TV Recap: ‘Project Runway,’ “The Best of the Best”

Photo Courtesy of mylifetime.com

When the 6 remaining designs come before Heidi at the beginning of this episode, they are sitting with their backs to the runway. Then they are allowed to turn around, and find each of their best looks on the stage. Heidi announces the challenge: create a companion piece to go with your best look. The second look must complement the first, but must also be distinctly different. Christopher’s is the black and cream/silver short strapless dress with lots of texture and volume. Irina’s Aspen look was chosen for her, and Althea’s look is her smoking jacket and paper bag high-waisted skirt. Gordana will beworking with her edgy silver strapless textured dress, and Carol Hannah’s is the long black fitted Christina Aguilera gown with sequins and feathers. Logan feels a little unconfortable because he’s actually never won a challenge, so the judges just tried to pick his strongest look, which is a long silver, two-toned flowing gown.

The designers get 30min. to sketch, and then 30min. to shop at Mood. They’re working off of a $100 budget, and it is a one-day challenge. The mood in the workroom is decidedly more tense-Althea seems to be getting irritated with Logan, a few mini arguments. I don’t know what this is about, but it would be cool to know who all is hooking up with who. All of the designers are more cautious, and I know they’ve all been trying hard the whole competition, but each designer is reallllly concentrating on this one, thinking their designs through more.

I learn that Gordana is from Bosnia-cool. Tim comes to talk to each of them. Carol Hannah and Irina’s designs are showing a lot of promise, but Tim is again worried about Christopher-as am I. It’s not looking good. Carol Hannah feels like she should do pants  or something else besides a dress, because she doesn’t want the judges to think she’s a one-note, but Tim assures her that she shoudl stay in that area-that’s her thing, and she’s great at it. Althea gets really pissed off when Logan shows Tim his design, which includes a high collar with a bunch of zippers on it. Althea thinks Logan is ripping that idea off one of her past designs (the Christina Aguilera one). There are some good shots of Altheashooting daggers at him, and then she allies with Irina to talk shit about him. Then Tim sends in the models for their fitting, which Althea uses as a chance to talk more shit about him to her model. The day ends, and pretty much everyone but Irina feels at least a little frazzled.

Day of Runway Show:

Everyone is scurrying to finish, and some o the designers are a bit grumpy. ahem, Irina. cough. Logan reveals that Irina has the nickname Nina Irina. clever, clever.  With 2 hours left, the models are sent in, and the finishing touches are put on. Irina starts bitching about how Althea keeps bitching about Logan stealing her idea, and then goes on to say that Althea is either out of her mind or drunk because she’s actually ripping off Irina’s big draped sweater look. wow. Irina knows how to trump on the bitch list.

The Runway Show:

The judges are Heidi, Nick Verreos (long title, FIDM instructor and project runway alumni?), Nina Garcia and actress and L’oreal Spokesmodel Kerry Washington. hmmmm.

The 3 best: Irina-the judges (minus Nina) loved her design, a printed fitted cocktail dress with a huge draping sweater that tied at the front. Carol Hannah-she did a simple black short dress with nice accents, the judges like the simplicity of it and the fact that it had pockets. Althea-she did paper bag pants that were skinny at the bottom and really volumy/fat at the top/waist, and then an oversized gray draped sweater. All of the judges looooved this one-just everything about. Then Heidi asked who’s idea it was first to do the oversize sweater thing, and Irina was like, everyone’s copying me, backstabbed Althea, and said “How do you not notice something like that in the same workroom?”…intense, but the judges steered them away from the touchy subject.

The 3 worst: Christopher-he did basically a long gown version of his first dress, and it was kind of barfing fabric, but the judges weren’t as harsh as I thought they would be. Gordana-hers was a long gray jacket and a black skirt, very boring, blah, not fashionable, dated. Logan-the judges ripped this one apart. It was a crazy black high-collared dress with a high waist and high hem. They said it was 80s, futuristic, costumy, like a student project.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

Carol Hannah in. Althea WINNER. Irina in. Christopher in. Gordana IN. Logan OUT.

‘nough said.