Top Ten Project Runway Bryant Park Looks: 1

Drumroll please...


Number 1: Jay McCarroll




Of course no one is surprised that our Number One is from Jay's collection but maybe some are are surprised that THIS is the look we chose. To be honest, we bickered quite a bit over which look deserved the slot and Lorenzo finally convinced Tom that this crocheted cape/poncho and color-blocked skirt was the one above all others. It may seem strange after all the high-end gowns on the list to pick these relatively humble separates, but no other look does as good a job of summing up Jay's masterful collection than this one. His love of crochet and quilting, his color sense, and his unique, funky style are all here on display. The bottom line is, it's just our favorite damn look and it always has been.


Honorable Mentions

Uli Herzner


Korto Momolu


Kara Saun


[Photos: Getty Images/firstVIEW]

Top Ten PR Looks of All Time

Darlings, we've been talking about doing this for what seems like years and the other day, we found ourselves on the way into New York with nothing to do on the train but bicker, so we chose this as the topic to bicker about.

Joking aside, it was ridiculously easy. We don't know about anybody else, but when we think "Top 10 looks," these were all no-brainers. It took us all of ten minutes to come up with a list. Bear in mind that these are the top ten competition looks. We're not including anything shown by any of the designers in Bryant Park. No, we were looking at the stuff that was thrown together in 2 days on 50 bucks.

This is, of course, highly subjective. If you think we missed one or that we chose one that shouldn't be anywhere near the top 10, let's hear it. After all, the whole point to top 10 lists is to spur conversation. What's in your Top 10?

So without further ado, let's start the countdown.

Number 10


Season 2: Episode 7 - "On Thin Ice"
Designed by Chloe Dao
Model: Grace Kelsey

We'll never understand why Sasha Cohen picked Zulema's toothpaste monstrosity over this. Her whiny complaint was "It looks like a Christmas tree." Shyeah! If Christmas trees were FABULOUS! We though this was a beautiful, unique look, perfectly executed. Going light on the sparkle kept it classy.

Number 9


Season 4: Episode 8 - "En Garde!"
Designed by Jillian Lewis and Victorya Hong
Model: Jacqueline Miranne

Season 4 wasn't exactly known for the exuberant personalities of the designers, nor were the teamups anything but embarassingly tense. However, these two happy-go-lucky gals put aside any rivalry and knocked out a stunningly beautiful, striking coat that was all Dr. Zhivago on the top and Petticoat Junction on the bottom. The pink plaid made a perfect counterpoint to the almost sinister black.


Number 8


Season 3: Episode 7 - "Everyday Woman"
Designed by Uli Herzner
Model: Judy G. (Kayne's mother)

While we were in NY, we of course stopped by Laura's and the conversation drifted to this list. When we got to this look, she was adamant. "Definitely. That one has to be on the list." This was a perfect example of a designer melding her aesthetic to the task and the client at hand. It still has Uli's trademark flowy, Miami Beach feel, but it's appropriate for the client and more importantly, incredibly flattering. Whenever we hear competitors whine over the fact that they have to dress a non-size-2 woman, we think of this look, which proved not only that it can be done, but that it can be done fabulously and stylishly.

What? Did you think we were gonna do all ten at once? Silly kittens.



[Photo: Barbara Nitke/Bravotv.com - Screencaps: projectrungay.blogspot.com]

Everybody Wins!

And Project Runway takes one step closer to the Special Olympics. Next season, there will be someone permanently stationed at the end of the runway to give out hugs. We recommend Andre Leon Talley.

It's a cute, sassy dress and that's saying something coming from Uli. While some of us thought it looked a little too "Star Trek," the general consensus on the couch last night was that she done good. Loved the collar and trim and loved how she arranged the tie-dye pattern to mimic the female form. She may only have a couple notes to play, but Uli plays them like a virtuoso.

Every time Uli stands next to her model, the resultant "Uli explosion" burns another hole in our TV screen. Bravo better buy us a new TV after the season's over. This one's about shot. The people in the Claritin commercials all have weird, hippy, beach-party patterns on their faces as they stoically inform us of the oily discharge side-effects.

But let's be honest here, there's one model who consistently sells the garments better than any other and all the designers have been itching to use her. Uli got her chance, and god bless her devious little Teutonic heart, she dumped poor Lindsay like a pimp with a ho on her 40th birthday. Lindsay's all "Shit, I worked a dozen Janis Joplin dresses for that bitch and this is what I get?" Nazri's all "Eat it, bitches. I'm fabulous." And she is. The picture Uli took of her with the street band was fantastic.

That girl can work just about anything.



Edited to add: For the completionists and the curious, the band's name is a dropdead star.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bravo channel is proud to present...

LIZA!

The hottest ticket of 1973! Fresh off her award winning concert "Liza with a Z," comes her sensational followup "Liza with a Tan and a Bottle of 'Ludes!"

Oh, Uli. What are we gonna do with you?

"I'm gonna do a hippy, beach-party cocktail dress..."

GET OUT! We fell off our couch, we were so shocked! The twists and turns just keep on coming with the little German Dressmaker Who Could! Stun us again, Uli! Say something like "For this episode, I'm going to speak only with a German accent." Brilliance!

Aww, we love her. She's a sweetheart, but she's so predictable. Everyone take a shot each time she says "Miami." On second thought, don't. You'll pass out before the judging.

Anyway, the dress...what is there to say?

It's cute. It's fun. But we've seen so much of this already that we were just "ennh" about it.

Not that she needs them, but props need to be given to Nina. We joke about her being a bitch, but damn if she doesn't know her stuff. One suggestion from her and the dress looked about a thousand times prettier and more interesting.

But wait, what's this?

"If I go before Angela, it's gonna be embarrassing."

YES! We knew there was a little teutonic bitch under that adorable exterior! Let her out more often, Girl! She needs some air!

Uli's collection

More pictures here and here.

"I'm wearing an Uli Herzner UNoriginal!"

It's so damn hard to write posts about Uli because dammit, she never gives us material for jokes. She's so drama-free and low key that she doesn't seem like a reality show contestant at all.

Anyway, let's talk about her dress this week.

Whoops! That's not this week's dress! How ever could we have made such a mistake?

Okay, pretty. Very, very pretty. Beautiful color, beautiful detail on the bust, beautiful construction. If this had been the first Uli Herzner dress we'd ever seen, we'd be falling all over ourselves complimenting it.

Thing is, it's not the first Uli Herzner dress we've ever seen. Laura gets criticized a lot for being one-note, but there's a difference between having a narrow aesthetic and literally making the same dress over and over again. We were truly puzzled as to why the judges didn't say anything to that effect this week.

The other thing that puzzled us is why the judges didn't point out what seemed obvious to us: this dress doesn't represent or look like a couture gown. It looks like a nice red carpet dress and there's a big difference.

Maybe we're reading too much into it, but it sounded like Catherine Malandrino was hinting at just that in her comment.

"It is so easy, so light and effortless."

Ahh, catty French bitches. What's not to love?

Uli, Schätzchen, we think you're very sweet and you have certainly never thrown anything down the runway that didn't look beautifully made, but with each subsequent garment, we grow less and less impressed. On the one hand, we want you to make it to the final four to see your collection, on the other hand, we feel like we've seen your collection already.

This is, of course, personal taste, but we'll take a "Manhattan Rich Bitch" aesthetic over a "Miami Rich Bitch" one any day of the week.

So there.

Uli, Uli Oxen Free!

Okay, we take it back.

We said last week that she'd made us believers but we're having a crisis of faith, y'all. Because that? Butt ugly. Yes, she "really knows prints," but she doesn't have to invite them all over to the same dress. That is just way too much, Mädchen.

It didn't help that she marched down the runway like she was looking to kick the cameraman's ass.

Uli, Madly, Deeply

Winner, Dammit!! WINNER!! AGH! !

We're so pissed, it's taken us all day to write this entry.

Just LOOK at this:

Gorgeous! The bitch already established herself as the princess of prints, but damn, girl really knows draping and structure, too. That is an amazingly flattering outfit. It's also stylish and very pretty.

And what do they do? We'll tell you what they do. THEY GIVE IT TO VINCENT AND HIS FRIKKIN "JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL" DRESS. Ugh. Judges, you were smoking some bad crack last night.

Uli, Schätzchen, we owe you an apology. We thought you were capable of only one garment, but you made a believer out of us. You definitely know what you're doing.

The Odd Couple

We wish we had more to say about Uli, but she's always in the background, keeping the drama to a minimum and working like a German. She's repetitive in the same way Laura is, but what she does, she always does well. This dress was beautiful if a little lampshade-y.

YES! Jubilee Jumbles is back, y'all! Last week's detour into taste has been hastily readjusted back into ticky-tackery. Judging by the apron, this is meant to be worn by the cook at Camp Jubilee Jumbles. We're starting to think Camp Ju-Ju is where you send little gay boys to try and turn them straight. The counselors probably all walk around in crotchless panties.

Fashion! What a feeling!

Uli

My name is
Ulimariavontrappautobahnpotsdamerplatz
Herzner, but everyone calls me Uli.

BTW, we LOVED your dress. Fierce and sophisticated.


And the bitch worked it.

[Screencaps: Project RunGay]