Hopeful fashion designers are ready to make it work on Project Runway Season 16 premiere. But, the red carpet challenge proved that scrunchie dresses won’t make the cut.
The new season of Project Runway may not be the sweet 16 that the designers are expecting. During the Project Runway season 16 premiere, the shears aren’t ready to come out just yet. With everyone happy to just be part of the experience, the fierce competitiveness isn’t in full force, yet. But the premiere episode still had its drama filled moments.
Since Project Runway needs to stay fresh and current, this season has a twist for the designers. This year’s models range from size 2 to 22. But, the models are more than just a number size. Since one size doesn’t fit all, these models are tall, curvy, and everything in between. For each challenge, the designers’ models will change.
Project Runway Season 16 premier, photo from Lifetime
While this change is a good thing, some designers embraced it and others had the look of complete dread. The comments weren’t directly complaining, but the back-handed statements about “I’ve never done this type of design” were quite telling.
The size-inclusive models are reflective of the real world. Very few women are a size two with perfectly sized breasts and a well-sculpted butt. Real women have curves, non-perfect proportions and possibly some cellulite. If a designer can’t make a dress that works in many sizes, that designer may have a limited career.
After the model announcement, the designers had to get down to sketching for the red carpet challenge. Each designer had $300 and one day to create the red carpet look. The outfit needed to reflect the designer’s atheistic and the event the model would be attending. The designer could choose any red carpet event.
Project Runway Season 16 desigers, photo from Lifetime
Like most early episodes of a reality television show, the episode clips pretty much depict which designers are in the top and the bottom. If a person doesn’t get a lot of camera time throughout the show, it probably means that a particular look isn’t in the top or the bottom. With so many designers in the first couple of episodes, there’s only so much time to get everyone on camera.
Before talking about the top and bottom of the challenge, I think that one of the big story lines of the season will be the twins, Claire and Shawn. While they are competing separately, they seemed to rely heavily on each other. It seemed like they were almost a team. If this trend continues, I could see some designers getting quite upset.
The red carpet challenge had three top looks and three bottom looks. The top looks were Deyonte, Kenya, and Brandon. The three bottom looks were Bantani, ChaCha, and Shawn. What was great about both the tops and bottom looks is that all of them represented different sized models.
Project Runway Season 16 Deyonte, photo from Lifetime
All three top looks were quite good. The biggest theme with the top looks was that each outfit flattered the model’s body. None of them hid the curves or put a curvy model under a gigantic tent. All the looks were fashion forward and flattering.
Deyonte’s floral print dress was stunning. The bold, floral print looked like it would be perfect for a summer event. The floral print was draped just right. Deyonte won the challenge. Hopefully, he will continue this impressive start. Even though he won, it isn’t clear if he get immunity for the second challenge.
Kenya, who has worked with curvy models, had a statuesque model. The gown had a great dramatic impact. A strapless gown with oversized pockets was quite stunning. Kenya had some finishing issues, but overall it was quite successful.
Project Runway Season 16 Brandon, photo from Lifetime
Based on the episode, I would have guessed that Brandon would have been in the bottom. But, his final outfit was delightful. The two piece outfit was a play on ath-leisure. It flattered his model’s figure. She felt confident in her curves and showed it on the runway.
Shawn’s outfit, while on the bottom, had some good qualities. The top was edgy. The color, wrap, and long sleeves were creative. But, the crazy shorts made it look cheap. While she was going for a Billboard or VMA red carpet look, it would have been more of a worse look list nominee. Shawn was safe, though.
Project Runway Season 16 Batani, photo from Lifetime
Bantani flubbed this challenge big time. Her biggest mistake was trying to hide, cover, and cinch in her model’s waist. Her fuller figure model had some great curves that would have looked wonderful in the right style of dress. Unfortunately, all the appliques were distracting and not flattering. Plus, she lied to Heidi about using the appliques to cover up a mistake. Never lie to Heidi.
ChaCha had the most unusual dress of any designer. His dress looked like he attached bright pink scrunchies all over the dress. Scrunchies are an ’80s trend that no one wants back in fashion. Maybe he was trying to be ironic, but I don’t think that ChaCha understood that concept. His dress was not funky, counterculture or anything but weird.
Both Bantani and ChaCha were in the bottom because they tried to hide their models’ figures versus celebrate them. Just because you’re bigger than a size 6 doesn’t mean that you have to wear a big potato sack. Celebrate a woman’s figure, any figure. If a women feels confident in her outfit, she will project that confidence.
Project Runway Season 16 ChaCha, photo from Lifetime
ChaCha with his scrunchie dress was the first designer sent home. I thought that ChaCha would be around for a while longer because he was so quirky. Reality television loves a good quirky character. But, goodbye ChaCha and your crazy My Little Pony-inspired design.
What will Project Runway season 16 bring? Drama, drama, and another round of drama looks to be in store for fans. Season 16 clips show lots of crying, a contestant walking out, and Tim Gunn in a tizzy. But, a few of the designs look amazing.
Next: Which Project Runway Season 16 designer has versatility?
Next week’s episode is an unconventional challenge. What
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