Project Runway 1/27/22--"The Sky Is the Limit" summary

 

Previously on “Project Runway”: the designers had to make a look for a supermodel and an editorial photoshoot. We got a side story of “everybody hates Shantall”, but she didn't seem to care very much and also on Twitter it was apparently caused by Shantall yelling at Coral for some reason. Which we didn't see any of. I'm not defending her but I would like to know why that was cut but the shunning was not. So Shantall of course won, and then Bones finally went home. He didn't seem to think that he was going to make the finale. (click for more)

Kristina gets a phone call home. She cries and says that this is the first time she really pushed herself and it didn't go well. It's cut as if she never felt in danger or like she'd be eliminated until this point. Shantall and Coral hang out (they seem to be fine with each other) and then someone knocks on the door and gives them an invite to head to Rockefeller Center.

They end up on a roof with a garden and Christian and Nina. This final four won ten of the 13 challenges they had this season. Actually I don't think Coral won anything, so that's three people who won 10 challenges between them. Also Nina claims this is the first all-female finale but season 6 had an all-female final four, NINA. Chasity gets choked up a little bit. Christian tells everyone there is one challenge standing between them and New York Fashion Week. Let's be real, though, the chance that this episode will end with no one being eliminated and all four of them “continuing” (because we know they probably all did anyway because decoys)? I fully expect this. Nina says something about the city always changing, and Christian wants the designers to show them how they are going to be “part of the conversation” in this “next wave of fashion”. Show your “sky-high perspective”. It's the usual final four challenge, which is to be interesting enough that the judges want to see the rest of your finale collection. One day plus a seamstress! Christian also says something about makeup so maybe it's a sponsored episode.

Shantall wonders how she's going to push herself. Everyone talks about architecture. Kristina...wants to make something wearable? Comfortable? I'm not sold on that being a good idea. At Mood they pick models by Christian picking buttons and everyone knowing which model they want and asking by name. There is no drama shown about this. Kristina talks about sportswear and the American flag and making jeans. Chasity is using black because she wants it to be strong. Shantall says gender-fluid and she seems to be in a very boring section. I think it's the menswear fabric section. Christian says maybe an ivory suit? Which causes Shantall to freak out somehow. He then moves to yell at Coral for using nude. I know Christian is really pushy this season but either the producers are on top of feeding him information, or he on his own remembers things like Kristina has used blue three times this season and also exactly which challenges those were. She says “American flag” and he seems in shock.

When the finalists get back, there are people from CFDA waiting for them. Specifically, the VP of education, and a publicist. They're going to meet with each of them and talk about branding and how to market. There is a lot of talk about fashion and telling your story and so forth. They bring the designers to the runway one by one, where they have all their looks on display. Coral is emotional thinking of how her mom is proud of her. Her tailoring is great, and they love the macrame stuff. Her point of view is strong, and they suggests that she should use color all the time. Also macrame. Back in the workroom Coral wants her garment to look “ethnic”.

The helpers show up to sew, and it's not returning contestants. Then it's Kristina's turn to have critiques. She says the most important thing is wearable clothes. Her draping is modern, meaning those looks where it's baggy and weird. Prints are a strong point but they can be a hard sell. I guess you can make a collection off prints and draping? She's already making jeans today anyway.

Chasity is very proud of how she's grown. Her first look doesn't look like it's the same person as the latest one. She wants to translate her gowns into luxury streetwear. It sounds like the CFDA people tell her to contact the fashion counterculture in Houston? I think that's the word they use? That's not helpful for right now. Chasity is happy with the gown she's making now, but I feel like she didn't get good advice. Maybe she did and they cut it.

Shantall loves all of her looks. They tell her the market is looking for authenticity and she just needs to edit and make a strong identity. See, that's useful advice she can apply to this challenge. Not “contact people in Houston”.

Christian comes in for his visit. He says it's his last walkthrough. They should send him for home visits. Coral has a whole front bodice done already, in the natural off white yarn color. She's never won a challenge. She's planning a jacket, but Christian says just put your time into making this macrame amazing. Chasity can't even explain her outfit to Christian without getting emotional. She says in confessional she will miss stressing him out. Hee. Right now the bodice isn't symmetrical or “done” but maybe that's what she needs to do. Kristina has very light blue jeans and some red to make a paper bag thing. Lots of ideas but Christian says that she just did...whatever she is talking about so don't do it again. Listen, we all know that the judges might hate that she's doing another asymmetrical jacket with a side tie again, or they might decide it's her signature and they love it. You won't know until it happens because that's how this show is. Shantall is making a suit. It's a complicated jacket, and everything is lined. She has a helper but she really has to finish the jacket today so the sleeves can get done tomorrow.

The models come in with three hours left. Shantall has almost nothing but pants. And they don't have a lining yet. Part of the jacket is done enough to look at anyway. Coral's model says that her shoes are a little beauty pageant. Kristina's model looks terrible in my opinion. The pants are baggy and then the top looks like she's just wrapped in a bedsheet like a college student going to a toga party. Chasity has a good idea, but Christian warns her against putting too much crap on there just to put crap on there.

Shantall doesn't finish her garment before they go home.

Runway Day. The designers toast with celery juice and have confessionals about how much they want to get to the finale and how they'll miss everyone. You know the drill. Christian says something to Shantall about “all that construction you did and I'm not sure you did it so make sure it looks clean”. She interviews that she ran out of time but she'll have to make it work. There is plenty of last minute sewing happening. Shantall is ironing her top while on the model. Like she is holding the iron up to her torso. Christian questions if Chasity's model can walk in the dress and she yells at him that she's too busy to show him right now.

Look, Karlie's here! Coral: the whole top of this dress is macrame. One side looks like a bikini top, like a woven sweater. The other side has round circles, almost like pom poms, that run down to her waist along the edge, and the rest is small squares. The macrame looks like it continues into a short skirt, but it's covered with floor-length chiffon. The whole thing is off-white like undyed wool. There's a tall collar/neckpiece with square tabs making a starburst pattern and draping over her chest. The back is mostly open but has some lacing and a string of the pom poms. It looks very impressive.

Kristina: wide-legged jeans, in a very light blue. I guess they're denim? They must be pretty light because they don't move the way you expect regular jeans to move. Over this is a pink gingham bandeau top with some straps that start in the middle of her chest and wrap around her neck, and another one shouldered “jacket” in a light blue stripe. I put it in quotes because there is a sleeve, but then the rest of it looks like she wrapped a sheet around the model's torso and tied it at her hip, then left the extra fabric to just hang down her body. There are several straps hanging from the sleeve, and then also around her hips. I thought they were ties for the jacket somehow, but they look like drawstrings. So this jacket has drawstrings around her waist, and it attaches on one hip and the strings are all hanging off the other hip. It looks like curtains. I don't get this shapeless drawstring look.

Shantall: the jacket looks like a suit jacket that is made up of vertical strips of fabric, but they aren't sewn together into a solid piece. So over her chest, there are several narrow keyholes. There are long sleeves, not particularly baggy, and a full peplum. The pants aren't tight, and as she was walking I almost thought they were bell bottoms but I don't think they are. They are slit up the sides, though, and secured with ties, so I think they were just moving as if they were fuller than they are. The judges are real chatty today during this runway and I don't like it. There are no lapels or buttons but it doesn't look as unfinished as Shantall was implying during her confessionals earlier. It's interesting anyway.

Chasity: long black gown with a high mock turtleneck and long sleeves. The bodice has several cutouts, so you can see her stomach and sides, and there are two narrow rectangles at her shoulders. There are slight shoulder pads also. The cutouts have black sheer fabric, so it's not just skin, and the edges of each cutout are lined with sequins or beads. The sleeves are sheer. It looks like the waistline of the skirt is cut in a zig-zag, and then the part over her chest meets two of the points to attach the top to the skirt. The skirt moves really well and I think it might have a slight train. The back of the bodice is all open with the sheer fabric. It's simple but I think it could sell very well.

Kristina is up first. She talks about the American flag and flags moving in the wind. Oh I forgot, she has a paper bag accessory again, in dark red. When Brandon asks about being relevant in fashion, she says that it's important to make “smart” clothes that can move day to evening and they need to change with the times. I guess the jacket can be a dress? The jeans don't look like they fit right. They're baggy in the crotch. Brandon asks some specific questions about where the zipper is, because it's faster to put it on the side. So they're not actually jeans. The top is also reversible. Karlie says it's conceptual and she nailed it. Nina loves the versatility. I guess, but this look is aimed at a very narrow range of women. Elaine loves the sneakers, and they show a shot of them where you can see that these pants are basically dragging on the ground. They're not JNCO jeans but they're getting there. Elaine loves the jeans but she knows not everyone will want to wear this outfit because it's too complicated. Plus it is too much like several other looks she's sent down the runway this season. Ah, so it's not her “signature”, it's “repetitive”.

Coral explains about architecture and new buildings, and macrame and looking ethnic. She's a Mexican goddess. She made the bodice out of different trims and then the other side is the macrame. She wants strong, confident looks that are still beautiful, and she wants to share her culture. They are really harping on “the future of fashion” this season. Elaine says her point of view really comes through. Nina loves the mix of hard and soft, and that her craft comes through and she's managed to work it into every piece. Nina says that's the mark of a great designer, which I guess is true. See, so Coral's macrame is a “signature”, while Kristina's asymmetry is “repetitive” and they never explain what the difference is. It makes me suspect the difference is which designer they like the best.

Chasity was inspired by St. Patrick's Cathedral, and she wanted something romantic but also strong. Black represents strong. It's beautifully done and clean. Brandon might have removed the sleeve, and then Elaine asks if the sleeve length was intentional because the sleeves end about an inch above her wrists. Chasity just ran out of time to put them where they should be. It's a classic gown, but Elaine thinks it's dated. The mesh and sequins and shoulders look dated. The look Chasity herself is wearing, which is a black sheer with a white paisley design and feathers at the elbows, is much more modern and she should have designed something more like this. The black gown is safe. When they ask the dumb question of how you're going to be on the cutting edge of fashion or whatever, Chasity answers that she wants to be designing red carpet looks that make women feel beautiful and elegant. Sure? Not sure how that's looking to the future. Karlie can see the skill that went into making this. Nina knows it represents Chasity's brand. Elaine asks if she thought she'd be in the final four, and she gets really emotional, and Brandon tells her she never lets herself cry so it's the last episode just let it out. Chasity talks about how she really suffered mentally during the pandemic, when she made her living off of bridal gowns and prom gowns and so the money was not there. The judges all encourage her that she's made it through.

Shantall starts talking about gender fluid looks. Brandon can't believe she would make such a complicated look with one day, but it makes him wonder what she could do if she had the time to make a collection. But the peplum is not modern. Karlie disagrees because she likes the peplum and then Elaine says she “centered the non-binary body” and they've never seen that before. OK how though? I'm not asking in a rude way, I really want to know what that means. How does the peplum make this a good gender-neutral look? Because it gives the illusion of hips and curves? Is that what makes a good gender-neutral look? Is it how the jacket has the keyholes and it's interesting no matter what your chest looks like? I will say that in previous seasons of this show “gender neutral” always ends up being “boxy coat” so moving away from that is great. Nina tells Shantall she has confidence in her design. The slits in the jacket mirror the ones in the pants so it all goes together.

So Brandon talks about how this is going to be a very hard decision, and then he says they're going to have to chat. And then he just straight up gets out of his chair and walks over to the other three to have a conversation, without sending anyone back to the Scrap Bin. I told you guys. They made a big deal about “Three of you will continue to Fashion Week” and they made sure to say that several times but now they're having an emergency conference and there's no way they'd be talking about who to send home with them still in the room. They're pretending to discuss if they can let all four of them through. Brandon sits back down and then does exactly this. I told you guys. He tries to fake out Chasity first though. You know they didn't just decide that right then and there. I bet they always were going to let them all through and they just were confirming that no one shit the bed last minute.

Ten looks, $10,000, and five months. Oh and Christian WILL be doing home visits! Shantall, you need to decide what your aesthetic is and we need to see who you are. Chasity has talent but they want to see her own style on the runway. Kristina has modular outfits but they want to see something new from her. Coral has her macrame but also tailoring, so just lean into it. The designers run to the Scrap Bin and get real loud and then Christian shows up with champagne. There are lots of group hugs and tears.

Next week: home visits, Tommy Hilfiger, and someone will win.

So since there isn't an eliminated designer, the Aftershow has Elaine and Brandon. Christian claims this is extraordinary, but they let the final four through all the time. Elaine and Brandon are distracted and hilariously you can hear the designers shrieking in the background. Like, they are celebrating still. Brandon claims that the producers don't tell them what to do, and the judges just decided that night they couldn't send anyone home. I'd buy it if they didn't do this on basically every season. They do this all the time. Elaine says the producers don't tell them what to do but Christian tells them what to do every 15 minutes. Ha! Elaine writes novels on her judging cards, and Brandon's cards are blank. He said he didn't score anything today because he wanted to hear everyone's personal stories. Then Elaine starts telling Brandon he has pretty eyelashes and Christian is annoyed no one is listening to him on his own show. The designers went through a lot and they put it all on the runway. They put shots of everyone's looks, starting with Chasity. Brandon says he respects her a lot, and yeah he put her in the bottom several times but she's taken their criticism. He believes she's committed to being the best. Coral has come into her own. Elaine asks if Christian is tired of them always making Coral safe, which is a fair question. Elaine liked that Kristina didn't make a gown for this last challenge. Christian says that supposedly this whole time, when he was telling her to edit, Kristina thought he was saying “add it”. Yeah but then she got rewarded. Shantall started and ended with a suit. Christian preens that he Saved her and isn't that great.

Then we talk to Mimi and DD. They should do this more often. So there was a fog machine today and there's clips of them slipping on the runway. DD loved the flower challenge, even though Shantall's look wasn't floral. Mimi loved Prajje and Chasity's avant garde look with the paint and the pink fur. Except that there was wire all under the skirt and she got cut up. And she got hurt today because a mannequin fell on her! Christian gives her a heart medal because she got hurt so much which is hilarious. Yeah the models should be on all the time.