Oh yay! A new spinoff of Project Runway! Featuring children no less! I spent 2 seasons recapping Project Runway, and Project Runway All-Stars, and burnt out because it was WAAAAY too toxic for me, but I’m hoping this spinoff with little ones will be a friendlier, happier version of the show we know and love (much like master chef junior being the delightful pallet cleanser to the rest of Gordan Ramsey’s mega tv franchise). So, with the best of intentions, let’s dive in and see where this show takes us!
I’m a little surprised, we open with no introduction, no special explanation of why we should be excited to see little wunderkinds slave away for our entertainment, no we just cut straight to… Zachary. Ugh, I have a nephew named Zachery so I already foresee mis-typing this kids’ name throughout the season. My deepest apologies for any future misspellings kid, I swear it’s not personal. He’s 16 and has been sewing since he was 6, he lives by the motto of fashion, fun, friends, family, oh and food. I mean, nothing really outside the box there Zach, you might as well also mention air, water and sleep you wild man. We get a quick cutaway of his portfolio, it’s fine. Lots of pretty neutrals in modern cuts and pants. Not really my thing but technically competent, and it seems really impressive seeing his work on models on a runway, clearly this kid has his shit together.
Oh hey adults, want to feel inadequate? Just check out my portfolio. It’s a 300-page 4-hour time commitment. I’ll wait.
Peytie is from Southern California. (already 2 kids in and I have a hunch there won’t be a single ‘Todd’ or ‘Sarah’ to be found, calling it now) she’s very bohemian and her portfolio is entirely modelled by her. Which, isn’t a bad thing, she’s stunning, but appearing right after Zachary she already seems a bit less professional. Way to make everyone after you look bad Zachary, jeeze. Her style is a lot of draping and braiding of the fabric, which is pretty but off the bat I’m worried about her sewing skills. On the up side she seems to be picking a ton of bright and fun prints so I’m hoping her clothes will have a lot of energy and character.
I’m from Detroit. KIDDING! California Boho chic represent!
Jaxon is 15 and from Kansas. 3 kids in and I cannot handle the level of style these kids have, when I was 15 I was hand sewing plaid pleats into my jeans and cutting up t-shirts. I wore glitter. And mismatched knee socks with a neon blazer. To say it was a rough aesthetic would be putting it mildly, it was VERY Punky Brewster inspired (which, would have been fine in the 80’s, but I was doing it in the early 00’s). So yeah, this is really causing some repressed anxiety to surface already. Fine Jaxson, what do you have to offer? Well first of all, he lives on a farm and spends his days feeding animals. Oh Jaxson you really know how to weasel your way into my heart don’t you? He designs for B.A. women – I’m scratching my head. Black Athletic? Born-Again? Ahhh no, he clarifies immediately – B.A means Bad Ass. Oh you little scoundrel.
Judging every single one of you watching for your terrible fashion choices in high school. Shame on you all.
We now have Zach from Kentucky. Ughhhihh so I have Zachary and Zach? Seriously show? And given the wide brimmed hat he’s rocking I’m curious if Zach is short for Zachariah. Legit question. His design aesthetic is the feminine body. Which, you know, is probably what most women’s designers are inspired by, but fine Zach, hopefully we’ll get a little more in-depth on you as the show goes on.
I design for women. But like, lady-women. Who are feminine. And Women.
Samantha is next. Annnnnd I love her after 2 seconds. She has WAAAAAY less of an ‘on-camera’ affect than the previous kids – she’s dressed relatively normally, doesn’t appear to have makeup on, and while she speaks confidently, it’s also relatively soft-spoken and not… ‘on’. I appreciate it. Go on Samantha, tell me about yourself… Her clothes are the first thus far that I would see myself actually buying. Which may be bad news since maybe the 30-year-old-lady-with-an-office-job demographic is not the ideal one…
I did not get the memo that I needed the show up with 15 catch-phrases and a defining accessory
Maya is 13 and her portfolio looks comparatively smaller than the rest, it’s padded out with some sketches. She also gets a super quick edit so we don’t know much about her. Ok then .
My parents are under the impression that I’m sleeping over Becca’s house. So, be cool guys, keep your mouths shut so I can win this thing…
