Welcome to the 8th episode of this 10th season of Project Runway, one that I’m hoping we can get through without any fat-shaming or misogyny! Can we do it, Project Runway?! I think we can, I think we can!
Before we even hear about the challenge for this week, the show starts off with Christopher complaining about no one getting kicked off last week’s episode. Even though I feel he should just be pumped about life, as he walked away with a huge win with a pretty boring outfit, it apparently really upsets him that Gunnar didn’t get the boot. Hey, Christopher, you know what’s more annoying than winning something and then kicking the people who almost lost? Nothing, there is nothing more annoying than that.
There are a few interesting things thrown at the designers for this challenge. First, they will not be handed all those dollahs on a silver platter like they normally do for their fabric trip to Mood. Instead, they will have to earn their keep on the street. But wait, not like that! That would be a whole different sort of reality show. One that could be really interesting, actually, examining worlds and circumstances that we so often as a society ignore. Hm.
Sorry, I had a moment. But no, no, the designers are just selling t-shirts and crap. They spray-paint and glitter up a storm, just like it’s arts and crafts time at summer camp! As a lesbian, I am certified to tell you that I love me a good t-shirt, and some people have interesting ideas that I maybe would have spent money on if they had approached me in the street. Just kidding, who has cash on them these days, and who can afford anything in New York City other than rent and gruel? But, living in an alternate reality where I could afford such things, I would’ve bought the team’s that decided to use the outlines of fashion supplies as a technique. That was sort of cute.
Other teams, meanwhile, really did emulate my life as a twelve year old at girl scout camp, haphazardly flinging neon colors onto things like champs. Which brought back some fun memories, so, thanks for that, folks. And at least Elena did it with flare.
Oh, and yes, they’re indeed working in teams. That was the other interesting thing thrown at them, if you can call working in teams “interesting” as opposed to “torturous.” They’re in teams of three this week, with the most drama filled team consisting of Elena, Dmitry, and Alicia. While Alicia has shown her ability to be calm and patient in most situations, it’s hard with Elena and Dmitry, who really, really don’t like each other. It’s like having to hang out with two friends who are always fighting. No one is happy in that situation.
The teams take to the streets to sell their wares, and while a lot of people give them plenty of, “Get the hell away from me,” New York City appropriate looks, each team does really well. Ven, Melissa, and Fabio, who definitely view themselves as The Dream Team, make $800! Holy crap! I want $800! Maybe I should invest in some glitter and hot glue guns! Elena, Alicia, and Dmitry make the least, which perhaps isn’t surprising as Elena’s sales pitch is literally, “Hey, do you want to buy this really crappy thing, because we have to sell this really crappy thing.” While this is obviously not the way to get things done, her ability to never be anything but overly honest makes me smirk a little, in a good way. But even they get $500, not at all shabby.
They’re told that the money they’ve earned is now going to go into making two fall looks, one of which has to include outerwear. Fall! It’s time for sweaters and jackets and pumpkin flavored everything! The world rejoices!
The workroom time passes this week with relatively little fanfare. Elena is stressed and stressful to everyone around her, but this seems more normal than anything, and there aren’t any real full-out breakdowns. While Gunnar and Christopher were both less than enthused about working with each other at first, it seems like as they start to work, they’re actually getting along quite well.
So let’s move right to the runway time. Our guest judge is designer Anna Sui, who’s rocking a sweet star-patterned dress, and who ends up giving the designers a lot of motherly, but useful, advice about teamwork during the critiques.
These are how the two looks per team end up shaking out:
The collection from Elena, Alicia, and Dmitry. Dmitry rocked the black dress with the shawl, while Elena made the bulky grey jacket, Alicia the pants and top underneath.
The collection from Christopher, Gunnar, and Sonjia, that was undoubtedly most impressive when it walked out. All the looks just looked really crisp and on. The shorter jacket made by Sonjia was particularly badass.
The collection from Ven, Melissa, and Fabio, which felt more lighter and airy than the previous two, which actually made me think of fall more.
When it comes to judgment time, Christopher, Gunnar, and Sonjia are clearly on top. Their team actually ended up feeling really empowering to me, because they all produced really kick-ass things that they were all proud of individually, yet you could tell they were also proud of each other. Let the heavens part and light shine down upon us all, teamwork CAN produce amazing results and bright spirits! Hope remains!
The results are less cheery for the other two teams, though. It turns out the judges thought The Dream Team’s looks were all boring and inexpensive looking, which seems like a particularly sad waste of $800. While I didn’t feel as harshly overall towards their looks as the judges, I did agree about the thin, clingy pink tops. The one on the left in particular stuck to the top of the pants in a way so that all you could look at was the highlighted wrinkles between her stomach and the waistband, and listen, I HATE when that happens to my shirts! How is that ever attractive? Ladies have hips and bellies, shirt makers! Why do you give us room for the boobs but no room for the hips? Why must you cling to my pants?! Argh!
On to The Team Where Everyone Is Visibly Uncomfortable, Elena, Dmitry, and Alicia. While I know I’ve defended Elena before, she does really annoy me here. Before the judges even give their opinions, she tears their own work apart for them. She particularly rips into Dmitry, saying it wasn’t fair that he got to do a whole look while she and Alicia had to split theirs. Womp womp. She got to do a jacket! After watching 10 seasons of this show, I know that a single well-made jacket can steal the show, any show, every time. She’s overly compensating for her own poor work in this one. It’s immature and silly.
I feel nervous for Alicia, though. The top and pants she made are pretty plain, and the judges know it. And if there’s one thing they hate more than things turning into a mess, it’s things not being ambitious at all in the first place.
Decision time. Sonjia’s the winner with her great jacket. And as the lesser designers are saved one by one, it eventually comes down to Alicia and Fabio. And while I’m sad, I’m not surprised at all when the loser is Alicia.
I give mad props to Alicia because I think she went farther in this competition than some people might have even expected her to, and it’s clear that she has her own personal aesthetic down. A personal aesthetic, I might add, that I don’t know if I’ve ever really seen on the show before, and it’s pretty rad that a lesbian from Kentucky made it to this competition in the first place. But maybe lesbian chic, however one wants to define that, still isn’t Fashion Week Finale material. Still, I feel like she’s undoubtedly made her mark, and I think we’re going to see that Original Tomboy line of hers stick around for a long time. Which is saying a lot more than other past Project Runway contestants, who say aufiderzein and then fade away forever. Basically, Alicia, I am glad you are on our side, and you keep on doing your thing. We’ll be here for it.
Also,in the previews for next week, there is a lot to look forward to: everybody’s favorite ever, Mondo, is standing in the workroom beside Tim Gunn, squee! And it’s clear that it’s time for the challenge that has popped up in every recent season, the make-your-own-pattern challenge. I love this challenge, as it can produce some truly interesting and exciting results. And to be honest, with a lot of the designs we’ve seen this season, I’m still waiting to be truly excited.
What did you think about the loss of Alicia?
