Project Runway: Preseason Predictions
November 9, 2007
All right. Enough jibber jabbering. Let’s talk about something important.
As the premiere of Project Runway: Season 4 is upon us, it is imperative that we take some time to make some unfounded statements about this season’s designers.
But first, for those of you not familiar with the format with Project Runway, allow me to give you a very brief rundown:
We start off with 16 designers. They compete in a series of challenges until we are left with 3 (or 4, as with last season) who will go on to present an entire collection at Olympus Fashion Week in New York.
Each week they are presented with a challenge. Some examples from passed seasons included creating a “jet-setting” outfit for Nicky Hilton (season 1), sewing an ensemble for a new line of Barbie dolls (season 2) , and presenting a modernized look for a fashion icon (season 3 and my personal favorite).
Designers work on a limited budget and within a limited schedule to create their designs. They receive guidance and support from Tim Gunn as they scramble to finish and someone inevitably demands “Where the hell is my chiffon?” or declares “I’m not here to make friends.”
Each episode ends with a runway show in which our host, Heidi Klum, and her fellow judges (Nina Garcia, Michael Kors, and a guest judge) stare pretentiously at the garments and interrogate the designers before tossing them into a tiny room while they deliberate for hours. A winner is announced for each challenge, sometimes earning immunity for the next week. The other designers are declared “in” until we reach the losing designer who is declared “out” and given the old “Auf Weidersehen” from Heidi before shuffling off into fashion oblivion.
Past winners were as follows:
Season 1 - Jay McCarroll, who didn’t realized he cared about winning until about 3/4 of the way through. Then he won because he was awesome, not an ass, and effing hilarious. If memory serves me correct, his response to winning was “That’s nutty.”
Season 2 - Chloe Dao, the teensy weensy little lady from Texas who knew the fashion business and, more importantly, how to dress a woman.
Season 3 - Jeffrey Sebelia, the incredibly rude, but undoubtedly talented, recovering alcoholic who made another designer’s mother cry but managed to win the same challenge for which he had earned immunity the previous week, unheard of in Project Runway history.
Season 4 seems guaranteed to give us some OMG moments. For some reason they are only starting off with 15 contestants this year, but boy howdy, it looks to be a fabulous bunch. So, based soley on their bios, a little bit of speculation, and a healthy dose of cattiness, let’s get to my thoughts on a few specimens from the newest batch of designers.
The One Who Will Go First: Chris. I’m sorry, but the shirt is reason enough and something tells me his over-the-top nature will be too much for the judges.
The One Who Won’t Shut Up But Will Probably Stay on the Show Forever: This one is a tie between Elisa and Christian for me. Go here to see Elisa’s astounding levels of pretentiousness and to hear how every sentence sounds like a question? And Christian has been shown in promos saying “I’m kind of a big deal.” ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
The One Whose Name Belies Her: I made this category just for Sweet P. Yeah, click on that link because she’s totally not like you thought she would be and you might fall asleep listening to her talk.
The One Who I Love Already: Victorya, even though I hate how she spells her name. She seems calm, collected, and normal. Hopefully the others won’t eat her.
The One Who’s In It To Win It: I realize this is a big statement, but I’m going to go on the record right now and say that I think it will be Steven. He seems to be smart, sassy, and I’m betting there’s a bit of a loose cannon under all those classic lines.
So there you have, kiddies: Your Project Runway: Season 4 Preseason Predictions. Be sure to tune in next week when all of this blows up in my face.
Until then, Auf Weidersehen!
9 Responses to “Project Runway: Preseason Predictions”
1. Made in Richmond » Project Runway: Preseason Predictions says:
[...] can’t read them here! Mosey on over to RVANews to get up to speed on the fashion event of the [...]
on November 9th, 2007 at 8:15 am
2. Sam says:
Introducing the Project Runway Fantasy Game…
Each week, those watching the show together (owners) will “draft” contestants to be on their Project Runway Fantasy Team. The draft continues until all contestants are selected. The first week, Rock Paper Scissors will decide who gets the first pick, and after that, the highest overall scorer will draft first each week and remaining owners will draft in overall scoring order (highest to lowest), with RPS deciding ties.
Owners get points for picking both the best designers and the worst designers. There’s also a bonus for picking the winner & loser.
Scoring:
Contestant makes top 3: +2 points
Contestant makes bottom 3: +1 point
Contestant wints: +2 points (in addition to +2 for top 3)
Contestant voted off: +1 point (in addition to +1 for bottom 3)
Contestant is kicked off the show for bad behavior: +5 points
Final rounds
When there are fewer contestants left on the show than owners, each owner will select 1 contestant, with repeats allowed (For instance, two owners may select “Chris” and receive the same points during the show). They will receive points solely on the performance of their one contestant. The owner with the highest cumulative score will select first.
Optional variations to Project Runway Fantasy Game:
Owners can decide before the season to award bonus points based on contestant’s performance during the show. They can customize using alternative scoring categories, which can include, but is not limited to, the following settings…
Contestant’s sewing machine breaks: +2
Contestant cries: +3
Contestant gets bleeped: +1
Contestant’s design gets criticized by Tim Gunn: +1 (suggestions do not count)
Contestant’s model needs to be censored for showing too much skin: +5
on November 9th, 2007 at 9:04 am
3. Valerie Catrow says:
Sam, that brought tears to my eyes.
WHO IS IN?
on November 9th, 2007 at 9:07 am
4. Ross Catrow says:
I am totally in. TOTALLY.
on November 9th, 2007 at 9:19 am
5. RA says:
I’m so sad that the fantasy team concept just flew over my head. But! It’s okay because I can’t watch the episodes until the following night due to my self-imposed TV fast on Wednesdays. Hmph. I’ll tune back in for the recaps afterward, though!
on November 9th, 2007 at 9:27 am
6. Ross Catrow says:
RA:
You can still totally participate. I can’t watch it on Wednesdays either. I figure we will do the scoring on the weekend sometime.
DO IT!!!!
on November 9th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
7. jennifer says:
I was thinking I wouldn’t be able to participate since we don’t get the first run of anything in the UK. But hopefully I can watch it on iTunes before the end of each week. Just let me know what I should about the draft. Super exciting!
on November 12th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
8. Project Runway Episode 1: Grass stains & Nappy-naps : RVANews says:
[...] crazy is named Elisa. Last week, I pegged Elisa as the pretentious one, the designer who was undoubtedly talented, but capable of [...]
on November 15th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
9. Project Runway Episode 4: The land of all things unfair | RVANews says:
[...] all about Christian right now. I hated him in the beginning, but I think he’s funny and talented, two things I love, as do the producers of Project [...]
on December 6th, 2008 at 12:57 pm