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Features 'Project Runway' has fierce finale
By Sandy Watro Staff writer Project Runway’s popularity and fan base over its four-year lifespan seems to be getting larger and larger each year. Reality television indeed has its pitfalls, but sometimes the genre can serve to demonstrate an undeniable truth. Viewers of Project Runway clearly see the fashion industry is much more than glamour and fluff. Designing, styling, modeling and sewing are all work - and art-based work at that. Critics do not care if designers spend 18-plus hours hemming a dress or selecting a correlating fabric. In the end this is what makes the fashion industry cut-throat, yet exciting at the same time. Project Runway is the epitome of the previously mentioned concept. The competition starts with 15 designers who are selected based upon personality and their portfolios, among other criteria. Each week the three regular judges, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia, are accompanied by a guest judge. The designers are given a new and interesting challenge weekly, which progressively become more complex as the season unfolds. In one instance the contestants could only allocate fabric and material resources from the Hershey’s store in Manhattan. The winner of Project Runway receives a spread in Elle Magazine, $100,000 to start their own line, a chance to offer their line on exclusivly on bluefly.com and a new Saturn Azura. This season’s cast was very dynamic, diverse and entertaining. Typically as the competition winds down, the last two designers left standing have a chance to show their collections during fashion week at Bryant Park. This year the stakes were a little bit different, as they gave four designers a chance to compete at Bryant Park. In the end, only three designers would be selected to debut their collections at fashion week in New York. The winner and fan-favorite of this season was Christian Siriano who, at 21, was the youngest contestant. Other finalists included Rami and Jillian Lewis, who both showed their collections at Bryant Park and were judged. Siriano’s collection was very much European-couture inspired. "I was originally inspired by 18th-Century Spanish paintings. Then it evolved organically into a world of hard versus soft and dark versus romance," Siriano stated in one interview following his win. Mercyhurst College fashion merchandising students Frankie Stubber and Carolyn Boyce followed the show and both felt that Christian’s clothing was not very accessible to the ready-to-wear market. "I thought Christian’s line was not salable and would not easily translate into ready-to-wear for the typical consumer, which is where the money lies in the industry," Stubber said. Boyce felt similarly adding that she preferred another contestant named Rami, who throughout the show was notorious for his eloquent draping techniques. Boyce also noted that Rami’s line was not only more chic but also more colorful and fun. Overall Siriano’s collection was praised by all four judges, including special guest judge Victoria Beckham. Siriano stated in the beginning of the competition that he would love to dress Beckham and Britney Spears, whom he sympathizes with in her plight against the harsh public eye. Project Runway is now looking for new contestants for their next season. It is said that next year’s show is scheduled to have unexpected twists and turns that the average viewer will not expect.
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