Project Runway 8/27/08--"Fashion That Drives You" summary

Previously on Project Runway: the most fabulous challenge ever occurred. Drag queens. Oh, it was fun. There wasn’t as much drama as I thought, though. Lots of sequins, and crazy bright colors, and other fun things. Joe won with a pink sequined jumpsuit. The straight guy, I know! It was pretty cool. Korto made flames for her queen. (Kmanpat: “As if she’s not putting out enough of her own. The queen, not Korto.”) Keith made some weird black and white mess, but Daniel did not use one sequin and so went home. His dress was OK, and in another challenge might have survived. But it was too boring for this challenge, especially for a drag queen named Annida Greenkard. Either one could have gone home, I think. Ah, but it was satisfying to see those designers freak out about having to put dresses on men. (click for more)

Kenley is all sad that Daniel is gone, probably because he’s the only one who will put up with her. Keith can’t handle being in the bottom two. I can’t handle his little glasses and newsboy cap. Yum. He says he wants to change the way the world dresses. (Kmanpat: “You can start by wearing fewer clothes.”)

Heidi makes the models come out, which sucks because Daniel’s model is up and they didn’t even use her. This system has flaws. Heidi is wearing some striped thing, it’s weird. She sends them on a field trip, but without Tim, to some rooftop. And then she’s like, hurry up slackers! Blayne…babbles about “rooftop style”. Whatever.

The address is a parking garage. Hee. Will they make clothes based on cars? Like that one guy first season? I think it was Robert. He was always saying that women were cars and had hot curves or whatever. I can’t believe I remember that. Terri says it’s always scary to see what’s coming. Yeah, they’ve had some crazy stuff. Oh. Oh no. There ARE cars all lined up. Dude. Tim is there with Chris Webb who is a tiny British man. They’ve got 5 Vue Hybrids, and the guy says some stuff about how much of the car is recyclable, and then he reveals the challenge: “recycle” the car materials into clothes. HA! Everyone craps their pants. I thought it would be trash. Inside each car are piles of materials that are used to make the cars. So they don’t have to tear the cars apart? That’s no fun. Tim tells them their first challenge about innovation sucked ass and they’d better bring it now.

Everyone gets a roller cart and goes crazy. There are seat covers, seat belts, upholstery materials, floor mats…somehow this is right up Joe’s alley. Jerell is getting dashboard stuff. They only have 4 minutes. Jerell also has a headlamp. I think they’ve also got engine parts and stuff. Stella says rushing is embarrassing? What? She’s just standing around. Terri can’t even carry all her stuff.

They have until midnight and winner gets immunity. Another reminder about innovation and Tim tells them to have fun! Haha! Everyone seems to be rummaging, breaking stuff, tearing things apart. This was so fast that people tended to grab whatever they could and now they’re trying to figure out what’s going on. Joe offers to trade a carburetor for a light. Keith freaks out because he knows he has to please the judges. Stella has a headlight, it looks like, and she has no idea what to do with it. She says that making a leather dress wouldn’t be innovative. The ONE challenge where she could make a leather dress with hardware, and she won’t do it. Suede is making tops from the rubber floor mats and he has injured himself breaking glass and cutting things. Can’t say as I care very much, although he does say “I” a couple of times.

Stella mutters to herself about doing something cute, and she says she’s making tiers of seat belt straps for a skirt. Everyone agreed with me that she should do things with leather. Suede talks about a car his dad gave him. Also his dress, but that’s before the random story about dead family members. Keith is using some leather to make a short pencil skirt. He’s more worried about what the judges will think than what he will design, and he knows that’s not a good place to be. It has to be more constructed. Korto is weaving seat belts in what looks like a big coat. Kenley is drawing on what looks like air filters with a sharpie. She says everyone was going to use seatbelts so she didn’t want to. So she’s drawing a zebra print. Zebra print = not innovative. Blayne’s trying to make a flowing gown out of seat belts but all of the sewing machines are jacked up from people sewing seat belts and leather. He thinks he might have to sew it all by hand, which would suck. Jerell is quite pleased with himself but doesn’t explain why he’s not worried about the machines. Leanne’s outfit is all black, and there are some jokes about it snapping at the crotch. She says no, and whoever said it (I think it’s Blayne) is like, forget that then. It’s made from a seat cover. Stella has a weird hat/helmet thing. She starts talking about Planet of the Apes. Terri asks Keith what he thinks of her design, and he’s like, I wouldn’t know, apparently I have bad taste. Don’t be whiny. Terri interviews that she needs this show because she’s trying to start her own label, and she doesn’t want to go back to her own job.

Tim comes to deliver models. Kenley’s model has dropped out. WTF? That’s the second model this season! Maybe the models realize that they’re going to be sitting out like, every other week, so they’re taking other jobs. Korto’s weaving is coming along. Stella is far enough behind that her model is trying on muslin mock-ups. It fits, luckily, so she gets right to work. Kenley whines that her model “bailed on [her]”, as if the girl did it just to spite Kenley. Wait, maybe she did. Jerell reminds her that models also have to eat. Kenley responds “Well, it’s all about me right now, so, I can be mad.” She’s all upset and freaking out, but since I don’t like her I don’t care. I find that I don’t even care enough to gloat.

Tim time! Blayne is changing his design because he realized it was too much to finish. Somehow his gown is molded? To give it shape? It’s sewn into the shape it has, I think. Tim just leaves him to work. Jerell has a bodice and some plastic things for panels. It looks pretty good. Korto’s coat has a 60’s mod look right now that is great. Stella’s look isn’t very innovative, but it is out of her comfort zone. Leanne’s dress is well executed, but we don’t see much of it. She’s making fringe from seatbelts, I think. Actually her dress has a lot of volume at the hips but it’s well constructed. Keith is making a corset to make his dress have clean lines. And some straps to make a tank top. Tim is kind of bored but he just says for Keith to make sure he’s bought into the design. Tim lets everyone know he’s excited and don’t screw it up.

Korto’s coat is so stiff that the arms stick out by themselves. Terri is laughing so hard she falls on the floor, and she makes some comment about scarecrows or something, and Korto mutters that she’s hating on Terri. Jerell snobs that Terri doesn’t know how to talk to people, but Korto might just be joking around. I don’t see Jerell being everyone’s friend. Then he ruins it in interview by telling us like 5 times that Terri is two-faced. You only need to say it once, honey. Keith complains to the sewing room that people should fix the machine when they’re done with it, and then he stomps out. Blayne says that he’s gotten really cranky and is slamming stuff and whatever. Keith says everyone’s there to win but he deserves it more than others.

At home, Stella calls her boyfriend “Ratbones” to chat. They’re going to start their own line called “Zotis and Bones” which is a cool name. She says the show is really hard, but she wants to get exposed. That’s the word she used. I’m calling this as bad editing. In the morning everyone gets ready and Korto is ready for a fight.

Tim gives everyone an hour with their models. Kenley is flailing. Keith tells his model she can’t sit down and he has to work on the top now. Everyone thinks they’re going to win. Tim gives everyone 10 minutes, which is when Keith discovers that his model did actually sit down and has torn the skirt. He’s like, “I knew you were going to sit down.” So why did you put it on her? She had to get her hair and makeup done. At first it looks like it might just be a little tear at the hem but there’s a much bigger tear further up. He says there’s more at stake for him than for her, and he’s pissy that he “gave a model a small task” and she ruined his chances or whatever. Keith, honey, shush. You’re turning into a jerk and while my eye candy is often incompetent it makes me sad when they’re jerks. Leanne has stuffed muslin into her model’s underwear so the sides of the skirt don’t cave in. Keith is now even telling his model to watch her breathing. You made it wrong, if it’s so fragile. Seriously.

Poll: Which designer would you like to hop in the backseat with? A. Blayne, B. Kenley, or C. All of them? WTF kind of stupid answers are those? Blayne? Ugh. (Kmanpat: “D. Wesley)

Heidi tells us that Nina is gone today. But are we stuck with Anne Slowey? Never! It’s Laura Bennett! Oh, I hope she rips someone a new one. The real guest judge is Rachel Zoe.

Jerell: strapless bustier in the suede side of the car seat (a putty color) with the silver plastic pieces at the top and in panels in the middle. Inside the panels and under the part at the top is black vinyl. The skirt is black vinyl. It’s really really short. Her hair is in a ponytail that is like, 3 feet tall. Keith: short putty skirt and a halter top made from cargo netting, apparently. It actually looks like real clothes. Terri: tight pants and black top, made from carpets and seat cushions. It also looks like real clothes. Kenley: black vinyl vest and pencil skirt made from window shades, with the ruffle out of air filters or whatever. I don’t like the skirt proportions and the ruffle is really wide. Leanne: black dress with jodhpur hips, and fringe along the bustline made from seat belts. They don’t look like seat belts. I love it. Suede: black one shouldered top from floor mats, and silver fringy skirt from sun visors. The top is really stiff but the skirt is kind of cool. Korto: seat belt coat. It looks quilted and it’s fab. Blayne: long dress made out of seatbelts. He draped them vertically, and the skirt isn’t all sewn together so it moves. Then there are bits of broken mirrors along the chest in a V. The top fits horribly but it is made from seat belts. Joe: black sleeveless top and short skirt in black with seat belt accents. He also took the car logo panel in red and made that into the front panel of the shirt. It kind of reminds me of a NASCAR racing suit. Stella: top from leather and suede, with stitching to hold it shut, and seat belt skirt. The seat belts are horizontal. Her model looks dead. Like, she’s walking all slow and it’s boring.

Terri, Suede, Joe, and Kenley are safe. Terri looks pissed. Jerell gets to start, and he talks about how the plastic parts look futuristic and he loved it. Rachel thinks it’s so great and smart. The styling is over the top but appropriate, and the clothes are wearable. Blayne just saw seat belts and took as many as he could grab. Laura likes the idea but she is too distracted by the crappy fit in the bodice. Kors says he always hates a car wash skirt. Rachel thinks that if it was sewn to the knee, or if the fringe ended at the knee, that would be better. Heidi jokes about breaking mirrors, which she says causes 7 years of no sex. Blayne is unconcerned. Laura and Rachel love Korto’s coat. Rachel would wear that right now. Kors talks about restrained drama. Leanne’s dress gets high praise. The back of the skirt flares out a little bit, so it looks less like jodhpurs. Kors can’t shut up about how awesome it is. It’s very well made, too. Stella talks about her comfort zone, and there’s a close-up so you can see the skirt isn’t sewn well. Laura says the two pieces don’t go together. Kors agrees, and they pan to the skirt again. There are the horizontal belts, and then a vertical seat belt, but the vertical one isn’t sewn right so there are big gaps. Keith says that first thing, he wanted to make something that didn’t look like it came from a car at all, and also to make it clean. The back…there’s some cargo netting, you can see her bra, the belt is just tacked together, and there’s a gap between the belt and the skirt, like a notch where he just didn’t finish. The back looks BAD. Keith explains how his model was “forced” to sit down to do hair and makeup and he had to fix it. Laura is bored. She says she doesn’t see an idea, and Keith says she should have seen his other stuff. Laura is like, “Excuse me?” Oh this should be good. Keith complains that when he did other stuff that took it to an extreme, there wasn’t as much “appreciation” as he wanted. Kors, for some reason, is almost nice, and tells Keith they weren’t trying to rein him in, necessarily. Keith continues complaining that he put so much work into his last outfit and they called it a “dowdy chicken” which hurt. OK, so 1. it was “sad chicken” so get it right, and 2. it was a sad chicken. He thinks they weren’t criticizing but insulting him. Kors basically tells him to cowboy up and deal. Heidi sends them away which means that Laura didn’t get to put anyone in their place. Dang.

Good: Jerell (very dramatic, wearable, sexy), Korto (chic, beautiful, elegant), Leanne (flawless, risky but cut perfectly). Bad: Stella (the pieces didn’t match, too much for the eye), Blayne (too many ideas at once, too long, not well made), Keith (lacking inspiration, not flattering, blaming the model and the critic doesn’t go over well with Kors).

Poll question: America wants to makeout with all the designers at once. Strumpets.

Jerell is in. Leanne wins. Yay! She’s so cute she does a little dance behind the scrim. Korto is in. Blayne is in. Keith wasn’t innovative, and Stella was not surprising. Stella is in. I have got to stop watching editing for clues. In his exit interview Keith’s crying. Like serious crying, he can’t even talk. It’s most upsetting that he went home for presenting something that wasn’t even his aesthetic. He says in Utah he doesn’t have opportunities to get out, but he’ll show someday. Time to move to New York.

Next week: Designing for Diane von Furstenberg! I like her. Everyone freaks out. Drama! Crying! Insane crotches!