Project Runway - Review

SPOILERS for 9/27's show.

It was down to the final four: Uli, Jeffrey, Laura and my darling Michael. I play favorites, I must admit. Uli is sweet and her designs are fun, flirty and very tropical--but this makes them a bit one-note. Jeffrey has ruined his character for me by constantly bad-mouthing his fellow designers. It's especially upsetting when he rips on other peoples' design when his own are lackluster at best. That said, I admire his edgy taste and innovative compositions, particularly his Vivienne Westwood-esque couture gown. Laura's style is as constant as Uli's: she likes a black and white palate, classic cuts and shapes, and a tried and true form of fashion sophistication. The result is that all her clothes look good, but not original. Then there is Michael. His outfits have always been well-presented (as Michael Kors pointed out on tonight's episode). He knows how to flatter the female body. But his clothes are not particularly "out there." They have innovation but only so much.

Tonight's challenge: create an outfit that represents YOU, with no creative restrictions and a $250.00 budget! This free form challenge actually put more pressure on the designers, many of whom (like Uli) work better with guidelines. Uli set out to create one of her typical bohemian gowns. Jeffrey decided to show his "romantic side." Laura decided to go with her usual glamour in the form of a cocktail dress. Michael, after hours of frustration, decided to make an evening gown.

Now, I think Jeffrey is bloody talented (even if his style is a little faux rock star for my taste), but he is not racking up any karma points with his constant badmouthing of the other designers. Since Day 1 he has demonstrated a complete inability to shut up. It's arrogant and annoying, and makes me less inclined to root for him. I was very impressed by Uli's beadwork. Michael's dress was a beautiful color, but the neck was looking iffy. Laura's dress was very, well, Laura. Cute, wearable, but not something new.

The designers' time was cut in half when they were told they'd have to photograph their models in their outifts. This seemed pretty absurd. I personally feel some of the thinktanks behind Project Runway got a little bored this season.

The final show was surprising. Uli made the most wearable dress. Her model looked amazing in it. Yes, it was bohemian and Miami-ish, like everything she's made, but the shape and craftsmanship had to be commended. Jeffrey's dress looked "amateur" according to Michael Kors--I think he was going easy on him, because it looked like a pillowcase. Laura's dress was cute, but bland. Michael's dress was beautiful, but strangely tailored. It landed him and Jeffrey in the final two spots.

But then--THE TWIST! All four designers will be showing at Fashion Week (or *did* show, as it has already happened in real time). I'm sure this will irk previous seasons' designers to no end, but honestly it was too close to call. Eliminating either Jeffrey and Michael would have been absurd--they've consistently proved themselves as great talents and had shown greater prowess than either Uli or Laura.

Next week is the infamous Reunion Episode. The preview shows cheating Keith acting up. He's a bad egg. Looking forward to seeing some past faces. But having to deal with Angela and Vincent again does not sound appealing.

-Shane

P.S. Maude and I apologize for the lack of updates! There are indeed photos from this weekend which will be going online tonight. We've come to realize that getting shattered does not allow us to take many photos (at least, that has been my experience). Sorry again, and check back later for the update!