A Project worth watching
Designer James Dobson didn’t know what to expect as a judge on Project Runway NZ. The reality was surprising.
Iused to watch Project Runway pretty religiously until fellow New Zealander Sean Kelly won it. After that it kind of felt like it couldn’t get any better. I mean, someone I actually knew won it – and how can you top that? You can’t.
Or at least you couldn’t, until I received an email asking me to be a guest judge on the New Zealand version.
Before I knew it I was watching old episodes again and YouTubing Michael Kors’ bitchiest retorts as ‘‘research’’.
Entering the actual set was a surreal experience. Now I haven’t done a lot of television (as I’m sure will be blindingly apparent from my debut on Monday) but it literally felt like I was inside the TV.
The set was exactly how I imagined the US version would be – the new runway gleaming in front of me.
I sat on the high stool, and at that precise moment I realised wearing short shorts was possibly a very bad idea.
My one fear of my appearance on Project Runway New Zealand is that it’s going to look like I’m not wearing any pants.
Sat next to me were the reassuring faces of Benny Castles and Sally-Ann Mullin – I’ve known both of them for years.
Benny is incredibly professional with a kooky sense of humour and Sally-Ann is one of the most down to earth people in the industry (remind me to tell you the story about Sally-Ann, Eagle Bar and some hot nuts).
Together they are a great combination, and the camaraderie between them is awesome to witness.
While we sat making small talk, across the runway the contestants are making their own small talk, trying awkwardly to catch our eyes.
The show’s host, Georgia Fowler, sashays into the room like some kind of genetically engineered super human/cyborg, and introduces herself. She’s so beautiful it’s almost intimidating.
I pick up my Project Runway cards, and a pen, and it begins.
Georgia walks onto the runway and for a split second I’m unable to co-ordinate clapping, balancing my cards and holding a pen.
I fumble my way through the iconic ‘‘hello designers’’ line and the the runway show begins.
I scrawl notes on my cards, try to control any involuntary facial reactions, and ultimately I feel powerful – like I’m playing some kind of virtual reality version of the show. I’m loving it.
The runway show ends and we retire to a small room to deliberate. We all (pretty passionately) fight to get our favourite looks across the line and convince the room as to why certain looks should be in the bottom – whether we agree with the
outcome at the end, the process is all very democratic. We then return to the set, the contestants are lined up in front of us, and then filtered down to the highest and lowest scores.
One contestant looks completely crushed, another starts sobbing. It’s at this moment it dawns on me that this is not some kind of virtual reality version of the show, it’s real life.
The contestants are real people with real dreams to make it in this industry and we’re actually deciding their fate.
It’s a sobering reality and I feel like this realisation pervades my critiques. We have the opportunity to get a closer look at the garments and talk with [showroom mentor] Andreas about his thoughts.
We unanimously agree on the person we’re sending home and reach a consensus on the winner.
Everything is put in motion and before I know it I’m outside again (carefully guided out, away from any contestants) and it all feels like some kind of surreal dream. Project Runway New Zealand is the real deal. I just hope it doesn’t look like I’m not wearing pants.
Sat next to me were the reassuring faces of Benny Castles and Sally-Ann Mullin, left. They are a great combination, and the camaraderie between them is awesome.