Project Runway 9/22/11--"Image Is Everything" summary

Previously on Project Runway: for once we didn’t have a team challenge. The contestants were tasked with making an outfit for a “real woman” based only on the input of boyfriends or husbands. Olivier freaks out at the thought of having to dress an old fat man, and then freaks out at having to dress a woman with boobs. All of that, though, is for naught because he ends up in the middle. Josh wins, because he made a nice dress that was boring. The client wanted boring. It’s not exactly great because it felt like they gave him extra points because he usually is very tacky. Bryce made a pretty OK dress, but he is boring and I guess the judges aren’t interested in his finale collection, so even though I think his dress is perfectly fine he is eliminated. Eh. (click for more)

It seems that Josh is now alone in his apartment. He talks about surviving. Josh does not look good with stubble. Anya says everyone left is one of her friends. Olivier started well, but has gotten lost. He says he needs to find his confidence again.

Heidi says “image is everything”. Field trip! They end up at a concert venue, with Tim and a Garnier person. Tim talks about music and fashion, and Rolling Stone magazine. They’re going to put an unsigned band, The Sheepdogs, on the cover of the magazine. Cool. Their challenge is to make an iconic style and image for this band. The winner gets an “advertorial” in Marie Claire, probably an ad for Garnier, and also in Rolling Stone, plus the band will wear the clothes to a Rolling Stone event. Teams. TEAMS. AGAIN. I am so sick of team challenges. Team One is Olivier, Viktor, Kimberly, and Josh. Team Two is Laura, Anthony Ryan, Bert, and Anya. Laura whines that she’s always paired up with Bert and she never gets a break. Whatever. Now we have to rehash the last fight Anthony Ryan and Bert had. Also whatever. Now the band comes out, and of course, it’s all boys so everyone freaks out. They seem to be a classic rock type of band, and they sound pretty good. Olivier winces when they start playing, and puts his hands over his ears like they’re too loud for him. They aren’t very fashion forward, particularly, but I think everyone has ideas of funky rock and roll stuff. Since there are four people on each team, and four people in the band, each designer has to pick out one musician. They all have to go together, of course. Viktor doesn’t want to match everyone.

Anya wants to name her team “Team Harmony”. Josh insists they be called “Team Untitled”. Harmony all agrees on who gets which band member. Untitled also appears to agree, but Olivier starts talking about how menswear is about fit and he got the biggest guy. None of them are that big. Well, at least he’s consistent. Anya is making a caftan? Anthony Ryan says that Bert lived through the Haight-Ashbury era and has experienced the aesthetic they’re looking for, but he might not remember it.

$300 and 30 minutes. One of the guys asked for red denim, and there isn’t any, so Viktor is just going with regular denim. Laura is going to dye it. Anya is running around. Olivier is really flailing. Tim is irritated and says he has to have his stuff cut in less than a minute. Laura finds that she has $450 worth of stuff. She lucks out because Bert has lots of money left over. Rather than be grateful, she claims she never bashes him, and then in interview rolls her eyes at how he didn’t buy enough fabric.

Olivier is still complaining about how his musician is bigger than his mannequin, and none of those guys were oversized. They weren’t skinny twigs, but they’re not heavy, I don’t think. Listen to me, arguing like he can hear me. Sigh. Anya says it’s just a reality that you will have to make clothes for people who aren’t the same size as the mannequin. I love that she’s chastising him, but in such a nice way.

Eeeeee! Project Runway All Stars commercial! Austin! Mondo! Sweet Pea! Michael…Costello? Rami! Austin has a little skinny mustache like an 1880’s villain. Hee! Can you tell I’m excited?

Josh thinks this will end up being an individual competition. He fits pants to himself in the mirror, but only one leg, so everyone rolls their eyes at his black briefs and hairy legs. When your legs are that hairy, and your chest is silky smooth, it confuses people. I’m just saying. Anya tests red dye for the denim, by putting a little piece in a red Solo cup, and then in the next scene she drinks out of a red Solo cup. I mean, I assume it’s not the same one, but that was poor editing. She and Viktor talk smack about Olivier and how he has the same color palette of gray that he always does, and about how he has trouble working with clients.

Tim time! He brings the Garnier guy to talk to them about the band guys. All of them seemed to have long hair and beards, but it works with their sound. The singer refuses to cut his beard at all. This whole thing is a long commercial for Garnier products. Viktor makes men’s shirts all the time for himself and his friends. Day one is over.

Kimberly has no experience with menswear. Bert didn’t buy enough fabric, sounds like. Lots of work to do. Bert dyed something blue, but it turned out kind of purple. He likes it, though. Laura says that it’s not a collection, so if Bert’s look sucks, she’s not going to tell him to fix it.

Tim time! For real this time. The band is here too. Laura’s red dye actually worked, but the band guy and Tim both think it’s kind of light. There’s a tank top too, but the guy says he has a hairy chest so it can’t be too low cut. Anya is on the right track. Anthony Ryan has two prints for his band member to pick from, which is nice. Bert has the lead singer, and is showing him striped jeans and a floral? Huh? Lots of purple. It’s girly. Tim points out he’s not saying “shirt” but “blouse”. He doesn’t seem to be doing well.

Team Untitled’s turn. Viktor is adding crispiness. Actually he’s distressing the denim. Tim says not to make it look cheap. And a leather jacket with fringe. Kimberly has a plaid for a tunic, but her guy wants a different fabric. Turns out Anya lent Kimberly that fabric. Weird. Josh has an exposed zipper on the pants. Tim points out it will draw attention to his crotch, and Josh is like “Uh…yes? And?” Josh pretends to be freaking out about it, but his band member likes it. Olivier has picked out a print with swans on it. Swans. Really? He says from far away you can’t tell. And now that I’m looking, I don’t think his guy is fat. Is it just me? Is it just because I’m bigger than he is and so he doesn’t look big to me? I think he looks hot. I mean, he seems tall, but proportional. Olivier thinks he can’t give the guy everything he wants because then why did you have someone else design things for you? He tells the poor guy he doesn’t want to make him look any bigger, because “you are big.” Tim looks concerned and puts hand to forehead. Olivier doesn’t know if he can finish the pieces before the fitting, and he says it’s because the guy is bigger than the mannequin, and Tim is not having any of it. Ewan, I think you are hot. Don’t listen to Olivier.

Two hours until the band comes back for fitting. Bert redyes everything because Ewan doesn’t like purple. Poor Ewan. Bert made a pile of girly purple and Olivier said he was big. Olivier tells us he doesn’t want to dress plus sized people and maybe he is ignorant but he doesn’t know how to do it. Josh is concerned because it’s a mess, but Anthony Ryan reminds him that they’re going to be judged individually.

Fitting. Bert’s tie-dye is weird. Not necessarily girly, but it doesn’t fit this style. Kimberly has to change up her skill set for menswear. And none of them seem to be able to fit pants. Olivier has failed, pretty much. The pants don’t fit properly and are pretty tight, but bunch strangely at the knees.

Josh is trying to talk smack about Olivier to Anya when Olivier walks in. Josh grins like an idiot and asks how he’s doing. Olivier thinks everyone should leave him alone. Viktor has fringe. Everyone needs more time.

Back at home Kimberly and Anya both don’t understand how they’re so far behind. Bert says that since these guys are from Canada they probably don’t wear dashikis or whatever. Olivier is very worried.

Day of the show. Tim tells them that the band will be here soon. Instead of walking the runway, the band will perform two songs in front of the judges, I guess with a costume change in between. Team Harmony will go first. Viktor is pissed that he started making fringe first, and now Josh is making fringe too. Laura has fringe too? What is with the fringe? It’s very 60’s up in here. Ewan is sitting on a stool in his boxers and T-shirt waiting on Olivier. He jokes that he’s going to go out naked, with just his guitar to cover him. He may need a sock. Hee! When he finally gets his shirt, it doesn’t fit right. Olivier claims he doesn’t have time issues, he just keeps working and using all his time. Kimberly’s caftan was too close-fitting, and now it looks like a soccer jersey. Hot makeup guy doesn’t seem very keen on putting makeup on these guys. Bert makes Ewan braid his hair in two braids. Sigh. Anya thinks she’s clearly in the bottom with Kimberly.

Heidi tries to throw the devil horns but she is clearly a poser. Guest judge today is Adam Lambert, possibly one of the most perfect guest judge/challenge matchups ever. Sounds like there will be one winner, so only one outfit will have to be work to this live Rolling Stone event or whatever. Team Harmony is up. Anthony Ryan: white pants, a brown mottled print sleeveless top with long fringe down the back. The pants are flared. Anya: jeans, I think, and a sort of caftan top with a V neck. Anya hates it. The guy has a very thin headband, too. Laura: red pants, a purple jacket with fringe on the elbows, and a white tank top with red splotches. She mentions he looks “thin”. Huh? Anyway, more fringe. Bert: purple pants with a vertical stripe, and a purple vest and a top. It’s certainly a specific look, I just don’t think it’s the right look for this guy.

Team Untitled. Josh: white pants with an exposed zipper and big brown pockets on the back. A vest with fringe, and a top with a print. It’s super 60’s. Kimberly: brown flared corduroys, and that shirt that looks like a soccer jersey. Viktor: leather jacket with fringe, jeans that are torn up at the knees, and a black and white print shirt. And a thick headband. Olivier: white pants, but they fit horribly in the back, and the shirt with the swan print. To his credit, from far away it looks like paisley. There are big pockets on the front in a plain light blue color.

Team Harmony gets grilled first. Anya says they were going for “modern Jimi Hendrix”. Yeah…that didn’t happen. She responds that it wasn’t a “typical” team challenge where they needed to have a cohesive team feel so they didn’t collaborate. Nina says it’s expected and literal. Be creative. Like Adam! Laura dyed everything. Her guy says he likes the retro outfit, and so do the judges. It’s not so literal, which works. Kors doesn’t like the tie-dye because it’s bloody looking, but he thinks she could have pushed it further. Nina hates the jacket and thinks it looks like a woman’s jacket. Ewan says Bert’s tunic thing isn’t his style, but Kors and Adam both like that it’s not a costume. Nina loves the braids and says he looks like a Viking. It’s a look. Eh. Anya’s look is deemed “Pocahontas”. It’s the headband. He liked the idea of the look. Oohhhhh…the pants are splitting down the back. Bad. Adam is giggling at all of Kors’s quips. “Reggae Jesus! Suede lobster bib! Brady Bunch dashiki!” Adam joins in with “8th grade production of Hair”. Anthony Ryan wanted fringe and a sleeveless shirt. But the shirt is so polished it looks like a woman’s blouse. Anya has started freaking out.

Team Untitled. Olivier has to go first. Ewan likes that he went simple but he doesn’t like the pants. Heidi digs further and it turns out Ewan told Olivier he likes dark colors, and the pants are light. Heidi is bored. Adam and Nina hate the shirt; Adam would like a more flattering cut, and Nina says it’s too feminine. Kors points out that Olivier has menswear experience and should have done better. Heidi starts asking about why the sleeves are pushed up and could he roll them down? No, there’s no cuff on them. They are too short and they just kind of end. Olivier tries to argue about how Ewan is too big for the mannequin, but there weren’t arms on any of the mannequins, so that excuse doesn’t work for the sleeve. Kimberly…I didn’t notice, but she put buttons down the front of the shirt. Sigh. He likes the pants, but the shirt is not so good. The color combo is terrible, and Kimberly says she’s happy he’s in a shirt and pants at all. Adam has the best comment, which is that this guy looks like Shaggy from Scooby Doo. YES. Yes he does. Viktor made a sort of Western shirt, and he knows the jacket is kind of cliché but he tried to put some armor on it by braiding the fringe, I think. Everyone loves the jacket. It looks expensive and has movement. And the jeans fit very well. Josh put his band member in stretch denim with an exposed zipper. Yeah. He knows that Tim didn’t like the zipper, but it’s rock and roll and he would be “attracted to that kind of thing, as a viewer”. Adam laughs at him because, seriously, “as a viewer”? The print on the shirt is like an old Indian blanket. Heidi also likes an exposed crotch zipper. But there are too many things going on. On the side of the pants, down by his foot, there is a weird suede inset with buttons. And the huge back pockets ruin his ass. Kors likes the fact that the vest has fringe sleeves, where the fringe is attached at the shoulder and then again at the wrist. They like the top too.

Olivier, Anya, and Kimberly were in the bottom. Adam hated Anya’s outfit. They know she usually has great taste. Olivier, however, designs menswear and should have done much better. Kimberly’s outfit belongs in the dollar bin. But her pants are great. Josh’s design had some great elements, and the outfit was the sexiest. Viktor also had a sexy design with a fantastic jacket, according to Kors, but Heidi didn’t think he looked hot. Bert made something more modern, and he had a distinctive look.

Bert is in. Viktor is the winner! He’s so pleased. Laura is in. Josh is in. Anthony Ryan is in. Anya is in. She tells everyone in the Scrap Bin she’s freaking out, and Josh uses that as an excuse to feel her up. In the interest of seeing how fast her heart is beating, of course. Down to Kimberly and Olivier. Kimberly is in. Olivier doesn’t think he deserves to go right now. He wants to just do high fashion now. Yeah, that’s probably best.

Garnier photo shoot. The photoshoot involves the whole band, but only Viktor’s outfit shows up.
Next week: retro things, Anya loses her shopping money and will have to use only muslin, Laura bitches about Bert but Tim questions her taste level.