Project Runway 10/21/10--"Finale pt. 1" summary

Previously on Project Runway: the dreaded last challenge before the finale. That generally means that everyone is afraid of failing so no one takes any risks and the clothes are boring. Pretty much what happened here. Plus, the judges decided Michael’s tent dress was the best thing they’d ever seen, instead of admitting he was probably going to the finale so Gretchen’s head would explode from the confusion. April is too nice and goes home. Oh, you know either the producers meddled, or the judges are on crack. Everyone used black except for Gretchen but only April got yelled at, and Andy did the same thing he always does but they didn’t care, but April goes home for using black and making the same thing she always does. Her decoy collection, the first look is white and tan. Like a big F U to the judges. Love it. (click for more)

Heidi comes out and tells everyone to go home and make a collection. They get $9000 and 6 weeks to make 10 looks. Tim comes out too and promises to visit. Gretchen tries to give a group hug to everyone. I read an interview Michael did for After Elton and he really thought Gretchen and Ivy were his friends. So he cried when they showed all the interviews of the two of them saying how he was a loser.

Everyone packs up and talks about how glad they are to have made it and whatever. Michael laughs maniacally.

Tim gets to go to Hawaii to visit Andy. Lucky. He gets there 2 weeks before Fashion Week. Andy lives on a huge piece of land, with plants and fruit trees and all kinds of stuff. And a greenhouse with orchids, and catfish breeding tanks. He scoops some out in a net to show Tim, who says “Aa!” and cringes. He almost makes Tim hold one but Tim is disgusted. Andy says they look like little Chinese men and Tim responds that he’s never seen a Chinese man look that unattractive. Hee. Andy’s mom makes a feast and they eat outside. This is possibly the best home visit ever. Andy gets choked up talking about how his mom is his support and he wants to make her proud. He’s inspired by Laos, which is where his family is from. He’s got gorgeous jewelry and headpieces, but he’s only just got all his fabric so his garments are not really done at all. Tim loves each look individually, but he is afraid that all together they’ll be a hot mess.

Off to Palm Springs to see Michael. 12 days left. He’s got a bunch of stuff done, which is unsurprising. He’s been inspired by sky and sunset and sunrise colors, and the shapes are from feathers. He’s got a skirt made of feathers, like long fringe. He’s already got 12 looks, plus 6 rejects. Tim proclaims it “design diarrhea” and he needs to stop designing and edit. Michael’s friends are over and they also feed Tim, like everyone does. Michael’s son is there too, but although Michael’s boyfriend will be at Fashion Week, his son will be in school and staying with Grandma. Boyfriend Richard says that’s best because Michael’s parents don’t really support him. He says for them to help him, he has to be married to a woman, which he is uninterested in. That sucks.

To Denver to see Mondo. 10 days left. The inside of Mondo’s living room is bright pink with yellow accents. He’s looking at “vintage circuses in Mexico City” and also the Day of the Dead. He’s got silk-screened skull clowns. And a lot of black and white prints. Plus one bright pink top that Tim thinks looks like pajamas. Mondo wants to make it, but if not, he’s at least shown them what he is all about. They all go to Mondo’s parents’ house to have lunch/dinner/whatever. His mom admits she tried to make him more macho, but it failed. Mondo had to play baseball in order to get piano lessons. Heh.

Portland for Gretchen. 7 days left. Her mom is helping her pack because she’s moving. From what she says, it sounds like she came home and her significant other had moved out and left her. She’s embarrassed to see Tim, but she’s also proud of what she’s done. When Tim gets there she tells Tim that everything has crumbled around her. Tim tells part of the story about his last relationship (I think), which caused him to move to New York so it all turned out for the better. Gretchen immediately agrees. I mean…it’s not like it’s a bad outlook to have, just that she seemed to really quickly go from “my world crumbled around me” to “that was a gift.” Her collection is somehow global rural Western. With silk bloomers. Tim thinks it’s too costumey. Tim only hangs out with Gretchen and her mom. She interviews that this process makes her vulnerable (?) and your friends don’t tell you that.

Time for Fashion Week. Andy’s grown his hair out but still is shaving the sides. It looks hot. Tim shows up and he’s carrying the velvet bag. Dun dun DUN! Everyone freaks out. Surprise! It’s a prize! They each get a vacation from the Hilton: Barbados, Costa Rica, or Hawaii. It’s a trip for two so Tim can come! Hee.

The new workroom is cute. Everyone unpacks their clothes. Tim appears again and says that they will each present three looks: two from the collection, and one they will make in the next two days. Of course. Extra look, enhance the collection, blah blah. Mondo seems the most lost, although Andy doesn’t know if he can match the colors in his fabrics.

Mondo makes a dress with stripes. Andy has like a million tiny pleats. Gretchen wants to fall apart. No one is answering her. Mondo’s dress doesn’t look that great and he’s discouraged that he’s wasted a day. It doesn’t, it’s brown and white stripes with bright pink side panels and a blue neckline panel like a necklace.

Tim time! The next day Tim comes round. Michael doesn’t know what two existing looks to pull with the dress he’s just made. Tim is concerned because it shouldn’t be that hard. Tim thinks Gretchen’s dress is great and her collection is cohesive enough she could really pull anything and it would work. Mondo’s second dress is far better. Andy has made a ton of pleats for his new look. Mondo thinks Andy’s collection is flat. Before he leaves Tim tells Mondo, Gretchen, and Andy to carry on, and he tells Michael not to choke. Ouch.

Day of the show. Michael still doesn’t know what two existing pieces he wants to use. Hair and makeup are not exciting, except that Mondo and Andy have headpieces. Everyone talks about how they can’t screw up and they have to make it. Gretchen now is talking like her leaving town to be on Project Runway caused her relationship to fall apart and forced her to move out and be homeless. Everyone cries except for Michael.

No guest judges today, kids. Andy: silver high waisted shorts and a top with ruffles along the v-neckline. Possibly it is a jumper. She also has a headpiece that is wires and little butterflies or something. She kind of has a wedgie though. Next is a bikini with a sheer overlay that starts at the bottom of the bikini top and floats down to her stomach in front, and then long in back like a cape. The final look is the new one, which is a chartreuse yellow one shouldered dress, covered in layers of pleats. It looks great, I think. The skirt is the same color but is just the fabric, no pleats, and there’s a sparkly belt. And a swirly headpiece. The skirts’ pretty short though.

Michael: he starts with the new look which is a long one shouldered number in a dusty rose color. The model has a little bit of trouble walking in it. It’s just drapey, without a lot of form, but I think there’s some kind of belt and a strap on one side, and the other side is just fabric draped down to her wrist. Next is a feather skirt, which looks like fur and is a brown that is almost red. It’s paired with a simple skin colored shiny top with a deep V. Third are a pair of loose pants in chocolate, with sparkles sewn on them or something. The top is a vest, I think. With a lot of fringe. And an armband.

Gretchen: olive green tank top and a skirt in the same color. This may be a dress. The skirt has big loops like giant pockets, and underneath is a brown print. The back has some braided straps holding up the back of the skirt like those pictures you see of old dresses that have a wrist strap to hold up your train. Next is a brown top with an animal-looking print, and brown pants that I think have pleats because the model looks like she has huge hips. Plus they’re tapered and cropped. It’s not a good silhouette. The blouse is backless. Last is a short robe, basically, in shiny fabric, and hot pants. The robe is black and has chartreuse lapels and is tied open so you can see she doesn’t have a shirt. I’m not sure which one is the new look.

Mondo: shorts and a high necked loose blouse, both in black and white prints, but not the same print. There is a neck bow on the blouse and a thin pink belt, and the back of the blouse has a racerback piece. The second look is the new one, which is a bright blue top, trimmed in a black and white print with gold studs. The skirt is a brown and black tweedy pattern with a thin yellow belt and a strip of black at the hem. It’s very Mondo but I wish his model had worn a bra. The last look is a long jersey dress in a black and white polka dot, with black side panels and no back but a boat neck in the front. It’s very tight but very Mondo.

Mondo talks about his collection and his screenprinting, and how he wanted less color than usual. The accessories have all the color. Kors likes the individual pieces. Heidi doesn’t like the blue top. She loves the polka dot dress though. Nina disagrees and says the dress is almost too wacky. There is a lot of stuff going on. Kors wants some balance, and Mondo promises surprises. Andy was inspired by Buddha statues. The judges all thought the bikini was the new outfit. They absolutely love the green dress, but Nina worries it’s too bare. Andy promises a range, and Nina is irritated because she doesn’t believe him. Andy doesn’t want to give it all away now, but the judges basically yell at him that he needed to, and the bikini sucks. And they don’t like the headpieces. Michael wanted some structure in his collection. He’s so nervous. Kors loves the dress, and Heidi loves the top that goes with the pants, the one with the long fringe. All his pieces are the same color, because Michael wanted it to look like a collection. But that isn’t what makes a collection. There are other colors, but of course the judges don’t see that, not with what’s here. The feather skirted dress was supposed to be a “wow” dress but it’s got too much going on and Heidi thinks that it’s boxy. Nina is bored. Gretchen picked out clothes to show her jewelry design, and knitwear, and hats. The green dress is the new look. She also wanted to pique their interest. Nina immediately responds that her interest is NOT piqued and these are crunchy granola clothes that are not polished. The only hope she has for polish is the open robe which is leather. Oo, Nina is in a bad mood. Good, I like her that way. Heidi agrees but is nicer about it. Kors tells her it doesn’t look expensive or like it belongs in a fashion show. To contrast with Michael, she also left out a big chunk of her collection but it was all the evening looks instead of clothes with different colors. Kors and Nina are incredulous because none of them did a good job of showing their range or exciting the judges today.

Gretchen stood by her outfits, even though they aren’t very good and are too plain. Kors is sort of interested but it’s not refined enough. Nina loves Mondo because he has the showmanship Gretchen lacks, but people might think he’s joking. He takes risks and puts colors and prints together, but there is a little too much going on. They don’t want the circus. Everyone rants about Michael and how all his clothes are the same color, and he doesn’t know what a collection really means, but he drapes wonderfully. Well, I guess Rami got this far on draping. Nina says he needs more practice. Kors wonders if there are elegant, better pieces in his collection. Andy admitted he didn’t bring his best pieces because he wanted to surprise them, but now they’re bored. He’s trying to bring some drama and has some ideas, but they’re all kind of iffy.

Mondo is in, like there was doubt about that. Gretchen is in too. Andy is in, which means Michael is out. He’s devastated. Seriously, he’s wrecked. He goes back to the Scrap Bin and sobs and punches the wall. No one moves for a very long uncomfortable time until Gretchen gets up finally. He doesn’t know how to go back home and tell his parents he didn’t make it, because he believes they’re going to tell him “I told you so” and tell him to move back home and get married again and get a real job. Jesus. I can’t imagine feeling that way about your parents, or thinking your parents would say something like that. Gretchen of course has to interview about how concerned she is for him. I feel so bad for him. Michael finally tells the final three to “give ‘em fucking hell” which Tim repeats, complete with cursing. Atta boy. Mondo says he’s proud of Michael. Michael loves his collection anyway.

Next week: it says “the finale” but it appears to be part reunion show too. My DVR cut off in the middle of the preview but I hope Ivy gets called out.