About three minutes into the premiere of NBC's Fashion Star last night, I was hooked. Even though it was totally over-produced (the flashing lights! the constant music! the smoke shooters! the abrupt editing for enhanced drama!), I still found the show to have a realness to it that I find lacking in a lot of other reality competitions. Fashion consultants Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, and designer John Varvatos bring that quality to the show and say what they're thinking and, consequently, what we're thinking. If a collection sucked, if pants were too grabby in the vaginal area, or if leather bomber jackets were a snooze-fest, they pointed it out. It was bizarrely refreshing.
So, yeah. Once I got over the "showyness" and "in your faceness" of it all and the fact that host Elle Macpherson never, ever blinks, I was blown away by the concept, the fashions, and the fact that I can buy the winning styles right now. Right now!
My favorite look of the night came from Georgia mom Sarah Parrott. Her take on the little black dress was awesome. I'm a sucker for anything with a cap sleeve and a pocket, so this little number was right up my alley. H&M gave her an $80,000 purchase order, and it's obvious why.
Second favorite look of the night came from bartender Orly Shandi. Saks Fifth Avenue bought $80,000 worth of her two-fer mini skirt, and it's already sold out online. We snoozed, and we losed.
I have to admit -- I wasn't really wild about this dress until Jessica Simps said she liked it. Then I was all, I Iike it, too, Jess! Let's be best friends forever and share clothes and husbands! Very Gretchen Wieners of me. Edmond Newton, a handsome barber from Atlanta, is behind the design.
Two other designers got buys from Macy's -- Nikki Poulus with her caftan inspired maxi dresses, and Lizzie Parker with her asymmetrical tunic. I wasn't blown away by either, but can see them selling for the department store.
I can't wait for next week -- more of Jess, Nicole, and dresses, please.
Did you watch the Fashion Star? What do you think of the designs?
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Photo via nbc.com