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Inspired: Project Runway Winner Leanne Marshall's Collection

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:00:19 PDT

I'm totally infatuated with Project Runway season five winner Leanne Marshall's final collection. I loved how the palette was so restrained, just neutrals and a gorgeous turquoise; it really let the sculptural shape of the clothes shine. And although the collection did have an architectural quality, the pieces were still full of movement, with pleats that fluttered like a flock of birds bursting into the air.

I thought I'd see if I could capture the essence of the collection with a few home furnishings, and as usual, I was able to come up with some inspired finds. Not only did I discover a range of products in the same palette, but I also came across a handful of pieces with similar sculptural pleats, folds, and curves. To see for yourself,

Behind the Seams: Project Runway Season Five Wrap Party

FabSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:00:22 PDT

After last night's Project Runway season five, you and I probably went to bed, but the contestants partied the night away. The likes of Jerell, Korto, the Duff sisters, and Project Runway alums Jeffrey Sebelia and Santino Rice showed up at STK restaurant in LA to celebrate five seasons of fabulous. Other celebs in attendance were Ricki Lake, Christine Lakin, and Rick Shroder. Drinks and food were aplenty, as were music and schmoozing. But where were Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, and the latest winner Leanne? Probably resting up after a chaotic season. I can't say I blame them, but the party must go on . . .

To see more from the wrap party,

Congratulations . . . Leanne Marshall! The Project Runway Season Five Winner

FabSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:00:22 PDT

Some of you restrained yourselves when I shared the final Project Runway collections in September. Then, it was still six designers in the running, so I witnessed final collections by Joe, Jerell, Suede, Kenley, Korto, and Leanne. I still don't understand why this isn't planned better. I firmly believe only the final three should show at the tents. Plus, it's a waste of money. Anyway, another Project Runway has come and gone and now you can view them all! And, you can buy them all! While we await the decision on the future of next season, I want to share what I then observed about the winner's collection. I'm not one to toot my own horn, but I had a feeling Leanne would win. Last night, Kenley's collection wowed me over once again and for a second I thought she might win. Alas, a bad attitude and unoriginality spoiled Kenley's chance.

Here's what I thought about Leanne's collection right after I saw it - nothing has changed. It was fresh, innovative, and gorgeous.

Leanne
Funny how the six collections gradually got better. I think Leanne is going to win. Her collection was as stellar as any of the professional collections from the week. It was conceptual, beautiful, and theatrical. Leanne claimed she "lost a million hours of sleep" over it, and it showed. Sculptural skirts, dresses, and gowns floated down the runway to the beat of a neutral, cool palette. The craftsmanship was expert and you could just feel the adoration in the air. I would wear the ivory off-shoulder top and turquoise petal skirt and the ivory and beige corset mini dress in a heartbeat. And her modern wedding dress blew Suede's off the (project) runway.

To see all of Leanne's final collection,

On Our Radar: Own a Piece of the Project Runway

FabSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:00:22 PDT

This season, Project Runway is offering up the original pieces shown in Bryant Park in an exclusive online auction at ProjectRunway.com. Items from the auf'ed final contestants, Jerell, Suede, and Joe, are currently up for auction while the pieces from the three finalists, Kenley, Leanne, and Korto, will post immediately following the season finale tonight at 7 p.m. PST.

The auctions from the three final contestants will last for one week. I like to swoop in on the bidding war during the last couple seconds, but do as you will. Too expensive for your taste? Nab a piece of America's favorite Project Runway host with your very own Tim Gunn Talking Bobble Head ($25) saying his popular catchphrase, "Carry on." Hilarious.

Do You Agree With the Three Project Runway Finalists?

FabSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:00:22 PDT

Spoiler alert! The last episodes of Project Runway gave a glimpse into the real lives of the finalists. Tim pays visits to their hometowns, where they've been working on their final collections for a month. Learning the roots of the designers is cool; seeing their work spaces, their surroundings, their family, their friends. And Tim really shines as their mentor. Aw.

The challenge was to create a wedding dress - oh, and a last-minute bridesmaid dress - and the results were eye opening. It really showed who had a vision. I was a bit disappointed in Korto's - does any woman want to wear beige on her wedding day? - and was blown away by Leanne's. Kenley got the quick insult of her dress resembling Alexander McQueen's Fall collection (it's so true). And Jerell's adorned gown missed the mark. It's crunch time people. Do you agree with the final three? Or did someone prematurely get auf'd?

Photos courtesy of Bravo TV

The Best of Project Runway Season Five

FabSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:15:22 PDT

Let's reminisce. Project Runway season five is coming to a close, with the final two episodes nearing. It hasn't been the most funny or dramatic season, but it has produced the biggest pool of talent. It's always exciting to make it to the final four and have your personal favorite. I think I'll wait to share mine, but here's a collection of some of the best of the season. My favorites tended to come from the same talents - Korto, Leanne, and Terri mainly - but see who else exhibited stellar skills. Also, peruse who Buzz's faves were!

Photo courtesy of Bravo TV

The Heat Is On Project Runway

FabSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:00:22 PDT

Is it me or was last night's episode of Project Runway intense? Emotions are running high, as they normally do this close to the finale show. I liked the challenge - I love the New York Botanical Gardens (if you haven't been, go) - and the idea of creating evening gowns out of flora. Sounds easy right? You would think. But all the designers struggled with this one and didn't produce fabulous flowerful designs. I think guest judge Georgina Chapman, of Marchesa, was disappointed. Alas, next stop: Bryant Park!

Which Genre Would You Have Preferred to Outfit on Project Runway?

FabSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:00:22 PDT

Last night's episode of Project Runway left me loving someone a little more (Leanne) and despising someone a little more (Kenley). When the designers found out they were outfitting each other there were mixed emotions, but when they had to do it according to a musical genre (random) they were intrigued - for the most part. Some took it and ran with it, and even got into character on the runway. And one complained and even insulted mentor Tim Gunn. Annoyances aside, I'm happy about the winner, and the loser. But I do feel some of the genres were harder to decipher than others. So tell me: Which genre would you have preferred to outfit?

Photos courtesy of Bravo TV

Project Runway Gets Girls (Women!) Ready For the Real World

FabSugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:00:22 PDT

Last night's episode of Project Runway lacked pizazz. I think we're at that dwindling point where we just want the remaining true talents to shine. It's time to weed out the wannabees. Am I being too harsh? This is fashion people! The remaining six had to create outfits for women who had recently graduated from college, preparing them for the real world and with mom's approval. Most mother-daughter duos and designers got along, and the designs proved to be pretty run-of-the-mill - nothing fabulously atypical. Maybe they were saving their energy for the finale runway show. Feel free to peruse the real-world looks . . .

Photo courtesy of Bravo TV

The Project Runway Season Five Finale Runway Show!

FabSugar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:10:36 PDT

The grand finale of my Fashion Week was the Project Runway finale show. And what a show it was. Before the season five contestants showed their collections, it was a reunion among familiar faces. It's always a joy seeing Runway alumni gather and mingle. The recently booted Blayne and Terri were there - all smiles - and favorites like Jay, Rami, Jillian (wearing a familiar knit sweater from her collection), Chris March, and Jack Mackenroth (who I chatted with at the Jill Stuart show, he is so sweet) all made cameos. Enter Christian Siriano, who had his own Spring show the night before. Then, Michelle Tractenberg, Rachel Zoe, and Harvey Weinstein were chatting about. Quite the spectacle!Anticipation grew once Heidi, Nina, and Michael Kors all came out to welcoming applause. Side note: Are Heidi and Nina both wearing Roland Mouret dresses? They looked great, but I wonder if that was planned. At 9:30 a.m. the lights dimmed and Heidi appeared, microphone in hand. She said some heartfelt words to the people of Bravo and the Magic Elves (the show's producers) - saying goodbye and thanking them for five great seasons. To bring you up to speed, Runway is moving to Lifetime for their sixth season (and that will be interesting in itself).

The guest judge seat remained empty. All week long there had been rumblings about Jennifer Lopez being the guest judge, but it was anticlimactic when Heidi announced that Lopez was unable to due to "a foot injury." Boo. And so, Tim Gunn stepped in at the last minute to serve as guest judge. Don't get me wrong - I adore Gunn - but it was very exciting when Victoria Beckham graced us with her presence last time. Once all was said and done, the first collection, by Jerell, was unveiled . . .

To see the collections of Jerell, Suede, Joe, Korto, Kenley, and Leanne, and to read my reviews,

read more. Jerell Jerell has one of the most lovable personalities, but his collection wasn't so. He came out and thanked his parents, boyfriend, and bestie, and I was really looking forward to his final collection. Bustiers, ruffles, dramatic bodices, and black and gold comprised his aesthetic. There was a regal undertone, as well as a pirate feel, but the taste level just wasn't that high. His two gowns didn't fit so well, and there wasn't a strong point of view. My favorite look was the embellished cardigan over a striped dress with sheer overlay.

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Suede Oh gosh. I really didn't like this collection. It was immature and incohesive, and the Barbie girl color palette was ridiculous. Suede claimed "Suede's going to rock it" but he didn't. He mixed plaid with pastels, ruffles with one shoulder, and shredded and draped pieces; cotton candy fabrics were utterly unsophisticated. I didn't mind the wedding dress, but that was subpar.

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Joe Joe is vanilla. His heart is in the right place, but his talent is hit or miss. Throughout the season, he's had some winners and losers, but his final works, which he claimed were Americana-inspired, were disappointing. He should have taken a more Ralph Lauren elegance take on the theme, and less Harley Davidson rough and tough. Brown leather corsets, patterned jeans, leather pants, and a navy dress with white stars were misses; a super cute paisley print dress, turquoise ornamentation, and a textured red ball gown skirt were hits. But this collection was not consistent enough to win.

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Kenley Fun, quirky and feminine - just like the girl who made it. I like Kenley, although her distinct laugh annoys some, and her Alice in Wonderland take on "her dream wardrobe" was surprisingly versatile. Each piece was unique, and yet the collection melded together wonderfully. There were a few ooh ahh pieces: the black dress with fuchsia print overskirt (pictured above), the dramatic ruffle teal print blouse and black flounce skirt, and the pink and black colorblock bodice with dramatic tulle skirt dress. Her little feathered hats, which she has a penchant for, were a nice touch. This was possibly my personal favorite - full of eclecticism - but things heated up after she showed . . .

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Korto I think Korto has the most interesting point of view, and her collection was beautifully exotic and elegant. However, there were one too many emerald green dresses, I'm just sayin.' Her collection was "inspired by nature and the landscape and clothes of her native country, Africa." She also designed the beaded and colorful jewelry (which I loved). Her color story was rich: emerald green, turquoise, mustard yellow, white, and ecru. Her silhouettes ranged from a slim halter gown and pouf sleeves to flirty cocktail dresses and asymmetrical cuts. The jungle printed banded belt frock was covetable, but a white frilly long dress was confusing. I loved the sometime Oscar de la Renta exoticism, though.

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Leanne Funny how the six collections gradually got better. I think Leanne is going to win. Her collection was as stellar as any of the professional collections from the week. It was conceptual, beautiful, and theatrical. Leanne claimed she "lost a million hours of sleep" over it, and it showed. Sculptural skirts, dresses, and gowns floated down the runway to the beat of a neutral, cool palette. The craftsmanship was expert and you could just feel the adoration in the air. I would wear the ivory off-shoulder top and turquoise petal skirt and the ivory and beige corset mini dress (pictured above) in a heartbeat. And her modern wedding dress blew Suede's off the (project) runway.

View 11 Photos ›

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