Project Runway - 1/02

One of my favorite reality competition shows is Project Runway. I was so excited when it finally came back after its too-long hiatus. There are some very talented designers this season and some interesting challenges, though I think they are going easy on the designers. The designers picked their models (Ashley and Christina are out) then were told that they would learn what their challenge was the next day. They arrived at Time's Square the next morning to find their challenge was to use items from the Hershey's store as raw materials for an outfit of their choice. There was no budget, but they had only five minutes to grab anything they wanted to use from the Hershey's store and 1 day to complete the project. The designers all picked very interesting items to work with and I was very excited about what some of them did. My favorite designers were Jillian, Chris, Kevin (except the construction) and Christian from a distance, the ones I could take or leave were Ricky and Rami, and the ones I thought were just bad were Kit, Elisa, Christian close up, Sweet P and Victorya. Christian annoyed me by thinking he was Tim and telling the other designers what was wrong with their designs. I loved Jillian's design because she was the only to use edible materials. She was quite lucky to have her model help with the hand sewing to finish. I was also happy to hear that Hershey's is auctioning all of the designs to benefit the Young Survival Coalition. Even though the challenge made for interesting TV, I would like to see the designers challenged more in the future. Overall, it was a good episode and worth watching again and again.

If you haven't seen this episode yet and don't want to know how it ends, please stop reading and come back after you've watched it.

Tim's Take on 5 of the designs - with 3 hours remaining

Victorya - With the alternating of the silver and gray the gray looks flat and lifeless and the dress looked terribly unfinished

Rami - It looked like Jillian was his intended customer and it was good

Elisa - It worried him, it needed to be exuberant, she needed to bring a critical eye to it

Jillian - He was concerned about how much time she had to finish

Sweet P - the skirt looked like a coffee filter and she needed to make it more upbeat


As always, Heidi, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia were there with Zac Posen being the guest judge.

Ricky, Christian, Kit and Kevin were safe. Here are the materials used and/or concepts for and what the judges had to say about the rest.

Rami - used the clear Twizzler plastic pillowcase and York wrapping paper

Zac Posen: overall effect was successful, it looked neat with complicated construction, overall it worked

Michael Kors: It could have turned out looking silly, but Rami made it well and it fit the model Beautifully, also Rami got the charm and spirit of the challenge

Elisa - the goal of her dress was to make it feel like candy but not have it be made from candy

Heidi: There were so many amazing things to work with she would have liked something a little crazier

Micahel Kors: Where's the joy, the dress looked like a dress found in a flea market, Elisa lost her joy and fun

Zac Posen: not at all wearable or fabulous and it just didn't work

Jillian - Used Twizzlers

Zac Posen: he liked the licorice, it was a cute skirt a young girl would wear and it's red, which is a great color, fantastic

Nina Garcia: it was sexy and playful, great job, Jillian's hard work showed

Michael Kors: it was deliciously chic, adorable and well done

Victorya - Used York Pillows

Michael Kors: Not wearable or fanciful, looked like the model worked at Dairy Queen

Heidi: thought of Dairy Queen, it had nothing to do with candy

Chris - Used Hershey Bags and Twizzler vinyl, was going for a Warhol-esque look

Zac Posen: The texture was good

Michael Kors: Chris got nervous of going too crazy, it was smart editing, made well and the model looked great in it

Nina Garcia: Model could go to the studio and be shot for the pages of Elle

Sweet P - Used Hershey Kiss materials

Heidi: it was a bit boring

Nina Garcia: Compared to the others Sweet P's design looked very easy, it also looked sad

Michael Kors: There was no sense of smile or joy


Winner: Rami
Out: Elisa