Project Runway 12/2/21--"Are You Fur Real?" summary

 

Previously on “Project Runway”: designers had to make a fashion look to accompany an accessory. It was nice to see some accessory designers because it reminded me of Project Accessory. Prajje was given gloves covered in huge faux flowers, and he made a classic gorgeous dress, but he did not win for some reason. Kristina won, which, I guess. Also Coral was randomly in the top but she didn't win, despite getting more screen time in the last episode than all season. Katie made a dress that was very her, the way the judges have been yelling at her to do, so of course they hated it and sent her home finally. (click for more)

Zayden interviews that he's always had people tell him he's not good enough, and he switched from business to fashion in college and he didn't feel accepted. So I guess he's excelling out of spite.

In the workroom there are bolts of faux fur in many colors. Christian says they're all plant based. No one works with faux fur? Well except Aaron who has made flying monkey costumes. Prajje says it's a mess. It's an avant garde challenge, and they also get two days. Oh and teams of two. At the moment it's one look between the two of them, and they somehow will be judged individually for their “design contributions”. I suspect a Day Two twist of another look, but I've been proven wrong in the past. Kristina gets to pick her partner, since she won last week, and she takes Shantall. For everyone else there is the button bag. Aaron gets paired with Bones, of course, because they fought like, the first week. Aaron does a terrible job of not looking pissed. Anna is paired with Octavio (she shrieks), Zayden and Coral, Chasity and Prajje. Kristina and Shantall also get to pick out their fur first. They take both leopard and “coyote” which I wasn't aware coyote was a pattern. Octavio and Anna take leopard, Chasity and Prajje take a pink wool, Aaron and Bones get coyote, and then Zayden and Coral take one red and one pink rabbit. Well, “rabbit”. Coyote seems to be a generic light brown with a little mottling. I'm not sure why some people took two bolts and some people one. Design differences, I guess.

Bones starts talking to Aaron about “Game of Thrones” and Dothraki and “what if a Dothraki had a million dollars”? Sure. Aaron does admit that Bones is creative, even if it's not his kind of creative. Aaron claims to be able to make the dress in five hours. Kristina and Shantall are doing a big coat and a pink gown. Shantall is making sure her voice is heard since Kristina has immunity. Coral is slightly nervous because she tends to do gowns. All the pictures they show look like lingerie. Zayden is excited to show range.

They do get time and money for Mood for “supplementary” fabrics. Prajje is looking for paint. Christian hollers that everybody better not make a bunch of faux fur coats! Octavio is excited because he and Anna have already done a bunch of avant garde stuff. They are buying spikes. Chasity is worried because Prajje insisted on buying so much paint they really didn't buy any supplemental fabric.

So they are shooting inside the van for whatever reason. I'm confused because I've never seen one single second of van footage. I get that they're probably shooting just in case something happens and they can maybe put it online as a bonus, but they haven't done that at all. So anyway, there is sudden chaos. Aaron interviews that their van took a corner too sharply and some scaffolding broke a window. So now there is broken glass all over and Anna is bleeding. They've called an ambulance and are checking everyone out to make sure no one else is cut up. The shot implies that they're taking Anna to the hospital.

So they took everyone to the Scrap Bin to sit around. Christian comes in and says they can take the rest of the day off, because they probably need it, and Anna is leaving the hospital right now. Good. Christian says they'll do the whole challenge tomorrow. So it's a one day challenge now? Was this going to be a thing where they got back from Mood in the afternoon and worked for like 4 hours, and then took most of the next day? So maybe they'll just have an extra long day tomorrow, but in the end have the same number of hours.

Even though Anna is leaving the hospital as Christian is talking to them (according to him), everyone still beats her back to the townhouse so they can all be sitting outside when she comes in. She says just some cuts and bruises.

OK time for the challenge. 12 hours. Aaron is making a big collar, which seems to be the default when people on this show are asked to do avant garde. Aaron knows what he wants to do, and Bones says in confessional that he thinks Aaron is giving him nothing but busywork. There is hair all over. Octavio is making puffy sleeves, which is the other thing they do. Chasity and Prajje are making pillars somehow. Shantall is making a patchwork coat while Kristina quilts a dress. Maybe they're both quilted? Prajje is painting outside and it looks a mess. Chasity has some concern that the fur and the painted fabric won't go together at all.

Christian appears. He tells Coral right now her and Zayden's look isn't avant garde enough. Zayden gets some inspiration. Probably gonna put some macrame. Anna looks like she's made a dress that's a trash bag. I don't know. It's maybe too much. The judges love you guys, no pressure though. I think they are going to scrap the trash bag skirt. Coral builds a cage and gets some backstory which is worrying. She was invisible for like 5 episodes and now we're hearing about it. She wants to show her mom that fashion is not just being a seamstress, it can be beautiful. Aaron's collar is not super stiff but he claims it will be fine once it's on a person.

Conveniently it's time for model fitting. Kristina and Shantall have their leopard coat, and when you open it, it's all pink lining and pink quilted gown. Christian is like “...well that is a thing” and Prajje just laughs in confessional about how it looks like a vagina. Also the waist of the dress hits weirdly. Please think about it a little bit. Like how maybe don't fuck Shantall over. Christian knows that Prajje and Chasity's look is two looks that are different. They will need to put some fur and paint it so it doesn't look like two designs. Anna is sort of out of it. Octavio says she was fine until the accident, but they didn't start construction until after the accident. Shantall is worried because Kristina doesn't really want to change anything. As Bones suspected, the big collar that Aaron has made is too floppy. Bones wants to put sticks in it, but Aaron is sure that sewing the collar to the shoulders will work. Bones is mad that no one is listening to him, and Aaron is mad that Bones doesn't believe in his design. Prajje puts on Kristina and Shantall's coat and walks around yelling “Coming to America” quotes. Heh. Christian hates Zayden's face cage thing.

The models leave and everyone gets down to work. Kristina I think decides to make a crop top and skirt, which eliminates the worry about the waistline that Christian had. Aaron struggles with the collar, and when he curses at it Bones can't leave it and says he's been telling him all day long that it won't work. Aaron says he does this for a living and it's fine but Bones knows everything so I quit. What? That's a great argument if Bones had actually done anything, but Aaron won't let him touch it. He wouldn't take Bones's suggestion. Right? If Bones had insisted on putting sticks in it, and now it's terrible, then Aaron can bitch about how Bones had to be right about everything and Aaron knows what he's doing. But Aaron's design is failing and his argument is “it's fine but you have to be right about everything.” But he is right? Because it's not working? Aaron just walks out with like, 15 minutes left in the day. I mean, get mad because saying “I told you so” is very unhelpful, that would make sense. But “I know what I'm doing but no, you have to know everything” doesn't make any sense when you haven't listened to Bones this whole time.

As everyone walks outside, there's a bartender on the patio with a little disco light and some glowsticks. Aww. As everyone sits outside with wine, Bones says he's so tired from all the cutting. Aaron (who has returned from wherever he went) says he's sure Bones is way tired, like after Christian came and then Bones said he knew everything. Oh my God, you are ruining everyone's good time. Aaron says Bones has no idea what he's doing. Bones refuses to give him the time, like he doesn't want to resolve this right now. I don't know. Anna decides she needs to lecture Bones about respecting everyone's contribution, but she really needs to be having that conversation with Aaron. Aaron is now claiming Bones sent a model down the runway with a board up her ass. When was that? What? Bones says he's rude and disrespectful, and Aaron says no one gives a shit. Unfinished hems are rude and disrespectful. Bones gets loud and says Aaron had better get it out now and tomorrow they can get to work. Anna tries to police Bones's cursing, which is stupid, and Chasity interrupts her to point out that Aaron has also been cursing. Exactly. Bones does call Anna out for only taking him to task for language, but I think she has at least listened.

In the morning Zayden calls his mom and almost immediately tears up. Aww. Wait, has he gotten two phone calls in two episodes? He tells his mom that he and Coral have really worked well together and he hopes they did good. His mom is proud of him (aww!) and I think that was a good conversation. Aaron and Bones are alone in the kitchen. I almost said “for some reason” but we all know what reason. Aaron asks if Bones has a hair dryer, I guess to act like nothing happened. It's a coping strategy, sure, and I certainly have done that as a way to say “let's start over”. Bones isn't having it, and says that shouldn't be the first thing Aaron says to him. Aaron does say he's asking because of...something to do with the fur, I guess. Bones responds that he doesn't want to have that conversation. So are you just going to not do anything? At some point you do have to make sure your garment is as good as you can make it.

Runway time. Prajje and Chasity bust out the glue gun. Bones and Aaron sew next to each other, and then Bones says he wasn't coming at Aaron and he respects his work. In the middle of that Aaron says “I apologize”. Why there? I wonder if he wasn't going to, but then Bones was conceding so he had to quick apologize so he wasn't the asshole. Aaron spent the morning making something and that's what he does, so all of Bones's criticisms hit wrong. Bones gets into lecture mode and says that white men are allowed to just react to shit, but a black man has to think and be calm. Yeah based on how Anna reacted to this argument I'd give him that. Anyway he orders Aaron to think about it in the future, before he reacts. Well he says “think first and then process” which doesn't make sense. Aaron does say he handled the situation poorly. Anna is stapling ruffles. It's bad but if they lost time then what else do you want?

Christian and Chasity continue to interact with extra levels of sass. Honestly every conversation they have is just so entertaining. Christian tells Aaron and Bones if their collar doesn't stand up it's over. We see them putting the sticks in. Octavio says they recycled the black from the skirt but they might run out of fabric. Christian is giving Zayden and Coral a LOT of help. Like telling them maybe shorten the skirt and let these pieces hang down. Shantall is giving her model lots of instructions on how to walk and how to reveal the dress. Bones is still complaining in confessional that they could have avoided a lot of drama if Aaron had just listened to him. But he won't rub it in.

Guest judge today is Billy Porter. Elaine has decided to wear a fascinator that sticks out from her head. Brandon is also gone, replaced by designer Estaban Cortazar. Chasity says she will be so embarrassed if Billy doesn't like her look. Prajje and Chasity: long gown with pink fur and painted fabric. The painted fabric is at the bottom of the skirt, just abstractly covered in paint. Then the pink is a top with cap sleeves, and the top of the skirt which is that inverted pleat that looks like an umbrella. The pink flows into the painted fabric with strips, but as far as I can tell there is no painted fur. The paint starts above her knee, so it's not a tight mermaid skirt but a little wider than that. The sleeves are a little wide and it looks like the top is stiff in the back. Like it has a little point behind her head.

Coral and Zayden: red fur dress that hits at the knee. The skirt looks like it has several layers, and they don't all hit at the same place, but it's all around the knee. The top has a V and lapels, and wide sleeves. They look like those sleeves where you sew a tube onto the bodice and it sticks out and makes pointy shoulders. Also a lot of black strips of fabric hanging down all around her. On her head is a cage thing. Yeah, lots of layers and maybe a hood and some red macrame and thick black strips. Shantall and Kristina: so the model comes out in an absolutely huge patchwork coat, big squares of leopard and coyote, with a hood. You can kind of see the pink from the beginning. She takes off the hood and opens the coat to reveal a pink quilted crop top and A-line skirt. The coat is lined with the same pink. The crop top helps keep it from being a vagina. The hem of the coat is weird, in that it almost curves under like a bubble skirt would.

Octavio and Anna: strapless coat in the coyote, which looks like stripes in two shades of brown. Then there are two huge puffy sleeves, or maybe elbow-length gloves? They're not attached to the dress. At the edges of the hems is the shiny black fabric, and a wider piece at the shoulder and down her back. The skirt is a big mullet hem, very short in front and floor length in the back. Aaron and Bones: long slim dress in a cream color, and a long fur coat with a big collar that frames her face. There's a thick belt that I think is a corset belt, with big frog closures? And the sleeves are big pointed leg of mutton sleeves. When she turns around the fur is along the edges of the coat, and down the back, leaving some cream fabric, and there's a circle of cream on the back of the collar for some reason. There's some brocade here and there.

So everyone is going to get critiques today. Shantall and Kristina are up first, and they're in the bottom. They wanted to make a cocoon and a flower inside. The volume would help make it interesting. Shantall made the coat, and then Kristina made the dress. The whole coat is quilted inside. It's not a boring look, but maybe less is more in this situation. The long quilted skirt is too heavy, with the coat also quilted. Inside the cocoon should be lighter. Zayden and Coral are in the top, and they're so happy. They wanted to make something structured, and they talk about being put in a cage as minorities. Elaine loves the headpiece. The dress is structured but it has freedom. Billy says he would wear it tomorrow. But maybe not the cage, he's worked too long to get people to recognize his face. It's the most wearable garment today. Elaine immediately identified Coral's macrame and Zayden's buckles.

Aaron and Bones are in the top. They're very relieved. It kind of fell into place. Billy would wear this too. It's very dramatic but Nina thinks maybe it's too costumey. Elaine says it shouldn't have the necklace, there's too much going on. We do not speak of the drama, thank God. Octavio and Anna are on the bottom. They wanted to mix Octavio's street style and Anna's structured style. It needs more time, says Octavio. It's not their best work and they know it. Anna explains about the failed trash bag skirt. It looks sloppy, and it has too many ideas. Estaban says it's “glamour Flintstones villain” but it's not executed well.

Prajje and Chasity were on the top. Chasity says to her avant garde is art and expressing yourself. Prajje says basically the same thing. They worked really well together. It's very well made and elegant, a couture moment. Billy has one problem with it, which is that the model has to walk very slowly. They insist she can walk, and they actually have her walk at a normal speed, whereupon Billy takes back all his critiques.

Bones and Aaron did a good job, but the judges very quickly put them in third place. Prajje and Chasity are very elegant and artistic. Zayden and Coral were more commercial with it, although it was also very good. It's hard to make a faux fur gown. Billy is just out here declaring who should win which is so nice. He clearly doesn't know how reality shows work. Or he doesn't care. He wants Prajje and Chasity to win, so Elaine has to bring up about Zayden and Coral's cage headpiece and how they put a message in their look. They worked well together, but honestly so did the other two. Also it's a coat, which is easier to make than a gown.

Kristina has immunity, so there are only three people up for elimination. Octavio and Anna made something confusing, but there were good elements. Nina says it's so subdued for the two of them. Maybe they had a bad day, but it is a competition. No one really seemed to like Shantall's coat. However it's better than the dress inside. The problem here is that the coat is the better part of that outfit, but you can't send Kristina home for her dress.

The winning team is Chasity and Prajje. Yay! The winner of immunity is Chasity. She was thrilled to have Prajje as a partner. Billy shouts that he will send his address because he needs some garments. Hee. Zayden, Coral, Aaron, and Bones are all in. She's proud to represent black designers. Nina briefly yells at Kristina that she's lucky she has immunity, and tells her to leave. Octavio, Anna, and Shantall are all great designers, but Shantall is out. She thanks everyone for giving her the chance to inspire others. Aww. Anna and Octavio are in. Shantall is upset, but she says she's sure Kristina tried her best and she's not mad at her. This moment won't define her. Christian appears and just says “You're not going anywhere” and uses his Save. You know what? Yeah, if he thought it was unfair that the weakest design was Kristina's dress, but she can't go home, then you save Shantall and get rid of Kristina later.

Next week: “luxe comfy chic”, Geoffrey from last season and Cyndi Lauper, of course even though it's comfy people are putting the models in heels.