Project Runway vs. Project Accessory: The Search for the Next Great Fashion Reality Show

And the winner of Project Runway is…

Photo courtesy of New York Magazine.

I’m officially disappointed with Project Runway. The judges failure to take note of Anya’s limited repertoire until the final runway show proves that they’re no longer concerned with developing talent, but instead would rather preserve a storyline. Thankfully the Project Runway spin-off, Project Accessory, seems like a refreshing return to focusing on the work at hand.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m head over heels for Anya’s designs, yet I wasn’t blinded by them in the way the judges seemed to be. Sure, she mastered prints as deftly as Rami did his draping, but it was frustrating that it wasn’t until the final episode that the judges mentioned how nice it would be to see layers in her outfits, or even just sleeves. How did it not occur to them before? I vaguely blamed the producers, and I found some internet commentary that confirms my suspicions. For your consideration, this excerpt from Racked:

“…And Anya must make a whole new collection. But how can Anya make a new collection when she has no money? Tim Gunn takes on the role of Fabric Fairy and arrives with cash—$500 for each contestant to spend at Mood to improve their collections. At this point in most seasons, the finalists are surprised with the twist of making an extra garment. This time around, however, the designers are just given extra money, either because the producers think that all their collections are too weak, or because they want the beautiful and likeable Anya to win.”

I understand the producers wanting to keep Anya in… but she’s a smart woman, and I wish that instead of giving her a pass they had pushed her to be even better. I’m not saying the decisions of the judges or producers on Project Accessory will be any different, but at least it was fascinating to watch the designers take raw materials – and I mean raw – and construct them into beautiful and sometimes delicate pieces. The process itself gives each piece its own story arc. Draping fabric seems like an easy Sunday brunch compared to the manual dexterity and strength required to wrestle items like metal coils and power drills.

Photos courtesy of Lifetime.

So if for no other reason, I will be tuning into Project Accessory to be amazed by the alchemical of process of making jewelry (and other accessories). Bad judging (and meddling producers) can’t touch that, at least.

What did you think about Anya’s win, and which show do you like better? Weigh in, in the comments!

Project Accessory airs Thursdays at 10pm/9c on Lifetime.