Project Runway Rundown

August 13, 2010

So I missed the first two episodes of PR. For some reason my DVR didn't record it and I thought I'd just watch it On Demand but I never get around to that AND for some reason I don't like watching episodes of PR when I know there's a newer one.

So finally, I set my DVR to record it and watched the latest one last night. I wasn't going to start writing a PR rundown but I had so many things that I wanted to talk to someone about that I felt it was silly not to take advantage of the blog?!

So if you too are a loyal PR fan come back every Friday for some good dish.

And now, onto the gab.
Last night's episode was the unusual materials themed show. This one is always my favorite. This season it was party favors.

First off, I realized last night that I could never be good at PR. They are soooo mean. I don't mind a little constructive criticism but when Heidi snapped at A.J. "That was not a compliment" my heart went out to him. I could see that he was just nervous about the bad review and by saying 'thank you' he was trying to save face.

And Michael Korrs just rubs me the wrong way. Even when he's giving compliments he looks smug. Maybe that's his thing? And did anyone notice when he told Valerie she did a 360 with her styling? Does he know what that means? I think he meant 180, right? If she did a 360 she'd be right back where she started. LOL! Someone needs to tell Michael that three hundred and sixty degrees is a circle.
PR is always contradicting itself. First they tell them to be themselves then they tell A.J. that his dress looked like a hot mess....I agree, it looked cluttered but I think that's his thing. What did he say? Something about his style being showing off his party favors rather than disgusing them. It looked like a club kids birthday dress to me. That's his style. Sort of like the way collages and yearbooks are fun.

And ok, who else is really turned off by Gretchen? Could her head be anymore bigger? The worst part is that she thinks she is humble. And HEY, what about when she shushed A.J. and then told him he was just upset about doing so badly. Last week, when she thanked everyone for being so supportive I could have died! How condescending/irritating.

I do like her designs, actually a lot, but I think they are overshadowed by her ego. Her three piece was good but was it really better than Michael's red dress? HOW DID THAT NOT GET IN THE TOP THREE? And how did Krisitin's or the other Michael's not make it in the bottom three?
Peach did better. But after last week I was really questioning why she was even on the show.

My favorite was Valerie's Design. I'm so glad she didn't go for that aqua belt. The black and white was classy. But I was satisfied that Andy won the challenge. His braided ribbon dress was pretty cool. And the balloon glove wasn't too shabby either. I also liked how they showed Gretchen seething about the other contestants helping him out near the end of the day. I don't like Gretchen. Can you tell?

So did any of you see the episode? Do you hate me for hating Gretchen?

45 {comments}:

Maggie said... Best Blogger Tips

I can't stand Gretchen either and I keep hoping she will make something hideous, but not yet :( I agree that AJ's was kind of cool, it is his thing. I really wish Sarah would have stayed a bit longer. The talent this season is pretty insane, I must say!

Crystal said... Best Blogger Tips

I was totally liking Gretchen the first two episodes, and then she turned into a MONSTER. I wonder if it's the editing sometimes? I am sad that Sara went home and not Casanova. I can't stand the "induced" drama that he brings, I would rather see awesoe designers than have someone there just for entertainment value. The unusual material challenges are always the best! Am I the only one who is going to miss Models of the Runway this year?

Keri said... Best Blogger Tips

Can't stand Gretchen, but love her style. Why was she NEVER working on her own project? She was always minding everyone's business. I though the red plate dress should have been top three too.

Love Michael Korrs though. I think he's dry and hilarious.

I wish you WOULD do Project Runway. You'd be great!

:D

Grosgrain said... Best Blogger Tips

Crystal,
Brian and I also think the editing exaggerates the drama. Like are all those pauses sooo pregnant?

I still think despite those exaggerations the other contestants are annoyed by her.

Jennifer said... Best Blogger Tips

I love Gretchen's style. I HATE her personality. She turned so mean this episode. Hello, you are not God's gift to fashion! You are on the same playing field as everyone else and you shouldn't treat everyone like you are better than them. She gets on my nerves so bad. I want to hate what she creates so badly, but she is spot on every week. She has the personality to hang with Nina, Michael, and Heidi for sure. She could take their snarky and smug comments! I agree with Michael being smug too. Oh, and we didn't even discuss Nina. Can't stand her! I don't even want to read Marie Claire because of her. Goodness, isn't that silly!

Ruhammie said... Best Blogger Tips

I just wish I had cable to watch it. It's one of the few things I'd like to watch on cable.

Just what is a Clair? said... Best Blogger Tips

I think the saddest thing about last night was that Gretchen seemed to be a big part of Sarah changing her mind about how to do her dress. Gretchen is just all around irritating to me. I think she will be in the final three though. Yikes for having to compete the whole time with her. I totally thought they were going to keep Sarah over Casanova when they talked about how atleast she knew her design was bad. Oh well, moving on.:)

Liz {Learning To Juggle} said... Best Blogger Tips

I LIVE for PR!!! Did you know you can catch it on mylifetime.com - full episodes!!

I thought I liked Gretchen, but I thought she was just mean and snotty this episode. I like peach, but I don't think she'll last very long - her designs are cute, but nothing amazing!! I would LOVE to see Valerie and Andy go far - I was really happy they were both in the top three, and I LOVED Valerie's skirt, and the detail to the top in the back was amazing!! I would also be ok if Cassanova was sent home - I just don't think he is that impressive and I find him kind of irritating!!

I do have to day I love Michael Kors, He can be a little short with them, but I think that's what they need, and I think his dry humor is pretty funny!!

Mary Moury said... Best Blogger Tips

I don't like Gretchen much either, but I don't dislike her as much as I dislike Casanova! I can not stand him or his work. he really is playing up the language when he talks to the judges or Tim, there doesn't to seem to be any problem at all when talking to the other designers. I was so sad to see him stay and Sarah go home.
I completely agree though that Micheal's red dress should have won!

Michelle J said... Best Blogger Tips

I can't stand Gretchen either! She is very talented, but soooooo cocky! I am glad someone else won, she needs some humility. I am upset that Casanova is still on the show. I think he is just there for ratings. I also so not think Kristin will make it far. She sews really crappy, and calls it a "embracing the mistake". I was shocked that the red dress wasn't in the top 3, it was awesome.
I love PR! My sisters call and talk about the show each week. So cool that others agree with our opinions!

Grosgrain said... Best Blogger Tips

Ruhammie,
You can watch it online:

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway/season-8/video/full-episodes/

Nancy said... Best Blogger Tips

I am glad Gretchen didn't win again.. hopefully she has been pulled down a notch and she will be (or at least) ACT a bit more humble..

I think Casanova deserved to go home. He had 100 dresses in one (as MK said) and he used a tablecloth which was kind of "against the rules"... and he isn't as stupid as he puts on...

I like the napkin dress the best.

Charlotte said... Best Blogger Tips

Ugh. I know. Shut up Gretchen! I think the panel (Heidi, Michael Kors, & Nina Garcia)tend to like Gretchen because they can all relate to that enormous ego she has.

laurie -magpie ethel said... Best Blogger Tips

I'm from Portland where Gretchen is from so it seems like you should be cheering on a person from your home town....she is waaaayyyy to annoying tho AND giving all the advice like she is more talented than everyone else. The red dress should have been in the top three last night and Casanova should have gone home...I do enjoy the show! (but back to an hour format please!)

Erica! said... Best Blogger Tips

I love Gretchen! lol! i was a little saddened by her attitude this week. her ego is getting a bit big. however, shes super cute & has amazing designs!
oh & you must go back & watch the last two!
michael korrs is a huge butt!! & so is heidi for that matter. but how about betsey johnson? i was soooo excited to see her. and she was so sweet!!
i'm really glad andy won! his design was pretty fantastic! valerie had a great one too!!
oh i also agree, why is peach on this show?? (but she sure is sweet)

erica
daniredvintage.blogspot.com

Aurora said... Best Blogger Tips

Oh wow, I have to agree with you on your ENTIRE POST! I thought Michael's red dress should have won-hands down. But honestly I was just happy that Gretchen didn't win. It's painful to watch her. Yes, she's talented but her attitude is terrible.
And when I was watching PR last night, I started thinking about all these blogs I read religiously and how the blog owners should be on PR...especially you!

Thanks for a great blog and GREAT inspiration!!

Rasmussen Family said... Best Blogger Tips

remember season 6's Irina who won? Heidi loves arrogant designers who actually can design. Casanova's got to go--he is retarded--peach needs to stop wearing sweaters with sunglasses on them (anyone else think they should do a designer makeover like on america's next top model??)and michael's dress definitely was not top 3 worthy...he should have kept it short. Andy needed to acknowledge that he wouldn't have finished in time if April and Peach wouldn't have stepped in and helped him...rude.

Laurwyn said... Best Blogger Tips

I agree with you, my favorite was Valerie's design. That dress was so nice and simple and classy... And could be used just in case Michael Korrs gives you a bad criticism...
I want to create a club of GretchenSlappers! Who's in?

Sarah O. said... Best Blogger Tips

I was totally liking Gretchen in the first 2 episodes and I still like her design aethetic, but in this episode she obviously let her 2 wins go to her head and she became ANNOYING. I hope in future episodes she gets handed some humble pie and tones it down, but for now she's still in my Top 3.

I loved Andy's dress and was glad that he one, though I hope he gave some off-camera kudo's to his helpers.

And I thought this was finally going to be the end of Casanova. I thought that 3 times in the bottom would get him out, so I was surprised and sad to see Sarah go and would have liked to have seen more from her.

I also miss Models of the Runway or seeing some of the competition involving the models, and I can't wait to see next week's hat inspired challenge.

The Studes said... Best Blogger Tips

if you want to watch the other shows they are all on lifetimetv.com

thats how i have to watch them because of not having cable =)!

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

I agree with Crystal's post. She started out fine but then she has apaprently lost her mind. Did you see her face when she didn't win this week? What a sour apple!

And when he said "thank you" to the bad comment and Heidi told him that it wasn't a compliment I wish he would have said "I was saying thank you because I appreciate the feedback". That would be something reasonable to say thank you for, don't you think?

And does anyone else think that Gretchen's hair is horrible? Not to sound petty but... it's a bowl cut married with a mullet. Not good. And I honestly didn't think making a fringed skirt out of garland was creative. They said it perfectly when they said Tina Turner already did that look.

Ok... I digress. Enough. LOL.

erin

Clarissa said... Best Blogger Tips

I agree about Gretchen. She seemed humble and grateful to be there in the beginning, but now after winning two challenges her head has grown tremendously. I'm not sure I'm very happy with the judging that's been going on either. Why is Casanova still there?!?!? He has no idea he's as bad as he is.

Sandy said... Best Blogger Tips

Count me in as a member of the GretchenSlappers club... she is so annoying. Going around, checking out what everybody else is doing... mind your own business!!! I'm sorry, but I haven't liked ANY of her designs so far... that jumpsuit last week was blah, and the black dress with the weird shoulder things the week before was just.. weird. This week's outfit was a little better, I guess, but not by much. Michael's red dress should have been in the top also... I love him, he has a great sense of humor. And I hope Valerie doesn't become the Susan Lucci of PR, I love her designs!

hooli said... Best Blogger Tips

Down with Gretchen. She could use a piece of humble pie. And now I will be back every Friday to read the dish.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

We love this show! My husband is currently living acros the country, without cable, so I'm DVRing it and waiting to watch until he can get the episode online.

But anyway, about the show! I can't stand Gretchen either. I wanted to slap her when she reminded everyone to clean up. I really hope that we see most of the drama, and that they are actually a relatively nice bunch. But I also cringed when Heidi snapped at that poor guy. He was so nervous. And if I was up there, I would have said "thank you" too!

I could do without Michael Kors for sure. He seems so disinterested all of the time.

I really want Peach to do well. I just don't think she gets it, though. She's been designing for conservative older woman for tooooooo long.

I wish the red dress had one, I thought it was fabulous. And Michael seems like such a sweetheart, I want someone like that to win!!!

It's too bad that Sara had to go home. I think it should have been Casanova. I have a bad feeling that he stayed for drama more than anything.
Oh the things that they edit out!

verbatim said... Best Blogger Tips

I think the editing has a lot to do with how annoying Gretchen comes off. AJ's constant blathering was more irritating to me. Other stray thoughts: 1) Although I like Michael Kors' comments on the show, I've never once been tempted to buy a Kors item in a retail store. 2) Valarie and Tracy Ulmann : separated at birth?

Anonymous said... Best Blogger Tips

So about Gretchen...I really like the clothes that Gretchen makes. And I don't think she is all that bad. She may be cocky and full of herself, but at least she isn't mean spirited like some of the other contestants. I think she and Valerie will be the in the final three. They seem to have very good taste.

Akatombo said... Best Blogger Tips

Ouch... love that sooo much!
Although in France, the show is around 1-2 am, and there are stupid french voices ON the real ones. So you can hear them both... badly.
And I won't be able to help reading your summaries, and I will know already all about it when it will be on french TV, months after!

Emma said... Best Blogger Tips

When Michael Kors said that Valerie styled her look 360 degrees, it meant that the look was complete (and looked complete) no matter what angle you looked at it. If the model were to turn in a circle, the whole look was styled perfectly.

When a look is only 180 or it isn't "360," then it only looks good at certain angles. A lot of designers on past seasons have had an awesome dress when looked at from the front, but the back is a hot mess or the sides of the dress look like they don't belong with the front and back.

Nancy Pechinski said... Best Blogger Tips

I do not like Gretchen either. I don't feel that her '80s jumpsuit should not have one the billboard challenge. The red dress was much nicer. Gretchen does have a rather large ego. I kind of wished that Casanova had gone home. I am just so glad that PR is on again.

Sarah said... Best Blogger Tips

It always makes me laugh when I hear someone say: "They did a complete 360"

Funny!

Sarah said... Best Blogger Tips

Haha, I'm so glad someone else commented on Gretchen's hair! I'm pretty sure I had that haircut in elementary school and I always bug my mom about WHY she let me do that. lol
I know a lot can be done with editing, but good grief she has a big head on those shoulders. I think she is talented, but her designs are not really my taste.

Grosgrain said... Best Blogger Tips

Emma,
I might have thought that too but they were discussing how last episode her styling was not good. Then right after MK said 'Well, I think you took a 360 with the styling."

I think if he meant her styling was nice all around the dress he would have said something like "Well, I think you 'did' a 360 with the styling".

I think 'took' implied something else.

But I see what you're saying, so I could be wrong.

Unknown said... Best Blogger Tips

Gretchen needs to just mind her own business and let the other designers do their own work. It's one thing if someone asks for her opinion, but as far as I can tell no one is asking her!

Unfortunately her designs are good, so we will probably be stuck with her for a while.

I agree that I would rather have Sara than Casanova. He is taking advantage of the whole "I don't understand English" thing.

Ana said... Best Blogger Tips

I feel exactly the same about everybody...especially Gretchen (cute name though). I do love her designs, but I can't stand the "big head". I like that you will be posting about PR!

Mommy Moxie said... Best Blogger Tips

It is so discouraging that Gretchen started off so sweet and then with those two wins her head blew up like a balloon. I do like her look and she has a true vision-I just wish she would keep her nose in her own business. I'm curious what she says at the end of the season about her actions (kind of like Santino in season 2 saying that wasn't really how he was IRL, just how he was portrayed on the show).

If Michael Kors first comment about Casanova's dress looking like "it belongs on a pole dancer in Dubai" doesn't say something, nothing does! He needs to go home already (and I love Michael Kors, I think he brings a lot to the show).

And yes, Michael's red dress should have been in the top three, kicking Gretchen's design to the curb. The only part of her outfit that was innovative was the jacket.

Oh how I love PR!! I live for Thursday nights!

Elz said... Best Blogger Tips

I like dGretchen at first, but never thought her outfits deserved the win. Now, I am so DONE with her. I thoguht this challenge was one of the better ones in terms of what the designers turned out. Also, I am OVER Casanova- get him off.

erin said... Best Blogger Tips

I like for you for not liking Gretchen! I agree! Her designs are good, but she's a witch!

M and E said... Best Blogger Tips

My sisters were in town and watched it with me, and we couldn't believe how irritating Gretchen was. And I was SHOCKED that Michael C's amazing red dress didn't make it into the top 3. It was made out of paper plates, for crying out loud!!

petite josette said... Best Blogger Tips

I was really annoyed by Gretchen as well but I am wondering also if making the episodes 15minutes longer is really working out. I like the show cause it's about designing and creating fashion, and in the 45 min versions of the previous seasons, there was no time for all the "drama" that we now have. I thought before it was more to the point and more about the fashion, less about the egos...But maybe that's just me...What do you think about longer episodes ?

GuysGirlKnits said... Best Blogger Tips

I don't think I hate her as much as everyone else but that could just be me giving her the benefit of the doubt because she's from Portland!
In her defense though, at the end when someone kind of told her to shutup, she WAS trying to say something nice.

Lady Mockingbird said... Best Blogger Tips

Unfortunately I love Gretchen's designs, but she does have a bad attitude. Valerie is adorable. I totally noticed the 360 thing, and Hellooooo... doesnt anyone else think that Cassonova should have been sent home over sarah or whatever her name is ..he's totally cookoo!!

Ruth said... Best Blogger Tips

I love Project Runway, too. I can not stand how Gretchen is acting. She thinks she is far above everyone else. I completely agree with everything you posted here. Felt bad for AJ. Too many people jumping on him at once and you could tell he was hurt.

I agree that Michael's red dress should have been in the top three. I think it should have gone above Gretchen's outfit. Kristen and the other Michael's definitely should have been in the bottom 3.

Love your blog. You have great tutorials.

On the shirring tutorial for the Brother sewing machine, are you using the embroidery machine with the self threading feature?

Thanks,
Ruth

Angelina S. said... Best Blogger Tips

I pretty much agree with everything you posted. Gretchen is incredibly annoying. And I did notice the 360 thing. He such a jerk I couldn't help smirking at him saying that.

Why is there no Mondo love, though?! I totally adore that guy!

iheartdesign said... Best Blogger Tips

Im right there with you in the Gretchen stand.
I think my issue with her is the policing of the other contestants and her unsolicited advice. She's not entirely a MEAN girl, right? But I think its just as frustrating to watch someone so irritating! But i think cassanova is annoying too, i cant believe that he is still there.....

 
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