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Recycled Designing
Episode 7 Recap by Jacob D
August 28, 2008
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Previously on Project Runway, the designers made women's wear for men. Why? Because they were designing outfits for drag queens! In the challenge I, peronsally, have been waiting for since the very beginning, the designers' latest clients were a group of drag queens. It was good, bitchy fun and most of the designers got through the challenge smoothly, though Suede hit a rough patch with the flamboyant Hedda Lettuce. In a twist of delicious irony, Joe, the only straight male designer in the group, won the challenge. Keith and Daniel were left as the bottom two at the runway judging and though Keith's design was messy and indicative of what he'd already done in previous challenges, Daniel was eliminated when he completely missed the mark. 10 designers remain. Who will be cut this week?
It's the day after the runway judging and Kenley is sad to see her friend Daniel leave. Keith feels overwhelmed since being in the bottom two and isn't sure how to handle it. He reminds himself of why he's here and that is to change how the world dresses. On the runway, Heidi gives Joe a chance to choose a model and he sticks with Topacio, eliminating Kelli's model Germaine and Daniel's Elena. There's something that puzzles me: if Heidi only gives one designer a chance to select models each week, why does she keep bringing out that big bag? You know, the one that usually has all the designers' names in it? Just seems a bit pointless.
After that, Heidi sends the designers off on a field trip. Their destination is the top of a building on West 31st street and as the designers leave, the speculation begins. Blayne thinks they could be designing for an unnamed superstar and Korto throws Mariah Carey's name out there. When the designers see that the building is a parking garage, they are baffled. On the roof are Tim, Chris Webb, the lead color designer for Saturn, and five Saturn VUE Hybrid cars. Chris tells the designers that the cars are made from recyclable materials, so the designers will recycle the cars for their next challenge. Of course, they are not actually dismantling the cars. Instead they will have four minutes to grab at the stuff that has been supplied for them inside the cars, meaning stuff that would be used to make the cars, but not actually the cars themselves. Tim tells them that the challenge is about innovation and says it's a second chance for everyone after the disappointing results in the grocery store challenge earlier in the season.
The four minute grabfest begins and everyone is scrambling. Inside the cars are stuff like seatbelts, floor mats, seat covers, window visers, and so on. Blayne is already inspired by the bunches of seatbelts and Joe is confident about the challenge since he's from Motor City. Jerell grabs some dashboard appliques and Suede talks about all the crazy items he grabbed. Stella tells us she's not running around like the others because she doesn't like rushing. Honestly? If anyone cares about my personality, just look at Stella here. I do not like to run anywhere. Even if I'm a little crunched for time or I'm just trying to hurry, I'll walk fast, but not actually run.
The rush for materials ends and the designers head back to the workroom. Before he leaves, Tim tells the designers the winner of the challenge will have immunity and reminds them to be innovative. Some of the designers start to break things, having grabbed stuff like mirrors and headlights, for possible use in their designs. Joe, knowing what the challenge calls for, is glad to have immunity. I would be too because I have no clue as to what these designers will be able to do. Keith is worried about pleasing the judges since anytime he has put forth experimental designs, he's been criticized. You weren't criticized for being experimental, Keith. You were criticized for the messy nature of your designs. Don't sacrifice who you are to make something you're not confident about. Stella decides not to just resort to another leather dress and finally seems ready to try something new.
With nine hours left in the day, Stella tells us that she wants to make something pretty and says she is working on a layered skirt. Suede tells us he is working on a one-shouldered design with some fringe and relates to us his favorite car-related memory. Keith tells us he is making a high waisted short skirt from the tan leather that he has and he still seems hung up on the judges criticisms. Korto goes for a structured, weaving effect with the seatbelts, saying she wants to make something that's day-to-day with a touch of avant garde. Judging from her sketch, it seems she's making another poofy coat with lots of volume. Kenley tells us that everyone is using the seatbelts so she is trying something different. The other designers notice that Kenley is using a marker to draw a zebra print on some white air vents. I'm kind of impressed because so far, she's the only one that's actually altering her materials.
Blayne tells us he is making a flowy dress out of a bunch of seatbelts, but notes that the tough materials are wreaking havoc on the sewing machines. He eventually decides to tear apart the dress and re-do it so that it's more easily executed. Jerell notes that a lot of the designers are having trouble with the materials, but he, Jerell, is in the zone. Leanne tells us she is making a cocktail dress with a different silhouette. She, like Kenley, notes that everybody is using seatbelts, so she wants to use them in a much different way.
With five hours left in the day, Terri asks for Keith's opinion about her design in the sewing room and Keith says he doesn't trust his tastes at the moment. Wow, he is just really broken up about this. When Leanne was in a similar situation, back in the week two challenge, she came back and landed in the top three at the runway judging with a stunning design in the week three challenge. I think with Keith though, he has always been so assured of his viewpoint and driven to succeed that now that he's on the edge of success and receiving criticism, he doesn't know what to do with himself. You have to be able to hold it together if you want to succeed in life so please don't self-destruct, Keith. Terri says she needs Project Runway because she wants to fulfill her dream of starting her own line and does not want to go back to her old job.
Tim comes in and sends in the models for a fitting. For the second time this season, Tim has to inform a designer that their model has dropped out of the competition and this time the lucky designer is Kenley. You know, before this season, I only remember one model ever pulling out of Project Runway and that was way back in season two. It makes me wonder what the contract is like for these models that sign up. Anyways, Shannone is out and Germaine has been brought back as Kenley's new model. Kenley is frustrated because she already made the dress for Shannone's shape and now has to re-do it for Germaine. A lot of the designers seem to really like how their outfits look on their models, so there's little drama to report. Well, except for Kenley being mad that Shannone pulled out.
Later, Tim comes in to make his rounds. He starts with Blayne and Blayne talks about all the work he is doing. Tim wonders about the shape and then expresses concern for all the work he needs to do. Tim goes to Jerell and feels that Jerell's design is beautiful and futuristic. Moving on to Korto, Tim thinks the look and feel of Korto's coat is fabulous. Tim moves on to Stella and doesn't think she's being very innovative with her design. Tim thinks Leanne's design is extremely well-executed so far and likes the ideas she has for her outfit. Keith tells Tim about his design and reiterates his concerns with the judges. Tim tells him he has to believe in his designs for them to work. Tim leaves, but before he does, he tells the designers that he is excited by what they are working on. The group is definitely much improved from the drab output of the grocery store challenge. Now let's wait and see how all these designs look when they are finished.
With two hours left in the day, Terri has a good chuckle over the stiff arms of Korto's jacket. She thinks the design looks like a scarecrow and makes a reference to the movie, "Jeepers Creepers." Jerell tells us that Terri is two-faced and belittles people, but this is such an out-of-left-field comment that I'm not sure if he's serious. We certainly haven't seen any of this, "bitchy, nasty Terri," that Jerell is alluding to and Jerell looks he's trying not laugh himself as he's saying this stuff about her. Keith leaves the sewing machine and asks out loud that no one, "fuck it up," if they get on it. This leads to a couple of the designers discussing Keith's change in attitude over the last couple of challenges. Keith says he's not worried about the designers, but is more worried about his confidence. He just wants to win so badly and feels he deserves it more than anyone else.
The workday ends and Stella takes a moment to call her boyfriend William, a.k.a. "Ratbones." Yes, Ratbones is his nickname. Stella tells us that she and her boyfriend are going to create a line together called, "Zotis and Bones," and tells Ratbones about her experiences on the show. Stella further tells us that she came to Project Runway to spread her wings, i.e. branch out, and gain some exposure.
The next day is the day of the runway show and Korto says she is not going home without a fight. At the workroom, the designers rush to get their designs and models ready. Korto feels she has a good chance of winning and Keith tells his model that she can't sit in the skirt he made. Of course, since he didn't send her to hair and makeup before putting the outfit on her, she has to sit down to be worked on. Whoops. Alyssa, Keith's model, then goes to show him the tear in his skirt and it just adds to his frustration. Leanne sticks muslin in her model's underwear to make sure her skirt keeps its shape on the runway and though Kenley began her design with Shannone in mind, she's happy with the way it has turned out.
It's time for the week's runway show and we have a couple of guest judges this time. Filling in for Nina Garcia is season three finalist, Laura Bennett. I've always loved Laura so I'm happy to see her again. Also sitting in is top celebrity stylist and subject of her own Bravo show, Rachel Zoe. The show begins with Jerell's design and it is wonderful. It's a short paneled frock, very futuristic in look as Tim said. This is easily one of Jerell's best designs so far. Keith's design is next and it's a very non-descript skirt and top with the back of the design looking completely out of sorts. Definitely NOT Keith's best work.
Terri's design is a black top with a criss-crossed netting for the neck area over tan-and-black pants with a belt. I'm noticing that Terri really has a thing for pants. In the first two challenges, she made a skirt and a dress, but in every challenge since then, besides the drag queen challenge, she has made pants. The next time any of you readers are taking an analogy test, just remember that Terri is to pants as Korto is to big poofy jackets. Kenley's design is a black, vest-esque top over a white tube skirt with frilly air vents acting as a second skirt over the first. It's nice, but it looks very stiff, although that could be just the materials. Leanne's skirt is another sculptured, spacey design, but very chic with what I'm calling, "seatbelt fringe," lining the top.
Suede's design is just as he described it earlier, a floor mat top with a fringe skirt. It's nothing particularly, "drop dead WOW!" but it should keep him around. Korto's latest incarnation of the Big Poofy Jacket walks the runway, but this one is different from the others in that it took a lot of weaving, it used unconventional materials, and it's still very nicely done. You can easily see Korto's aesthetic and it's good for a designer to have that identifying stamp in their creations. Blayne's dress is a fringy, seatbelt creation with pieces of a broken mirror used as embellishments on the torso. I like it, but the model looks lopsided up top. Joe's design reminds me of what he made for the Olympics challenge, except in black and red instead of white and red. It seems Joe's aesthetic is, "short and sporty," because it also reminds me of a few of his other designs. Stella's outfit is a lovely layered skirt with a racing style vest.
The designs have been scored and Heidi calls on Terri, Suede, Joe, and Kenley. These four are moving on to the next round while Blayne, Jerell, Keith, Korto, Leanne, and Stella represent the highest and lowest scoring groups of designers. Heidi starts the judging with Jerell and Rachel loves the tailoring and intricate work of the design. Michael likes that Jerell gave them a whole look, what with the design and the model's hair and makeup, and Heidi thinks it's interesting to look at while still being wearable. Blayne is next and Laura thinks the poor fit up top is distracting. Michael isn't a fan of the design and Rachel has problems with the proportions.
Korto is next and I have to say that in that design, Katarina looks about seven feet tall. Just an observation. Anyways, Laura likes the shape and volume, Rachel says she would wear it out the door, and Michael likes the editing that went into it. Leanne is next and Michael loves everything about her design. Rachel says she is blown away, saying Leanne could show this design in Paris.
Stella is next and Rachel thinks the silhouette is lacking. Laura thinks the top and bottom don't match and Michael says the top seems more like Stella's groove while the skirt seems like her attempt to be ladylike. Keith is last and Rachel has a problem with the back of the outfit. Laura doesn't think there's any concept or idea behind the piece and Keith talks about how he was attacked for being extreme in previous challenges. Michael tells Keith not to let the judges rein him in before saying that he, Keith, kind of muted himself. Keith says he felt insulted with the comments the judges made in the last challenge and Michael tells him that that's the reality of being in the public eye, saying he just needs to let it roll off of his back. That's why Santino lasted as long as he did in season two because he always stayed true to his vision and remained confident in himself and that's what you should be doing, Keith. Just don't be a complete ass like Santino.
It's time for the judges to deliberate. They feel Jerell has a dramatic point of view and they loved how cohesive his design was. They loved the chic nature of Korto's outfit and feel it was beautifully thought out. They felt that Leanne's design was perfectly executed and stunning. With Stella, they liked the pieces as separates, but not together. They felt Blayne had too many ideas fighting each other in his design and don't think Keith's design had any inspiration, nor was it flattering or awe-inspiring. Michael also notes his inability to take a critique.
Decisions have been made and the designers are brought back out. Jerell is in and Leanne is the winner. Korto and Blayne are in, leaving the two designers who thought more about what other people would think than about their actual designs, Keith and Stella, as the bottom two. To Keith, Heidi says he had a chance to be innovative, but he gave the judges a boring, poorly crafted design. To Stella, Heidi says she didn't wow the judges and her look was disconnected. Stella is in and Big Sexy, a.k.a. Keith, is out. Keith's strong, silent veneer cracks and he tears up as he gives his exit interviews. Is it wrong that I like him even more now that I've seen him cry? It's good to see emotion in people because it's human and completely natural. It's also moments like these that let you know someone really cares and/or has passion for what they love/believe in.
Coming up on Project Runway:
The designers will make outfits based on Diane von Furstenburg's fall line and designing for such a fashion legend brings both joy and pressure to the competitors. See ya there.
Jacob D. is a twenty-something native of Austin Tx who spends his time
listening to music, posting on Austin based messageboards, playing
video games, and watching TV. Jacob also enjoys reading Shonen Jump,
Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes strips, playing Texas Hold 'em, drawing
cartoon chickens, and tending to his neopets. Though shy in real
life, he loves to sound off on his favorite shows and enjoys
interacting with other fans.
You can contact Jacob at Jacob@RealityTVCalendar.com
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