There’s frustration and disappointment in the Parsons workroom this week as the designers take on their first team challenge. Ping discovers that her unorthodox methods make working with another designer the biggest challenge of all and Seth Aaron and Anthony can’t decide if they’re making a dress for the plantation or the fast food nation.
The challenge this week is to design a signature look, drawing inspiration from 10 iconic pieces by famous designers such as Balenciaga and Dior. The designers get up close and personal with the hautest of couture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Tim gets all emotional at being in the presence of his only true loves.
This will be the first team challenge and they will have $500 to spend - the largest budget in the history of Project Runway, and a leisurely two days to complete. Tim randomly selects team leaders from his marble bag and the chosen few get to pick who they want to work with. Jesse is one of the last left and doesn’t want Ping to pick him. When she does he can’t hide his disdain and looks as if he’s just been told he’s going to have his testicles removed with pinking shears. Would it kill him to muster a little false enthusiasm? So much for his acting skills!
After a trip to Mood, the teams get to work on their creations, with the team leaders responsible for the overall look. Anthony quips that they are designing a gown for the vice president of McDonalds as he and Seth Aaron have a yellow, black and red colour palette. It could also pass for the flag of Belgium. Maybe they could design uniforms for Belgian McDonalds workers if their careers as designers don’t pan out.
Seth Aaron thinks he and Anthony are in pretty good shape as they have the entire second day to complete a little bit of stitch work. Amateurs. Have they never watched Project Runway before? There’s no such thing as down time and you can bet that crafty fox Mr. Gunn has something up his bespoke sleeve. Tim breaks the news that they will be creating a second outfit, a ‘look for less’ using 10% of their original budget, but their second outfit will be based on ANOTHER teams work. Ooh a fresh twist on a classic Project Runway challenge!
Jesse haaaaaates the fabric Ping has chosen for their second look, describing it as “nice hooker shiny synthetic stuff”. Maya wishes she was teamed with someone else as Jay has taken a backseat due to his immunity, and she has been left with all the donkey work. Jonathon also feels like he’s been stuck with the lions share while Mila fusses with her optical illusion coat, which looks a mobile target designed for use by a firing squad. I would also recommend avoiding shooting ranges and dartboards during wear. Tim agrees with Jesse about Ping’s choice of fabric, saying it looks like ‘cheap and cheerful wrapping paper’. Of course smug Jesse is delighted to hear that Tim also thinks the fabric looks cheap. Don’t side with that dastardly buccaneer Tim!
It’s off to the runway; Heidi is wearing a diamond patterned maternity outfit that creates the illusion of kaleidoscopic boobs. Guest judge is British designer Matthew Williamson, a friend and fave of Kate Moss.
Seth Aaron and Anthony’s yellow nightmare looks large enough to conceal a squadron of midget wrestlers beneath it. Mila is thrilled with her Logan’s Run tracksuit; those pants are awfully reminiscent of Adidas track pants from school PE. You had to have Adidas with the three stripes, any greater or fewer number of stripes and you’d be branded a fashion outcast. All of these dresses look a bit ordinary. None of them really look like they would retail for $500, but that’s just the cost of the fabric. If you wanted to buy one of these creations the price tag would be fairly exorbitant.
Ping loves her lace and drapes ensemble. Her model looks like an elegant curtain saleswoman with swathes of samples gracefully draped over her arm. A lot of the budget outfits look better than their original inspiration. Ping and Jesse’s second design is an ill-fitting top and skirt, although to be fair, the original inspiration for their design (courtesy of Emilio and Anna Marie) is pretty boring.
The teams of Maya/Jay and Mila/Jonathon are the top designers. Maya and Jay have made a sculptural dress that looks like it was inspired by Audrey, the man eating plant from Little Shop of Horrors, rather than one of the famed couturiers. Maybe Audrey was lurking next to the Balenciaga, waiting to make a meal out of Tim Gunn. Their budget look is almost a copy of Ben and Janine’s dress, but Michael likes it better than the original.
Heidi loves Mila’s circus ringmaster outfit but the judges are less impressed with their baby doll take on Seth Aaron and Anthony’s yellow confection. All she needs is a top hat and a whip. Michael says ‘this is how people dress, it’s logic’. He left out a crucial word though, “this is how CIRCUS people dress”.
Ping and Jesse’s lady liberty gown is unsurprisingly in the bottom two. The judges ask the model to peel back the drapes, only to reveal a short wrinkly ice-skating outfit. When the judges ask who did the sewing, Jesse says he did most of it, as he had to ‘teach sewing lessons while we were working’. Judging by the hideous construction of these garments I would say Jesse shouldn’t be giving lessons to anyone. Ping’s model Megan pipes up and says that Ping never fitted her in the dress. Hey quiet down Megan, have you never watched ‘America’s Next Top Model’? You’re supposed to be an opinion-less clotheshorse!
Anthony tells the judges that he and Seth Aaron were inspired by the classic Dior silhouette. Michael says it’s costumey and the model looks like she should be in’ Gone With the Wind’. Anthony and Ping should team up; she’s got some drapes that Scarlett O’Hara would love to tear down for Anthony to whip into a marshmallow gown. Nina says ‘they’re both really ugly’ of their two frocks.
Mila wins for her fanciful costume and poor Ping is consigned to the mouldy sweatshop of broken seams where all the other Project Runway reject wackos are relegated. Who will amuse us now that Ping is gone? We’re relying on you Anthony, make it work!
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