Judging a Facebook by its Cover

Last year, I succumbed to the horribly bourgeois, popular phenomenon of  the social networking website Facebook. Having avoided it for a few years, partly because of my counter-culture yearnings and partly because of my dearth of close friends my own age, I signed up on a whim during my initiation into collegiate life. I was thoroughly amazed at the crack-cocaine-like addiction to the website that then ensued: I had caught myself once a few months in actually checking for notifications on my dentist's computer as I waited for a teeth cleaning. And, despite any attempts to curb my appetite, I habitually find myself logging on at least three times a day. Why, I couldn't cogently explain, but nevertheless, there is some sense of joy and acceptance that comes from seeing a little numerical red speech bubble poking out from a crude icon of a sign, even if said communication was merely alerting me to the fact that somebody made a smiley face emoticon on my wall. Even now as I pen this post I'm changing my status on the site. But, as I sit back and examine this fad, I cannot help but think: have these new developments in social networking helped us become connected to our fellow man or quite the opposite?

It takes a somewhat critical eye of self-awareness to really determine what exactly we are getting out of transforming ourselves into a profile page. We write not about our own self-images, but the image we want to project for other people. If we were to have one of our friend's write our profile for us, it would probably be exponentially different from the one we write ourself. Think about it: how many negative things are we willing to say about ourselves? Even more so, how many positive, yet inaccurate, things are we willing to say in the sake of promoting a self that may not truly reflect the people we are. Hand choosing the attributes and qualities that define who you are is probably more dangerous than it appears to be. I mean, couldn't it be possible to lose your sense of self if you cultivate this insanely glorified and falsified personality which in no way defines who you are, and maybe not even who you want to be, but who you want other people to see you as? It's all so pathetically submissive. 

Unfortunately I have yet to stop the siren's song which is Facebook, but hopefully in a few year I--we--will move on and try to be ourselves for real, rather than virtually.   

The Art School Girls...of Doom

Cum all Ye Faithful

Rating:

As the holiday season approaches, it's normal for us to be berated with religious images and messages. Normally, though, they aren't disparaging or metaphorical in nature (not intentionally, anyway). Doubt is an exception to this observance. While timely in its subject matter (namely Pedophilia in the church) its themes and locations transcend what is on the facade and dig down into deeper motifs, such as intolerance, progression and, of course, trust. Transition into new and uncharted territories is a double-edged sword that is unsheathed in this film; it asks "is progression good?" Does taking the risk of abandoning antiquated (yet steadfast) ideas pave the way for something better, or does it end in misery? Meryl Streep as the suspicious Sister Aloysius questions the integrity of the new priest played by philip Seymour Hoffman by criticizing everything from his fingernails to his use of a ballpoint pen; it isn't until a naive nun (Amy Adams) smells wine on a young boys breath, though, that Sister Aloysius vows for the expungement of the new priest. 

To give the ending away in one fell swoop, we as viewers are left in the dark. And as it should be. Too often we are coddled and given the answers in a nice little Christmas package, but the fact of the matter is, we never know. Recently, my godfather Monsignor Capua was accused with the molestation of a young boy some twenty years ago, and has since left the parish and moved to Massachusetts. He was never found guilty of the crime, or even charged with it I believe, but it has nevertheless ruined his reputation. Did he do it, though? I couldn't tell. He never touched me, but the incident happened before I was even born. Considering the track record with priests these days, it's possible, but aside from that there's no real proof. Uncertainty is probably one of the more dangerous concepts floating around, considering that the correctly chosen words can be forcefully damaging to a person's integrity or reputation, whether factual or not. The slightest utterance of a carefully chosen rumor is grounds enough to ruin a life, no matter if it's true or false. 

Doubt hosts a spectacular production that poses these questions to the audience and, horror of horrors, actually makes them think. John Patrick Shanely's screenplay is simply divine, but this comes as to no surprise seeing as he penned the play it was based upon, too. His direction is remarkable, considering it was his first go-around in that particular area. And, of course, the acting is perfect; especially Meryl who stole the show.  Of course, there was no doubt about that.

Middle of the Pack

In our earlier years, it was probably quite common to hear that we could do anything and be anything that we wanted to be. That steaming string of optimism was stitched into our minds from the beginning, but slowly began to unravel with each waking year. Cynical as it may be, it is undeniable to admit that the majority of people are not special. In fact, it is possible to say that we are all almost invariably interchangeable.

For the most part of my life, I have considered myself average; I am not the smartest man alive, nor the dumbest. I don’t have the best body or the worst. I’m not ridiculously wealthy, nor am I destitute. It’s rather depressing and fairly nerve-wracking to see that most other people fit into this category as well. How can we even imagine the possibility of the philosophy of individualism when it’s all together true that everyone fits into some general statistic or percentage?

What’s worse is this is all coupled with the sheer mortality of life, the inescapability of death. Why put ourselves through the misery when we end up with nothing to show for it? What if we become great successes and generous do-gooders, what does it matter when we’ll end up in the same place as the rapists and murderers? It’s odd to just sit and reflect on the banal existence we all partake in, and how random and ineffectual it all is. So what if we find a cure for cancer? So what if we help orphans in Africa? We’ll die anyway.

We go through life living in the shadow of someone else; we know that as soon as we die, someone exactly like us will fill our place like some big, existential vending machine. Perhaps it’s sound advice to live for ourselves and be the bet we can be, but in the end how can we not look back and say “What was it all for?”    

Beyond a Shadow of a...

I just realized that the tentative-Oscar winning film, Doubt, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play is going to be released in about a week! To bone up, I suggest we all reread the groundbreaking play by John Patrick Shanley and be extra suspicious of the religious figures among us. 

What are you Thankful for?

I'm thankful that we celebrate a holiday that glorifies the genocide of an indigenous race, contributes to one of the biggest annual factory-produced animal slaughters, and celebrates the viewing of tacky balloons in the freezing cold and then going home to stuff your face full of carbs and fat.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Ghost Dance

For the past month and a half, I have been working at my school's newly-developed Writing Studio tutoring fellow students on how to convey their thoughts and ideas through their writing. During a recent staff meeting, we were asked to link up the definition of the word "Ghost Dance" to our experiences thus far at the Studio. I thought (since I've been runnin dry lately on posts) I'd share it here.

Ghost Dance: an American Indian religious cult of the second half of the 19th century, based on the performance of a ritual dance that, it was believed, would drive away white people and restore the traditional lands and way of life.

During my time at the Writing Studio, I have done nothing but progress. I have moved forward in my thinking, gained experience in my knowledge of writing and improved my interpersonal skills. If given the opportunity to participate in a “Ghost Dance”, I would refuse. As thinkers and executers, we must move forward; while taking influence from the past is always a necessity, these ideas and experiences should not be used to regress to former states of being. In my job of helping other students, I too have learned from my peers how to be a better writing consultant; I’ve learned from my mistakes and realized what works and what does not. I hope in the waning weeks of this semester, I learn more, progress more, and flourish as a consultant at the Writing Studio.

Obama 4 Change

Three things to look forward to if Sarah Palin is elected Vice President:

1. No more stuffy libraries filled with millions of books. 

2. No more wolves or polar bears terrorizing us.

3. All the amenities of having the first female vice president without any of the cumbersome feminist ideals. 

VOTE PEOPLE! 

How do we know what we really see?

Having viewed Psycho for the second time this evening, I took a very long, nervous bath in lieu of a shower. Aside from the obvious reasons, it just seemed to me that this time the infamous shower scene was much more terrifying than I had ever remembered it to be. Being the good little procrastinator that I am, I forwent doing any actual work and consulted my resources to find all that I could regarding this scene. Gathering what I could from various sources (mostly Wikipedia) I discovered that the scene is comprised of around 71 angles and 50 cuts, (which is a hell of a lot for a three minute scene) and the "Soviet Montage" style in which it was shot contributes to the hasty, psychotically horrifying tone. I also discovered that there are only three frames of actual penetration (knife to skin, that is), which adds up to about an eighth of a second in that stretch of time. So little, in fact, that it would only register subliminally.  

That made me think (of course) about how much we really see. The three frames of stabbing must have been noticed by my brain, and added to my irrational paranoia this evening, but I had no awareness to them. Much research has been done concerning how effective subliminal messages are, ranging the gamut from a lot to nothing, but in any event it does make you wonder how much of our emotions and actions are dictated by things we never consciously see or hear. It must happen, to some degree, because a lot of the things we are told or shown influence us to do certain things, even if we don't connect the two right away. I believe I am going to be a little less impulsive as the days go by, especially in these important times. Before I do something, I'll pose the questions "Why am I doing this?" or "How will this affect me in the long run?" or "Are these actions really my own?". 

It's a frightening prospect to believe that what we do does not come from ourselves. 

The Bewitching Hour...

Happy (Early) Halloween.

Prop 8

Despite my feelings on marriage in general, we're not second class citizens. End of story.

Enjoying the View

After two years of waiting, I finally got tickets to see one of my television obsessions: The View. No bloodshed, sadly, but just seeing the girls squawk amicably at each other was quite an experience. I got Tony Curtis' autobiography, an iPod boombox and juice and cookies.  

And I skipped class. Fabulous.

Ms. Thing

Au Naturale

Recently, I had an enlightening chat with some girlfriends. Apparently, they have no inhibitions when it comes to seeing each other in the nude; it's completely platonic, naturally, and stems solely from the fact that they're comfortable and trusting of one another. I, apparently, do not have that luxury, because of one small (well, not that small) appendage. When asked with a more substantial explanation, however, I was met with scoffs and rolled eyes. Perhaps I'm naive, but I still do not understand why nudity is such a big deal. 

Waxing nostalgically on my sheltered high school days, I remember dreading gym class as the absolute worst torture man had ever invented; until, of course, I would see all of the guys naked. Call me a pervert, but it was the ultimate gratification to see the boy I had a crush on strip down to the buff. But, reminiscing without the glaze of hormones and unrequited love, I can see now how comfortable most of the guys were stripping down to nothing among their peers. I ask, why so comfortable? Why are we inclined to get naked only among members of the same chromosome legs, and not the other? Especially when we now know that it needn't be sexualized in any way? 

Perhaps coming from someone whose sole career ambitions include dressing people this may sound ironic, but why aren't we all naturists? In certain climates it understandable to pile on the gortex, but if you're comfortable, why not walk down 7th ave in nothing but a smile? Why must there be laws prohibiting something as natural as the exposure of the human body? The uptight puritans that run the world are sad, sad people. 

I say, if you feel like it, be naked. It's only natural. 

In the Name of the Father, Son, and...Holy Shit!

Not much to say about this documentary, mainly because everything Bill said should already be abundantly clear to everyone already, but I have to say it was very enjoyable overall. He did a good job of asking questions about every one of the major religions and of really pushing the boundaries about one of the dreaded "two subjects you can never talk about".  Very thought-provoking and entertaining. 

But will it make the more ignorant part of the population open there eyes a little wider? Let us pray...

I Have No Doubts

The incredibly stirring and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Doubt will come to the big 

screen this December. Directed by the playwright (John Patrick Shanely) who also 

penned the screenplay, the material is obviously in very good hands. Leading an 

incredible cast is Ms. Meryl Streep, who already drips with the cynicism and 

skepticism Sister Aloysius needs in the few scenes she has in the trailer. I'll save 

the rest of my gushing until I actually see the movie, but it is exciting nonetheless.

The Perks of Being a Wildflower

The current crisis of economy, politics, and women sporting Tina Fey glasses has sparked me to write a (slightly tongue-in-cheek) essay on a Utopian Society. 

             The Perks of Being a Wildflower

Misanthropy is an emotion that has always been quite accessible to me. I frequently felt that I never had much of a need for people, and, in fact, “cynical” is usually the first word people use when describing me. I do not (necessarily) have any disrespect for my fellow man, just merely indifference. I feel as though, if anyone were crazy enough to elect me into a position of leadership, or if I were to ever get the opportunity to address my plans for world domination, it would be in my current modus operandi to establish a government centered on the basis of idealized anarchy.

The idea that everyone lives his or her own personal life without any interference seems delectable to me. Of course, many others, particularly those social butterflies, would find this akin to solitary confinement, and, obviously, that would be the only way to truly implement this idea. However, there is certain logic to be found. Crime of all kind would virtually disappear, and the mere fact would be that the only crime one can possibly commit is against themselves, and that begs the question: would that even be a crime? There would be no racial tension, no inequities, no need for education and the sharing of different ideals. The only person available to infringe on one’s rights is that one, and that is such a paradox none would never be able to find the correct answer, especially since he or she would be the only one available to answer it. But, a leader must consider everyone, and that means compromise. To separate people into complete isolation could lead to madness, and that is not something I would want to do. In fact, I would be, in reality, infringing on someone else’s rights, and that is neither responsible nor fair.

To accentuate autonomy and place it at the utmost importance in a person’s life, while still keeping order and some vestige of a basic society would be the best solution. An ideal government inspired by anarchy: another paradox, but a suitable one that can be wrapped around one’s head. Hopefully. Autonomous states, such as Somalia, have proven, to varying degrees, not to collapse in on themselves. They are not the paradigm of society, and in fact are in no way idealized anarchy (quite the opposite, it would so seem) but, nevertheless, they do exist, and this precedent is enough for me to enact a government-less government. The only thing that would really make this form of rule optimum would be to have every individual on board. But that is too idealistic, no? I suppose a utopia cannot exist if everyone is different.

Anarchy is something that has been deemed chaotic and destructive in the past, but I believe it is our responsibility as people to consider every aspect of an idea before it is written off entirely. After all, humans created Anarchy. In a way, I feel that means it is not something that is completely arbitrary; it was not just brought on by a whim. Or perhaps, it was just an easy solution developed by misanthropes who had every intention to make no effort when dealing with other people. Either way, would it not be perfect to live for only yourself?

Paris Collections: Viktor & Rolf

Ah-mazing.

Style.com's report!

It's so sad they only had 21 pieces (!), but, alas, it's understandable. Living in the electronic age isn't as easy as it seems to be, but V&R have a fabulous take on our cyber-society. Inspired by pixels, this futuristic collection tests the waters of fashion and structure, as is always with the dynamic duo. 

Paris Collections: Vivienne Westwood Gold Label

Fabulous.

Style.com's review + Complete Collection.

A huge improvement over her Fall 2008 collection (although not quite as theatrical, unfortunately) Viv's Spring Gold Label collection doesn't cease to amaze and inspire. The soft, downy folds of  duchess satin, the shoulder-obliterating silhouettes, the rumpled folds, the S&M straps all accumulate into an awe-inducing collection that hearkens back to Viv's signature styles and beginnings while still being fresh and new. And, while not perfect on the cohesion front, Vivienne makes her statement quite well. She's certainly incorporating some questionable fabrics, though, including a beach umbrella one, but she's a rebel. 

Applied Art

From a Target ad in this Sunday's NY Times magazine:

A day without great design? We can't imagine it. From your coffeemaker to the organizers in your home office to your pillows made from bamboo, great design gets us through our day. And that's why we're so committed to it. Better, smarter, easier, brighter–all at amazing prices...What's not to love about great design?

Bored-In

                                    

I got excited for the first time in a while when I read that there was going to be a human Be-In in Central Park; I grabbed my love beads and patchouli oil and set out. 

Turns out I should have just stayed cynical. No pot, no LSD, no nudity, no protesting, no singing, no dancing, no lovemaking. Just haughty actors who, while not staying within their own circle, lackadaisically handed out flowers (roses of all things! and plastic daisies! plastic!) and grapes from Gristedes. How disappointing to see that no youth or vigor can be stirred up for one of the most important philosophies that may ever exist: Peace. Especially in a time of war. 

But that's not what cinched it for me; once I saw a skinny blonde girl pull an iPhone from her Marc Jacobs bag, I was out of there. As much as I can respect the certain accouterments that go hand in hand with the modern consumer, there's just a disconnect from reality that stems from said materials. And a Be-In is not the place for a disconnect.  

Perhaps we will never relive 1967; and maybe that's a good thing. Let us strive to create our own gatherings and offerings for peace. 

London Collections: Vivienne Westwood Red Label

You know my loyal reader(s?), I thought I would go ahead and blog about the collections, but New York Fashion week was, as always, kind of dull. Nothing really stood out, so why bother writing? Check out Diane Von Furstenburg's hippie clothes and Marc Jacobs's multinational, mutlilayered looks. Done. I'll talk more about Paris Fashion Week (namely Dame Westwood and maybe a few others) and the couture shows (namely Galliano, Gaultier, Lagerfeld and LaCroix).

Let's talk of Viv's Red Label, though, shall we?

Here's a full diagnostic report by style.com 

Honestly? I agree with them; nice, but nothing particularly new or surprising. Pure Westwood. Pure current Westwood, anyway. Hopefully she's pulling out the big guns for her Gold Label, which is usually how it goes. I happen to like the uber-structured looks rather than the crumpled ones. 

And the metallics are tacky, no question about that. 

A better taste of the Finalists' Shows...

New York Collections: Leanne

Leanne certainly has come a long way, hasn't she? What started as haphazard concoctions of coffee filters, meringue  cookies and her signature circles developed into a chic, innovative design aesthetic, all thanks to a little whipping from the judges. Take notes, Keith; when they criticized her, she didn't just get defensive and start making boring dresses, she took what she liked and edited it to make something beautiful; and that's exactly what she did in this collection.  

Beautiful and interesting. The bubble skirt is surprisingly flattering and creative, although I can't say I cared too much for how it moves; almost (I hate to say it) comparable to some of Suede's skirts. They just rustle a lot in the wind, and it serves as a distraction. 

The proportions on the skirt don't work with that hem, or with that height. It's too much like a mushroom cap. The top is interesting, though, although it teeters awfully close to folded napkin territory. 

Hm...you know, this collection was not at all bad, but looking at each piece individually shows how off-kilter its start was. The top looks like a party favor. The pants are great, but also...this color palette is getting old. Don't get me wrong, it's clean and minimal and very spring, but look after look is the same pairing of colors. Korto did a good job because most of her looks were variegated, but Leanne repeats the same combinations in blocks, and within each of those blocks are not much variety. That's not a huge complaint, I guess, considering most professional collections are the same way, but introducing one or two other colors wouldn't have hurt.

This is a little too casual; it looks like something a put-together housewife would wear to pick her kids up from school.

There's no question about it, this was stunning. The skirt is not too busy, and it works perfectly against that bodice. The time-old contrast of the tight bodice and full skirt was really re-imagined here, and is a testament to her skills as an innovator.

My god, was this perfect. The high, layered collar and angled front once again show how engrossing her clothes can be.  And perfect model choice, by the way.

She looks like an ice pixie. That's not really a bad thing; it's very whimsical, but not at all immature or tacky. I feel that there's a bit too much going on at the top, but I do have to say this turquoise is a lot classier than the other shade she has.

 

See what I mean? It's a little too saturated. And she looks like an tornado in the arctic. Not terrible, but the sides of the bodice are especially bulky. 

No. Just no. This was truly tawdry. It's a total prom dress. A different color might have helped, but...coulda, shoulda, woulda. 

This was quite possibly my favorite look on the runway this season. It's the best final piece out of all of them; it's strikingly beautiful, slightly avant-garde and sums Leanne up as a designer.

For the bumps that she hit, this collection screamed "Spring!" and shows her abilities to make interesting clothes that women will wear. In my eyes, even though it wasn't my favorite, she's the clear frontrunner. 

See the rustling here.

New York Collections: Korto

Korto has been my favorite since the very beginning, and I think we all knew it was obvious that she was going to Bryant Park after the first challenge. Her collection didn't disappoint. The African, nature inspiration was a very good jump off, mainly because I feel it really represents Korto as a designer; too often designers choose themes that are too narrow (Rami/Joan of Arc, Santino/40's Hollywood Glamour) and they end up not showing their whole range of looks. Korto, however, already seems to be rocking that vibe, and it makes perfect sense for her to make a collection based on that, with no reservations of being pigeon-holed. 

There's no question; this is gorgeous. Gorgeous color, gorgeous fabric, gorgeous silhouette, and gorgeous styling. I loved the jewelry and fans throughout this collection. Maybe it's a little simple, but it's striking nonetheless. 

Again, credit's due for the color and fabric. It's neutral and not overwhelming, but it doesn't wash her out. The blouse is a little too similar to her "Lipstick Jungle" challenge for my taste, but it's still nice to see because the volume is signature Korto and, surprisingly enough, this collection lacked a little in that department.

 

Once again, she all hits the marks, everything about this look is incredible. 

Okay, and it's a little slutty. Very slutty, actually. You can probably see her kooch from another angle. I can understand her wanting a micro mini...but I think I'll chalk this up to poor model selection. On a shorter girl it might not have been so vulgar. 

Fabulous! It's fresh and intricate and just enough. I wish she had included more pants like these in this collection, though.

This, I felt, was the only odd one out. It fits in with the theme, certainly, but the colors are a little dull in comparison to the rest, and thus draw negative attention to themselves. And it's such a boring dress, anyway. You can find this in any Macy's. 

Very pretty, if a little dull. 

Fabulous! Fun, flirty, marketable, and with pure impact.

Impeccable, what else is there to say? Maybe it's a little Zac Posen-y (and I hate to invoke his name yet again in these critiques; I don't like him). 

I love the pleating and the straps at the top, and, again, it's just a fun flirty look with a great color.

Pretty. Maybe a little uninspired for her final look, but it's a great dress.

I guess the only real complaint with this collection was that it is not very innovative, and maybe a little repetitive, and I think that will cost her the win. But, all in all, this was a very professional, sellable collection that represented Korto as a designer to a T. 

See them glide here.

New York Collections: Kenley

I might have to say I like Kenley's collection best. Not because each piece is flawless (far from it) or that it's very fashion forward (it's not) but because it really speaks to who Kenley is and her personal style. I think she had the most fun with making this collection, and I could see she put a lot of work into it (especially the hand painted stuff). And she styled the models beautifully, and spaced out the collection perfectly, hitting each mark from start to finish. Everything was made beautifully, and even though she has a few clunkers, there's no doubt in my mind that she's in the final 3. There's no doubt that she will come in third, too.

I like this a lot. The asymmetry is well done, and the skirt is draped beautifully. Bettie Page knows how to make clothes, that's clear. Maybe it's a little busy, and that belt is stupid, but it's very fun.

This was too 80's. In fact, I'm pretty sure Rose Nylund had a blouse exactly like this. I do like the fabric, though.

 The prints and colors clash, and that whole tumor skirt-idea is done, but the more I look at it, the less I find it offensive. It might have worked with a different fabric for the side ruffle. 

Pretty. A little reminiscent of her first challenge outfit, and maybe a little too simplistic. 

Betsey Johnson. Very derivative, but I still love it. And it's a masterpiece of construction. 

Very sophisticated and classy. Probably the only one out of the bunch. I love the high feather neck, but the color is very out of place here.

This is just beautiful. Maybe a little too cute, a little too girly, but there's a level of sophistication to it that brings it up from the puerile.

The print's an almost-but-not-quite. Too Easter Parade. But I will give her a lot of credit, because I believe it's hand-painted, and you can't deny it looks professional. And it's a fairly simple silhouette. Do not like.

I actually love this. Yes, it's a tad clowny, but that jungle green blouse and black party skirt are just kind of fun and breezy; it's exactly what you would find from Kenley. 

 

 

Yes, very 50's, very party dress, very beautiful, very fun. But very McQueen. In fact, this is just a complete rip-off from Alexander McQueen's highly praised Fall 2008 collection. I don't buy that she "Doesn't follow collections" and if she really doesn't? No, I don't see how it's possible to make a carbon copy of a McQueen. Even Christian never did that.

See them bounce here.

Alexander McQueen Fall 2008:

 

New York Collections: Joe

It's a little ironic the guys were so bad this year, no? Considering the majority of winners have been male...

Whatever.

This is probably the only piece I really like in Joe's collection. The boucle jacket is pretty, kind of sophisticated, but not stale or boring. Not crazy about the pairing with those leather pants, or the belt, and the colors are little ehn, but the jacket is almost...well, Chanel-like. Almost.

You know, I worry that if I express my distaste for this dress I'll be called un-American. It's not all that bad, actually...it's just too literal and maybe a little too patriotic. The dress is very simple, and oh boy is the styling terrible! She looks unkempt. 

Bleh. Bare midriffs are usually tacky, and this collection is full of them. And jeez, Joe, I thought you were straight, but those pants are flaming! 

It's a little apron-y, and maybe a little too Western. The front zip is nice, but it's very Prairie kitchen chic.

Too simple, and borderline ugly print. Not something fit for a Runway. And those shoes? Bleck.

Howdy, cowgirl. Eh, maybe Anne's right..it's kind of cute. The skirt more so than the bodice, but still...

I guess even Osage County has hookers. 

And they need clothes, too.

Why did Suede help?

Wow. Okay, abandon the Western Americana theme (because it was working out so well) and go on to, what? Harriet Powers as a Biker Chick?

I never saw the appeal to Joe; I can understand that he probably does have a client base, and that I just simply don't care for his aesthetic. I can get on board with just having different tastes; but this whole collection was just a tad too slutty and leather tuscadero to be considered "chic" or "fashion forward". As a designer with very specific cliental, he's fine, I suppose. But he has no business at Bryant Park. 

Runway here. Oh, and nice job taking Project Runway music instead of having a private composer do it for you.