Project Runway 9/7/17--"We're Sleeping Wear?" summary

Previously on “Project Runway”: the designers were asked to be “inspired” by “dance, movement, and innovation.” If that sounds vague and confusing, don't worry. Several designers didn't get it either. Deyonte jammed a needle through his finger, so that sucked. The twins also continued to be annoying. Batani made a dramatic cape, but was beaten by Brandon and his Fashion shirt dress with loops and tabs and whatnot. Deyonte made an ice skating outfit with a mullet hem, but in the end was safe. Kudzanai had so many ideas they all clashed, ribbons and feathers and panels and a tight skirt. So he was sent home. (click for more)

Heidi and Tim appear on the runway with duffels? Tote bags? Tim says they called them down to the runway immediately, as if that's not always the case. In case you guys don't know, they film the runway and elimination, and then while the losing designer packs and does their exit interview, everyone else changes clothes and goes down to the runway to do that first scene with Heidi. Then they do their own interviews and go to sleep, and then Mood (and/or whatever field trip) and the challenge is the next day. At least that's how they used to do it, and I think it's still that way as far as I know. Anyway, Tim is all, you have somewhere to be, and Heidi cackles at them like she's hopped up on sugar. They will have to make a sleepwear look for Heidi's “Heidi Klum Intimate Sleepwear” line. OK so I just looked this up online. It's pajamas. Like, not even exciting pajamas. The rest of the lingerie is fancy, but if you go to the site and click on “sleepwear” it's like, a traditional pajama set with the shirt with the buttons and long pants, a couple of robes, some tops that you could wear in public, and lounge pants. I guess also boy shorts. Weak. She tells everyone they can make “any” type of sleepwear, but it must be fashionable. Also this is the “make your own textile” challenge. I hate that “make your own print” is no longer its own challenge. Right? Ugh, anyway, Heidi adds “by hand” so I guess they don't have whatever software they used to have as a sponsor to design stuff. Winner gets their design sold, obviously.

Now Tim says for “inspiration” it's time for a slumber party at the top of the Empire State Building. Why? Who knows. Tim pulls out a giant novelty key for them, and Heidi says they're sleeping outside so I hope it's warm! Claire makes faces because the Empire State Building is “very tall” because of course. Of course she has some phobia she can use for maximum camera time. Everyone gets a backpack with pajamas and sketching materials. Brandon has immunity, and he gets the key. As if the key is useful or works in any way.

We cut to a shot of everyone walking down the street in normal boring pajamas, the button down shirt and long pants kind. They're all baby blue so they're not even a fun color. Also, we know the vans dropped them off around the corner and they didn't walk the streets of NYC like that. Wait, I think the boys are in blue and the girls in white. Plus someone has shorts on so I'm not sure how that went down. They go up to the observation deck to take pictures and gush over the view. Sketching time happens. Deyonte has never done sleepwear before. Kenya sketches a romper with a print that goes with the ceilings in the building. Michael says something about the Chrysler building. Oh honey, that's been done. Back when this show was good. He also says “Harlem Renaissance”. It's really windy up there. Kentaro usually uses black but since he was in the bottom last time, he is planning to make it much more colorful. Everyone gets in sleeping bags on the floor in the open air observation deck. Did they really sleep up there? On concrete and outside?

Tim appears in the morning with breakfast. Huh. Well if they didn't really sleep out there, someone is really committed to pretending they did. The light is so gorgeous. Back in the workroom Tim gives them 11 hours to work. Also there are two bins full of fabrics (mostly pastels, it looks like), and a pile of art supplies to make prints. Hilariously this pile includes a big pile of potatoes. Hee. So of course as soon as Tim leaves everyone runs to the fabrics and they all elbow each other. Someone says the word “hashtag” out loud which is a tricky thing to do. I mean, I'm not going to pretend I've never done it. But I probably shouldn't. Montage of dyeing and painting. Aaron makes a stencil of lines. Like a grid you might see on a heater vent. That sounds dumb but that's the best way to describe it. Kenya talks about transitional pieces and gets some personal info which worries me. I like Kenya. Shawn wants to make a jumpsuit with an art deco print. Deyonte still doesn't quite know what he wants to do. He talks a lot about pressure but not anything concrete. Michael thinks everyone is freaking out because they know Heidi is very demanding.

Commercial Interlude: Kentaro has a plus size model but he is looking forward to learning how to design for one. Samantha says in confessional that Kentaro is asking her and Kenya a ton of questions which is a really good sign. So far he is much more open to this twist than others have been. Also once again this is a Commercial Interlude pretending to be the show restarting so get it together, Lifetime, and put a title card or something.

Kentaro tried to paint something and it seems to have failed. Brandon talks about how he views Kentaro as his brother. If you are actually watching the show and not depending on my yelling, you can see they're in a side room where the walls are just covered in shelves full of shoes. That's how the accessory wall works, like a shoe store where there's one example on the wall and then all the different sizes in the back. Shawn and Claire have an interview where Shawn uses “we” and “us” too much for an individual competition. Kenya's painting looks like a craft project so she's starting over and freaking out.

Tim Time! And Heidi, sigh. Before Tim and Heidi go over to Shawn, Tim takes Heidi aside and whispers that this is remarkable, because Shawn never has anything on her dress form for him. Damn. Then Heidi blows up his spot so it's not like he had to whisper. Shawn says she's just slow and indecisive, but Heidi asks if it's because she talks too much. Usually this challenge is annoying because Heidi is unnecessarily rude, but as you know by now I don't like the twins so I don't care. When she says she's doing a jumpsuit, Heidi points out you don't want to be messing with that if you wake up and have to pee. Shawn of course does not listen. Deyonte is making chevrons. Heidi doesn't like the pink/gray combo and for some reason chevrons pointing downward points at the crotch. Not necessarily. Sigh. Ayana is not making a modest look, because inside the house you don't have to be covered up. So she's going to the opposite extreme, with a sheer shirt with one band across where her boobs would be. Margarita has a sample of ombre dyeing, but even though it's purple and pink Tim says “menstrual cycle”. Who is bleeding purple, Tim? Sigh. Brandon has ties or something that might be dangerous.

Michael has a strappy top and Heidi tells him it's too complicated. Samantha has stamps, and I guess one of them is on the lower back so that's no good. Claire is too basic. Or her pattern is too basic. Amy is making a robe and panties with a cityscape on them. What. Too literal. Kenya admits she's struggling. Her sketch doesn't look like her dressform at all. Heidi says not to overthink it, but Kenya's still freaking out. Kentaro has a great art deco print with colors, and since he's a perfectionist he of course is told to let the print drip and not be perfect. Whereas others get “art project” and “this looks like a mistake”. Tim then BUTCHERS the line from “Ferris Bueller” where Ferris says that if you put a piece of coal up Cameron's ass, in two weeks you'll have a diamond. Tim would never say “ass”. Kentaro just says he likes diamond. Heidi likes Aaron's print and tells him to do a lot, rather than play it safe.

OK so as Tim is leaving he says the models will be there in 2 ½ hours, which means from what he said before, if Heidi was on time that Tim Time segment took 3 ½ hours. Jeez. Michael is only now starting to dye his fabric, and there aren't any colors left. Shawn asks Claire to sew her pant seams. Why though. Margarita is annoyed that this isn't fair, but if Claire wants to waste her time then that's her problem. Everyone hates sewing the silk. Model fitting. Kenya doesn't have a lot. Kentaro has Liris, who if you will recall is the biggest model and she's bossing him around. She has her own interview where she claims to be known for her shape and also to be known as the “Naomi of Plus”. Then she says no one is showing her shape, which is not true. She's been put in two crop tops and one very short skirt. Deyonte found some dye and has a mottled teal and silver. Claire is now flat out asking Shawn to help her figure out what to do. Like, how to make a top. Aaron's paint made his fabric too stiff so that might be a problem. Deyonte has no bottoms, and there isn't any more dye in the right color so he only has a certain amount of fabric. Kentaro and Claire don't have any paint or patterns done as they leave to go home.

Runway Day. No one seems to be in a good place. Claire and Shawn seem to be both working on both outfits. Mostly it looks like Claire shouting orders. Why is Shawn wasting time instead of making sure she's ready to go? I get that it's not fair but it also only hurts Shawn. Kentaro is dyeing right now. Hope it's dry. He gets his lines and print on there, but it's all smudged. He says “anal” a bunch of times and Samantha cracks up. Deyonte is telling his model to walk with her hands on her hips, I think because he doesn't have time for a belt or tailoring. Aaron worries about his top, as there is a shot of him walking around the workroom in sheer bloomers. Like, bloomers, with white briefs underneath. I don't know. It looks like everyone at least manages to put clothes on their model.

Guest judge is Demi Lovato. Amy: long dress in teal, with black birds painted over it. You know, when you would draw an upside-down W to make birds. Actually there seem to be vertical lines too so it's shading into tire tread territory. The dress has a high neck and wide sleeves, and I think is designed to look like you put it on backwards, except the back is not open. She's really covered up. The top drapes nicely. Brandon: crop top and high waisted palazzo pants in a yellowy-beige. Everything is loose and there are elbow-length sleeves on the top. It's kind of a non-color but it looks comfortable. Margarita: blue kimono wrap top and palazzo pants. The fabric has an ombre effect but randomly? So it's not like the hems are darker, but it is shaded, there isn't a distinct line between the light blue and the dark blue. Claire: hot pink wrap top and shorts? I guess? There's a sash but I can't tell if she did anything to the fabric. The top has long sleeves and a V-neck but it looks like she wrapped fabric around this girl and tied a sash on it. There's a shot of Nina with that look she gets that says “I am going to enjoy tearing this up.”

Batani: long lavender dress with paint spatters. The top has very thin straps and it's VERY low. Like, I'm afraid this model is about to pop out of the top of it. But I also am pretty sure this is the first time Batani has spoken on camera today so I'm fairly confident she's fine. Michael: knee-length slip dress in dusty rose. The top is an inverted triangle halter top, and on that triangle piece and along the sides is a stamped pattern like a fan. So there are lines that radiate out from the center of the bodice to the top. It looks pretty good, actually, and it is cut very well. Deyonte: tank top and skirt. The skirt is a knee-length drawstring, which doesn't look that great in silk when you tuck in the top. The top is just a tank top. It's all in mottled blue and silver, and it's not that I wouldn't buy it, but that I feel like I could buy it right now and it's not very exciting. At the end of the runway, his model untucks the top, which is probably a mistake because it's very loose, so now she has a loose top and a drawstring skirt. Not a combo you put on a bigger model for Fashion. Aaron: shorts (I am pretty sure) and a tube top, in gray with that white heater vent print. There are two thin strings from the center of her chest around her neck. The shorts are long so her proportions look really off because the waistband is too high. Also because of the paint it no longer looks like silk but wrinkly cotton.

Ayana: long kimono robe in hot pink, and a top and shorts in gray. The top looks like a regular pajama top except that the shoulders are shiny, then there's a matte strip, then the bottom half is sheer. The shorts are short and I think have rosettes on them. It's cute. Shawn: silver palazzo pants and a camisole top in gray with silver paint. The paint is in little fans? Sunbursts? It looks kind of floral and is also silver on gray so it's hard to see. Also a long sash. Kenya: short robe in dusty rose. Under that is a matching top in the same color, and shorts in a darker pink. The shorts are very short but also wide, so they almost look like a miniskirt. The top is just a basic camisole, but for some reason it's cut strangely so it bunches at her waist. It looks like love handles. There's no back to it so maybe that's it. Kentaro: tea length dress, in a very light pink that's dyed blue at the hem. There is pink, yellow, and blue details stamped into the dress. You know those little fat Vs over thin black lines? I'm pretty sure I've seen them before. The dress has a sash and the bodice has thin straps and scalloped edges. It's pretty, actually. It doesn't look like he dyed it this morning. Samantha: robe, camisole, and pants in ivory and blue. The pants are blue with ivory stripes at the hem, and the camisole is ivory. The robe is ivory with blue strips at the hem. It looks really nice, but I haven't seen this outfit until now so she's probably safe too. The back of the robe has vertical blue stripes.

Aaron, Kentaro, Michael, Deyonte, Shawn, and Kenya are the top and bottom. See? I told you. There are too many people still, so they ignore some people in order to catch the drama. Wait that means Claire's bullshit went through? Ugh. Michael talks about the art deco inspiration. They love the color and the neckline. So now that I can see it more clearly, the top does come to a point under her throat, with two strings around her neck. But to either side of that, there are much lower points, which also have strings. So there's a pattern of one tall part in the middle and shorter parts to the sides, like the buildings. OK that is cool. It looks expensive and sexy. Nina name drops the Chrysler building, because I'm sure someone told her about it. I got distracted by the fact that she seems to be wearing a dark velvet top with bright aqua marabou feathers at the wrists. Aaron mentions the print, but it isn't really coming through. Heidi hates it now. The top is too high? But other people had tops that were up to the throat? I have no idea. The waistband is elastic and looks cheap, which is true. The shorts are not flattering. Zac is distracted by Aaron's sheer bloomers. He also thinks the world is watching this show, which we know is not true. Shawn says some bullshit about how the Empire State Building is “sleek” and “slender”. How can you be such a camera whore but not genre savvy enough to not fat-shame the models? You know? Anyway, that was her inspiration. They like it, even though the top is too baggy for “sleek and slender”. I also think it's kind of boring, but fine. It looks like you could buy it now, which I guess is a plus on this show now. Nina seems to like the fact that the print is not all over.

Deyonte loves his look. It looks like a dress, plus the arm holes in the top are really small and high so it looks uncomfortable. The shape is boring and Deyonte thinks untucking it is sexy because he's mental, I guess. The waistband is terrible. Kentaro's dress moves really well. His print is feminine and it drapes beautifully. They love it, as do I. It's so pretty. Kenya's robe is also backless, which is fine, but it's a romper with a hook and eye. OK wait one fucking minute. Shawn had a jumpsuit and you didn't ask her how she was going to pee in it. Arguably it's EASIER to pee in a romper because you could shove the legs aside. They're shorts. You can't move long pants aside enough. But you can't complain that Kenya's model can't pee when you didn't establish that Shawn's model can. ALSO this is the same argument you could make to not ever wear rompers during the day, but no one ever makes that argument. Demi thinks the robe is pointless because it's sleeveless and backless. They like the colors, though, and everyone is trying to be nice to Kenya because she's getting upset.

Michael managed to line his outfit. That is impressive. Zac says it's actually producible too. They like Shawn's jumpsuit, and once again ignore the part where a jumpsuit is just as difficult to wrangle in the bathroom as a romper. They love Kentaro's scalloped edges, which are some technique that sounds complicated. Aaron's top looks cheap, and Zac discovers it's unfinished. It's just the front, tucked into the shorts. Like an apron. Plus the straps are all crooked. Deyonte should have opened up the neckline, plus it's very shapeless. Kenya made something too complicated, and Nina says at least she tried and did something instead of being boring.

Michael is the winner! Yeah, that makes total sense. Shawn and Kentaro are both in. Kenya is in. Phew. Aaron had a good print but the design was bad. Deyonte had no design. Deyonte is out. Aaron is in. I...feel like that was out of nowhere. Like the editing looked like it was pointed to Kenya, she talked about her design philosophy and they bugged her about peeing. Deyonte seems like he's in a good spot, but in confessional he's crying. He's trying to remember he's going to see his newborn son soon. Plus he won the first challenge.

Next time: a castle, “good” and “evil” looks. Some guest stars.