Project Runway 10/29/15--"Finale Part 1" summary

Previously on “Project Runway”: the final four went to LA to make a “red carpet” outfit. Which red carpet was not specified which is partially how Kelly won with a skintight jumpsuit with a triangular naval cutout. Edmond's design was also more MTV VMA's than Oscars but it was also terribly made I guess. Even though Ashley's wasn't that great. Anyway, Edmond was eliminated but they very carefully did not show him interviewing about how much he learned from the show, nor did they show Tim telling him to clean up his workspace. So clearly he is Saved. Why did they not show this first? Did Lifetime think we'd be fooled? Or care? I don't know. (click for more)

Also apparently this episode is TWO HOURS. And next week is also two hours. Do we need FOUR DAMN HOURS of finale? No.

So back in the Scrap Bin Tim cries or whatever and tells Edmond to be proud and acts like he's thinking about it and then Saves him. It has no emotional impact for me because we all saw it coming. To be honest no one in that whole room seems that surprised. Plus I am sure they discussed it beforehand. There is no way the judges would have eliminated him if Tim hadn't promised to use the Save. You know there isn't.

Anyway they have seven weeks to make ten-look collections with $9000. Ashley gets “permission” to make a plus-size collection and they promise her appropriate models. Look I'm a plus-sized person. And I don't mind Ashley's style. But I think she's only here BECAUSE she's plus-sized and making a plus-size collection. Lifetime wants to get some of that demographic so they've let her through even though they might otherwise have eliminated her already.

Anyway, home visit time. Ashley's inspired by Mexico City in the '50s and she's hand-dyed all her fabric. Tim says he likes the uneven dye job. Everything she shows Tim is a baby pink so I hope she has some other colors. Tim wants more saturated colors. Yeah, agreed, although I do like the '50s. Also there are headpieces which are headbands with giant bunches of flowers. Maybe too matronly. Tim says that but then says maybe she's pushing the boundaries and not playing it safe. Hmm. It sounds disingenuous. Ashley's' family puts Tim in an apron to make tortillas. Hee. I am always behind messing with Tim. Ashley's grandmother says (in Spanish!) that she always knew Ashley would be a designer. Aww. Tim also gives a speech about how great of a role model she is for plus-sized women which just makes me suspicious. See above.

Candice time. She's on the beach, which makes ZERO sense because it's San Francisco. It's cold. No one hangs out on the beach. Candice cries about her relationship with her mom. Poor Tim and his sockless loafers. Candice says she's evolved. Then they go to Candice's studio where she has a giant hoop skirt out front. I get that she doesn't work out of her home but they couldn't go to her house first instead of the stupid cold beach? Whatever. She's got a bunch of Asian-y reds and sculptural skirts and stuff. There's a coat Tim can't even pick up. Leather stuff. The reds are weird because she always made black. Tim thinks the red brocade and the giant hoop skirt are full on drag queen. Listen we could use some full-on drag queen. It would make the show better.

Time for Kelly. She actually lets Tim into her actual house. Her collection is actually done, or at least she has ten looks. It's very shiny. 70's style. Of course. There's a bunch of hand-done piping and also matching fanny packs for each look! Girl. I know this is her, but come on. Fanny packs. One look has sheer mesh so Tim suggests she buy some other colors in case her model's skin doesn't match. Then they go to the deli. Hee. OK they go to a restaurant where she used to work. She does have a strong point of view and she sticks to it. It might remind me of 1985 but it's strong. Then they DO go to the deli where they made up a sandwich and named it after Tim. Ha!

Edmond. He wants to be glamorous and luxurious. Tim brings up again how he tried out for every single season. Yeah he was probably always going to be in the finale. Edmond wanted to make all gowns and dresses but he thought maybe he needed suits and swimwear and stuff too. Tim points out he doesn't want anyone to come to him for swimwear. Edmond will also be making a gigantic gown as a finale piece but it's black and not red. Right now it's just a bolt of fabric. Tim tells him to “beat back the architecture” and make things flowing. He's got a lot of work to do. Edmond's parents are super proud of him which is cute.

OK. Back in New York where apparently everyone is going to share a room. Or maybe they just gave Ashley a double bed instead of a twin which I choose to interpret as a subtle insult. This apartment looks terrible but whatever. They won't be in it a lot. These four have zero drama and all like each other so there's that, at least. Ashley jokes that they all know she's going to burst into tears.

OK the screen says “Ashley's Journey” and it's a montage. Do we really need a montage of every look for each person in the Final Four? Is this where you dredged up the extra half hour? Ugh. Do I need to be reminded of when Ashley got “bullied” by everyone? No. That was obnoxious but I remember.

Workroom time. Lots of side-eye as unpacking happens. Candice has giant pieces, Kelly has loud colors and shiny, Ashley has pastels and still the big floral headpieces. Edmond...hasn't unpacked anything. He has three pieces to make. That's a lot of pieces. Kelly's completely done and you can hear how confused she is that no one else is. Tim appears to welcome them back and tell them their first challenge is...to pick three looks to present. This is supposedly so the judges can help them polish but really it's so the judges can tell them what to do and then penalize them for not listening. Also so they can give targeted advice to whoever they've decided should win. Plus there is one more look they have to make today! Oh, there it is. They'll get $250 but they can spend it on other things for the collection if they want.

Edmond says he has two looks to complete, one to make, and now an additional look. You showed up here with an ENTIRE look that you hadn't even started?! What the hell. Ashley's worried because she feels her fit on her models has to be more perfect than everyone else. At Mood Ashley buys some purple and Kelly some shiny stuff. Edmond tries to buy almost $400 worth of stuff. Oops.

Kelly's Journey. Kelly's journey is that I think she should win and she does really well. Sometimes the judges are mental but she's so cute when she wins. And her clothes are not generic, that is for sure.

As Edmond finally unpacks Candice quietly freaks out at how good it is. I know this brand new look is a pain in the ass but also you could maybe have anticipated it? They do it all the time. Candice complains that no one gives compliments but she tries to do it like “oh well you don't give compliments so I know you really mean it.” Makeup consults. Whatever.

Tim Time! Kelly has picked out a couple of outfits that are totally her and she's making a long dress with a side panel of horizontal zippers. All hand sewn together. And one fanny pack to keep the others a surprise. Oh, one of the looks is the one with the mesh Tim was worried about so the judges can tell her what they think of it. Smart. Edmond starts to describe his collection as light and airy but a long black gown really isn't light and airy. It's also way more covered up than he has shown them. The wrap gown with giant ruffle is maybe not doable in one day.

Candice's Journey. She's kind of like Gretchen but not all the time. Just in the interviews. Lots of black and leather and the hilarious assumption that Nina's compliments are always genuine.

More Tim Time. Candice has chosen three black looks because she says if she puts a color it's not cohesive. What? Tim insists that it's way better to show some color. The new look is basically her red carpet gown from last week in a different fabric. Ashley has a dark purple lace for some color. She's also got a blue dress that is knee length and then sheer to the floor. Tim warns her about those proportions. No prints anywhere. She's also afraid to show the headpieces in case the judges tell her not to use them. Well, I know she's not using prints because when she did you all told her the prints were terrible.

Model fitting. Zero drama. Somehow Kelly finds a stain on her dress (incidentally, the print looks like sheet metal). Ashley lends her some stuff and Kelly is super dramatic about how Ashley might be screwing her but she wouldn't. And it works. Is this all the drama we're going to get in this entire two hours?

Edmond's Journey. Did you know he has tried out for every season? He's won a lot on things that are pretty but not very exciting.

Runway day. Ashley's going to use all headpieces. Kelly's sheer dress is the wrong color for all her models so she's picking something else. Lots of freaking out.

Is someone getting eliminated today? Or are you wasting my time? I mean more than usual. Heidi says nothing about eliminations. Goddammit Lifetime. No guest judge today. Candice: slim pants in a white print with big red flowers, a red bustier and a long duster in red with trim in the print. The duster has long sleeves that are split to the elbow. Also the model has a topknot and it bugs me. The duster maybe is a coat? In red leather that is lined in the print? Second look is a black leather dress with a big floppy hat. It's the one she made yesterday and is kind of like her red carpet look. Third is black leggings and bustier, with a black lace duster. It's like the first one in different fabrics.

Kelly: tank top dress in the sheet metal print with a thin strip of what looks like wood grain at the bottom. Second look is a longish off the shoulder crop top in the wood with a sheer strip over her stomach. It's got short cap sleeves and then there are sparkly shorts with silver hems and a fanny pack. Third look is long pants in the metal print and a sequined green tank top. The pants have some sheer on the bottom and the top has a really cool back with a silver strap. I think the first one is the one she made yesterday?

Edmond: tight black dress, knee length, with one shoulder. There is a thick white band at the neckline, and then the one shoulder and a long sleeve in black with a ruffle in white. Second is a voluminous white dress, very full, trimmed in black with a big black bow over her chest. It's not bad, actually. Third is a very tight black gown, down to the floor, with a high neck and long sleeves and a long ruffle all the way down the front.

Ashley: pink pencil skirt and a lace crop top. The top is long enough that you don't really see her stomach. Yesterday's look is a long purple crop top and skirt with a mermaid silhouette, all in purple lace with a bra and granny panties. It looks well done for a day's work. The third look is a pink full skirt and bra top/bustier that does not fit at all. It looks lumpy.

Tim is going to stay, and he says he's going to take notes for them. Edmond says he pushed himself with the shapes and not using color. Zac is worried about his inspiration because all his looks today have ruffles. They don't have enough attitude. Heidi loves the middle one but thinks they shouldn't all be black and white. Or all ruffles. He was really concerned about making these three looks cohesive but the judges don't think these are. He usually is really sexy and these looks are not him. They hate the long dress with the long ruffle. Can he make something new? Maybe?

Kelly's turn. “Introducing Studio 54 to New Wave streetwear”. Interesting. Zac loves it all I think. Heidi can't find yesterday's look because she thinks they all look like she made it in a day. Ouch. Now she's bored? And the fanny packs are too boring apparently. Lots of pieces but Nina doesn't think it's luxurious enough. Or special enough.

Ashley's looks. They know that one crop top doesn't fit. Plus the skirt, which is quilted, has a poor zipper. The pink lace crop top just has the model's boring beige bra (Ashley did know that was a problem). She has a consistent message and Nina finds it “adorable” and very Ashley. The purple look has a weird crooked zipper. Nina also complains about how there aren't any prints and then has the balls to say she thinks Ashley uses prints well. All you did for the back half of the season was complain about her terrible prints! Maybe don't use the flower crowns in every look either. But she did plan them carefully to pull out the colors from each outfit which is kind of nice.

Candice. She says she was “Asian-inspired” and then basically tells them she didn't want to show her final piece because she likes it. Also the two looks that I thought were the same are both kimonos so I think they're supposed to look the same. Individually the pieces are nice but some of the styling is weird like her big hat. Nina says “Alexander McQueen can do Alexander McQueen. You cannot.” Oo. Candice looks pissed.

Heidi says they have two days left and a lot of work. Zac says not to get caught up in each other's drama which is dumb because they don't' have any drama. Edmond must be Edmond. Kelly should go for it. Ashley must focus on details and fit. Candice must tone it down especially in styling. Everyone goes to the Scrap Bin to freak out.

Next week: another two hour episode where this season will finally end. Yay!