5/ The Finale

It is “sew over.” Now we all know that sweet, gangly, self-admitted nerd, Leanne took the win. Did she deserve it? We honestly think so.

For the first time, the women dominated, and, you know what? Their collections were darn good. Kenley didn’t win in part, because she was, to put it nicely, imitative. To put it not so nicely, she was a copycat. And to be mean, there was an element of knock-off artist with at least two of her dresses identifiable as other – famous – designers’ looks. Add to that the attitude factor. When Tim Gunn became the fill-in judge for Jennifer Lopez who had “a foot injury,” (uh, yeah, that’s why our spies told us they saw her wearing five inch high heels later that day) she said, “Okay, maybe I should have improved my attitude.” That said, her collection featured sublime fit and much whimsy.

As for Korto, her collection was stunning, though one of the criticisms was that it was overboard with decoration. We didn’t see that. But perhaps the judges believed that brainy Leanne, who approached each garment with an architect’s eye and had such a unique vision, was the most talented and promising of the bunch.

If you read the last entry, you know we had a little chitchat with Leanne this afternoon. The girl was positively overjoyed. But when we asked her who the meanest judge was, she did not hesitate for a second. “Nina was the toughest critic by far. But you know when you impress Nina, you’ve done something really good.”

As for the show tonight, here’s a rundown of highlights:
-Korto’s gutsy move making two new dresses before the big gig
-Kenley getting Tim visibly mad – ouch.
-Kenley and Leanne throwing barbs at each other on camera. Kenley, “Leanne does not know how to use color.” Leanne, “Kenley’s collection looks like Holly Hobby. It’s so amateurish.”
-In the why- must- we- witness this category, Sophie the dog, relieving herself near Leanne’s gown, and the model who was wearing it cleaning it up. Uuchh.
Sorry, to leave you on that note. Let’s all join figurative hands and make a little fashion wish together…here’s hoping next season (whenever it comes) is as good as Bravo’s five seasons of Project Runway. See you soon. - Anne Bratskeir

Leanne Marshall wins Project Runway

REVENGE OF THE NERD: Leanne Marshall Wins Project Runway
By Anne Bratskeir

It all came down to girl power in Project Runway’s Season Five finale.

And of the last three female designers standing, Leanne Marshall, 28, of
Portland, Ore., who was the show’s definitive shrinking violet, proved that
beneath the nerdy glasses and the goofy demeanor, her talent loomed largest. She
was the mouse that roared.

"I am a fashion nerd," said a very happy Marshall in a phone interview Wednesday. "I just love to have fun, and I’m not afraid of kind of being a dork.”

As for the whole Project Runway shebang, she said, “Without a doubt it’s been the most amazing experience. I would
do it again in a heartbeat.”

Armed with $8,000 for materials and the directive to incorporate a wedding dress into a 12-piece final collection, Marshall’s vision played like a dream sequence on the runway at Bryant Park’s Fashion Week in September. Inspired by rippling water, her two-color palette was soft aqua and cream with a distinct architectural feel including details such as fan-like pleats.

Neither a favorite nor a dark horse, Marshall was a solid contender, who, during the season’s 14 episodes won two challenges -- one using seat covers from a Saturn
car, and another for creating a look for Diane von Furstenberg’s fall collection.

During the finale, the judges took Marshall to task for being "borderline on a one-note," she said. "But I knew I needed my collection to fit together."

Though her two co-finalists, Korto Momolu, 33, of Little Rock, Ark., and Kenley Collins, 25, of Pompano Beach, Fla., exhibited much stronger personalities throughout the season (in fact, Collins was the show’s prerequisite villainess), their collections fell short of Marshall’s, both lacking the cohesiveness and technical skill. As for that evidently hostile relationship with Collins, Marshall said, “We started off as friends but the competition became kind of cutthroat. All Kenley’s relationships kind of deteriorated. There’s a level of respect that she didn’t really have all the time. But
I don’t hate her. I wish her the best.”

Marshall’s Project Runway booty includes $100,000 seed money from Tresemme to start a clothing business and she is doing just that. She’ll soon be
moving to New York to start her new label, “Leanne Marshall.” Musician boyfriend Nathan McKee, who composed her runway music at the finale, is coming
along. “I guess I’m going to have to buy a lot of fabric with it,” she said. She also wins a 2009 Saturn VUE hybrid, a spread in Elle Magazine and a chance
to sell her fashion line on bluefly.com

As for season six? The hit show will go on but will not be aired on Bravo. Instead it moves to a new location, Los Angeles, and a new network, Lifetime -- depending on the lawsuits still at play with the Weinstein company and the two networks. It was originally scheduled to premiere in November but may be pushed back to January.

We’re kind of wondering if without the New York backdrop and Parsons School of Design . . .well, will it be in or out?

Week 13 poll results

Hooray, you finally agreed with the judges. After a consistent disagreement all season between the judges' aufings and our readers' aufings, both sides are in synch.

40% - Jerell (270 votes)
33% - Kenley (222)
21% - Korto (143)
3% - Leanne (25)

5/13 Tim Gunn For President

First off, just when we thought that Bravo had totally turned their backs on the show – the new season already being filmed in L.A. for Lifetime – well, they pull out one of the best episodes of the season. Bravo, Bravo.

The four finalists, Jerell, Kenley, Korto and Leanne, are sent home with an $8,000 budget and two months time to create their own collections, which, Heidi dictates, must include a wedding gown that represents them as a designer. Tim Gunn visits each one, and quite frankly, is more charming, more diplomatic, more helpful and more informed on his issues than any candidate for president we’ve seen buzzing around lately. At Korto’s home in Arkansas, he sweetly engages her shy daughter and seems enchanted by Korto’s African drumming. In Portland, he warns Leanne that her wedding dress might miss, and then, despite his formal demeanor, rides a bicycle built for two with her, and (heavens) sits on the grass. With Jerell, he counsels that the overwrought collection has a “lot of look,” and then mingles easily with Jerell’s friends and family who are obviously nervous. His greatest feat may have occurred in Brooklyn, where he meets with Kenley, who has been incredibly rude to him. Here, he leaves it all behind, encouraging and praising her. And then, before the going gets really tough, he sheds tears – he’s embarrassed but tells them all, “I care deeply about each of you.” And you believe him. This is an extraordinarily graceful and gracious person. He’d be an asset in the White House.

Okay, so back to the show. The kids think they’re home free but alas, there’s one more challenge… make a bridesmaid’s dress to go with the wedding dress. Leanne, who totally redid her collection’s wedding dress, aces it with a pale turquoise and cream short strapless number that repeats her wave motif at the top. The judges are swooning. Kenley, too, does a fabulous job. Her navy blue poufy mini dress is the perfect combo with her “crazy good,” as Heidi puts it, feathered wedding dress. Jerell’s stuff – scary – we told you once before – too tricked out, including some styling errors such as “a flower pot growing out of her head,” says Michael Kors. We didn’t much like Korto’s gown either – over-pleated and kind of bulbous or her bridesmaid’s dress…Banana Republic sale rack.

Allow us, for one brief moment, to gloat…we called it…Jerell goes, the women dominate. And now, we’ll go out on a limb. We think it comes down to Leanne and Kenley, and we think that Leanne will take it all. Stay tuned.

Readers choose Leanne

Waaaaaaay back on Sept. 12, we posted videos off the six remaining designers' collection at Fashion Week in Bryant Park and asked you to choose the winner.

Granted, three of those shows were decoys to keep the integrity of the competition alive (even though the Bravo people refuse to consult a calendar when deciding when to air each season). But alas, it gave you more to look at.

Here are the results of that poll:

57% Leanne Marshall (1,843 votes)
30% Korto Momolu (989)
6% Kenley Collins (197)
4% Jerell Scott (131)
1& Joe Faris (36)
0% Suede (19)

5/12 NATURE CALLS, NO ONE ANSWERS

Yay. Boo. Once again Project Runway judges, who tonight included Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman -- her dramatic evening gowns virtually rule the red carpet these days -- could not make a decision. It’s déjà vu all over again – remember last season when they couldn’t auf Chris March?

So here it is Runway followers: Jerell, Leanne, Korto and Kenley will all make final collections (we know this because we’ve already shown them to you), but one of them will be out before the show at New York Fashion Week. We always feel sad when someone goes…but you gotta make a choice and that should have been tonight.

This show did nothing to enhance our opinions of any of the designers. As Michael Kors noted, “I don’t think this was their best moment.” The challenge was to create an evening gown inspired by flowers at the New York Botanical Garden. They had a budget of $250 and two days to work their magic. And honestly, if this had been last year’s crew, Rami, Jillian, Christian and even Chris, it would have been a total wow. But instead it was mediocre at best.

Jerell won the challenge with an empire gown of plums and purples that was badly constructed though somewhat interesting. Trust us, anybody with more than A-cup would have had to figure out another way to harness the girls. Leanne came in second with a lavender and blue job that had a pleated embellishment. The judges thought was soft and pretty but again, not well made (as in what the heck was the blue dust cloth aka bustle hanging off the model’s rear?) Korto’s gold and lace number seemed inspired at the start but turned out to be what Kors called a pageant dress, not even good. Kenley, who refused to take any mentoring from Tim Gunn, created an old-fashioned siren dress of snakeskin fabric with leaves hanging off the bottom…the Muppets meets creepy.


The underlying theme of the night? Hate-fest. Leanne, Korto and Jerell ganged up on Kenley, whose nasal whine, annoying cackle and inappropriate defensiveness almost, but not quite, made her deserving of their abuse. She’s an easy target, and we would hope that since they’ve all fought their own life battles (they all cried at one time or another), maybe they could have shown a little restraint in the meanness department. That said, she is hard to like. She behaved so horribly on the runway that Heidi chastised her, and Michael wondered allowed, “Imagine if a buyer says, ‘I don’t like that sleeve. What will she do? Take out a knife and kill them?” In the end, Kenley broke down too and you had to feel a little bit sorry for her, like when all the finalists had a group hug with Tim…except her. She sat in a chair by herself and watched them. Fashion can be pretty ugly. – Anne Bratskeir

Project Runway 5/11: Make the music with your clothes

I'd whine about not having all the excitement in the world to watch these shows before the actual finale after six designers actually showed at Fashion Week, but I think Kenley did all the whining for everyone for rest of the season on this episode.

We saw a pretty neat challenge in Week 11 as the designers had to create something for one another using a musical genre as the inspiration. Tim Gunn pulled their names out of a bag and then the type of music out of another of those magical Project Runway bags.

It may have seemed random on air, but it's waaaaaaay too coincidental some of the pairings. Little '50s Betty Boop girl Kenley Collins getting hip hop as her genre? And turning Korto Momolu into a country gal? C'mon.

But I digress. Back to the show.

Here's a look at the pairings and the genre and our thoughts:

Kenley for Leanne - Hip-Hop

I think guest judge LL Cool J said it best when he tried to cover up from laughing his swagger off as Leanne made her trip down the runway with some wannabe hip-hop outfit and a wannabe old-school Pepa hairdo. Those high-waisted jeans -- called "Mom jeans" by LL Cool J, "the most unflattering pants I've ever seen in my life" by Heidi Klum and "just God awful" by me -- looked um, well, I think LL, Heidi and I explained it perfectly. The leather jacket was nice, but as someone who grew up in the so-called "Hip Hop Generation," it was absolutely nothing close to anything resembling hip or hop.



Leanne for Korto - Country

The pink top was nice, as was the skirt that hugged the patoot and flared out at the bottom. Other than the cowboy boots and the neckwear accessory, Leanne's country outfit was made for walking . . . back into the design room.



Jerell for Kenley - Pop

Jerell nailed this challenge and had a legitimate gripe when not winning, not that he griped at all -- at least not on camera. The fishnet top and silver cups covering the goods combined with a mad short bottom and a blue short vest was quite cool. And all the way pop star. Jerell had Kenley looking like Ashlee Simpson impersonating Britney Spears trying out for the Pussycat Dolls, making it to the final cut before losing and then trying out for Danity Kane. Yes, that's a good thing.



Korto for Suede - Punk

Great pants. "I think it's right on the money," my boy LL Cool J said of Korto's work. She did a brilliant job of bleaching the pants. Can't really argue her victory on this challenge since she pretty much nailed the punk look for Suede.



Suede for Jerell - Rock 'n Roll

Not altogether sure what went on here. Suede made some sort of pants and a shirt that still baffles me. The vest was supposedly rock 'n roll, but after seeing this whole thing move down the runway, I started thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder what Stella Zotis is throwing at the television as she watches this episode."



- La Monica

Photos from BravoTV.com/runway

Project Runway 5/11: Leanne goes G

And we thought we'd hit the high point of ridiculously funny quotes when Tim Gunn learned a little "Holla at your boy!"

Well, in this week's fairly unique challenge of designing for each other based on a music genre pulled out of a hat, the quiet and reserved (at least on the show) Leanne Marshall was the client for Kenley Collins. The genre? Hip Hop!

Kenley asked Leanne what she'd like. And then Leanne strung these words together for us: "I'll totally do all gangster."

Such genius in this unscripted world these days.

- La Monica

Jillian Lewis' thoughts on Season 5 at Bryant Park

We cornered (stalked?) Jillian Lewis after the "Project Runway" fashion show at Fashion Week on Friday and got her thoughts on what she just saw. We also asked for an update on her designs. Watch the video below.

VIDEO: Leanne Marshall's collection at Fashion Week

Lots of pleated things and a nice color palette in this Fashion Week collection from Leanne Marshall, the odds-on favorite to win Season 5 of Project Runway

5/8 Designers Do Diane von Furstenberg

Talk about career opportunities – the designers tromp through Manhattan’s Meat Packing District to meet at the gloriously sexy headquarters of Diane von Furstenberg, one of the world’s most famous designers and get their challenge right from the grand dame herself. "Create a look for my fall collection inspired by Marlene Dietrich in a Foreign Affair," commands von Furstenberg. She’s one of those fabulous at-ease-with-her-power types who is also extremely charming. Besides running her huge clothing and accessories empire she’s also the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which explains the bonus of tonight’s challenge. The winner’s look will be sold to AmEx cardholders (P.S. Diane’s a company pitchwoman) with a portion of the profits going to the CFDA. How nice.

Ok, so we reviewed Diane’s fab fall line on the runway last season in Bryant Park – yes, we were there with the likes of Ellen Barkin -- and indeed it conjured up smoky drinking clubs, femmes fatales and sultry spies. Lucky designers got to raid von Furstenberg’s sample room for fabric (several very nearly killed themselves with the huge bolts). For the second week running, Leanne nailed it, and man, she deserved it. Her swank inky evening gown with ruffled back topped by a short dove-gray mohair jacket – gorgeous, beautifully constructed and most of all, Diane, a judge, liked it. We expect to see Leanne in Bryant Park and at the moment, in our minds she and Korto lead the pack.



We knew that Stella’s time on this show was limited –- such a character -- but when Michael Kors said of her pants, “the crotch is every woman’s nightmare,” well, that was the last straw. So Stella is out for her cape (“Dracula,” said Diane), vest and pants ensemble. But to be honest, we think Joe’s look was worse … so costumey … in fact his drag queen may have looked well in it, and terribly constructed. Watch out mister.

Korto’s graphic black and white gown with lemon-yellow inserts was terrific, though even better was the jacket she designed to go over it. We would buy it now. Kenley was a doggone mess – oy vey, the weeping, the Diane worshipping and then the sheer audacity of telling Diane von Furstenberg that she felt her fall collection needed a dress. Honey, the dress was cute, but hush your mouth.

Blayne had a few interesting moments tonight, though we weren’t so keen on his runway knickers. First off, he admitted to wanting to marry Mary Kate Olsen. Second, he thought Diane gave him a look over and said, “Diane loves a tan.” Hmm.

Fern Mallis sat in for the Nina tonight, and while she was good, well, we miss the Nina. And you know what, we’ll miss Stella from Astoria, because wild as she is -- that girl is the real deal. Oh yeah, and you know who else we miss? Our girl Jillian Lewis from last season. We’re calling her to see what she thinks of the season so far. Stay tuned. – Anne Bratskeir

Week 5 poll results

Honestly, people. You're a perfect 5-for-5 in disagreeing with the judges. They whacked Kelli Martin. Y'll disagreed.

It's getting a bit out of hand, but we love a good rebellious spirit. (Of course, none of this voting is scientific and the margin of error is roughly +/- every vote.)

The reader poll results from Week 5

45% - Daniel Feld
33% - Blayne Walsh
17% - Kelli Martin
nbsp;5% - Leanne Marshall

Season 5/Episode 3 NEW YORK CITY IS THE MUSE

Who is in and who is out?

The judges, and if you beg to differ, please do, got it wrong on both counts.

Not the most original of challenges: create a look of your choice inspired by New York for a night out on the town. Er, anyone ever heard of Donna Karan, who each season pays homage to the concrete, glass, steel, graffiti and electricity of New York?

Comedian Sandra Bernhard, um, funny yes, fashionista, questionable, sat in as guest judge. So, okay the winner, Kenley for what Michael Kors described as an 80’s, Joan Collins, power bitch dress. The Nina thought it was “adorable.” But it was a weird little pouf – part fabric, part tulle. Fun – one night on the town only -- then back to the dress-up box. Bernhard pointed out, not many girls could wear it.

What they could wear was Leanne’s architectural little skirt inspired by the lines in a metal planter paired with an easy top. “I would wear that in a heartbeat,” Heidi said.

But Leanne isn’t a colorful character . . . Kenley whose style, she says, evokes modern day calendar girls, is. High marks went to Terri for her backless dress-over-pants ensemble inspired by walls of posters and graffiti. Bernhard called it “fierce, sexy and in control." It was spicy but also evoked a Baby Phat/Kimora Lee Simmons vibe.

Out is waify Emily for her dress inspired by lights. Granted the ruffled neon appliqué was fairly bad, though the simple black dress was okay. Far, far worse was Keith’s scrappy (and we mean scraps) shmata that Kors said, “literally looked like toilet paper caught in a windstorm.” C’mon guys, it was a no-brainer. But again, Keith is more fun than Emily.

Show highlights

• The kids in ponchos and rain boots following Tim like a line of duckies onto a double-decker bus to view the city. Even jaded New Yorkers Stella and Suede dig it. Suede’s third person problem continues.

• Blayne’s “Timlicious,” greeting. His quest for a tanning salon in Times Square. And finally, him teaching Tim a new phrase, “Holla at your boy.” Intrigued and amused, Tim bids adieu to the group in a new way. “Make it work. Carry on. Holla’ at your boy.”

Other notes


• Blayne’s dress is clowny
• Jerell’s sort of Rami-ish (remember Rami?)
• Joe’s stunning
• Stella’s total and complete Stella.

In the category of too much information: Stella in the morning, Jerell in a sleep mask.

– Anne Bratskeir

Photos from BravoTV.com/runway

Week 2 poll results

Wesley got whacked in Week 2. Our readers disagreed with the judges. Here are the results of our weekly "Who would you have 'aufed'?" poll:

40 percent - Korto
34 percent - Leanne
25 percent - Wesley

Season 5/Episode 2 IT AIN'T EASY BEING GREEN

The challenge: use environmentally responsible textiles to create cocktail dresses for clients who are…the models. The bummer: The models, armed with $75, shop for fabric and trim and have absolutely no idea what the heck they’re doing.

A bunch bought this vile, glossy brown organic satin, which was the undoing of one contestant. Poor, sweet Wesley got the boot for his overwrought, ill fitting number that Michael Kors said looked like 27 hands had been all over it. Leanne’s loopy, too-many-tricks mini was second to worst. So sad… speaking of which…the water works were on tonight with Korto’s near breakdown when her darty dress was criticized, to Leanne’s girlish sobs, when her model didn’t back her up, saying that the dress she created was not really what she wanted.

Onward to happier fashions and moments: Kenley’s lean, ladylike cocktail number in champagne was elegant, but Suede’s girlish tulle skirted frock of ivory satin and red strips won. Guest judge Natalie Portman, who is an environmental activist and a designer for vegan shoe line Te Casan (pricey but very stylish) as well as a fashionista (and did we mention, a Long Island girl), loved, loved Suede’s confection. Beneath the blue Mohawk and the overuse of the third person, “Suede is a bisexual Sagittarius…. Suede rocks…” well, we sorta’ like him, and thought the dress was really cute.

Stella redeemed herself tonight imbuing her rocker chic attitude into an asymmetrical shoulder silky mini. Her model loved it. But, um, Long Islanders, was it us? Or were the contestants making fun of our famous accents? We forgive, because Stella of Astoria speaking the Queen’s English is sort of hard on the ear as in “letha” this, “letha” that (yes, that would be leather). But Blayne really went to town…you don’t hear us speaking Leprechaun, do you Blayne? Stella was a good sport about the ribbing.

Truth told, we’re kind of liking Blayne too – what a character – but we must question his judgment. Is it wise to call Heidi Darth Vader? As he put it “all shiny on the outside, but Darthlicious inside.” Hats off to him, Terri, Daniel, Joe and Emily for the good work, while we’re thinking Jennifer did shmata and Jerrell did hoochie mama.

– Anne Bratskeir

(Photos from BravoTV.com/runway)

Episode 5/1: Gristede's and tablecloths

It’s baaack.

The first episode of Project Runway had it all – the pretty, the weird, the nerdy, the Goth, the over-inflated ego… you name it. To be honest, we found ourselves missing our curly-haired girl, Jillian Lewis, from Selden, and the entire cast of Season 4, but we know, we know, we’ve got to move on.

The challenge: create a look from items purchased at a grocery store with a budget of $75. The problem: many of the contestants bought tablecloths . . . not risky enough for Tim or the judges, who included Season One contestant Austin Scarlett who came off frothier than a double latte, but in the end was quite a good judge.

In terms of geography, Stella, billed as the rocker chick, from Astoria, is our girl. But she came close to being the first designer to go. She feared if she were, she would be known, and we quote, as “the biggest jackass of the nation.” Stella chose cheap trash bags to do her version of something leather. It didn’t work. For a while we thought she was just going to quit, but she pulled through with a pretty unimpressive trash bag dress that evoked, well, a trash bag. Heidi said it was “butt ugly.”

Jerry of Montana took the bullet and unfortunately took the phrase, “dressed to kill,” literally in an outfit of shower curtain and rubber gloves that prompted Michael Kors to say it looked like something out of “a slasher movie.” Bye, bye fella.

Who do we love… already? Kelli, whose tattooed arms conjure last season’s Sweet P, and whose clever vacuum cleaner, coffee filter, pushpins dress was the winner. Nerdy Leanne, who is way out of her element but created cuteness with candy -- Daniel who molded royal blue plastic cups into a bombshell dress -- Joe whose pot holder-pasta dress was adorable -- Terri for her mop top cropped sweater -- Jerell for his paper umbrella embellishment -- Korto for using lettuce and tomatoes as a necklace, and Emily for her spunk and bouncy ball collar.

Christian Siriano wannabe? Yeesh, the overly tanned Blayne, who is trying to trademark his “girlishess” exclamation a la Siriano’s “fierce.” Forget it. His weird bustier type thing of jump rope, drawer linens and windshield wipers prompted Kors to comment that his model looked like she had “an old diaper pushed in between her legs.”

And although we’re withholding judgment because his work is good, Keith gets suck up award of the night for telling Heidi that he always designs with her in mind. Heidi, credit to her, doesn’t really buy that jive, and on another note, is wearing micro minis and looks better than ever.

– Anne Bratskeir