Project Runway Designers at New York Fashion Week
by The Fashion Cult
First, allow me to admit that I haven’t watched a single second of this season’s Project Runway. The show went sour for me a few seasons ago (with some particularly obnoxious and clearly producer-influenced judging decisions). And despite its fashtastic content shows like it and The Rachel Zoe Project have become increasing less worthy of my time and attention.
Nonetheless, the Project Runway final collections are still on the Cult radar because they show during New York Fashion Week. Having not been influenced by their previous competition performance or their on-air personalities, I’ve selected my favorites from the ten designers who showed at a very lengthy presentation last week at the Lincoln Center. One of my picks is Ivy Higa, whose collection has an easy luxe appeal and seems the most plugged into the current market. I first thought Ivy would be my favorite to win, but the more I look at Mondo Guerra the more I love it. His collection showed a playful yet sophisticated take on pattern mixing and color that’s sort of Anna Sui meets Luella, with just a splash of Marni in for good measure.
Ivy Higa
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Mondo Guerra
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Valerie Mayen is a somewhat distant third in the Cult rankings, if for not other reason than her very singular perspective. See her work and the rest of the bunch in the galleries below.
Valerie Mayen
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Andy South
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April Johnston
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Casanova
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Christopher Collins
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Gretchen Jones
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Michael Costello
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Michael Drummond
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photos: WWD.com
Tags: nyfw, project runway
I have been watching project runway since the beginning. I have seen a lot of people who made jealous remarks and thought they were all that, but I am ashamed to say Ivy Higa you take the cake! I am ashamed to say you are from Hawaii. I did not think your designs were good at all.
April, where was all this great talent hiding while on the show? Your collection is beautiful. Michael C, love, love, love your collection!! Ivy was so mean spirited on the show, I really hope she isn’t like that in real life! I wouldn’t buy anything from her because she has no class.
I’m in total agreement about April’s talent. I am completely blown away by the collection presented here compared to what she created on the show–I was afraid she might be too one-dimensional, but even then, I liked her designs enough to think she deserved to be in the finals. But, alas, I am only a consumer, not an expert on couture.
the only designer worthy of previous season collections was Micheal C.!!! I’m glad he was able to show his talent (even as a consolation prize) Heidi must have regretted giving Gretchen HIS spot!!!! because she would have loved the grey flowing dress!!
thanks for letting the cat out of the bag! I’ve been faithfully watching Project Runway and now it looks like I know how the last episode ends. It’s like reading a book and someone telling you who the killer was while you only have 20 pages to go.
really? After looking at these pics, I thought Ivy’s was boooooooooring! Same thing over and over and over. Even if I hadn’t been a fan of Michael Cs on the show, his would have been my fav, here, though I don’t think the colors show very well in the pics. Surprized by Valerie’s. Not my own particular cup of tea, but I thought her collection was very unique, fun and colorful. Michael Drummond….. all I can say is his was just an embarrassment. Thanks for sharing.
Wait.
I thought only three designers get to show at Fashion Week.
What gives?
So here I am, also, thinking only 3 designers get to go to fashion week. WTH? Why are the other cut designers showing?
the other designers are shown to keep who is actually in the finale a secret to the public. at the time the fashion show actually happens, the show on tv includes all of those other designers at the time.
i’m actually glad gretchen won, i was def for mondo for a while, but i saw these before the finale, and the pictures don’t really do it justice, you have to see them actually walk down the runway to get the full effect. i do believe that mondo is amazing and has amazing talent but i thought gretchen is more my style, i really liked her stuff. i loved the piece she decided to not use on the runway, the one that she created in the second to last episode. i feel like she has more to offer in a real life collection, but only a little more than mondo, i still love him too.
So does the show pay for their lines to be made as well? That’s kind of awesome though too because people get to see their work too and they get exposure.
Michael C. was robbed. His collection was diverse, and gorgeous. The collections of
the final 3 were boring. Gretchen is the one who originally turned her little clique
against Michael. He’s a very sweet person, and was much too nice to that bunch of
vipers.
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People who are attacking Ivy saying she’s a total bitch, please. You’re a fool for believing everything you see on TV.
Ivy may not have been the best designer of the bunch, but seriously she’s way better than Michael, and Ivy wasn’t the only one who thought he was horrible. Also, just because Heidi thinks Michael C’s work is Amazing, it doesn’t mean that it is. I mean, we’ve seen Heidi wore some outrageous dresses on the show. PLUS, she was going to vote Mondo as the winner.
I sense a lot of hate not only on her, but also on her design just because people HATE her.
Michael was a total cry baby, wahhh, they’re gaining up on me bla bla bla.
I like Christopher’s.
they’re more sophisticated to me.