It’s all about catfights and hissy fits on this week’s Project Runway.
So we know this week it’s going to be a team challenge and that means drama. The two team leaders are last week’s winner Anthony Ryan, and coming in a close second, Josh M. Flashback to grade school as the unpopular kids are picked last—in this case, Bert. And somehow Josh M., Becky, and Bert all wind up on the same team, which does not bode well.
The Challenge: It’s the HP and Intel challenge, where everyone gets to design their own textile print. Each team must create a collection consisting of five looks; the prints must feature prominently in at least three of those looks. And each team has to style and produce their runway show, including a background video and music. This is a big one.
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The incomparable Betsey Johnson surprises the designers in the workroom to give them a little guidance before they get started on their prints. Her advice: “It starts with the girl.” So true.
The two teams huddle to brainstorm concepts for their shows. Anthony Ryan’s team calls itself Chaos and Josh M.’s chooses Nuts & Bolts. Cut to Josh M. and Laura trying to list the Village People (what?) while Bert and Becky grumble and Kimberly lays low. Meanwhile, it’s smooth sailing for Chaos—perhaps they should switch names.
So the textiles are printing, the brainstorming continues, and Bert is quietly freaking out because his printer isn’t working and he’s afraid of being completely excluded from the design process. He mutters something about his f-ing printer and Josh M. inexplicably throws a major tantrum over the foul language—they’ve been working together for all of 20 minutes at this point. Josh M. and his expanding ego storm out.
And now it’s off to Mood and to shoot their background videos. Nuts & Bolts have settled on “time” as their theme; they’re dressing a girl on the go who is always running late; translated on video as shots of Laura in different shoes getting in and out of cabs. Chaos is designing for a young urbanite making her way through the chaos of the city; translated on video as a montage of busy streets and abstract textures. Anya suggests playing with kaleidoscope/ink blot imagery—it’s looking pretty good so far.
Back in the workroom Josh M. apologizes for his outburst and Nuts & Bolts tries to pull it together. Tim arrives for critiques. Team Chaos is working together fantastically, but Tim is “troubled” by all of the Nuts & Bolts looks and offers, “The thought of that textile under that pristine jacket gives me the hives.” He tells Josh M. to let his ego go, then actually makes the entire team join hands in a circle and promise to communicate. Mr. Gunn is so wise.
In a phone call to his dad, it is revealed that Josh M. is upset because it was his mother’s birthday. (She passed away two years ago from cancer.) So his outbursts aren’t entirely ego-fueled. But there’s no crying in fashion, so the work continues.
And on to the runway. Nina is back this week looking fabulous as always in a stunning gold Chloe necklace. The guest judges are Rachel Roy and Rose Byrne. As we predicted, team Chaos’ show is phenomenal. Nuts & Bolts just doesn’t measure up, so one of them will be out.
Nina covets Olivier’s beautifully tailored jacket. Heidi loves all of Chaos’ looks and Michael’s only criticism is that Bryce’s model looks like the “urban sophisticate went to the mall.”
And the winner is…Anya! Her dress was adorable and her concept for the textile and video worked gorgeously through the whole collection.
Nina tells team Nuts & Bolts, “all of the three prints are horrible,” and “there were a lot of mistakes and missed opportunities.” Michael put it bluntly as usual, “Not a lot of women want to have ‘cancelled’ on their crotch.” Everyone agrees that prints of giant clocks and the words ‘delayed’ and ‘cancelled’ just aren’t appealing. Later, the judges discuss Bert’s and Josh M.’s bad attitudes and Becky’s complete lack of design.And…Becky is aufed.Next week the designer’s have to create an outfit for a woman based on her husband’s description. Interesting. And Olivier asks of the cashier at Mood, “What is double D?” Looks like it’s going to be a good one!
