Phreshly Squeezed

With the end of the first season of Kell on Earth (which climaxed with the first episode, and left me bored two-three episodes after), Bravo sought a replacement for its off-season period. Bringing in the quirky designer from season four of Project Runway, Christian Siriano is seen on television again as “Having a Moment.” Following the life of the young designer, the show aims to depict the highs and lows in Siriano’s struggle to emerge as a top tier designer. The show kicks off with NYFW S/S 2010 in which the cameras follow Siriano as he prepares for a major show and the aftermath of dealing with the buyers. Quite frankly, the premise of the show doesn’t capture my attention. The characters, including Siriano himself, though, are what had me and compelled me to finish the episode. Aside from that, I think the “oh my god fashion week” phase is saturating television a tad too much.

If it were to become a weekly fixture on the television schedule, I’m not quite sure what I would make of it. There just doesn’t seem to be enough savory content to keep me as a viewer. So that one hour is best to be left at just a “moment.”

Image courtesy of 365 Days Without a TV

As fashionistas were flocking to Milan for the next fashion week after NYFW came to a close, many remained in the city, including Anna McCraney, winner of The Fashion Show on Bravo. Her inaugural collection, “Annabelle,” showcased February 20th at the same location as the Siki Im presentation days before. Models carefully walked down the stairs to carnival music and showed off designs comprised of nude sheers and silks. The color palette was predominantly red and black with hints of navy slipped into a well-tailored jumpsuit. Not much else can be said, except that the premiere collection was a good effort, which was proven by the applause that greeted McCraney.

There is no denying the amount of fashion-related programming on air now, what with Project Runway, America’s Next Top Model, and The City for starters, and especially now with the hype of Bravo’s “Kell on Earth,” which features Kelly Cutrone and her public relations firm People’s Revolution. I wasn’t expecting much from “Kell on Earth,” but there’s a certain quality (or you know, just the amount of hype) about reality TV that makes it difficult to shy away from the computer/television screen.

Revealing a tad of the fashion industry to America, the audience follows Kelly Cutrone as she prepares for NYFW’s Spring/Summer 2010 shows. And quite surprisingly, “Kell on Earth” keeps my attention with its decent narrative and quirky characters. Several minutes into the beginning of the show, we find ourselves introduced to the main characters, which are, in fact, quite likable despite their “bitch” personas. And while Kelly may not be the most attractive or the most impeccably dressed in the industry, it is those traits that make me all the more interested in watching. But aside from the office team, we are also introduced to Kelly’s young and adorable daughter, Ava, who I never knew existed up until the promos for the show aired. Seeing this dimension of Kelly that isn’t associated with the fashion industry and where she takes on the role of “mom” certainly adds depth to the show itself and credibility to that Kelly Cutrone may in fact have human qualities.

Like what others have said, one of the elements that actually makes “Kell on Earth” fun to watch is that things actually happen. Unlike The Hills and The City where the half hour slot is filled with stretched-out melodramas and lunches, there are actual problems (uh oh, seating!) and progress (hey, we actually get through a fashion show). And of course, there would be no entertainment value if there weren’t any memorable quotes, such as “Pharmaceuticals really help in People’s Revolution. If I offer you an Ativan, just take it, it helps!” and “I was working in L.A. in Beverly Hills as a hair colorist — I left everything I had in California. It was a successful career mind you, to come to New York and be called a retard.”

And for those of you that haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet, check out the promo video below:

Take note of what is said on Kelly Cutrone's shirt.

Image courtesy of Style Caster and NYTimes.com