Debbie Matenopoulos wears Nick Verreos

Miss Greece!

I met the fabulous Debbie Matenopoulos, TV presenter and host of E! Entertainment's "The Daily 10" show, when she hosted the 2007 Los Angeles Fashion Awards. I was co-presenting the Inspiration Award to the executive producers of Project Runway, and was rushed backstage to prepare. Once back there, I also ran into my friend Decades Two owner and another fellow Greek, Christos Garkinos. I was introduced to Debbie by Christos and before you know it, we were having a major Greek Love Fest at the Orpheum Theater! We joked that we might as well be making Gyros and Souvlakis back there! Debbie started telling people that we would be handing complimentary Feta Cheese to everyone after the show was over!

The beautiful Debbie then told me how much she loved my designs and I told her how much I would love for her to wear one of my gowns for a "red carpet" event. We joked in Greek and then we were separated--I had to present the award and, well, she had to host the show, of course. Consequently, a week later, she was asked to host the 2007 Diversity Awards and her stylist asked if I could send over some gowns. To say that I was ecstatic to then find out that my "Miss Greece" had actually ended up wearing one of my designs to host the awards show is an understatement! She looked like a Goddess in my one shoulder, side-draped jersey gown.

It is a style, which I coincidentally titled "Athena" and featured in white for my recent W San Diego Spring 2008 Collection. To illustrate what a class act Debbie is, she sent me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers as a "Thank You". Most times, I am lucky if I get the dress back dry-cleaned from some people! Needless to say, the name of that style will now be changed to "Debbie" thank you very much.

Sweet Redemption plus More-Episode 3 Recap

HOLA!

I just returned from spending three wonderful days in San Francisco where I was asked to host a fashion show/event (more on that in a later post) and literally dropped my suitcase and turned on the TV to watch this third episode of Season 4 Project Runway. Thank God for TiVo, since I got home after the episode aired and therefore could not have my weekly "Viewing Party" with Andrae, lots of champagne and cookies. For this particular episode, I decided to just put down several "thoughts". Hope you enjoy it and would love to read your feedback and thoughts on this episode.

1) Sweet Redemption:
While the episode unfolded--along with all the drama and frustrations--the words sweet redemption kept cropping up in my head, like little "Pop Up Video" bubbles. Now, let me preface my explanation by saying that I have had nothing but amazing opportunities as well as feel blessed by everything that has occurred in my life and my business as a result of being on the show. However, as you may remember, I was voted off Season 2 for making Daniel Vosovic a suit that was deemed "too feminine", as well as for a lack of pockets and jacket button/closures.

Yet, after seeing some of the creations in this episode, I could not help but feel a bit redeemed. Especially, since I remember at the time reading a lot of viewer comments saying something to the effect of "How could Nick not put buttons or pockets?" But somehow, I got to finish a fully lined jacket, a collared dress shirt, a silk scarf and skinny pants with a waistband and zip-fly in the SAME AMOUNT OF TIME as these designers. Go figure. Several of this season's designers could barely finish TWO pieces. It ain't that easy kids. Therefore, again, I have to ask the question I asked in my first recap: Are these really the most talented group of designers ever? (as Tim and Heidi proudly announced in the premiere episode).


Chloe Dao, the winner of Season 2, made a fabulous--and Challenge-winning--three-piece outfit for me, which included hand sewn buttonholes , mitered stripes and a fully lined vest. Season 3 winner, Jeffrey Sebelia made a great "Rock Star" outfit, which was (as far as I remember) fully finished also. So why couldn't these designers, who are supposed be more talented and have far more expertise than us, just finish a shirt or close the lining of a jacket? Just saying...

Now, back to the best and worst of the lot. Like the judges, I also had a difficult time trying to decide which outfit was the worst: Ricky's safety-pinned concoction, Sweet Pea's askew dress shirt or Carmen's 1920's Golf caddie go-go boy. In the end, Carmen 's badly fitting crotch was the one to go.

I did have a couple of favorites, most notably, Rami's, which looked straight out of the third floor at Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Store: Elegant, stylish and very Italian-looking. I also liked Kit's cardigan-like creation. He looked like a sexy "Mr. Rodgers". But the judges chose Jack's safe,well cut shirt and pants. It looked very much like it came from the Macy's I.N.C. brand.


2) Where did all those Men's Forms come from?
If I remember correctly , we didn't even have men's forms when we did our challenge. I actually had to fit it on one of the ladies forms in the room. Daniel Vosovic was a woman's 4, in case you are wondering, without the breasts of course! But, all of a sudden, when they return from the NBC Today Studios, there are a dozen men's forms at the Parsons Workroom. No explanation. Unfair and a bit bizarre.

3) Jack: It's called "Knocking Off"
Congratulations for winning this challenge, Jack. We loved your outfit as well as seeing your GINORMOUS pecs every other second, but there was no need to actually ruin your shorts and cut them to get the pattern. It's on page 535 of "Patternmaking for Fashion Design" by Helen Joseph-Armstrong, and is usually taught to every second year fashion design student. So, next time, no need to cut, just get that old tracing wheel out and some tissue paper and you are ready to go...

4) Speaking of GINORMOUS pecs...
Did a Bravo executive just write a big yellow "Post It" to the show's editors and say More Male Nude Skin? (I'm speaking to you Andy Cohen!!) What was going on? There was so much gratuitous display of male skin, I thought I was standing in front of an Abrecrombie and Fitch store! First, Jack was half naked through the entire episode. Then, after the constant parade of male models with their .00005 % fat content showcasing their taut bodies, I had to check my remote to see if the channel had changed to LOGO. But the sight of "I have the whitest teeth in all the United States of America", Tiki Barber (whom I admit I had no idea who he was) reassured me otherwise. Bravo knows its market demographic: It not only wants to make the gays and their girlfriends happy, but also the girlfriend's beer-drinking, football-watching husbands.
And finally:

5) Open Letter To Carmen:
Dear Carmen: There is a light at the end of the Project Runway Menswear Challenge Tunnel. I guarantee you will get a request (or two) to make your auf'ed ensemble for someone. Proof: Just ONE WEEK AGO, I received the following letter on my website regarding my "way too feminine suit" that I created for Daniel Vosovic TWO YEARS AGO, in which I was booted off the show for:


Dear Mr. Verreos, I actually just saw one of the episodes of Project Runway, and I am very interested in a suit that you constructed for another contestant, Daniel. I have been looking for a suit exactly like that forever. Do you still design men's suits, or is there someplace where you sell suits in that same style? If not, would you be interested in creating one? Please let me know.

Turkey Day Recap

Episode 2: Fashion Icon on-a-Budget?

First of all, I hope everyone is having a nice Thanksgiving and you are able to celebrate with good friends and family. While you are enjoying all the turkey, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, here is some "Fashion Gobble Gobble"(sorry, I had to do that!) to hold you stuffed until next week.
Like last time, I will do this week's recap in question form. Ready, set, go...and don't forget to check all my grammatical errors...

1) Was This Episode Boring or Was It Just Me?
Following the footsteps of a not-so-memorable First Episode, I was ready for a really good one. I invited friends over (Andrae stopped by and brought Gelato--Yeaaay!) and served Champagne and cookies. We were ready. And all I got was a "Yawn". Now, don't get me wrong, I am not looking for drama, especially "Created Drama" (think last season's "Mother's Challenge" or my season's "Take Nick's Model"). I am not a fan of that. But it would be nice to see some "Fashion Drama". This episode had the potential, especially, with the amazing "guest star" Sarah Jessica Parker and the teaming up of designers. You know if SJP showed up in my season, I would have screamed so loud and jumped and clapped so much, it would have made my scene with Olympic Figure Skater Sasha Cohen seem like "chopped liver" in comparison. Because of previous season's infamous Team Challenges, one expected more discussion amongst the designers, friendly arguments even, and thoroughly interesting creations as a result. Other than Sweet Pea and Elisa's mulling over hand-rolled hems and spitting on the fabric(I bet the cameramen and sound guys just about died and went to heaven after they saw that!), nothing much occurred. In terms of the designs that won and lost, I liked Victorya's loose tunic of a dress with the cropped vest, but surprisingly, I also liked Elisa and Sweet Pea's "polymorphic" dress and cape. Great color, fashionably styled, yet wearable. Poor thing, "Oliver Twist" twin, Marion's design did look, as Michael Kors stated, like something Pocahontas would have worn. Also, I can't help but think how many of the designers did leggings/tights because they were influenced by what Sarah Jessica Parker was wearing when she met them.
Overall, though, I felt this was a rather uneventful episode with rather unremarkable clothes.

2) Was it Uneventful because of their Budget and the fact that they had to design for BITTEN?
So then I began thinking, could it have been the fact that they only had $15 for fabric and trims and had to design for a "budget" yet fashion-savvy line? First, I don't know how they found enough fabric to create an outfit, especially at Mood, only having $15. The last time I was there, I was hard-pressed to find their "Dollar Bin". Actually, I never saw one. So how did they do it? I guess poly/cotton jersey is cheap, but even at retail prices, these stores can charge up to $8/yard for it. I would need at least 2 yards to make a top and leggings , and that's it. I have spent all my budget. What about a zipper, lining, or another contrast fabric? I have a sneaky feeling somebody somewhere sneaked these designers some extra cash... Just saying.
Now, in regards to designing for Bitten, ponder the following: Would it have been more exciting of an episode if the designers had to create an ensemble for Sarah Jessica Parker, for the Black-tie Gala/Opening of a Metropolitan Museum Costume Exhibit, in which she would have worn the outfit? All I kept thinking of was that photo of her with Alexander McQueen in his "Couture-Tartan" design. I know some people may think that she was a "fashion disaster", but personally, this was GENIUS! Who else would do that? That's one of the many reasons I LOVE Sarah Jessica Parker. she takes fashion risks. I think this "fantasy" challenge would have been possibly more fun to watch. But I do understand the tie-in with SJP and her line.

3) Is the Second Episode of every season going to be an "Ode To Andrae Crying Episode"?
Now, remember, I was watching this episode with the fabulous Mr. Gonzalo, and he noted "Why is the second episode going to be about crying? I think I started a second episode trend " I cannot recall if anyone cried in the second episode of Season 3, but if they did, please let me know. But I could not believe all the tears that flowed in this episode. First Chris, then Ricky crying so early on in the challenge--he barely had met Sarah Jessica Parker for goodness sake--made me skeptically think that this was footage from his "exit interview" questionably interjected in the beginning of the episode. Then even Carmen joined in on the cry fest at elimination. The last straw was watching usually bitchy "I-am-the-fiercest-thing-since- John Galliano" Christian actually tear up. I swear I saw tears behind those Alain Mikli glasses of his!

See you next time, and keep on crying...and sewing!