RUNWAY SUNDAY | Project Runway Recap | Season 15, Episode 2

THE CHALLENGE:
Create a look for the everyday woman (every age, every size) that can be reproduced and sold on justfab.com.

I had a few issues with how the designers handled this challenge:
1. Most of the designers had no concept of what "can be reproduced" means. If you add a thousand intricate design details, it can't be reproduced. Duh.

2. Most of the designers had no concept of what "sold on justfab.com" means. If you're selling to an online market, it has to stand out on the website. The runway was an ocean of grey, black, and beige, and very few of them used any color, which always sells better online.

3. Most of the designers had no concept of who the "everyday woman" is. Mini skirts, crop tops, and drop crotches are generally not what the everyday woman is looking for.

I think things would have gone better if the designers had been required to use "everyday women" as their models, because having the opportunity to ask them questions and find out what they actually wanted to wear and to buy could have been helpful.

BUT NO ONE ASKED ME, DID THEY. I'm telling you, Project Runway should hire me as a content consultant.

My Top 3:

1. Laurence Basse
I definitely think Laurence deserved the challenge win. Jumpsuits are super trendy right now, and hers was basic enough to make it wearable but unique enough to stand out. GOD BLESS HER for adding a little extra room in the hips; as anyone who has a bit of a booty knows, finding a jumpsuit or romper that fits your top and bottom half is a feat of impossible proportions. I love the little pop of color in the back, and overall I think she met the challenge requirements perfectly.

2. Erin Robertson
I don't think Erin's look was very reproducible (because really, is the everyday woman going to buy a neoprene bell-skirt dress? Probs not.) That said, I love the color combination, I love that the belt can be snapped in the front or the back to create a stronger waistline, and I love how clear her aesthetic is coming through from challenge to challenge. I really hope she makes it to the top of the entire competition.

3. Tasha Henderson
Going into the competition, Tasha said she designed for girls who weren't girly, and that aesthetic really shows in this dress. I love the sporty vibe with the t-shirt style top and the mesh bottom, and it looks like a dress for girls who don't like wearing dresses (or for girls who do...I love wearing dresses and I'd buy this in a second!)  I think she should have styled it with sneakers instead of the pumps, but other than that I have no complaints and I'm excited to see what Tasha does next!

My Bottom 3:

1. Linda Marcus
This might be one of the few times I agree with the judges on both the winner and the loser. Knit dresses are awful. Using chiffon or organza or whatever it was for that kimono jacket was even more awful. And to stand up in front of the judges and say that this is a look for someone whose body has changed after having kids? Get real.

2. Sarah Donofrino
I thought Sarah's look last week was basic and boring, and I think the same thing of this. I could get any of her pieces on the clearance rack at Kohl's, and there's nothing wrong with the clearance rack at Kohl's, but if you're designing on Project Runway, your looks have to be more elevated.

3. Kimber Richardson
This look wasn't a bad idea in theory, but Kimber had pretty terrible time management issues and it showed in her construction. She also had an issue recognizing that women with curvier bodies don't want a pant that obviously will emphasize a stomach and a top that obviously will constrict the boobs. I don't know why it's hard to understand that women aren't all the same size.  Ugh.

So there were a few hits and a few misses this week. If there ends up being an actual "real woman" challenge I think we might have some trouble, but who knows!  Maybe the designers will step it up by then.

In the meantime, CONGRATS, Laurence!

And congrats to justfab.com for not screwing up the reproduction of Laurence's look as so many retailers have done in previous seasons. If it wasn't sold out in every size (already!) I would totally snap it up.

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All photos from www.mylifetime.com and www.justfab.com

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