Whoo! This episode was what you might call a “doozy.” As a frequent behind-the-scenes staffer myself, I related to the crew during this episode at a spiritual level. I’ll get to the moment we’ve all been bracing ourselves for later in this recap (spoiler: Tim lets the fur fly), but for now I’ll just say that I loved it.
We know something’s up before we even see Heidi because we keep catching glimpses of the crew. Uh, are the editors asleep in their suites? No, no keep your pants on -– it’s a bit! This episode is about the people who make “Project Runway” and how poorly they dress themselves. This will fill the void left in me when Ricki Lake’s show ended and I lost my steady supply of normal-people-ambush makeovers.
The Challenge:
Sally Beauty Consultant Liddy Bisanz tasks the designer with creating a look that will transform a crew member and make her runway ready. Sally Beauty Lead Hair Stylist Gregory Patterson will consult with each of them to talk through hair changes. It’s a rare and precious gem of a two-day challenge. The pairings go a little something like this:
Camera Assistant Katie wants Kelly but gets Merline. She’s scared of Merline’s shoulder fixation.
Sound Mixer Desiree is nervous but Edmond sooths her with a big bear hug.
Overall’d Talent Manager Ashleigh is paired with Kelly. They’re both funky fresh so this seems like it might work.
Production Coordinator Jennifer admits she needs a makeover but is nervous to put her fashion life in someone else’s hands. She’s paired with Swapnil.
Challenge Assistant Nicole is super psyched to be paired with Ashley and the feeling is mutual.
Model Wrangler Monique is ready to put herself in her models’ heels with designer Candice by her side.
It’s time for the designers to show they can create something wearable, take direction from a client, and do both while maintaining their view as a designer. At Mood they have half an hour and $200 to shop. They all seem fairly confident — maybe overly so, considering their insane fabric choices of late.
In the workroom, Merline has decided to ignore Katie’s plea for a garment that doesn’t make her look boxy. Showing the coat she’s made off to Kelly and Ashley, Merline says, “You think I could convince her? I love it.” Maybe she misheard her client and thought Katie asked for something that wasn’t “foxy?” because…this coat certainly isn’t. (P.S. This is my formal petition to bring back the term “foxy.”)
Uh-oh, somebody’s crying. Oh, it’s Ashley. She’s got designer’s block. I have writer’s block talking about Ashley’s designer’s block. We both need to get it together.
Back in the workroom, Swapnil is relaxed, goofing off and slacking like crazy. They may have two days for this challenge but he seems overly confident that Jennifer will like anything he does. Was he there for the consultation? She seemed like the pickiest of the bunch, no?
During the second day, Tim critiques the designers with their crew member clients present. The critique will double as a fitting. Eek.
Kelly is creating a grown-up, professional version of a coverall. I’ve never worn pleather to work, but I’m not opposed to the idea, and the maroon color choice is pretty chic. When she tries it on, Ashleigh feels like the crotch area of the overalls might be a little ill-fitting, but this isn’t an impossible fix. Tim mentions that Kelly should create an additional piece and she seems worried.
Candice is creating a corset, pencil skirt, and blue overcoat for Monique. I don’t know Monique but she doesn’t seem like the corset-wearing type. Tim is bored by what Candice has created so far; a corset might scream “Candice!” but the one she’s made just yawns.
When Tim and Katie approach Merline, you can already see the disappointment on Katie’s face. She hates the big-shouldered coat Merline was so proud of. An unhappy Tim explains that Merline needs to make sure her client’s voice is heard.
Nicole and Ashley are bonded over plus-sized fashion. Ashley made a little dress that feels a bit like a housewife costume and, as Tim says, it’s a bit expected from her at this point. Nicole does not love the lack of sleeves, as she explicitly asked for them. Ashley cries again.
It should be noted that at about this point Tim’s frustration is beginning to spill through the cracks of his usually very pleasant demeanor.
Edmond is creating a raincoat for Desiree, which he notes that she specifically requested. His drop crotch, high-waisted pant has some problems of the camel-toe variety. When Desiree tries on the coat, the three of them realize simultaneously that it isn’t very high fashion. Edmond lost himself in trying to please his client. I am sensing a theme.
Swapnil is doing a wrap top in leather. Jennifer and Tim are underwhelmed. Swapnil says that he’s not sure why he’s working so slowly to create something so basic. It’s so unfinished that Jennifer can’t even try it on. When Swapnil claims that he wanted to wait until his critique to continue with his design, Tim calls him out in a pretty explosive way (for mild-mannered Tim).
Okay, so, here’s the thing. Tim knows these crew members very well – much better than the designers – and is understandably protective. He’s seeing the designers half-ass their way through a challenge that should be a super easy one for them; after all, they got a trip to Mood, two days to work, and clear direction from some very vocal clients. Giving it 50 percent instead of 100 percent might might be fine if it was only the designers’ heads on the chopping block. But phoning it in while ignoring their client’s requests, then forcing those clients to wear poorly-designed looks on national television, is a disappointment that makes fools out of everyone. Honestly, I’m pissed off, too.
Then Tim asks Swapnil why he is on “Project Runway,” his answer is something to the effect of “designer soul searching.” Go eat, pray, smoke on your own time, Swapnil! You’re here to design!
The second fitting moves along a lot more smoothly for the designers, many of whom have changed their designs entirely, but Swapnil and Jennifer still seem to be having issues communicating what they want. Swapnil scraps his second creation and grabs some random fabric to create a new top. He and Jennifer argue up to the moment when she steps on the runway.
Runway:
Shiri Appleby and Constance Zimmer, stars of Lifetime’s “UnReal,” join a stern-faced Tim, Heidi, Zac, and Nina.
Kelly, the winner: Sassy pleather maroon overalls with a simple vest of the same material and a white tank top. She kept Ashleigh’s style but elevated it. Kelly is moving on up in the “Runway” world. The judges love it.
Merline: A grey fitted vest and black leather skirt. The skirt could fit better but it’s a strong contender. And let’s not forget Katie’s rock-and-roll hair. The judges like it.
Candice: A black and blue corset and skirt with a sheer cover-up. It looks slapped together and cheap. It’s not a good look, and especially surprising (in a very bad way) coming from Candice. The judges hate it.
Edmond: A sporty grey dress and raincoat that don’t pair well together, even though they’re both well made. That said, it looks comfy as hell. The judges like the elements separately but don’t understand them together.
Swapnil: A light blue thrown-together-in-the-last-second top with a built-in cape and a neoprene skirt. This top material looks like the fabric they use to make those scratchy hospital blankets. Jennifer is miserable. When the judges see that the top is completely unfinished, they hate it even more than they did before.
Ashley: A purple and pink sweetheart-neckline top with a pencil skirt and peplum. This is where Ashley should have shined, considering Nicole’s body type is Ashley’s specialty. I personally never understood the appeal of a peplum – who does this look good on? The judges don’t like it. Ashley cries again and Nina and Zac tell her to knock it off.
The judges have caught on to Swapnil’s scheme of playing it safe with one item of drama and they’re bored by it. He seems bored, too – dude took a nap while the judges deliberated. With no excuses left, Swapnil takes a permanent 10-9 and is sent packing.
