Project Runway Season 9 Episode 1 Reaction

The first episode started out with a bang! Instead of the usual 16 designers, 20 contenders came to New York City in order to convince Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, and Michael Kors that they should be on the show. After displaying their best work on racks and models, the lucky 16 were allowed to move into their apartment. Unfortunately, that meant that 4 designers traveled all that way just to be rejected. These were cut: Amanda Perna, David Chum, Gunnar Deatherage, and Serena Da Conceicao. I think Amanda's pieces were mostly too bright, too crafty, and too immature. It sounds like the judges didn't like David Chum, because most of his garments looked the same; I tend to agree. They were pretty much all outerwear in gray shades. I think that for Gunnar, the judges questioned his taste level, because of his over-the-top pink formal gown. For me, Serena's clothing was almost too ready-to-wear in that it did not show alot of fashion sense. They were all pieces that we had seen before.

After a brief celebration for the official contestants, it was time to get to work. Tim Gunn surprised the designers by waking them at 5 am the next morning; I was pretty shocked as well. He told them they were having a 'Come As You Are' party. So, they walked the New York streets in their pajamas while carrying white sheets from their beds. Once they arrived at Parsons, Tim explained the challenge. The designers had to use only what they were wearing and their white bed sheet to create a masterpiece. Fortunately, they had closures and dyes to help them 'Make it work!'

After the threading, sewing, dying, model fitting, and praying, the designers slipped their creations into the models for their first 'Project Runway' fashion show. I really enjoyed the first several looks; I kept saying 'beautiful', 'great', 'innovative', 'awesome' in my mind, but, after awhile, some of the not so hot looks started prancing down the runway. In the end, there were three in the bottom: Josh, Julie, and Rafael. Josh was told he barely made the cut, while Rafael was eliminated. I agree that they made the right choice. Rafael's look did not show a lot of taste and was poorly made. Bert's winning look was a dress made from his boxers, t-shirt, and his dyed sheet. The judges chose the right designer, because, despite his age, his piece was young, fresh, and creative.

Overall, this was a mind-blowing episode that was full of surprises and interesting creations. I am looking forward to viewing more drama, original designing, and masterful sewing. What did you think of the first episode?