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Answering My Mail

Todd Oldham answers your questions!

I thought I'd take some time, while the show is a repeat, to answer some of the mail I've been getting... 

JD wrote: Todd -- who makes that long-sleeve striped polo you were wearing in an episode?
It was probably from Penguin. 

Jill wrote: Can anyone help me find the sweater that Todd wore at the beginning of last week's episode? It would be perfect for my boyfriend's birthday ... it was brown argyle, I think I was Lacoste?
It was Lacoste. It's thin wool and was heavily altered.


Jennifer wrote: Why doesn't Todd Oldham judge? Everybody watches to hear what he has to say. I wish he participated in the judging.
When I was asked to join the show, I felt like I would not be able to be a judge and be authentically helpful to the designers. I was happy to be on their side....

Sue wrote: Mr. Oldham, I agree with the response about age seems to equate failure. Tonight was a stretch with a paint color basis for elimination. (Are you sure you aren't missing your target audience? Not that you would let that influence your choices.) What do your judges ascribe as the standards for good design?
Hi Sue. Not sure what you are speaking about when you mention age and failure, but I feel that those two things have nothing to do with each other. The colour choices that seemed to be the reason for Elizabeth's send-off brings up an exact example of just how subjective a call design is. My comments on the colours that the team chose were based on my knowledge of Miami Beach. (I've designed a couple of hotels there.) To me, the colours, while not all bad on their own, were just wrong for the location of the project. A good colour sense comes from a deep understanding of what tones and colours are within a single shade, a learned history of colour in the hands of masters from art to architecture, and an ever-evolving appreciation of the magic that happens when the "right" colours are combined.


Tann wrote: Dear Todd: I am so impressed by you. Obviously talented yourself in the extreme, you have a wonderful ability not only to see the talent in others, but to bring it out as well. What a wonderful teacher you would make -- the Department of Education ought to make Top Design and your blogs compulsory viewing for all teaching candidates. Finally I must say, with the greatest respect, I wish some enterprising animator would get you to voice a cartoon: you'd be perfect for the loyal and cuddly Talking Dog that saves the day! All the best, Tann
How sweet of you, Tann. It would be my pleasure to be a talking dog.

Debz Lee wrote: It's wrong to design for a cat?
I don't think it's wrong to design for a cat. I make all the choices for furniture in my house to suit my dog. By choosing pet-friendly upholstery in colours that match her hair, we have what looks like a clean house and no surfaces, except the dining table, that she cannot get onto.


Anastasia wrote: I agree, why doesn't Todd judge? And further, why are the judges SO MEAN???
The have a really tough job. Their task is to sort out a lot of stuff really quickly and they all have a different take on things. Which is great for the contestants. I have to say that all three are quite lovely and rather un-mean in person. You can imagine why I didn't want to be involved in the judging.

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