Project Runway 9/25/25--"See You on the Runway" summary

 

As promised, just a week late. But you got the idea from the recap I got up, right? You get the essentials. This one is going to have more detail, but I copied my original post and just filled in details. I almost didn't do it, but I did say I would get a more thorough recap up. I just am having a hard time getting motivation because this season was so irritating. (click for more)

Previously on “Project Runway”: There was a bunch of drama, everyone hates Veejay, or at least the twins do, and then Law dared to ask the twins which one was better. Antonio got pissed and stormed out of the Scrap Bin, while Veejay stood around looking afraid like she hadn't just said she'd bring Belania and Ethan to the finale because she only wants humble, kind people in the finale and also the twins don't need the money. It was pretty dumb.

OK! On with the show. Wait, was this a 90 minute episode? UGH. I am reminded during this recap that Tyra was wearing a dress designed by Bishme, which is amazing. Jesus claims to be the most humble person Veejay has met. Sure. Never believe someone who insists on how humble they are. Veejay says something about how she didn't say anything when Jesus didn't want to bring her to the final three, because she respects his opinion. Except that he left Belania out too, and she isn't retaliating. I'm not sure how her not responding to Jesus when he was talking makes her better than him but whatever. Jesus claims in confessional to have been nothing but humble and caretaking this whole time. “Caretaking”? What does that even mean? Ethan agrees that the twins are established and he tells them so. Veejay says if you're cocky or arrogant, just own it. The judges discuss how they like Belania, but she makes the same thing all their time. Tyra loves her. They love Ethan, but Law feels Jesus was more original. I guess? They can have three so I can see both of them. Nina argues she doesn't think he's up to par. We discuss how Antonio's work is inconsistent, as we cut back and forth to him sitting on the sidewalk outside. Heidi is of course concerned about the attitude. Veejay is a threat but not on brand. Yeah, you can't make a red dress for Wicked. Nina found it creative, but it kind of feels like Nina just wants to argue.

Antonio comes back inside, and apparently he decided that if he goes home and quits, then when the eliminated designers return to be manual labor, he can't help his brother and Jesus really needs him. I guess so. But you also don't know that will happen? Also all that drama was for nothing, but that's the least surprising thing. The twins sit on the floor and have a pseudo-emotional conversation about Jesus winning “for us” and they cry about how much they love each other.

Heidi says the winner is Ethan, because of course. That shit was amazing. Jesus looks pissed because it's not just Veejay he thinks isn't as good as him. Jesus is of course in. He makes sure to announce he's full of humbleness, so you see what I was saying. Antonio made a look they've seen before, Veejay made a poor color choice, Belania's streetwear won't be "popular" on the runway. Oh then Veejay is in because MAXIMUM DRAMA. Her look was good avant-garde, but don't you want to see what Belania would produce? Antonio now is saying maybe he isn't in a space to make a collection. Belania found her voice and she's ready to go. Also I think they picked on Belania so they could complain she had an attitude, but she's going to be just fine. Someone will see her looks and pay her a bunch of money for eclectic streetwear.

They will have five days to make five looks. They should get to go home so Christian can have home visits. "Stay true to who you are" blah blah. Jesus seems to blame Veejay for his brother being sent home which we all know is not true. That's not how judging works. “They tried to separate Antonio and I” and they did? Only one of you is in the finale? Look this isn't a spoiler but I think we can all agree this is Ethan's to lose. Jesus makes some good designs but the judges can't get enough of Ethan's dramatic looks. You know what, if they sent them home, then Antonio would make like half of Jesus's collection and it would be like he wasn't eliminated. I'm sure he'll be back to be manual labor but it's less than if they had six weeks or whatever.

Day One is labeled Fabric and Concept. They have $7500 at Mood. Jesus buys some pink fabric because Antonio would have made a pink collection and he cries about it. Antonio didn't die. His goal for the collection is "make women feel beautiful", while Ethan's inspiration is "rich". Make people feel how Utica makes him feel. He chants "find cool shit" which is hilarious. I think Jesus's inspiration is “do what Antonio wants”. Veejay is not at Mood, but at a leather shop buying lots of leather. It appears her inspiration is the T-1000 Terminator. Yeah, sure. You can't kill him and similarly she's still here.

It's nine hours until the end of the day, and Joan, Yuchen, and Antonio roll in. Apparently Ethan was allowed to assign helpers and he decided not to be a jerk about it. Joan is with Veejay and Yuchen is with Ethan. The twins cry and I'm irritated. Yuchen is going to be emotional support for Ethan. Jesus comes over and asks to see Veejay's sketches. Why. You can't blame her for all your problems and call her a bitch every chance you get and then come over and think she's going to talk to you. I have seen comments that Veejay thinks they're all joking and being shady and the twins are actually offended, and this behavior is not making the twins look innocent. Either she's a terrible person who doesn't deserve to be here, or she's going to show you her sketches on the first day because you like each other. Joan finds this drama hilarious. Veejay interviews that Jesus must want to see her sketches to elevate his own taste level.

Day Two: Construction and Casting. Ethan does a lot of draping and not a lot of patterns. Lots of gowns and drama. Veejay's designs are really abstract so she needs to work on how to make them. Jesus claims to have so many pieces done already. Christian shows up to bring models. There's some boys, and the first one says he does drag so Ethan is excited. The model Jesus uses all the time, Jessica, is here, and Veejay thinks she can steal her but there's no way. MIMI!!! Girl where have you been!!!!!!!! She's so amazing. Veejay gets to go first, and so she steals Jessica because of course she does. Jesus says he's "spiritual" with her and that's his muse and he calls her a bitch, but Veejay is just like "but I haven't worked with her". Girl come on. Just own it. Don't look upset and shocked like you didn't think this would happen. Jesus says "a friend would not do that" but why in the fuck do you think she's your friend? Ethan thinks Jesus is throwing a tantrum, but also that Veejay is doing this on purpose. Jesus claims Veejay wants to be friends when this is over? Did she say that? Veejay says in confessional that if you're only comfortable with one model, you're not a good designer. That's not what's happening here and you know it. “But I don't want drama.” Bitch please. In the workroom, Veejay sighs like, fine you can have her then, and Jesus fakes an apology for calling her a bitch. “It's just...you have been a bitch.” How are you this old and you don't understand how apologies work. Girl take Mimi. We do not see a single moment more of model selection.

Ethan has a bunch of stuff done, lots of beads, drama, gowns. Veejay thinks it's the same stuff he's done already, and Christian agrees. He has five gowns done and Christian hates them all. Yeah, you need to do something new, but you should probably also do something you know they like. I love Ethan's gowns. Jesus has more than five looks because he's just so fast at sewing. It will allow him to edit, but it's all pink and he needs a break. Christian tells him to push himself. Plus it's too Valentino? Veejay has nothing made. The plan is for leather that looks like metal, but it's all paper and muslin right now. She gets the advice to cut some leather and see what happens, but that might get expensive and if she screws up then she'll have nothing. There is a ton of discussion of “new” and “things we've never seen before” but there are only so many ways to put clothes on bodies in five days.

Day Three, First Model Fitting. Also it seems to be the first day the helpers are here to do stuff. They're all here, and Ethan points out that they only have two fittings so you have to have something today. Jesus has some options, and Christian is cautioning him to calm down. There is too much going on sometimes. Veejay does have some looks, but Mimi doesn't have anything to try on. She has to get started, but she knows what fabric she wants to use and some kind of idea of what to do. It's a silver kind of chainmail, but she has to get started. Ethan now has dark genderbending looks, but it might be too costume focused. Christian wants a gown. Like a big Utica drag gown. He should have told him when he had five gowns up there. You hated all his gowns! Jesus tells Veejay her collection looks like the Terminator (I assume as an insult) and she crows that he got it without her telling him. We film Veejay getting emotional about how her family became poor after her dad died and she wants to use the money to help them.

Day Four, Finale Judge Reveal. Ethan has some hoops for a hoop skirt. He feels if he wins, it will let him show drag designers should be taken seriously. Veejay is working hard, now that she's cut her leather and done a fitting. Christian and Heidi come in to tell everyone that the finale guest judge will be Michael Kors. Good. Jesus was judged by Kors on his season, and he was his usual self. Veejay is super excited because she's a huge fan, but also because Jesus is not happy.

Day Five, Final Model Fitting. Veejay and Jesus discuss how their moms are going to be here, and I still think it's bullshit they're pretending to like each other. Jesus says his mom is going to be so happy to see his collection because pink is her favorite color. I thought the collection was pink for Antonio? The models and Christian arrive. Veejay has a lot of hand sewing. At home we have a stupid conversation about "favorite moments" and Veejay and Jesus apologize but I don't buy it.

Runway Day. Plenty of working and hair and makeup no one cares about and I miss hot makeup guy Scott. Ethan crawls underneath a skirt to hem it. He also goes to lace a corset top and the strip with the holes for the laces tears away from the rest of the bodice. It's too small to zip up and he's freaking out. Naturally after commercial he gets it done.

Kors asks Nina if there's "new levels of frankness this year" and that it's "spectacular". Of course he loves that Law is rude. Christian is also sitting with the judges.

Ethan is up first. He says there's a queen on the stage, and he had made clothes for "women of the night" but now it's for everyone. Liris has a carwash skirt and corset. It might actually be pants? There was discussion online that her boobs look terrible or that she was mad, but Liris doesn't smile because she's a fucking professional. There's a bunch of black leather and grommets, carwash tab skirts. The male model is like, a long jacket with sheer sleeves. Then there is a wide belt that looks mostly sheer, with a loincloth hanging down in front. At the sides the loincloth meets the back so it's a pleated skirt, but most of his hips are exposed. More black with a leather halter and miniskirt, and then sheer sparkly black down to the floor. The last piece is a mermaid skirt with a huge hoop in the bottom, and then a hoop around her body. Imagine a circle around her body like an orbit, but sewn to the gown at her chest. Actually the back isn't a solid circle, but the ends are attached to the skirt just under her butt. Law says he should have walked his own show and this is true. Also all his models have the same earrings on, which are basically a gold chain attached to both ears and hanging in front like a necklace.

Veejay titled her Terminator collection "A Beautiful Moment". It's silver leather, asymmetric pieces. Very sculptural. It looks like she took rectangles of leather and attached them to some kind of under-dress, so the ends hang off her side and it flops when she moves. That sounds rude but otherwise it's leather, it's not moving. No one cleaned this leather, though, because you can see every fingerprint on it. The second look has a knit? It looks like a sweater material in sage, with silver hemming, that's wrapped around her waist for a skirt. Then the top is just a big diamond of the silver leather, sort of attached under one arm so it cuts diagonally across her torso and sticks up on one side. One of the plus-sized models with the knit draped around her in a single piece, no visible seams, with the side open and folded. It fits very well. There's a pair of pants with one leg cut almost the whole way through, weirdly, in black with a black cropped leather jacket and a silver chainmail bandeau top. Mimi is a queen. Her dress is a long gown draped over one arm and the other bare, but it's chainmail so it's all done by hand. I guess the fact that she didn't fuck it up is good. But it is a super basic like, caftan.

Jesus interviews "Don't they say they save the best for last?" and the chyron says "the most humble" and this is a perfect combination. He cries at his mom, who he knew would be there. Kors is like "I remember him!" which may or may not be a good thing. This collection looks very current, lots of pink satin and some silver roses. But the first outfit looks red to me. It's a pair of wide-legged pants, and a bra with long loose sleeves. The bra part is very small and the proportions look off. His plus-sized model (were they all told they had to use one?) has a pink satin miniskirt with two slits in the front, a big poofy bow or something on the side, and a jacket that's buttoned just below her boobs but exposes her torso and chest. It's so shiny and it's not particularly flattering and from the back it's way too short. Big high waisted pants, again, with wide ruffles on the sides. I think maybe this is his pink and the first look just had bad lighting. This one has sleeves? Or maybe just some ruffles attached at the shoulder hanging down to her knees. Then a bib of big silver metallic flowers. Are they real metal? Who knows. There is a gown that looks like just a slim gown of the silver flowers, with a collar, but there is pink underneath and I can't tell if he wanted some structure so there's fabric under the silver, or if he had another dress and when Christian told him to have less pink he just covered it with silver roses. His "muse" has a long gown with exaggerated hips and maribou feathers. He's made the exaggerated hips before, and a long gown with long sleeves and feathers up to her chin is a lot. I mean there are feathers at the top but the whole thing is covered in thin feathers and then there's an exposed zipper.

They talk to various people who love how fresh it is and how much work they did and whatever. As you know they will find people to love each collection. Some previous contestants too. Jesus and Veejay are now hugging and saying they love each other which pisses me off. Don't make me watch so much bullshit and drama only for them to be like "oh we love each other jk".

Kors says he loves the thoughtfulness. Ethan's finale look is wonderful and so many people would want to wear this. Law loves a storyteller. His looks are very pop musician, but Law says this runway was all Utica. Maybe simple hair and makeup would have gone over better. Heidi asks why he bedazzles everything and Ethan is like "I'm gay." She deserved that. Please edit but we certainly are not bored. I don't get the criticism of “this was Utica and not Ethan” because I am positive they cast Utica. You know they did.

Kors does remember Jesus which was funny. His finale gown has that big visible zipper, but he says he needed the strong teeth. They hate the sleeves, but they come off, and then they love it of course. They praise his model, a lot, and they do like that his models clearly loved their clothes.

Veejay took some risks, but they discuss the one model in the pants was all in black so she didn't go with the silver. She had some silver, but whatever. Nina says that was her favorite. Maybe a little more black in there somewhere. But they love the last look, and Heidi praises the look on the plus-sized model. Law was excited for knits, and the draping was perfect.

Nina says Ethan surprised her but not in a good way. Kors says the talent and workmanship is there. Ethan could be out there. There's a place for everyone. Veejay was creative, and I think they agree she had range. They disagree about the pants, but they do agree the finale dress was subtle and amazing. Jesus maybe could have not had all hot pink, but Kors appreciates the daring and Nina claims this is fresh air. He has great construction and Nina thinks he's more commercial.

So loved ones and eliminated designers are here. Heidi claims they've all made her decision to return worth it. Kors was really impressed with all of them. The winner is...Veejay? VEEJAY!?!? Holy shit. Nina thinks she was the dark horse, but that she has "craftsmanship". Oh people are going to be mad. Jesus claims to be happy for her. Ethan is glad his first collection was on this show.

So now that is over, and they did announce casting for another season, but I don't know, you guys. This was so exhausting and it felt like such a slog.