Project Runway 19 - EPISODE 2: "Streetwear"

 Date for Entry: (Sunday 24th October 2021)

Actual Date of Online Entry: (Tuesday 1st March 2022)

*Pan Boy in Town*

Dear Diary,

    In less than half an hour after the first presentation, BOOM, a new challenge at one in the morning. Streetwear in three pieces was the challenge for this week. One thing that I suspected was the jackets. I knew for sure that something about jackets would have been the most popular thing about this challenge just by a wild thought. Seeing that a few of the other designers in the workroom decided to use things that represented their culture and where they come from, my decision for the design also took on a similar path.

    I must admit that some research on Google images had to be done just to see what streetwear would have been considered. Thinking about it closely too, I had to make sure that it would be something comfortable in the setting of Trinidad and Tobago since the results most likely would have been American. My ideas had to be new and fresh. I did not want what I saw to become ‘plagiarised’ in my sketch for this week. The first two days after the second episode did not bring anything to me until the research was done on Sunday. Parts of it came together rather quicker than expected. The drawing itself would have taken a little over fifty minutes but no more than an hour.

    This design again was to represent Trinidad and Tobago. At first in my mind, I imagined having a male model wearing a red jacket, white t-shirt, and black pants as part of the national colours. However, dressing in the red jacket in our national flowers and national birds would have brought a conflict in colour. That idea was on Saturday night. I decided to have all three colours on a t-shirt that would be easily recognisable and in the same fashion that buildings and streets would be decorated during the days leading up to our Independence Day. I loved the sight of having the pants in brown because it was not too dark and it was not an overused colour.

    I recalled Mr. Kaye in his first appearance as a guest mentioning that accessory was a key in the type of clothing style so my choice was a cap. I inserted text on it with the shortened acronym of the twin islands but changed the intended ampersand to a heart. The other text down below on the pants was from the Starlift Steel Orchestra’s motto along with their logo over on the right-hand side. I played my first panorama with them in 2012 for the large band category. The socks would have been red to match. I was not sure about the shoes by colour and design. This was probably the first attempt trying to draw a pair properly from my “Magical Creatures” novel.

    Since Zayden was not the winner of the week, I took him to be the model for my design and I find that it worked out well. I hope that there will be uploads of the designs quickly. I don’t think that all of them were shown on the show for the final presentations.

    I still saw the same type of behaviour from Meagan. Even though I was surprised to see the fight she put up and the withdrawal I am not sure if to say I am glad that she left but some things need to be resolved before television like this. I felt hurt that Prajje and Kenneth did this all in one episode. A very intense feeling came to all in the workroom.

    As a usual experience with Project Runway, whenever the sow exhibits a change or some sort of shift my book formatting has to shift and change to accommodate the information. So, this week my top three selections table has endured some serious technical work too.

SELECTIONS.

    Choices were fairly easy for this week. The high score and saved scores needed some thinking but not so much as in the first challenge. I had to remember the message Brandon gave me in my mind during the last season. If I was not advised on elections when bias was an issue it would have been tough for me to select between Darren and Kenneth.

    The lower-scoring designs were done by Darren, Kenneth, and Katie. I ended up selecting Darren’s piece as my choice for the winner of the lower scores. It was punk and had shot me right back to the Cindi Lauper challenge of season eighteen. I was wondering what Miss Lauper would have said about his one. Not sure if it was the model or the clothing that made me like it. I recall Miss Elaine saying that the creation looked a bit disorganised but I liked it still.

    The Higher scores were between Kristina, Aaron, Prajje, and Zayden. I didn’t understand Kristina’s piece as much as the judges did. Aaron’s piece was a desired win by a lot of others in the Facebook groups. For me, it would have been like that but when it was placed against the pieces done by Prajje and Zayden, it began to look a bit dated and unfinished. Bias was too strong in the selection somehow and I couldn’t pick between the two designs.

    I appreciated the history and painting done by Prajje but something about the front of the jacket I didn’t agree with. I liked the story that he told from the painting in the back about the lady that cried blood when her children were hurt. Zayden would have been my second-place choice as a high score winner that night. I liked the jacket by Zayden and the rest of the clothing. I selected him as my winner of the challenge.

    From the saved scores group there was a lot to choose from. My top four in that category were Chasity, Sabrina, Choral, and Anna’s pieces. I chose Sabrina’s piece because it was light and felt like the end product of the challenge. Chasity’s piece this week would have been a second-place or tie for that spot.

    My favourite of the chosen three for this challenge was Darren’s piece even though it was a low-scoring design. Sabrina’s was a personal favourite. I changed my mind from Prajje’s piece to Zayden as my overall winner because it wasn’t too scary and was good enough to meet the challenge in a marketable way.

Link(s):

1. Fashion Magazine & Journal.

Daryl Zion M. Ali