Project Runway 4/18/19--"Power Play" summary

Previously on “Project Runway”: luxury streetwear. Not everyone was able to handle streetwear, but for some it was their wheelhouse. Also Dapper Dan came to comment on everything. Bishme won with a cool jacket that could be personalized. Kovid made something too boring, and was finally eliminated. (click for more)

Everyone gathers on the runway, but they are greeted with a slide whistle and some fan art of Karlie in spandex. When Karlie actually comes out she's just wearing a trench coat dress which is boring. She brings out three women involved in video game designing. They talk about representation and empowering women. The challenge is to create a “powerful” female video game character. Her look must showcase her abilities and world. Still fashionable though. Two day challenge, and no one can trade up models. But no costumes!

So there are laptops in the sewing room for everyone to pretend to look at code and discuss their ideas. I think most people are defaulting to superheros. At Mood Christian gives them $300 each. No one is buying color. Rakan buys leather and spandex. Then a bunch of people buy red, so Christian hollers at them that there are other colors. Venny is overbudget by almost $100. Oops. As they get ready to go back, Christian says there are animators waiting for them, so they can get a digital version of their girl.

I believe all the animators are women, which is a nice tough. Everyone is verbally describing their designs, which is odd. Didn't anyone just give their sketch to the animator? I think Renee might have. Venny's girl has a cape that she uses to transport people to heaven. Renee has sketched a warrior, while Lela has also done this because the first game she played was Mortal Kombat. Sonia says her character can “withdraw the sting of bad memories”. She started designing women's board shorts for surfing, and she got fired. Sebastian is making a moon goddess. Bishme has long gloves on and he keeps stroking Tessa's face, and Tessa is shrieking like they're slimy or something. Jamall just looks confused.

Christian Time! Bishme is making the Queen of Hearts. He has a whole backstory and everything. Christian wants an exaggerated shape, but not a costume. Jamall designed a tuxedo for a femme fatale. Is a suit enough? He needs to push it. Also Christian tells him not to put zippers on her boobs. Hester is wearing her half-sewn top, because of course she is. Giant diamonds on denim pants. Hester is the first person Christian demands gimmicks out of. She has to do something. Like a jetpack. Garo has decided to make an editor, so like Nina? But with a whip and 80's slitted glasses? I think Christian is a little worried. Venny wants a vortex on the back of the cape he's making, and Christian says that's the most important part because that's the part that's actually doing something.

Day Two. Hester calls her wife, who looks exactly like her. She complains about how she just moved to New Mexico and everyone is boring. I mean that's not what she says, but she spends some time describing how quirky she used to be. Garo is hammering stuff. Tessa gets quiet when she has a lot of work to do. Rakan and Lela talk about gaming, and Lela gets shady and says “yeah I don't play a lot of games anymore, when you start your own fashion company you don't have time for games.” Rakan gives her a great side eye and then says “But I'm still a gamer.” Model fitting. Tessa and Hester are starting to shittalk each other. Christian is lurking and giggling at people. Venny doesn't have any fabric options so he's got to use what he has. Jamall has only muslin. He's planning a ton of zippers, which hopefully will work. Sonia for some reason has decided to undo all her work and redrape her dress on her model. But she's out of time.

Hester believes she's making sexy cargo pants. Lela gets a fake text with the animator's sketch. Eventually everyone gets one. I feel like they are just passing the same phone around. Some people (like Sonia) have to tell their animator that they have changed their design. Renee's character is a community activist, which is cool. Rakan hasn't done anything yet? I think that's what he said. Jamall starts swearing because he steamed the muslin, and all the markings he made when he had his model have vanished. So it's like he never had a fitting. Ouch. Lot of worried people. Rakan promises Jamall that he has nothing, so Jamall's isn't that bad.

For some reason everyone has decided to take a ferry, at midnight. They have a motherfucking walk-off outside in the cold.

Runway Day. Rakan is screwing up his seams. Garo is also out of time. He says he's done this dress many times, so he's probably fine? I'm not sure why he's bragging about this. As everyone describes their look and character to the hair and makeup people, they cut it like Rakan is just standing there staring at the makeup people because he has no idea who his character is. Jamall doesn't have time to make his mesh top that he had planned. Christian seems really disappointed. Garo worries about the X he has planned for the bodice.

Guest judge is Robin Hunicke, an influential game developer. Garo: tight black pants, or leather leggings, and a red dress. There a black corset and overskirt, and black gloves from her biceps to the end of her arms. The jacket is open, and you can see more black in a leather bra. Renee: black dress with a high neck and long sleeves. It hits just at the knee, and then she has tall black boots on. The top part looks like the Black Panther costume. There is a silver and black mesh belt, and a silver sash. And she's got some cord that she's swinging around like a chain. Over her right hip there's a longer piece, and I can't tell if it's supposed to be a flap or if the skirt is asymmetrical. Rakan: red jumpsuit, long sleeves and legs, with a copper faux leather top. The top has odd folds, sort of as if she wrapped a piece of fabric around her shoulders and then under her arms. But then again around her waist. And let two long pieces hang down her legs to the floor.

Lela: long gray pants, tight but with slits in the ankles, and another gray piece over this. Think if you had a corset, but the bottom was a garter belt. Then put this on the outside of your pants and let the straps hang down to the ground. The top is V-neck wrap blouse, with very baggy sleeves and a cold-shoulder cut out. The sleeves have slits in them too. Sonia: beige dress with a high halter collar. She's attached pieces to wristbands so her cape can be manipulated more easily. Not very exciting. Tessa: orange-ish overalls, fairly baggy, over a long sleeved black shirt and a dark olive cropped jacket. The jacket has short sleeves, and is open so you can see the keyhole in the shirt. The overalls fold down to make a short apron. There's some straps, and a fake bag of flour.

Sebastian: white and light orange dress, with a hood. The skirt is mostly white, but also a lot of orange cut into vertical strips. The rest of the dress is floaty and moves really well. Over her stomach is a panel of the orange, but it's sliced up. The top is just a top with dolman sleeves. Hester: long sleeved top and cropped pants, in gray? It looked like black in the workroom. There is a wavy ribbon of pink along the top of her arm and over the shoulders, and then inset between her boob and shoulder. The pants have clear plastic panels at the hip pockets and then on her shins. Also a clear backpack stuffed with pink and orange fabric (which I think is her jetpack). Also strips wrapped around her ankles like you see cyclists wear.

Jamall: a black suit. It's very well tailored and fits her like a dream, and has white lapels. There is no shirt, and this model really should have a bra. The pants are tight and cropped, and I think there's a sash or something because there are two straps hanging down to almost the floor. Venny: long blue pants, wide legged, with a white cross on her left leg. Then a white long-sleeved top with some lace detailing around her chest. Over this is a blue cape that's shaped like a turtle shell. It's gathered at a point in the dead center of her back. It's either a Christian superhero or some country with a flag with a cross. Bishme: long gown with a strapless sweetheart neckline. The hips are exaggerated and wide. There is a cape in a darker red print that kind of looks like brocade. The cape has very pointy shoulders, and a bunch of ruffles down the back. And a crown.

Lela, Renee, Bishme, Sonia, and Sebastian are in. All that drama and Sonia was in? I see. Rakan talks about armor and I guess fighting with straps. The animator's drawing is great but the actual design looks like it's choking her. Brandon takes offense to the cranberry Lycra. Garo discusses his fashion editor/dominatrix character. Everyone laughs at Nina, who quickly denies being a dominatrix. They love it. Brandon gets the X over her chest, that looks like a bra, and Nina says his accessories are perfect. Tessa designed the miller's daughter, so there's an apron and jumpsuit and so forth. It's finished perfectly, and Nina feels it's wholesome. The guest judge absolutely loves it, because it's a strong woman who is capable and smart.

Jamall talks about secret agents, but Brandon asks if he had a bra. She can't do anything without a bra, because her boobs will fall out, so then how's she going to be a secret agent? A strong woman isn't just a woman in a men's suit. They know he's missing a shirt. Venny talks about saving the world. There are feathers at her wrists too. The look isn't obvious enough. He needed to restrain himself. Hester I think went for a platformer. Like Super Mario Galaxy. They love the styling and then Elaine says “virtual reality Wakanda”. Elaine did you not see Renee's look with a black mock turtleneck and a pointy necklace? Anyway she likes it but it's maybe a little costumey.

Rakan is pissed about being in the bottom. Garo has all finished edges, but Nina is worried that “sexy dominatrix” is too cliché. But there is a modesty to it. Everyone laughs and giggles until Nina plays with the whip. Tessa has even embroidered “miller” on the overalls. This has a message and it fits the challenge perfectly. Nina cannot get over Hester's look. Calm down, Nina. Elaine says it's almost tacky.

Rakan gave up. The look is unbalanced, and it looks like a bad costume. It does have a weird M. Bison feel to it. It's also poorly made. Jamall's look is more finished than everyone expected, but his model can't move around a lot or she'll flash everyone. Venny also has poor construction, and Nina brings up taste level again.

Hester wins. Eh. I don't think she's the best here, although she's a good designer. But not on this challenge. Guess Elaine got overruled. Tessa and Garo are in. Jamall is in. Venny is in, so Rakan is out. OK so that seems about right. He seems in good spirits about it. Never give up.

Next week: a photo shoot, elegance, someone doesn't finish their pants hems.