Project Runway 4, Episode Four
Manolo says, ayyyy! Poor Chris, the Manolo was not ready for you to leave. Indeed, he found you to be among the most tolerable of this season’s personalities, especially when compared to the perpetually weepy/bitchy/whiney/annoying/moderately- untalented Ricky.
Chris, you were the sweet and charmingly funny grown-up person, and the Manolo devoutly wishes you had done better. Your outfit was not great, but it was by no means the worst, and your challenge (to make shoulder pads acceptable) was among the most difficult of all. The mistake in this case was to decide in favor of the 80s evening wear shoulder pads, instead of the much more trendy, 1940’s pencil skirt and shoulder pads. You went for Alexis Carrington when you should have aimed at Jane Russell and Barbara Stanwyk.
And so you were frog-marched off stage by Heidi, with the mocking jackal’s voice of Donna Karan (with her phoney-baloney, fake sincere smile) ringing in your ears.
Oh, how the Manolo wept bitter tears for 3.6 milliseconds, the exact amount of time he devoted to your made-for-television plight, before he returned to loathing Ricky.
As for the contest, this has the orange-stained hands of Michael Kors all over. Take three outdated and awful trends and revamp them in something anodyne that can be sold to the unsuspecting masses of fashion dunderheads. Brilliant!
Sadly, the outfits produced by this challenge were mostly forgettable, and the Manolo can only recall them by making continual reference to the photos. 
As for the final product, the winning ensemble, crafted by Jillian and Remi and Kevin, looked exactly like something Jillian herself would wear, meaning the sort of predictable, safe, utilitarian, mildly modish style favored by early Rumer Willis. It is not unattractive, just boring and somewhat boyish. Most of her personal outfits cry out for the addition of the newsboy cap. Newsies!
Nonetheless, Jillian led the team that produced the strongest ensemble, and Remi and Kevin demonstrated that they have some real talent for design, although they are ultimately conventional and safe designers, producing safe and conventional designs.
As for the rest, the outfits were nothing special. Neither horrible enough to make the Manolo wince, nor good enough for him to devote much time or attention to, just blah. Yes, for entertainment purposes there was the bitchfest between Victorya and Ricky, but then the Manolo suspects that anyone who spent more than fifteen minutes with Ricky would come to dislike him. Although, Victorya, with her hyper-competitive, superior way, is no prize sow, either.
Finally, the Manolo has been thinking that perhaps his biggest complaint about the Season 4, is that all of the challenges thus far have been terribly commercial.
“Designers, make something that Sarah Jessica Parker’s indentured workers in Myanmar can produce for $1.28, to be sold at $19.99 in the bargain outlets in Kansas.”
“Designers, make something that can be worn by the handsome former sports star that will not cause the Today Show audience to spit their Shredded Wheat all over the kitchen.”
“Designers, make something that Michael Kors can rip off and sell under his discount label.”
This incessant focus on the boringly commercial has meant that this season has yet to produce one, single, drop-dead beautiful piece. Think back to the past seasons, when challenges featuring coffee-filters, and garden trimmings, and, literally, garbage resulted in outfits that made you gasp with pleasure, made you question your assumptions about what you might wear to the office Christmas party.
This season, nearly everything that has gone down the runway has been work-a-day, or if not work-a-day, just unattractive.
The Manolo suspects that some of these designers are far more odd than the challenges have thus far allowed them to be. Indeed, even though Eliza grinds on the Manolo’s nerves, it cannot be denied that there is something here worth paying attention to, something the Manolo wishes to see more fully explored.
And so, the Manolo awaits the appearance of the piece of great beauty, growing discontented as each week passes and it does not appear.
P.S. Random Manolo Note: Christian. If you use the word “fierce” one more time in reference to anything that is not related to either a) Viking warriors, or b)exceptional geophysical events, such as hurricanes or tsunamis, the Manolo will hunt you down and kill you, slowly.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Ricky is turning into this season’s Wendy Pepper, just barely surviving every week.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Excellent summary Manolo. I too was hoping this would be the final episode where I would have to watch Ricky cry on camera.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
http://shopping.beloblog.com/archives/2007/12/project_runwayrickys_was_a_lit.html
Not a fan Ricky as well. Check out the above link.
December 6th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
I think Jillian’s style is much more Baby Houseman. Seriously, I expect her to break out into “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” any second.
December 6th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
The Manolo, what did you think of Kevin using the white wedge shoe to hammer the brass buttons on his shorts? Aiyee!
December 6th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Chris is a lovely man. Whatever he was given to do, he did with no fuss, no drama, but with talent and great good humor. I was impressed with his design work, but even more so with his character. As for his outfit in this challenge, well, if I were 8″ taller and a few pounds lighter, I’d wear it in a heartbeat.
As for Christian, I think you are too harsh. I think he should be allowed to use the word “fierce” if they are given a challenge involving big cats (lions and tigers, not Maine coons).
December 6th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Christian: nails on a blackboard to me, and for someone so young, why do all of his designs look so dated? I don’t get that.
I want to say something about Elisa. In the first couple of episodes, I detested her — the spit marks were just too much. But with each passing week I see she has a measure of grace that most of the other contestants are lacking, and I admire that in her. I also love her use of color and shape. But she really can’t go anywhere, you know: she admitted this week that it was the first time she had ever used a non-stretch fabric. She’s well beyond quirky and into weird territory, but she has vision and style — eventually, though, her lack of construction skills is going to trip her up. For now, I’m going to enjoy her while I can.
I agree that nothing this season has wowed me. The only thing that came close was Remy’s “signature” dress from the premiere, but I hated the flower detail.
I will miss Chris, too, because he provided a nice balance to all the jr-high bickering and snickering that often goes on. Ah, well — with any luck the PR experience will help him in his already-established career; he deserves success.
December 6th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
I love Christian. That is all.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
I, too, love Christian. My boyfriend hates him though. When he came on the screen last night, he asked me with a straight face, Bird or Bloke? I punched him.
I love Christian and his crazy hair.
I can’t believe Chris got cut. Ricky is to PR what Howie was to Top Chef.
December 6th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
PR needs to drop the team projects already - or to have, toward the end of the season, only one such project. Teams often result in the ousting of a designer over more than the whole of his/her own design (i.e. personality conflicts). And for this season to already have had two team designs on only the fourth episode? Blech. I like to see what the individual designers come up with and to see each of their designs evaluated. Can’t we worry about whether someone is a good team leader on “Project Runway: Team Spirit”?
December 7th, 2007 at 12:17 am
I for one really like Elisa and it’s been that way since her teaming w/ Sweet P. She’s shown that she CAN take criticism constructively instead of getting all defensive. Her “come bearing gifts” spiel won me over since she could have gone for the jugular when Sweet P threw her under the bus even after she knew they were on a top team that week.
Victorya is a shrew. She got all “I don’t want to be the leader” but when it came down to it, she bossed everyone around and got passive aggressive when being a nag didn’t work. I think she just couldn’t own up to the responsibility. That and I generally loathe her “aesthetic.” She really deserved to go home.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:18 am
Victorya was quite annoying and bitchy, but Ricky just let her walk all over him. Ricky should have gone home. He’s not very talented, and every time see him I want to rip that stupid black hat off his head and punch him in the face.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Manolo, you have cemented my love for you with the Newsies shout-out.
And I completely agree with your estimation of Chris’s character. He will be missed. I would also like fewer team competitions in this season - they have already done them twice!
December 7th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Ricky was blasted by the Nina two weeks in a row for his sucky construction, and he gets to stay? I smell shenanigans.
The recapper of PR at Television Without Pity has also put out a fatwa on “fierce.” Stop it, Christian.
December 7th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Jillian reminds me of that girl from that 80’s show..she was a robot but looked like a real girl..
December 10th, 2007 at 12:24 am
I think Ricky should have gone home as well.
Dear Manolo, I watch Project Runway religiously, but I must always watch it two days later than it airs because of my work schedule. I was wondering if you would mind not mentioning who got kicked out in the uncut part of your entry, so as to not spoil the fun of watching for those of us who didn’t get to see it as soon as it aired. Just a request from a devoted reader; thank you!
December 10th, 2007 at 12:32 am
Your wish is the Manolo’s command! Hence forth the Manolo shall put the name of the winner below the fold so as to not spoil the suspense for you.
December 11th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
“Designers, make something that Sarah Jessica Parker’s indentured workers in Myanmar can produce for $1.28, to be sold at $19.99 in the bargain outlets in Kansas.”
Right on Manolo! This season (and to some degree last season) has been terribly commercial at the expense of creativity. I am OK with the camera focusing in in the TreSemme Hair Care products while they are in the Beauty Room or whatever the hell they call it.. But when the challenges themselves become more about promotion than creativity.. that’s when I get mad.
January 7th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
A very belated thank you, Manolo! Now I can continue to read your blog daily with no fear!