Project Runway 3/11/10--"The Elements of Fashion" summary

Previously on Project Runway: we had our “unusual materials“ challenge. This time everyone went to the hardware store. Jay made trash bags look like leather (really) and he won. Maya made a necklace out of screen and keys that was awesome. Some people got praise for making their outfits look like fabric, and some people got slammed for it. In the end, Jesse’s outfit was boring and not fashionable enough, I guess, so he was eliminated. Even though Emilio made a swimsuit from cord and washers. But he did own it. Oh, and Jesse’s model that no one liked was eliminated. (click for more)

Emilio says he got “spanked” by Heidi and Kors. He is glad to still be in. Maya says some rambling thing about seeing the humanity in people instead of how cool they are. Mila says Maya has an old soul. I have no idea what is going on in that apartment. Jay says the boys are like a Wonderbra. No, really. Everyone is saying really nonsensical things today. There must be something in the coffee. Anthony talks about trusting your viscera, even though he has no idea where his viscera are.

Heidi lets everyone know that there will be no more immunity. Well, Jay has immunity this week. But that’s it. Tim meets everyone on the Atlas roof with the stylist for Garnier. Today they will be going back to nature and will be inspired by earth, air, fire, or water. Why didn’t they do that when there was a multiple of 4? The Garnier guy recites a commercial and then Jay picks air. Everyone else has to draw from a set of cards. Maya and Ben get water, Jonathan and Seth Aaron get air, Mila and Emilio get earth, Amy and Anthony (ha!) get fire.

Ben is making a suit. He is thinking “shark” instead of “water”. Everyone mostly is making gowns. Also most of them are using pencil and paper instead of those fancy electronic sketch pads they got everyone. I would talk more about what people are saying, but as we all know, they’ll all be changing everything. Anthony is not making a red dress, but one in grays and blacks. Interesting.

Seth Aaron is making “midnight air”. So, black with stars. Amy is making interior explosions. They’ll only get today for the challenge. Everybody buckles down to work. Even Anthony is subdued today. Ben talks about making the judges notice him. Actually, he and Jonathan discuss it, which sounds about right because neither of them generally makes either top OR bottom. Ben in particular is getting a ton of screen time so I guess he’s won or is eliminated today. Amy is doing another really creative thing that will either be awesome or hated. The Garnier guy shows up again to do hair consults. These are always just thinly veiled commercials that no one cares about.

Tim time! Jonathan is making his own fabric again. Seth Aaron has some swirling to represent wind. Amy is talking about a bowl? Ben is pretty subtle, which Tim worries about. Mila has some leather and dark wools for earth. Maya is also doing “sea creature” as opposed to “waves”. Interesting. Tim goes but I wanted to see what Anthony was doing. I guess he’s safe.

Model fitting. Jonathan says that he’s not interpreting “air” but something else? It sounds like “last” but I can’t understand him. I guess we’ll find out if he’s top or bottom. Ben’s pants are sort of OK but have an insane crotch. Anthony says that he uses darker colors all the time and in case you didn’t know black is presidential. Jonathan and Mila both don’t get Anthony’s fire = smoke = gray and black. I wish there was one little piece of red somewhere. Everyone freaks out and worries about how much work they have left. They all are pushing the envelope so no one is anywhere near finished. Ben gets to talk and says that he doesn’t have any fabric left so he’s stuck with what he has. When he goes back to the apartment he calls his husband, whom he misses and cries about missing in interview. Aww!

Emilio and Jonathan lie in separate beds and cheer listlessly. Amy talks about being creative and taking risks. In the workroom everyone runs in and runs around. Seth Aaron is just now cutting his pants. Ben has no sleeves or lining in his jacket, and no pants. Jay finishes early and goes to help out Ben. Aww, sweet. Ben is totally going home. Mila hasn’t finished her pants either. Anthony thinks Seth Aaron’s clothes are intimidating to women. People get twigs put in their hair. Amy’s dress isn’t standing up right, and she’s got a big collar bowl that she’s filled with fake hair. Um…OK. Anthony does not understand why Amy’s model has hairy tits. Ben thinks everyone is too ambitious today.

Guest judge today is Roland Mouret, French fashion designer. Maya: gray sheath dress with bracelet length sleeves. The sleeves are wider at the shoulder, but they’re not Kenley mutton sleeves at all. There are some gauzy ruffles on the sleeves too. It’s supposed to be water, and waves, but I feel it would have been better in a more watery color. It’s really short too. The back is a big cowl. Jay: a short baby-doll top in sand and black, one shouldered, and black leggings. Also a turban. The leggings have strips of the sand and gray wrapped around in a spiral. It doesn’t say “air” so much as it says “desert” but it’s supposed to be a tornado so I guess I can see that. Ben: very fitted gray suit, with a cropped jacket and a shell in tan. It does not say “water” at all and doesn’t even say “shark” that loudly. Anthony: strapless dress with a gray bodice and black skirt. The skirt is slim, and the bodice has those folded strips, kind of like his Marie Claire cover dress. I really do wish for a little bit of red somewhere. It’s kind of like smoke, I guess. Also the skirt is slit all the way up to the top of her hip on the side. Mila: dark pants, and a sleeveless jacket that sparkles. I think it is leather. So it’s very much “earth”, minerals and whatnot. Under the jacket is a long-sleeved dark mauve shirt. Jonathan: short cream colored one shouldered dress in what looks like a print, but which he said was several layers of fabric that are cut here and there to reveal the layers underneath. Also there is a fan collar up around her face. I wish it was more flowy to say “air” more, but it is pretty. Amy: black tight pants and top with a very wide collar, which she’s filled with fake hair. It…it looks like the model has a huge rack and they’ve covered it with her hair. It’s pretty low, but Amy says that’s not on purpose. But this model is stomping and every time it shakes the top and I feel like all the hair will fall out and she’ll flash everyone. It isn’t standing up right. You can see Nina peering at it. Also, how is this fire? And why does Amy keep calling it a “gown” when it’s obviously pants? Emilio: green dress, strapless, the skirt has some folding for volume. It’s moss colored and he had “earth”. I’m bored. Seth Aaron: tight, fitted leather jacket, black skirt. Very rocker chick. I’m not sure how this is “air”.

Anthony, Emilio, and Jay are safe. Mila’s outfit is deemed too “normal” by Kors. Nina doesn’t get it, because it’s like it’s another designer? Only the jacket was something you couldn’t buy in a store. I wasn’t expecting they would be bored. They don’t say anything about how you can tell what her inspiration is. Seth Aaron showed air in the sculptural wings and pieces coming off the jacket. They love that he’s consistent and has a style. He’s wrapped metallic denim around her legs to simulate boots. Maya’s dress has a lot of praise for being chic, but Nina is concerned that she’s always drawing from someone else. Maya doesn’t think so, but Roland points out that the minute she puts out a collection and someone says “oh, she’s inspired by so-and-so” that will be the end. Amy wanted “contained chaos” with her hair. They all hate it. This is where the “cat in a baby sling” comment comes in. They ask her to take the hair out and everyone immediately likes it so much better. Nina rolls her eyes that it still is lame, so they have to clarify that it‘s better than it was, but that doesn‘t make it good. Amy is about to cry. They think she just did it to be weird. Up close Ben’s outfit kind of looks last-minute. Kors didn’t get the shark thing, although he does say that her hair and makeup fit. Heidi tells him that if he doesn’t know how to make a suit, he shouldn’t make a suit. The crotch seams are super weird: it looks like she has underwear on. Jonathan starts talking about laughter. Up close his fabric looks like bubbles which is so cool. They love the whole thing.

Maya’s whole look was done well, but Nina wants to see more of Maya. Seth Aaron is a fantastic tailor, and his clothes talk for him. Jonathan’s color was perfect for his fair-skinned model. Ben obviously had never made a suit, and this is a misstep. Amy’s design was too ambitious and she fixated on a bad concept. She’s trying too hard. Mila was super boring. They think if she can’t do black and white color blocking she’s lost.

Seth Aaron is in. Jonathan is the winner. He knows he’s going in the right direction. Maya is in. Mila is in. Heidi slams Amy and Ben a lot and then says Amy is in. Aww! I want to give him a hug. He cries and everyone gives him a hug and he promises to still be around.

Next week: go out into the city in pairs. Emilio prays not to be stuck with Mila so I’m sure that’s who he’s stuck with. I think this is the “be inspired by random stuff on the street” challenge.