‘Project Runway’ Season 16 Betting Odds
–’Project Runway’ will feature a wide array of models this year ranging in size from 0 to 22.
–’Project Runway’ has already been renewed for two more seasons after this one.
–Season 16 of ‘Project Runway’ will debut on August 17, 2017 at 8:00 PM Eastern on the Lifetime Network
Season 16 of the Lifetime Network’s ‘Project Runway’ premieres on August 17 and the network has announced the designers that will compete for a $100,000 grand prize. And as you’ve come to expect from SPORTS BETTING EXPERTS if there’s a major reality show we’ve got the betting odds for it.
‘Project Runway’ is–in my opinion at least–one of the more ‘watchable’ of all reality shows. The contestants display skill and have to execute in less than favorable circumstances and on tight timeframes. There’s often a legitimate ‘clash of personalities’ (as opposed to the manipulated ‘conflict’ on many such shows) and that’s another factor that the aspiring designers have to deal with. From an oddsmaking standpoint, it also works well and presents the opportunity for a variety of weekly odds on who will get eliminated and so forth. The show is hosted by the still ridiculously gorgeous at age 44 Heidi Klum and the ever dapper Tim Gunn. Gunn has held many roles in the fashion business during his 60 plus years but none as high profile as this.
One major change this year is the addition of ‘plus size’ models. The aforementioned Mr. Gunn ‘cut a promo’ on the fashion industry last year taking them to task for not making clothes for ‘real women’. Actually, he was speaking specifically of *American* women. While there may be some truth to his critique it’s interesting that this problem doesn’t exist in many other countries where the women have no trouble fitting into traditional clothing sizes. I’m not sure that it’s the fashion industry’s responsibility to target their products to the sort of hefty, clogged veined, scooter riding monsters that infest Wal Mart stores from coast to coast. Maybe it’s the responsibility of these big gals to push themselves away from the buffet table and lead a less sedentary lifestyle? Ultimately, if Gunn is right the fashion industry will collectively pay the price in the marketplace if they ignore the big gals. Or else the problem will be solved by new companies coming into the market to meet this ‘demand’ to the extent that it really exists.
WHATS ON TAP FOR SEASON 16 OF ‘PROJECT RUNWAY’
The official word from the ‘Project Runway’ producers is that Season 16 will feature ‘a wide array of models this year ranging in size from 0 to 22’. Personally, I could care less but one group with a more vested interest isn’t happy about it–the designers who are contestants on the show. The fact that these designers aren’t exactly thrilled with the addition of ‘plus sized’ models isn’t any ‘pro-skinny’ bias. It’s just more difficult to design and fit their styles for a wide range of sizes. On one level, this adds a new competitive dynamic to the show as the contests will have to adapt their clothing which they may have designed for a smaller sized frame to accommodate a larger size model. In theory, this better demonstrates the contestants’ skill and versatility. The flip side of this coin is that much of the reason that fashion models have always been in a specific size range is to give designers a uniform ‘playing field’. A plucky young designer trying to get her clothing startup off the ground can bring samples of her wares in one size to a shoot or show and be confident that they’ll fit the models she’ll be working with. That’s the same reason that male models are mostly in excess of 6 feet tall with a similar build. The commonality helps everyone involved in the industry work together and allows professionals to be ‘on the same page’.
In other words, some of the griping from contestants about plus size models is garden variety griping about a more challenging competition but some of it is legit. As far as it will impact the outcome of Season 16 my thinking is that the addition of ‘plus sized’ models will leave designers without a strong background in women’s wear at a distinct disadvantage. Another major component of my handicap is professionalism. It’s like the NCAA Basketball Tournament in that some just seem ‘happy to be there’ while others appear to have a bigger goal and better pedigree. In contrast to the ‘just happy to be here’ contestants others have already had considerable success in the fashion world. Although the premise of the show is to give a boost to ‘aspiring designers’ the format of the show definitely awards the skill set of a professional designer such as planning, organization, versatility and effective use of time. The show claims to be a showcase for the up and comers the format favors the ones that have already found some degree of success.
RANKING THE SEASON 16 FIELD
An interesting background doesn’t hurt either and particularly when combined with legit talent. The designer that immediately caught my attention is Anya Ife who definitely has an interesting background–she’s a Muslim graduate of Middle Tennessee State University who now calls Salt Lake City home. Her designs focus on modest yet fashionable clothing. Mormons have been big on ‘modest clothing’ for years but most of it has been a baggy and unstylish abomination. My upbringing in Utah has always caused me to reflexively recoil at the concept of ‘modest clothing’ (eg: now defunct Mormon run department store ZCMI would put overalls on swimsuit models in ads) but Ife won me over. Her designs are interesting and unique and I’m thinking that her ‘real world’ experience would lend itself well to designing for the variety of sizes she’ll face on ‘Project Runway’. The biggest question I have is how her emphasis on modest designs will play with the fashion industry crowd–synonymous with decadence, sex and exposed skin. Overall, she’s got a great personality with a unique angle on fashion. Being a Muslim doesn’t hurt either–she’s a perfect refutation to the vilification and discrimination against people of her religious faith so prevalent in the United States and elsewhere.
The rest of the field was ranked due to the aforementioned professionalism combined with experience designing for women–and particularly different sized women. A couple of the contestants said that their weakness as a designer was ‘fitting’ and that’s going to be a problem this season. Some designers creative aesthetic lends itself better to designing for a variety of sizes. Twins Claire and Shawn Buitendorp have such a style and have had considerable success already–their website features mega-star Katy Perry wearing several of their designs. Plus the ‘twin versus twin’ angle is too good not to keep going deep into the competition. Samantha Rei and Kentaro Kameyama both demonstrate the focus, work ethic and professionalism that leverages well into this competition. If they have a downside it’s that they come off as almost *too* professional.
These are my opening odds to win Season 16–I’ll be posting weekly odds beginning either before the August 17 premiere or before the second episode on August 24. Depending on how much advance press I can get my hands on it’s often necessary to watch what happens on the first show to set solid odds on the week to week props.
PROJECT RUNWAY SEASON 16 BETTING ODDS
TO WIN SEASON 16 OF ‘PROJECT RUNWAY’
Ayana Ife: +450
Claire Buitendorp: +650
Shawn Buitendorp: +650
Samantha Rei: +750
Kentaro Kameyama: +750
Margarita Alvarez: +1250
Amy Bond: +1500
Kenya Freeman: +1500
Kudzanai Karidza: +1500
Michael Brambila: +1750
ChaCha: +1750
Brandon Kee: +1750
Batani-Khalfani: +2500
Sentell McDonald: +2500
Aaron Myers: +2500
Deyonté Weather: +2500