text:
George Clooney criticises Donald Trump on Kurds remark
George Clooney. Source: John Bauld, Wikimedia Commons
Charlotte Foster
Famous actor George Clooney has targeted US President Donald Trump after he said he was appalled Mr Trump said the Kurds "didn't help us with Normandy" during World War 2 as a justification for withdrawing US forces from Syria. The actor, who is known to be politically outspoken, said that it was "a pretty shocking statement".
Clooney is one of many accusing the US government of abandoning American allies to fight Turkey alone. He said he was "horrified" that Trump would say that and that it was basically telling the Kurds "OK, you're on your own,"
Clooney is married to a human rights lawyer and is thus heavily involved in advocating for human rights causes around the world.
Clooney won best supporting actor for the 2005 Middle East thriller Syriana in which he played a former CIA agent. He is currently working on an 8-part Netflix miniseries about President Richard Nixon's famous Watergate hotel scandal.
Clooney isn't alone when it comes to criticising the United States President, with the Hollywood world largely left-leaning in their politics (for the most part). There is no shortage of celebrities who have, in their minds, gone against the grain of their fellow actors, musicians and comedians by advocating for and supporting Donald Trump.
Meryl Streep used an Oscar's speech to attack the president and try to rally Hollywood against his government. This caused a great deal of controversy of the political dichotomy of the United States poising the entertainment industry and forcing artists into partisan camps rather than allowing them to act as independent creators who aren't beholden to a political bias.
I'm the Senior Correspondent/Editor here at JosepVinaixa.com. I write about Showbiz, Entrepreneurs, Art, Consumer Technology and Science. I've spent the last five years establishing my other personal projects: Z6 Digital Media and iKontents.
More in Celebrity
Sean Borg appeared to have a relaxing New Year's day hanging with his Japanese Chin dogs...
1 Girl + 1460 Rolls of Toilet Paper = New Renaissance
Confused? We were when we first saw the visual for "New Renaissance" the debut single of...
The Witching Hour from Kilo House is the scary-good Halloween surprise you didn't know you needed
With close to 47,000 monthly Spotify listeners, Kilo House is a name on the rise in...
Former Mrs Australia and Playboy Playmate of the Year Laura Lydall Goes into Business with Luxury Bodysculpting Clinic
Laura Lydall is an Australian model and television actress who has featured on the cover of...
What are DJ Wiese's top 5 singles? Here's our list
Since the mid-2000s, Norway-based songwriter, producer and DJ, Trygve Wiese-Haugland, better known by his stage name...
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin reaffirm their vows in magical ceremony
Johnny Depp ordered to produce drug and alcohol medical records in Amber Heard case


text:
Monemvasia: The Medieval Treasure of Greece
Posted by Ruth Kozak | Jul 20, 2008 | Greece, Spotlight | 0 |
The towering rock of Monemvasia topped by a fortress, rises from the sea on the south eastern coast of the Peloponnese. Known as "Rosemary of the East", or "the Gibraltar of Greece," it has been a fortified settlement since ancient times. It got its name which means "Sole Entrance" from the 6th century AD because the only entry is through a fortified tunnel. In the words of the poet, Yannis Ritso, "This scenery is as harsh as silence" He was born and lived for many years in this small medieval town. An aristocrat by birth, renown in Greece as an actor and director, he was one of Greece most beloved poets.
I arrived early one morning by bus from Athens. At first it seemed to me not much more than a quiet coastal town, dominated by the steep rock off-shore which is connected by a long causeway. The old town itself is completely walled and is not visible. In the new town, boats crowd the little harbor. The shore is lined with small shops and tavernas. I found a pleasant pension overlooking the sea and set out to explore.
Monemvasia was besieged by various people including the Franks who occupied it until 1200 until they were expelled by Byzantine troops. After that, it became a naval station for the Byzantine Empire. It was renown through the Medieval world for its excellent Malmsey wine, mentioned in Richard III, Act I, Scene 9 when Edward IV asked the Duke of Clarence who he'd condemned to death how he'd like to die. He replied "Drown me in a barrel of Malmsey wine!" Production of this wine ended in 1545 when the Turks prohibited it and since then the method of which the Muscat wine was produced has been lost.
Lying on an important trade route, Monemvasia was occupied by the Venetians after pirate raids caused the inhabitants to ask for their help. According to a Venetian document there were 90 famous pirates in the Mediterranean at that time. They raided, took not only merchandise and animals, but people who were sold as slaves.
After the Venetians took over, the town became inhabited with knights, merchants and officials. New building and restoration work began. But once Venetian power began to wane it fell to the Turks. According to one historian Venice sold it to the Turks for 30,000 gold florins and the people were forced to relocate.
Later when Turkey declared war on Venice, the city was recaptured but it wasn't until the Greek War of Independence on July 21, 1821 that the town was liberated. Even today, Monemvasia is overlooked by tourists, yet it is truly one of the loveliest archaeological sites of Greece.
It's a magical experience visiting this little medieval town. As I came through the L-shaped tunnel, through the thick stone vaulted gateway I was immediately transported into another age. The narrow cobbled streets wind up the side of the rock, which is topped by a castle fortress. The entire town is walled and invisible from the shore. Many of the old buildings are restored in the 'new town' but farther up, except for a few like the home of Yannis Ritsos, most of the old town is in ruins. There is a monument to the poet outside his house, which is being restored
I spent the morning browsing among the interesting little shops and cafes. Some of the old buildings have been converted to hotels. Many of them still have the crests of Venetian noble families on the old wooden doors. I was lost in the past while resting in a shaded courtyard and while edging my way down a narrow cobbled street. It's easy to imagine what life was like there, hidden away on the rocky slope of the mountain, with the teal-colored sea churning below. Monamvasia truly is a gem, a step back into the glorious age of Byzantine Greece.
Practicle Information
Buses run daily from Athens, via Sparta. In summer there is Flying Dolphin service once a day from Pireaus.
The medieval town is inaccessible to cars and motorcycles. A free shuttle bus operates between the causeway and old Monemvasia from 7:30AM – 10PM from June to September.
There are hotels and pensions in the new town and a camp site nearby.
Photography by Rodolph de Salis and Ruth Kozak
PreviousThe Pope in Sydney
NextThe Grandness of Valparaiso
Ruth Kozak
Ruth's interest in ancient history and travel took her to Greece where she has lived and visited many times while researching a historical fiction w.i.p novel and writing travel stories. She has visited many other exotic destinations most recently Malaysia and Chile. She is a published travel writer and currently teaches travel writing classes. She is a member of the B.C. Association of Travel Writers and the Federation of B.C. Writers. RUTH'S BLOG SPOTS: "Living the Writer's Life" http://wynnbexton.blogspot.com and "Travels with Ruthaki" http://travelthroughhistory.blogspot.com
Havana Perspective
Driving the White Villages of Andalucia
Enjoying in Emerald City: Enchanted by Seattle
A Day in Chichicastenango

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
What a fantastic way to splash into a new season, season 19 of Project Runway that is! The incoming designers were immediately greeted by the core team, minus what it seems like former host Karlie Kloss. So yes, Nina, Brandon, Elaine, and Christian all returning. The prize package for the season, still very high caliber —
$250,000 courtesy of Pilot Pen
a feature in Elle Magazine
and a mentorship with the CFDA
But there is a long road to that prize package being won. First and foremost the very first challenge of the season! The designers were split into 2 teams. Each team would live together and work separately from the other team. Yes, this means everything is a surprise until runway day! Each team had to create a cohesive mini collection celebrating color. The judges were looking for 8 monochromatic looks, all to be created in this 2 day challenge. The teams were made and a color wheel was brought out so that each team could pick their color.
It was going to be Team Warm colors versus Team cool colors. For the losing team, one designer would be going home. From the jump, it appeared as if Team Warm were a little all over the place, while Team Cool was playing it a little cool (no pun intended), not as much drama in the mix. It was clear with Team Warm they had different aesthetics, everything from sequins to streetwear. They were desperately trying to find unity but decided to wait to see the fabrics before finalizing direction.
In the meantime, Team Cool made a point to first try and focus the incorporation of plus size looks into the collection. Zayden was the only guy in this group and with all of the ladies being super vocal, he was displaying a lot of confusion. I felt the team had an idea, but somehow it got lost with the addition of bows. The original idea of flowers and seeing that growth or formation, that could have worked. But again, the bow focus threw a wrench into the plans.
So again, the designer teams worked separately. Everything from the trip to Mood to actually working in the workroom was all separate. Each team had 45 minutes to shop with a $400 budget for each designer. Team Warm was first up. We finally started seeing a glimpse of a theme, the idea of going out, dinner and a show. It was a celebration of color in the return of going out, hope in the future, post the pandemic craziness. Christian kept reminding them of being cohesive, which actually was a good thing.
Team warm still felt a bit more frantic, while Team Cool in Mood, there was a bit more calmness. As team warm was first at Mood, they too were first to begin working in the phenomenal work space. Christian stopped by for a visit later on Day 1. Even though the idea of the concept was coming together, Christian was doubting that in the looks he saw. Team Cool had slightly less drama, really just some tension over the sewing machines. Christian liked what he was seeing, but doubted this bow concept into the collection.
At the start of Day 2, the team warm designers gathered in their living quarters to kind of recap the first day. Bones stepped into a leadership role, which seemed to be a group decision. As they got to the workroom the model fittings began. Christian was still around for advice, but Bones was quick to jump in and say his team was doing great and they should do them and not listen to outside opinions, ie in this case, Christian. This was not a group decision, but it did come off very offensive and Christian didn't stick around as long.
Team cool then began their 2nd day. As the models came in, it seemed as if Chastity and Caycee were struggling the most. It was quite evident for both teams that each had some designers who had it together, while others were appearing to be the weaker links. Team Warm was still having a lot of tension and doubts by the morning of the runway. Bones appeared now to not want the leadership role and Aaron was over it. Team Cool never discussed a leader for their group, and still with this bow confusion, some designers were doing it, while others were not.
By the morning of the runway, many designers were still hard at work. They had to get their models in full glam mode, so using the Tresemme hair salon and Maybelline makeup studio. Bones took a moment to apologize to Christian, but it felt very insincere IMO. Team cool had some clear strugglers, but Darren was most out of sorts for Team Warm. With very little time left, he was in full freak out mode, even trying to sneak a smoke break instead of working. Darren had nothing. Bones really stepped up and virtually created an entire new look for Darren.
It was time for the final judgments. Joining the judges panel as this week's guest judge was acclaimed designer Jason Wu. The final runway for each team certainly included pops of colors, all standing out, but for some, standing out was not the best idea.
The judges did have to choose one winning team. I do agree with the winners being Team Warm. It was not by much, but overall, their collection was slightly better. I believe there was more cohesion and overall some strong, stand out looks. I do not however agree with the top 3. Bones being in the top for 2 looks was very confusing to me. I actually feel the look he did for Darren was far superior to his own look, which was quite odd since he spent more time on his own look .
I was shocked Coral, Kenneth or Aaron didn't make the top. Each had super strong looks. The bodice on Coral's dress was amazing.
Kenneth had such a bold look, including a fitting cutout in the mid region that was super eye-catching.
And Aaron also had a strong top for his look, including a separate jacket. He did a lot and it was very impressive.
I get why Octavio was in the top. I did not love his look, just not my taste, but it was still a strong streetwear look, very well constructed and a strong look.
Darren and Shantall were very lucky their team won. But out of luck was team cool, who did have some strong looks despite being the losing team. We really only got to hear about the weak links of the group, but I really loved some of the looks here and wish the top looks could have been highlighted. Katie had such a fun and flirty look. The intricate details really made this look. The hand-painted areas really stood out.
Kristina's look moved so well on the runway, very eye-catching. But my favorite of this team was Anna. I mean such a stand out look, so luxe, very regal. It was a minimalist look, not overworked, very tasteful.
The bottom 3 was quite obvious — Sabrina, Chastity, and Caycee. Even though Sabrina had a sloppy look, it was even more clear the bottom was 2 were Chastity and Caycee.
This was a tough choice on who to go. I felt it could have gone either way. Chastity really had no direction in this look. She lacked creativity here and got lost in the bow concept. Her construction was also very poor.
But it was Caycee who was the first eliminated. It really was not a great look. She created a coat dress, working with a plus size model, but I don't think she knew how to construct well for plus size. I felt as if she just put a lot fabric on her model rather than creating a look. Very unfortunate, but as the Project Runway story goes, someone must go home each week.
Next week looks like more drama and some stunning streetwear creations.
Posted in Reality World | Tagged Clothing, Designer, Dress, elle, Fashion, Fashion design, Maybelline, New York, New York City, Project Runway, tresemme | Leave a comment
Posted on March 21, 2021 by SMM
A look back at my favorite looks from the 2019 Oscars, some of the afterparties, and the Met Gala. Looking at the Met Ball, the 2019 Met Gala theme was inspired by Susan Sontag's legendary 1964 essay, "Notes on Camp," in which she describes camp as the "love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration…style at the expense of content."
Met Gala — wearing Zac Posen & Christian Louboutin heels
LAUREN SANTO DOMINGO
Met Bala 2019 –– Proenza Schouler
Met Ball 2019 — Zac Posen
CORAL CHUNG
Met 2019 — Sebastian Gunawan
Met 2019 — Jean paul Gauliter
Met — August Getty
2019 Oscars Elton John afterparty
Met 2019 — Zac Posen; Lorraine Schwartz jewelry
SOFIA SANCHEZ DE BETAK
WENDI MURDOCH
Met Ball 2019
Oscars 2019 — Louis Vuitton
Posted in Fashion Features | Tagged blog, blogging, Christian Louboutin, Emma Stone, Fashion, Fashion blog, fashion blogging, Fashion Nexus, Louis Vuitton, Met Ball, Met Gala, Nina Dobrev, Zac Posen | Leave a comment
2019 & 2020 were whirlwinds of years for me personally. But I still took note of fashion moments I loved on various red carpets throughout 2019. It might take a few posts, but I am now set to share some of my faves, and then get onto 2020 looks and into 2021!
Attending the SAG awards
Wearing Elie Saab
Richard Mille jewelry
Rogier Vivier clutch
Molly Dickson — Styling
Glam — Harper
Wearing Marchesa
Louboutin heels
FIONA XIE
Hearts on Fire jewelry
Wearing Schiaparelli
Makeup — Pircilla Pae
Styling — Ranya
OLIVIA HAMILTON
Wearing Paolo Sebastian dress
Sophia Webster heels
Tyler Ellis clutch
styled by Nicole Chavez
David Webb jewels
Amy Oresman — Glam
Davy Newkirk — hair
Facial — EF Face by Roberta
Highlights — Tania Whittier
Nails by Emi Kudo
Wearing a Cushnie dress
Judith Leiber clutch
at the Teen Spirit premiere
Styling — Samantha McMillen
Tiffany & Co. jewelry
Wearing Rodarte
Hair — Jenda
Glam — Erin Ayanian Monroe
At the iHeart Radio Awards
L'Oreal for makeup & hair
Wearing Miu Miu
at the Isn't It Romantic premiere
Makeup @mollygreenwald
Hair @dereksyuen
Styling @micaela
Dress @schiaparelli
Clutch @calvinklein
At the Grammy Awards
Attending the Save Venice Gala
Styling — Thomas Carter Phillips
Wearing Valentino
EF Collection jewelry
Hair — Bridget Bager
Melanie Inglessis — Makeup
at the Time 100 Gala; wearing Jason Wu
Hair — Benoit Moeyaert
Styling — Emma Jade Morrison
AMANDA ANKA
Attending the SAG Awards; Wearing Valentino
At the Grammy awards, Lorraine Schwartz jewelry
OLIVIA SANABIA
At the Dumbo premiere, Wearing Kelly NG
GWENDOLYN CHRISTIE
Game of Thrones premiere Wearing Iris van Herpen
Hair by John D
Stoj makeup artist
Manolo Blahnik heels
Delfina Deletrez jewelry
Joanna Vargas skincare
JOANNE CLIFTON
Olivier Awards
Styling — Alexis Knox
from Prom N Party
Hair — Kara Thomas
Mac makeup, Megan Miles
Morning Show premiere
Makeup — Kelsey Deenihan
Wearing Celine
Taffini jewelry
Angel Ball — wearing Iris van Herpen; Tyler Ellis Clutch
Styling — Rob Zangardi & Mariel Haenn
Femme LA clutch
Hair — Ro Beau
Makeup — Linda Hay
Frozen 2 premiere — Oscar de la Renta
Posted in Fashion Features | Tagged Calvin Klein, Christian Louboutin, Constance Wu, Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Elie Saab, Elle Fanning, Grammy, Grammy Award, Heidi Klum, iheart, Jimmy Choo, Kelsea Ballerini, kristen bell, L'Oréal, Lorraine Schwartz, Marchesa, Marchesa (brand), michelle yeoh, Oscar de la Renta, Reese Witherspoon, sag aftra, Screen Actors Guild Award, Tiffany & Co., Valentino | Leave a comment
Posted on March 7, 2021 by SMM
Been a minute. Busy with work, life, etc. So compiling some top looks that caught my eye. Even in the past, no reason to not share now! Going back to 2019, here is an array of looks, primarily the Cannes Film Festival & the amFar Gala!
GUAN XIAOTONG
Cannes — wearing Georges Hobeika
XU KE-XI
CANNES — Wearing Dior
amfAR gala Cannes — Julien MacDonald
Cannes — Reem Acra
Chopard Trophy Event on Monday, May 20, in a strapless Prada gown
amfAR gala Cannes — Georges Chakra
Cannes Film Festival — 2019
CINDY BRUNA
amfAR gala cannes — Balmain
SRIRTA JENSEN
Cannes — Wearing Michael Cinco and Avakian jewelry
PEECHAYA WATTANAMONTREE
Cannes — Elie Saab; Chopard jewelry
ARAYA HARGATE
amfAR gala Cannes
HOFIT GOLAN
Cannes — Etro gown & Grisogono jewelry
Cannes — Style me Maeve; Georges Hobeika
amfAR gala Cannes — Armani prive
Natalia Vodianova
Cannes — Versace
PAOLA TURANI
Cannes — Tony Ward
Posted in Fashion Features | Leave a comment
So as we left from the last episode, the final 4 were waiting to see who got to show at NYFW. I was not surprised the judges allowed all 4 to go! With only 48 hours until the show would begin, there was still a lot to do though. Going to the next morning, the designers awoke to a text from Christian, to meet him at the CFDA. He was there with Sara Kozlowski, Director of Professional Development for the CFDA and Rachna Shah, a partner with top PR firm KCD Worldwide. Each designer would get time with both important women in the world of fashion to look at branding and go thru their collections.
With Victoria, they were seeing some signature work, but questioned her use of the logo, as did the judges and Christian. For Nancy, they felt she should go with an empowerment message for the collection versus her mission statement as a designer of inclusivity. With Geoffrey, they thought he needed to lead with his Purple Heart story and that his collection didn't need much by way of styling. And finally, for Sergio, they thought he shouldn't box himself into one idea of a style, to always think younger and fresher. After their CFDA consultations, the designers were off to Mood for a final bit of shopping to finalize their collections. The would have an extra $400 and 45 minutes to shop. Christian also announced the designers would have help from seamstresses on the last day to help make the necessary alterations for their looks. He urged them to not then feel they could only make small changes. Victoria decided to make an entire new look, something less busy. Sergio also decided to work on a new piece. And Nancy was trying to make her collection more light, less dark.
Next up on this very busy day was model castings. It was a pretty seamless process for the designers. After castings the designers would fit half of the models with the other half coming the next day. We saw Nancy was planning to use a stunning prosthetic piece with one of her looks, very Christian Cowan. Sergio saw that he would have to make a lot of alterations on top of creating part of a new look. The designers then met with Grace Lee of Maybelline for makeup consultations. Nancy remembered the judges giving her advice to create fresher beauty looks, not so dated. And for Geoffrey, the goal was to not distract from his looks with the facial studs he wanted to use, at least for the women. He wanted to use them for his male models. For the remainder of this first of 2 days, everyone was knocking out more work. But they all decided to enjoy a little down time with a couple of drinks before bed.
It was the last day of work, the final 12 hours in the workroom, and there was no time to spare! The seamstresses arrived and then the rest of the models for their fittings. Karla Welch returned to give the designers some styling tips for their looks. Nancy didn't need much by way of accessories because her clothes are that good; she didn't need gimmicks. For Geoffrey, there was a similar line of thinking. His clothes were larger than life so he needed to think less, not more. Actually most of the designers needed to think edits, including Victoria in that her collection also didn't need all the bells and whistles. And for Sergio, she was giving some advice to him making a t-shirt to freshen up his collection per the judges' advice. He reluctantly agreed. Next up were the hair consultations with Justine Marjan of Tresemme. Christian then wanted a final chat, which got the designers nervous, but there was no twist, just some final words of encouragement. He also announced the guest judge would be tennis superstar Serena Williams. It was then the final 2 hours, still a good bit to do for all. Sergio was showing some signs of stress and was making his t-shirt. Geoffrey was also stressing some, in tears, just needing to get everything done.
The morning of this final push to fashion week was very chaotic, as to be expected. The designers went to their fashion week show spot, Spring Studios, new home of many NYFW shows for the past few seasons. Each designer was reflecting back on their growth. Sergio still had to do some alterations. Geoffrey was in a tizzy about finding his facial studs, but couldn't. Call it fate, but I don't think the jewelry facial embellishments were needed. And close to the last minute, one of Sergio's looks had a hole in it, but Sergio quickly repaired. Chaos aside, it was time for the runway show to begin!
This was certainly an exciting finale to say the least! I had my winner of choice, but I will say, each designer at least offered something worth the runway. Victoria was probably my least fave, but I could see a real discussion happening between the other 3 as possible winners. Last season, I felt it was beyond obvious who would win. The level of competition certainly elevated this season, and it was a real competition for who should win. Nancy's collection, Sustain-Our-Ability would have been my choice to win. It encompassed so much positivity lacking in fashion presently, zero waste, sustainability, and inclusivity, but this collection was still fashion at the highest level. Nancy truly creates wearable art, and makes fashion for all, amazing seeing her wheelchair look, on the runway, for NYFW!
There was a shimmer and shine you couldn't miss in this collection. She included a stunning faux fur outerwear piece. I felt these were all statement pieces that any woman would want to be in. It was hard to note what the judges felt by way of negative because there wasn't much shown on that. They mentioned something about not seeing a lot of form fitting pieces, but that was perplexing since she had a few of those pieces in the collection. In fact, my favorite look, seen below, I am still in awe over this look. This was so cool and just really demonstrated the range Nancy can do.
It was actually Geoffrey who won. I don't hate on this too much. He didn't do a horrible job. I didn't find his collection to be my personal taste and found it to be less universal in terms of the range of customer who could wear these types of looks. But Geoffrey did have some really cool, standout looks. I saw the inspiration clearly in this Purple Heart collection, focusing on survival and bravery. I was impressed he was able to reign in all of his ideas and presented a collection that was fairly cohesive.
The opening of his purple bomber look was amazing. I still didn't like the sleeve dress or all of the looks with just randomly hanging sleeve-like embellishments. His outerwear pieces are probably what won the day for him. His trenched black look was very strong. I thought his menswear was nothing overly inventive and many of his looks felt repetitive. And especially those 2 weird neckline shaped dresses back to back, very similar and not his strongest points. But there were some great details to see throughout the collection, especially the ones with sheer cutouts. My favorite piece from his was this look below, sheer stop beyond stunning and then these ultra chic, very cool, hip pants.
And the final oversized egg cocoon coat look was certainly a show piece that definitely closed the show as strongly as it was opened!
Geoffrey would have been my 2nd choice, outside of Nancy. As much as Sergio really slayed with quite a few truly knockout looks, overall, I wasn't a fan of his confused messaging and fringe craze throughout this Ocean Anthem collection. I felt such a Western motif vibe from this collection, smashing together with this high-end, more elegant, high fashion feel, and the 2 styles didn't come together for me. The judges were right to say Sergio is probably the most technically skilled, but this is not who can sew the best competition. The competition is about the design, the voice, and what comes out of that.
I felt Sergio with this collection was just a little too all over the place, too many details, too many ideas, and not all were amazing. His beadwork and more eveningwear looks, I am very much impressed with, but the fringe rest, not so much.
And of course one of Sergio's best runway moments, proposing backstage, so sweet!
And last but not least to review, again, my least fave collection, Victoria with Revelation. Her looks certainly were culturally inspired, encompassing a very sporty, chic woman. It was a collection based with a soft, nude palette, but with some electric pops of color. I definitely was not a fan of the logos she still decided to use. I ultimately felt the collection was too underwhelming compared to the rest. It wasn't elevated enough. And some of the details were odd, such as the smock over lace look. The shoulders on certain looks were too exaggerated.
I don't think the collection was very cohesive, and it didn't cater to any sort of same level of clientele. I felt overall, the collection tried to be cool, but wasn't all that cool.
So again, it was Geoffrey for the win. And here is the rundown on what winning entails by way of prizes!
$250,000 courtesy of BluPrint, and creating a design series
Feature in Elle Magazine
$50,000 courtesy of Pilot Pens
Posted in Reality World | Tagged brandon maxwell, bravo, Christian Siriano, Fashion, Fashion design, Fashion week, Karlie Kloss, Maybelline, New York Fashion Week, Project Runway | Leave a comment
Project Runway — It's the Road to the Finale
It's that time for Project Runway, the road to the finale, where we see the final collections of the designers shown during NYFW! We at this point are left with the final 4, Nancy, Sergio, Geoffrey & Victoria. Each designer would have 5 months to work on their collections, with a $10,000 budget. Each collection would consist of 10 looks. The designers were sent home to get working! The first part of the episode consisted of Christian visiting each designer to check-in.
First up, Christian was in Philadelphia, visiting Nancy. She had a really nice setup for a studio right next to her apartment. During this season, we saw Nancy a little all over the place at times, but I guess given more freedom in a work environment and parameters, we see a different Nancy, one who is really scheduled and organized. I love that she had a cardboard popup of Christian to keep her work spirit up! Nancy had so much completed for this visit with Christian. Her collection was all zero waste. It really did look like a lot of wearable art. She was also being all inclusive with her looks, even creating another look to work for a wheelchair model. I really loved what I was seeing here. There was a lot of detail and intricacies. Christian's advice was to make sure to edit, not overwork the looks. And a nice parting bit of fun for Christian, he and Nancy ran up the steps in Philadelphia, like Rocky, how cool!
Next up for Christian was visiting Sergio in NY. He lives in a stunning apartment and his studio was actually in the apartment. His take for the collection was to look at global warmings' impact on the planet. Sergio was trying to create glaciers melting into ice caps. He had some stunning fabrics chosen, and had decided to use upcycled fabrics. He also decided to grow leather in his bathtub, which actually looked pretty gross! We saw a lot of the middle part of his collection, but I was with Christian on his thoughts here and that the message wasn't reading clear. And another bit of athleticism for Christian as he left Sergio, playing a little soccer!
Christian was then off to L.A. to visit with Victoria. She had a lot completed for this visit with Christian. She had decided to create a logo, which she put on some of her looks. I didn't care for this, it read cheap, and let's be real, she is not LV or Coach, not at a point yet where she needs that level of branding! There were a few interesting pieces, but I wasn't seeing a lot of cohesion. I saw a lot of RTW, nothing very high-end. Looking at what I was seeing overall was underwhelming. After their studio visit, Christian was able to meet Victoria's family, her husband and son.
And last but not least for Christian's visits was seeing Geoffrey, going back to NY, Brooklyn. Geoffrey had a rocky start to working on this collection. He had pulled his meniscus, so was working thru that injury while trying to work thru this collection. He really hadn't completed much. Lots of sketches and fabric swatches, but not any completed looks. He was thinking futurism for this collection, working on specific details for the collection, fabric manipulations, texture, quilted chainmail, and more. I was intrigued by what he was saying, but Geoffrey really had his work cut out for him to pull everything together and to do so very quickly. We also later learned Geoffrey had gone thru a break-up and was having some financial woes from closing his business. So he had been thru a lot and hopefully it wouldn't keep impacting the work on his collection.
With all of the visits done, everyone finished their work over the next couple of months and were then back to NY. Victoria had an entire new hair look, big ball of curls gone to straight locks of blonde. Before getting back to work on their own collections, the designers went to Christian's show at NYFW. But not too much downtime for fun, as the very next day, they were all back to their new workroom to get back to work! And since Christian had a lot going on after his show, Karlie was there to welcome the designers. The designers started unpacking their collections, Nancy literally inside one of her boxes making sure everything made it out! We saw Nancy actually used no horsehair in this collection and didn't seem to be showing much repetition from what she created on the show. I really loved this liquid like fabric she had chosen. Geoffrey had clearly gotten to work and completed everything. He looked to have created some interesting outerwear pieces. All of the designers were of course curious as to what each other had done. Victoria changed a lot of her collection from Christian's visit. It definitely looked better than what I had seen previously!
Of course Karlie being around was not just for a warm welcome, she had a little surprise for the designers. The judges were apparently throwing out the rulebook. It was not set in stone how many could show at fashion week. It could be all 4, just 3, or even just 2. The designers had 48 hours to pick 3 looks to show the judges. It could be their 3 strongest looks, or 3 favorites or looks they wanted critique on. The designers then had to look at the model cards and pick upon themselves who would get each model. Geoffrey naturally went into panic mode, not sure what to show the judges. He did have color in his collection, but really loved his all black looks.
The next day back in the workroom, Christian returned. We saw a little more insight into each collection. Geoffrey was honoring his Dad's purple heart, creating a collection based around armor and protection. I worried about seeing Geoffrey's cohesion, but also just any sort of mass appeal to his work. I wasn't seeing a lot of super wearable pieces, but there were some really cool looks. Victoria was still about some branding and accessories, but Christian warned her about distracting focus from her looks. For Sergio, Christian advised him to make the looks feel as modern as he could. Christian didn't seem to have much feedback for Nancy, really loved what she had created, which actually brought her to tears. It was such a genuine moment of appreciation and joy to see from her. But what was also pretty cool to see was one fun accessory she had created, a bag that dubbed as a boxed wine cover, genius!
Model fittings were up next. Christian provided some final tidbits of advice. He was not going to be with the designers the day of the runway because he was preparing for the Oscars. And with that, the designers finished off their night's work, Geoffrey making a new skirt for one of his looks and Nancy treading very delicately because one mistake with her fabric could be endgame. For the morning of the runway, Sergio was having an issue with a visible panty line. Geoffrey decided to use stud embellishments for his makeup look, but was having a freakout moment because of the beading placements. And Victoria had decided to use all of her accessories. The guest judge for this runway was President and CEO of the CFDA, Steven Kolb. The winner would be receiving a mentorship thru the CFDA so Steven's input would be great to have.
It was certainly hard to see where exactly the judges fell with this 4 because they really did have critiques for all. In my opinion, they seem to have the least amount of critique on Nancy and I would be floored if she were not chosen to show at NYFW. I really feel that the judges will let all 4 go thru though. But Nancy really delivered here. She did strive to make an all-inclusive collection, and really doing more than most by creating a look for a person who is in a wheelchair. I loved the feathered bodice on this look, great transitory moment from skirt to cape.
The print she used for her suit-esque look was stunning. Such a great fit on the model. And then seeing this liquid metallic look, such a lovely color and really a high end look anyone would love to be in. I do agree with the judges she should go a little more modern on the styling, less with the makeup. And she should also think of some breathers, so not everything is so print heavy or detailed focused. But editing down versus having to edit up is certainly where one would want to be at this point!
Sergio and Geoffrey both have some work to do, but I did find what they have done so far intriguing. I guess because of some stunning fabric choices, and just knowing Sergio's technical skills are going to be beyond top notch, I did find his work a little more appealing. This first all white look, did look great, a little off from the panty issue, but did look amazing.
He had one look that weighed 45 lbs, I am sure hard to wear, but it was just so stunning. This look just screams so regal and luxe, I feel it is certainly one standout show piece for him and something a lot of women would want to wear.
I didn't love all the fringe. And the judges were right that some of these looks did read more dated and he needed to get messy with the editing, think less is more. Sergio seemed to be very receptive of the criticism, but the question is, can he really take this super high end escalated collection and take it from that classy somewhat dated feel to something more modern.
With what Geoffrey showed here and snippets of what we have seen in other looks, I just don't see cohesion. I don't see him catering to the same customer. I see a lot of the coolness factor, but not sure how it might come altogether and if he can streamline focus on some of these ideas. There is almost too much going on. This first purple look was probably the only one I liked. A very cool puffer jacket look with a new chainmail skirt he had actually just made, so he was already making changes!
This dress look again was really cool with the metal mesh, but the bodice shaping was odd to me. The silhouette was also very ill-fitting as the judges pointed out.
And while it was nice to see menswear, I did not care for this mustard look. It was a lot of layers, very heavy handed. I think the judges felt underwhelmed by this and so did I.
Victoria was my least favorite. I do see she is going for a certain look, a certain customer. As the judges mentioned, it was great to see separates, you can do a lot of mixing and matching. The judges liked the hats, I really didn't, but I guess the point was you don't need to have all of the hats and bags, which is what Christian told her and she did not listen. On this first look, I liked the pants, very cool, but the embroidery print work was not appealing to me.
Then you jump to this suit look which really fell out of place for me, felt dated.
I really did love this jumpsuit, although the judges did not and felt it looked cheap. Go figure the one look I like, the judges don't! she also had some technical issues up close and some fit issues here and there.
I think some of the designers have a lot of work to do if they want to be in the running. I am really hoping Nancy pulls of this win though!
Posted in Reality World | Tagged bravo, Christian Siriano, Designer, designers, Fashion Week Brooklyn, Karlie Kloss, NYFW, Project Runway | Leave a comment
PR Designers Take on Avant-Garde — Time to go Big or Go Home!
This is it! It is the final challenge before we find out who is going to NYFW! And what better way to make that determination than by having the designers take on creating an avant-garde look. The judges would be looking for something extraordinary, going beyond the norm, a fashion first where innovation and originality would be key. And given that nobody went home last week, on this challenge, 2 designers would be getting axed. For this huge task, it really called for a larger than life runway! Instead of the regular catwalk, the designers would show their looks at NYC's newest, innovative architectural feat, The Vessel.
Since Nancy won last week, she was able to choose her model. She then selected another designer to choose, and it was so on and so forth after that, with Victoria choosing last. This would be a 2-day challenge, with the sketching happening right then and there. The challenge itself wouldn't start until the next day with the trip to Mood. During sketch-time, Marquise expressed comfort with this type of challenge, Victoria felt just okay, but Brittany was not feeling great at all. Sergio was planning his next big piece, but also his next big political statement, women empowerment.
So for the first full day of work, the designers began at Mood with a budget of $600. The designers were excited, but also happy to have a little extra shopping time. Geoffrey was feeling ready, although found himself working with familiar fabrics. Christian had already warned everyone to mix it up, so Geoffrey decided instead to work with latex. This is not new territory for him, but would be on this show. It was then time for the designers to get to work. We saw at Mood Brittany was thinking butterflies, but also thinking pink! Victoria was aiming to create 100s of small, faux leather pieces, to create her own fabric, looking to be some very tedious work. And Marquise was getting into work with all of his chains!
Christian was around later for Siriano sessions. Christian was okay with Brittany's butterfly vision. Geoffrey was thrilled to show Christian his abilities to work well with latex. For Nancy, Christian urged her to go ahead and figure out her silhouette. But with Victoria, he wasn't sure what direction she was going. For the remainder of day 1, Sergio expressed he only saw himself as competition and that everyone is always watching him. Not sure about that one, but everyone looked tired after a full day's work, but still ready to go the next day for round 2!
The designers began their 2nd day of work with a surprise from Christian. They thought it was bad news, but it was more positive! Christian had it all set up for the designers to see every look they have created this season. It was a lovely walk down memory lane. But of course, it was more than just looking at their past work! Each designer would choose 2 prior looks to show with their avant-garde look. They would also get to work with a seamstress to tailor their looks for the new models. Next up was model fittings. Seeing what Geoffrey was creating with his latex work, I wasn't sure what was going on. Sergio was working away with his Samurai look. Christian cautioned Marquise to relook at his jacket. And the designers also began work with their assigned seamstress.
Justine Marjan from Tresemme then came by to consult with each designer on their hair look because this avant-garde creation needed to truly sync with the hair & makeup. Toward the end of the day, Geoffrey accidentally cut himself, what a crazy end to a hectic, filled day! Since the designers had to be on location for this runway, their day of runway had to begin much earlier! Geoffrey was still reeling from his finger injury the day before, and looked to be hurting himself all over again! But injuries aside, the looks were getting finishing touches, the designers were off to The Vessel.
The judges were also arriving on location. We saw that Brandon was really afraid of heights, so he would be taking in the show from a lower level. This week's guest judge was actress Rachel Brosnahan. Seeing this space with the runway show going on, it looks to be a stunning spot for a fashion show! And this runway did not disappoint. I feel most of the designers really stepped up to the plate, and I do imagine the choice to send 2 designers home, so only 4 making it to fashion week, it was a tough call!
My sense from the judges was that there was no question Geoffrey and Victoria were going thru. Nancy maybe more in the safe zone, with the final decision coming down to for that 4th spot between Brittany, Marquise and Sergio. I think the final decisions all made sense to me, and I was okay with, but this is not how I would have broken up this group. I don't think there should have been any debate over Nancy going thru. She was definitely one of my top picks. Her look was so artistic, so sculptural, such a vision. I can't say this is something overly unique from her, but it was clear everyone loved it. Nina mentioned something about better color choices, but I thought that was nonsensical. You could tell Brittany was fuming over the good critiques Nancy was receiving, but that is pretty petty that she felt her look was better than Nancys'. Not sure in what world that made sense in her head!
I am not usually a Victoria fan, but on this look, I can see why the judges put her thru over some of the rest. I wasn't sure about the colors when I first saw it, but looking at it now, it makes sense and I do really like the look. I don't think the ear attachment was needed. I wish it had been a little longer in the front. But this look read better to me the more I got to look at it, and she really stepped up from work she has created all season. It was nice to finally see something truly different from Victoria.
Geoffrey nabbed that definite fashion week spot as well. The judges were in awe, but I still just don't get it. Geoffrey has done great work all season, and I am happy he was given the chance to go to fashion week, but this look was not a knockout. I can't recall which judge said something about him being on such an upwards trajectory toward the last part of the season, but I guess they forgot how poorly he did just the week before this with that tacky short red dress he created! I don't think this met the level of avant-garde. The latex was cool looking, but it was a long train over a body suit with exaggerations on the top. He said he makes stage looks for singers and this is exactly what this look was. I don't get the over exaggeration of positives here.
I think the bottom 3 should have been Geoffrey, Marquise and Brittany. And in that instance, I don't know if I would have put Geoffrey thru based on just this one look. But it was actually Sergio in the bottom pack, which I was confused on. I thought comparing his look to that of the other 2, I don't see how there was any debate he should go thru. His work always is high quality, technically superior, so regal, so luxe. There is a flare for the drama. Yes, his makeup and hair were not very original in this Asian influence aesthetic. But I don't think his look itself was referential in the examples they showed of McQueen or John Galiano. His Samurai look is not the same as a geisha look. Yes, they both reference the same culture, but are 2 different things and I feel it was very ignorant of the judges to not get that. To be fair, nothing in this lineup was overly innovative or totally original!
It was the right call for Sergio to go thru. Brittany's look was not perfect, but was the only one I felt might could have gone thru, but didn't. However in my book, if Brittany goes, then Geoffrey wouldn't have. I do like this butterfly aesthetic. The judges weren't thrilled with the butterfly dress, but I actually love it. It's not avant-garde though. Obviously it was the oversized, long train jacket that was her avant-garde work, and it wasn't anything overly spectacular. The execution wasn't fully there, but as much pink as this look was, I still didn't hate it. What I do hate is Brittany and her pouty attitude. I think she is such a poor sport. Yes it sucks to not make it, but to be fair, her and Marquise were both given 2nd chances in this competition. I don't think Brittany has made the most of that 2nd chance. And her body of work compared to Geoffreys, it just isn't as strong.
But Marquise going out on this look, I can't say it is surprising. I do think Marquise made good use of his 2nd life in this competition. But I have always found him to be inconsistent in his work over the course of the season, and this look was not strong for him. Yes the chain pants were cool. But I know a few designers personally that work with chain metals all the time. It is not this brand new concept. The top part was just not good at all though. It was basic thoughts on hologram and futuristic vibes, but not in a good way. I think I had seen some comments from fans here and there that he was robbed. That is absolutely untrue in regards to this look. He was only brought back to the competition because another designer had to drop out due to illness. He has to prove himself just like everyone else and I don't feel he did that. I like Marquise, but I don't think he was ready to create an entire collection for fashion week. He has potential in the future, but he is not quite there yet!
I am eager to see how everything plays out on this road to the fashion week finale!
Posted in Reality World | Tagged Avant-garde, brandon maxwell, bravo, Christian Siriano, Designer, designers, Fashion, Fashion week, Karlie Kloss, New York Fashion Week, Nina Garcia, NYFW, Project Runway | Leave a comment
Project Runway Designers Make Dreams Come True!
Posted on February 26, 2020 by SMM
This next Project Runway challenge was all about designing for real women, not models, and giving them a chance to be celebrated. It was to give them a dream outfit for a victory night celebration. And what was so nice to see from this final set of designers, was that truly each client felt like a million bucks in their looks, grinning from ear to ear! The designers were paired with athletes, who would be competing in either the 2020 Olympics or Paralympic games. A few of the clients have really had to overcome some major hardships, and it was such a touching moment to see how excited these women were with their final looks.
I can't say all of the looks were really knockouts in terms of traditional runway standards and technical abilities, but the clients were happy, and there was no arguing with that! But let's jump back to the beginning and lead back up to the runway. So Karlie matched the designers with their clients by use of the button bag, but it was actual medals this go round instead of buttons! This would be a 1 day challenge, aka major time crunch! The designers first took some time to sketch with their clients. I definitely felt Victoria didn't understand the difference between customizing to a client's wishes versus just inserting your own wishes onto the client. And all of this talk about repetition this season, Victoria even says herself, she only does asymmetrical looks! How much clearer does it need to be stated!
Next up, shopping time at Mood with a $400 budget. Christian was not loving seeing so much red. But to be fair, if the clients did want a red dress, it probably is best to at least give them the color they wanted. Everyone was then back to work in the workroom. Sergio gave some advice to Brittany on some of the technical aspects for her look. You could tell Nancy really felt a lot of passion in this challenge. She really wanted to deliver for her client and was not planning to take a safe or easy route.
It was then time for Siriano sessions. Christian was urging Sergio to do a bit more with his look, give it a little more excitement. In between talks, Christian was having fun doing some ribbon gymnastics! He urged both Brittany and Marquise to not lose their voices in their looks. And finally, for Nancy, he cautioned her on time management. Most of the designers didn't seem ready for model fittings, but it was that time. Victoria's client was really feeling her look, ready to dance! Nancy's client is in a wheelchair, and Nancy was being super functional in the creation of her look for her client. She actually used Vel-cro to make the look's use easier. Marquise planned on making another matching outfit for himself, to go with what he was creating for his athlete. And Geoffrey, all we saw there was trouble! He didn't seem to get that low boob, a short dress, a slit, it was tight, like these were all the wrong elements to combine!
As the rest of the day winded down, Geoffrey re-started on his look and was freaking out! Marquise was doing a bit more mannequin rolling, having a little fun in the workroom. From the morning of the runway, we saw another potential short look to keep an eye on, that was coming from Victoria. The client actually seemed a little worried, but Victoria was quick to quip that she had given the client exactly what she wanted! We then of course had this big iron incident. It seems in Nancy's quick use of the iron, something of her black fabric got on the iron. In Geoffrey's then quick use of the iron, that black residue got on his dress. Of course production tried to make this a big blame Nancy moment. But really, good lord! Is there only one iron? It is a communal iron, so yes, things like this can happen! Geoffrey could have also checked the iron. I would hope Nancy later offered apologies, but let's be real, that little stain was not even close to the biggest issue with Geoffrey's look, so in reality, chill pill please!
Iron drama aside, it was time for the runway! This week's guest judge was fellow athlete and Olympian Lindsey Vonn. As I mentioned at the start of my post, all of the clients were happy, so yes, that was a positive. But not all of the looks were that amazing. And yes, nobody went home, but as we saw in previews for next week, someone not going home this week means that 2 designers go home next week! That makes me nervous! And the judges can try to force on us that all of the bottom looks were hard to debate between. Or that the top 2 looks were really hard to choose between, that of Victoria and Nancy. Both notions were laughable. I think it was abundantly clear Geoffrey had the bottom look. I would have hated to see him go, but he did struggle this week. And even more abundantly clear, Nancy was the hands down winner!
It seemed as if it was mainly Elaine trying to discuss Victoria being the winner this week. She tried to question Nancy's color choice, really grasping at straws to not just give Nancy this much deserved win. Let me start by reminding everyone that the designers were given a $400 budget this week. Nancy's dress was the only one that look remotely close to $400 worth. If anyone would have paid $400 for Victoria's look, I caution you to have your eyes checked! But back to Nancy, this look was a real dream come true for her client. She had such a moment with this dramatic train, the falling sleevelets were gorgeous, and there were just so many great details for this look. The fabric was stunning, such a great shine, but was not doing the work to make the look great, that was all Nancy!
I didn't love Victoria's look, but it wasn't a bottom look either. It just annoyed me that the judges could even compare this red salsa dress to Nancy's utterly divine gown. I reiterate again, this dress looked cheap, not like $400 went into it. One of the judges even pointed out her poor fabric choice, which I immediately made note of as well. It read cheap and it was so wrinkly on the runway. It was funny seeing her called out on poor fabric choices, when just earlier in the episode, she said the same thing about Marquise! I did really like the work she did on the top portion of her look, but it was very short. You would think that high of a budget, there was more you could have spent on fabric to make it somewhat longer!
To me, there was no real top 3 or top 2, but if I had to put another designer as safe or more towards the top than the bottom, it was Brittany. From the judges' view, I guess it was a 4-way tie for the bottom between her, Sergio, Marquse and Geoffrey. I don't see how they came to that conclusion and very much disagree that Brittany or Marquise were in that spot. I will admit, Brittany's fabric choice really did make the dress. Brittany's voice and work wasn't there. It did read very traditional bridal or even to some extent prom. That said, it's not like Brittany didn't put work into the look and I didn't note any technical or quality issues.
I also don't think Marquise was deserving of a bottom spot. Up close, I kind of loved his look less. The overlay on the bodice didn't look as great. But I did like his braiding work and the flow with the skirt portion was beautiful. I think he lost his voice here, but it was still a great dress. Not top or bottom worthy, just safe.
I still contend that Geoffrey's look was the true bottom look, but I do think Sergio could have done a bit more with his dress. I loved the color. I loved that it wasn't form fitting. I don't get why there was so much emphasis on a maternity look needing to be tight?? But it seem as though there was some technical issues and it did read a little basic. This is what the client wanted, but Sergio kept it super simple and did play it very safe.
But Geoffrey got his look all wrong and it did not read at all as Project Runway worthy. It read cheap. I didn't see anything of Geoffrey in this look. Sure it could be a sexy club dress, but with PR, there should be a little quality, a little more than something you could buy cheaply online. And I used the word cheap a lot in my critiques or basic because once again, I was flabberghasted remembering the budget was $400 and these were the looks produced to match that budget.
Posted in Reality World | Tagged brandon maxwell, bravo, Christian Siriano, Karlie Kloss, Nina Garcia, Project Runway | Leave a comment
It's a Tie-Dye Party on Project Runway
I was excited about the challenge this week, to see who could re-invent tie-dye looks and elevate them to chic, runway ready looks. Each designer would create their own tie-dye textile. As the news kept coming, it seemed to being throwing Delvin for a loop. Especially then hearing this would be an overnight challenge! Yes, so that meant the designers would work straight thru the night, no sleep, all the way up until the runway. A few of the designers were excited, but first, all would take a master class from Metro Dye teachers Kate Nolan & Craig Eaton. They work with Proenza Schouler and Oscar de la Renta.
The designers were showed different techniques, such as ombre and starburst. Brittany was the only one taking notes, which she bragged about later, but she still helped everyone out with answering questions. Since Marquise won last week, he chose his model. Karlie handed out assignments at random to the remaining designers. The designers next chose which fabrics they wanted to use, silks or cotton. Sergio said silk was the best way to go as it would take the tie dye easier. Everyone then sketched what there looks would be. Afterwards, the designers practiced with some of the tie-dye techniques. Nancy used the time instead to drape and get more of her look ready.
Victoria and Delvin were discussing their plans. It was hilarious hearing Victoria giving Delvin advice on not being repetitive. I see some repetition with his work, but she still holds that crown! It was then off to Mood to shop for supplemental fabrics and notions. The tie-dye still needed to be the main focus of each look. The designers had a budget of $175. The designers were then back to work, where we saw Nancy was going for a pants look again. Even though Nancy does a good bit of pants, I don't see them as the same looks. Most designers don't do pants because it is harder than just whipping out an easy dress. So I applaud her for making pants that are always done well and don't read repetitive IMO.
Next up, Siriano sessions. Nancy filled Christian in on her tie-dye history. But she actually hadn't even started her tie-dye work yet. Christian expressed concern! And for other advice, Christian warned on this being a battle of the tie-dye, with some similarities in that regard, the focus should be on strong silhouettes. Christian also mentioned repetition to Delvin. It was then time for model fittings, which seemed like a disaster! Nobody was ready because of the tie-dye work. After the models left, a few designers slipped into their pj onesies for a little fun. Nancy finally started dyeing. Delvin and Victoria were the only 2 designers who used cotton, and both saw that was the wrong call and had to start over. Brittany and Sergio lent Delvin and Victoria some of their silk fabric.
At any sleepover, it's perfect for a pizza party, a little break for the designers, but not much napping! The morning of the runway was right there, especially as the designers worked thru the night, no sleep! Christian walked in with a burst of energy, and I am sure the designers were jealous. He then announced this would be a flash sale challenge. Christian was still worried for Nancy as she didn't have a top for her look. Given how well her tie-dye textile came out, it didn't seem she had a problem there, but so much went into her pants that the top was definitely done super last minutes. Based on what we saw on the show, it seemed as if she made it in 30 minutes. But everyone was working down to the wire on this one!
This week's guest judge was actress and comedian Leslie Jones. Karlie reminded the designers that there was no immunity moving forward, and with the Siriano Save now gone, there would be no more second chances. Each runway counts and anyone could go home! The safe designers were Marquise and Brittany. It was very weird seeing only a bottom 2, even though it was pretty evident who was in the bottom 2. But I think had it been a bottom 3, Marquise would have been there. But I really liked Brittany's look. I loved the pink she used, very soft and intricately detailed look. I wouldn't have minded if she were in the top.
The top 3 was actually Nancy, Sergio, and Geoffrey. Although it was clear Geoffrey had this one in the bag! The judges can faux debate between him and Sergio all they want, but no way was Geoffrey not winning this challenge. Guest judge Leslie Jones was going bananas and I think everyone was pretty much on that page. If I could give one critique, I don't know if it needed the orange tie part. But the rest was just immaculately stunning. So elegant and nobody would think this is tie-dye. He really did elevate this like no other designer.
I actually really liked Nancy's as a close 2nd. I think she did the best with the actual tie-dye textile. She was rushed on the top, but for Brittany to even think for a second this was a bottom look was hilarious. So many women would wear this and love being in it. It was so chic, read very luxe, I was completely enamored.
The judges liked Sergio's dress a bit more though. I thought it was very pretty, certainly a great look. But the details he put in were hard to see until you saw it close up. I don't think it was the best use of the tie dye work.
And as I said earlier, the clear bottom 2 was Victoria and Delvin. I really didn't care who went home, but as it is always in Project Runway history, when looking at the bottom 2, the one who did more, took a risk, always stays versus someone who played it safe. I think you could have taken what Delvin made and at least had made it wearable. I can't say Victoria's risk was worth saving. But she has been in the top more, so the judges I guess saw more potential with her. She prided herself on breaking repetition this week, and we saw perhaps why she repeats her work. Because she doesn't do well with other silhouettes! She also was again not really focusing on the challenge parameters. Her look was in no way focus on tie dye by just creating a tie dye top. And her splattering paint on her jeans doesn't count. I don't know why she keeps getting second chances on doing poor work and breaking rules, but the judges are clearly trying to shove her down our throats and I for one am over it!
That all being said, it was only one designer going home and seeing Delvin go didn't bother me one bit. His look was super safe and it also wasn't done well. It was very sloppy work. He definitely has some growing up to still do and learning more on his craft. I appreciated that he at least followed the rules and wasn't super derivative. But I didn't care for his diva antics and acting like a mean girl, especially towards Nancy. I saw where he went live after this show or the last one and was still continuing to speak poorly of Nancy, very much acting like a poor sport. Plain and simple at this point, her work is better and he is acting out due to jealousy.
Posted in Reality World | Tagged bravo, Christian Siriano, Designer, designers, Fashion, karlie kl, Maybelline, Project Runway | Leave a comment
Designers Go for a Modern Take on a Tuxedo
This week on Project Runway, the designers were tasked to put their spin on the classic tuxedo. The inspiration was looking at the modern tuxe look Christian Siriano created for actor Billy Porter for the Oscars 2019 red carpet. Each look would need to incorporate satin. And the models this week would be a mix of male, female and non-binary. The designers were thrilled to hear this would be a 2-day challenge. And because this task would involve some extra work due to tailoring, all of the eliminated designers would be back to lend a helping hand.
The twist here was that the eliminated designers would choose who they wanted to work with, chosen at random draw, from the button bag. I think the remaining designers would have preferred choosing their help, but for the most part the pairings ended up looking pretty well. Not surprising, but Victoria was selected last, by Alan, and she didn't even have him help that much. The designers were paired off and went to sketch. Brittany had never created any sort of menswear and was already starting to worry. The designers were then off to Mood, given a $600 budget. I feel like that is one of the higher numbers of the season.
While Brittany was in panic mode, Marquise felt super comfortable, in his element. Delvin originally migrated towards a powder blue fabric, thinking bad prom tuxe, but thankfully Christian saved him from that! With lots to do, it was back to the workroom for the rest of day 1 of this challenge. Delvin bragged on how his skillset would create for smooth sailing on this challenge. Brittany was still in panic mode, maybe having bit off more than she could chew. But at the end of Day 1, the designers were given a little break, having some fun, playing cornhole, and drinking cocktails.
The start of Day 2 also provided some treats for the designers, last season's winner Sebastian Grey, and he brought them breakfast, with a side of advice. Next up with some advice, Christian with his Siriano sessions. He cautioned Nancy on fit, questioned Delvin on his fabric choice, and gave Brittany food for thought about maybe changing up some on her design. We later saw Delvin's helper Tyler assisting Nancy with a bit of a pre-model fitting. Delvin was upset, but I guess was unable to act with any maturity and just ask Tyler to just focus on him. Instead he bashed Nancy because I guess that 15 minutes Tyler was away would be such a make it or break it moment for Delvin's look!
The actual model fittings were up next. Everyone loved seeing some abs in the workroom! Victoria had some behind the scenes comments about Nancy's work being somewhat derivative. This was laughable coming from the queen of repetition this season, who was just called out for that last week! Many designers overuse common elements, but Nancy has certainly created a variety in her looks. Some of the designers weren't using their helpers as much as others, as mentioned above, Victoria with Alan, but also Sergio with Veronica. I can't blame someone for trusting their own skillset versus designers who were eliminated for not the best skillsets.
The morning of the runway produced some true deplorability from a few of the designers. It was like a real life version of Mean Girls! Honestly though, it was abundantly evident these 3 cowards bashing Nancy were just trying to mask their own insecurities. But that is no excuse. Victoria was in the bottom 2 weeks prior, so who is she to throw shade? Delvin has been up and down from week to week, clearly seeing his skillset is not all he thinks it is, but rather than focus on himself, he chooses to tear others down, so sad! And Brittany knew she had a bottom look this week, knowing how hard it was, and yet also joined in on this nonsense. This is nothing but pure jealousy and very disappointing to see! Nancy overheard all of this and took the high road to not say anything. This is the difference between someone with class and those who act like immature children!
Rant aside, the rest of the morning was par for course. All of the designers were rushing to finish their looks. Britt was having some major last minute glitches (KARMA!), Marquise was trying to get his fit nailed down, and Alan decided to help Brittany since Victoria wasn't using him. Delvin after already going in on Nancy all episode had another childish moment. Nancy was using a button machine, I guess there is only one and it broke. Of course Delvin blamed her, as if she did it on purpose. Thank God for Christian who provided Delvin with a dose of reality in that he could still just do the work himself and that those machines weren't always around! He also had a helping hand in Tyler, so just make it work and stop whining!
After all of this drama, I was ready for the actual runway. This week's guest judge was menswear designer Thom Browne. As this week's runway was a little more menswear based, I looked at the looks a little differently than I do from other weeks. So not so much what I would wear, but focus on the technique, could I see that look on a red carpet, and did it meet the challenge, really taking the tuxe to a new, modern level. All of the designers received critiques this week, making it to a top 4/bottom 3. My top 2 would have been between Marquise & Geoffrey, but Marquise winning made sense.
I really liked the jacket he created, and doing the skirt/pant bottom was certainly one of the more innovative features I saw on this runway. There was a lot of great attention to detail. Given he was eliminated and came back, I am sure this win felt great for him. I do think it was justified in his elimination, but he should be very thankful for 2nd chances!
Geoffrey also did some great work making a tuxe into a jumpsuit silhouette. I could see a lot of people wanting to wear this. He made some great color choices.
I think Victoria was given more consideration from the judges for a top spot, but not for me. She didn't have the best or worst look, but I wasn't blown away. I did like the open back, but I felt the bodice area looked very bunchy. I also agreed with Thom Browne that this wasn't really a next level tuxedo.
Sergio also received some positive commentary, and that was deserved. He created a very polished look, superior technical quality. The problem was that it did seem super similar to a well know Celine Deion red carpet look. I actually don't think Sergio had that in mind when creating this. He didn't intentionally break the rules as Victoria has done in the past. It was still a great look, very well made, and would have been hard to send him out on this look. I also wondered why Christian didn't bring this reference up?? The hard part with Sergio was hearing his political message related to this look. I don't think anyone wishes we were back in the 50s!
This left Delvin (KARMA), Nancy, and Brittany as the bottom 2. I hated seeing Nancy be in the bottom 2, but ultimately it didn't matter. There was no way Brittany shouldn't have gone home over her look. The other 2 looks were at least finished well, and it was just a matter of subjective liking. But Brittany's look had so many construction issues, and was just such a hot mess! She kept saying she was trying something different and used that as an excuse for her poor look. I actually didn't buy that. She created a shorts tuxedo look, which actually doesn't even meet the challenge requirements. This has been done, so there was no real innovation here, just a poorly created look because Brittany doesn't do menswear.
It was great Karma seeing Delvin in the bottom. Not just because of how he treated Nancy, but also because he was so overconfident all episode; it grew tiring! Supposedly being Mr. Tailor, I actually thought his look didn't have a great fit, it looked super tight. The judges were correct to point out he had too much going on and should have streamlined his focus to what he does well.
I'm a huge Nancy fan, so seeing her in the bottom was a little nerve-wrecking. You can tell the judges like Brittany more, so it did worry me that they would choose someone they liked more, even though that person clearly had the worst look! I liked that she used a print and I would see a ton of people going with a look like this. I'm glad the judges hadn't lost all of their marbles though and Brittany was eliminated. I get eliminations are tough, but I felt the judges were a little over the top on how bad it was that Brittany was being eliminated. She is a great designer, but she hasn't had the most consistent work. Not many bottom looks, yes, a couple of wins, but also a lot of safe looks. I think we all knew though that Christian would use his save if he needed to for a few designers, Brittany being one of them. She was saved, good for her, hopefully next week she can focus on being a designer instead of taking part in mean girl antics!
Posted in Reality World | Tagged brandon maxwell, bravo, Christian Siriano, Design, Designer, designers, Fashion, Karlie Kloss, Nina Garcia, Project Runway | Leave a comment


text:
20 Best Historical Dramas on Netflix Right Now
Prerna Singh
History might not have been your favorite subject in school, but that doesn't mean you can't like historical movies. These films serve many purposes while being massively entertaining. For history nerds, they become a topic of profound discussions- pulling all the threads, pointing out mistakes, and debating the impact of the events. There is a lot of fodder there. For some people, who are more invested in the story than the hi-story(!) these are the fascinating tales of another time, of a society they don't live in, and a world they'll never get to see (unless the time machine is invented!). For another section, these could very well be the films in the fantasy genre. No matter which category you fall in, you can't deny the importance of historical movies. They are informative, they are entertaining, and most importantly, they are the warning signs, alerting us of what the world could be like if we, humans, make the same mistakes again. There's a reason they say "history repeats itself".
With every passing year, Netflix has been broadening its horizon regarding the genre of stories it tells. Historical movies, fact or fiction, aren't untouched by it. If you want a history lesson, without the boredom of the classroom, the following is the list of really good Historical movies on Netflix. The list also includes historical war movies, historical drama films, and historical fiction movies.
20. Kon-Tiki (2012)
This international co-production is about the 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition. Thor Heyerdahl (Pal Sverre Hagen), an ethnographer and adventurer, set sail from Peru to the Polynesian Islands on a handmade balsa wood raft. He cannot swim or sail himself, but with help from five crew members, set out to prove his theory that people from South America settled the Polynesian Islands in the pre-Columbian era. The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film as well as the Golden Globe Awards. Heyerdahl filmed the expedition which was then later made into an award-winning documentary.
19. War Horse (2011)
Set against the First World War, 'War Horse' is directed by Steven Spielberg and was nominated for six Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and five BAFTAs. It follows the story of Joey, a horse cared for by young Albert (Jeremy Irvine). Bought by the British Army, Joey goes through many wars and many owners in a world of violence and unrest. Albert enlists in the British Army, and after facing many difficulties, Joey and Albert make their way back to each other and finally return home together. The film is based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo.
18. The Queen (2006)
'The Queen' is a biographical film directed by Stephen Frears and surrounds the death of Princess Diana, who was also known as the "People's Princess." After the sudden and shocking news of her death, people seek answers as the Royal family tries to treat her death as a family matter. Tony Blair, the newly elected Prime Minister, constantly urges the Queen to address the public. Helen Mirren plays Queen Elizabeth remarkably, for which she won the Academy Award, BAFTA award, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama.
17. Manto (2018)
'Manto' is a biographical film on the Urdu author Saadat Hasan Manto, featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Manto. The film paints the life and works of the author and how it is affected by his life experiences. A country torn into two, India and Pakistan, challenge his sanity and sense of self as he desires to belong somewhere. The film has two clear phases; Manto's life in Bombay as a thriving scriptwriter, surrounded by friends and well-wishers, and the second being in Lahore, where he finds himself getting isolated from everyone. His downward spiral makes him hit rock bottom as he checks himself into the Lahore Mental Hospital for his alcohol addiction.
16. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
Set against the backdrop of World War II and the German occupation of the Guernsey Island, Juliet Ashton (Lily James), a London-based writer, develops a relationship over time with a book club called 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.' As the members of the book club share their experience of living on the Nazi-occupied island, Juliet decides to visit the island herself. She has an idea for her next book, as she decides to write about the German occupation; in the bargain, she makes friends for life. The whole experience makes Juliet realize that she cannot leave behind her life at Guernsey and return to London.
15. Trumbo (2015)
Directed by Jay Roach, 'Trumbo' is a biographical film on Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston), one of the most famous scriptwriters in Hollywood. He and a few of his artist friends get arrested and blacklisted for their political beliefs and supposedly propagating Communist propaganda in Hollywood films. As the list of blacklisted individuals in the industry keeps growing, producers refuse to work with them. As a desperate means, Trumbo started to write screenplays and give to his friend Ian McLellan Hunter, to take credit and share the money specifically for 'Roman Holiday'. Over the years, his ghostwriting is ultimately a big topic of discussion, but he is careful and never confirms.
14. A Twelve-Year Night (2018)
Originally titled 'La noche de 12 anos,' 'A Twelve-Year Night' is a drama from Uruguay. Based on historical events, the film follows the 12-year- solitary confinement that members of the left-wing urban guerrilla group (Tupamaros) were put through. The order by the military dictatorship was to "drive them mad" if they can't be killed. One of the nine hostages that are taken includes Pepe Mujica, who will go on to become the 40th President of Uruguay from 2010-2015. The crucially acclaimed film was selected as an entry for the 91st Academy Awards under the category of Best Foreign Language Film.
13. A Little Chaos (2014)
Starring and directed by Alan Rickman, this film follows the story of two people who are tasked with designing the famous Garden of Versailles. Kate Winslet played the role of Sabine De Barra, a commoner who is selected to assist with the designing of the gardens. She is picked by Andre Le Notre, who was a famous landscape artist. The film also takes into account the political struggle in the court and presents the lifestyle of the French aristocracy. However, its main focus lies on the relationship between the married Andre, whose wife has been cheating on him, and Sabine, who is haunted by something in her past. The film is not close to being historically accurate, neither does it bother to do so. However, the strong performances from the cast, especially the lead pair make it worth a watch.
12. Frost/Nixon (2008)
This Oscar-nominated historical drama, directed by Ron Howard, throws light on the 1977 interview of Richard Nixon with David Frost. The disgraced President was forced out of his office and remains silent on the matter for three years. But in 1977, he chooses to be a part of an all-inclusive televised interview, much to everyone's surprise. Nixon probably did not expect Frost to be able to hold his own and saw it as an opportunity to reconnect with the people of America. But what follows when the camera starts filming, no one was prepared for, not even Frost's team members.
11. The Angel (2018)
Speaking of historical films always conjures up the image of the times that lie at least a hundred years prior to one's own era. To be honest, what happened a decade ago is history too, though the most recent one. But, let's not get into that debate. My point is that if I tell you to watch a film that is set in the early 70s, it is historical too, no matter how different it is from the rest of the films on this list. And this one, you must watch, because it acts as more of a spy-thriller. Based on the book of the same name by Uri Bar-Joseph, it focuses on the story of an Egyptian man who served as a spy for Israeli intelligence. Set in the aftermath of the Six Days War, it shows the Egyptian Prime Minister and his cabinet talking about how they can get back at Israel after their recent loss. Ashraf Marwan, the son-in-law of the Prime Minister, is let in on the discussion, however, he is harshly rebuked when he makes a substantial suggestion. This throws him towards the Israeli intelligence and the rest that happened was history!
10. Outlaw King (2018)
The name of Robert Bruce is held in high regard in Scottish history. He is known as one of the fiercest warriors and led the First War of Scottish Independence. 'Outlaw King' focuses on the events after the besieging of Stirling Castle where the Scottish nobles surrendered to the King of England. Acting in subordination to the King continued for some time, but not long after, Robert Bruce led a rebellion against the British, motivated by sensing the unrest among the masses for the regime and the public display of William Wallace's mutilated body. Chris Pine played the role of the titular king, while Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, and Tony Curran appeared in other important roles. Like any other Hollywood film, you can expect some historical inaccuracies. But you will get the overall gist of all the events that led him to become a leader and, eventually, the King of Scots.
9. Mudbound (2017)
One of the best films of the year, 'Mudbound' is set in the post-Second World War era. Two soldiers return home from the War, but all that they were before is washed away by what they experience in the War. Jamie McAllan served as an army pilot, while Ronsel Jackson was in the infantry. Back home, Jamie's elder brother, Henry shares a loving marriage with Laura. Ronsel's family, on the other hand, works in the fields of the McAllans. On returning home, Jamie and Ronsel strike a friendship sharing their experiences of the War. However, the assimilation of blacks and whites wasn't a common thing yet, not where they lived, and both of them face trouble because of that. The film focuses on PTSD, which mainly haunts Jamie, and the racism that Ronsel has to bear witness to, something that he isn't used to after becoming a part of the army.
8. The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019)
A Netflix original film, 'The Red Sea Diving Resort' is based on how Mossad (Israeli intelligence department) managed to smuggle out Ethiopian Jews living in the country to Israel. Mossad agent Ari Levinson suggests to his seniors that they can buy a beach resort and use it as a cover to carry out their covert mission. They carry out their mission in Sudan, but it is not long before some secrets are spilled and the lives of the agents, as well as the people they are protecting, get shrouded in danger. The film had enough elements to make a compelling thriller, but writer-director Gideon Raff completely squanders away the opportunity by coming up with poorly-written characters and not giving the actors enough material to work with. The film's "white savior complex" has also been widely criticized.
7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (2016)
While 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny' might not be a historical film in the truest sense of the term, it is definitely a brilliant historical fiction that deserves our attention. The film is a sequel to the 2000 film 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon', directed by Ang Lee. Michelle Yeoh reprises her role as warrior-maiden Shu Lien for this film. After being away for around eighteen years, she is now eager to find the magical sword known as Green Destiny, which once belonged to her lover Li Mu Bai. As a dangerous criminal called Hades Dai gets eager to claim the sword, Shu Lien is hell-bent on saving it. In her quest, she is joined by a young woman and a mysterious warrior called Silent Wolf. 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny' is a wuxia film that tells us a lot about the medieval Chinese culture of martial arts. While we get to see some brilliantly choreographed action sequences, we are also made privy to the philosophy of the era.
6. The King (2019)
This Netflix original film is based on a number of plays by Shakespeare and mainly chronicles the early life of English ruler King Henry "Hal" V. The film begins with Hal being completely disinterested in the affairs of the state and later when his brother Thomas passes away in a battle, he is suddenly made the King of England. Many people around him presume that he is weak, and his coronation is openly mocked by King Charles VI of France. When Hal comes to know that Charles VI has sent an assassin to kill him, he declares war and marches on towards France to show his enemies his true powers. The boy who was always against politics and violence now gets molded in the image he always despised. Timothée Chalamet has been able to establish himself as a major talent, and this film again reminds us of his ability to do justice to any role he has been given. The production design, costumes, and cinematography of this film also deserve our admiration.
Read More: Movies Like The Shining
5. Troy (2004)
2004's 'Troy' is one of the best historical films you can watch on Netflix. The movie depicts the entire saga of how Paris, the youngest son of King Priam, falls in love with Helen, the wife of Menelaus, (who is the king of Sparta), and secretly takes her away to Troy without even informing his elder brother Hector. The Greeks soon attack Troy with a huge army led by the greatest warrior of the time, Achilles. Though Achilles does not like his king Agamemnon, he knows this war can help cement his legacy as the greatest warrior of all time. Brad Pitt put in his heart and soul into the performance and gave us one of the most authentic versions of Achilles we have ever seen. The action sequences of the film are brilliantly shot and choreographed. One fight scene between Achilles and Hector (Eric Bana), has now gained a cult status among film fans all over the world.
Read More: Movies Like Titanic
4. Glory (1989)
'Glory' is the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the first African-American regiment of the Union Army in the American Civil War. Led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), the 54th Regiment's contribution is remembered in American history; Abraham Lincoln also credited them for turning things around during the war. While Colonel Shaw not only tries to gain the trust of his men, he also has to worry about the enemies, who have orders to kill the commanding officers of the African-Americans. History not only remembers battles fought on the ground but the more significant victories for a better society.
Read More: Movies Like Oldboy
3. Suffragette (2015)
The Suffragette movement is one of the most important events of England in the 20th century since this was the first time when women began fighting for their voting rights in the country. The central character of the film is a woman called Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan), who gets inspired by the female leader Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep) and joins the movement to fight against the oppressions of patriarchy. However, as it always happens, the women who speak of change are targeted by the police and the establishment. They suffer serious consequences even in their personal sphere, but they willingly risk everything to give their future generations a more just society than the one they were born in. The film is rather inspiring, and despite having some structural inadequacies, makes it all up using the powerful performances by its glittering star cast.
Read More: Movies Like Manchester by the Sea
2. Django Unchained (2012)
'Django Unchained' is written and directed by Quentin Tarantino and features Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Christoph Waltz. Set in 1858, it follows Django (Foxx) as he is sought out by a bounty hunter, Dr. Schultz (Waltz) who needs him to find some men. After accomplishing that, Django wants to search for his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) who was sold separately from Django by their former owner for trying to escape. When they find out that Broomhilda is sold to a plantation in Mississippi, Schultz and Django devise a plan to get her back.
1. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Directed by Aaron Sorkin, 'The Trail of the Chicago 7' follows the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters who are held responsible for the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. This historical legal drama follows the unfair trials of seven ringleaders who are associated with the incident and their fight against all odds to stand for what they believe in. Although they do not see eye to eye on their political philosophies, the Chicago 7 realize the significance they have in each other's lives, especially if they want to win the fight. The ensemble cast features notable names like Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Frank Langella, Alex Sharp, Michael Keaton, Daniel Flaherty, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
Read More: Best Suspense Movies on Netflix


The Jets met with running back Spencer Ware on Wednesday, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Then, on Thursday, the club will host fellow free agent running back Ty Montgomery, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.
Ware previously met with the Colts and Lions, but left town without signing with either club. Ware first made noise in 2015 when he ran for 403 yards with the Chiefs and averaged 5.6 yards per carry in a limited sample. In 2016, he was the Chiefs' starter and amassed 921 yards with a 4.3 yards-per-tote average. His usage fluctuated over the course of three healthy years in KC, but the 27-year-old's career 4.7 YPC shows promise.
Ware could be a solid backup for Le'Veon Bell and the same goes for Montgomery, who came out of nowhere in 2016 to average 5.9 yards per carry for the Packers. Montgomery's production, understandably, dropped after that, and the Packers dropped him from the roster with an October trade last year after his late game fumble cost them a chance at beating the Rams.
Either veteran could back up Bell, but the Jets could also find supporting RBs in this month's draft.