Project Runway: Greece is the Word

I’m just going to say now: I’m disappointed.

But before we get into that, let’s catch up! Gordana thinks it’s cool she’s made it this far. Which begs the question: if you didn’t think you had it in you, why did you come here and take the spot of someone potentially more interesting than you? Nicolas talks about asserting himself as a designer and taking a Me, Me, Me approach. Christopher goes on again about his lack of formal training – yet look how far he’s come. For the moment, he forgets how often he’s landed in the bottom.

The designers meet Tim and Michael Kors on Rodeo Drive to introduce the Michael Kors challenge, aka the silliest frikkin’ challenge ever. Kors charges the group with creating real or imaginary designs based on a picture of a locale that inspires them. But we’re going to narrow those locales down even more to places that have inspired Michael Kors. So it’s not really about the designers on the show, it’s actually about Michael Kors. For some reason.

Huh? Why not give the designers cameras and drop them off in a botanical garden somewhere? Or in different neighborhoods of L.A.? Does L.A. not lend itself to finding inspirational beauty in the city? I just think it’s a little silly to take someone else’s muse and then call this a challenge about inspiration. It appears that the designers receive only one picture of each locale, not even a dossier with additional information.

Moving on. The designers all applaud, showing me that I’m the only one with the issue. The pairings: CH picks Palm Beach; Nicolas chooses Greece (and not NY because that’s too easy and he wants a challenge. Noted.);  Barbie chooses St. Tropez; Gordana picks New York; Irina chooses Aspen; Christopher lands Santa Fe; and last man called Logan is left with Hollywood. They have $150 and one day to complete the challenge.

Irina notes how other people joke and laugh frequently, causing a delay in their work because of the constant distraction. Irina, meanwhile, only laughs when critiquing other people and their work. Gordana interviews that some people might crack under the pressure; the editors then provide ominous shots of Logan and Christopher.

Tim Time. Gordana makes Tim nervous because she’s spent most of the day working on a jeweled neckpiece without starting the dress. Tim warns Christopher about his clichéd Santa Fe colors and design, and encourages him to ratchet up the sophistication. Tim worries that CH’s printed dress is too common and needs distinction. Nicolas calls his own design “different,” and Tim warns him to make it stunning. He advises Logan to make sure the multiple parts of his look are cohesive.

Irina provides further commentary: she’s surprised (note: she’s laughing) by Christopher’s continued presence because she thinks his dress is something an Amish woman would wear. Nicolas, meanwhile, thinks that Irina’s outfit borders on costume-y, and “it’s really not [his] thing.”  Irina thinks that people are getting by on the bare minimum, and that the level of talent and creativity hasn’t increased. Except for her own of course, because she’s out to top herself week after week. Later, she pretends to be friends with people.

Nicolas runs into problems because he chose jersey as the material for his top but has no experience working with it. He begins to worry about elimination. Barbie comments that “if Christopher can put that garment down the runway and not get eliminated, then I don’t know what’s going on.” Even he realizes that he’s gone “Little House on the Prairie,” and then cuts at least twenty inches from the dress. He thinks it’s a brilliant move, whereas anyone else would have called it absolutely necessary.

Runway. Guest judge: Milla Jovovich. Which is fantastic. I just watched The Fifth Element this morning!

Logan: Not really Hollywood? Barbie: Sure. But not groundbreaking. Nicolas: Sigh. Not Greece. CH: Beautiful dress, lacks some originality. Christopher: Cute pieces, but not together. Irina: Aspen glamour! Gordana: Beautiful cocktail dress.

Safe: Barbie.

Irina’s outfit has surprise and sexiness in her 1980s Aspen look. The fantasy is “cool” and the tailoring “impeccable.”  Kors says Christopher’s dress is almost a costume, and Heidi says the handmade belt is the only interesting thing about the garment. Nina points out all of the inspiration from Santa Fe that Christopher could have borrowed from, but didn’t. Milla says she’d live in CH’s dress, and the judges love the print choice. The braiding impresses Nina especially. Kors says that Nicolas’s Greece is more Grease. Get it? Milla likes the shirt and says that he should have taken that idea and gone all the way with it instead of stopping short. Nina wonders where the fantasy is. Heidi thinks Gordana’s dress is “quite beautiful” and Kors calls it urban, sexy and sophisticated. They also love the neckpiece, which I admit, looks fantastic. Nina doesn’t like Logan’s look, but Heidi gets it and “doesn’t mind it.” Kors and Milla both tell him that he should have pushed it farther. Kors says of the outfit: “They’re clothes, they’re not fashion.”

Deliberation is more of the same, with Milla adding that Gordana needs to show more confidence instead of putting down her own work on the Runway.  Milla Jovovich is a great guest this week. She’s passionate about her opinions and seems very comfortable. I hate her hair, but otherwise, I really enjoyed her contributions. Bring her back!

Out come the designers, and this week’s winner: Irina. She’s a bitch, but there’s no argument here: she’s the only one who put forth an incredible and runway-worthy look. Safe: CH, Gordana and Logan. Between Christopher’s lack of fantasy and inspiration and Nicolas’s lack of effort, Heidi sends Nicolas home. Do you see why I’m so disappointed? First an awful challenge, awful designs, and then Nicolas suffers the auf wiedersehen. He takes it well, I guess. But he’s so much fun! Everyone else are duds. Talented duds, but they’re boring to watch.

Which sums up this season: lots of talent, but the personalities are so bland you could fast forward through most of the episode and not miss anything. Before we at least had Irina’s cattiness and Nicolas’s commentary, but now we’re just left with Irina. And only three more people to send home before Bryant Park.

Next week: “Horrifying,” “big scary mess,” and fashion plagiarism!

For another take on this episode, read Where in the World is Project Runway? by J.B. Perlow.

Listen to The J Factor with J.B. and Jaimie here or on iTunes.

Season 6, Episode 10: Around the World in Two Days (originally aired October 22, 2009)

For more on Project Runway, click here.

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Photographs courtesy of Lifetime