Spoilers! Project Runway, Episode 10

Project Runway, Season 6, Episode 10: Around the World in Two Days! Who’s the winner this week and who is “auf”?

Lesson for the week: That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

The challenge: create a look inspried by a famous locale, especially designed to please Michael Kors.  If ever there was a challenge that begged for a back story, this was it.  St Tropez, Greece, Aspin, Santa Fe, and other fabulous locations were chosen to be the inspiration for a hip modern new look.  So who exactly is this fabulous woman that is going to wear this outfit?

Not surprisingly, the designer who won was the one who sold a mood and a story as well as a look.  Irina designed an outfit for an Aspin snow bunny that was as rich looking as the girl who is wearing it (ostensibly!).  I suppose she could be a gold-digger, but it would be difficult to prove it.

My biggest disappointment last night came with Gordana.  She wasn’t eliminated, but she almost talked her way into the bottom group.  Most of her budget was spent on buying crystals to create an AMAZING NECKLACE!!!  Yay, Gordana!!!  But then she apologized for choosing the dress fabric because it was inexpensive.  NO NO NO!!  Think up a story and stick with it.  The dress was quite attractive, although I might have liked it better in another color.  Still, there was nothing to apologize for.

While Gordana was my biggest disappointment, Nicolas was my biggest surprise.  The designer who proved to be so adept at creating back stories completely failed, coming up with no explanation for why a woman in Greece would be wearing something so totally Not-Greece.

That’s the thing about stories…when you need one, you really need one.  Not every design that we make, whether it’s clothing or jewelry, is going to need a back story.  But spectacular pieces and collections as a whole do need one.  Do you name your necklaces or have a story behind them?  Sometimes it’s not necessary (think, classic single string of pearls), but other times, the piece just cries out for it.

Choose a story, choose a name, or don’t…but don’t apologize!

Images: MyLifetime.com