Reality Ravings

You know when a reality tv show is successful when one of the bit players Tim Gunn gets his own TV show. Tim Gunn's Guide To Style will also be showing of Arena soon.

The show opened with the fifteen contestants/designers moving into their apartment in the luxury Gotham Apartments in New York City. Personally I thought they looked more Meriton then The Plaza.

The designers are:
Rami Kashov 31 - Freelance designer originally from Israel.
Chris March 44 - Costume designer who I hope stays in awhile as he cracked me up.
Christian Siriano 21 - Vertically challenged freelance designer - "Kind of fierce and kind of celeb in my own head" - he looks kind of fun.
Carmen Webber 37 - freelance designer and former model, I think girl is going to be loud and could get irritating.
Jillian Lewis 26 - Illustrator/Designer for Ralph Lauren
Kit 'Pistol' Scarbo 26 - Freelance designer and wardrobe stylist.
Kevin Christian 30 - Jean designer and he was insistent he was a straight designer - at first I thought that was some kind of design specialty until I realised he meant not gay. Being a male straight man in this field probably is a specialty.
Jack Mackenroth 30 - freelance designer - who I thought was straight for 30 seconds, but how deluded was I?
Steven Rosengard - designer from Chicago
Simone Le Blanc 32 - designer
Elisa Jimenez 42 - multimedia artist "who accidentally fell into fashion design" as she had to dress herself to use her marionettes. She is clearly the kooky one of the bunch.
Marian Lee 39 - flower boutique owner
Ricky Lizalde 35 - lingerie designer
'Sweet P' Vaughan 46 - designer, but used to be in an all girl motorcycle club, and has the tatts to go prove it.
Victorya Hong 34 -designer.

Then it was down to Bryant Park the ultimate mecca for fashionistas and where the final three will get the opportunity show their designs at New York fashion week. However now they were swigging on french champagne and awaiting the arrival of the show's host Heidi Klum, and the mentor Tim Gunn.

Heidi who is the envy of all mothers, has managed to push out 3 kids in 4 years, and still have an amazing body. But frankly I don't believe the fast metabolism crap, I could see her bony shoulders, she doesn't eat. The other weird thing was her shoes looked about three sizes to big for her.

In her no nonsense German way she said the party is over and the first challenge was about to begin.

She then pointed to three white plastic tents and said the first challenge is to design a piece that showcased their style. They had this startled bunny in headlight looks when they thought they would be making their designs out of plastic, except for costume designer Chris March who was used to such material.

However it was revealed that in those tents was $50,000 of Mood materials (this was just the first of many product placements), and then it was a foot race and they were off and running with ten minutes to pick out materials.

The thing that I thought was unfair was people just stuffing material into bags with no thought. Chris who was a bit like the turtle and the hare race, by the time he arrived he only had bits to choose from. However he was satisfied with what he got.

Elisa was rubbing some material into the grass to get a grass stained look on it, the contestants were saying weirdo, but some had a maybe she is onto something here look.

They then had 13 hours to create their outfit.

Elisa continued to garner a kooky reputation by sewing her design on herself. It was a nice elegant dress with a multi coloured tail on it. When she finished two hours early she went and had a sleep.

They then came back in the morning and had 2 hours to get the model ready for the Project Runway catwalk.

The judges were Michael Kors - designer, Nina Garcia - fashion editor, Elle Magazine, Monique Lhullier - designer, and of course Heidi Klum.

Elisa's dress inevitably tangled when her model went down the catwalk and you knew she was going to be in the bottom three.

After the judgement nine of the designers were told they were safe, and the six remaining were the top 3 and bottom 3.

Rami won the challenge and now would have immunity next week. Monique found his design "very chic". Michael Kors thought the flower was a bit MOB (Mother of the Bride).

Victorya dress was black with this silver flower on it. However the model could not lift her arms up. This did not appear to be a negative thing for the judges. In fact Michael took sadistic delight in pointing out he knew women who had "bled for the right dress".

Christian they loved the European look and detail.

The Bottom three:
Elisa got panned for her long train and told to go with her instincts to cut it back. I was surprised none of the judges mentioned the hideous blue suede knee high boots the model was wearing with the outfit. But Heidi did get it right when she said "she looked like she was pooing fabric."

She was also told her look was way to much.

Ricky the lingerie designer made a baby doll dress, and it was boring I am sure I have seen similar designs in Target. I thought he was lucky not to be eliminated. He was told it was not good enough.

Simone had sewing issue and was criticised for her creation being boring, poorly made and no creativity. Heidi quickly told her her time on the show was over. Auf Wiedershen clearly the Project Runway equivalent to Jeff Probst Survivor's, "the tribe has spoken".