Project Runway 10/10/13--"Finale Part 1" summary

Previously on Project Runway: the traditional “everyone make something super impressive and beautiful before we kick you out to make collections” challenge. It was not super exciting, so then the producers got the bright idea to make everyone “fix” an outfit that sent someone home. I don’t mind either of those challenges, actually, because “can you make this outfit not suck but still resemble the original” is not a bad challenge. But I suspect that once Tim’s Save appeared they planned on doing this so whoever got saved could have the chance to take the outfit that eliminated them in the first place. Which is exactly what happened with Justin. I just think maybe not do two challenges at once. Bradon won, and Dom also did well but the other three have to “compete” for the chance to “show” at Fashion Week, even though they all already did. So it was a waste of 90 minutes. Sometimes I read “finale” and I hear “finally”. (click for more)

Heidi and Tim talk about collections. Heidi is wearing a wine colored bedsheet. Everyone talks about how thrilled they are and stuff. $9000 and six weeks to make ten looks for spring. Heidi then tells them one of the looks has to be unconventional materials, because this is the unconventional materials season and HEAVEN FORBID you forget it. Heaven forbid you just make clothes that are awesome. Alexandria cries because she’s so happy, which I only note because it makes it more dramatic if she is eliminated. Unlike some seasons the final five are nice to each other as they pack up and go home.

Two weeks left to go. Dom’s up first. Her family is cute. They’re at a restaurant where Dom works. She sews during the day and is the hostess at night. Wow. Dom is so excited. She’s got some gallery space from a friend to work in. Inspired by “Blade Runner” and watercolors. So many prints! Of course. Lots of watercolor prints and bright colors and straight lines and curved lines. Tim tells her to put all her prints on a knit fabric, which she hadn’t thought of. I guess she had a problem with the silk? I’m not that familiar with fabrics and printing things on them. Of course everything will be better and Tim is so smart. The problem is that she hasn’t even had the fabric printed yet, so she has to get that done and THEN make clothes.

Bradon only gets his visit with 12 days left to go. Not a lot of time to fix anything. Bradon was inspired by crocuses in the spring. His unconventional look is knitted plastic. It’s very heavy and really doesn’t go with the rest of his collection. His finale gown isn’t even started. Bradon’s fiancée is there and Tim is cute about congratulating them on their engagement. All three of them go to the beach, Tim still in his suit coat. Of course.

One day later he goes to San Mateo (NoCal represent!) to see Alexandria. Alexandria seems to have a lot of black and white and also feather crowns. Like, a traditional looking tall crown but made of feathers. She has almost thirty pieces to mix and match. Tim says it’s very her. Like some pants that have like, gloves instead of pockets? There are straps so instead of putting your hands in your pockets, it’s like you have fingerless gloves that are attached to your hips. She takes Tim to her fashion camp with the kids (who made some of her unconventional look, child labor). Tim is so cute with the kids. They all made dolls of all the contestants this season. Tim’s doll is hilarious. They’re just simple knit dolls but they’re really funny because they all look crazy.

Time for Helen. Nine days left. Helen is inspired by clairvoyance. Yup. Her prints are taken from a really close-up photo of an eye. She’s also got some bold red for some reason. More capes like she’s done during the competition. Tim tells her she needs to innovate. Without the capes it’s boring. I think that’s what Tim is saying. Tim goes to meet Helen’s family and he asks them about how Helen breaks down all the time. Tim, you went there? Damn. Her mom is like, yeah we know.

Justin’s parent’s house. Justin admits his sister won’t wear his clothes. Aww. I don’t know what day it is. There’s a big sign at the university supporting him. His collection is inspired by sound waves. Somehow he got access to a 3-D printer to make shoulder pads or something. I’m not sure where the things are going. His unconventional material is plastic test tubes. It does look kind of cool. Right now everything in the collection looks white or off-white. Tim tells him he has potential but right now it’s not ready.

Fashion Week time! I wish they would plan better so they could have more than six weeks. Dom and Bradon hug and talk a little bit about how lucky they are to not have to compete. As everyone arrives they all talk about how excited they are and what bed they want.

The workroom is rearranged for everyone. Time for unpacking and side-eyes because no one wants to actually go over and check out other people’s clothing. Finally Dom is like, fine, I’ll go look. All the interviews are nice for a change. Justin’s swoopy 3-D printer things are necklaces. Oh, I lied, Helen interviews that Bradon’s collection is old lady and now he’s worried because he’s seen how great everyone else is.

Tim shows up with a ‘gather round! Which you know is not good. He brings in some woman with MORE PRODUCT PLACEMENT and another challenge. Of course. Something about laundry detergent and “washable fashion” which I guess means you force designers to use fabrics you can wash. Whatever. Make a new look that you can wash! Oh, but just to make it more confusing, this challenge is only for people who make it to the finale. So before that, Justin, Alexandria, and Helen must show three looks to compete for spots. I’m not sure how many spots. Maybe one, maybe two. Maybe they’ll just be “generous” and let them all compete.

Some minor working precedes Tim Time. Tim shows up with a split lip, from “an altercation with a set of subway stairs” and four stiches. He’s just going to meet with the three showing tomorrow, and Bradon and Dom will get advice later. Alexandria has a sheer top and a trench, but Tim doesn’t want a bra or bandeau top because it will ruin the lines. All her looks are pants and tops and jackets. Justin’s test tube dress looks like a shag rug. OK, that sounds bad, but it’s not bad. One of his tops has a sloppy neckline and some puckering. Well…six weeks. Tim wants more cohesion. Helen’s looks are that bright red and a blue print, the eye print. Tim doesn’t like the shoulder stitching on one dress, plus she’s cut the bottom of dresses so there are tails. Like, one panel down the front, and one down the back, but the sides are really short. Tim wants to connect them like a giant diaper. Oh no. Helen says capes are a theme but she’s only showing one, I think. Tim tells her she needs to have three looks that are impeccable. On the way out Tim gets choked up like he does sometimes but there is no group hug. Justin gets emotional too, because he doesn’t want to see anyone go home.

Runway day. I think Helen just told the hair people to make a hair choker. Justin has wigs with bowl cuts. Hot makeup guy Scott. Dom offers to help Helen because she’s not going to get anything done right now. Lots of cursing and freaking out.

No guest judges today, of course. Alexandria: the first look is some black pants and a black leather top that is loosely fitted and sleeveless. The pants are the ones with the glove/pocket thing. She looks good, like a punk rocker girl. Second is white pants, loose, with a light gray top and a grey suede jacket. The jacket fastens on top of her chest and then is open in a wide inverted V. The back ties like one of those dresses with the sash so you can adjust the fit. The sleeves on the jacket don’t look attached to the body of the jacket. Last is more beige pants, that look draped or something. There is a big panel in front that goes diagonally across her hips to her waist. Then a really slouchy trench and a lace top. All in beige. I want some more color.

Helen’s turn. Short black dress with cap sleeves and a high crew neck. The sides of the skirt are slightly longer than the front and back, and they stick out from her hips. Second is a red dress, slightly above the knee, very pod-like. This is one of her capes, belted at the waist with a clear plastic belt. The silhouette is interesting, and the belt goes under the back of the dress so that part is still full. Last is a dress in the blue eye print. There is a simple strapless sheath dress, and over her shoulders and upper chest is a cape. It’s cut so it looks like she can’t lift her arms. It’s different.

Justin: white pleated pants, a tank, and a sleeveless vest. The back of the top and vest has a big round keyhole. Second is a short black tank and full knee-length skirt, with some white paint splatters on the hem of the skirt and white at the shoulders. One of the 3-D printed pieces is a belt. Last is the unconventional look, which is a long white dress with plastic test tubes everywhere, lined up so they look like fur or something. Oh my God is that dress loud. It rustles all the way down the runway and all the way back. There’s also a collar made from the 3-D printer, two pieces that go over her shoulders but don’t meet in front. The plastic test tube dress is fantastic.

Heidi says they should all be proud but not all of them can show at Fashion Week. Lies. Justin wanted to tell his story about getting his cochlear implant. The white represents being deaf, then the black with white paint is chaos after he had too much sound after getting his implant, and then the last look (test tubes) is his being at peace. Heidi can’t stop talking about how great this is. The hair is terrible though. Yeah, they’re like, really short bowl cut wigs. Zac thinks the black look is too busy. Nina is the only one who doesn’t totally hate the hair.

Alexandria was trying to do punk and monochromatic. Well, success in that sense. Heidi loves the slouchy, weirdly draped pants, because why not? It’s very detailed, and looks good, and the glove/pocket thing is fun. Nina knows it’s Alexandria, but is it a wow? Nina doesn’t like that there is no color and it’s boring. So, Justin showed two white outfits and a black outfit and they didn’t say anything to him about colors. Is it because he had really bright white and Alexandria has dingy taupe? Who knows. I guess Justin makes for better TV.

Helen talks about her clairvoyance inspiration and the eye print. Nina thinks it’s minimal but feminine. The blue dress really does keep the model from moving her arms around. Hilariously they ask if the model can move her arms and she windmills them and flails. Nina thinks maybe it’s not well-made. The red looks terrible without the belt, so I’m not sure why they told her to take it off. Heidi thinks the models look sad. Nina complains about her inspiration not showing up in the red and black dresses which is stupid. Since when have they cared about your inspiration? Also the hair chokers are creepy. Agreed on that.

So at the moment, it looks like they want to keep Justin, because they’re talking about how great he is and giving stupid critiques to the other two. The judges rave about the gown and how given time, he makes beautiful clothes. Nina makes faces about Alexandria. Heidi really likes everything, but Zac and Nina are arguing about how she’s not really cool and they’re bored and blah. Gray is a color, Heidi. Wait, I wanted color too. They think she’s not special enough. Helen’s first dress is actually very dark blue and no black. They really hate her execution. Zac thinks she needs more time, but if you’re rolling your eyes at a shoulder dart, how does having more time help that?

Justin is going to show at Fashion Week. Of course. Not that I think his designs were bad, I thought they were pretty good. Just that you could tell that was happening from halfway through the episode. Alexandria is in. I kind of thought they might get rid of her but OK. Who thinks Helen is in too? Oh, I was wrong. Helen is out. I think Helen’s clothes were more interesting but whatever. She’s still proud of herself but “disappointed in the whole situation”. She’s going to keep on keeping on.

Next week: this season finally ends. Justin loses a model, everyone loves things. Etc. Someone wins.