designing a hit: bravo's project runway

every wednesday night i sit on our little ikea couch in unbearable anticipation. with baited breath i wait for my favorite hour of television to begin, longing to hear those sweet, sweet words, "are you in or are you out"....because my heart belongs to wednesday night and wednesday night belongs to project runway.

bursting with creativity, innovation and delicious cat-fighting, project runway deserves the attention and respect of this dedicated design community. we have the utmost respect for the design process and those who do it well, and because of that, we should all pay attention to the phenomenal artistic process that is taking place on this gem of a bravo show. in my opinion, project runway is one of the most incredible reality tv shows ever created.

project runway tells the story of 12 aspiring designers who are given the chance compete in week-to-week design challenges (under the tutelage of tim gunn, chair of the dept of fashion design at parsons) and win $100,000, a mentorship with the banana republic design team and above all, their very own show at new york fashion week which will be photographed for elle magazine. the works are judged by heidi klum, michael kors (i had no idea he was such a queen) and elle magazine's nina garcia (who takes the word bitch to a whole new level). for those of you already rolling your eyes and thinking, "oh good god, not another reality show", hear me out- this little show is truly a diamond among the "fear factor" rough.

from week one, project runway has made it clear that, despite all the gossip and cat-fighting that surround the fashion industry, fashion is based on creativity, experimentation and raw talent. what this show capitalizes on is the fact that true talent and creativity are endlessly interesting to watch. at the helm of the cast are austin scarlett (a wonderfully wafty artist whose signature is over-the-top glamour), jay (a bitchy diva of a designer with a flair for deconstruction) and kara (a pro who stands out for her dedication to creativity and quality). these three designers hold the show together with consistently impressive work and an amazing ability to innovate under tough project and time restrictions. it is the combination of these amazing designers with truly interesting design challenges that makes this show what it is: a fascinating look at design as a process that is essentially about problem-solving.

the very first challenge cemented project runway's brilliance for me- the designers were taken to a grocery store, given fifty dollars and one hour to pick out materials from which to design an outfit. under great restrictions, true talent can really shine. instead of complaining for hours about how unfair the challenge was, we got to see great designers innovate and come up with creative solutions to a seemingly impossible challenge. while the majority of the cast (that would eventually be cut) went towards more obvious, fabric-like solutions like tin foil, wrapping paper and shower curtains- the real innovators chose to experiment with materials like feather dusters, roasting pans and corn husks. the winning design was nothing short of a design masterpiece- austin took corn husks and wove them into a gorgeous dress that proved this show would truly highlight creativity and experimentation.

from the grocery challenge on, project runway matured through more sophisticated challenges that tested the designers' ability to deal with the reality of the design industry- from responding to clients' demands and having to adapt one's personal style in the face of realistic project requirements down to dealing with the unpredictable nature of models and their scheduling. watching this show is truly an awe-inspiring experience; i used to think of myself as someone who admired fashion and found it interesting enough to warrant the occasional vogue flip-through, but i have really come to respect the hard work, creativity and experimentation that is put into fashion design.

whether you're a hard core fashionista or merely a fan of design, project runway is a show you should definitely check out. even if you've missed the season thus far, you can still tune in on wednesday night to see the final three present their runway shows at new york fashion week. (an insider tip told me that jay's show was clearly the best...). so, set your tv to bravo and take a look at the design process in action- it is truly a beautiful thing to watch.

editor's note/d*s uncensored: my no holds barred opinion is that jay should win. i hated him throughout the entire show until his talent was no longer avoidable. austin was always my favorite but in the end he was unwilling to compromise even a little to follow the rules. kara is amazing but something about her isn't as exciting as the rest. as for wendy? well, i wish i could smother wendy with her own tacky designs. eegads is she awful. so there you have it, my uncensored addendum. enjoy...