Project Runway 8/25/11
Project Runway, Sprint For Your Lives
We caught up with the designers after Julie was Auf'd over Cecilia last episode. Apparently Cecilia really wanted to be the one to go, considering she didn't want to wake up and open a New Balance present. When they all met up with Tim & Heidi at the race track, Cecelia wasn't game. She wants to quit. She first talks to Tim, but then Heidi thought it was just because she didn't want to run a lap. It eventually came out…
CECELIA QUIT!
Then, we move on and so do the other designers. They have to sprint around the track once, the first 4 designers will be team-captains during the next challenge. Olivier took a spill (that I kind of enjoyed watching in slow motion) and Heidi finished out the last few feet jogging in heels with Bert (awesome… but would have been more awesome if Heidi was the one to take the spill, no? Okay, I'm awful). Olivier then had a panic attack, but was able to continue on…
The team captains got to choose their teammates in backyard game fashion… in which they'd have to make mini-collections incorporating leather & suede to coordinate with Heidi Klum's New Balance sneakers. They'll have $300/team and 1 day to complete.
Joshua – 1st Team Captain – chose Anya first (they're total BFFs) and then Becky (because the girl can sew!)
Bryce – 2nd Team Captain – chose Kimberly first (she just won the last challenge) and then Danielle
Anthony Ryan – 3rd Team Captain – chose Laura first (they've worked together before) and then got stuck with Bert
Viktor – 4th Team Captain – chose Olivier first (he likes his aesthetic) and then got to choose who out of the 4 previously eliminated designers he wanted to come back to the competition… after some whispered suggestions (from Joshua, Laura & Anthony Ryan) they chose to bring back Joshua C.
They had some time to meet and come up with a concept before heading off to Mood. It was clear which teams were going to have the most problems straight from the start.
WORK-ROOM DRAMA
Team Anthony Ryan-Laura-Bert were definitely split with Anthony Ryan & Laura on one side and Bert squarely on the other. I'd personally hate to be on a team with Bert, there seems to be no compromise at all on his end, but I think these two didn't give him any opportunity for input either. This battle continued throughout the whole challenge, and it ended up with the sides doing their own things and stating they'll defend their own creation on the runway. It hurt them tremendously, but we'll get to that in a minute.
The other workroom drama was with team Joshua M-Anya-Becky. Joshua M and Anya vetoed all her ideas from sketching to fabric and made her their sewing-biotch. When Tim and Heidi made the rounds, Tim emphasized that Becky might get thrown under the bus because she didn't actually design any of the pieces. She wanted to design a top, but Joshua M called her style dowdy and didn't want her to do it. This made Becky loose it, Joshua M eventually apologized and the three hugged it out in a bathroom stall before allowing her to make a darn tank-top.
Then the two most dramatic teams decided drama between themselves wasn't enough. Bert had the audacity to use a sewing machine Joshua M was previously using! (GASP!) There was an exchange of death wishes before moving on.
When Heidi & Tim made their rounds, they realized how unsuccessful the designers had been up to that point, so Heidi gave them an additional 5 hours (until 4AM) to work on their mini-collections.
Because each team had highs and lows, all designers got a critique this week… Guest Judge = Erin Wasson (model/designer)
JUDGES' TOP 2 TEAMS
VIKTOR'S TEAM
VIKTOR'S TEAM
Viktor – WINNER #1 – The judges absolutely loved his motorcycle-inspired black leather jacket paired with a soft grayish-lavender dress. They thought his overall concept was great and his pieces completely wearable and sellable. I totally agree, I loved both pieces and would actually consider buying them. (This is one look that will be sold exclusively on Amazon.com as part of Heidi Klum's New Balance Collection)
Joshua C – He's back in the competition, and was able to make a safe splash. The judges particularly liked his basic tee-shirt (with cool leather strap detailing) and cigarette pants. I wasn't as in love with the t-shirt as the judges (I thought the whole garment's fit was off) but it clearly wasn't the worst.
Olivier – His long-skirted dress concoction was deemed "farm" by the judges, but they like Olivier enough to give him an easy pass this week. (I still hate his aesthetic.)
JOSHUA M'S TEAM
Joshua M – WINNER # 2 – He nabbed the win for being the leader, although the outfit he was responsible won't be sold. He made the printed tank, the fringed vest and shorts combination. Where he lost points with the judges was the over-bedazzling of his outfits (particularly Nina didn't get the fringed-vest).
Anya – she was responsible for the printed maxi-dress with bold pink stripe down the front (although I'm sure Becky actually sewed it all for her). The judges loved it and thought it'd sell like hot-cakes. Therefore, it's the garment that was selected from this team to be sold on Amazon.com
Becky – she was responsible for sewing the skirt (that Joshua M designed) and the too-short black-and-grey tank. This outfit screamed the 80s to me, and Becky got scolded for letting the others steamroll over her.
JUDGES' BOTTOM 2 TEAMS
ANTHONY RYAN'S TEAM
ANTHONY RYAN'S TEAM
Bert – The judges' thought Bert's outfit of a draped-print top over a simple skirt was the only redeeming garment from this team. The teams drama spilled onto the stage and my detest for Bert only increased. This was the 2nd time he's been in team-drama (first with Viktor) and the judges took his side over the other designers because he decided to embellish the truth and throw them under the bus. For me, although Bert's outfit was fine, it was completely boring and I don't know why the judges are backing him like they are.
Laura – She made a printed tank top, a floppy vest and shorts combination. The judges just didn't particularly like how it came together and neither did I. It came off much more frumpy then she intended and I think it was mostly do to fabric choices.
Anthony Ryan – He made a horrible gray-sheen jumper that gave his model multiple front and back "camel toes". Although I didn't mind the top portion as much, the shorts completely ruined the whole thing. No one in their right mind would ever wear/buy that.
He's lucky that Nina & Michael Kohrs were there to fight for him since they see much more potential (from his previous challenges successes) in him over other designers. I sway back and forth on which way the judges should cast their votes (Nina & Michael = "previous challenges matter" vs. Heidi's "one day you're in, the next day you're out"), but after the season where Nina & Michael were mostly absent and they did choose more so on Heidi's one day thing, I'd much rather see it go the way it went last night… (I think Nina & Michael are still having flashbacks to season 1 when they had to give a finale spot to Wendy over the infinitely better-during-the-season Austin Scarlett).
BRYCE'S TEAM
Bryce – The judges really liked his cap-sleeved, darted mini-dress with side button details. They could see it being sold as is or even in a sweater-fabric and Michael said it'd do wonders for lots of body types. But unfortunately, the judges didn't really get his group's concept and didn't think it was a cohesive collection.
Kimberly – She made the black tank and the shorts of one outfit and the black skirt of the other. The judges didn't have much to critique her on specifically and I think the pieces she did make were relatively safe.
Danielle – AUF'D – She made the a teal chiffon top with a black knit lining for one outfit as well as a cropped black jacket for another. The judges hated the top (they've now seen 3 greenish chiffon tops from Danielle in back-to-back-to-back challenges) and thought that the green didn't really fit into the collection (they thought it would have been better under the cropped jacket instead of on it's own with the skirt). In the end, the judges were tired of seeing similar things (they didn't love) from Danielle and decided to give her the boot over Anthony Ryan this week.
It was true that she didn't have the worst look, but boring judges is by far worse. And I'm kind of glad Anthony Ryan gets a second chance, since I just dubbed him last week my thus-far favorite!
BOOB