Andy cheated on Project Runway!

[Alexus1325]

This is the best category I could think to put such a thing in, so I hope no one minds.

Anywho, I just got around to watching the finale of Project Runway Season 8. I haven't finished it yet because I'm QUITE outraged! I spotted it, rewound, watched again, rewound, watched again... I needed to rant, and well, at least some people here will be familiar with the book I'm going to reference.

Take a look at this still I found of one of Andy's looks:

http://images.nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2011/spring/main/newyork/womenrunway/projectrunwayandy/images/9.jpg

Now look at the left page of this image from the book Pattern Magic:



Count the segments. Analyze the arrangement. You'll notice it's NOT similar, but EXACT. You'd figure after the uproar over DVF stealing a boudoir jacket design, "designers" (who expect to make loads of $$$ and be famous) would stop doing such blatant copying...

And to think I liked his work...

[WildChild4487]

omg! i thought that looked familiar when i watched it! im soo ticked!

[tattooedcrafter]

That is so horrible to see, I'm really glad he didn't win.

[alwaysinmyroom]

That looks like a good book to have as a jumping off point for ideas!

Are the designs in the book generic or do they credit specific designers with the design?

I think in the fashion world, design copying is pretty prevalent...shame.. .I really love that blouse, though...

[savage pixie]

Perhaps he remembered seeing it and thought it would be perfect for what he was going to show. It was quite beautiful. Almost nothing on the show is original - I can see your point, but I've seen plenty on the show in past seasons that are direct rips off of things I've seen in books and stores.

[SkyyAngel]

That is so horrible to see, I'm really glad he didn't win.

His clothes were always "okay" for me. I wasn't ever wow'ed. Thought he deserved to get further than most but not top 3 over Michael C. I missed the first 5-ish episodes so I missed that first outfit Gretchen did that I really liked (that they showed in the finale recap) but all the episodes I did see, I thought everything she made was just awful. And her collection was sooo drab and dreary! And she made another DIAPER!!! Like seriously, those were not shorts, they weren't swimsuit bottoms... that was a friggin' diaper.

I think the producers/judges are losing their minds, seriously. Practically all season they're like, "mondo! we LOVE your work!" then at the end they're just like, "it wouldn't work, sorry". I don't get how that works.... you love love love him and then, "we still love you, but your stuff is too costume-y".

[twiterpert]

Ugh, I stopped watching this season about halfway through because it got too ridiculous. Too much drama, not enough fashion. I'm all for being inspired off of what you've seen, but at least add your own twist to it. I mean, he could have changed how the ends tapered or the cut of the sleeves. He put the outfit together nicely, but that's about coordination, not originality...

[bhghatesyou]

That sucks.  but hopefully it wasnt intentional but they are pretty much exact.  i thought andy deserved to be in the top 3.  he didnt play it safe and his clothes were different.  i will say that michael c was robbed of his chance to go to fashion week.  i was pulling for him all season.  mondo losing was the biggest shock.  i think i may be done watching this show buut we shall see

[meggy_doodle]

  I really don't think Andy should have been in the top 3. His clothes were good but not great. Michael C was way better in my opinion and I would definitely buy something from his line. And what was that crap about the judges saying that Michael C's collection looked monotone?! I mean I know the clothes he chose to show to the judges before choosing who went to fashion week were of the same color palette but they were gorgeous! All of Andy's collection was grey/silver except for those three green pieces he made last second. Sorry, just kinda mad about how everything turned out, lol.

And Mondo not winning was such a shock! Even if his clothes were "too costumey" they were still awesome and way better than Gretchen's. He was consistently good throughout the season and I thought he was definitely going to win because they were way more critical of Gretchen than him and then it's like, "sorry lol you didn't win" 

[mouseatethekitty]

Darn, now I'm just as mad at Andy as I am about Gretchen! Don't rip off other designers, if you are in project runway it's time to be original and interesting that's what the show is supposed to be about.
Ughhhh I was (and still am) infuriated b the whole thing! Michael C wasn't my favorite designer but I thought he deserved to go to the top 3 more than Gretchen. And what I really got upset over was the fact that the judges all told Michael C that his colors were all the same, yet Gretchens line had the very same problem. They were all the same colors and all the same fabrics with the exception of on green top. I was _so_mad_ that she won over Mondo who has consistently done well in almost every episode. While Grethcen made some pretty bad executive decisions. Yes, Mondo's clothes did look young an sometimes costumey but where did they ever say in project runway who all of these clothes were targeted to? Older women, younger women and teenagers can be attracted to fashion. I don't understand why they consistently told him that his clothes were too young?
 As much as I would love to say I'm not going to watch it again I'm probably going to, not gonna lie. I wish next season they include more episodes where they work with unconventional materials. The ones where they go to the grocery store was always one of my favorites!

[SkyyAngel]

I happened to be reading on some blog and they were saying it's not the first look Andy copied from that book. Apparently one of the first outfits he made had like paper lantern-type sleeves that were directly from that book too? Like I said, I missed the first 5 or so episodes but dang.

Did anyone else see Ivy's Fashion Week collection? Ugh... soooo boring! She might be professionally trained and a good patternmaker but a designer, she. is. not. That was obvious by the second episode I saw. Plus the whole debacle with her being catty and calling Michael C. a cheater (remember the buttons? lol... funny how the cameras never caught him actually telling anyone to not vote for her even though they were over their shoulders all night) and just being a general b*tch about "tapegate". I was hoping they'd create some drama for the finale calling her out on her crap but it's more like she was ignored while she sat in the loser chair. I pray they don't bring her back for a second round.

[catastrophe]

I knew it was familiar!
I was hoping to see so much better from him anyway, I am glad he did not win. He doesn't seem like he was fully sure of what 'winning' a chance of a lifetime like that, really meant. As for Gretchen or Mondo, I think they knew what they were really working for.
Andy's dull final line was extremely boring... and for as boring as each piece was, never did I feel the same way about his pieces throughout the whole season. What a shame on his part, imo.

[LimeRiot]

That's disappointing .

If it had been in one of the usual challenges I would give him the benefit of the doubt and say he was probably just tapping in to unconscious memories of the design. But given that this was for the finale and Andy had loads of time on his own, working independently, I think it's a bit suspicious.

NPR did a recent story on intellectual property rights in the fashion industry. It was interesting but unfortunately I can't find a link!

[sunshinekitty1]

Aww man, this just makes me angrier.  Thanks for posting, I'm glad I know.

[suzyscissors]

Holy Moly!!  That's so crazy.  I was not a huge Andy fan anyway so I'm not too upset.  And I'm in a camp that Mondo should have won - he was a true designer.

I think Gretchen got lucky that her design aesthetic is "in" right now because I don't think it was purposeful... But that might be because I didn't really like Gretchen from the beginning! lol

[Alexus1325]

SkyyAngel: I recognized those cool sleeves you refer to:

http://www.mylifetime.com/files/galleries/pr8-rr-ep2-andy-s.jpg

But not from Pattern Magic Volume 2, where a variant can be seen:

http://designerslibrary.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/19/pattern2_2.jpg

This is the image I thought of when I saw them:

http://vintagesewing.info/1940s/42-mpd/illust/04-114-b.jpg

From a vintage sewing book available online called Modern Pattern Design (here's the section on sleeves):

http://vintagesewing.info/1940s/42-mpd/mpd-04.html]http://vintagesewing.info/1940s/42-mpd/mpd-04.html

So the concept is old, but Andy's construction seems to be different. More like ovoid pieces with boning or wire between each forming the peaks, as opposed to two different shaped pieces forming each "peak."

I have no beef with designers stealing ideas. Fashion espionage is almost as old as fashion. It's obvious copying that I have a beef with. I like that braided front thing, too, but if I were to sell a version, I'd say "based on Pattern X in Pattern Magic by *insert unpronouncable Japanese name*", just like if I bought production rights to the Buttercup Bag, or decided to sell a garment made from one of my Truly Victorian patterns (which are licenced for ten garments automatically, which is super cool!).

So yea. Inspired by others = good. Copying down to the finest details = bad. Here's an article on the DVF scandal for those interested:

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/04/23/copycat-style.aspx

http://www.nationalpost.com/1523461.bin

PS: I'm surprised Mondo didn't win because he's quite innovative. I agree that Gretchen got lucky just because her aesthetic is very next-year, BUT! If she doesn't develop along with the coming trends, she'll have two or three years of good sales and then will just be a niche designer, leading to disappointment, depression, insanity, who knows, she seems emotionally fragile. Mondo would always be a niche designer, however, and thus wouldn't have the disappointment of suddenly falling out of favour with the collapse of certain trends, and thus would have a steady, if smaller, client base.

[alwaysinmyroom]

Alexus1325--thanks for the link to the vintage site...it has been a while since I have sewn clothes, but now I remember why I love it...I am going to have to make something with those cowl sleeves...they are fabulous!

Time to drag out the dressform and the curved rulers!

I have enjoyed the discussion on this thread...very informative and spirited!

[MareMare]

eh, I think everything's been done before, it's more how someone makes something and the quality and twists they put on it than if the basic design has already been created.

[montyfull]

Yeah, copying sucks... but I work in the industry and it truly is the way things are. Of course, I do think there's a big difference between a runway competition like this and ready to wear knock offs.

[pantsafari]

Mare mare- I agree, everythings been done before. but he could have taken that weaving technique and changed the silhouette or placement or SOMETHING. but its the exact same top. same color. same execution. and thats where i see a problem. there is no way to be 100% unique in designing becuase someone before you has done something similar, but its the job of the designer to be innovative and make something new, even if it was born of something old.

[rachelily]

I quite agree that the judges were on something this season.  They made a lot of strange decisions.

However, pattern books are for reference and inspiration.  They are meant to be utilized.  Is every jean that goes down a runway a cheat because they are simply pants that everyone else has made?  Granted, the blouse is very unique (and it could have been a mere coincidence) but the point is that if not, he most likely used the pattern guide as a reference and modified the design to be his own.  The designers on the show have put out much worse designs that had no creativity in them at all - at least better creative and possibly copied than washed out and boring!

[kraize4step]

That's so messed up. And it looks so similar 2!! Like almost all the way down to fabric choice it's that close.

[lauramillar]

I've only seen the show once, but I remember some girl winning because she had an "innovative" petal design in her work. The judges said they had never seen anything like it. Since then I've seen quite a few of the same style petal garment in pictures from the 1970's