Project Runway winner Leanne Marshall is by far one of our favorite Project Runway contestants of all time. Not only has she stayed true to herself and her aesthetic (ethereal, architectural, organic, independent, feminine), she even still operates her Etsy shop, Leanimal. When past winners haven’t been able to figure out how to grow so fast, Marshall has remained level-headed, giving her loyal clientele what they’ve always wanted, while turning things up a notch with custom lines and higher-end ventures. So when we checked in to see what the talented designer was up to, we were pretty blown away. Not only can we nab the perfect summer dress in a perfect peachy hue, we can also scoop up samples from her bridal mini-collection. Bride to be? Consider a Leanimal frock — if we were walking down the aisle again, these dresses would be at the top of our list. Where to shop your frocks off?

Right here.

{More inspiration on Leanne Marshall’s Flickr and blog.}

The DailyBuss

Emilio's Collection

Did you watch the finale of Project Runway? If not, major SPOILER ALERT. If so, what do you think? I’ll try to hold my tongue, but to say I was infuriated by the judges’ decision would be an understatement. I thought Emilio’s collection, entitled Color Me Bad (drawing inspiration from the ’40s and Harlem), was fresh, sophisticated and wearable, with the perfect amount of drama. No gimmicks. Perfectly tailored, flattering and, unlike the other designers, not overworked or heavy-handed. During the season, he won something like five challenges, more than any other designer in Project Runway history.

Seth Aaron's Collection

Seth Aaron’s collection, on the other hand (though it reads much better in these pictures than it did on the boob tube, so who knows really), read St. Marks Place. It looked cheap and costumey and looked to be full of pleather. It was also unflattering (if it makes a 6-foot-tall, 100 lb. model look wide, imagine how it would look on the rest of us). His inspiration? 1940′s German military. Um, you mean Nazis? Two issues: Is that something anyone should be “inspired” by? And two, it doesn’t read that way at all. I hate to rain on Seth Aaron’s parade, but he was by far my third place pick. I haven’t include Mila’s collection because I thought it was a complete snoozefest. Am I missing something? Did the judges get it right? Did Seth Aaron’s clownish-punk collection deserve to win? See their full collections here and VOTE and weigh in on our comments below…

 Loading ...

Polls, The Blog

Mila's NYFW Collection

Did you catch the showdown between Mila and Jay on Project Runway last night? Both were convinced that they would be the third designer chosen to show at New York Fashion Week. But only one was right. It’s kind of heartbreaking when you realize both have had this dream practically their entire lives, but only one will make the cut. But, such is life. Or at least life in the fashion world. My take on Mila’s collection, which she says was inspired by shadows? It feels derivative and stuck in the past. She’s influenced by the ’60s, but without any of the playfulness of the ’60s. I adore black and white, but it feels one note and expected (and also way too similar to Seth Aaron’s work). Why not at least accessorize with color (some funky tights and shoes would have helped take this to the next level — though not a new one). Instead, it feels heavy and, dare I say, cheap? I do dare. I have particular issues with the patent leather collar on the otherwise cute dress on the right. She took something light (finally!) and playful and made it feel S&M and tacky. Speaking of tacky, did you know that Mila makes her living by dressing the hosts and judges of Dancing With the Stars?

Jay's NYFW Collection

Jay’s collection, inspired by Japanese samurai, may have been a tad overworked, but at least it had elements of innovation and surprise. I know I’m not the only one who now has leather shin guards on my fall fashion wishlist. I do wish that designers would think outside of the color box for fall. Yes, Jay has some color, but fall doesn’t mean it has to be so dark and sinister. Of course, I’m a girl who likes Kate Spade and J.Crew namely for their color palettes, so heavy colors will never really do it for me. Though I am gaga over SJP’s Galliano gown in this month’s Vogue. Moving on… {SPOILER ALERT} Ultimately the judges decided not to go with the more innovative and creative designer, but with the one they felt was most “ready” for Bryant Park. I have a feeling that they didn’t want all guy designers at NYFW, which led them to chose Mila (even though it seemed pretty clear that Heidi was the only judge who preferred Mila). I felt like Jay was robbed. But what do you think?

 Loading ...

[Photos courtesy of Lifetime]

Polls, The Blog

{SPOILER ALERT} Were you also so excited when the challenge was announced that the designers would be going to Coney Island to see the cirucs? I know I was. So much inspiration to be had. The designers were to make a circus-inspired look without the look reading costumey. Well. Would you be caught dead wearing exhibits A and B, above (left: Mila; right: Seth Aaron)?

Exhibits C and D are less costumey (left: Jay; right: Emilio), but don’t all these looks like they came from the same collection? There’s something to be said for consistency, but when four different designers create looks that all read the same (black and white stripes, red!), I think there’s a problem. I crave some out-of-the-box thinking…you too? I feel like I’ve seen these same looks from these same designers before (Jay with his perfectly tailored pants, Mila and Seth Aaron with graphic black and white stripes.) I would have loved to have seen something more like Katy Rodriquez’s collection. Beautiful, whimsical, unexpected color combos, exaggerated skirts. Maybe some cotton candy hues.

So then there was the cheese who stood alone and gave us something different from the rest with this pretty blue number that had a hint of drama, but then, as Nina Garcia said was “a snoozefest from the waist down.” And he gets auf’d. No Fashion Week for poor Anthony. Which means Mila and Seth Aaron, whose aesthetics are virtually identical, both go to New York Fashion Week. Emilio, clearly the front-runner, will show as well. And Jay, too. Actually Jay and Mila have to battle it out for the third spot, but they both get to create collections.

What did you think of the circus looks? And who do you want to see at Fashion Week? Who do you think will win Project Runway?

 Loading ...

Polls, The Blog

I had just caught up with last week’s Project Runway on TiVo, mourning the loss of Anthony (not his designs per se, but he’s certainly the most entertaining designer of the season), lusting over one of those magic HP Touchscreens (um, hello, I want to draw and paint on my computer screen and make my own fabric, thanks!), when I caught the new episode mid-show.

I felt like I must have been a victim of an April Fool’s prank, because there, low and behold, was Anthony. Wasn’t he auf’d last week?! Turns out he was, but Maya, talented, sweet, so, so young Maya dropped out. What the Prada?! She said she didn’t feel like she was developed enough as a designer yet to continue on.

I understand, but think it was a big, big mistake. She never won a challenge but was always at the top. As Emilio (and maybe Yogi Bear or was it Dan Quayle?) said “Quitters never win.”

Moving on, the challenge was to design a red carpet gown for a picky celebrity… Heidi Klum. Flaxen-haired guest judge and “style icon” Jessica Alba (who knew?) weighed in and another Project Runway first occurred — there were two winners (and for once, I actually agreed with the judges on both picks)! But as we know, a girl can only wear one dress at a time down a red carpet (I mean, this isn’t a wedding), so which dress would YOU choose to wear?

 Loading ...

[Photos courtesy of Lifetime]

Polls, The Blog