If I didn’t know any better, I’d think “Runway’s” season 6 was going to be short a few episodes judging by how much the producers packed into last night’s hour-long design-fest.
While I loved every minute of it, it left me feeling like this season has been in fast-forward. We’re kicking off the crazies before they have time to really work over the workroom. They’re paired off in a team challenge before we have their names and aesthetics straight. And the “design an extra look” challenge twist was pulled out in episode 3 when producers had previously left such antics to the Bryant Park runway show.
But even if it felt like a lot was crammed in, thank God they did.
I couldn’t have been the only one rolling my eyes when they led the designers to the beach to chat up surfers for their surf-inspired challenge. Even Tim looked pained at thought, so clearly out of his Manhattan element as he stood on the beach in a black blazer. As Nicolas said, pullover hoodies do not high fashion make - unless you ask them to also whip up surf-inspired avant-garde the day before the runway show.
L.A. hasn’t made “Runway” soft on design challenges after all.
The biggest surprise of the night had to be Ra’Mon, who I’ve been lambasting as unoriginal for two weeks now. But last night, the med school dropout came into his own.
Ra’Mon showed that when he’s left with the option of getting flamed for throwing something together – seriously, he sewed and hand-dyed his neoprene avant-garde piece in, like, an hour – or sending a model naked down the runway, dude goes out hard.
I don’t think I’ve had such a change of heart about a designer since …. well, ever. Sometimes it’s pretty easy to see the top sketchers from the weaklings, but Ra’Mon pulled his vision out of seemingly thin air, putting me officially in his corner.
There was SO much more to this episode than I can possibly cover here, like the crazy tension between Epperson and Qristyl that was bizarre and completely unfounded – and possibly trumped up by the producers – for instance.
I do have one complaint that I just have to get off my chest (as always): why in the world did the judges relegate Michael and Logan’s two looks to the “acceptable enough to get you through for the next challenge” pile? I thought their work was one of the few pieces I saw last night that caused me to say, “I’d rock that.” Perhaps the play on volume with their avant-garde gown was too predictable, but I wanted Michael and Logan to get more shine in the judging.
Who did you think was a hit and a miss last night? Any of you have a clue (or care) what was up with Epperson and Qristyl? Let me know!