First off, these designers just keep getting luckier and luckier. The episode starts off with Tim coming in and stating that each designer will get $500 to go to Mood to help make each of the collections more cohesive. The designers seem to realize that you do not need to “do it all” in their collections and sometimes restraint is a sign of a strong, confident designer. I honestly don’t think that any of the designers are in a bad situation and can easily take their collections to the next level. The designer who is having the hardest time making changes is Roberi. He is really tied to his collection and does not seem willing to make many changes. He also is inspired by the word “confusion,” which could be interesting, but also is a slippery slope.
The next day at the studio the models come for their fitting. I always love seeing the looks come to life on the human form, and I am getting more and more excited to see the full collections on the runway. I also learn that Roberi is the luckiest (canniest?) man alive. I mean, who thinks to bring an entire additional set of shoes? I think the new shoes will really complement the collection. I also can’t help but agree that beyond all the embellishments, Erin’s pieces are a little simplistic. While I do think this is part of her charm, I also think that puts her a little behind in the competition.
I love when Tim comes in and gives the designers an encouraging message. He really is a great guy and brings a real support system to a very surreal time. I never really appreciated him until I was on “Project Runway All Stars” and didn’t have his support. There was another mentor there, but it was absolutely not the same and not as genuine. I also agree with what he says about the designers–beyond their talent they seem like good people. That will serve them well in life more then any win on “Project Runway.” I am getting emotional, too!
On the runway we learn that Zendaya is the guest judge. She seems like a very creative individual and I think that will serve the designers well. On to the runway….
Rik – This was a cool collection that really screamed ready-to-wear. I thought he did a great job on making it cohesive and I could tell that Zendaya really enjoyed it. I thought he started out really strong with the black and white pieces and then sizzled out a little bit with the denim he then brought back the strength with the leather. I liked his denim pieces, but I thought he could have freshened them up a little more with some better styling and a more tailored look. My least favorite outfit was the yellow leather top paired with the denim–it seemed dated. My favorite pieces were the black and white leather jacket and the black and white printed top. I also thought the red and blue leather dress was strong, although I think he should have stuck to a cleaner black, white, yellow, and denim color palate. Rik did a great job and I think he should be proud of himself, but this was not a winning collection.
Laurence – This was a clean and elegant collection. I thought she did a great job at making a well-tailored, cohesive collection, but I missed a little of her crazy amazing tailoring skills. I have been lusting over her leather jackets all season and I missed seeing them in this collection. Like Rik, she started out very strong with the leather jumpsuit. This is definitely something I would LOVE to have in my wardrobe. Again, like Rik, her collection seemed to lose the plot somewhat. I also really liked the white leather dress that was close to the end of the runway show. I thought her finale dress was interesting. It looked a little unfinished at the bottom, but I understand that is part of it’s charm. It felt a little disconnection from the other polished pieces (i.e. pearl embellished blouses) in her collection. I would have liked to see her explore that cool girl edge that I saw from her this season. It was too great a juxtaposition. I wish she had a smoother transition to her finale dress throughout her collection.
Roberi – Wow, I was really blown away by this collection. I thought he did a great job of creating a really cool girl–one that a lot of people would aspire to be. I loved the shiny fabric paired with the army greenish trench coats. I loved the macrame that he did over the classic dress to give it a fresh twist. I loved the gown. I loved it all. I thought that it was a strong collection from the moment that it first came out on the runway until the finale. I would love to wear any piece from that collection. I also thought that he did a great job of really stepping up the styling from the mini collection to the runway, it made a huge difference. I haven’t seen Erin’s collection yet, but so far this is my clear choice for the win.
Erin – Well if Erin’s mission was to make someone smile, she definitely accomplished that! I thought her collection was a lot of fun and was able to make “crazy” fashion seem accessible and wearable. She has a great skill of cutting large, oversized silhouettes and making them move and look graceful. My favorite pieces were the pink dress with the oversized sleeves, the brown chiffon top and of course, the banana look. I wish she would have done a little more sophisticated pieces like she accomplished with the brown chiffon top–a gown in that would be stunning. I would have liked to see her explore that more and balance that out with the “kooky.”
All the designers should be so proud of themselves. I agree with the assessments that this is the most talented group of designers on “Project Runway.” That said, only one can be crowned the winner. I think that title belongs to Roberi, with the runner-up being Laurence, followed by Erin and Rik.
The judges have a different opinion with Erin being crowned the winner, followed by Roberi, Laurence and Rik. Well, what can I say but Roberi, you are in good “runner-up” company! 😉
