PR Recap

PR=Project Runway

This is the post where I cover the episodes of "Project Runway" season 9 week by week. I missed the first 5 weeks (sorry, I was in France. PR doesn't air there.) So in this lil post, I'll be covering all the ones I missed. My future recaps will be more in depth, but since there are so many of these, they'll be a tad shorter.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EPISODES BEFORE WATCHING THEM, THEN DON'T READ THIS. HOWEVER, I WILL ASSURE YOU THAT KNOWING WHO WINS AND LOSES ONLY TAKES AWAY A LITTLE FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING THE SHOW. Feel free to continue even if you haven't seen the episodes.

Episode 1: Come As You Are
(guest judge Christina Ricci)

20 designers auditioned for the show (this is the first time we got to see the audition process), and 4 people are eliminated right off the bat. The designers that remained were:
Anthony Ryan Auld, Anya Ayoung Chee, Becky Ross, Bert Keeter, Bryce Black, Cecilia Mowani, Danielle Everine, Fallene Wells, Joshua Christensen, Joshua McKinley, Julie Tierney, Kimberly Goldson, Laura Kathleen, Olivier Green, Rafael Cox and Viktor Luna.

The first challenge was for the designers to be woken up rill early, and were not allowed to change or do anything like that--just take one bedsheet and go with Tim to Parsons. There challenge was to create a look using only their pajamas and their bedsheet. See all of the looks here.

The ones I liked were Anya's, Becky's (sort of), and Bryce's, but retrospectively, I didn't really dig any of them that much.

I was supa dupa surprised to discover that Bert's look was the winner, and not so surprised that Rafael's was the losing design. It kind of repulses me and makes me uncomfortable every time I look at it.

Bert's look

Rafael's look

   

                                                                                                

Episode 2: My Pet Project
(guest judge Stacey Bendet)

This episode was the "Unconventional Challenge"one: the designers were sent to Petland Discounts for their materials. It was VERY interesting to see what some people came up with. They were told to steer clear of fabric-like materials, such as blankets and pet clothing and whatnot. Everyone was flipping out over how much time they had, but some people churned out some pretty impressive garments. See all of this episode's looks here.

My favorites were Anthony Ryan's, whose was made entirely of muslin and birdseed, Danielle's (mostly just the top), Kimberly's, because it was reminiscent of Andy's braided dress from last season, and Viktor's.

Oliver's look won, made of a dog bed (top) and rabbit bedding (skirt.) 

Josh C.'s look got him kicked off, because he used conventional materials.

Olivier's look

Josh C.'s look

Episode 3: Go Big or Go Home
(guest judge Kim Kardashian)

This episode involved the first team challenge. And boy, did sh*t go down.
The teams were:
Laura and Anthony Ryan, Anya and Olivier, Becky and Kimberly, Bert and Viktor, Bryce and Fallene, Cecilia and Danielle and Josh M. and Julie.

Only 2 out of the 7 of these pairings actually worked well (Laura and Anthony Ryan and Anya and Olivier). I hope to gooseness gracious that if I ever need to collaborate with a designer, I'm not as much of a bitch as some of these people. Such divuuuuhhhz.

The challenge was that they had to design a look for a stilt-walking model. And here's the twist: the runway show was outside, in Battery Park City (how did my friend Edith not know about it??? She lives maybe 3 blocks from where the show was. I died a little inside when they showed where they were, because I'm there all the time. Story of my life.), and there was oodles and noodles and caboodles of press. Intense? I think yes.

There was some huge tension between Bert and Viktor, because Bert is actually kind of a sour grape. Bryce and Fallene also had a falling out (pun intended) because Fallene was self-trained and cut out the original bodice off-grain, which made the fit weird, and they had to make a boring tube top. See all of the looks here.


My episode fave was Laura and Anthony Ryan's look, but I also sort of liked Becky and Kimberly's.

The winner: Laura.
The loser: Fallene.

Laura's look

Fallene's look

Episode 4: All About Nina

(guest judges Joanna Coles and Kerry Washington)

For this challenge, the designers worked alone (thank GOD) to create a look for the picky Nina Garcia that she could wear at the office and to an evening event as well. Her style is very specific, and she's very upfront about what she wants: no prints, sleek silhouettes, no voluminous garments, no bright colors. That left everyone wondering what the hell she does like. Her and I are polar opposites when it comes to personal styles. Me and some of the designers, so it seems. 

The winner of the challenge not only got immunity for the next round, but Nina Garcia would wear their garment, it would be photographed for Marie Claire magazine and would be on top of New York City taxicabs. 

Cecilia had a fair amount of trouble this time: Nina didn't like her sketch, she picked out bad fabrics, and she just sort of gave up. When Nina saw Anya's fabric, originally a mustard yellow color, she was highly concerned. Anya, unlike Cecilia, always has something up her sleeve and was quick on her feet: she immediately dyed her fabric to a nice brown color that was somehow just what she needed. Anya's skill due to her lack of skill never ceases to amaze me. Another tricky spot: Anthony Ryan and Becky chose the same fabric (I think Anthony Ryan used it better though.)

I loved Anthony Ryan's look, Anya's outfit, Josh M.'s look, (although it was a bit too bright for Nina) Kimberly's design, and Laura's design.  Clearly, I liked a lot of them. What can I say, this was a pretty good episode. 

I wasn't sure if they were going to choose Anya's or Kimberly's, but they ended up going with Kimberly's look. Julie was booted off for her poor construction and ambiguous design. 

Kimberly's look

Julie's look

Episode 5: Off the Track

(guest judge Erin Wasson)

Another team challenge. FUN. 

Let me just tell you now, this is the most dramatic episode of Project Runway that I can recall. Sass was served on platters and dished all over the place like it was a banquet.

This episode started off with the designers having to put on running garb and were brought to a 200 meter running track somewhere in Manhattan. They were told that the first 4 people to cross the finish line first would be the team captains, and they would get to choose their other 2 teammates. Before the race started, (SPOILER ALERT) Cecilia dropped from the competition. 

During the race, Olivier tripped and fell, and then passed out. "Dropping like flies on Project Runway," true words of Tim Gunn. I thought it was just the dumbest idea to throw a physical element into the show. I don't think that's fair. 

The teams were (captains' names are bolded): 

Josh M. Anya and Becky, Bryce, Kimberly and Danielle, Anthony Ryan, Bert and Laura, and Viktor and Olivier. And here's the twist: since Cecilia dropped out, Viktor and Olivier (because they were the only team with only 2 people) got to choose which previously eliminated designer would be brought back to the show. They chose Josh C., who was magically transported (I'm assuming either Apparition, the Floo Network or a Portkey did the trick) to the Parsons work room in time for their team to participate in the challenge fully.

What is the challenge, you may ask? The challenge is: you must design three cohesive looks to go with the shoes that Heidi Klum designed for New Balance. You have to use denim and suede, the two primary materials used in the shoes, as well as supplementary fabric from Mood. GO! 

The winner gets their garment manufactured and sold exclusively on Amazon.com as a part of Heidi's collection. 

Like I said before, cr8zi shenanigans went down in the Brother sewing room. 

Josh M. called Becky's designing aesthetic "dowdy" and made her cry, and Bert told Josh M. to go die, or something along those lines, to say the least. (It's worth watching the episode just for the LOL's.) Then we get to the runway. Anthony Ryan, Laura and Bert were literally verbally dueling on the runway. Then, when the judges said that Bert's was the best look out of the three, he was gloating all over the place like he had just won a particularly stimulating round of Bananagrams. Becky and Josh M. let it all out on stage, but it wasn't as intense as during the construction process. 

My favorite collection was Viktor, Olivier and Josh C.'s.

The individual looks I digged the most were Anya's (although I thought it would've been better as a minidress, which is saying a lot, because it is rare that I prefer a mini skirt to a maxi skirt), Josh M.'s (that vest is sick), Olivier's (there's my maxi fix) and Viktor's. 

There was another twist! Two winners! 

Viktor and Josh M. both won, and Danielle was kicked off the show for making yet another poorly constructed and unflattering chiffon shirt. 

Josh M.'s look

Viktor's look

Danielle's look

Well that took forever. I hope I didn't ruin it for anyone, but it really is worth watching the episodes if you already know what happens. It's an incredible show either way.

I hope you all survived hurri-lame Irene.