Jezebel: austin scarlett

Imagine: A Project Runway Inauguration Dress For Michelle Obama

Dodai — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST

The Daily Beast issued a challenge to former Project Runway designers: Design an inauguration gown for the First Lady. (At the time, Obama's win was not confirmed.) And! As with all ProjRun challenges, there was a twist: The designers could only use Laura Bush’s 2005 Inaugural Ball dress, an American flag, burlap potato sacks and $10 worth of trims of their choice. The resulting sketches? A mixed bag: Partly hideous, partly hilarious and partly high fashion. But we poked around the designer's websites and found dresses from their collections that Ms. Obama might actually wear. The sketches and our choices, after the jump.

Season 1 winner Jay McCarroll says of his burlap cocktail-length dress, "We need to live within our means and get back to basics."

But for his spring 2007 collection, Jay designed this citrusy gown and this metallic gown. Either one could be an elegant choice for Michelle Obama!

Season 1 finalist Austin Scarlett created this washed burlap strapless gown.

Here's a more formal choice, from Austin Scarlett's line, Kenneth Pool.

Season 2 semifinalist Kara Janx made a dress "about patriotism and change, with a pop culture spirit."

But can you picture Michelle Obama in one of Kara's famous kimonos? The gold trim adds a more glamorous touch.

Malan Breton of Season 3 cut the stars out of the flag and used them to highlight his dress.

But a more simple, regal shape from his 2009 spring collection seems more fitting for a First Lady.

Mychael Knight, Season 3 semifinalist, created a "youthful and sexy" gown. "She’s becoming the first lady, not an old lady!"

Mychael's designs are so youthful and so sexy (think: leather bikinis) that the only appropriate gown to be found was this one from an old episode of Project Runway. Still, Ms. Obama could rock this.

Alison Kelly of Season 3 says she "thought back to the Great Depression and remembered Coco Chanel’s dropped waist silhouette" when she dreamed up this black gown.

But what if she took this top from her line, Dahl by Alison Kelly, and lengthened it into a dress? It has a quiet yet impactful "wow" factor. And Michelle Obama has great shoulders.

LOL. This is from the lovable Chris March, Season 4. Due to dire financial straits, "The first lady will have to resort to wearing a barrel. Of course, hers will be glamorous."

Checking out Chris March's site, it was tough to find anything Michelle Obama-appropriate. This was the best I could do. It's very "after the revolution," no?

Rami Kashou of Season 4 used draping, of course. The stripes are awfully distracting, though.

Could Michelle Obama wear a Rami Kashou divine golden goddess number instead?

Last, but not least: Season 5 winner Leanne Marshall. Her gown features a dramatic collar and "a very full, pocketed sweeping skirt of 50 horizontally paneled potato sacks." Not bad, but…

This beautiful dress from Leanne's final collection would be much, much better.

The Ball Gown Challenge [The Daily Beast]

Tim Gunn To Project Runway Newbies: "You Guys Are A Bunch Of Slackers!"

Dodai — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT

Last night's premiere of Project Runway was déja vu all over again: The contestants headed to Gristede's supermarket for the first challenge. Just like Season 1! It was a giddy thrill to see first-season fop Austin Scarlett flit onto the scene and lisp his way through an explanation of the task: To create an ensemble with things purchased at the grocery store. Each designer had $75 and half an hour, and many headed right for the tablecloths. In fact, there were so many tablecloths in the workroom that Tim Gunn had to holler at the contestants and straighten those suckers out (clip above). The first episode also serves as an introduction to all of the designers, and a few "personalities" stand out:

Blayne, the self-admitted tanning addict, who drops the world "girlicious" like a Pussycat Doll with Tourette syndrome, has got to be the most annoying. Though he's followed closely by Suede, who has a blue-tinged mohawk and talks about himself in the third person. Joe, the 41-year-old dad from Detroit, is intriguing because he's a 41-year-old dad from Detroit. On a fashion reality show! Kelli, who draws inspiration from Vivienne Westwood and Betsey Johnson, is sure to produce some fun frocks; as is Korto, the Liberian living in Little Rock. Also keep your eye on Leanne, the "silent fashion assassin," as she seems like she'll be the first to burst into tears. Someone texted me to say that Stella looks like Johnny Thunders, but clearly her eyelashes are classic Raggedy Ann. Anyway, it was Jerry, responsible for an American Psycho-esque raincoat paired with yellow dishwashing gloves and white rain boots, who was the first to go.

Fashion Show

Jennifer — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:45:00 EST

Who amongst us was not perversely enchanted by Project Runway contestant Malan Breton? There was the weird, ambiguously European accent (and the weird, non-European heritage); the perfectly-coiffed hair; the maniacal laugh. And though the dress he made for former Miss USA Tara Connor was all wrong, the guy obviously did have talent, albeit in an over-the-top, Austin Scarlett kind of way. This morning at NY Fashion Week, Malan presented a collection that was a lot less outrageous and a lot more chic, sleek and rainstorm-ready. A 10-image gallery begins below.

'Project Runway' To Hell: These Fashion Designers Ain't Goin' Nowhere

Jennifer — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EDT

Shocking news, this: Reality TV stars? Sorta unhappy. Actually, make that really unhappy.! In a heart-wrenching "Where are they now?" moment, the new issue of New York magazine checks in with some of our favorite former Project Runway stars to see just what they're lives are made of now. Turns out, there not much of anywhere, other than Bittersville. In summary:

Jay McCarroll, Season 1:

You don't think I took the fucking bus to New York the day after I won the show, thinking someone was going to come up to me on the street and say, You're awesome, here's money? I thought that for two years. But I've given up on that....My hands have been creatively crippled for two years—all those fucking eyes on me, reading that I'm a waste on blogs.

Andrae Gonzalo, Season 2:

I tell everyone I'm not a star. I'm a brown dwarf... I was still working [as a waiter] while [the show] was airing. Boy, was that surreal. The guests were freaking out. They were like, 'I can't believe it's you! You have to take a picture!' He gestures to an imaginary plate. "And I was like, Uh, I have this tray.

Austin Scarlett, Season 1:

I felt so cheap and tawdry. They gave me $500 [to be on a reunion special], and I was like, Keep the money. It was just part of my confusion, grasping for the next thing.

Nick Verreos, Season 2:

In the supermarket, crossing the street, at a restaurant, it's, Whatareyoudoiiiiiiiiiing? Whatareyoudoiiiiiiiiiiing? And I know it comes from a wonderful place, but it feels like, 'Oh, poor you. Are you working?' To this day, I still rattle off a résumé. And then I realized: Nick, they're not judging you.

Santino Rice, Season 2:

I'll go some places, especially concerts, and I'll have 15-year-old girls jump on my back or grab my crotch. And I get into grown-up mode, like, Where the fuck are your parents?

Laura Bennett, Season 3:

What do you have to offer me?

The Near-Fame Experiment [NYMag]