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Project Runway: Denim Nation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The high: High fashion takes on the working man’s brand.
The low: Sweet P’s dirty foot.
It doesn’t take a lot of thought to pull on jeans or a jean jacket in the morning, but it takes more than a little savvy to reinvent them for the runway.
This was the challenge that tripped up Victorya this week. Trying to reinterpret a classic denim jacket showed that some items that just can’t be reinterpreted successfully. When all was said and done, it was still a denim jacket.
Dana Legette-Traylor, dean of fashion marketing at Atlanta’s American InterContinental University, told us that because of Rami’s embellishments — he added zippers and a double row of buttons — his dress had the most potential to be turned into an actual collection. “This is a season for accessories,” Legette-Traylor said. “Zippers, labels, brass buttons … are an extension of the accessory, more so than a handbag or a shoe.”
So the designers who reshaped their denim into svelte little dresses and trendy skinny jeans were more successful … right?
Not quite. Innovation doesn’t automatically translate to retail success in this case, Legette-Traylor added.
Even though the super-fitted denim designs might have looked adorable on the runway, they probably have a limited audience. “Particularly in the United States, given the number of body types we have, I’m just not sure how the little denim dresses would sell,” especially without some Spandex stretch, she said.
In light of that, it’s even more impressive that Ricky could score a limited-edition deal to sell his winning design through Levi’s Web site. Not only does it give Ricky worldwide exposure, but it could help Levi’s rebrand itself in a retail environment where premium denim price tags are comfortably settled in the three figures.
Cheap or costly, denim is here to stay. This American classic, said Legette-Traylor, is still (relatively) inexpensive, it’s resourceful, and it wears well. Plus, workplaces are more accepting of denim throughout the week.
Even though Victorya went home, we thought that Jillian’s dress looked more muddled and unfinished. And while we were impressed by Sweet P’s workmanship, the patchwork called to mind some unfortunate fashion moments from the 1970s. All that was missing was the white bolero jacket and the espadrilles — and the Dorothy Hamill haircut.
The last word: Would you wear a “little blue dress” or Christian’s high-fashion motocross jeans?
Permalink | Comments (25) | Categories: Project Runway
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By Fred
January 24, 2008 7:35 AM | Link to this
yawn……
By meme
January 24, 2008 7:43 AM | Link to this
I would wear Sweet Pea’s dress in a second. Of course I am also a relic of the ‘60’s. lol
By jct
January 24, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this
I would wear Sweet Pea’s dress as well. I liked it better before she shortened the dress. I am a relic of the 80’s. I liked Christain’s as well but I could never wear it…
By Robert Morton
January 24, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
Who reads this? Why is it here? Who cares?
By PRFan
January 24, 2008 8:51 AM | Link to this
I liked Rami’s dress (would wear it) and the fact that Christian made a jacket & jeans (never wear it). I am not a Christian fan, but he has been pulling some stunners lately. it was disappointing that everyone did a dress (even the jackets looked liked dresses) except Christian. Where was the innovation - forward thinking? Vick and Jill were disappointing because they just rehashed their outfit from last week.
By sexy1977
January 24, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this
I really loved sweet-p’s dress and Rami’s dress. I felt that Christian’s outfit required the most amount of effort. I have to agree with PRFan on Jillian and Victoria piggybacking on the outfits they made last week. and I am ready for the cry-baby to go home.
By Lance
January 24, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this
Hey Robert Morton,
I think mostly gay men like me and fashion conscious women care about this…and obviously you do too since you took the time to post. Which one of the above are you?
I can’t believe Ricky..he cries when he’s on the bottom and he cries when he wins…I didn’t see his outfit as the winner either. I thought Rami’s should have won and I would have worn Sweet P’s outfit.
By Yvette
January 24, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
Robert Morton: It is best to be thought of as stupid than to speak (or type in your case) and remove all doubt. YOU took the time to post a comment so obviously YOU read the article and obviously YOU care.
Anyway, I liked Sweet P’s dress as well. Would I wear it? Probably not. I also liked Rami and Ricky creations.
By Baba
January 24, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
I can’t do the skinny jeans thing (too much caboose) but I would wear one of those rehashed jackets if it were made better. Sort of over the top, I know, but it would certainly be novel for the one or two wearings before I shoved it in the back of my closet.
Ricky: I liked his dress well enough but I didn’t think it deserved to win.
By fashion challenged
January 24, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
Michael Kors is a bore. I liked the designs though.
By el
January 24, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this
I think christian’s outfit should have won - he was robbed. I don’t think ricky’s dress was the best - he’s proof that the producers get to pick who stays. I think rami’s or sweet pea’s dresses were better then ricky’s dress.
By Scott
January 24, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this
The bottom line is the most talented person is Christian, there is no way he can lose.
By pj
January 24, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this
I think Ricky won because his dress has the best potential to be a commercial success. I would wear it in a heartbeat. Christian’s design was more fashion forward, but I would never wear it. I liked Sweet P’s dress also - again, more “wearable”, in my opinion.
By Nerts
January 24, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this
I can’t handle it if Christian wins. I agree he has talent, but his personality leaves a lot to be desired!! But going back to last week, that dress with the stand-up mantle was outrageously cool.
By lizzie
January 24, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
I was taken back by how bad both Jillian and Victoria did: Victoria was hard to get across a new idea, so she should have listened with Tim’s advice I think Jillian is just overwhelmed by the pressure, she is an awesome designer with a 70’s flair We may hate Christian attitude, the boy can sew……… I like Sweet Pea and I hope she does better each week, I want to see what she can do on the big runway
By molulu
January 24, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
Christian is extremely talented and impresses me every week. Yes, he is mean, but that’s fashion — and reality TV. (Do you really think Karl Lagerfeld is a teddy bear…not!) Also, Christian knows how to work it for the cameras. He does it better than Ricky.
I think they were too hard on Chris, and I usually hate his work. Unfortunately, Victorya revealed herself to be a schemer who lacks original ideas. But the show is getting better every week. Can’t wait for Bryant Park!
By RLU
January 24, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this
I liked all of them except Victorya’s even though I couldn’t wear any of them. Chris is a hoot and more. I am kind of tired of Rami. Jillian is sweet but weak. Like him or not, Chris is good. I think he will win. And don’t ya just love Sweet P!! What a great show!
By Jerry
January 24, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this
Crybaby Ricky must be either the judges’ or producers’ pet because he did not deserve to win. He should have been eliminated weeks ago. Most of these reality shows keep an undeserving villain around for dramatic tension, but all Ricky does is make us ill. I’m surprised he didn’t make another tearful call home to mommy to cement himself as the king of pathos. Poor old Chris is on borrowed time, despite his reprieve. I like him, but he just does not come up with winning designs. He does, however, sometimes provide much needed comic relief to a weak season.
By Jerry
January 24, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this
Crybaby Ricky must be either the judges’ or producers’ pet because he did not deserve to win. He should have been eliminated weeks ago. Most of these reality shows keep an undeserving villain around for dramatic tension, but all Ricky does is make us ill. I’m surprised he didn’t make another tearful call home to mommy to cement himself as the king of pathos. Poor old Chris is on borrowed time, despite his reprieve. I like him, but he just does not come up with winning designs. He does, however, sometimes provide much needed comic relief to a weak season.
By Pdawg
January 24, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this
I didn’t see the show last night. I will have to catch a rerun tonight or this weekend. But i love the show and I can’t wait to see what you guys are talking about!!!!
By Pdawg
January 24, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this
I didn’t see the show last night. I will have to catch a rerun tonight or this weekend. But i love the show and I can’t wait to see what you guys are talking about!!!!
By Pdawg
January 24, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this
I didn’t see the show last night. I will have to catch a rerun tonight or this weekend. But i love the show and I can’t wait to see what you guys are talking about!!!!
By Pdawg
January 24, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this
I didn’t see the show last night. I will have to catch a rerun tonight or this weekend. But i love the show and I can’t wait to see what you guys are talking about!!!!
By The Real PR Fan
January 24, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
Ricky staved off the inevitable. He’s so on borrowed time. The next to go, in no particular order, and unless Jillian completely self-destructs (a distinct possibility): Ricky, Chris, Sweet P. Then Jillian. My picks for Bryant Park are Christian, Rami and Jillian. And I don’t think much of the latter two. (This may be the least-talented group of designers in terms of being “fashion-forward.” Odd that Christian, the youngest, is also the most daring of the group.)
By ATLQuest
January 24, 2008 10:05 PM | Link to this
I just caught a rerun of last night’s show (it was soooo hard not to read this b4)…why oh why is Ricky still here??!!!
Sure his dress was cute but it was not a winner by any stretch…and can someone please turn off the water works. It may have been good TV 4 wks ago; now it’s just annoying.
Christian is a beeyach with an attitude but the boy can work a design…his was by far the most innovative and should have won.
And was anyone else annoyed by that purple scarf flung on Chris’s model? Stop it.