Project Runway 1/21/10--"The Fashion Farm" summary

Previously on Project Runway: We started our new season back in New York, where we belong. There were a large number of designers, and I got very tired trying to describe all their dresses. Everyone had to design an outfit that showed who they were as a designer. Anthony showed that he would provide excellent sound bites. His dress wasn’t too bad but he did end up in the bottom. Ping is our resident “free spirit” but I feel that she is more Elisa than Ari. Compare Ping to Ari; doesn’t Ari seem like she was overemphasizing how wacky she was? Anyway, Ping is awesome. And I realized why I think Jesse is so hot (thanks TWoP!). He looks like Lee Pace from “Pushing Daisies”. And Lee Pace is smoking hot. In the end Christiane went home, for a poorly made half-fitted half-draped dress in a bad color combo. Emilio won, with a very cute dress with appliquéd strips. (click for more)

In the opening sequence, which I didn’t see last week, someone says “I won’t do anything to win” or something like that. Anthony replies, “I will!” Hee. Also Jonathan holds up some scissors all “Charlie’s Angels” style and says “My weapon of choice.” Shut up, Jonathan.

Jesus feels horrible for being in the bottom 3. He has to step it up. Everyone complains that it’s too early. Pamela lets us know they got the chance to say goodbye to Christiane.

Heidi reminds everyone that Emilio has immunity, so he can do whatever he wants. They want to see what the designers are made of, so it’s field trip time! To “a place that is…well…a little out there”. Janeane thinks perhaps this means they’re going to the moon.

No, no, it’s a farm. A real farm. HA! The models are behind Tim wearing galoshes and burlap potato sacks. They make the designers tramp halfway into a muddy field. Tim reminds them of the expression, “She’s so beautiful, she’d look good in a potato sack.” Bring it on! They have to make a party look out of a potato sack. This challenge kicks ass. The models are also the clients, and they made up an industry event for them to wear the outfits to. Then Tim says since the models are the clients, they’re going to pick out the designer they want to work with. So wait, why did we have model choosing at all? What was the point if they’re just going to rechoose people? Models pick, blah blah. Mila is the last one and she‘ll have a new model because her model chose someone else. There are some trims, buttons, and so forth they can pick from. Amy’s model is telling her exactly what she wants. Ping wants to play with the texture.

Back at Parsons everyone tries to figure out how to make burlap look expensive. They only have until midnight tonight. Emilio is very very thankful he’s got immunity. Burlap is “older than Moses“, he says. Pamela is dying hers. Ben’s design is both “voluminous” and “gathered”. Mila is still bitter she was last, and that in the process her model ditched her for Anthony. As we all would. Mila says something to him, which he kind of ignores (interviewing that he‘s better than her anyway), and then she says, “Her loss.” Oo. Anthony sounds like he’s gearing up for a comment when she realizes what that sounded like and promises him that was about her. He says she can kiss his ass and his entire family’s asses. Ping knows her style of working is different, but she was in the top three so she’s pretty confident. Anna grabbed some potatoes from the farm and is using them as stamps to print her fabric. Nice.

Tim time! Pamela’s dyed burlap turned out really well for the bustier, and she wanted to make a dress, but Tim points out to her that making a top and a skirt will look the same and time-wise is better. Mila has two patches with silver ribbon? But I’m not sure if they’re samples of what she’s doing to the whole piece, or if she’s going to sew them on, or what. She’s also got some tulle that her model grabbed, which horrifies Tim because she should never listen to the model. Or something. They always have these client challenges but they never really care if the client is happy. They would rather the client hate it but you don’t “compromise your integrity”. Jay still has to dye his fabric and then sew bric-a-brac on, but he thinks he still has time. Tim practically passes out. Ping is carving the shape of the top. Her skirt is pretty short, and Tim reminds her of the geometry of the runway. Short skirt + elevated runway = Kors saying “insane crotch” and “vulgar”. She’s horrified and says she’ll lower it. Amy has 8 panels in her skirt and they have to dry. Each one has just the edge dyed a darker brown. She starts describing her top, which is basically what her model wants, and Tim flat out says if the judges don’t like it, they won’t care if her model likes it. Jesus calls him “Mr. Tim” and is making a fitted skirt just with ribbons. Or is he covering the burlap with ribbons? Either way, you can’t see the burlap at all in his design, and Tim tells him he’s not really fulfilling the challenge.

The models come in for fitting and to comment on designs. Everyone seems to like the designs. Seth Aaron says that Ping does that Asian influenced thing well, but she has a lack of experience. First of all, where are you getting that from? Second, don’t conduct slightly racist interviews in a bandana and your “metal” outfit because you just look like a tool. Third, I bet you’re wearing guyliner. Just a hunch. Anthony’s model starts giving him suggestions regarding buttons. On a cocktail dress. Anthony takes a deep breath. Mila brings up, again, that her model ditched her, but she’s OK with it because her new model likes her dress. Quick shot of Jesse wearing Logan’s hat from last season. Jonathan says the dying area is a disaster area. Jay’s color is not dark enough. He’s only half done and the show is tomorrow.

In the morning, I guess it really is pretty early because it’s not quite light outside the windows. Everyone primps and worries they won’t finish. Janeane is “getting used” to not having time, after two challenges. Tim gives them two hours and looks concerned. Ben says his model is in love with his look, but her face looks blank. Maybe that’s how she always looks, I don’t know. A lot of people are sewing their models into the dresses. Ping’s design is short. Jonathan says it doesn’t cover her ass, but we never see a shot of that like when Zulema sent out that poor model with her ass showing, so he may be exaggerating. Anthony thinks Pamela’s model has a big ass. Running around. Finally it’s time to go. People are still grabbing shoes and whatnot but they finally all leave.

Guest judge today is Lauren Hutton. Oo! Anthony: strapless short dress. The skirt is constructed like a bubble skirt, but you can see how the fabric is draped diagonally. Plus it’s dyed raspberry. It looks really cute. Ping: fitted high-necked top and a skirt. The skirt is very wide, with big pockets? Wings? Saddlebags? I don’t know what to call them. The skirt is all one width, and the pockets or whatever are stiff. OH and then she turns around and her ass really is hanging out. There’s a slit in the back of the skirt and you can clearly see her ass. Oh, Ping. Nina just shakes her head. Ben: one shouldered baby doll dress. It’s that same raspberry as Anthony’s, so I think that’s what the red dye ends up like. It’s pretty cute and youthful. Mila: fitted sheath dress in a dark color with a deep V in front. All down the front she put horizontal silver ribbons, and down the back too. Then there are ribbons connecting the front to the back, along her hips. It doesn’t quite fit her chest right, but I wonder if that’s on purpose. Anna: short dress with the print from the potatoes. It’s cute but I feel like it doesn’t quite fit. Jesse: pants with a red racing stripe down the side and a fitted vest with the same trim in red. It’s not bad, actually, but I don’t know that it’s a “party look”. However, this is the first time he’s been on the screen today so I’m sure he’s fine. Seth Aaron: first of all, his model has a hood. Then there is a fitted bodice and an A-line skirt, but stiffened so it moves like a cone.

Amy: halter top with a cowl neckline, and a skirt made from panels of burlap so it moves and looks soft. I love it. It looks very soft and not like burlap. Janeane: strapless dress in dark gray and red, with some extra volume at the hips. It looks classy. Jay: dark blue fitted dress with a V-neck. The skirt is made out of shredded burlap so it’s like fringe. But it doesn’t quite fit under her arms. Emilio: fitted sheath dress with a halter neckline. There are vertical strips made of wide ribbon, which make her look even taller. Some are along seams but some are random. Jesus: the top is a plain plunging V in a dark brown. The skirt is still covered in green ribbon, with a diagonal brown stripe. I can’t tell if the stripe is burlap or not, but it ends at the back seam which looks weird. Jonathan: fitted sheath with a halter neckline. There is black lace up the front, and the burlap is undyed. The panel of lace is really wide. Maya: strapless fitted dress in dark brown, with a red strip of ribbon just under the top, and a yellow panel in the skirt. Imagine you made a wrap skirt and ten in that triangle at the bottom, where the fabric doesn’t overlap, you filled that in with a contrasting color. Then the model turns around and the whole back of the skirt is yellow. Pamela: strapless short dress in a denim color. There are two thin strips of ribbon down the front left side, and the back laces up. Her ass does look big.

Pamela, Mila, Ping, Jay, Jesus, and Amy are called out as the top and bottom. Jay starts off, and Kors had wondered how he made the skirt. They say it’s lovely, and then we quickly move on. Pamela says she wanted faded blue jeans. Nina says the dress is too tight, too short, and not sophisticated. Kors says a plain potato sack would be more flattering, although the dying is beautiful. Heidi asks the model if she’d wear the dress to the event, and the girl doesn’t answer. Mila visualized that color and she wanted something futuristic. Kors doesn’t like the front gaping, but Heidi does. Kors says the boys will like it, anyway, with that tone that makes it quite clear that he’s not one of the boys. Heh. Nina loves it. Poor Ping wanted her model’s skin to contrast with the burlap but her model is too fair. Ping’s already starting to cry. Her model says likes it. They make the model show her ass. Ping starts to say she didn’t understand, that “industry” party to her said “county fair potato party”. Hee. Heidi says she has an edgy eye but it doesn’t always translate. Lauren says it will with work, and Nina says she has tough competition. See? Everybody loves Ping. Heidi asks Jesus what percentage of his dress is burlap. He says the whole thing is burlap and the ribbons are laid on top. They don’t like the cheat. Nina wants something younger. Lauren is confused. Amy wanted to “retain the organic quality” of the burlap. Kors says she didn’t try to disguise it, but made it fun and flirty.

Heidi was blown away in general by the clothes. Jay transformed his fabric entirely and made it light. Mila’s dress was edgy and hot. Amy kept enough of the burlap so you would know exactly what the dress was. Jesus’s skirt looks weird because of the stripe stopping at the center seam. They don’t like the brown. Kors says it makes your ass look lopsided. Asscrepancy? Ping doesn’t seem to understand things, like what the challenge is, but everyone else did. Kors thinks she doesn’t listen. Lauren thinks if she could have lined it, it would have been fine. Pamela’s model’s ass looked huge. But her dress was well made and dyed.

Amy is in. Jay wins. I did like his dress. Mila is in. Ping is in. Phew! Jesus is in. Pamela is out, and in her exit interview she says she falls in love with people easily and everyone is her friend. She thinks everyone wishes she’d be with them at Fashion Week. Not everyone is nice like that.

Next week: teams of two! Drama!