<p>Oh yes, the button bag. How could I have forgotten that?!</p>
<p>I also watched the first episode and am excited about some of the format changes. I’ve missed most of the past two seasons so I was not familiar with the fan favorite designer brought back to compete…I also was happy with the winner… can’t wait for both the Russian guy and sustainable guy to get kicked off but they will keep them around for awhile to create some drama. I also liked the design from Wendy Levy but she could easily have been sent home for not following the challenge rules. I do recall a previous season where exactly the same thing happened but cannot recall the details exactly and I think that designer also got to stay with a strong warning.</p>
<p>Favorite new changes:
Judging includes the models coming directly up to the judges so they can get an up close examination of the looks - construction, etc.</p>
<p>The runway show is anonymous - YES!</p>
<p>The upfront budget money - YES!</p>
<p>I was insulted that the Russian guy did that to his model. What a slob. And the sustainable guy is a fool. One cannot work in any industry at even 95% sustainability. And certainly not in fashion. For goodness sakes, I get wanting a “hook” but he’s gonna hang himself on his.</p>
<p>I understand the sustainable guys concept, but he really needs to take it all the way for this to be his “hook”…for example - did he use a needle and thread or an electric sewing machine.</p>
<p>I’m really happy to have the show back, and I like the changes, especially Tim’s expanded role. However, I’m sure the judges are savvy enough to be able to identify the different designers’ style quirks pretty fast. I doubt there will be any anonymity after the first couple of weeks.</p>
<p>I’m a very gentle soul, but I was overwhelmed by a desire to punch Eco-boy in the kisser. I think it happened right after he expounded on his vision of paratroopers over Hiroshima…</p>
<p>The upfront budget money - not so sure.</p>
<p>I am thinking that it may limit extravagant and luxurious designs (my favorite).</p>
<p>What are your thoughts?</p>
<p>So glad you posted about this, abasket. I didn’t know the new season had started! I watched both the intro and first episode on demand. Yay. The Russian guy’s clothes were insulting. Imagine being the model walking in those shorts. Yuck.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why the judges were not more upset about the frontal exposure of Sandro’s design. I don’t remember that they even commented about it, even when examining the seam work up close. In seasons past, they were very critical of these kinds of fit failures (rear exposure IIRC). Maybe the shorts were really not as revealing as we are led to believe by that little black box? Creative editing for ratings.</p>
<p>Sadly, I believe there will be lots of drama this season.</p>
<p>Caught up on all the shows tonight. Didn’t Miranda make the same dress in a different color? Sustainable guy is standing under a gazillion amps of studio lights guzzling tons of electricity while doing this show. I call BS. He needs to go. Plus his clothes are ugly. So there.</p>
<p>The previews for next week made me NOT want to watch. The challenge is making something out of the prizes they win at a Carnival!?! I’m envisioning several skimpy, fuzzy creations.</p>
<p>I had the same thought about Miranda’s dress. It looked the same as last week’s with different fabric.</p>
<p>I think sustainable guy should have gone home. His dress was worse than the one who left (whose name I have forgotten).</p>
<p>Is it just me, or is the Russian guy really odd? (even for project runway). Though I softened toward him a little when he was comforting the crying girl.</p>
<p>I guess we got our answer to the anonymity. What a joke … the button bag executed by none other than Heidi. Well it sounded like a good idea.</p>
<p>My top 3:
My favorite design was the sequined gown by Braden (former dancer/week 1 winner). The model looked stunning IMHO. I’m surprised he didn’t even make it to the top 3.</p>
<p>I thought that Dom deserved to be in the top 3 … a drastic improvement over last week! Her gown was original and really complimented the jewelry she chose, but the green trim around the neckline appeared to be executed poorly and was quite distracting to me.</p>
<p>Sue deserved to be in the top 3 this week. Her model looked very classy. I predict she will win more than one challenge this season.</p>
<p>I would have placed the winning design by Kate somewhere in the middle… didn’t like it very much really. I thought the asymmetry of the bust/bodice looked very sloppy.</p>
<p>My bottom 3:
It’s almost a toss up between Sustainable guy and Miranda for the designer most deserving of elimination. Miranda for making the same dress as last week (as mentioned by others). As a judge, I would have expected more effort after the scolding for breaking the rules last week. </p>
<p>But really Timothy, it IS time to go. The show/judges are losing all credibility and respect by keeping this guy here. He’s just flying by the seat of his pants. Has no plan other than ‘sustainability’. </p>
<p>Helen also deserved to be in the bottom 3, as her execution was subpar.</p>
<p>It would have been nice to give Kahindo another chance. Her design wasn’t bad enough to result in her elimination.</p>
<p>Love PR! Still trying to learn all the guys’ names, but I thought Bradon’s dress was gorgeous, as well as the long black (dark gray?) gown with the fluffs of chiffon at the bottom. I don’t remember which guy did that one.</p>
<p>Sue – who doesn’t know how to thread a sewing machine – and Sandro – who doesn’t know how to use a steamer . . . how on earth did they manage to get on the show?? And Sandro is just picking fights by yelling at people for no reason. (Loved it when Justin turned off his hearing aid!) I saw on the EW review of the show, someone calling him “Sandro Mercury.” He does sort of resemble Freddie Mercury! :)</p>
<p>Kate’s dress that won, I didn’t get it. Those pouchy pocket things on the back of the skirt looked like saddlebags. </p>
<p>I had already figured out that Kahindo was going home, mainly because the “previews” for the season have showed both Timothy and Helen, so when they were the bottom three, it wasn’t hard to figure out. </p>
<p>I really like the (alleged) anonymity of the runway shows and the fact that the judges get to see the gowns up close afterwards. </p>
<p>As for Sustainable Guy/Timothy, I’ll have to go back and watch the intro show, where all the designers were introduced, and see whether he brought any models with him and whether they had on makeup and shoes and done-up hair.</p>
<p>Sigh. I know the show is primarily for entertainment, and that’s why crying girl and eco-boy were kept despite their hideous designs, and why Kate was sure to win at least one round (to justify bringing her back), but the results just killed me last night. My only consolation is that with a few exceptions (I’m looking at you Gretchen, and you, Anya), a very talented designer ultimately wins.</p>
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<p>Whenever I see the Russian guy (who has completely non-Russian first name and last name), I think of Borat.</p>
<p>The one that I think is weird is the red haired guy with the drawn-on eyebrows. I just don’t get all the oddball hairdos and tattoos on designers!</p>
<p>I thought sustainable guy should have gone home. His dress was hideous and I loved either Heidi or Nina questioning what kind of bra works with a razorback front. I personally liked the dress made by the one who was sent home once Tim suggested using the dark green voile. The pattern was too loud. I like Dom’s dress but agree about using the bandana in the hair being a bad choice and that the green trim looked poorly done. I liked Kate’s dress but agree with above about Braden’s dress. It was a stunner. Helen’s dress wasn’t finished and it was awful besides.</p>
<p>So, what do you all think - if it had been Helen, would Tim Gunn have saved her?</p>
<p>dogersmom asked: if it had been Helen, would Tim Gunn have saved her? No, I don’t think so, I think what he said last week was right, it’s too early in the season to toss your one save.</p>
<p>Eco-boy is on my last nerve already. Go. Now. Your “designs” are poor, your execution worse. </p>
<p>The Russian guy…I actually thought his design was on the verge of being amazing, but I agree with “he reminds me of Borat”! Hilarious. He’s not very nice, but then seems to have a very soft spot too.</p>
<p>Hated Kate’s dress, with a capital H.</p>
<p>Didn’t have a favorite look this week, as I tend to decide on a favorite based o if I would like to wear it (or a variation thereof).</p>
<p>I felt bad for Helen, but when you have a 1 day challenge, you’d better think long and hard about what you’re going to attempt to execute.</p>
<p>Maybe the “anonymous” runway was only for the first episode? As long as Tim can’t vote, and is only mentor, why wouldn’t they have him do the button bag, if it was intended to be “anonymous”? Hmmmm.</p>
<p>Unconventional challenge next week.</p>
<p>“Eco-boy” clearly knows how to design fabric - that was evident from the work shown in the “meet the designers” episode. What he doesn’t know how to do, unfortunately, is design clothes. And there’s nothing wrong with being a fabric designer . . . it’s just not the same as a clothing designer.</p>