Project Runway 8/26/11--"Off the Track" summary

Previously on Project Runway: the producers finally let Nina be the boss and force the designers to design for her. Everyone immediately freaked out, which was fun to watch. Most people didn’t really design for Nina as much as they designed some chic, fashionable clothing that they hoped she would like. Kimberly won, with a shiny gold top and some pants. They were cool, I guess. I mean…pants. Eh. And Anya did well, even though people had to help her sew, and Victor thought she should have admitted it. Cecilia gave up about halfway through the challenge, but somehow made it through when Julie didn’t. She then made the mistake of telling the Scrap Bin that she wasn’t interested in hanging around, and it was too bad Julie was out because Julie really wanted to stay in the competition. When they (logically) ask her why she didn’t say anything and let Julie go home, she had no response. (click for more)

In the morning the designers wake up to piles of clothing and shoes with their names on them. Sitting on the sink. Yeah, someone came into the apartment while you were asleep, that’s not creepy. Oo, Josh looks pretty good with no shirt. Sorry, distracted. Cecilia stays in bed and refuses to look. Also there is a note that says to go to “The New Balance Track”, whatever that is. Bleh, making athletic clothes. Cecilia is angry that she is still there. You know, you CAN quit. It’s been done. Becky is confused, as Cecilia says she doesn’t want to wear anything. Kimberly throws out the opinion that maybe it’s a weight loss challenge.

They find Heidi and Tim on the track. Heidi is wearing a weird jacket and leggings combo in like, mottled gray. And platform heels. Tim, meanwhile, is wearing a blazer and shirt and tie, and jeans. And sneakers. It is hilarious. Blazer and jeans, OK. Athletic footwear, hilarious. Josh is going to leave everyone in the dust. Heidi claims to be thinking of the contestants and their “cabin fever”. Tim lets everyone know they will be working in four teams of three, each team with a captain. Anthony Ryan says he doesn’t want Bert. Bert doesn’t want any partner at all. Viktor doesn’t want Bert, so I guess one team is Bert, Anthony Ryan, and Viktor. To choose team leaders, they must do one lap around the track. First four to finish are the team leaders. Cecilia is so miserable she doesn’t even want to run, because she thinks it’s unfair to everyone else. Anya sees her talking to Tim and knows it’s serious. Cecilia admits to Heidi she was trying to get kicked out yesterday and she hates this. Heidi tells her that everyone wants to be there really badly, and if she doesn’t, then she should go before they start running. So Cecilia quits. She doesn’t want to take anyone’s opportunity by taking up a spot. Anthony Ryan says it doesn’t make sense. She knows she might be missing a chance here, but she also is pretty confident in her decision.

OK, race time. People are more athletic than I thought they’d be. Josh is winning, even though he runs strangely. Olivier totally bites it, which looks painful. Josh wins, and then Bryce, Anthony Ryan, and Viktor finish next. Viktor says he never runs unless someone is chasing him with a gun. Bert is last, and Heidi actually runs out to run the last little bit with him in her heels. Olivier is getting medical attention, and it looks like he bruised his knee or something, and then suddenly he’s lying on the ground and they’re taking his blood pressure. And then his feet flop over, and I watch Survivor so I know what’s up. Olivier just passed out. He eventually gets up and is fine, but that was weird.

Team choosing time! Josh picks Anya and Becky, Bryce picks Kimberly (who does a high kick for some reason) and Danielle, Anthony Ryan takes Laura (and gets stuck with Bert), and Viktor picks Olivier. Usually this team would get Julie, as the last person eliminated would come back into the competition. But Heidi says that since it’s early, they get to pick any of the four eliminated designers they want: Fallene, Rafael, Josh C., or Julie. They pick Josh C. Everyone has to make an outfit that will go with the sneakers Heidi has designed. One pair looks like standard sneakers, and one looks like black fashion sneakers that are not really for working out or anything, but they are pretty comfortable. Actually neither pair looks particularly “sneaker” like. They must also use the materials in the sneakers, which are denim and suede. Each team must have three looks, which is STUPID WHY DON’T YOU JUST HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGE!?!? Sorry, but a team should have to all work on one outfit. Each person is going to make one outfit, so the only reason to have a team challenge in this case is because you hope everyone will get into fights. The winning outfit will be produced and become part of Heidi’s line. She specifically says to think outside the box, like suits, or dresses.

They have 30 minutes to “caucus and sketch”, says Tim. Becky thinks this is right up her alley, but her idea of a dress over leggings is shot down by Josh M. as being “over”. He picked her for her energy, but he doesn’t like her style. Anya feels bad that they’re shooting down all Becky’s ideas. Viktor tries to think of active wear, but Olivier reminds him Heidi said they didn’t have to do that. Bryce knows he has good ideas. Anthony Ryan and Laura are working together, while Bert sits slightly apart and works by himself. They don’t like any of his designs, not surprising.

$300 per team, 30 minutes at Mood. Becky is still getting shot down. Viktor thinks only having to work with Olivier right now is an advantage, because it’s easier for two of them to agree.

Tim reminds all of them that they have to make the suede and denim “prominent” in their designs. Then he gives them until 11pm. Currently it is 4:29pm. Seriously? That is ridiculous. Danielle and Bryce are both worried because neither of them has done very well recntly. Josh C. returns and everyone cheers. Laura says that people don’t get a chance to come back very often, but I’m feeling like it happens a lot. We get a close-up shot of the sneakers, and they’re like, retro 80’s low-top sneakers. Josh M. and Anya discuss their design but they don’t bother to include Becky, who is pissed. She pipes up and tries to join in, but Josh tells her to get back to work, and then interviews that he doesn’t need her to be thinking or designing, just working. That was pretty bitchy. Viktor worries about a long skirt and tennis shoes. Anthony Ryan says his first duty is to keep the peace. However, Bert is difficult to work with. He mutters something with cursing, but whoever did the subtitles thought we could read white letters on a white background. Bryce complains about him too. He appears to forget Anthony Ryan’s name, and then loses all points by saying he doesn’t remember some people’s names because they’re not “significant”. Anya asks Becky to sew because she’s never sewn jersey. Really, it looks like every time Becky tries to make a suggestion, they tell her to sew. I didn’t think her stuff was that bad. Josh claims this is for the good of everyone.

Tim time! And Heidi! Bryce has off-the-shoulder designs, with cowls or something. Heidi doesn’t like it, so now he’s wasted all that time. They also have a dress, but she says it’s boxy and is made out of leather. Great. Laura thinks Bryce should have lost on purpose and let someone else be in charge. Viktor has a leather piece like a motorcycle jacket, and a long skirt that Heidi tries to put on for them. Viktor says it actually looks cute, but only with the jacket she has on. Their looks have to go together. Olivier thinks he can prove her wrong. Anthony Ryan and Laura talk about their designs. Heidi asks if they all like the neckline on Laura’s design, and Bert opens his mouth but doesn’t say anything. Heidi thinks Anthony Ryan is making a rouched-bodice high-waisted jumpsuit. With sneakers. Bert has something chic, but even though she told them to think suits or dresses, she doesn’t want anything fancy. Laura’s model has a big ass so they have to pick the right design for her to wear. Josh M. has a plain shift dress and she says every week there is a dress like that. Anya admits she wouldn’t wear it. Heidi likes Anya’s dress, but not the other dress which I think is Josh M.’s dress. They ask what Becky has been doing, and she basically says “All the sewing” without throwing anyone under the bus. She is sewing, and the other two are designing, “so far”. Tim tells Becky (and the other two) that he doesn’t want her role to be so trivialized that they throw her under the bus. She hadn’t seen it that way. I hadn’t either, I was just thinking “you know, if the designs suck, she had no part of it, because they wouldn’t let her change anything.” But now everyone knows that’s how Tim sees it, including Heidi. Before she leaves, she says she’s worried, since it’s 9pm already. So she’s giving them until 4am. Wow. A GOOD twist.

Becky immediately starts designing, and she asks someone to help her design a top, and Josh M. says…actually I don’t know what he says. I can’t understand him, but it sounds like it was bitchy, and anyway, Becky gets pissed and storms out. Josh talks shit about how her demographic is “40 to death”. Based on what Becky says later, I think he said “You DO know this dress is dowdy, right?” Anya tells him to fix it, and I think he feels “fix the dress” but not “fix your issue”. Then he tries to claim he didn’t mean “dowdy” in a bad way. What? Seriously? And you think someone will believe that? He starts talking about “style wise” or some shit, and Becky interrupts him to point out that he told her to make a princess-seamed dress, which she did. So he can’t really blame her if it turns out dumpy or uncool. That’s a good point. Josh has nothing to say to that, so he says “I’m not having drama with you, so you can cry or do whatever you need to do to get over it, but I’m not going to console you.” No, but an apology would go a long way. Man, I was just realizing how cute he was, but now I want to smack him. Anya stays to comfort Becky, while Josh yells across the sewing room that she should take a nap and he’ll do it himself. Oh, honey, that is the point where I would throw the dress in your face and tell you to get started.

Anya follows Becky into the bathroom and asks her if she would talk to her, or would she rather Anya leave her alone? So of course that is when Josh comes into the bathroom, like, I know you’re gay, but, WOMEN’S. He does apologize, though, and manages to sound sincere. Becky for some reason now thinks that all the contestants think her designs are terrible. In confessional he does say he means it, and only says it’s time to move on and sew. So the lack of bitchy comments makes me think he might actually mean it.

Model fitting. Olivier loves the skirt Heidi didn’t like at all. Laura doesn’t like Bert’s skirt, and she tries to get him to see that he could fix it, but he won’t. Anthony Ryan takes the interesting tactic of explaining to Bert that when they are being questioned, and he and Laura say that they told Bert to fix it and he wouldn’t, that they are not throwing Bert under the bus. Surprisingly, Bert agrees, as he likes his design. He is willing to stand behind it, and he thinks his is the best anyway.

Danielle knows they had a ton of extra time so they need to pick it up. Josh M. puts a stripe on his outfit. Lots of working. Finally everyone gets to go home and wake up probably 4 hours later.
Anthony Ryan is sick and has a fever. He thinks his design is not what he wants. Tim arrives to give everyone 2 hours to finish. Josh M. breezes into the sewing room and asks Bert how long he’ll be. Bert’s putting in a zipper, and then Bert says “I don’t see your name on this machine” and Josh responds “You have no courtesy” and “It’s not all about Josh” and “It’s not all about Bert either” and who knows. But it ends with Bert cursing, Josh saying “Watch your language” and Bert telling him to drop dead. Yeah…may have to root against both of them now. However it ends with “Bert, you’re closer to death than me” and “Good, that might be a blessing with you around” which is kind of funny. Hot makeup guy greets Anthony Ryan with “Hi, gorgeous!” Hee.

Guest judge is Erin Wasson, model and designer. Viktor: short dress with a lot of volume and a motorcycle jacket. It’s actually really cute. The dress I think is denim. Josh C.: black slim pants, and a blue t-shirt with shoulder pieces that look like a gun holster. Olivier: long gray skirt, and a sleeveless black top with a racerback. I think the three looks go together, pretty much. Bryce: short black dress with a boat neck. I don’t know that it goes with sneakers. Kimberly: shorts, and a black top and jacket with snaps. It’s cute and casual. Danielle: black skirt? Shorts? I think it’s a skirt. And a turquoise tank top. Anthony Ryan: a loose poncho looking top and very loose shorts. It’s weird. Laura: a long vest, shorts, and a tight blue patterned tank top. The vest is kind of interesting, but the rest of the look is not that great. Also, I have to say, those shoes look weird in general. Bert: short black skirt and a sleeveless top with a wide boat neck. The outfit itself is not that bad, but the sneakers do not go. Josh M: black shorts, a tank, and a weird stringy vest. Eh. Becky: a tank top and a short skirt with a stripe up the side. The tank top is sporty enough. Anya: long dress in gray with a bright pink strip up the front. Is it a zipper? I can’t tell.

Heidi says within each team, there were good and bad looks, so there is no clear winner. Josh M. and Anthony Ryan and their teams get talked to first, and then the other two teams after. Interesting. Anthony Ryan explains his team’s outfits, and says that he and Laura worked well together, but Bert was off doing his own thing. Of course Anthony Ryan doesn’t like Bert’s look, but rather than saying “Bert stands behind his outfit because he likes it” he says “Bert wouldn’t listen to the two of us telling him how to fix things”. This devolves into an argument about whether or not Bert compromised at all, and he and Anthony Ryan call each other liars. I will say, when he worked with Viktor, he said Viktor had HIS story wrong. And now he says Anthony Ryan is lying. They can’t all be lying. Heidi points out that Anthony Ryan’s outfit sucks, which he knows, and Nina thinks he should have left Bert and worried about himself. Bert can’t resist putting his two cents in, and eventually Heidi says that Bert’s outfit is the only good outfit, even though it doesn’t fit the challenge either. Laura’s outfit is ugly too, and Bert is grinning and pumping his fists, and dude. You cannot call other people unprofessional and act superior if you do that. The three outfits don’t go together. Anthony Ryan says he liked working with Laura, anyway. Josh M. explains the outfits, and Heidi thinks he took his extra time to bedazzle the outfits. Heidi likes Anya’s maxi dress the best, that it goes well with the sneakers (because you can’t see them) and the back is cool. Kors thinks it’s jersey and too tailored. Heidi likes the top, but not the shredded vest. But Erin likes it? I think. Nina hates Becky’s, because the shirt is too short, skirt too tight, its back. Josh redeems himself a bit because he takes partial ownership of the outfit and says it’s not all Becky’s fault. Then he owns up to “a little…thing” and Kors wants to know the details, and Becky makes sure they know he didn’t trust her. Which he admits to. He says the top is all her, but the skirt is a group effort, and then Becky says “It was very hard to be on this team, because they shot down all my ideas and I was just a seamstress and not a designer”. Josh says he had the authority to tell her what to do. Their collection seemed to turn out better, anyway.

In the Scrap Bin, everyone sits around awkwardly until Anthony Ryan just lays it on the line and tells Bert he’s not easy to work with. Bert is not upset they don’t like him, because they’re two generations apart. He says everyone laughs at him when he says things, and Anthony Ryan brings up his behavior just now on the runway. Seriously. Viktor’s team split up some of the outfits, but Heidi likes Viktor’s the best. It’s the jacket that does it. They still hate Olivier’s skirt, but Josh C.’s T-shirt gets high praise. Overall, a good collection. Bryce’s dress is fantastic, with snaps on the side, that’s cool. Kors says it doesn’t look bad with sneakers, but I think it kind of does. The other two outfits were Kimberly and Danielle together, and it shows. The green tank top is a green silk with a black knit lining. Huh? Kors knows that will not work and is sloppy. Nina doesn’t understand the random color, because everything else is gray and black. The green would have been better under the jacket.

Kors doesn’t think that there was ever this much team drama in the history of the show. They probably has been. Usually it’s only one team, though. Anthony Ryan was responsible for a mess, and they seem to think he spent all his time fighting with Bert. As a result, his outfit was horrible, and the shorts! Weird loose shorts. Josh M.’s team had drama, but he picked the right team and directed every garment. They like Viktor’s team, except the long skirt. But the rest of the collection is urban. Bryce’s team did a fantastic job, they love Bryce’s dress and Kors thinks it would look great on a million girls, but I don’t know. The other two outfits and team members didn’t do so well. Danielle couldn’t deliver on her plans, and they’re already tired of chiffon from her. And they drop the word “sportswear” which does not include suits and dresses, which is what Heidi said to them. Dresses, maybe, but suits? Heidi and Nina fight over if Anthony Ryan was the worst, or if it was Danielle.

Heidi says they’re having trouble with the judging, and it’s Heidi’s challenge, and she’s been “changing the rules”, so now more twists. Viktor, you are the winner! Josh M., you are also the winner! Lame. Have one winner. Viktor’s dress and jacket will be sold, but it’s Anya’s maxi dress that is being produced from Josh’s team. He said he had a part in all the outfits, so I guess it counts? Both of them will have immunity next week. Becky, Anya, Olivier, and Josh C. are also all in. Josh M. is feeling great and thanking his team, except for the part where he calls Becky “Kimberly”. Bert is in. Laura is in. Kimberly is in. Bryce is in. Heidi says the decision was not unanimous. Anthony Ryan is in. Heidi rubs it in that if it was up to her, he would be out. Danielle is sad to leave, it seems mostly because she will miss everyone. Tim comes to get her and says he’s proud of everyone for being “truth telling” on the runway. She doesn’t think she did the worst, either.

Next week: children. Like, actual children. Also Olivier has glued his top to his model which is against the rules. Other than that I have no idea.