The Heidi Chronicles (5.10): Working girls

Like you've already said, one should know how to sew before he can design, just like you should know how to draw before you can paint. Joe bragged and bragged about how he could build a suit and blow the judges away. If that was his "blow them away" suit, he deserved to go home for the construction of that suit alone. It made her look like she was just attacked and waiting to be saved by Superman. That was more offensive than Suede's over wrought creation because Suede's model didn't look nearly as bad in her outfit. (I still think Suede's the lesser designer than several of the one's to go before him.) But he can sew well enough that he need not brag about it, like Joe does.

But what was Suede trying to prove with the applied stripes to the cuffs? Not easy to do, but it wasn't worth the effort except to show you can create intricate applique. I would guess that's something the other designers are incapable of. He could have saved that trick for a better project, but I think he expected to be ousted, like you said. He isn't up with the competition.

I thought from the beginning that Jarell was going to make it to the end, thanks for the spoilers anyway, (just kidding.)

Jarell's a pleasing man, or wanting to please. But in the private interviews he is so full of himself that it's off putting. The last challenge was made for him and he aced it because of the model, not in spite of her, like Korto.

There's a fashion trend that I admit that I'm just to old to get a handle on. It's the conflagration of fabric. I did not like Korto's burlap jacket and dress, even though it eventually grew on me in a way that Kenly's belt never would. (it just seemed like the wrong place for a white belt.) I would have made both Korto's jacket and Kenly's belt the same way, but a shade darker. One of the restraints the designers have in this show is they shop and do the best that they can with what ever they bring back to the workspace. A professional designer has the oppertunity to rework an accessory or fabric choice.

If you haven't noticed, Leanne is about the sculptural despite how she describes herself. Her design seems to have more to do with japanese design and the whole origami cloths thing. She is very clever, and brilliant at times. I still think she is the dark horse who's career might not even start until years after Project Runway. She came to the show with a very refined idea of construction and is able to conceive and execute with ease. That's more than this show asks for.

Korto has a pulse on the times, too bad that African colors are already yesterday. I mean, Korto is brilliant. Much of the past African influenced design has been about color and more color and the permission to wear color with big jewelry. But Africa is also about mud. And it is about raw materials. If Korto can show the raw steal and dried reed side of Africa in her pallet, she could be like a storm, because she knows what women want to wear and she can make that work. I always feel like when I see one of her garments, that I'm learning something about design. She should win for that reason only because it's the main reason to pick a top designer.