Episode 12: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:46:00 GMT

Yesterday we found out about another challenge/thing to do. We had to prepare a presentation about my fashion line to the folks at Winners. This is to give us a taste of the mentorship program that they are providing. Like what we have to do isn’t enough……. Super stupid….what did I get myself into. I didn’t get started on it till after we came back from the work room. It was past twelve AM and all of us finally started on our presentations. Another arts and crafts / business thing to do. I didn’t want to do anything lame so we all spent the entire night and morning finishing our presentation boards. I only got 1.5 hours sleep, Jason 2 hours and Jessica none.

We did our presentation and I really tried to not fall asleep and present myself as serious, they gave us all some great feedback and I also got some great feedback that I’m considering….we’ll see…

As the day went on, jeff my helpful helper really went above and beyond in helping me finish my collection….sweet heart…. Oh jeff. Cheryl came by the work room and we did our fitting and she seemed like she liked my dress. I really hope she’s not just being nice…?! Later in the day, with jeff’s help I managed to finish quite early… can’t wait till tomorrow.

So it’s runway day and I’m super excited!!!! And I really can’t wait to get the show started. We went to Nathan Phillips Square to see the runway, and I totally miss seeing my stuff on the runway and being there made me a little bit sad…but happy at the same time!!!! Well we walked on to the runway and there was Evan Biddell, winner of last years PRC and he told us that he was going to be our guest judge… really cool since he knows what it’s like to do what we do and gone through. It was definitely a stressfull day. We had to get the models hair and make-up done and then dressed and then the show. But no…. not so easy.. the models took forever to get done… Jason and Jessica had their models dressed and ready and I only had 3 models done and it was literally 20 minutes before the show. I was ready to get stressed but I suppressed it. It was show time and my girls looked hot!!!! They couldn’t look sexier!!! and my s**t looked awesome in them!!! Super duper cool! I just couldn’t wait to see them on the runway. Nope I didn’t see them on the runway… really what I saw was tori walk on to the runway with the first garment and the last garment. When tori got off the runway, I had to quickly get her into her finale piece and really I missed the show, but I knew it was going well, cause I could hear the audience applause for every piece and that was wicked!!! I think that was a rare thing. In the end the model came back and said they loved it and felt good about it. NICE!

That wasn’t it, then we had to get judged and I felt really good. But I didn’t hold my breath…. Though I felt great anything can happen. I was nervous on runway!!! My heart was beating a mile a minute and I didn’t know what to think.. I played the scenario in my head but I had my line for losing which was “oh that sucks!....congrats…!” but I really didn’t prepare for a winning reaction…. The judges really reacted positively to the collection, I told them that it was based on Alexander the Great and I really want to do something that was totally me!!! And they really saw that. They love it and Iman said she already saw some pieces she wanted which was all of it… Nice! A part of me felt bad winning…. Because Jessica’s a wonderful person… my home-y!!! and a great talent… that girl is going somewhere!! She’s young and thirty for fashion and she’ll drink that big jug of fashion really soon…actually right now with a straw. Love that bi-o-tch!. Jason…..has a golden heart and the drive to sell his creations… he can sell anything with all his passion behind it.

The piece de résistance, was my mother and Kenny coming onto the show and the runway. They’ve been my support and every way. Mom and her traditional way of supporting me by keeping me modest and making me achieve more….plus her amazing beading she does for me. And Kenny.. my baby… there since the beginning and now… helping me get my collection on the runway… my rock. Really the best thing was to actually have Kenny and my mom interact… makes me really happy…tear. That’s another story… But I love them both!!! Sniff sniff. Now, what do I do…? get something to eat and some sleep….. and maybe tomorrow VAWK will wake up….. to a new name...

*sun

Episode 10: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:55:00 GMT

So the last challenge is to make a power suit for modern day woman and lingerie to go under it. Well I was having trouble designing a suit at first but I motored through to get my suit done. It came to me on the second day, but I got it all together and my pants which is my thing, looked hot. Love my exaggerated pleat. And for lingerie, I had it, I made a bra and panties, Tori looked hot!!!!!

But let me tell you, I was stressed. I want to get to final three, I busted my ass and I wanted to know that it was worth it, and only the judges can decide my fate. I still don’t know because anything can happen.

I was soo nervous that I couldn’t speak properly on the runway. I kept on gapping out with my phrases. And when the judges asked why I should get to show at Toronto fashion week. And I almost lost it, tears almost came out of my eyes. But I kept them in. in the end there was a happy ending, I’m part of final three.

Episode 9: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:38:00 GMT

So our final challenge is to see who was going to be final 3. We started off by going camping and finding out that Genevieve and Jason had come back to see if they will make it to final three, basically It was the remaining four against them. They had to win as a group in order to make it to the next round and if they did, then another group will be eliminated. Well when I thought that they had horse shoes up their ass, I was correct. Jason, is used to the horseshoe but Genevieve came back a different person, not one that I’m used to.

Trust me, I wasn’t a happy camper. I was definitely jealous of their luck, they didn’t measure up in their challenges and they somehow were able to get another shot at final three. Genevieve doesn’t think it was luck. If it wasn’t luck they wouldn’t be here. Well back to my camping, I thought I could get reacquainted with them, but it was difficult. That sucked.

I found out that on our way back from the camp site, Genevieve was talking badly about me and Jessica. She said that I was trying to intimidate her by complimenting her and saying that I thought she should have won some of the challenges. I don’t know where she got it from, but I like her stuff and she thought otherwise, and then to hear that other were also talking hit about me and all I’ve been was nice to them, and I’ve haven’t even mentioned anything negative about them. Trust me this was a challenge amongst challenges. Who do I trust and who should I care for and how do I stay to be final 3…… I can’t really rely on luck, so far I have none. Hard work? Maybe that’s not enough. I’m soo crushed!

Let’s say that our group made it through and so did the lucky crew (Genevieve and Jason). It’s not easy. I hate how that money which is the grand prize, makes ugly of beautiful people. I’m sad and I guess lucky…… I’m crossing my fingers tight.

Episode 8: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:07:00 GMT

So we have to make a dress for Coco Rocha for her red carpet appearance at NY fashion week. Sounds fun, but she didn’t really give us much info other than it was to be a dress, ny fashion week, glamorous and fabulous, tutor inspired and shows off her legs. She did say that she wanted us to design something for her in our design sense that would suit her requirements.

So what was I supposed to do. Didn’t want to do a corset and full skirt since I’ve done enough of that according to the judges. I was stumped. But I knew it was going to be black.

Luckily at the fabric store, I got some inspiration, they had some black chiffon and I found a fringe in the drapery section and also a black python print p-leather.

Got back to the studio and started on my dress and again luckily on the Winners wall, there was a pair of shoes that inspired me.

I plowed through with the design and I managed to get my dress done early. Adejoke was not felling her dress and Kim is actually almost done. I was helping the other designers out and realized, Am I sick to help them win. Crazy. But I love my dress and I hope the judges will too.

The decision was that Coco will wear my dress and Genevieve is eliminated. Yeah!! And BOOO! I’ll miss watching Genevieve sculpt and drape her dresses and her wacky personality. Love her.

Episode 7: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:23:00 GMT

So we get a Post-It challenge, it’s a challenge where we take ‘Post-Its’ and make a evening gown, out of it. Fun. And our models are breast cancer survivors. Great!!! A non-fabric and non-model challenge. BOOOOO!

We got to meet our models based on a word I chose on the post it bust. Lynn was my model and she’s a beautiful woman who has conquered breast cancer and for me I wanted to make her a dress where she would feel beautiful even though her dress was made out of paper. As we spoke my day was getting pretty gloom. When I woke up, I was feeling home sick, and having this challenge with a cancer survivor brought me back to home, even more, since my dad passed away from cancer. Plus I didn’t want to go home yet, I have project runway to win. So instead I cried. I never cry. I guess being so tired, I couldn’t control my emotions.

I had a concept that I wanted to do where I wanted to combined animal survival and warrior, the way I was going to that was very challenging it involves a lot of hand work.

The Skirt- hand shredded, top-a fitted corset with Post-Its. I finished first this time. Being extremely tired and emotionally drained from the challenge, I just didn’t feel like I put my best leg forward. I tried my best. On runway day I was pretty happy with my dress, it looked like a dress, but there could be more… I just couldn’t figure it out. In the end I was runner up and I was safe, A survivor of this challenge. As for Jason, he was eliminated, too bad. He was one of my competitors. He was the one I felt threatened by a bit. Oh well, I see him Toronto. Great guy. Great heart and talent. I hope I get back into the groove and recover my title, from Jessica. Love that bitch, she is getting good!

Episode 6: Sunny

Melissa — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:23:00 GMT

So we get our 6th challenge which is to make a day to night dress for select winners store across Canada. Sounds exciting, and somewhat a challenge. First I didn’t want to do anything silly since I have immunity, and I also didn’t want to win. But I sort of did want to win.

For the challenge I chose the most difficult fabric to use. And yes I did challenge myself. Sewing bias, with pleated stretchy polyester. What a combination. I was stressed out since I really ran blank for this challenge.

Brian came around and said that I need to “bring it to the table” and he thinks that I’m just coasting mediocre. I’m really trying hard with our project runway limits. He doesn’t even know. But I guess he really want to see what I’m capable of.

Of course I did finish my garment and I liked it, but not my favorite. Everyone else was also frazzled by the short time frame.Jeff was getting nutty drawing in his top stitch and Jessica finished first. Her dress was cute!!! And she managed to catch herself some “Zzz's”. Luckily I managed to finish before the night was over. I needed some sleep. As elimination came around I started to like my garment. And I didn’t care about winning but being safe.

Jessica was the winner and I was runner up. Thank goodness, I’m not on the bottom. Right now, I’m a bit scared for the next challenge. Will I measure up? As for Jeff, he was eliminated. At least he got this far, but I was disappointed that he couldn’t break out of his traditional style. At least he’ll be able to catch up on sleep.

Episode 5: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:35:00 GMT

So it’s now the 5th challenge and we had to use old wedding dresses of divorcees. We had to give their old dress a new life and make them into a new garment. Luckily I got myself a great woman, great personality and great body. Let’s say this is the worst challenge yet, because I didn’t have much to work with. The dress was from the 80’s which sucks and it was polyester. But again I was lucky to finish my garment in time, but I wasn’t completely happy with it. Oh well. But I had time to look around the room and there was some funny stuff, it was a room full of cougars, just by the fact that the divorcées all had stilettos on and what just waiting. Of course the shoes came from the winners wall. Kim had a crazy dress, totally not her style and Jeff pretty much had the same dress with some alterations. I thought it was a design challenge, not an alterations challenge. But who am I to judge.

When it came down to judging, the top and bottoms included me. I thought that I might have a chance of winning and get immunity. To make a long story short Jeff was safe and Baylor who actually designed and made a complete garment got eliminated. To my surprise I got upset, even on camera. I just didn’t think that it was fair. And that bothered me the most. Her deserves to stay another challenge at least, but an alteration made it safe.

Baylor was a great guy, my boy. His was the first contestant that I came in contact at project runway with and we got close. Great friend to have here at this house-project runway. I’ll miss him. Baylor the tailor. That’s how I remembered his name. If it was up to me to decide who was to go, it would have been different. BOOOOOO! Tear.

Episode 4: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:13:00 GMT

So this is the haute couture challenge, yeahhhh!!! But I lost my model Tori but I got Gabrielle. Also the bomb. But we had to design a couture garment that was influenced by a design house and it was also a group challenge. I got Genevieve and Adejoké. Nice. It was glad I got them, I love them. Luckly, we got Versace for our designer influence. One of my fav. And we had two days to do this challenge. The two days was weirding me out, by the fact that we had more time which means it has to be good. And we also had to use vintage clothing. That really sucked! And that really ruined our plan.

At first I didn’t have any plans for my design, but eventually I figured it out, much faster this time. So my plan was to finish early this time and I did. And then as the second night went by, I finally got to see what everyone was creating. Some good and some bad. I was a bit worried because it may look too Versace. But that is the kind of stuff I do anyways……Sexy! came to the show and my girls looked Hot! Soooooo good. I thought that maybe I had a chance at winning or being blasted. But it came down to YSL and Versace. And I was scared. I thought YSL group was great but they didn’t follow the brief. Oh well… I loved what they did. I thought some in the valentino group may have been in the bottom but the group as a whole was saved.

I thought Genevieve was going to win but instead it was me. But I didn’t get immunity. Oh well. I was happy the judges were happy with my work. Then there was the responsibility that winning, maybe having the designers hate me or the judges expecting more. I’m worried about my fate, as more go home. My chance of going home is greater. But I’ll worry about that later.

Episode 3: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:53:00 GMT

So we got the third challenge, and it’s to design an outfit that is inspired by the L’Oréal Paris spring summer 2009 collection. With this challenge we had to pick a partner.

Luckily I was able to pick first, so I picked Baylor because we get along and he is talented. Lucky me!!!! When we got to the fabric store and there wasn’t anything that I could use for my design so I picked some bedding fabric that I thought I could use because of the colour. That took up most of our budget, and when it was cut, it was then that I realized that I made the wrong choice. Luckily I was able to make something from the other fabrics I bought. I wasn’t sure what to do again, but I went with my gut and took a risk and piece that requires a lot of hand sewing. When I finished my first panel, it looked like a Christmas tree, I was scared. Stupid me. But I went through with it and I manage to get it all done but missing a few elements. But our collaboration was a success and we won. Thank god or it would have killed my confidence. Thank goodness for me to take a risk.

I’m happy that I’m able to impress the judges but I still feel that I haven’t done my best. Mainly because we just don’t have enough time to do everything. But now I’m excited for the next challenge.

Episode 2: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:45:00 GMT

So the new challenge had to come up and I knew that we had to pick our models. And I was worried about not getting my girl Tori. But I did. So excited. Then there was the challenge, where we had to design a dress for Elisha Cuthbert and that was totally cool.

She came by the mansion and met us all and discussed things that she likes and didn’t like of her outfit for a night out on the town. I wanted to play ninja fashion fighter and just lay low and absorb things she was telling people. She pretty much answered the questions that I had that everyone was asking. But Brian pushed me to get the scope. But I already had a feeling of what she wanted. And I was already cool. But I bit the dust and I had a one on one with her for about 30 seconds and it was great. I wanted to know if she likes pink. And she did. So that may be the route I take. We’ll see.

She left and a bunch of us got drinks and jumped into the Jacuzzi to simmer down. So we started our challenge with the fabric drive by at Rockland’s textiles. Nice shop. I had an idea of what my design was going to be but I, wasn’t set on it, because I didn’t love it and I thought it was going to be too technical for a limited time challenge. I searched for fabrics that I thought would look good for any dress design teal silk charmouse and a brown weave vinyl and a decorative brass band.. I managed to find all my fabrics and had 8 cents left from my budget, but still didn’t know what to do.

Got to the work room and I started working on my pattern, finished and I just wasn’t set on it. I didn’t love it. Basically tried to convince myself that I should continue and then everyone said I should and then I did. Basically I wasted 3 hours of my time. I suck. I worked hard to get it done. As I was making it, I thought it looked like a prom dress and it was the on-going joke. I wanted to be safe. We came up with lines that Iman would say as she would eliminate me. Like….. “your prom dress was ready, but it stood you up” or you prom dress will never make you prom queen”. Then Brian came in and say that my dress may look to bridesmaid-y so that was then the on-going joke.

When it came down to panel, I was part of the top and bottoms again. I wished that I was on the top…top enough to win. But I knew that I wished for it that it would never happen. They all loved my dress and I thought that was a good sign. But instead Jason won! I was happy for him and I thought he would win based on the fact that I did like his design more than mine. Boooo. But there is always next challenge. Eliminated was Margarita. That was upsetting because I really liked her. She and I clicked on the first day. I’ll miss her but thank god it wasn’t me. As for the winner, I was runner up…….Always a bridesmaid never the bride.

Episode 1: Sunny

Melissa — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:30:00 GMT

So now it’s elimination and there is a lot of stress going on and I’m praying that I’ll be fine. I just want to be at least safe! There is a lot of speculation and guessing to who it may be, I really hope it’s not me.

So what ended up happening was, Kim, Adejoke, me, Christie, Camille and Jason who had the highest and lowest score. I had a hunch that I wasn’t the bottom group, but still I couldn’t help but feel completely nervous.

First the judges spoke to Christie and they blasted her design but she fought for it. Kim and Adejoke spoke eloquently and then there was me. The judges loved the Jacket but hated the bottom (my skirt). But Iman said she would definitely sport the skirt. Nice!!!!! But that wasn’t their final decision. After they spoke to me I was cool, my heart was beating at regular pace again. Then there was Camille and Jason, I actually like Jason’s dress. It was a cool interpretation of camouflage. But they hated it too. In the end Christie a sweet sensitive person, fell hard from the judges criticisms. But I had a hunch that she was safe. Camille in the end had to say goodbye. Love that girl. She’s totally awesome. She never has anything negative to say, it’s always so comforting. Love her and her zen soul. All this made me realize that this is a competition where someone has to win and if I want it to be me, I would have to get used to people would have to leave. The game is on. And I have to play it hard.

Though I was in the group of top and bottom, I was glad to have gotten the experience. I guess I’m one up on some. Crazy!!!!