Sunday, August 23, 2009
Runway
posted at 10:21 PM |
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I watched the first episode of the new season of Project Runway and felt a wide and wild range of reactions. To begin with, it was pleasant to spend time with Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn again. They are beautiful people and engaging to welcome into one's living room. The new / current crop of contestants seems unusually and unfortunately insecure as evidenced by their (excessively) intense speeches about being soooo fantastic and The Best and everything else they had to say about themselves. On the other hand, drawings and photos of their previous work were fantastic! Their clothing looks high end as far as material and design, and is visually both interesting and unexpected. I especially look forward to the designs from the designer who wants to design for regular size people (who??).
Here's the thing, though. I totally understand and sympathize with how unbelievably emotional and difficult it must be to do something like this, no matter how much you want it. To leave your own studio and expose your designs (and your face and personality, too, of course) to millions of people. To actively begin to fulfill your professional and artistic dreams in such a very public way. It must be earth-shattering in good and bad ways. But is it entertainment? Is it even appropriate to havevoyeurs audiences watch as contestants hit the wall as they come to realize and try to come to terms with the little green argumentative men in their heads (hey, mine are green, okay?). I might choose to watch a show about the psychology of challenge competitors and how difficult it is, but I'm not sure I want that show as part of Runway every week. I don't know. Am I being intolerant?
Eventually everyone sorted themselves out and produced impressive results. Even the most fallen-apart of them. Well, except for the designer who either wanted to sabotage the whole thing or really was from another planet. The producers must have thought she had more to offer than her other-planet-ness, right? I mean, she actually stood on her head and meditated instead of doing a sketch.... I suppose there are different ways to focus one's creative muse, but if you're on a soccer field you probably should at least use a ball and your feet instead of a pen and pencil, you know what I mean?
If even some of the season's designs are as good as the first round, it will be amazing.
Here's the thing, though. I totally understand and sympathize with how unbelievably emotional and difficult it must be to do something like this, no matter how much you want it. To leave your own studio and expose your designs (and your face and personality, too, of course) to millions of people. To actively begin to fulfill your professional and artistic dreams in such a very public way. It must be earth-shattering in good and bad ways. But is it entertainment? Is it even appropriate to have
Eventually everyone sorted themselves out and produced impressive results. Even the most fallen-apart of them. Well, except for the designer who either wanted to sabotage the whole thing or really was from another planet. The producers must have thought she had more to offer than her other-planet-ness, right? I mean, she actually stood on her head and meditated instead of doing a sketch.... I suppose there are different ways to focus one's creative muse, but if you're on a soccer field you probably should at least use a ball and your feet instead of a pen and pencil, you know what I mean?
If even some of the season's designs are as good as the first round, it will be amazing.
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