2878 replies to this topic

[Lambchop]

I like this lady! She's got five kids but hasn't slipped into sweatpants! I gotta hand it to her!

I think she's pretty cool! Can't wait to see what she does this season.

[beanbean]

She's elegant and really has her stuff together but isn't so keen to point out everyone else's weaknesses. I like her.

[slanderous]

I like her too. She totally classes up the joint.

[Elmer Fug]

I thought her outfit was very impressive. It was creative and had a lot of attention to detail. Her architecture background really came through.

I can see her in the top five.

[Ryanne]

I have to admit that I took a fairly instant HATE to Laura. She seems to be one of those people who thinks that those of us who do not live in NYC are lesser beings. For instance, "I've always wondered what there was to DO in Ohio." Also, there is a fairly large range between dressing up all the time and sweatpants... and I didn't know that "dressing up" involved exposing one's moley chest from neck to navel in both that wholly unflattering black shirt she wore at the runway show and th silver dress she wears in the PR ads.

I admire that she has a successful architecture career and five kids, but she seems way too impressed with herself so far.

Edited by Ryanne, Jul 12, 2006 @ 10:36 PM.

[SillyConspiracy]

Laura confuses me. Project Runway has taught me in the past that Mom's Should Never Make Clothes (Wendy, Marla), and Laura is not only pretty good at it, but she's come off, thus far, as amazing personality wise. I hope this keeps up. She needs to make up for what past moms have done on this show.

[ThatPoshGirl]

I thought she seemed scary in the promos but I love her in the first episode. I want her to adopt me.

[MaryK]

Oh, me too. When I saw promos I was all prepared to hate her. She seemed totally whack. I still am not that fond of her, but much more than I thought I would be.

[Agnes Bean]

Laura is the real life, fasion designing version of Bree Van De Kamp. And, like Bree, I thought I was going to hate her, but I think I'm going to end up loving her. I loved the coat.

[riley605]

I'm fascinated by her! After seeing what we did of her bio video, we are apparently dealing w/someone who's open to modern ideas and lifestyles (looked like a fairly amazing loft), and clearly is not hurting for money.

I don't know - I'd just really like to know her backstory; may do a bit of e-sleuthing. I did really love how excited she was about seeing her garment on the runway - she looks like the kind of person/mom that never sweats!

Edited by riley605, Jul 12, 2006 @ 10:37 PM.

[LilaFowler]

You could play the Danse Macabre on her breastbone. She seemed so severe in that old school Diana Vreeland sort of fashion.

[Rube Goldberg]

In Laura's bio video, they show the scene of one of her kids with a giant inflatible bat or something hitting something else. Anyway, I noticed that there were some words project on the wall behind the kid but couldn't make out what it said. Did anyone catch this and what the projection read?

I'm just curious, since having anything projected on the wall that's just there seems a little odd. That's what we do in Ohio: notice details that may question reality show contestant personalities.

Note: I actually was impressed with Laura and think she's going to be a pretty interesting character on the show. I just take offense when any East or West coaster clumps the entire mid-section of the country as quaint, irrelevant, fly-over territory.

Edited by Rube Goldberg, Jul 12, 2006 @ 10:44 PM.

[ideefixe]

Laura's husband has some serious money. His firm, Shelton Mindel and Associates, designs for Knoll, Waterworks, and a number of other outfits. Kate Spade probably thought she knew her.
They have 5 kids, but I'm not sure she's given birth to all of them. But if she's moving in the NYC design world, and making and wearing her own clothes, that's pretty great.

Here's a spread in Elle Decor about her hsuband's firm.Elle Decor

[VesselofWrath]

I find her very interesting. And if my eyes weren't deceiving me in the Road to the Runway special, she has a giant-sized portrait of herself in her apartment! There's something deliciously narcissistic about that.

[Baralai]

I LOVE Laura! She had me at "I'm an architect!"

Her work is great! She should have won this week!

[BenPanced]

Oh. My. GOD. I want that coat she made. I want to see what else she can do, since she's the more intriguing of the lot.

[slanderous]

Didn't I read somewhere on this board that she had a double masectomy, and that a part of her baring of the sternum is an act of defiance to the social expectation that women who've survived breast cancer, and who've had the surgeries, should want to be "real" women again and get implants, or should otherwise feel unattractive or "incomplete," et cetera? Or is that all projection on my part?

[JakeyIsSusan]

Didn't I read somewhere on this board that she had a double masectomy, and that a part of her baring of the sternum is an act of defiance to the social expectation that women who've survived breast cancer, and who've had the surgeries, should want to be "real" women again and get implants, or should otherwise feel unattractive or "incomplete," et cetera? Or is that all projection on my part?

If that's true, then I feel VERY bad for seeing her on TV in the promos and thinking that a woman with such a small cup size should not be wearing dresses obviously designed for more buxom women.

[Delicious Cake]

Didn't I read somewhere on this board that she had a double masectomy, and that a part of her baring of the sternum is an act of defiance to the social expectation that women who've survived breast cancer, and who've had the surgeries, should want to be "real" women again and get implants, or should otherwise feel unattractive or "incomplete," et cetera? Or is that all projection on my part?

If that's true, I feel bad for not liking her. I mean, I don't trust anyone who doesn't enjoy wearing sweatpants.

[Chesty LaRue]

Didn't I read somewhere on this board that she had a double masectomy, and that a part of her baring of the sternum is an act of defiance to the social expectation that women who've survived breast cancer, and who've had the surgeries, should want to be "real" women again and get implants, or should otherwise feel unattractive or "incomplete," et cetera? Or is that all projection on my part?

I haven't read that she has had a masectomy- I have just read someone on the Road To Runway board saying that maybe she had had a double masectomy. At this point I have just read conjencture- and nothing in Laura's background about her being a cancer survivor. And since the V's are so wide and with no scarring, I don't think she has had one, but I could be wrong.

[Chesty LaRue]

Eeek- sorry for the double post!

Edited by Chesty LaRue, Jul 13, 2006 @ 2:36 AM.

[honeybee111]

I think Laura is talented and interesting. I loved her coat. I don't know how I feel about her - she does have a stick up her butt. And one can still be put together and NOT wear a cocktail dress to the workroom (a gesture that is, overdesigned) - but she does have talent.

[YogaDiva]

Kate Spade probably thought she knew her.

I was wondering the same thing, like when Kate saw her, I was expecting them to exchange some kind of knowing "Hamptons" nod. Heeheehee.

Laura is my favorite, so of course they will vote her off right away.

I am also curious about her background because I think her bio said that she used to be a single mother who struggled to make ends meet. She's clearly not struggling anymore.

Edited by YogaDiva, Jul 13, 2006 @ 9:14 AM.

[Xiadea]

This woman... I thought she was scary on her commertials (and to a certain extent she is because I personally find her intimidating). But I LOVE watching her! I can't believe anyone can have five kids and be so well put together. Hell, I only have 2 cats and I'm totally jeans/t-shirt girl no matter how much I want to "dress up". I can't wait to see what she designs!

[chic_girl85]

I haven't read that she has had a masectomy- I have just read someone on the Road To Runway board saying that maybe she had had a double masectomy. At this point I have just read conjencture- and nothing in Laura's background about her being a cancer survivor. And since the V's are so wide and with no scarring, I don't think she has had one, but I could be wrong.

I definately saw nipplage when she first walked up, as well. Don't masectomies take those also, usually?

I covet that coat she made! It looked leagues beyond what many of the designers came up with and just looked amazing....

I'm still on the fence of whether or not I'll like her, but if she keeps turning that type of quality out, then I'll have to root for her.

Edited by chic_girl85, Jul 13, 2006 @ 9:38 AM.

[kidcore]

I noticed the projection on the wall too. I kept trying to read it. Maybe it's some sort of pomo wall art? If so, that would be wonderfully pretentious. I still can't believe she's got 5 kids. She doesn't quite strike me as the domesticated type. And the little we saw of them, they seem like normal kids too. Not weird constricted WASPY automatons in knickers or something. Wow, I kinda have to give it up to any woman being that proactive about not becoming another "mom jeans" stereotype.

I only recently realized how bad I looked sweats (and I'm nowhere close to being a mom). They're good for working out, household chores and lounging around. But really, once you start rocking those bad boys in public it's just like admitting defeat. That said, yeesh...that plunging neckline was doing her no favors. I really don't think she had a masectomy 'cause I saw free-hanging boobs without a bra in one scene. I also loved her huge old-timey portrait. This woman really does fascinate me. We haven't really had a designer like her before that goes for the classic, traditional, elegant looks. I loved her outfit! Plus, she shares the exact same first and last name of my good friend Laura Bennett so I'm a fan.

Edited by kidcore, Jul 13, 2006 @ 10:09 AM.

[Lotamoxie]

Her coat dress was beautiful (except for the bits and pieces attached to the bottom). I'm glad she made it to the top three. Her coat dress was my second favorite (after Michael's coffee filter dress).

But that shirt she was wearing that gave us a look at her bony chest -- ugh.

[desdamonab]

On the basis of nothing except how she came across, I'm betting the five kids are a blended family, she doesn't have all of them all the time, boarding school may be involved and a full time nanny and au pair girl are definitely involved.

That doesn't take away from her accomplishments or her dedication to her children, but it's also not like she's doing architecture with one hand, designing with the other and changing the baby with her feet.