Project Runway 11/17/16--"A Power Trip" summary

Previously on “Project Runway”: loved ones time! Each contestant got a family member to design for. Supposedly it was “design for a new chapter in their life” but that didn't apply to anyone so whatever. Erin made a giant coat and an overdesigned dress AGAIN, but of course she was not eliminated. Mah-Jing made his mom a very badass, androgynous outfit but was passed over for the win so Rik could win. To be fair, Rik had a very cute dress, but I liked Mah-Jing's outfit better. Jenni made a truly terrible pair of pants, so she was eliminated. I didn't think her outfit was great or anything, but I like her better than Erin, so. (click for more)

Mah-Jing almost won last week, you guys. Cornelius wants the judges to notice him. Erin thinks she can get back to the top. Heidi leaves everyone a note, which is sad. Just get up and go to the apartments, Heidi.

They all end up at the airport. Sigh. Tim lands in a helicopter and greets the designers, then introduces them to the editor of Marie Claire. Everyone gets a helicopter tour to be inspired for today's look. The look must be editorial and stand out, be for a powerful woman, blah blah. Winner gets an editorial in Marie Claire. The helicopter rides happen but I dozed off here. Also I wrote “everything has to be the first ever, but they're doing a lot of crystals anyway” and I have no idea what I was talking about.

Dexter jokes about flashing everyone but he whistles constantly instead of saying words and shut up, Dexter. Mah-Jing interviews about how this competition opens you up and makes you a better person. Not good.

Tim Time! Rik has some fabric with a treatment? Actually I think he just took some fabric and tie dyed it, basically. Tim loves it. Mah-Jing is sewing a knit fabric to a woven fabric which could turn out very poorly. Cornelius appears to have very strong colors that maybe don't go together. Tim talks him out of the weird blobs he was planning on. Maybe? Roberi has a nice purple, but it's too boring. Laurence has a black bodice cut in fringe, and then her first print she's ever used. Dexter is making a jacket out of coated denim and he promises it's not like what he has done before. But he may not have time. Nathalia has a ton of fabric. I'm not sure how she could afford to buy all this. Her jumpsuit is too boring. Erin doesn't have a giant coat! I know! It's a wavy hemmed thing. In pastel pink. It's not powerful. It's also inspired by the motion of the helicopter, and that's what everyone's doing so whatever. Tim tells her she's on the bottom too much and this is boxy, and Erin says she doesn't know what to do. Rik whispers at Nathalia about making things shorter.

Nathalia is asking Rik a bunch of stuff, and Erin sniffs that she's doing it a lot because Jenni's gone and she should know who she is. Erin, who you are is “person who makes giant boxy coats” so shush. Erin herself is starting over. Model fitting. Dexter has nothing. He has big pieces of muslin for the model to hold up. Rik's fabric is an unfortunate brown splotchy look. Dexter says this is the first time he's been really pressed for time. Rik is on the couch taking a nap, which is never good editing. Dexter makes a jacket with puffy sleeves, and he worries about it because he's already made a jacket like that. You see how Erin's slid by, right? Nathalia freaks out because her look doesn't look like her. She actually breaks down in tears about it, but she just needs to finish it. Everyone feels bad for her but the consensus seems to be “cry and cut”.

Runway Day. Dexter did his mutton sleeves anyway. Nathalia just wants to be done. Erin is overly proud of herself, but I see kind of shiny pink with a blue dust ruffle. Not hot makeup guy Scott. Nathalia makes a harness? I don't know. She doesn't have time for this. Rik helps her out, because he's a nice person. There is a lot of running around.

Guest judges are Anne Fulenwider (Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire and apparently the new mentor for All-Stars?) and actress Camilla Belle. Dexter: long black sheer dress, and jacket with leg-of-mutton sleeves. I mean it's sheer black lace and a jacket he's done before. Whatever. Nathalia: royal blue jumpsuit. The crotch looks OK, even though these jumpsuits usually look terrible in the crotch area. At the bodice is some shiny blue trim along the neckline, and a black and white cropped jacket. Eh. It might be backless. Roberi: it's a sleeveless dress, in raspberry and white diagonal stripes. The hem is a three inch strip of black and white polka dots, and then over the top of the dress is a solid raspberry piece that is just flowy. So as you look at her, the bodice is solid and a little low cut, then that piece is open over stripes in an inverted V, and then a fat strip of a different print at her thighs. And a mullet hem on top of all that. I think it's terrible but I also don't remember him talking a lot today. Mah-Jing: sleeveless sheath dress in an orange tweedy print and a dark denim. I think it's a dark dress with the orange sewn in patterns onto it? The dark shows up over her boobs like a bandeau top, and then in some trim almost on the shoulders and at her hips. It looks like the hip parts aren't laying flat.

Cornelius: gray sheath dress, with elbow-length sleeves. It fits pretty well. At one shoulder and the opposite hip are brightly colored patches, with the colors in stripes. Like paintbrush strokes. It's not bad. Laurence: black T-shirt and a bell skirt that is very stiff and also short. The skirt is in a black and white print, which I think is Laurence's first print. But this dress is so boring. T-shirt and short full skirt. The bodice is backless. Erin: sleeveless dress in some kind of shiny pink almost tweed kind of pattern. It hits below the knee, and then there is a wide blue dust ruffle at the bottom. The top is cut really well, I like the V-neck, but then it's just loose. And dust ruffle. Rik: long dress in a mottled brown on white print. The fabric is sheer, so you can see her legs through the dress. One side has a sleeve, and then the back is plain white and somehow is not good. I think I wish it was backless. Actually the whole back is like that. It's not like instead of an open back there's fabric. I mean from the back it's a white muslin shift dress with the print sewn on at the sides.

Laurence and Roberi are safe. Mah-Jing was thinking “African Queen” and he wanted to make his own print. Nina loves it and you can tell he's thrilled. There is a tortured story about how she can see his perspective looking down out of the helicopter or whatever. I like it but come on, Nina. It looks great and for once he's fit her waist well. Nathalia talks about reflective buildings and the sky and water. It's not powerful. Actually Heidi says it's a Power Ranger. Heh. Her ass looks great though. When Nathalia takes the jacket off you can see how horrible the top is. The sides are unfinished and don't fit at all. The shiny part is just a gimmick and it doesn't look like a fashion designer made it. Ouch. Erin babbles about how she was overdesigning because she was in the bottom and blah blah. Because the universe hates me, everyone loves it. That dress is terrible. It's a shiny pink tweed with a contrasting dust ruffle. Are you just rewarding her because it's not a giant boxy coat? Nina is the voice of reason as she says it's not the best dress here, or Erin's best dress, but it's safe.

Rik talks about the Statue of Liberty. It looks nice, but the fact that the back is solid white instead of backless or being made out of the print? No one likes that part. Rik says it was on purpose, but it looks like an apron. The top is very high, like up to her throat, and then there are silver straps for no reason. But the Marie Claire woman loves it. Cornelius was inspired by a golf course. I guess so. Everyone loves it, the pops of color and how well tailored it is. Nina and Zac tell him they're glad Tim Saved him. Dexter says looking in peoples' windows made him feel voyeuristic. So I guess that's why it's sheer. The giant shoulder is gimmicky and no one likes it. And his model has a hood which I didn't notice. Heidi nails him about the jacket being a repeat, but they never bitch at Erin about all her stupid giant jackets. They aren't wrong, but let's at least apply this criticism fairly to everyone who deserves it. Dexter basically says other people have the same “aesthetic” every week, which is true.

Mah-Jing's dress is interesting and is actually denim sewn on top of tweed. It fits well which I remember him having a ton of trouble with earlier in the season. Cornelius's bodice has some cool curved seams over her chest. Close up there is less praise for Erin's look, thank God. The back has pleating for volume but I still hate the dust ruffle. Nathalia's jumpsuit is too costumey and it doesn't fit right. So remember how Rik's dress had the plain white back? The print fabric is actually not attached? There's a strap and a buckle like an actual apron. Why? I don't know. Everyone hates on Dexter's jacket, and when they find out the model is wearing her own underwear they all gasp in horror. I guess if he had made lingerie too it would be one thing, but he made a sheer gown and that jacket they all hate and that's all.

Heidi suddenly is all “one OR MORE of you will be out.” Sure. Cornelius wins, which is fine but why does Mah-Jing never win? Mah-Jing and Erin are both in. Oh, and Cornelius is confident now but you knew that. No one liked Dexter's shoulder treatment, and they didn't like it the first time. Nathalia made a costume. Rik did make his own textile but it was a mess otherwise. Rik is in. Now one person will be out. Come on, Heidi. Nathalia is out. She knew her look was bad. Dexter is out too! OK, Heidi just said “Dexter, Nathalia, one of you will be out” and now they're both out? I mean, I'm not sorry about it, but why lie like that? When Dexter returns to the Scrap Bin Cornelius is mostly successful in not smiling. Dexter says it was worth it, and now people will find him so he can do what he wants. That's true.

Next week: I think in two weeks? Because Thanksgiving? So I have no idea. Put some previews, Lifetime.