Project Runway: The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Zippers!

Six designers left and two more challenges to go. Let’s not waste time and get right to it!

Barbie thinks that she, CH and Irina rank as the strongest designers.  CH wants to show the judges that she can make more than dresses; though that’s her “thing,” she wants to prove she can do more runway pieces. Barbie calls her a one trick pony, but it’s not like CH is making the same dresses week after week. Christopher continues his sad lament about his up and down and down pattern during judging. Once again, he promises to do better.

This week’s challenge: to create a companion piece to each designers’ best look. “Best” look because Logan doesn’t have a “winning” look like everyone else. He takes note of this – time to turn things up a notch! Irina thinks that this challenge will separate the men from the boys – or rather, the women from the girls, because let’s face it – unless Christopher blows the judges away in the next two weeks, it’s going to be an all female finale.

Christopher turns his short dress into a gown with the same appliqué. Logan builds a new look around the zippers in his first dress. Tim advises a worried CH that she should start in her comfort zone and go from there, and pants aren’t the way to start strong. She struggles with a dress concept through much of the episode.

Gordana comments about a new tension in the workroom with Bryant Park so close. She talks briefly about her humble beginnings: her parents were farmers in Bosnia near the Serbian border. Well, this can’t be good for her. Background stories usually mean elimination time. But we also hear that in Idaho, Logan will work on his car and get his hands greasy and dirty, then start work on a dress. Oh, the crazy dynamics of Idaho! Could these spotlights be our bottom two? Gordana says a bottom two placement won’t bother her if she’s confident in her work. We shall see if that’s true.

Tim Time! Tim guides CH’s inspiration by helping her mix up her fabrics. Tim calls Irina’s look unexpected in a good way, but she needs to finish carefully. Tim says that Christopher’s original look is “young, vibrant, sexy,” and the new gown “looks like her mother.” Tim likes Logan’s look, though it still needs work. He applauds Gordana’s risk-taking and advises her to stand by the look.

Barbie and Irina huddle over a snack and bitch about Logan: Barbie says he stole her zippered neckline idea – she used the same concept during the Christina Aguilera challenge. Irina encourages her to say something and Barbie promises to – but alas, the confrontation never occurs. Or not like you’re expecting it to! Wait for it. Also, it should be noted that Barbie and Irina have this weird friendship: in that Barbie seems to think that Irina’s her friend, and Irina doesn’t care about anyone other than herself. There’s no room for friends in a competition! In the past, we have seen Barbie go to Irina for feedback, which Irina helpfully gave. Still, there has always been some clear walls up around Irina. Barbie hasn’t noticed – or more likely believes those walls don’t apply to her. After all, she and Irina are pals during the Logan-hate bitch session.

Meanwhile, Logan interviews about Christopher’s tendency toward volume and his use of cheap fabrics. Then Irina says, “Christopher’s dress … what are you going to say about it, other than why is one dress throwing up the other?” Which means, Christopher will be safe, because Irina always hates on the people she thinks she should go home. And those people always end up safe.

Just before runway, we listen to more bitching from Barbie about Logan’s zipper concept theft. Barbie doesn’t think it’s worth calling Logan out. Then Irina interviews that Barbie is crazy for complaining, because Barbie actually stole Irina’s oversized sweater design from last challenge. Despite that Irina encouraged Barbie to confront Logan, Irina herself has no such plans – that’s what petty interview time is for. And the runway. Which means it’s time for…

Runway. Judges: Nina Garcia, Nick Verreos, and Kerry Washington.

CH: Cute, but a companion piece?  Barbie: Great top, hideous pants. Logan: Eh. Dated? Irina: Beautiful. Gordana: Boring. Nice jacket. Christopher: Over the top.

The judges say Christopher’s dress needed editing, and that he basically constructed two gowns which didn’t fit together. Nina’s not a fan of Irina’s dress – the sweater coat is great, the dress not so much – but all of the other judges disagree with Nina. They love both pieces. Heidi says Gordana’s look isn’t fun or fashionable, and Kerry calls the look passive. Wow. I actually liked the jacket – it could have been tailored better, but I did enjoy it. Oops. As for CH, the simplicity is “delicious,” and the judges loved the lightness and pockets. Nina says Logan’s dress looks like a fashion student project, and Nick says it screams “Judy Jetson.” Nice reference, Nick! Heidi wants Barbie’s look and calls the pants “genius.” What? I think they look together. Heidi then asks who developed the sweater idea first: Barbie or Irina? Barbie tries to laugh it off, but Irina explains that she introduced the knit look last week, and that there has been a little bit of resemblance between some designs. Nick offers that in this situation, that may be unavoidable. Irina claims that it should be obvious considering there’s only six people left. Barbie politely says that her sweater was part of her original and design, and Heidi saves the moment by re-stating that she loves Barbie’s look and that’s all there is to that.

Should Irina have said anything on the Runway if she wouldn’t say it to Barbie in person? I don’t think so, but I also have the feeling that part of the reason Irina spoke up was because the judges were praising Barbie’s look and she doesn’t like the competition. Either way, funny for us. It’d be nice if Barbie, who didn’t expect the attack, called Irina out on her hypocrisy sometime next week.

Over deliberation, it’s more of the same, so bring them all back out, and Barbie trumps Irina: Barbie wins! Irina, CH, and Christopher are safe. Between Gordana’s sad, drab and dated look and Logan’s exploding zipper dress, Gordana will return to fight another day. Logan’s beauty finally fails him, and he’s surprised that he’s heading home. Still, he’s looking forward to the future… and fashion in 2062.

There’s one more episode before Bryant Park – here’s to hoping that CH’s inspiration returns and that she doesn’t need to rely on Tim next time for ideas.

Next week: The final challenge!

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

Season 6, Episode 11: Best of the Best (originally aired October 29, 2009)

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