Piperlime to Replace “Bluefly Accessories Wall” on Project Runway

For those of you out there still watching, season eight of Project Runway begins July 29 on Lifetime.

There are several changes in store for the long-running program. First, each episode of the new season will have a running time of ninety minutes (yes, you heard that right), which we can only hope will mean more Tim Gunn screen time. Next, the number of contestants has increased to seventeen from the usual sixteen.

Finally, the famed “Bluefly Accessories Wall” will change to the “Piperlime Accessories Wall”. The company has redesigned the wall by painting it Piperlime’s signature green, and will have a shopable “accessories wall” on its website so that viewers can purchase styles that are featured on the show.

Piperlime’s recent claim to fame is its collaboration with another reality TV fixture, Rachel Zoe, who frequently lists her favorite items on the site in her very own “Rachel Zoe’s Picks” section.

What does this sponsor swap mean for the show, especially since its ratings have been on a steady decline?

Bringing in Piperlime might be an attempt to keep the show fresh, since its products and editorial content seem to cater to a much younger audience. The site also plans to add exclusive, weekly behind-the-scenes footage from Project Runway, allowing fans more access to the designers’ insights than ever before.

I’m not really sure what to think of the swap. If I were one of the show’s designers, I would probably prefer the Bluefly accessories wall–whose items are much more high-end–in styling my designs. However, Piperlime’s products are more current, trend-conscious, and for the most part, significantly less expensive. Project Runway creators might prefer Piperlime’s accessibility, especially when it has the potential to draw in a new batch of young viewers who shop on the site.

Which accessories wall would you choose from?