By Julie Zied
Fancast Editor
Last night’s season five premiere of Project Runway began with an oh-so-familiar challenge: the Gristede’s supermarket sweep from season one, which found the 15 designers dashing through the aisles in search of - what the everyone hoped would be - the perfect haute cuisine to whip into haute couture. For eliminated designer Jerry Tam, his whole white tablecloth affair wound up being less than savory to the judges. Fancast caught up with Tam to find out his thoughts on being auf’ed and what exactly was going on with Stella's garbage bag creation.
How was it watching the whole show unfold on TV last night?
There was a little heartache, to be honest. I saw all the contestants, one’s gonna win, the others are gonna lose, but it was heartbreaking for me.
Who did you watch it with?
Fortunately or unfortunately I was in the NBC studios watching it with the producers at Bravo headquarters with all the hoopla and champagne, so that was the fortunate part about it, the unfortunate part was watching myself get kicked off Project Runway on national television.
Did you have to excuse yourself at any point during watching because it was too emotional?
Well truthfully I’m absolutely OK with it because I got to be on an Emmy Award-nominated show, and I made some nice friends out of the deal, and I got to take a break from the fashion world and have fun.
Do you feel like Stella deserved to go instead of you?
First and foremost Stella put a garbage sack on a girl, and she whipstitched it. We gave her the nickname “The Whipstitch Garbage Bag Girl.” I can’t believe my fully tailored trench coat, which was beautiful with a full dress underneath it, was outshined by a trash bag. She should have gone. She gave up during the competition and during the runway show. She told the judges ‘I don’t really want to be here, I just put this together in five minutes, I had other people help me,’ so it was kind of discouraging to hear that she didn’t want to have anything to do with the show.
She gave up midway through the competition? From our end it just looked like she stepped into the hall to take a little breather…
Yeah, she had a real rock star attitude, I mean they cut out a lot of the stuff she said I guess to make better television, but nonetheless I know I heard the words and now I’m the one out here on the street corner not on Project Runway anymore.
Did you mention anything to the producers last night to that effect while you were at the screening?
Not at all, this is a show about entertainment. I made friends with Stella, and she makes for good television. I truly believe that her character kept her on the show. Maybe if I had changed my character to be more melodramatic, or just dramatic, I would have made it to the next round, because the God honest truth – it was a garbage sack.
How would you have changed your character?
Its difficult for me, this is a challenge. After watching the show you realize you kind of have to stick up for yourself, but because it was the first challenge and everyone was scared, so I didn’t really say anything or stick up for myself, I just sort of went with the flow, and when Heidi commented on my outfit I should have said “Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Look at this garbage sack on the side of me, I’m not leaving!” You know, using those pure raw emotions.
Would you have gone back to Gristede’s and chosen another material knowing what you know now?
Absolutely. You know you really have to push your imagination to the limits, to a wow factor, and of course if I could have done it differently. I would have gone directly to the food aisle and the fruit and vegetable areas and picked out every single fruit and vegetable and made something amazing, like Austin Scarlett did in season one.
No fear about using perishables as fabric?
We all try to stay away from fruits and vegetables. I wasn’t there to win the first challenge, I was just there to get by, so if I was to make any changes I would have just grabbed some bananas and oranges because that’s really all it took to go to the next round.
If you could have done another challenge from a previous season for your first go what would it have been?
I love the avant garde challenge where two designers are paired up and the second designer gets to creat a ready-to-wear look. I would love to make something just rapturous and out of control to impress the world.
So you presumably enjoyed the Christ March/Christian Siriano collaboration?
One of the finest things to come out of Project Runway.
Who do you think are the strongest and weakest designers this season?
For strongest I think Korto. She has so much couture experience and technique so she’ll do really well. As for weakest, I think its definitely Suede. He doesn’t really know left from right, he’s just there as a character.
What did you think of his garment last night?
It didn’t even register in my brain.
Who did you bond with on the show?
Wes, Joe and Kelli. We developed an affinity towards each other.
Were there any other contestants from previous seasons whose work you admired coming in to the show?
I really liked Alison Kelly, I like her for everything she’s about, her look, her aesthetic. Its not just that she’s fun and she’s pretty, she’s the kind of woman I’d like to design for, and I think she would make a great industry leader in fashion.
Have you ever met her?
I did get an opportunity in the past but I can’t talk that much about it. Hopefully we’ll meet again in the future.
Who are your big influences, and what designers would you love to collaborate with?
Well I love all the masters, everyone from Lanvin to Ballenciaga, and Givency. I like the comfortability of J. Lindberg and #9 and very fashion forward stuff, even Jill Saunders.
What are you doing now?
I’ve been a designer for the past seven years and have worked for three major labels and I formed my label FORM, about four years ago, and we’re going into Spring/Summer ’09 and will be presenting at fashion week in September. People don’t really know me or my clothes yet, and I’m kind of a mystery to the industry, and they will want to know what I’m up to.
Where can people find you online?
www.formnewyork.com
What do you think? Did Jerry deserve to be auf'ed? For more on Runway, look here.
Comments (2)
"Jill Saunders"? "Ballenciaga"?
Posted by C | July 19, 2008 3:21 AM
Posted on July 19, 2008 03:21
The material she used sucked but if she would have used REAL leather i think it would have been a really really good idea.
I like his design butttttttttttttt maybe its just that picture but his model didn't model that very well and the yellow gloves was a uh uh no go back and do it again.
Posted by touch | July 24, 2008 10:43 AM
Posted on July 24, 2008 10:43