Project Runway at the Met

Project Runway Season 4, to me anyway, hasn't been as good as the previous seasons. Until last night. I think I squealed when Tim Gunn announced the designers were taking a field trip to "82nd Street and 5th Avenue." Hurrah! The designers were given 45 minutes in three different sections of the Met to choose a work of art for inspiration: the stunning, gorgeous, fantastic new Greek & Roman sculpture court; the pre-19th century European paintings wing; and the Temple of Dendur. Rami the drapery aficionado showed his supreme good taste by picking a Roman statue of Aphrodite, and then made a lovely dress. Christian's "fierce" design, inspired by a Spanish Baroque portrait by Murillo, won the challenge, and I thought it was the best too. He's ridiculously talented and his time interning with Alexander McQueen in London shows. Sweet P's dress inspired by a Dutch Baroque painting of peacocks was pretty, but she was eliminated. Chris did a couture-ish gown inspired by an 18th century French portrait of a noblewoman (by Rattier? I can't remember the painter), and Gillian's creative outfit was inspired by a 15th century French scene of the Argonauts. Everybody but Sweet P got a pass to create a collection for Fashion Week, but Chris and Rami will have to duke it out for Spot 3 once their collections are finished. Christian and Gillian are definitely going to Fashion Week.

I actually saw Tim Gunn at the Met over a year ago. I was going through a Tiffany exhibition, when I heard a very familiar voice behind me. Tim!!

Image from Bravotv.com: Designer Chris takes pics in the Greek galleries. Behind him, one of my favorite vases, a Classical Athenian bell krater showing the return of Persephone to her mother Demeter.