While I might have been a bit ambivalent about the start of Project Runway this season, I have to say I’m very satisfied with its conclusion. I’ll go so far as to say that I’m even more satisfied with this season’s finale than previous Project Runway seasons. I think I can trace my design-driven reality TV contentment back to two root causes.
Root cause number one: I actually liked all three collections. That is to say, I think all three were good collections, personal athletics aside. I’m not sure how much of this is a factor of having multiple New York Fashion Week runway viewings under my belt and how much of this is simply the designers did a good job. The first time I saw a Fashion Week collection (which would have been during Project Runway season 1) I thought it was utterly ridiculous. I was judging clothes based on the same merits I might use if I were trying to buying them in the mall. I think I now take the rarified atmosphere of Fashion Week into account and allow it to help shape my impression. I suppose Tim Gunn might say I now use a different “lens.”
While I wasn’t crazy about the designers starting out I think they all stepped up their game and delivered some interesting clothes for the finale. That’s the key; they did a good, competent job. Too often reality TV is about people acting stupid and contrived confrontation. It’s refreshing to see talented people create something of value in a professional manner.
Root Cause number two: they finally choose the winner correctly. I think Project Runway actually stands to have a lot to gain from their choice this time. I’ve had a problem with some of their previous season winner choices. If the point of the show is to help launch a designers career, why do they keep skipping over the obviously talented young designer who needs help launching a career and award the already establish designer? Especially when one of the main prizes was a mentorship (which I realize wasn’t the case this time around). Time and again the winner threw the mentorship back in their faces and basically just walked away with the free media exposure.
I see this season’s winner as actually being grateful to the show for helping their career and will probably promote the show and process as much as possible….and not in the cheap contractual obligation kind of way.
Finally project runway thought: In a juxtaposition of my reality TV watching habits, did you know that America’s Next Top Model girls walked in the Project Runway show? Three of them. Jaslene walked for Jillian Lewis (but thankfully she did not have to annunciate a single syllable). Bianca and Dani both walked for Chris March (he got to show as one of the Project Runway final three decoys.)
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4 comments:
I got to point out Jaslene last night, which was fun.
I mainly don't want them to take such a long time between PR seasons again.
They're casting for season 5 now. Let's hope they don't have such a hard time finding good talent, which was part of the problem with the delay last time, I think.
Go Team Fierce/Major!
I have been avoiding your blog for a few weeks because I had Tivo'd the project runway season finale and not been able to watch it until now. I agree that they picked the right winner. Although, I kept waiting for the before alluded to scene where Tim Gunn appoligizes to the loser of a challenge because he thought they shouldn't go home. I never saw it. Did you?
Every week we discussed whether or not this week’s elimination was the one Tim was talking about….and we never saw one that we instantly knew was the one. The best we can figure is it was the Levi jean’s episode….because I didn’t think the winning outfit was very good.
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