Fashion Faux Pas?

I taped the season finale of Project Runway (S9), finally got around to watching it and I am so disappointed with the judges final decision. Did Anya really deserve to win?

The young Trinidadian has a great sense of style; her choice and use of patterned material is exceptional almost effortless but unlike the other contestants, she lacked excellent sewing skills. And for that she shouldn't have won. I've read comments that Project Runway is about design and business capabilities not just sewing. Well, in that case I'm the next Stella McCartney or L'wren Scott because I've designed a ton of dresses but wouldn't necessarily be able to sew a garment properly!

Anya believes she captured the Caribbean style of women - really? I don't remember seeing tall, skinny women swanning around in flowing silk kaftan type dresses whilst in Guyana or Barbados. Oh hang on, I do remember my mom wearing them....but that was about 20 odd years ago! The judges decision process included comments like "you can see her bags, jewellery line.." Er, what about her clothes? That's why she entered the competition - to showcase her clothes!

Heidi Klum said that she fought for Anya (said on the Piers Morgan Tonight program) because she (Anya) showed that you didn't need to go to school to win a competition like PR and with enough hard work and determination you can make it. Hats off to Anya for getting so far, but during the entire show, she didn't show one piece of structured tailoring - a jacket, a straight-leg trouser...as a designer, shouldn't you be able to make these items? I have the utmost respect for the judges, but I think they should see the 'behind the scenes' videos - I reckon it would make them re-think the final outcome.

In my mind, a designer is not just about styling or business know-how, you need to understand the fabric, the cut and flow of it - the right side of the material (in one episode, Anya cut the fabric on the wrong side). Well done to Anya for learning to sew in four months, but other contestants were consistently better than her, had far superior sewing skills and in my mind far more drive and ambition and were more deserving of the final prize.

I'm looking forward to seeing 'Anya' designs but I have a feeling I won't be buying anything from her collection any time soon!