Fashion Star in a word: bloated.
Don’t
get me wrong, I want to like this show. The premise is fresh and
interesting, and I love the idea of buyers bidding on the fashions. My
beloved Project Runway has lost its way in the past couple of seasons,
focusing on producer-created drama rather than skill and talent. Even in
its golden era though, Project Runway had a tendency to be a bit
stuffy, focused on Fashion with a capital F. The judges would literally
scorn anything that could be sold in a store as “just clothes” and not
fashion.
Which
is to say that I think there’s room for a different kind of fashion show, one focused on ready-to-wear and the commercial side of the industry. Fashion Star, however, was a bit of a
disappointment. It was all a bit much, with the lights, special effects
and back up dancers. It was too long, had too many mentors, and more
contestants than it could properly showcase.
One
of my biggest complaints is that the he show felt much too long, with
an overabundance of commercial breaks and cross-promotions. That fashion
show of Elle McPherson’s lingerie line at the beginning was indulgent,
and justifying it as “this is what success looks like” was
laughably absurd. I wouldn’t have been nearly as annoyed with Elle
McPherson, however, if her flagrant self-promotion hadn’t come at the
expense of the contestants. It's unbelievable that in 90 minutes they
weren’t able to show the fashions from all 14 designers, and we got a
quick recap for 4 out of 10. Isn’t the point of the show to see the clothes?
There
were definitely some bright spots. All three buyers were well-spoken,
knowledgeable, and offered excellent critiques. I completely agreed with
the three contestants they nominated for elimination.
I was
particularly boggled by Nicholas Bowles cockiness and sexist remarks –
if you’re motorcycle jackets are really that fabulous and fashion
forward, why did you need to come on a reality show to promote them?
And,
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I love Nicole Richie as a mentor.
That woman doesn’t take any BS – when Kara Laricks sent other people’s
clothes down the runway, Nicole was not having any of it. They should
keep her and give the other two the boot. That's not going to happen
though, as the entire show was taped months ago. It's clear that three
mentors and three judges adds up to too many opinions, and it makes the
show drag.
I
think I’ll give this show a second chance next week, but I’m by no
means sold. Maybe it’s just because I sew or I’m too entrenched in
Project Runway, but I wish that we could see more of the design and
construction process, with the mentors playing a greater role before the
fashions are sent down the runway.
The contestants are given the
assistance of pattern makers and seamstresses, and as 24 Hour Catwalk
has shown, having this type of help is a double-edged sword that makes
for interesting TV. Perhaps when there are fewer contestants more time
will be devoted to the design and construction of each week’s looks.
Picture credits: NBC.com
