From The Mailbox

Sweet P and her husband Sage Vaughn are featured in the February issue of Papermag. Click here to read more.

A belated Happy Birthday (yesterday) as well as BEST WISHES go out to Kenley Collins! Kenley has recently announced her engagement to Zak Penley and they are planning an October 2nd wedding in Manhattan. (Thanks to Wes and Daniel for the tip.)

Season Four designer Victorya Hong appeared as a guest judge in the premiere episode of Project Runway Korea. Click here for the story.

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From The Mailbox

Photo: Jeremy Goldberg

Vanessa Trump wears a Fierce Mamas by Moody Mamas Christian Siriano design on the Page Six magazine cover. More here. Thanks Ren.

Looking for holiday bargains? There is a Jeffrey Sebelia-designed Cosa Nostra jacket available on eBay. Check it out.

Sweet P and Victorya Hong have posted blog updates.

Harvey Weinstein continues to charm.

Here is a little more on the latest from Project Courtroom.

To end this post on a cheerful note, let's revisit Laura Bennett's holiday edition of "Case Clothed."

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BPR's Big Adventure - Part Two

LK: After brunch I checked out of Chez Roz and into our hotel. I discovered The Scarlett and Tbone in the Business Center already busy posting the Malan reports.

Scar: Actually Tbone was in the Business Center. I had decided to take a nap. I needed my beauty sleep or else I wouldn't make it to the Christian Siriano show that night.

Tbone: It was more like the Business Closet. Regardless, we comandeered it for our entire stay. Bloggers never rest.

LK: Later, back in the room I was getting fashion advice from The Scarlett. I tried on everything in my suitcase and decided on a black dress and zebra-striped sweater. The phone rang and the caller ID said 'Tim Gunn!' He let us know that he would see us that evening at Christian's show.

Scar: We kind of all squealed a little. Tim Gunn has that effect on us. Jaded we're not. I decided I needed to use the eyelash tricks of Laura Bennett to up the fab.

Tbone: I showered very early that morning. That was as 'fab' as the Tbone was going to deliver.

Click here to continue.

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Team BPR Visits the American Express SkyBox

LK: We were up early on Friday morning to visit the American Express Skybox at Bryant Park for breakfast. I had no idea where this was and I was dying to see it. Nancy T met us in front and we were escorted through the tent and up some stairs to a lovely room where Project Runway fans were mingling with several of the designers from previous seasons. We all enjoyed delicious food and drinks.

Scar: It was fun to do something different, to arrive early before the crowd and to go into the venue before it is officially open. I was really honored to be included in this event. It looked like an intimate restaurant upstairs from the actual tent. The champagne was flowing and the chandelier was glowing.

Tbone: The Skybox was designed by Frank Carfaro and it was extremely, luxuriously dark. This was good beacuse it made me look and sound a lot cooler than I really am. Plus, there was free champagne!

LK: It was a thrill to visit with the American Express hosts and with the "superfans." These few had purchased tickets available only to American Express cardholders to view the show from above the tents.

Tbone: There were a couple of windows that the guests could use to look down on the runways, hidden from view inside the tents. I purposely looked for them from inside but never did figure out where they were. It was like being in the security room at a casino.

Scar: I was curious who these "superfans" would be. And I was equally curious about the designers invited to this event.

LK: Kara Janx, Elisa Jimenez, Jack Mackenroth, Kevin Christiana, Chris March, Steven Rosengard, Victorya Hong and Kit Pistol were all there mingling with the 24 lucky fans. I especially enjoyed meeting Brian - a banker from Connecticut who has watched every episode of every season and visits BPR every day but has never left a comment. (We love our lurkers!)

Tbone: I was thrilled once again to spend time with one of my all-time favorite PR designers Elisa Jimenez, whose love for I have well documented. She told me about her work as a costume designer on the Disney behemoth High School Musical 3 and how she spent her summer teaching art and fashion design in New Mexico.

Scar: Don't forget that Kara Janx was there along with 'Red' and her baby girl, Dylan. I noticed that a dad was in the Skybox along with his teenage daughter and her best friend. I asked the girls which of the designers they wanted to meet and they both responded enthusiastically that they wanted to meet Kit. After their photo op with Kit, I asked if they wanted to meet Jack and they nodded shyly. I later asked them who they wanted to win and they both liked Kenley Collins.

Tbone: Dylan was eating free yogurt from the Skybox bar while she was doted on by her loving parents. Kara mentioned that she is working on her second collection to show . I think her first (the decoy collection at the S2 finale) would have won if it had counted. Being a new parent can chew into the design time, though. "Tbone, she has absolutely turned my world upside down", she told me in her lovely Soutyh African lilt.

LK: I am certain that Tbone and The Scarlett could have stayed in the AmEx Skybox all morning but at about 8:50 I was anxious to get downstairs to my seat at the show. Nancy T watched the show from the Skybox.

Tbone: I definitely preferred the Skybox to the mad crush on the floor of the tent. Plus, there was free champagne! LK ruins all the fun.

Thank you American Express! We had a fabulous time.

Click here to listen to Steven Rosengard and Chris March.

Click here for our interview with Kara Janx.

Click here to listen to Kit Pistol and Victorya Hong.

Click here for our interview with Elisa Jimenez.

Click here for Nancy T's interview with Jack Mackenroth.

Click here for Kit Pistol.

Click here for more from Steven Rosengard and Kevin Christiana.

Are you interested in attending this event next season? Click here to sign up for "Entertainment Updates." Stay alert because this event sells out quickly!

Update: Our friend BostonSewer blogged about another American Express-sponsored fashion week event here.

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Big Apple Buzz

Fashion Week is in full swing, and there is much to see!

Photo from People.com

Here's J-Lo and Posh at the Marc Jacobs show yesterday. Is the former PR finale judge offering tips to new one? Hmmmm...


BPR reader Trish sends along this shot of Rosario Dawson wearing DVF at the RENT finale. Now we see where Korto's inspiration came from...



Here's one of the looks from Season 4 designer Victorya Hong's Spring '09 collection. Click here for more.

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BPR in NYC

Kaitlin and I arrived in NYC on Tuesday afternoon. We checked in at Chez Roz, unpacked, made a couple of phone calls and headed out to dinner at Garage.

We were seated upstairs and quickly joined by Chris March, Kit Pistol and friend Lisa, Daniel Franco, Sweet P...
Click here to continue.

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From The Mailbox

Click here for Nina Garcia discussing this spring's sheer trend on Flypaper.

Click here to bid on the Christian Siriano design worn on the May 1st episode of Ugly Betty. Proceeds benefit Clothes off our backs.

Click here for the latest update on Jay McCarroll's blog.

Click here for latest update on Victorya Hong's blog.

Christian Siriano is among the nominees for "Most Addictive Reality Star" at NewNowNext.

Mychael Knight recently spoke to a group of students at St. Johns University. Click here for more.

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From The Mailbox

Kevin Christiana is featured in the current issue of Talent in Motion magazine. Also stay tuned for news about Kevin in a future issue of Cosmogirl.



Victorya Hong has a new blog!

The Defamer weighs in on the Project Runway move to Lifetime... Hee.

Finally, more press on the Jay McCarroll premiere here.

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BPR Top 5 Looks: 2nd Place

Every season of Project Runway brings with it a certain number of elements guranteed to raise our ire. Less talented designers last long past their time, a fan favorite gets eliminated just before making it to fashion week, someone breaks a rule or two, the list goes on. Perhaps the biggest boil on our collective butts has been the team challenge concept. We love to complain about them!

But in Season 4, the producers somehow managed to get it just right for one glorious episode that produced some of the most inspired work we've seen on any season.

In "En Garde", the final 8 designers were paired off in teams of two to produce an avant-garde look using the models hairstyle as their inspiration. Victorya Hong and Jillian Lewis went against popular convention as they both wanted to be team leader. Neither headstrong designer would give in and Victorya got the nod by a flip of the coin.


Although Victorya earned praise from the judges on the runway for her ruffled top and jodhpurs, it was Jillian's stunning trench that was the show-stopper. Using a midnight colored fabric with red tartan lining, the coat spoke perfectly to the rebellious theme sported by model Jacqueline's faux-hawk hair. It was a breathtaking showing that demonstrated two heads were sometimes better than one.

Victorya's successful run would soon come to an end as she fizzled out in the denim challenge. But Jillian continued to deliver week after week, showing off her formidable style with a consistency that earned her a spot in the finals. Congratulations Victorya and Jillian - you landed in the #2 spot on the BPR Top 5!

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BPR Interview With Victorya Hong

Who says you have to be a finalist to show at Fashion Week? Certainly not Victorya Hong. The season 4 designer decided there was no better time to capitalize on her exposure from the show and managed to beat all of her cast mates to the catwalk with her Fall 2008 collection. Victorya tells us all about it as we resume our series of aufed interviews.

BPR: Hi Victorya! We were all happily surprised to see you showing on the opening day of Fashion Week. When did you decide to pursue this?

VH: I´ve been working on getting my line off the ground since we finished taping last summer. So, it was only natural that I work on a Fall collection. It really started coming together in December. Jackie, my model from the show, would come over to fit my samples. Of course, everything looks great on her, so I don´t know if it was an accurate barometer...but the line was looking really strong. With her encouragement, I started to really explore the possibility of showing.

BPR: What is the inspiration for your new collection?

VH: It was very 80s inspired. I am a voracious visual consumer when I begin to research a line. I watched movies, 80s sitcoms, and pored through magazines and images. It was actually pretty fun because the 80s is really my era.

Click here to continue reading our interview with Victorya as she talks about her experiences on the show and picks who she thinks will win Season 4.

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Project Runway at Mercedes- Benz Fashion Week

Project Runway is well-represented at the tents in Bryant Park.

Tim Gunn, front row at Narciso Rodriguez, front row, on February 5th.


Nina Garcia, front row at Proenza Schouler, front row, on February 4th. Yes, that is Rihanna seated near her.


Amanda Fields, always ready to model at the tents.

Season One winner Jay McCarroll at na·be, front row, February 1.


Christian Siriano, Victorya Hong and Elisa Jimenez at na·be, backstage, February 1.

All images from WireImage.
Stay tuned for Malan Breton coverage later today.

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Results In - You Were the Judge Episode 9

Our polls for Episode 9 are closed. You disagreed with the judges and felt that Sweet P should have been awarded the win. Click here to see the results. You concurred with the judges that it was time for Victorya Hong to be 'auf.' Click here to see the results.

Check back with us tomorrow for our Episode 10 poll.

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Video - na·be By Victorya Hong at Fashion Week

Video courtesy of MyItThings.com. Thanks to Yuli Ziv.

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Fashion Week: Day 1

Here's a cleaned up, smiling Christian Siriano at the Perry Ellis show yesterday. Doesn't he look great?

Don't miss Victorya Hong's collection from last night. A couple of early reviews can be found here and here. This one was my favorite:

WWD has been capturing collection inspirations from all of the designers. Here's Alexandra Vidal, showing on Tuesday: “The decadence of the era of Queen Elizabeth I.” And Elisa Jimenez, showing tomorrow: “Fall bridges that which has come before with that which will come after, the mythic and the ordinary, art and fashion.”

More to come - stay tuned!

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Fashion Week Begins!

This is a big day in NYC as Fashion Week kicks off, and Project Runway is right in the thick of it.

Did you know it is National Wear Red Day? Heidi Klum is helping kick off American Heart Month this morning as a runway model for the Red Dress Collection 2008, part of The Heart Truth awareness campaign for women about heart disease.

Victorya Hong didn't let her recent auffing prevent her from debuting her very own Fall 2008 collection tonight at The Altman Building. Check out this interview with her PR rep on the challenges of putting this show together. BPR has a couple of ace field reporters on hand for this show - stay tuned!

Tune in to Zulema Griffin's MySpace Sunday, February 3rd beginning at 9:00 a.m. as she shows her collection online. We think this is a great idea and expect to see more of it in the future.

On an unrelated note, we noticed that there is call out for stand ins at Parsons to help set up the Project Runway studio. Now what might be going on there? Hmmmm.....

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From The Mailbox

Many of you have written in about the next episode. Bravo is pretty much giving everything away, but we are trying hard not to spoil it too much. If you somehow have avoided the on-air promos and online episode descriptions, cover your ears and eyes! If you want to know a little more, then go ahead and click here. For now, lets just say we are concerned.

Don't miss this incredible, bittersweet story from someone that Elisa Jimenez used to know very well.

Victorya Hong talks a bit about her upcoming fashion week show at Stylehive. You can also check out her exit interview with Buddy TV. Thanks Alex and Jennifer.

Season 1 designer Alexandra Vidal is showing her collection during fashion week at the Bryant Park Hotel on Tuesday, February 5.

Look who stopped by to visit After Elton's The Heidi Chronicles this week!

Here's a report on the Project Red Dress event in Seattle that Nick Verreos attended. More photos here.

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How Will Bravo Make It Work?

We are scratching our collective heads here in the BPR workroom trying to figure out what exactly Bravo is up to with their end game for Season 4. First off, they have confirmed with us that there is no new episode next week, meaning the next elimination will not place until February 6. But assuming that episode is a single elimination, that leaves five designers remaining when they film the finale at Bryant Park on February 8.

Past seasons have always shown four collections at Fashion Week, twice with a decoy (S1 and S2) and once without (S3). (We hate the idea of a decoy collection, if they are going to show, let them count!) But the only way to get to a Final 4 will be by having a double elimination on February 6, or if they run back-to-back single-elimination episodes.

Unless there may be more than four designers showing on February 8. Hmmmmmm.......

Meanwhile, it appears as if the mystery has been solved regarding the February 1 "Project Runway Designer" off-site show at The Altman Building. The official MBFW schedule now shows that it's none other than Victorya Hong! But isn't she still under contract with Bravo? Who is sponsoring this and where is the press?

Something fishy is going on here....

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BPR Love For Victorya Hong

In the end, you exited with grace. You made your mark on Project Runway with wins in both the SJP and prom challenges as you displayed a flair for sleek sophistication in your design work. For you, the challenges were serious business and you met the demands of those who were pleading for 'more design, less drama' from the cast.

We will miss you calm confidence and intelligent approach to fashion. We have no doubt that you will realize the "long and fulfilling career" you strive for and we can't wait to see what you come up with next. Much love to you today Victorya!

Note: Only positive comments on this post, please! Any other thoughts belong in our Reactions post here.

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Congratulations, Victorya!

You created a dress that sparkled in the eyes of guest judge Gilles Mendel. Nina loved the Royal Blue color. And despite being the last kid picked on the playground, you provided your client Jessica a winner that she walked with grace and confidence down the runway.

Congratulations Victorya on becoming the second two-time winner of Season 4!

Positive, congratulatory comments only, please!

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T.G.I.W.

There is a definite buzz in the air for tonight's episode, can you feel it? It's designing diva fight night on Bravo!

The card features an opening bout of Jillian vs. Rami that promises to set the stage for our Main Event: Ricky vs. Victorya. Judging the matches this evening is yet another big name guest (spoiler alert: don't click if you don't want to know!).

Can Ricky corral his emotional energy to deliver a knock-out punch, or will the cool, calm Victorya prevail in the Parsons arena? Tune in tonight at 10:00 p.m. ET to find out!

Team BPR is ready for action as well. Tbone will be keeping score with his weekly play-by-play, the party room will be open beginning at 9:00 ET and the ever-popular reactions post goes up at 11:00ET so you can let everyone know won on your scorcard.

There is another big Runway story today: Malan Breton opens his online store tonight at 9:00 PM Eastern! Malan has been a great friend and contributor to BPR, so make sure you check out his beautiful collection of dresses, handbags and accessories. Select items will be available in time for holiday giving.

TGIW - woo-hoo!

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