How to ensure a Run(a)way success
Alocal version of one of the world’s mostpopular reality competitions is headed to our screens next month. But what will Project Runway NZ be like? We know who is to host (Kiwi model Georgia Fowler), judge (World’s Benny Castles and Fashion Quarterly editor Sally-Ann Mullin) and provide mentoring advice (AUT’s Andreas Mikellis), but what sort of guests will appear and what challenges will the contestants face? That got us thinking about the five things we hope we’ll see during the inaugural season.
Heidi Heidi Heidi
No disrespect to Fowler, but surely the hostess with most-ess Heidi Klum has to make an appearance at some stage during the show? Naturally, we’d expect her to present a challenge relating to one of her lines for Kiwi company Bendon – so either lingerie or swimsuit design. Either way, we’d love to hear that distinctive ‘‘hello’’, or ‘‘auf Wiedersehen’’ ring out, and maybe she should bring along Tim Gunn or a certain longserving judge just so we can hear her say – ‘‘Nina Garcia’’ in her own, distinctive way.
Not too many unconventional material challenges
Look, we all know that Kiwi designers, like those in so many other professions, have a great No 8 wire mentality. That doesn’t mean that these contestants should have to make creations out of plastic bags, native plants or recycled tyres every second week.
Sure, force them to be innovative, but we also want to see some clothes that people might want to wear down Queen, Colombo or Esk St.
Celebrate the sheep
I’m sure the producers gave a lot of thought as to how to give the show a Kiwi spin (Ugg Boot challenge? Swandri competition?) but the most fitting New Zealand challenge would surely involve creating a runway-ready look out of our magnificent merino. Virtually everyone has some item of it in their wardrobe – wouldn’t it be nice to see what the designers can create to elevate it to the next level?
A cross-section of guest judges
One of more engaging aspects has been its eclectic range of guest judges, handpicked to suit the various challenges. There’s been everyone from Dita von Teese to Katie Holmes, Lindsey Vonn and Marge Simpson.
While we’re not suggesting they exhume Thingee or enlist Richie McCaw for the job, we think it would be great to see everyone from Anika Moa, Hilary Barry, Madeleine Sami, Tanya Carlson and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, rather than just the expected usual suspects like Trelise Cooper or Colin Mathura-Jeffree.
Some memorable catchphrases
Klum’s one-liners have become ingrained in our culture, while Gunn’s exhortations to ‘‘make it work’’ has surely entered the lexicon. So what will Project
give us?
Let’s hope the central quartet have been pondering on just that topic. Breakfast’s Jake Tame asked Fowler if she will have a kiss-off line for contestants, a la Klum’s ‘‘auf Wiedersehen’’. Fowler suggested perhaps she might trial, ‘‘Peace Out, bro’’.
Sure, force them to be innovative, but we also want to see some clothes that people might want to wear down Queen, Colombo or Esk St.