PROJECT RUNWAY.....Nick Verreos Recap Episode 13: Pre-Finale Episode "Only One Can Win...And I Have A Good Guess!"

Top Four: (Left to right) Michelle Lesniak Franklin, Daniel Esquivel, Patricia Michaels, and Stanley Hudson--Project Runway Season 11

ALMOST New York Fashion Week...This episode was the penultimate Pre-Finale episode of this season's Project Runway. Yes kids, Season 11 Project Runway is on it's final "fashion lap" and there are four designers remaining: Used-to-be-Bad Luck Michelle Lesniak Franklin, Cry-a-Lot Mustached Daniel Esquivel, Miss Native American-Momma Patricia Michaels and Not-Nice-to-Tu Sweatshop Boss Stanley Hudson. In this last week's episode, they finally left the Project Runway workroom and went home to create their 12-look Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week Collections. Heidi gave them $10,000 and many, many months.

Three's Fab: Nick Verreos with Michael Costello (left) and Project Runway Season 7 Winner Seth Aaron Henderson ---Project Runway Season 11 Finale Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week

The show ended filming around July/August and the Season 11 Project Runway Finale NY Fashion Week show was on February 8th (I know because I was there). So, if my Calendar Math is correct...that gave them 6+ months to create their collections. Anyhow...it was time for the "Tim Gunn Visits" and he went to:

 Taos Pueblo New Mexico--to visit Patricia

 Portland Oregon--to visit Michelle

 Austin Texas--to visit Daniel

 And...Los Angeles--to visit Stanley

After the visits and after several months went by, the designers returned to NY. Tim told them that they had to show their three best looks to the judges and then one designer would NOT go to NY Fashion Week--even though we ALL KNOW that EIGHT of the designers--the three Finalists plus the next Auf'ed designers Layana, Samantha, Amanda, and Richard of Season 11 Project Runway actually DID show! (lucky them!).



The Runway:

 My Favorite: Michelle's looks were my fave of the four designers--BY FAR!

Michelle Lesniak Franklin--Michelle was inspired by Wolves and particularly, a "Lone Wolf". It was very "Hunger Games Hipster Fashionista", and I really loved the three looks. I didn't like the makeup and hair necessarily (neither did the judges) but this was certainly the freshest, most directional and new of the four designer's showings.

 This coat was so FAB!! (just too many bags!)

Stanley Hudson--I expected Stanley to be Michelle's biggest competition. And he wasn't. His designs were very luxe, elegant and he used very expensive fabrics yet...there was nothing new. It didn't look "NY Fashion Week" fresh and "What's Next" in terms of what editors and fashion experts look for.

This gold below-the-knee dress above (left) from Stanley was pretty but so dowdy. And again, nothing about it said "I'm The Next Fashion Wunderkid". It was all very Barbara Walters and Oscar de la Renta.

Patricia Michaels--Patricia maximized her ability to use textile manipulation and Native American details. The first look was this dress above and it was tacky, dated and over-accessorized. Not a good sign...

She did better with the other two looks she showed--this horsehair cape-and-pants ensemble and the light blue sequined dress with horsehair headdress. These two were new, innovative and wanted me--as well as the judges--to see more from her! Therefore she was moved on to the you-get-to-show at Finale Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week stage.

Daniel Esquivel--Daniel showed three ALL BLACK looks --allegedly inspired by Salvador Dali, Berlin, and the Nebulae around Planets. Showing three all black looks to the judges was a BIG gamble--especially since he had actual COLORS in the rest of his collection. Well, it didn't pay off. It was BA-BA-BORING.

Sweater Boring: But not as boring as this sweater and black pants he showed. I am still NOT OVER the model holding her purse as if she was Queen Elizabeth II ! I am kind of mad at Daniel for wasting this opportunity and showing a BLACK SWEATER and BLACK PANTS look. Seriously? It's NY Fashion Week! HELLO!



And now...Here's my Full Recap for this past week's Episode...

Only One Can
Win…And I Have a Good Guess!

When looking back at past
seasons of "Project Runway"—and particularly the pre-finale
episode—it wasn’t always obvious who the winner might be. Whether it was the
editing or the amount of talent, there was always a sense of "I wonder who
it will be?" Not this time. At the end of this episode, it was pretty
obvious that this was Michelle’s year to win. The other designers didn't even
come close, in my eyes, to what she presented. So how did this penultimate
episode play out and will my prediction be right? Time to discuss…

Fall Schoolin'

Michelle, Stanley,
Patricia and Daniel are in the top four. The episode begins with Heidi and Tim
congratulating—and reminding them that "only one can win." Heidi
announces that she’s giving them each $10,000 to create a 12-look collection
for Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week (That’s about $833 per outfit!). Oddly, she
then tells the designers that they need to use Fall colors, make sure to
forecast Fall Trends, and think outerwear. It reminded me of when I give a
"How to Make a Collection" assignment to my fashion students; it’s
understandable that I have to tell my students this, but why say it to these
designers. Shouldn’t this be obvious if you are showing during Fall Fashion
Week? But I digress...it's time for the designers to head home and create their
collections.

Taos Momma

Four months later and Tim
begins his home visits. First, he’s in Taos Pueblo, NM, to visit Patricia.
After a nice lunch with her family, he surveys her pieces. Patricia’s
inspiration is "trees." She’s done a lot of fabric manipulation to
the textiles she’s using, giving her collection a definite "Patricia"
stamp. Tim is intrigued but worried it might look too "arts-and-crafty."

Portlandia Hunger Games

Tim is now in Portland,
OR, to visit Michelle. Her inspiration is wolves, and particularly a female
hunting "lone wolf," which she says is a perfect metaphor to how she
felt during the entire filming of the season. She’s making breastplates as well
as a great hunting coat (She listened to Heidi and her "make some
outerwear" directive!). It looks very “Hunger Games," the
Ready-to-Wear Collection. And just from the small sampling of garments she is
offering up to Tim, I can tell it is going to be a great collection.

Salvador Daniel Cosmo Girl

Next up, Tim is in Austin
Texas to visit Daniel...

Click HERE to read the rest of my RECAP! 

PROJECT RUNWAY.....Nick Verreos Recap Episode 12: Your Fashion Passport Has Expired

Last week, the episode ended with a warning of sorts from Heidi to designer Michelle Lesniak Franklin, telling her that this would be a "Do-or-Die" moment for her and the judges would be giving her "one last chance". I wondered if this week, the episode would begin with Michelle having to do a "Quickfire Challenge" of making a garment in one hour (or something to that effect), but nope, she got an odd "You've Been a Bad, Bad Girl" punishment.

Season 11 designer Michelle Lesniak Franklin got punished for doing this above

This week's Season 11 Project Runway on Lifetime had the Final Five
designers getting some exciting travel news (well, not so exciting for
one of them): Stanley, Patricia, Daniel and Layana (and their already eliminated "sewing helpers") were sent to
different European cities:

 Stanley Hudson (and his helper, Richard) went to London, England (Big Ben, Palace of Westminster)

 Layana Aquilar and her helper Samantha, got to go to Barcelona, Spain (Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia church)

 Patricia Michaels and her helper Kate were sent to Paris, France (Eiffel Tower and Parisian graffiti--above)

 Daniel and his "assistant" Amanda went to Berlin, Germany (the Brandenburg Gate and Berlin Wall--above)

While Michelle was punished for not listening
to judge and Marie Claire Fashion Director Nina Garcia's "directives" last week, and she remained in NYC...

...and got to take a $49 double-decker New York sightseeing tour. This was mean, silly and to
me, made no sense. Annoying. Seriously. Why punish her and not just let her go to Europe?? Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with NYC, it's one of my Top Three favorite cities in the World! And Michelle probably hasn't seen much of NYC while being on the show (you're sequestered at the Atlas, then to the Workroom and then to Parsons, and that's about all of NY you'll get to see!) so it was nice to get out. But still...

The Challenge was to create a High-end Runway look "inspired" by an International Fashion Capital and the Guest Judge was singer/songwriter John Legend (above).



The Designs:

Stanley Hudson: His London-inspired design of a black halter gown (lined in leather paillettes) with matching caplet was praised by all the judges. It was monastic and Valentino-and-Ralph Lauren elegant. I thought he did a very good job here. She was very "Bond Girl". I loved her styling (the tulle "mask" was fab!).

Daniel Esquivel: Daniel's Berlin Diva design was good as well. It was a bias-cut asymmetrical dress with a white pleather jacket. He also made the thigh-high boots. It had punk-like elements of the Berlin "vibe" of the moment. She looked like Heidi's evil twin!

Michelle Lesniak Franklin: Michelle, even after her punishment, ended up creating one of my favorite looks of the night with this cashmere wool high-low dress and reversible patent leather bib. This was so directional and certainly very "High-end Runway". She tried to treat the hem of the dress to give an ombre effect but it did look as if the model had gotten stuck in a sudden NY thunderstorm.

Patricia Michaels: Oh "kooky" Patricia! Bless her heart. She said she was inspired by the Paris graffiti "art" and created a textile-on-top-of-textile jacket/top. The thought was there. I just think the execution and taste level didn't match her effort and  conceptualization. And yeah, those trousers do not belong with this. The top says "Art Gallery Owner" and the pants say "Hillary Clinton".

Layana Aquilar: Layana's Barcelona-inspired ensemble of a lace and wool coat, skinny trousers and peach ruffled blouse was deemed the worst of the night. Her model looked like a "mature" Spanish housewife--especially standing next to cool, young and hip Layana and her "I'm going out for Tapas and Flamenco Dancing" outfit.



Well, with all that as an "amuse-bouche", without further a do, here is my Project Runway Blog Lifetime Recap for this week's Episode 12:

Your Fashion Passport
Has Expired

Europe. Haggling for prices. Lots of crying. Rapid
sightseeing. Cramped economy class seats on a 10-hour trans-Atlantic flight.
Sounds like the last trip I took with my family. But, nope, this was
"Project Runway" Episode 12. Of course, there was also THE FASHION.
Let's get started…

No Europe For You

"You’re ALL Going to EUROPE! Except You
Michelle…You’ve Been a Bad, Bad Girl." Yep, that's the gist of how Heidi,
along with Tim, opened this week's episode as the designers were called to the
runway room. At the end of last week, we were left with the dreaded "To Be
Continued." No designer got the auf from Heidi but Michelle was told that
this was her "do or die" moment and she would be given "one last
chance." This "do or die" moment turned out to be more of a
punishment and was just plain old mean. Seriously. Especially when they added
the free trips to the cast-off "helpers."

Travel Dates

Layana, Daniel, Patricia and Stanley got the news that
they would be traveling to a different European city and Michelle would not.
Daniel cried (of course) hysterically and Michelle looked as if she wanted to
slap someone (I would too!). Heidi then announces that the challenge for this
very important week—that decides who gets to go to Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion
Week—was to create a look inspired by an international fashion capital and in
addition would have to be a "high end runway" creation. They all got
a WHOPPING $1,000 for fabrics. Heidi also tells them that they are not going
alone; they will be taking a sewing assistant (a cast-off designer). Layana is
going to Barcelona with Samantha; Patricia goes to Paris with Kate; Daniel to
Berlin with Amanda; Stanley heads off to London with Richard and punished
Michelle gets to stay in NYC—with little Tu.

Side Bar

Besides the obvious thoughts running through my head
about how we only got to travel to NEW JERSEY to a figure skating rink on my
season of "Project Runway," I couldn’t help but think, "Why are
they taking these sewing assistants with them? Are they sewing in Europe?"
As soon as I used my loud voice asking this, I realized that A) it’s nice to
have company, but more importantly B) the producers of the show need them to be
interacting with someone…preferably someone who speaks English.

Gaudi vs. Graffiti

Moving on… The European kids go on their trips and are
taking it all in: Stanley is inspired by the architecture of Westminster Abbey
and Big Ben; Daniel is emotional and crying (of course!) after seeing the
Brandenburg Gate and Berlin Wall; Layana is mesmerized by Gaudi’s La Sagrada
Familia; and Patricia is saying, "Oui!" to the incredible Eiffel
Tower and Arc de Triomphe as well as Parisian wall graffiti. And Michelle?

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PROJECT RUNWAY.....Nick Verreos Recap: Episode 3 "Surprise Me"

Smells Like A German Supermodel:

Heidi Klum--Season 11 Project Runway "Surprise Me" Episode

Sorry for the delay in posting my "Extended Mix Photo Recap" of the last Project Runway episode but I've been traveling: I just got back from blizzard-happy NYC last Sunday where I was attending the Project Runway NY Fashion Week Finale fashion show, (I'll have a FULL Recap of that coming up!) other NY Fashion Week fashion shows, parties and shooting the look book for my new dress line (more details SOON!). Please forgive me :) Anyhow, let's catch up:

Team Keeping It Real--Season 11 Project Runway

 Dream Team--Season 11 Project Runway

On last week's Season 11 Project Runway episode, the Teams--Dream Team and Team Keeping It Real had to design looks for Heidi Klum's new fragrance entitled "Surprise":

The challenge was to design a look for the commercial/ad of the campaign plus an outfit/dress for the launch press event. Now, I've been lucky enough to have had Miss Heidi Klum wear not one, but TWO, of my NIKOLAKI high end designs--first to a taping of the Late Night With Conan O'Brien Show--she wore what I've now dubbed "the Heidi Dress"--a black jersey and leather asymmetrical one shoulder dress that made her look like a FAB Sexy Goddess:

Heidi Klum in NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul--Late Night With Conan O'Brien Show

Heidi also wore one of my designs on Models of the Runway/Project Runway Season 7--it was a white silk jersey Grecian Goddess style one shoulder dress with side draped cowl and black silk duchesse band--it was originally a floor-length gown and her stylist shortened it for her--oh and yes, she was pregnant at the time:

Heidi Klum in NIKOLAKI by Nick Verreos/David Paul--Lifetime Network's Models of the Runway/Project Runway Season 7

So I know a "thing or two" about designing for Heidi--or at the very least, knowing what she might like...

For last week's Project Runway "Surprise Me"/Heidi Klum Challenge, the special guest judge was "Sex and The City" actress Kristin Davis. Loved her bubblegum pink colored dress.



Now let's discuss the "Low Moments":

Richard Hallmarq/Team Keeping It Real--Huney! Where are you going??? She is an extra in "Sparkle" in this sequined number. It's a little too "Liza with a Z" for Heidi and then there's the "pooping ruffle" mess in the back. WHAT. Was. Richard. Thinking? Not Heidi at all.

Stanley Hudson/Team Keeping It Real--Speaking of Sparkle. This really isn't a bad dress by any means. It's a great New Year's Eve/Holiday dress. It's the OVER-accessories which makes it look soooo 1998. And I would have pushed back the ties/bow so it wouldn't "interrupt" the line of the one shoulder. Too "Christmas Party Guest" for Heidi.

Benjamin Mach/Dream Team--On the bottom was poor bleach-blond Aussie and this bad-excuse for a gown. He was all be-bedraggled during the entire episode (or at least toward the end) and his creation showed it: the sagging boobies, the bad slit rippling, the un-steamed fabric...even Nina Garcia deemed it one of the WORST constructed creations (or something to that effect) in Project Runway history. How do you say "Ouch!" in Aussie slang?? Too badly made for Heidi.

Cindy Marlatt/Dream Team--But the worst (according to the judges) was Cindy's iridescent shantung (it looked like taffeta to me) halter and keyhole neckline mini dress. The fabric was bad and dated and the style was not creative. This was a dress you would have seen in the After-Five section at Loehmann'sf...TEN years ago. NO WAY Heidi would ever wear this. Two Words: Iridescent Shantung (or Taffeta).



The High Heidi Notes:

Patricia Michaels/Team Keeping It Real--I liked this dress--it was a low-end version of something you might see from Prada/Miu Miu. I wish she could have continued her gold leather shapes to the bottom but I'm sure she ran out of time. therefore, it looked unfinished to me. But I could see Heidi wearing this, if the leather details came all the way down and it was made by Miuccia Prada. Custom.



The Winners:

Daniel Esquivel/Team Keeping It Real--Daniel created a beige jersey halter-style gown with side slit and leather contrast waist and neck bands. This was PERFECT for Miss Heidi. And therefore, she chose it as what she will wear for her press launch perfume event. Good job Daniel. Again.

Layana Aguilar and Kate Pankoke/Team Keeping It Real--Layana and Kate co-designed this strapless black gown that received the highest votes from all the judges and especially, their client--Heidi. It was a good one for sure: the draped bustier, the black and nude/blush under-color, the fitted cinched waist, the full skirt section with UBER sexy slit...great for a commercial. And yes, Heidi decided that it was the right choice for her "Surprise" Fragrance ad.

The winning designs--and Heidi Klum--"Surprise" Fragrance/Heidi Klum Challenge, Season 11 Project Runway

And now, here's my MyLifetime.com Project Runway Blog Recap of this Episode. Enjoy--and PLEASE, don't be shy about leaving me YOUR "two cents":

Iridescent Surprise!

This episode should have been sponsored by
Kleenex and Klonopin. Seriously. Every other contestant on both the
Dream Team and Team Keeping It Real was either crying or freaking out to
the camera describing the need for validation or a gold star for
"making it." Only three challenges in (about a week in real-time
filming) and yep, it’s Stress Nation up in "Project Runway" Land. Why
are these kids so stressed? Because it’s a "Heidi Klum Challenge" of
course!



Four Time's a Charm

For the fourth time in 11 seasons, it’s "Heidi Time"...again! In Season
7, the designers had to create a red carpet look for Miss Klum; Season 8
was when the contestants had to create designs for Heidi’s New Balance
active wear line; last season (10) had the designers creating outfits
for Heidi’s Babies"R"Us line of children's wear.



Smells Like a Gorgeous German Model

As the designers stand in front of pink boxes wrapped in black ribbon
and spice-and-fruit baskets, Tim announces that, it's time for another
Heidi Klum Challenge. She is launching a new fragrance, entitled
"Surprise" and needs outfits to wear for the launch campaign. The
challenge for each team is to create six looks for her and she will pick
two winning outfits-one for the commercial and one for the launch press
event.



Client Heidi

Heidi specifies that they should follow the colors of the packaging
(pink, black and gold) and the designs should mix femininity with
something "hard." It should look good from all angles and be sexy NOT
slutty. Sounds easy enough (Well, at least for me). Give me an actress,
singer and I know what styles from my collection would work best for
them. In terms of Heidi, I’ve been lucky enough to have had her wear not
one but two of my designs—in an appearance on the Conan O’Brien show
and on Season 7 "Project Runway" while she was preggers—so it was
interesting to see what these designers were going to come up with.



Let the Kitten Sweaters Go

Consulting, sketching, Mood shopping and divvying up of duties follow.
As it’s become the norm now, some designers take entire outfits
individually and some work in twos. I was a bit frightened for Team
Keeping It Real's Amanda and Joe since her design aesthetic is more
structured while his consists of sweaters with kittens. When questioned
on his design direction and warned that it may end up on "What Not To
Wear," he said he’d be proud of that. I almost wanted to slap his
glasses off his face and yell, "Well darling, THIS IS NOT THAT
Challenge!" Luckily, he came to his senses and realized that this was
the time to let go of his "Kitten Sweater Designer Ego."



Brazilian Doubts, Matthew Boring and Aussie Crashing

Layana and her partner Kate seem to be going back and forth...



Click HERE to read the rest of my RECAP.