Fashion Runway’s Ultimate Faux Pas

When I was little, I was bullied. I was a gregarious, outgoing and friendly little girl….until I went to a prestigious, all-girl prep school in Southern California. I didn’t know anyone there, I had no friends in my new posh neighborhood and I missed my friends. To add insult on to injury, I had to start wearing glasses. Not cool. As I withdrew into myself, I found solace in my new friends – books!

Unfortunately, this also signaled open season on Bonnie. I was teased mercilessly about my glasses, my status as the “new girl”, I was laughed at because I had no friends and because I fell down my first week in school. I was called “Bookworm Bonnie” and my classmates asked me if I liked the taste of book bindings. This isn’t to say I didn’t have friends. I had one. I still remember her name – Jennifer C.

Needless to say, I do not take bullying lightly.

I’m a big fan of Project Runway. I love the show because I feel a connection with the designers I grow attached to. I loved April and Mondo. I loved Anya, winner of Season 9 and Ryan from Hawaii. I ESPECIALLY LOVE TIM GUNN!! “Make it work!”

Those Unconventional Challenges are absolutely fantastic. I can’t believe the amount of creativity these designers have! How the @#^* can you make a dress out of party supplies or candy?! Mind boggling, I tell you. Much respect!

My favorite part of watching the show is wearing Clyde’s pajamas as I lounge on the couch.

I like making my Critiques From The Couch about fashion as I’m dressed like a slob in my husband’s clothes.

I like pretending I know what I’m talking about when, in reality, I have pretty much zero idea. I wear medical scrubs almost 50% of my week. I then try to spend as much time in my pajamas (or my husband’s pajamas) as humanely possible.

But that’s why I love(d) Project Runway! I get to indulge my inner fashionista once a week and show her the kinds of clothes I would totally wear….if I could only be coaxed out of my comfy home clothes and into Real World clothes.

Anyway, I just finished watching the latest episode, “Fix My Friend”, in which a friend nominated one beloved friend for a complete makeover – hair, makeup, clothes…the works! I love these challenges because I really enjoy seeing what the designers can do for beautiful women of all shapes and ages. After all, the women buying their designs aren’t ALL GOING TO BE FASHION MODELS. Women like yours truly want to feel sexy, fresh and modern. I used to be a size 4. I’m not any more but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to feel like I’m still a size 4. You feel me?

Enter Ven Budhu. I get that final editing might’ve painted him in an unflattering light and possibly portrayed him as the evil villain he appeared to be. But I don’t think it’s all editing. Why? Because Elena, Miss I-Hate-Working-With-People, stated that she has lost respect for Ven due to his comments and treatment of his client, Terri Herlihy. Also, Tim Gunn went on to say that what I saw on TV was edited in such a way to make him look KIND! What the holy Christian Dior is this insanity?!

He kept reinforcing the fact that he’s not used to designing for “real women”. What the fuck does that even mean? Who does he think is going to his clothes? It’s certainly not going to be the mannequins! He also kept saying that the belts were too small, he’s going for the color black because of its slimming tendency and that he has asked for bigger belts to fit her…to her face. The punches kept coming as he kept hammering it home that it wasn’t fair he was stuck with a curvy woman and other designers had clients who were built like size 6 models.

He made zero effort to get to know his client. He called her “shapeless” and sneered at her “lack of fashion sense” on multiple occasions. He treated this challenge as something to just power through and not a chance to get to know a woman who really needed this experience to revitalize herself. He didn’t ask her questions about herself. He didn’t listen to what made her self conscious and what she likes. I will say that he gave her a great hair cut but the compliment he paid her was soooo backhanded, I’m surprised she didn’t go flying across the room from the impact.

He made her cry. He made her friend cry on the runway. He made the OTHER CLIENTS feel so bad for her, they were heard to say things like “Don’t cry! If you cry, I’ll cry!” How does this translate to “My client is super happy! This is going great!”

And yet he was allowed to stay and continue to compete. The man who made his client cry and made her feel the exact opposite of beautiful, vibrant and confident was allowed to stay and continue as a contender.

Project Runway, I am absolutely STUNNED that Ven is allowed to compete. If the client is the one who’s opinion matters the MOST, then please explain why Ven is still on the show. At least Nathan’s client’s friend liked his look.

Ven, honey, if you’re going to harp so spitefully about how difficult it is to design for a size 14 woman because she’s lacking in shape, look in the mirror because you’re not exactly in tip top shape either. Just sayin’. Don’t be calling the kettle black, Mr. Pot.

I am disappointed. Very very disappointed. He should be booted from the show (preferably in some delish Louboutins) just on principle alone.

Bonnie N. Clyde is a writer for YouBentMyWookie.com and the alias of the Supreme Commander / Ultimate Destroyer. When she isn’t the anti-bully, she writes in her blog over at MissBonnified.com