Project Runway 9/20/12--"I Get a Kick Out of Fashion" summary

Previously on Project Runway: Everyone was supposed to make their own fabric, with the requirement that it be inspired by their cultural heritage. Ven made another outfit with the rose detail and he got yelled at. Dmitry did not make a dress and he won. Gunnar decided that “cultural heritage” was the same thing as “traumatic experience” and made a print based on his being bullied when he was younger. And I know that was wrong, and I don’t wish bullying on anyone, but I still think that was calculated. He picked that out because he thought it would help him win. Instead he was eliminated. And then Chris made a big deal about how great it was they didn’t hate each other anymore or whatever, because Chris makes everything about himself.

           

Fabio reveals he slept in Gunnar’s bed. Aww. He misses Gunnar’s “energy”. Chris whines about being in the bottom, as does Ven. Ven says they don’t understand where he’s coming from. Ven and Chris move in with the other boys. Sonjia explains to everyone that Elena is the only person who hasn’t won a challenge yet. Elena thinks she will have to think outside the box. Also she has to reduce her stress level. Obviously.

           

No Heidi today, everyone has to go to Radio City Music Hall. As they approach the stage, Tim is up there, standing in front of the Rockettes. Tim gets out of the way so they can perform, which is fun. Then the curtain comes up and there’s Heidi, of course in a different color, but keeping up with the kicking and so forth very admirably. I’m impressed. Heidi tells the designers they’re designing a new costume for the Rockettes, to be worn in a future show. Everyone appears to be excited. The director/choreographer comes out, and Tim tells them she used to choreograph for Bob Fosse, which is awesome. They want a costume that is versatile enough to wear year-round, not just at Christmas. It has to have impact from the cheap seats, be elegant but also modern. There are some sample costumes to look at.

           

Ven talks about making something modern without mentioning folds and roses. Dmitry reminds us he used to be a professional ballroom dancer, which I had forgotten until now, so he’s already got ideas. Elena says she’s made dance costumes before. Mood involves choosing the right fabric and Chris telling us he’s making the New York skyline. OK. Sonjia is worried and uninspired. Ven has to rethink because they don’t have what he wants, as does Elena. She ends up hating what she gets, and then when she checks out she has almost $400 instead of the $250 she is supposed to spend. Oops.

           

Tim tells everyone they have two days for the challenge, and today they will work until 7:30…looks of annoyance…because they are going to go out for dinner “to celebrate our final 7!” I smell a trick. I don’t know what. But I smell a twist. Chris says he’s super excited. Elena has a royal blue that she says is like a high school band uniform. Dmitry points out that she always says she hates her design, so why continue to make things you hate? Melissa has 18 pieces to her pattern, plus hand-beading. Ven and Elena discuss having clean lines and not overembellishing (Ven) vs. being seen from the cheap seats (Elena). Chris has decided to wear a turban and sunglasses. I don’t know. Sonjia appears to have purple feathers that were going to be embellishment, but now maybe she will make the whole skirt out of feathers.

           

Everyone goes out for dinner and drinks a little bit. Sonjia wishes she was working on her outfit instead. Elena apologizes to everyone for being a bitch but mostly to Dmitry. Ven tries to have a personality. I’m sorry, but he is kind of the same all the time. I think Dmitry appreciates the apology. At least he doesn’t seem to think she’s lying. And then in a twist…that’s all that happens. They really let everyone go out to dinner. What is that? Lame.

           

The next day, Chris snobs about how everyone else has crap designs. Sonjia is still making a feather skirt. She’s starting to freak out again. Fabio thinks Melissa is insane to have as many pieces as she has. Elena puts on her costume and dances around, and laughs because she knows she can’t freak out anymore. Sonjia tells Chris his design is awesome and she hates him, you bitch. Hee.

           

Tim time! Sonjia is about to cry. She’s trying to fit a top to the skirt she has. Tim just freaks out with her. She has to do something, anything. Elena has made a drum major outfit. Tim says to figure it out. Dmitry has an outfit that looks like a dance outfit, and some fringe which is cool. There are cutouts. Fabio is having trouble with his sequined fabric, calling it a bitch, and so forth. He was trying to cut strips, but it looks better all one piece, so he tells Tim that it was good that “that bitch was fighting [him]”. Tim says “Yeah, bitchslap that bitch!” HEE. Oh Tim. Chris does have an impressive top, but the fringe on the bottom is way too short. Melissa might not have enough sequins. Tim tries to help her come up with things that will speed up her work. Ven has some kind of shiny mesh, and he had cut some extra for a seam, but on the mannequin it looks like a sheer piece. Like the straps are extra wide, but sheer. Tim tells him to keep that effect because it has more impact. Tim calls them all over and says that they need to have more urgency, and this is a big challenge, with a big prize. Then he tells all of them they’re going back to Mood with another $100. Fabio asks if he can stay behind and work instead because he’s fine with what he has. Tim says that’s cool, and Dmitry and Ven stay too. OK, so usually when they pull this shit it’s because the judges’ favorite is screwed somehow. But I am not sure of what the thought process is here. Unless they really want Elena to win. Elena buys more sparkles. Chris gives Melissa $50 for some reason. Sonjia doesn’t feel any better.

           

Everyone returns and the models come in. Elena’s model loves her old outfit for some reason. Melissa is freaking out. Sonjia is also freaking out, but isn’t giving up. She gets a phone call home, which reenergizes her. Ven thinks his dress is perfect.

           

Melissa still has a ton of work to do the day of the show, and somehow Ven goes over and tells her he’ll sew for her. Really? Why is everyone giving Melissa extra help? Whatever. Chris tears a small hole in a seam under his model’s arm. Tim gives them two hours to finish. Hot makeup guy. He actually talks a lot today. Melissa manages to break the zipper pull. Everyone goes over to help her, but it’s not working. Sonjia has some trouble getting the top on her model but it goes on. Melissa is pinning and sewing her model into the dress. Elena is using the glue.

           

I don’t like Heidi’s dress. Too much fringe. Guest judge is Debra Messing, who I think may have borrowed some of the costuming from “Smash”. Ugh. Dmitry: dark blue shiny fabric in a zig zag. It has a mock turtleneck collar and one sleeve, and then a wide swath across to the other hip, and then a low skirt so one whole shoulder and arm is bare and then the opposite side of her torso is bare. The skirt is short and fringed. It looks just like a ballroom dancing outfit. Melissa: pink with black sequins, and a vertical stand-up piece in the bodice over her boobs. The black is just in random pieces, and the skirt is short but also just short, with no volume. Melissa is just now noticing that the black in the front makes a 1. Ven: slate blue shiny mesh over a matching satin, with a diamond shaped cutout over her stomach. It looks like an ice skating outfit, but the skirt does move well. Elena: very shiny royal blue with a lot of cutouts and white piping in the bodice. The cutouts have sheer lining, I think, and they’re all around her waist and neckline like a giant belt and collar. Right in the middle of her collar is a big triangle of silver. Chris: the top has the New York skyline, which is cool, and some spangles, and then a short silver skirt. It does look really good. Sonjia: short purple skirt made of feathers, with matching shoulders. The top is just iridescent purple sequins with a high neck. Fabio: metallic sequins, in a loose skirt and a v-shape top. There is some illusion netting at the top, so it’s not just the v-neck. There seem to be straps too? The sequins in the skirt are vertical so they look like stripes.

           

Fabio ends up being the only safe person today. Sonjia wanted something different. Heidi doesn’t think this is a showstopper. There are shorts under the skirt, so that answers Heidi’s question about whether they can dance. Nina points out that feathers are fragile and these costumes might fall apart. Kors doesn’t think it’s glam enough. They totally hate the feathers. Dmitry wanted something more athletic. Everyone loves it, it’s different and edgy. Kors knows Dmitry designed it, and the details are perfect. When they show a close-up, you can see the cutouts have illusion netting. Ven thinks his dress will read glamorous from a distance. Heidi thinks it’s nice but she’s bored. It’s just a sparkly dress. Then she asks what he got on their second trip to Mood, and he dooms himself by saying he didn’t go. That might bite him later. Kors doesn’t think it’s sexy enough? I think? Debra likes it, but the hemline is raggedy. Melissa wanted a showstopper, and Heidi does like the colors but the more she looks at it the more she finds wrong with it. Heidi says it’s too short, so you know it’s short. The 1 is driving everyone insane. I think they like the color but that’s it. Chris wanted to celebrate the city. They all think it’s fantastic. It’s done well and everyone falls over themselves telling Chris how great he is. They cut in a bunch of shots of everyone else for some reason, but no one is making interesting faces so I’m not sure what that is for. Elena tries to defend her color choices, but you can tell her heart’s not in it. Plus as they show the close ups, the bodice looks like it doesn’t fit at all. It’s tacky and too busy. Debra says it’s good for the circus. Ouch. They hate on the cheap fabric and the fact that Elena matched everything to the blue. She starts to lose it, and Heidi says she does appreciate that Elena pushed herself. Heidi then tells them all that she wants them to know that the judges don’t take their decision lightly. Huh? What happened? Did someone go out and complain? They don’t just say things like that unless people have been talking.

           

Everyone in the Scrap Bin tells Fabio how much they got ripped on. Dmitry’s design is very modern. Chris’s skyline is a great idea, even though there isn’t as much movement. They mostly like Melissa’s colors, but not the stiffness and short. When Heidi brings up Sonjia Kors says “disco turkey”. The feathers will fall apart. Ven did something different, no folding, but now it’s boring. Kors says “origami rose” and then says that could be Ven’s drag name. Hee. Elena picked an ugly fabric and then overembellished. Heidi asks if a boring dress is worse than a super tacky dress. Or send Sonjia home?

           

Melissa is in. Chris is the winner. He’s pretty thrilled. That was an awesome dress. Dmitry is in. Sonjia is in. Elena is in. She totally loses it. Guess a boring dress was worse than a tacky one. Ven says he can put on an amazing show, but the opportunities aren’t there. What does that mean? Is that your way of saying “no one appreciates my talent”? Tim gives him a ton of praise and Ven says he’s very passionate about design.

           

Next time: design for babies. Those fake dolls that are plastic and cry randomly and have sensors. I love it.