DesignBiz Rx Weblog

What a bunch of totally crazy, often fugly looks walked down the runway this week! And how many of the designers were so caught up in their “design vision” that once again, they completely ignored the “givens” of the design challenge? I mean, what Jerrell put up there, however inventive and well constructed it may be, could in no way have been feasible, applicable or even desirable as a Olympic ceremony outfit.

My top three this week were Leanne, Joe and Terri. I thought Korto’s was ok, but the proportions of the vest to the pants looked odd and it didn’t seem as “sportif” as the outfits Leanne and Joe sent down the runway. And Terri’s design was, to me, a marked improvement over the much-heralded official Ralph Lauren uniform.

Ralph Lauren’s Beijing Olympic uniform

Image via Guest of a Guest

Terri’s Beijing Olympic uniform

But while there were plenty of missteps this week, there’s no doubt it was time for Jennifer to leave. From the beginning she kept referencing “surrealism” in her designs and yet I found little trace of it in her Chanel/prep/WASPy looks. It reminds me of that line from “The Princess Bride” when, after Vizzini has exclaimed “Inconceivable!” after each of The Man in Black’s many escapes, Inigo Montoya says: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” That’s Jennifer and surrealism.

Here’s hoping I score more points this week!