Project Runway 3/12/20--"Finale pt. 2" summary

Previously on “Project Runway”: the four finalists all made collections and showed three looks to the judges. Everyone got criticism and then they acted like they didn't know how many people they were going to eliminate. But they have to know, because they didn't have time to discuss who they were eliminating. And I accounted for the edit. Whatever. (click for more)

So this drama is just so Karlie can individually ask each judge if everyone should go on and of course they say yes so no one is eliminated. Everyone is headed to the finale.

In the morning Christian texts Nancy (or Nancy fakes reading a text while shrieking) and says to meet him at the CFDA in an hour. They meet someone there from HR? Who is going to talk to each of them about branding. Victoria has things that are hers (the things we are tired of, pleating, embroidery, the proportions) but they agree with Brandon about not meeting a brand name plastered on accessories. Nancy tries to say her clothes are versatile, it doesn't matter who wears them or where they are going. Except it kind of does matter where they're going. Her inclusivity is great but it shouldn't be what she leads with. She should go with “empowerment” as opposed to “inclusive”. Geoffrey seems to have started with making metal mesh, and then played with it, and made stuff. He doesn't bring up how he named his collection after his dad until the end of the talk, and everyone tells him he should be leading with that. Sergio sadly does not get in trouble for saying he makes clothes for 45-60 year olds who are rich. They gently say he shouldn't limit himself which allows him to act like he came up with that idea on his own.

All four of them get $400 at Mood, and the seamstresses again. I keep getting irritated that they get extra help like that, but then I have to remind myself that this means the designers have more time to do actual design. What would the rest of the season be like if no one was eliminated because their garment is falling apart? What if you had to come up with design related reasons? It's interesting. Back at Mood, Sergio reveals he's taken the judges' advice for once so Christian crows that it only took all season. He's going to modernize. Geoffrey is buying fabric to work on that dress with all the shirt sleeves.

Time for model casting. Marquise's male model, the hot one they all ogled, is back. There is minor fighting over people. I guess if they really had an argument they'd show it? But it's kind of whatever. Geoffrey wants interesting models, and Nancy is taking DD and the model with a prosthetic, and only Geoffrey made menswear, and so forth.

Half the models get a fitting now and half tomorrow. Victoria has a sweater dress, which is boring. But Christian likes the coat. The model Nancy took with a prosthetic leg has a leg that is covered in crystals, which is very fancy and just the kind of thing Nancy is excited about. Christian is not excited about Sergio's looks. Sergio, meanwhile, has a ton of tailoring to do, plus make whatever new stuff he was going to make. Geoffrey also has tailoring to do. Makeup consultation. RIP hot makeup guy Scott. Victoria has too many ideas fighting in her head.

After work is over, the designers sit in a bar and discuss what family members are coming to the show. I swear it's the same bar they used to “hang out” in, but which was always empty and some people had coffee cups. Remember? But this time they let them go when it was open because there are random people in the background. Geoffrey's dad I think just had surgery so he can't make it. Sergio brags about how great his boyfriend is and then reveals he's going to propose.

The next day, the seamstresses show up to work. They give Geoffrey the same seamstress he had in the avant garde challenge, and she is calm, so maybe that will help. The second half of the models show up, and then Christian with Karla the stylist. Sadly she tells Nancy to get rid of her purse with the wine bag in it. She needs a through-line, because at the moment she doesn't really have a story. Geoffrey is asking very specific questions, like putting different earrings up to models and asking if they work. Karla is really telling people not to do too much. She tells Sergio to put a skirt with a T-shirt, and he babbles before saying that's not the planet he lives on. He's really not comfortable but he'll do it for Karla. Whatever. Victoria's looks all have different shoes, which is deemed too distracting. But they like the hats? Now we have hair consults.

Christian gives a gather 'round and promises it's not a twist. Just be yourselves, and be proud of yourselves. He then tells them the guest judge is Serena Williams. They're very excited. With two hours to go, Sergio actually admits he's stressed. He is obsessing over this T-shirt he is making as if it's a completely new outfit with a million seams. Come on. Geoffrey freaks out (but we expect that from him) and he reminds us that if he loses, he's going to quit fashion. I still don't think that's the best decision but it's up to him.

Runway Day. Sadly we don't see everyone waking up at 3am like they usually do. Just an arrival at the venue. Montage of Geoffrey freaking out and coming into his own. Actually montages of everyone. We at least don't shy away from things like Victoria threatening to quit. Sergio brags that he's made friends and he does actually admit all the collections are outstanding and equal to his. Nancy's learned and listened too. OK, time for frantic working. Everyone is flustered. Geoffrey has lost the bag with all the face studs he had, which were dumb anyway, so he chooses to take it as a sign from the universe. Sergio's “T-shirt”, which appears to be a long sleeved tight turtleneck sweater, is now developing holes along the seams. Maybe if you made a regular normal T-shirt.

Karlie is wearing like, a black strapless bra, and a black ball gown skirt, and a shrug that is two long sleeves connected over the shoulders. It's a crew-neck T-shirt that someone cut off just at the armpits so there's a keyhole over her upper chest. It's odd. Elaine has a short orange dress or like, a trench coat dress, with some amazing high boots.

Victoria is up first. Her collection is very Victoria, which works in this context. When she made the same things over and over during the completion, it was annoying. But a collection is supposed to look all the same. It's also a lot of separates which is unusual but kind of nice. The first dress is a long green piece in the front, and then the whole back is lace with straps and legs. Like you strapped an apron on. There's more of the hot pink and green and not as much beige as I thought there was. She kept the sparkly jumpsuit but I'm not sure it changed very much. There is also also a long slim white gown, with a straight skirt but the top is loose and off the shoulder. It's like a dolman sleeve, and blousy, but it drapes off one side beautifully. It's very simple but done so well.

Nancy gets a huge cheer. Her husband and son are here and she gets choked up. Aww. She opens with the dress for the wheelchair user, and then a metallic jumpsuit which has openings everywhere and is very slim. There's a short full dress that looks like a belted trash bag. But it works with the model's blinged out prosthetic leg. There are a lot of looks in that shiny metallic fabric that all seem simple, to let the fabric shine. DD has a long sheer dress but not the purple one. A couple of tailored suits, and simple dresses in beautiful fabric.

Sergio is sticking to his climate change theme. Someone brought up a good question, which is, will anyone get it if you aren't there to explain it to them? A lot of these looks don't seem very different from when he showed them last time. So it's still kind of dated, but at least he's kept the fringed cocktail dress. There are some more simple looks, but they're in the minority. Lots of fringe and 50s silhouettes. The “T-shirt” is a sheer sweater. I mean, it's tight, and sheer, and clearly a sweater and not traditional T-shirt fabric. The skirt it goes with is two tiered and very full. But I don't like the layers? Who knows what the judges will think. Multiple gowns, and his last one has a giant pile of fabric, ruffles everywhere, a train, and then a sheer top with a band across her boobs that doesn't look like it fits. I was afraid he was going to propose as he walked down, but he didn't.

Geoffrey also gets a huge cheer. His mom whispers to the person next to her that he just couldn't dress up, in a super mom moment. The first look is that giant purple coat, but open so you can see the weird shirt sleeve dress. There's a sheer jumpsuit that's just got strategically placed sprays of sequins. He's the only one that did menswear. There are a lot of voluminous pieces, and a bunch with that black metal mesh. Plus that huge black coat that Christian tried on and it covered his whole body. That's the closer. It's the most “fashion” of the collections, in terms of weird things you can't see people wearing in real life.

Of course they find people to say everyone is going to win. Sergio proposes backstage, in front of his mom, and they both cry a lot. Aww. Look he's annoying but that was sweet.

Time for judgment. Elaine calls Geoffrey's collection a “Billie Eilish take on fashion” which is pretty accurate. Brandon says he was emotionally moved by the sheer jumpsuit, which is apparently a brocade. Serena loved the jackets. It's modern, but Nina of course is on top of how some looks are similar to established designers.

Nancy's models were “inspiring”. Nina tells her that she proved sustainability can be fashionable. There was a long coat in faux fur that was gorgeous, and her looks all were amazing on the runway. Serena wished for something with more construction. Everything (except that one suit) was very slinky and draped.

Sergio had the most technically skilled collection. Nina of course loves this because it looks expensive. But it's still dated. She wishes it was more relaxed (the opposite of what they wanted to see from Nancy). Sergio has some story about how he grew up in conservative Texas so he can't unclench and be vulnerable. Brandon goes on a rant about how when you're afraid to do anything risky then everyone just comes to you for gowns, which is how a lot of designers operate now? I mean he was making a living off gowns. Of course Brandon's favorite was the “T-shirt” because that's the thing Sergio was the most reluctant to make. I don't like this editing.

Victoria has a great eye for proportions. And she makes cutouts which are difficult to get right. Elaine says the color, beige with pops of color, is fresh and modern. She removed a lot of the branding but there was still a whole look with the name on everything. The new white dress is not “Victoria” but they all love it.

Time to make a decision. Victoria loves the female form (that phrase is creepy). The last gown could help her win, and she can be editorial, but they've seen suits. They like them, but they're not super groundbreaking. Elaine sticks up for Nancy, and says she's evolved. Brandon agrees that she stands for something they need in the industry, even if the clothes don't move his soul. Her dresses were beautiful. Sergio's color story was poetic and moving. Nina loves that he's a perfectionist. Brandon says he could sell it now, but is there a hole in the market for it? Geoffrey has a great perspective and has exciting ideas. Nina thinks his big ideas could translate into commercial looks.

The final four come back out, and all the eliminated designers are there plus the family members. They all hold hands (bleh) as Karlie tells them that the winner delivered “a warning shot” about the future of fashion. Geoffrey wins! Chelsey is immediately out of her seat to hug him. Aww. See, last week there was a bunch of speculation because Chelsey wouldn't be that excited for just anyone. All the designers seem really excited, because I think everyone loves Geoffrey. He pops some champagne and chugs from the bottle. And cries of course. He says he's going to take at least four days off. Then he calls his dad, and his dad and stepmom shriek which is cute.

After Show. Hilariously Nancy tells Christian to wait to cheers before he starts drinking and when he doesn't she yells at him and says it means ten years of bad sex. Victoria worries about how viewers will find her annoying. Nancy says everyone's collections were all different because they all fit everyone's personality. Victoria's husband didn't see the collection before the day of, and he said she was a genius and amazing so obviously he's a keeper. Sergio says his partner is his opposite and loves drama and show. The look on Christian's face is amazing. We all know Sergio loves drama. He claims that he's learned to be more vulnerable. Uh huh. Sergio's new cause is to not make money the measurement of success. Sure. That to me says he isn't making money. Victoria just wants to make as much money as possible. Heh. Her goal is to do money. They all holler for Geoffrey and they seem actually really happy to see him. They don't have a chair for him! He just stands there by Nancy, who says that she wants to study under him. Christian kicks the other three out so they can go home and sleep. Geoffrey says that before the show, his career was a disaster, and he was sure if he won that it would solve all his problems. He does not say that he learned he could do it even if he didn't win. He says he was so frazzled because normally he works out and rides his bike everywhere, and he couldn't do that while on the show so he didn't have an outlet for that energy. He's almost made a business before but he would always run out of money. So maybe now he can avoid taking random jobs that mess with his own work. He's ahead of the game somewhat because it's harder to start small and go big, as opposed to having huge fashion ideas and make them commercial. Christian asks for a jacket (“I'll pay but not much”) and then literally rips a sign down to give Geoffrey as a gift. Hee.

That's it for this season! Thanks for reading, and come back next week for “Top Chef”!