Fashion Crack

Project Runway, Wednesdays at 10:00 on BRAVO. The new season starts tomorrow. I'm so ashamed of my addiction to this unreal reality show. But I will SO be there, with my little sketch pad, to play along.

The contestants this season appear to be more experienced than last. I LOVE IT that one of the designers, Robert Best, is a Barbie Designer from Mattel, that he grew up in Utah and that he's now living in West Hollywood with his "husband." Mazel tov, Robert, you've come a long way baby! Robert's Barbie designs are vintage and movie inspired -- check out his "Happy Go Lightly" doll (Breakfast at Tiffany's, anyone?) How could I not root for this guy?

I'm also excited to see what Kayne Gillaspie, the pagent dress designer, comes up with. I hope he sticks sequins and beads on everything. One of these designers has to get the "float in the parade" comment from Tim.

There are two "older" women contestants, Laura Bennett, 42 and Stacey Estrella, 40, neither of whom has a traditional design background, and both of whom seek to change careers. I hope they weren't cast only to provide the Wendy Pepper factor or otherwise be the class incompetents, like Marla last season. That kind of casting would be simply sexist, and it certainly doesn't bring out the best in the other contestants. Sure, Nick Verreos was funny when he labeled the trim applied by last year's career-changing Mom "wickety whack," but I'd rather not see a gang of young gay men doing a "Mommy can't drape" routine this season. So I really want these ladies to MAKE IT WORK and uphold the professional honor of mature women everywhere!