Project Runway: Designing Pain and Tossing Champagne

We all knew that this day would come… eventually. But knowing doesn’t make it any easier, now does it?

This week on Project Runway, the designers got the opportunity of a lifetime; now, it wasn’t groundbreaking or anything, but it definitely was cool. This week, the designers’ task was to make a runway look using fabric that they create. Now I could go ahead and recall the long, long HP technology spiel, but you’re not going to buy it so why bother. Suffice it to say that it’s really cool. The designers draw on this hi-tech “pad” to create their pattern for their fabrics.

All of the designers were really psyched about this, as am I; because, that rocks. And while some of the designers went the safe route (i.e. Mila’s might as well be a finger painting) Seth Aaron, never one to back away from a challenge, took a more innovative approach with a pop art motif as his base.

During the design phase, Anthony makes a jacket for the first time and the first thing that comes to my head is NEVER MAKE ANYTHING FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! Seriously! Experimenting is good and well but never make something for the first time on Project Runway. That’s a death blow. I’m just so upset. Emilio is frustrated because he hates his bustier top. Midway into construction he abandons it and decides to start over.

Anthony starts cutting up and being Anthony. This sends the design room into an uproar as everyone reflects on how they love Anthony. (Are you getting any bad omens?) The fabrics arrive and the designers all love their patterns. Emilio takes great pride in his “E. Sosa” design, Mila hates it, but then again this is the person who brought us Rainbow Bright. Her fabric really is childish and unimaginative. Perhaps this is why she struggles when deciding what to do with it.

Emilio takes offense to Tim, but that’s just because Tim disagrees. But that doesn’t matter because “I do not listen to Tim, whether he likes it or not,” that statement breaking Tim’s heart I’m sure. Yawn. The models come in and it’s time for their fitting. Jonathan likes his look, and while it is pretty, it’s also a little drab. His fabric is very soft and his outfit has no color whatsoever. And that’s a shame because I think his outfit could be great if his jacket was a loud, vibrant color instead of that horrible pastel. Maya loves the way her dress came out; Emilio, of course, thinks his is tops. But, on the other hand, when has he ever not.

On the Runway, the guest judge is Vivienne Tam, designer.

I liked the process of designing the fabrics more than the garments that actually came down the runway. I wasn’t overly impressed with anyone’s outfit although Jay Nicholas’ made me smile it was so full of personality. For the worst, I’d have to choose Jonathan; love him though I do, his look was totally washed out.

Judges’ verdict.
Top three:
Emilio: Michael loved Emilio’s signature fabric and Heidi fell in love with his dress.
Seth Aaron: Michael called this look impeccable, and Nina found the print charming.
Maya: Michael was intrigued by this look and Nina thought she did a brilliant job with the print.

Bottom three:
Mila: While Nina didn’t think much of the print, Michael said it didn’t matter how it looked if the model couldn’t walk in it. Which she couldn’t.
Anthony: The judges were disappointed with Anthony’s look. Heidi says they have seen this look many times before and Vivienne thought that the look didn’t go far enough creatively.
Jonathan: Michael thought Jonathan’s dress looked like a dirty table cloth and the backwards jacket looked like a straightjacket. Nina thought this outfit was a catastrophe.

Winner: Emilio
Going Home: I can’t bear to say it, this really sucks… it’s Anthony. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! No! Just NO! But it’s true. And it hurts. And it really, REALLY sucks. I mean, did you see Mila’s dress? Did you see her model struggle to walk in that hideous smock that she calls a dress? It was ridiculous. What happened to ‘it doesn’t matter how good your dress is if your model can’t walk,’ Michael? Seriously? That’s almost as crazy as Emilio winning with that unflattering and unimaginative garment. I just can’t comprehend this right now. We’ll end this in Anthony’s own words:

“I think that life has taught us that you don’t have to have the crown to be the queen… Don’t cry for Anthony, honey, matter of fact, toss one back for me.”

Season 7, Episode 10: Hey, That’s My Fabric (originally aired March 25, 2010)

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Thursdays at 10pm EST on Lifetime

Photographs courtesy of Lifetime and IMDbPro.