Project Runway 10/8/08--"Finale pt. 1" summary

Previously on Project Runway: the designers went to the gardens and designed gowns based on nature. It’s the usual penultimate challenge: everyone freaks out and plays it safe and in the end the gowns all suck. Jerell’s gown won, because it had a great combination of colors, even though the bodice was so low a wardrobe malfunction was imminent and the hemlines were all janky. Then, after making everyone say they didn’t want Kenley to come to the finals, the judges wussed out and didn’t eliminate anyone. So now all four of them will have to compete right before Fashion Week, and that includes Jerell. (click for more)

Heidi reappears to tell everyone that they can create a collection of 10 looks with a budget of $8000 and 2 months. When they return to New York one of them will be eliminated. Then she tells them all their evening gowns sucked ass so now they must all design wedding gowns as one final challenge. Korto is pissed because she thought they were free of restrictions. Tim comes out to tell them he will visit everyone in the next month and go designers! Back behind the scrim Heidi and Tim pretend to kiss. I don’t know either.

Kenley says that in the last runway show she was “sabotaged” by the other designers. Unless they made your dress for you, I don’t think they sabotaged you. She walks right by Jerell on her way out of the building to go home, and he says nothing to her but gets up to say goodbye to Korto and Leanne. Jerell twists the knife by being like, oh, wasn’t there someone else? Korto does the same thing. She doesn’t think Kenley will change. Jerell promises us “pure magic“. Leanne is going to get to work right away and not procrastinate.

First up for home visits is Korto, who lives in Little Rock. She actually doesn’t work out of her house, but is working in some rooms owned by the city. Her clothes are bright greens and yellows. She wants ethnic but not too ethnic. Also she’s done her own beadwork. Tim loves them. There’s some snakeskin too. There’s one gown that’s a green pleated fabric with an opening…let’s say at her crotch. Tim is embarrassed because that‘s probably the closest he‘s come to a woman‘s ladyparts. Korto’s wedding dress, on the other hand, is a champagne color and has gorgeous pleating on the shoulders and has kind of a keyhole neckline. She wore this color when she got married. Tim thinks she needs something like a veil or a train that says “wedding” and not “red carpet”. Off to Korto’s house to meet her husband and daughter and other people. Including her drumming partner. Oh, Tim looks out of place. Korto and her drumming partner perform for everyone. She talks about her parents and how they escaped Liberia when she was young, because her dad worked for the government. She wants to show her daughter she can be whatever she wants. But she also thinks that they’re so happy for her and proud of her that even if she doesn’t win they’ll be thrilled.

Portland Oregon is next for Leanne. That doesn’t surprise me somehow. Now we are down to 3.5 weeks left. Her boyfriend is over, and he’s cute and then he leaves. She got back from New York and sketched for a few days down by the water front. She’s got a skirt made out of panels that give it volume and it’s very Leanne. He’s concerned about the stark white fabric. Leanne’s wedding dress has the same flaps, but it’s so huge and “done” that it doesn’t go. Then Leanne suggests a bike ride. Tim says nervously that he has to check his medical insurance. Cut to the park and Leanne and Tim on a bicycle built for two. Oh man, that is the cutest thing ever. Hee! They end up in the middle of a park, on a blanket, and it’s all very romantic except that Tim would probably rather be there with Anderson Cooper. Leanne says she started getting into fashion when she was 12 and in ballet, and she started to design her own costumes. She was always into art, and always drawing dresses. She’s quite proud of herself for still drawing and making a living from it.

Jerell lives in L.A. which is where they’re having next season of Project Runway, which won’t be on until next summer if ever. Jerell (who has a goatee now) is glad to see Tim for a second opinion. He has an evening collection, and is mixing textures like he always does. His wedding dress is very couture, and has a lot of wrinkled fabric in huge poofs, and netting, and beading, and whatnot. The skirt has asymmetrical swooping. The top has a beaded bustier and some silk poofyness, but Tim says it looks like it was a mistake, like it was supposed to be sewn on and it fell off. He thinks it won’t be very “Jerell“. There’s another outfit, with a gold bra and some kind of chain mail I think, that is a shawl right now but he wants it to be sleeves. Tim is worried about how much look it is. It has to be believable. Jerell finally is able to escape to take Tim to meet his family and boyfriend. His sister is gorgeous. He is such a cute child! Living in south central L.A. during the height of gang violence and riots made his parents do everything they could to take their kids out of there. His dad (holy crap, the ‘fro on his dad) was a truck driver so he wasn’t around much. Jerell is finally realizing what that sacrifice really means to him. Everyone is proud.

Kenley lives in Brooklyn. Her apartment is “hip” but not retro. She interviews that she really does value Tim’s opinion, even if it seems like she doesn’t. I wonder when this was? And how many episodes had aired? She tells us her grandmother was a calendar girl and she just died, so Kenley wishes she could see her. Her collection is very Kenley. She’s actually hand painted some of the fabrics. I thought it was one of her prints, but it’s silk she painted. Then she’s got a green gown with a high neck that has a black rope around the throat, and when Tim asks about it, she says “I’m into ropes!” (Kmanpat: “…ew.”) Tim is reminded of nooses and asks her if she ever thought of that. Of course not. She claims it’s from her dad the tugboat captain. Her wedding gown is covered with cream ostrich plumes. If you imagine a ballerina’s tutu, then put tulle underneath, that would be Kenley‘s wedding dress. Tim loves it and Kenley cries. She claims she’s not trying to win but instead trying to fulfill a dream. She does not get a side trip. Interesting.

6 days until fashion week! Everyone returns to hotels. Korto isn’t excited to see Kenley and is afraid that’s her roommate, but Leanne shows up instead. They’re so cutely thrilled. Leanne wants to avoid the drama. Jerell shows up next and there are greetings all around. Wow, Kenley is the one no one likes and she’s the last to show up! Imagine! Jerell finds he’s rooming with Kenley and says you may find him on the couch. Just like Karasaun. Kenley finally shows up (wearing a sequined hat she stole from Kelly Wearstler, I am sure) and everyone is like, “Oh. Hi.” On the way to her room she apologizes for being a bitch. Then she interviews it’s not worth it to be angry with people she’ll never see again. I don’t know that anyone believes her. Room service arrives with champagne and what looks like a tub of beer, and some food, and a note from Tim saying he’ll see them tomorrow. Jerell thinks the tension went down after Kenley’s apology but they’re still all nervous.

Everyone unpacks in their new workroom. Jerell jokes about checking out everyone’s outfits. Tim reminds them that only 3 of them will show at Fashion Week, and then says they will have another challenge. Oh, you thought the wedding dress was the challenge? Of course not. Everyone dies a little. Tim tells them that since they all made wedding dresses, now they have to make coordinating bridesmaid dresses. They are PISSED. Tomorrow they will present both dresses and then someone will be eliminated. $150 for fabric, which is about how much a good dress will cost finished.

Shopping time! Korto isn’t worried because she’s made them before and they’re just evening gowns. Leanne knows exactly what she needs. Jerell has charcoal colored fabric. He says he buys material and lets it tell him what it will become.

Tim gives them until midnight tonight and go go go! Make it work! Leanne is using her dress to show color. Korto is calm and hasn’t snapped on anyone. Kenley kind of half-jokingly says she can snap on her since she already did it before. Korto just kind of is like, I’m not going to snap on anyone. She knows the old bitchy Kenley is still there but she’s going to give Kenley the benefit of the doubt until she screws up again. Jerell says that bridesmaid dresses are ugly. Sigh. Korto is like, um, she can be cute. “There’s nothing wrong with your bridesmaids being cute, ladies!” Really, Jerell doesn’t seem to mind if his dress is kind of ugly.

Tim time! Kenley has a pleated wrap bubble dress in dark blue, with a boat neck top. She doesn’t want to be eliminated for her bridesmaid dress. Tim says it’s fun and upbeat and he wants to go to this wedding. Jerell has a great blue/green, and he’s trying to match the beading. There’s a champagne sash and a flower. Tim warns him that it’s puckered and that could kill him at this point. Leanne’s dress is much simpler than her new wedding dress, which has been changed and is now “making music”. Her bridesmaid dress is very long but it has some blue in it that matches the other blue in her collection. She and Tim agree that she needs to think about the length. Korto has dark gold pleating on a halter neckline. It’s almost the same color as her wedding dress, though. They’re both beautiful but they’re competing right now. Tim leaves them, but not without warning them that they’ll have to stand by their work tomorrow. He starts to tear up and tells them he believes in all of them and cares about all of them. Aww, so cute! Korto starts to freak out. Leanne too.

In the morning everyone looks pretty nervous. And exhausted. Korto is still behind. Tim gives everyone time with their models. No one responds, because they are working so hard. Kenley thought she was the only one doing a short bridesmaid dress, but both Korto and Leanne have also shortened theirs. Kenley of course thinks everyone copied her. Yes, because you’re the only one to do short dresses ever. Jerell is feeling pretty good. Leanne is kind of confused about Korto’s, because it’s pretty heavily worked. Jerell has flowers for his model’s head. Leanne is thrilled to see her wedding dress on her model. Korto loves everyone, even Kenley, so she doesn’t want anyone to go home.

Guest judge for today is…no one. Jerell: his wedding dress is this giant confection of champagne wrinkled silk, with a huge tulle underskirt, and some loose fabric at the bodice that reveals a beaded bustier. On top of the model’s head are some magnolias, I think, branches and all. There’s a beaded belt too? I think. The back has one of those trains that starts at the top of the bodice for volume. His bridesmaid dress is in turquoise with a belt that matches the dress, and a spray of the same flowers in the belt. It’s long and sleek, or would be sleek if it wasn’t that same wrinkled silk. It’s kind of shiny. Kenley: OK. I have to admit I like this dress. It’s all feathers, the whole bodice and about half the skirt, with tulle giving it a lot of volume for the bottom half. She’s got this weird veil/feather thing on her head but the dress is well made and pretty. Her bridesmaid dress has a strapless top, with a sheer piece that comes up to her throat. It’s in a dark pewter blue, the skirt is a wrap bubble skirt so there’s still that volume, but it’s pretty short. Korto: champagne long bridal gown, fitted through the hips and then flowing away. The top has a lot of ruffles but no sleeves. It’s very busy, especially since there’s a big necklace in there somewhere. But it’s well made and detailed. Her bridesmaid dress is in the same color, with a halter neckline and pleating all through the bodice. It’s also pretty short, but longer than Kenley’s. There’s a belt with maybe some beadwork? And a full skirt. Leanne: her dress is crazy awesome. The top is really simple, but the bottom has two levels of flaps, so it’s like a very full skirt, gathered at the knee and then gathered again at the ankle. The flaps are rounded so it’s not sharp or anything. The bridesmaid dress has the flaps on top and a bubble hem, in cream and light blue. When I put up a post with Leanne’s final collection, you’ll see about the flaps. If you imagine a poster rack in a record store, the kind that you can flip through…now imagine that in fabric, and rounded instead of square.

Kors starts off by praising Leanne’s bridal gown, that it’s chic and totally her. Nina loves the fabric and the bridesmaid dress too. She talks about architectural movement and the color matches her collection. Jerell is up next. Kors likes it from the waist down, but there’s too much going on around her boobs. She does have some jewels or something just under the bust. “And a flowerpot growing out of her head”. It’s garish. Jerell thinks it’s regal and opulent. Heidi doesn’t know what to think, except that it looks messy. The tulle on the bottom is gray so it looks dirty. He says he put thought in his collection, but Nina is kind of skeptical. Kors calls Kenley’s dress Alexander McQueen, and she’s all, really? And he’s all, “Bothers me a touch, quite honestly.” Haha. Nina confirms that it just walked down the runway. Check it out for yourself. It's far too close. Kors wishes he didn’t know about it because Kenley’s is very well done. It still looks like Kenley, and the bridesmaid dress is “the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Kenley suddenly loves everyone, because they’re being nice to her. Heidi wouldn’t want to wear Korto’s bridal gown because there are so many things going on. It’s overworked, but the bridesmaid dress is under worked. Nina says there’s no relevance. Korto has a different outlook and she believes they’ll see a winner. They let her stop talking before she cries.

Leanne likes architectural work, and she was able to make it romantic and modern. Kenley did an excellent job (and Kenley said when she gets married that’s what she’s wearing). It’s fantasy. Korto’s dress had so many things going on because she was trying to show them what she could do, but her bridesmaid dress was so plain. Jerell just embellishes things because he can. He went hog wild.

Leanne and Kenley are both in. Backstage they hug like they like each other. Korto had one overworked dress and one underwhelming dress. Jerell’s looks were garish and too much. Korto is in. She tears up and gives Jerell a hug before she leaves. Kenley is the first one to hug her. Jerell seems OK right now. He says it was all him, all that embellishment. “If you want a basic white tee, get one from Michael Kors, it’s just not what I do.” Hee. Tim chokes up. He says he’ll be one of the top designers in the world, coming back when he’s 80 for a retrospective and everything.

Next week: IS THAT MORGANZA?!?!?! I LOVE IT!! Leanne insults Kenley who is sick of something. Everyone freaks out, someone wins. No reunion show this season, as far as I know. Weird, right? Oh well.