OK – I know Season 10 of Project Runway ended a while ago…..but I thought it was off topic to publish this during the run up to the election. And then I had to beat my chest about the outcome of the election. I’m over it now and able to focus on important stuff like Project Runway!!!!
Soooooo……
Congratulations Dmitry Sholokhov! It’s about time the contestant with the best tailoring and sewing skills as well as design talent won Project Runway. I’ve been frustrated in past seasons because it seemed that the best all around contestant was not winning. I thought Viktor Luna was robbed when he lost to Anya – that whole season has me baffled; I felt the same when Mondo lost to Gretchen. I really think they had the first All-Stars to right the wrong they did to Mondo.
But getting back to Season 10! I really thought at the beginning of this season that the competition would be between Dmitry and Ven. I loved Ven’s origami designs; and only Dmitry had better construction skills. Personality wise, Ven was my least favorite contestant; and once it became apparent that he was a one trick pony, his elimination came as no surprise.
After Ven’s elimination, I was convinced that Sonjia and Christopher would be joining Dmitry on the runway during fashion week. Christopher improved with every challenge – and his creative and innovative yet always wearable designs made me a fan. Sonjia’s designs were all timeless, wearable and well made - I would wear her clothing to work; and many of the pieces, particularly her jackets, can be work or weekend wear. Her designs were the most applicable to my lifestyle. But the judges didn’t think she had the “wow” factor, and she had issues with design vision; so out she went. I was bummed. I would have given her the chance to show.
Fabio was another designer who improved as the competition progressed. I would wear most of his designs, too – but I prefer more structured, tailored items. Also, to be honest, most of them were a little young and a little short for me. I was also unimpressed with Fabio’s construction skills; and he was not much of a tailor. I understood why he made it to fashion week; his final collection was his best work of the competition. But he would not have been one of my choices.
Melissa as a finalist was totally off my radar. Did she win any individual challenges? The tough goth rocker chick look got old for me; and she’s a one trick pony, too. Her dresses all had the same basic shape and neckline; her sewing skills were unimpressive; tailoring skills nonexistent. In her final collection, the white hobble skirt dress was a mess - she’s showing at fashion week and she is sending a look down the runway that her model could not walk in. I was also bothered by the baggy crotch black pants – I gather they were supposed to be harem pants; but a harem pant would have more fabric in the crotch area and would be better draped in the waist/crotch. Really, those pants looked like she designed them for a man. And the black and white motorcycle jacket – don’t get me started. The whole piece looked like it needed a good pressing. Way too much bulk in the neckline. It made the whole garment look amateurish to me. I’m not sure what fabrics she used – it didn’t look like leather to me; though I thought she said it was. If it wasn’t leather; then I’m even less impressed. If it was leather, sewing the jacket front and front facing pieces wrong sides together and exposing the raw edges would have reduced the annoying bulk and given the garment more edge. And we know how Melissa loves edge! I thought her collection was the most unimpressive of the 4 finalists.
And now we come to my number 2 favorite designer – Christopher! I love his work. I thought he was the most creative designer in the competition; and he was better at channelling his creativity into designs that satisfied the requirements of the challenges than any of the other contestants. I particularly loved the New York City dress and the flowered little girl’s dress, both challenges he won. In his fashion week collection, I loved the print he used for his dresses and blouses, the spotted leather treatment on the vest, and the black dress with the black leather motorcycle jacked – so cool. He has excellent construction skills – everything fit; no odd gapping or bagging on anything. The only thing that kept him from winning, I think, was his collection was not quite as cohesive as it could have been. I think he had difficulty editing his ideas. He continued making garments right up to the end and ran out of time to really think about the collection as a whole.
And now for the winner…..Dmitry! Is there anyone who did not think he would be at fashion week from the very beginning of the competition? He was the complete package this season. Strong design esthetic, strong construction and tailoring skills, strong work ethic, strong focus. I don’t think he ever wavered or panicked. No diva behavior, either. I love his suits and dresses – all flattering, interesting to look at and impeccably made. His design for the Rockette challenge was beautiful. My favorites from his fashion week collection were the jacket with the fringe sleeves, the dress made from the black and white diamond fabric, the white pants, and the gown.
A well deserved win. I look forward to watching his career post-competition.
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