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02.20.2009 8:22 pm

Project Runway prepares to strut into the Supreme Court

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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No, it’s not a challenge to makeover Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas for a Constitution-themed walk-off.

Although, that would be good. That would be very, very good.

And, to be clear, it’s not the Supreme Court, but the New York Supreme Court. But whatever.

A date has yet to be set for the Project Runway hostage trial and if the greedy corporate parties involved don’t wise up the carnage will be too great to repair with a little monetary penance. We are losing faith.

This whole thing just breaks the fundamental law of Project Runway. No matter what model crisis, wardrobe malfunction, cranky mother, irrational wrestler or other design catastrophe befalls you … you must always MAKE IT WORK.

Has the sage-even-tempered-impeccably-suited Tim Gunn taught us nothing?

And yet, now we’re caught in the most confusing “reality” limbo imaginable. You can’t find anything on Bravo’s “official” Project Runway site. Because of the dispute, the website is promoting the “best of” as if the show is already dead and attempting an 80s-rock-tour-esque revival. There’s absolutely no mention of a Season 6.

It’s hard to fathom. Tantrums have been had. Dresses scorned. Designers distraught. Betrayals waged. Tears shed and spectacular coos achieved with greenery, furniture, food, car parts or perhaps New York street litter (who knows?) and we might never know how truly horrible or wondrous it was.

The Washington Post article, “They Couldn’t Make it Work,” (click to read) lays out the controversy behind Season 6 (also know as the season that wasn’t). The story explains just why we aren’t on the edge of our seats in anticipation after today’s (Friday) finale at New York Fashion Week.

There was Heidi, Tim, Michael and Nina, and all the ghosts of Project Runway past, but there was no drama. How could there be? We don’t know the people behind these clothes and although they seem very nice in the photos I perused, somehow, it’s hard to care. Read about the designs from Wall Street Journal blog here.

Project Runway finally validated the creativity, artistry, sweat, tears and anguish that goes into designing garments for those who have always wondered, “Well, what’s the big deal?”

But the best part was the personalities behind the often questionable couture.

Clothes have a personality and a character and a charm imbued by their creator. It was a unique perspective, even for fashion lovers to witness the construction so intimately and to hear their influences articulated so passionately.

So it’s hard to imagine a Project Runway show of nameless, drama-free clothing. It’s so premature that I wish they had had the sense to put the show on hold until the next fashion week.

It’s getting a save-the-date invite for a wedding with a picture of the bride wearing her wedding gown.

Long story short: Project Runway was bought by the Lifetime channel people. The Bravo people want it back. They now need a judge to play Solomon.

Bravo is already taking advantage of the turmoil and has announced a new fashion-focused reality show featuring professionals (instead of the Project Runway’s cast of talented amateurs). This show will be hosted by Isaac Mizrahi and singer/actress Kelly Rowland. It’s judges will include Fern Mallis, senior vice president of IMG Fashion, which produces New York fashion week, according to various reports.

Too bad Tim wasn’t impartial enough to mediate. I think he would have had this hammered out by midnight.

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