reviewed by Shardae Jobson
Christian Siriano, succeeding past the flash in the pan fame reality TV can only bring, has emerged as the most notable talent and individual out of the several coming and going faces of the competitive fashion design series Project Runway. Not since the first season when millions of viewers learned to say so long in German (“Auf Wiedersehen!”), the show by way of Siriano again became a part of pop culture, and along the way thawed a bit of the icy, obnoxious milieu of the fabulous fashion industry, showing a more humane side in exposing the hard work and sincere passion for needle and thread; season after season of couture hopefuls just looking for that ever sought after big break.
As the last designer standing, Siriano is building the kind of label and public persona that is so effervescent, it’s very safe to say he going to be here for quite awhile. He never strays from being the unabashedly charming guy with his hilarious comments turned catchphrases; nerdy, heavy, black rimmed glasses; the big, optimistic smile; but most importantly (especially in the prime of his career), through his carefully crafted clothes that even Posh Spice admired, is the show’s most deserving and promising talent. Project Runway has finally delivered a designer we can take seriously in the limelight, and that’s mainly because Christian Siriano wants to be there.
Once becoming the fourth winner of the competition in 2008, he’s been on a terrific whirlwind since. Red carpet events, an Oprah Show interview, a self-parodied cameo on Ugly Betty, partnerships with Victoria’s Secret, LG phones, Bluefly.com, even Payless (he already hasn’t forgotten the little people!), and with his own burgeoning namesake line, he is the Lil’ Wayne of fashion by taking every other opportunity offered to him left and right. If only his predecessors had followed a similar pattern, as Siriano was never the only talented hands to grace the sewing table of where Project Runway is filmed, but he is fervent on not being ignored after been granted all the goodies that came with the title.
Now, two years later, the Bravo channel that originally aired his win, were together again for a TV special, Christian Siriano: Having a Moment, and he really is. The Bravo special showed Siriano in preparation for New York Fashion Week, where American fashion bi-annually displays their collections in search of praise, raised revenue, the return of the flashy and common people clientele. Prior to Fashion Week, selections of his pieces had been sold at prestigious emporiums as Saks, and Neimans, a fashion self-help book is on the way, and when talking about his claim to fame, Siriano already refers to his time on Project Runway as “those days”. He thinks and acts like a sanguine professional.
[Siriano's Payless shoe line]
When the behind the scenes program begins, he is in his atelier, with racks and racks of clothes, and the people dearest to him in both business and friendship, as most of have been with Siriano for awhile now, as far back as sixteen. His company is growing modestly, and he even has an intern, as he once was for Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, and Vivienne Westwood.
When introducing himself to the camera (like a comedian in training: “Should I say I’m a tranny? I’m a designer? What!”), his voice is syrupy and calm, and he declares not only is he “having a moment”, his new favorite words to describe these moments are “j’adore” and “genius”, though “tranny” still slips in every so often. At times, his own playful jargon makes him the Paris Hilton of the fashion world, but this “Hilton” has earned his success the honest bread way.
As the camera spanned his atelier, he explains that the basis for the spring collection was from the Mediterranean woman’s lifestyle. He sees her emotions as “light-hearted”, and the clothes to be viewed in front of the fashion elite are super rich in jewel tone colors like royal purple and azure blue, colors that are usually reserved for the fall season but regardless are beautifully affective by Siriano, while the textures are described as “volcanic”. The shoes to accompany the clothes are sandy brown, with details derived from animal characteristics such as horns and antlers. Watching Siriano in his creative and technical element, even when under elevated pressure, he doesn’t reveal an egotistical manner; he just seems excited and nervous. His voice barely elevates when anxiety kicks in, like when scanning snake looking (semi-ruched) scales on the back of a tan dress, that needs a careful re-stitch.
When the countdown to the Bryant Park runways begin to heat up, the Siriano team wis working overtime. Siriano is then given a heads up via cell phone to provide dresses for Kelly Rowland, Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mena Suvari. He becomes a little flustered but you can see the pressure dignifies his place as not only the winner of Project Runway, but a real designer with real demands under his own name. To an extent, an order from a glittery hotlist is not a big deal in that this is what his life is all about. He loves fashion, and the high demands of it is just a day in the life for a young designer that the fashion industry hasn’t seen this eager and skilled since Zac Posen a few years back during the renaissance of great American art in the form of fabric room wunderkinds.
Siriano works everyday of his young career, and when making a store appearance in promotion for his Payless shoe line, he talks about the very imperative aspect of the business and marketing that funds all labels, especially new ones like his own. The line of fans is pass the door, and he stands in a room with photographers snapping, snapping, snapping, and he loves the attention—but in a pensive way. Siriano is very much like a precocious child, switching from elaborate, sassy remarks for comedic purposes, and then looking from side to side, amazed that he is in such a cool position in life, the stance he always wanted, he knows he’s come a long way. For those aware of the winners before and after Siriano, during this clip may have wondered, where are they now? Why haven’t they reached this level of enviable attention?
Jay Carroll, the first winner of Project Runway, had a similar presence to Siriano. Carroll’s personality, flamboyant tongue and style made him a fan favorite of the show. While Siriano looks like a follower of math-rock band from Brooklyn in his skinny jeans and asymmetrical, haircut, Carroll was a man of rainbow Boho chic. He was outgoing but vulgar, talented but stubborn. Season one of Project Runway is still one of the most entertaining of its run so far, and with a cast that were so new on the reality TV scene, their personalities and skills were refreshing to see because it was their abilities that would garner their notoriety, and this cast included proficient new designers like Austin Scarlett and Kara Saun. It was clear Carroll had a way with clothes, and made some admirable pieces, but the spark he possessed during his time on Project Runway is barely flickering now, but he’s back on reality TV, as a contestant on Celebrity Fit Club.
Eighteen hours later, the models are coming in and out of the atelier for their fittings, and Siriano’s personal favorite and model to end the show, Sessilee Lopez, walks in. Lopez and Siriano are buddies, and she even wore his (pre-fame) creations on Project Runway. He raves about her strut on the catwalk, and she’s regularly in demand, and in particular, one of few girls in a small, deliberate pool of women of color to choose from for high fashion modeling. She is not sickly skinny and her brown skin evokes wonders of why the fashion industry is so ignorant when to comes to choosing more models of all colors.
The grand finale dress of his collection, and that Lopez will adorn, is a dress of intensely dark glamour. Color aside, the dress also shows one of the latest trends in high fashion which is the added detail(s) of architectural/art deco influence. When this grandiose technicality is applied, it is usually on the left side, where three to four swooping, sharp, swirls of flowery bustle are displayed, and while this sounds kind of strange on paper, in person (or on television) is actually quite a beautiful, ornate addition to a likely already ostentatious dress. Jennifer Lopez at The 82nd Academy Awards in Versace and Lady Gaga at The 52nd Grammys in Armani wore dresses of a similar kind, and this detail’s been mostly praised for its theatrical appeal by fashion critics. Siriano’s dress is eggplant, with big swoops in the middle and medium sized paint splashes of a mixed color of mustard yellow and dark orange that move majestically (when Sessilee Lopez walks in it). The youngest winner of Project Runway is pleasantly adept at making clothes that are of Victorian elegance and youthful in spirit. He makes the kind of dresses that will make good on a young girl of 23, and on a wiser woman of 55.
Soon, Bravo joins Siriano at New York Fashion Week, and backstage is bananas, but through Siriano’s eyes, is also very thrilling. We see him at his most hyperactive, but his voice is still serene. He just wants to do a great job, have a great show in front of buyers, celebrity clients, and his beloved friends and mother, who reveled modestly at her son’s success at an early age.
Once the runway show starts, the clothes are gorgeous and sculptural, but fun. Going back and forth between the catwalk and backstage, Siriano is elated and going crazy, but he takes one minute to kindly tell a model is if she feels like she’s going to fall, to lift up her dress. Out of all the clothes shown down the long, white trail, the pieces in sea foam green were some of the best of his spring collection, and Lopez definitely brought it home as Siriano predicted, strutting like she owned the Bryant Park tents in that eggplant deco dress.
The day after the hoopla was over, Siriano checked the reviews online, and his accolades were waiting for him. In a separate clip, his assistant says to the camera that Christian has really become the fashion designer he always wanted to be and that this last show will catapult him to larger status. Her good friend finally gets to take a breather, after six months of designing, and a long day of meeting important and interested buyers for his line, Siriano sits in front of the television with his boyfriend Brad, watching an awards pre-show where actress Katrina Bowden is wearing a custom made creation of his. When she says his name as the designer, it looks as if he’s going to cry, not heavily, but maybe a tear or two, behind those glasses, waiting in the mist. He should be very proud.
As the most successful winner of Project Runway, Christian Siriano not only wanted to win, he’s certainly been working hard since then. He seems like one of those people that found considerable success not just based upon his genuine talent, but also his genuine personality. This time, the super nice and talented guy finished first, and that’s the kind of winner we should be should like to see. He appreciates the fans, and loves his job even more.
Tim Gunn, self-appointed fashion guru (in reality, Fashion Director of the Parsons School of Design) of Project Runway was quoted in saying that first thirty seconds he met Siriano; he knew he was something special. Gunn got it right with that recollection, and at twenty-four years of age, Siriano is making sure he’s making the kind of legacy that’s here to stay. By the end of his fashion show, he humbly acknowledged that “Fashion is such a part of me. Fashion is every single day of my life. I don’t know how to do anything else. I don’t have a hobby”. Here’s to Siriano in never quitting his (too cool for words) day job anytime soon, and having more moments like these.
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