My first introduction to Project Runway was at my friend’s house watching stolen American cable. Her VHS tapes of the episodes got passed around my group of friends for a while, in all its fuzzy glory. This seemed like a reality show I could actually get my teeth into, and not have to flick it off after 10 minutes and then be depressed for an hour over how stupid people are. But after seeing most of that first season, Project Runway was gone from my life for a few years.

I don’t have cable. I can’t handle watching TV on youtube. I tried to rent it everywhere, but to no avail. Finally I gave in - I bought it on Amazon. Since the first season was 50+ dollars (seriously) I opted for Season 2 at a much more reasonable 18$. A sudden bout of insomnia has led me to watch nearly all of it in two days, and consequently spurred on a session of googling to see what everyone is up to. It’s not much. But it’s a reality show - so what did I expect?

I always wonder if how you relate to the quality of the competition shows really depends on what you already know about the subject matter. I like So You Think You Can Dance?, to me they all seem insanely talented. As an ex agency employee, America’s Next Top Model irritates the hell out of me because honey, none of the winners are ever going to have any kind of a modeling career. (true story: my Mom and I had a huge fight about this: she said Eva the Diva was going to be a famous model and even argued that she was already doing runway for New York Fashion week. Turns out she did: for Wal-Mart.) So, if I knew more about dance, would I dislike that show more? Are we all prone to form opinions on creativity we know nothing about? At least American Idol makes sense, I can’t stand their winners, but I’m not going to purchase that kind of music anyways. The people that vote in are also their consumers. The average general populace is not going to employ a couture fashion designer or swing dancer.

By the end of season 2 of Project Runway I was pretty sure no one except Daniel Franco (kicked off at the beginning mind you) was ever going to have any kind of real career in the industry. His downfall was inability to create in 12-hour periods and I hardly think that’s going to be a problem in the real world of fashion. My googling proved me correct, as far as I can tell, he’s the only previous contestant with any real financial backing.

Daniel Franco’s Spring 2007 collection presented at LA fashion week.

So, Project Runway makers, if your reading this, here is Worn’s advice:

1) Cut out all the personal drama crap. Who cares who took whose scissors? Show me more clothes!!!

2) make the contest winning less a declaration of the beginning of a career. It’s clearly not. Just give them a big old prize and send them on their way. The saddest part is the dishonestly about what their lives are really going to be like after the shows, and what the reality of their industry is.

3) Open up your eyes to the entire world judges! They seem to lean towards one single interpretation of what fashion is. Very clean and very pretty. Very rarely are any sort of oddities or anything outside of the norm considered good. Lingerie too campy? Ever heard of Agent Provocateur? Dress made of plants looks too plastic? Jeremy Scott seems to be doing just fine on that front. Whatever. It would be interesting to have the judges say something intelligent about the designs , not just “I’m really glad you used flowers - you win!”

In the end, it’s all just silly TV, and maybe I over think it. After all - what the hell do I know?

xoxo, Serah-Marie

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