was ALL ABOUT SHOES: the designers went to
the Hearst Building and met up with Tim Gunn and Marie Claire's
Editor-in-Chief Anne Fulenwider. Anne announced that this week's
challenge was to choose a pair of FAB shoes from the Marie Claire
accessory closet and create a look inspired by those shoes. Before they
could pick, there was a fashion quiz they had to take. Alexandria did
not need to participate since...



Click HERE to continue reading my RECAP on MyLifetime.com's "Project Runway Blog" 

PROJECT RUNWAY.....Nick Verreos Recap Episode 10: "The Art of Fashion"

 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NYC

This week on Lifetime's Season 11 Project Runway, the challenge was to create an Avant Grade piece of  "wearable art" and a companion, more ready-to-wear piece inspired piece, after a visit to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in NYC. The remaining six designers were paired up in boy-girl teams and used the HP Touchsmart Desktop to create a textile/print design.

This was the highly anticipated "HP Intel Challenge". It is always one of the most fab episodes on Project Runway since the designers get to create a print and then--by "magic"!--it arrives the next day.

Back in February, during NYC Fashion Week, I had the pleasure of
attending the HP Project Runway Designer Reunion bash where lots of the
HP prints--designed by Project Runway designers were featured--alongside
the HP and Intel Touchsmart technology.



Now, let's Photo-Discuss this Episode and the Designs:

Stanley Hudson and Michelle Lesniak Franklin--were paired up and from the beginning, they were "the Dream Team", working well together with much cohesiveness, no drama, and a general, let's "make it work" and create something FAB-u-lous attitude.

Layana Aguilar and Daniel Esquivel--CRY-ana--as one of my Tweet peeps @LisaMacNewton coined (LOVE HER!), was all things a mess in last night's episode--whining, crying, mad at not getting her way, bitter about Daniel getting all the praise...I really wanted to say "GURL! Here's a life lesson: you don't ALWAYS get everything mija!"

Patricia Michaels and Richard Hallmarq--Patricia "The Artsy One" of the season was "made" for this challenge and very excited about it. What she wasn't excited about was working with "It's EVERYYYYYTHING" Richard. He, for some reason, was uncooperative and even Tim Gunn suggested and questioned whether Richard was deliberately trying to make their pairing fail.



The Runway:

The Winning Creations--(left) Michelle Lesniak Franklin's design and Stanley Hudson's (right)--they created a "screaming" macabre woman print that worked well with these creations. Michelle's khaki coat with exaggerated train was grand and the addition of the painted bubble wrap, tiered ball gown underneath added the "avant garde" to it. It was a little "arts-&-craft-y" and would have rather seen something more in line with this:

 Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton Fall 2012 Collection--now, that would have been great!

But Stanley's exaggerated baby doll creation (above)--which won--and rightly so--kind of reminded me of this:

Shalom Harlow getting spray painted by robots in the now-infamous Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 1999 Collection

Daniel Esquivel--Daniel created the more ready-to-wear ensemble in "Team Layana and Daniel". I liked this look. The jacket was well-executed and the skirt was modern and young. The entire look was very Barneys New York, the "Designer Floor".

Layana Aquilar--This is a MESS. The judges said that it reminded them of a "Period" piece (from the Belle Époque I presume?) gone wrong. They also said it looked as if she "threw in everything AND the kitchen sink". Poor thing looked as if she got caught in a wind tunnel or tornado.

Belle Époque Good

On a good note--I loved the print Daniel and Layana created using the HP Touchsmart Technology--I want this for a rug, pillow or a painting for my house!!

Patricia Michaels--I liked the look Patricia created--when the model came down the runway, I was like "At-a-Girl!". The print was very modern and loved the hand-painted/washed out effect Patricia did. The white veil was a great soft angelic counterpoint to the geometric silhouette. The entire ensemble reminded me of a 15th Century woman I could see being depicted in a Van Eyck painting:

Jan van Eyck's The Arnolfini Marriage (1434)

Richard Hallmarq--I think Richard just lost his supposed "design mojo" after so many stressful weeks on the show. This outfit looked a little like "student work" and had construction issues. On a good note, it had hints of a Mary Quant 60's look to it, but I bet that wasn't even intentional. This was supposed to be ready-to-wear, but FOR THIS DECADE! Poor model is like "Yep, my designer is going home today...for sure!".

And now...here's my Project Runway Blog RECAP for this week:

HP Objets d’art

Art and Fashion. Some people argue that
Fashion is Art; and others, tend to believe the opposite. This week’s
"HP and Avant-Garde" episode was about the combination of both
highlighting the artsy, inspirational and creative elements of making
fashion.

Sold Out Michelle

In case you didn’t get the "Michelle Is Back memo, our dear Season 11
voice of reason designer Michelle Lesniak Franklin won last week’s Lord
& Taylor Challenge, with the prize being that her dress would be
manufactured and sold at Lord & Taylor. According to the web, her
dress SOLD OUT by 8:45 am the morning following last week’s episode (I
wonder if she got any profits from that!?). I’m excited that Michelle is
no longer "Bad Luck Michelle" but "I Might Win This Entire Show"
Michelle. Her positive design karma continued onto this week’s episode
as well. Speaking of, let’s get to it…



Why Are You Not Smiling???

The remaining six designers are very tired and visibly stressed. I know
exactly how they feel. Been there. Done that. When Heidi Klum opens the
episode with her traditional, "Hellooo," and follows with a, "Why are
you not smiling?" I wanted to shout at the TV and say to her, "Because
they all hate each other, have had three hours of sleep and…THEY. ARE.
OVER. IT!"



Guggenheim Fab

After Heidi’s niceties, the designers meet Tim Gunn at the Guggenheim
Museum where he is to announce their next challenge. But before that,
the producers, I mean judges, would like to "re-work" the teams. The
designers are paired up in boy-girl fashion: Stanley with Michelle;
Patricia and Richard, and Layana with Daniel. Once that’s done, Gunn
tells the designers that this is the HP Intel Challenge: to create a
piece of wearable art...



Click HERE to read the rest of my RECAP 

PROJECT RUNWAY.....Nick Verreos Project Runway Recap: Mature Muses, Joan Rivers + More!

Mature Fashion Divas:



This is How I see Fashionable Ladies of an Indeterminate Age:

 Caftan and Pant Ensemble Divas

 Manhattan Doyenne

 Cheetah Fab

 Fashionista Fur

This Is Not:

 Cocoon

This week's Lifetime Network's Season 11 Project Runway episode explored "Mature Dressing", with the challenge being "Create a Look for a Mature Client". Interesting and great challenge, I thought. It's always good to veer away from the Dress a 6 foot tall, size 0 model and create something for a "real" woman. In the past, this has caused great problems for the designers with many of them falling into the "I DO NOT dress women over a size 4" stereotype. Or just having problems releasing their Designer Ego and actually listening to the clients and their needs/wants.

Designers Amanda Valentine and Benjamin Mach and their clients--Lifetime's Project Runway Season 11

There was really none of that this time around. If anything, some of the designers payed TOO MUCH attention to what their clients wanted and got lost within themselves (at least for the ones who ended up in the bottom). The good ones were FAB, chic and still age-appropriate.

 Judges for this week's Challenge included (left to right): Melissa Rivers, Joan Rivers, Nina Garcia, Rachel Roy (substituting for Zac Posen) and Heidi Klum

Here were some of my Favorite Looks:

Michelle Lesniak Franklin--Loved the print and especially the crystal-encrusted waistband trim. This is a great silhouette and style for LOTS of women: the opened-up V-neck, the princess-seamed top section, the cinched waist, the A-line skirt. Not sure if that was an intentional high-low on the hem. If it is, it should have been more intentional-looking.

Samantha Black--First off, I disagreed with some of the judges in that I liked this look. Very much. I thought it was perfect for the client. Loved the directional sleeves and that chartreuse color is FAB: it pops! And the animal print works wonderfully with the top section. The length and coverage is appropriate and the fitted shape accentuates the clients svelte figure.

Stanley Hudson--The Winner this week was this pant suit look from Stanley Hudson. The bolero jacket fit perfectly. The navy blue/violet color was great. I did agree with the judges in that the pant crotch had issues; it was too "baggy". I wanted to go in there and grab the extra. Pants are the hardest things to fit and to get the pattern right! It takes YEARS kids. YEARS. Oh and yes, they were about 2-3" too short. They were Capri length but at least they weren't WHITE Capris! Thanksss Goodness.



And Not-So-Favorites:

Tu Suthiwat Nakchat--Oh huney! Even Tu knew he had messed up. The construction was a mess. I've seen better sewing from high school fashion shows (Trust me! I've judged some in my day!). The moss green color was drab and didn't help, but neither did the heavy too-covered up silhouette. It reminded me of a bad version of that Delta Airlines wrap dress uniform:

Delta Airlines Uniform Wrap Dress

Amanda Valentine--The almost-eliminated Amanda designed this printed dress with weird wannabe handkerchief hem (it's there but not there). I liked the print and the soft, flowy style but everything else was wrong.

Benjamin Mach--But it was our platinum-haired Aussie who was eliminated for this blue satin dress. I thought that the dress itself wasn't half-bad. This is a lovely style for an older woman attending a wedding or a Bat Mitzvah. But yes, it was way too tight on the top (notice the pulling on the princess sleeve seams and cap section of the sleeves). I get that the judges might have deemed it too safe and/or dowdy.

So, yes, Bye Benjamin--and Amanda, you're still on the show...for at least one more week.

Here's my FULL RECAP of this week's Project Runway Season 11 Episode:

Mature Muse

When you combine Joan Rivers with the
thrill of designing for "Mature Women" and then throw in my Fantasy
"kooky" aunt from Boca…Boy you've really got my attention! Yes kids,
this week on Season 11 "Project Runway: Teams Edition" (if it still
could be called that) the designers were faced with the challenge of
creating ensembles for "Ladies of a Certain Indeterminate Age." Let's
Recap...



Who Do You Not Want To Work With? Because That's Who You'll Be Working With

Last week, Matthew was out and Richard was in. Michelle continued to be
the "Bad Luck Charm” of the season—as well as the funniest and most "on
point" commentator, and platinum-haired Aussie Benjamin is confident
about getting such high praise from the judges in regards to his
strapless-and-sexy Miranda Lambert gown. Cue the "He's going to be on
the BOTTOM this week" thoughts in your head (or at least mine!). Heidi
greets the remaining designers with the dreaded button bag and since
last week Michelle was left without a partner, it's time to put her
somewhere. Earlier, while at the Atlas Apartments, she comments about
how she does NOT want to be paired up with Patricia. Well huney, I think
you might want to think twice about using your loud voice around the
producers because VOILA! Guess whose name Heidi draws from her button
bag? Yep! Patricia. Coincidence? Not so mucheeey. This isn't my first
time at this Reality Show Rodeo.



Mature Muse

Heidi then tells the designers that "Fashion is timeless" and with that,
sends them off. They all meet at the Midtown Loft Dance Hall where
there are several "mature ladies" in a dance class. Tim walks in and
announces that the Challenge this week is to create a fashionable look
for a mature client. The camera then pans to the designers as Richard
flashes THE FAKEST smile EVAH. Mr. Gunn tells the designers who their
clients are and soon afterward, it's time to consult and Mood shop—with
$200 per look. TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH!? I flashback to the days when
that would have been the budget for the Couture Challenge!



Not Following the "Teams" Point of All This

I am still unsure as to where the "teams" aspect of this whole thing comes into play since...



To Read the Rest of my RECAP, Click HERE !