Hello, my fabulouses, and welcome back to the blog! Today, I am going to chat about Project Runway Season 12 Episode 7, and the absolutely breathtaking and “man-eating” LBD that designer Ken created. Come on, let’s get to conversing about Project Runway!

When Heidi Klum announced that the designers would be taking a field trip to the Marie Claire fashion closet…my jaw dropped because I wanna go to the Marie Claire fashion closet!

Upon their arrival, Tim Gunn and Anne Fulenwider (Editor-and-Chief of Marie Claire) informed the designers that they were to pick a pair of shoes from the closet to be their inspiration for this challenge. Sounds simple…what’s the catch?

Designer Dom: “What are those buzzers for?”

Me: “Ah…there’s the catch.”

Yep, you guessed it…a fashion quiz. When the designer that pressed the buzzer answered the question correctly, he/she got to choose his/her favorite pair of shoes from the pre-selected group.

“As a self-taught fashion designer against all of these educated individuals, I’m very nervous, and hopefully I’m not the last person to pick my shoes,” stated Ken Laurence on Episode 7 before the fashion quiz began. Now…what was the first question…and who answered it?

Anne: “Christian Louis Vuitton’s famous red shoe soul was inspired by one of his employee’s what?”

Ken: *clicking his buzzer quickly* “fingernail polish”

Me: *shouting at the television* “WHOOP WHOOP! Way to go Ken!”

Occasionally, I do yell at the TV while watching Project Runway…my neighbors probably think I am crazy…or perhaps they just think I get excited about the 9 o’clock news. Speaking of news, the new weather guy is a cutie….Anyway, back to the recap.

After all of the designers had shoes in hand, they were given twenty minutes to sketch their garments.

Ken: “I feel like for these last challenges I keep referring back to the same silhouette. So, I want to switch it up and sew something completely different. I plan on creating this jacket dress with volume around the hips and in the sleeves.”

Fashion Quiz passed: Check.

Shoes picked: Check.

Garment sketched: Check.

Now, off to Mood!

Designers using their GoBank smartphone apps at Mood! Image provided by The Weinstein Company. — Designers using their GoBank smartphone apps at Mood!
Image provided by The Weinstein Company.

With a suggested GoBank spending budget of $250 and thirty minutes to shop, the designers raced to find fabric. Man….I would love to have to have a $250 GoBank budget to shop at Belk…Mhmm…every Southern fashionista’s dream.

Tim Gunn made his way around the work room talking to each designer about his/her garment. Every episode…I fall more and more in love with Tim Gunn’s fabulous fashion taste…I love you Tim!

Ken: “These are the shoes I picked.”

Tim: “Yes, they’re great!”

Ken: “I love them…So, the first thing that came to my mind was this coat dress…it’s going to be fitted and balloon out towards the bottom.”

Tim: “Here’s what concerns me–it is looking dated.”

Ken: “I’m taking Tim’s advice.”

Even though I loved Ken’s original design concept (I am a sucker for anything big and overstated…my hair is a prime example of this); however, taking Tim Gunn’s advice was the best thing Ken could have done.

Image provided by The Weinstein Company.

When designer Ken’s model hit the runway…I yelled at the TV once more.

Me: “OH MY GRACIOUS! It is so very perfect! I need this!”

Mom: “Abby, calm down. You’re going to disturb the neighbors.”

Me: “Maybe they should watch Project Runway…they would also yell at the TV.”

After I calmed down, I had to rewind to see what designer Ken had said about his design–thank goodness for DVR.

Ken: “I just want to scream at the top of my lungs because it’s perfect for the shoes I chose…it’s bon chic. I love it.”

Ken played a magnificent wild card in the Uno game of Project Runway by making his LBD modern and sleek with a little touch of sultry mystery. The textured fabric and oversized peplum were his garments powerful weapons on this challenge.

Ken’s “man-eater” dress impressed the Creative Director AND the Editor-and-Chief of Marie Claire magazine…talk about a hard thing to do. Even if Ken did not take home the win for this challenge, those compliments are trophies in themselves.

Maria: “You struck a great balance here!”

Anne: “She can take over the world in that dress!”

I have to agree with Anee…if I had that magnificently constructed LBD in my wardrobe…I could totally rule the world. *cue Beyoncé’s “Run the World”*