I'm about to indulge in some 'popular culture' posting, the stuff that will probably rile people up.  The truth is... why fight it.... in the same way that I was a Roswell geek years ago, seeking out forums to indulge, today I'm a full-on Project RUNWAY addict, downloading it and watching it like a mad woman.  Like Britain's Next Top Model to America's Nex Top Model, our very own Project Catwalk does come off looking like the poor relation and that's not to knock the contestants from Project Catwalk but for some reason the format hasn't quite hit its stride in the way Project Runway has done since season four. 

This will bounce off a lot of people's heads as complete gibberish but that is the general nature of TV-show banter; the addicts will gorge on this paragraph and the non-watchers will blink twice and call it couch potato tosh.  I'll therefore keep the indulgence to a minimum with a string of questions running along the lines of...Natalie Portman as guest judge - how great?  Wesley getting eliminated - why eliminate a guy with such impressive credentials and a very cute only-in-America sort of name?  Bleached vacuum cleaner bags in a skirt - anyone else other than me giving that a try?  Michael Kors - still incredibly irritating?  Heidi Klum not offering much input other than very very long legs - agree/disagree?

There.  That's done.  It's like eating a big bowl of Angel Delight very quickly and forgetting that it ever happened.  Onto more substantial matters.  Leanimal will interest people whether or not they're couch potatoes or not.  One of the contestants on the current season is an Etsy seller with a stellar feedback page and is quite well-known on the fashion scene Portland in Oregon where she resides (I'm convinced there's a whole lot of fun going on there that makes it my next random destination...).  Leanne Marshall is a relation to Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) and has been designing and making clothes for a decade, selling under the label Leanimal. 

She was criticised on the second episode for adding much too many fussy loops, petals, flounces and general stuff to her dress but her AW08 collection is pretty reined in and well judged with the use of petals, pleating and ruffles...

I love the effect of these demi-rosettes...

This Gezane dress ain't cheap as chips for obvious reasons and is the one item on sale on her Etsy... I just want to run my hands over it...

Her S/S 08 collection is a tad more complex but again, rightly so because of the neutral palette Leanne uses throughout, allowing the details to shine through...

I have a funny feeling that perhaps Leanne doesn't go all the way to the final three but it doesn't really matter because she seems to have a following pre-Project-Runway and that will only grow... more petals, loops, pleats and knots I say!

**EDIT** Woah...I'm making blog blunders left right and centre...Leanne Marshall ISN'T related to Chan Marshall... they just look quite similar... jeez... must really get this kidney thing sorted out because it's driving me mental...