Launch My Line Reactions

I watched the premier of LML, and I can already say that this is going to be a favorite -- I would've called it a guilty pleasure if I felt guilt about TV. Anyway, I like clothes and fashion. Occasionally, I dream what it would be like to design sharply cut little jackets and tiered tanktops that drape like a dream and have wide straps. Then I snap out of it and go about my business -- that is, stuff I know something about.

Apparently, other people also have those daydreams, and some never snap out -- the whole concept of LML is to take ten aspiring fashion "designers" (who are in reality CEOs, DJs, event organizers, architects, fashion writers and critics etc etc) and, since they are not REALLY designers, pair them with someone who can make clothes ("experts"). The whole delightful mess is hosted by Dan and Dean Caten of Dsquared (whose clothes I deeply approve of)-- a rare case of what appears to be TWO (pleasantly) evil twins.

Hilarity started when the "designers" tried to conceptualize their lines. Most targeted the late teens-early twenties demographic, which always strikes me as counterintuitive. I mean, if one wants to sell clothes, wouldn't one go after the demographics with jobs and steady incomes? Really, how many eighteen-year-olds with trust funds are there? (A lot, apparently.) Some decided to target women "between late teens and early thirties". I hope they'll make both hot pants and knee-length skirts.

Then the episode offered some drama. My favorite was the CEO Marilyn who was very goal-oriented and upset when her 'expert' Coco who left the studio because she was tired. So Marilyn swore to work all night all by herself, but since she cannot actually, you know, sew or otherwise make clothes, she just redesigned the outfit (that is, doodled balloon sleeves on a cylinder), so that Coco had to make an entire new outfit when she came back in the morning.

And then there was the obligatory runway show and the final results, where both twins channeled Heidi (they are more amusing though). The choreographer who designed a little military jacket with the world's smallest and saddest coattails was booted off. I myself would've supported that decision, if it wasn't for the mid-calf jumpsuit, with its ill fitted bodice that resembled a giant foil heart. That thing was worse.

And the winner was a lovely asymmetrical silver charmeuse dress, nicely draped and classic. Good call there.

Another bit of the show I enjoyed a lot was when the "designers" started actually believing themselves to be designers and carried on about creativity and artistic vision. I'm amazed how little eye-rolling there was from the "experts" (the actual designers). I'm expecting an increase in snide remarks from them as the show progresses. Oh, I can't wait for episode 2!