Lifetime’s Project Accessory-Yeah, It’s An Attempt to Cash In On the Other Runway Product but It Does Have an Intrigue

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It was on or around the last episode of Project Runway that the announcer urged us to tune in to Project Accessory, premiering when and at what time. The announcement achieved its goal for mine ears, ready to be fitted with fetching pierced earrings of the latest style, did perk up.


Well hell I was game. Since the new design show was so obviously a knock-off of the Project Runway series I figured there would be snarling contenders, the talent, the talentless and the mediocre . I envisioned very skinny models strutting down a runway, a fashion forward necklace enroping her neck, large bracelets blinding with their shine, and, of course, the obligatory knock-out belt.

Which is pretty much how Project Accessory works, in fact, and it’s the fluff of TV, the sort of stuff we save on our DVR’s to watch as we are busy with duties that do not allow studied concentration of the TV. We must, of course, pay serious attention to Project Runway but for Project Accessory we only need one eyeball and one ear to catch the gist. The final ten minutes we might want to sit and watch the end results on the runway, guess the winners and losers, and hang around until a contender is sent home.

The show is hosted by Molly Sims, described as an actress and model, a Heidi Klum wannabe I must assume. The judges include designer Kenneth Cole and InStyle editor Ariel Foxman. There are guest judges as these shows go, with Kelly Osbourne, a born again fashion expert after her stint on Dancing With the Stars, on the week of my close review.

The winners of this series receive $100,000 from eBay Fashion, a spread in InStyle magazine and various other goodies from sponsors and such.

The series airs Thursday nights, Lifetime, 10p/9c.




The contenders are a bit odder, if that’s possible, than the Project Runway entrants, in that one who works with tools to include hammers, screwdrivers and awls to produce a fashion item must be a bit, eh, tougher than he or she who gently sews the finished product.

The night I watched this show- which I do watch every week but for doing this review I actually sat and watched the whole thing- the challenge was to accessorize a model dressed only in a body suit.

Frankly a body suit, yes a clothing item that fits the model tight to the body, long legs, long sleeve arms…would seem a good backdrop to showcase a bevy of handsome accessories.

There are, however, very few women who would ever wear a slip of a bodysuit for the body sins it reveals, even if covered head to toe with Schwarsky crystals and hammered brass necklaces.

Still and so it was a good challenge and here is the loser of this challenge. As soon as I saw this awful concoction I thought that no way would the gods of fashion allow the designer of this mess to continue on.

The model looks like she is some kind of Russian cassock with that absurd hat, the furry leggings, and the bizarre tricolor shoes. I don’t think the designers actually create the hats and shoes but they do choose them to match their jewelry, belts and handbags that they do design. I’ve no idea what the contender was thinking when he or she put this flop together.

Here is the winner of this challenge and it looks okay. The judges loved loved, loved the belt and the pretty dropped earrings. The hat worn by the model was appropriate and the cuff bracelet finished off the look




Below are a couple of jewelry pieces submitted with other entries to this challenge. The triangular neckpiece was both scorned and adored by the judges. Kelly Osborne thought it was a real fine piece while Kenneth Cole thought it just short of hideous.

The bracelet is, well it is what it is. I’d sure never wear such a thing but hey, if you’re a diva and doing the town, it certainly is the sort of accessory that would seem so perfect.

If you like Project Runway you will for sure like Project Accessory. DVR it and enjoy as the sort of fashion designer competitive reality show it is meant to be.