project runway recap: the finale, part 2

andy south spring/summer 2011

now that everyone has had a few days to process the unexpected upset of the project runway finale and heaps of candy to medicate any regrets, let's review local designer andy south's spring/summer 2011 collection and send happy congratulations his way on being hawaii's very first PR-finalist to show at new york fashion week!

on the small chance that the show is still lingering on your dvr, i'll resist sharing the big reveal until after the jump where you can peek the finale runway looks, show links, and the dreaded spoiler.

hooray andy!

after presenting a gorgeous mix of provocative styles episode after episode, andy opted for a refined, ladylike look much to the consternation of the judges. and, while only a few pieces matched my personal aesthetic, the collection as a whole looked quite polished and wearable for a certain style set.

despite the judges concerns over the surprising lack of warrior chic in his collection (which resulted in an immediate dismissal to the ranks of the previously auf'd), can we all agree that the fashion gods will continue to smile down upon andy? i predict his much adored, edgy frocks will be happily rocked by the beautiful people around town while his elegant separates are style perfection for asian sophisticates from hawaii to hong kong.

with the interweb's collective shudder at gretchen's win, it seems quite telling that the tally from the seenon sale (now over if you missed the mention in friday's scoop) broke down to mondo's offerings selling out, andy scoring sold out banners on half his looks, and the winning collection selling the fewest styles.

{insert innocent whistle here}

before we bid aloha to S8, enjoy the final behind-the-scenes peeks from the show.

andy: make it work! | judgement day | video diary | designers dish | S8 highlight reel

and, for my fellow team mondo fans - were you also baffled by nina & michael's rationalization in favor of gretchen's all knowing crystal ball o' fashion?

p.s. mahalo nui to all the readers who stopped by to chat during the season! it was great fun for me, and hopefully i will learn the magic trick of wooing more of you (and you and you!) to shake off your anonymous reading habit and click over to comment and meet new friends.

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}

aloha friday scoop

hele over to the shop toast storefront to scoop up last minute halloween treats now marked down 50% off!

• when: sat, oct 30th - 12p to 6p
• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 3, kaimuki
• secret code: boonanza (whisper at checkout)
• fyi: while supplies last (in-store only)

a few blocks away, lily lotus will be passing out sweets which will unveil a surprise discount on your entire purchase at checkout.

p.s. & click over to ideeli which is hosting the local yoga line's flash sale (50% off!) this weekend.

• when: sat, oct 30th & sun, oct 31st - 10a to 5p
• where: 1127 12th avenue, kaimuki
• fyi: one per customer; not combinable with other offers

on sunday, mu'umu'u heaven will be offering 20% off all bamboo frocks.

• when: sun, oct 31st - 11a to 4p
• where: 767 kailua road, kailua

Click to read more ...

project runway recap: the finale, part 1

andy south finale preview

in case you missed the first part of the project runway finale, here's a tardy peek of the three outfits oahu designer andy south presented to make his case as to why he deserved to compete at fashion week. the pleating details of his eleventh look (no. 2 above) was certainly impressive . . . especially considering it was whipped up in a jiffy during the not-quite-a-surprise final challenge.

and, were you just as delighted to see tim gunn make the drive out to the country to visit andy at his mom's home in waianae? (although, a note to the editors: the north shore signage leading into the segment was a bit bewildering considering the westside can claim its very own iconic stretch of sand. tsk. tsk.) with only six weeks to craft ten looks, half of which was spent waiting for handwoven custom silk textiles to arrive from laos, andy had mostly sketches to share during tim's home visit and just two weeks to prepare his entire collection before returning to nyc.

oh my.

alas, andy's bikini got no love from the judges who took the remaining four designers to task for failing to present a cohesive overview of the collections they hoped to show at fashion week. i'll await your comments to dish on the finale but will say that i am delighted to have correctly predicted the final three on facebook!

andy: make it work! | judgement day | video diary

click over to the designers dish for the long awaited introduction of the mutual admiration society.

of the trio of looks presented in the pre-finale, which designers piqued your curiosity enough to send on to fashion week?

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}

project runway: we're in a new york state of mind

new york, new york! was the inspiration for the final project runway challenge. local designer andy south explored central park and sent a chic and edgy little black dress down the runway. textured panels stood in for both the park's architecture and cityscape hovering above the tree line while meandering pathways were reinterpretated into a sheer peekaboo back.

(although when gretchen described andy's dress as having a hint of madam, hotel street's disreputable past did pop into my mind briefly.)

on the upside, andy's technical talent continued to impress the judges although a few seemed to question the design connection to the great outdoors. mum's the word on the four designers who still have a chance to make it to the official fashion week roster, so hit the comments to dish on whether you agree with the judges' almost final elimination this week.

andy: make it work! | judgement day | christian siriano's take | video diary

click over to the designers dish for the inside scoop off the runway.

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}

project runway recap: a look in the line

i suspect most, if not all, of the project runway fans have watched last week's episode which challenged the remaining six designers to whip up an activewear look for heidi klum's debut collection for new balance. a twist soon came a-calling and, with the addition of two more looks, designers from episodes past returned to lend a hand.

onscreen, andy south stayed away from the inevitable sewing room drama between ivy higa and her S8 nemesis michael c., and focused his energy on producing light, modern pieces appropriate for both athletics and lounging about town.

hknb collection

as promised, the three winning looks andy presented on the runway found their way into the hknb collection and can be purchased on amazon in a handful of colorways (available sizes: s-xl). the fabrication is a cozy tencel/cotton/cashmere blend, although the hoodie design appears to have undergone a modification (too similar to lululemon's logo, perhaps?).

price point for andy's hknb offerings range from $98 to $168.

andy: make it work! | judgement day | norma kamali's take | video diary

and, click over to the designers dish for their take on this week's runway happenings.

did any of andy's hknb looks make it to your wishlist?

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}