Project Runway Episode 9: Star Crossed Haters

Last week:

Leanne won for her Diane von Furstenberg dress, and I’m-into-leatha-Stella was sent home for a sagging crotch. Not hers. Get your mind out of the gutter.

This week:

The eliminated designers have all been brought back to be paired with the remaining contestants (who, cruelly, don’t get a chance to come back). The challenge is to create an avant-garde look based on the astrological sign of a member of the team. How convoluted is that? I hope the designs are less troublesome.

The teams are divided: Korto and Kelli, Kenley and Wesley, Joe and Daniel, Leanne and Emily, Blayne and Stella, Terri and Keith, Jerell and Jennifer, Suede and Jerry. They’re given a dossier which describes the characteristics of the different star signs. They head to Mood with a budget of $250, then back to the studio.

Clearly some of the teams are more compatible than others: Emily and Leanne are adorable, Kenley and Wesley are working well, and Terri and Keith are at each other’s throats. The teams are also interfighting—Leanne can’t stand Kenley’s mouth (“overconfident” was the word she used), which Kenley plays off as girls “not wanting other girls to have fun.” Yeah, not so much. Kenley’s exaggerated sleeves are certainly interesting. I feel like it would work if her prints didn’t clash so much.

It’s announced the day of that the looks are being shown at 8pm at the American Museum of Natural History, and that two designers will be going home. The winner gets no immunity. Stella shows an enormous amount of loyalty to Blayne, which is endearing. Terri keeps sending Keith out, hating his mopey attitude.

Everyone heads over with their dresses to the planetarium, where some of the old contestants from Project Runway (seasons 1-4) meet to have a party. They will be the guest judges on the runway challenge tomorrow. Kenley alienates Heidi when Heidi tries to criticize her garments bodice. I usually appreciate Heidi getting smacked down, but Kenley just seems edited to be super annoying. I suspect she might be the one going home. After scraping Keith off the couch (where he was sleeping), it’s…

On to the Runway!

1. Team Libra (Blayne and Stella)

Off-white ruffled dress with black straps and gauze pink-and-blue fabric winding up the right side

2. Team Aquarius (Kenley and Wesley)

Party dress with black leather bodice, floral bubble skirt, and exaggerated plaid mutton sleeves

3.Team Leo (Terri and Keith)

Tan knit dress with gold bodice and red/gold cape

4. Team Aquarius (Korto and Kelly)

Blue and purple maxi dress with purple ruffles and asymmetrical neckline

5. Team Aries (Joe and Daniel)

Red and russet strapless dress with tiered ruffles and dramatic flame-colored neckline

6. Team Sagittarius (Jerell and Jennifer)

Brown houndstooth-ish high-waisted skirt with ruffle details, gold bodice, multicolored jacked with various trims

7. Team Scorpio (Leanne and Emily)

Black swirling overcoat with dramatic asymmetrical color over simple red dress

8. Team Libra (Suede and Jerry)

Blue pantsuit with flowing, gauzy shirt with pseudo cape

The teams remaining on the runway have the lowest scores: Suede’s team, Kenley’s team, Terri’s team, and Blayne’s team. Blayne is first under the hammer: Nina says it’s haphazard, Michael Kors: “She’s pooping fabric!” Terri and Keith get into a fight in front of the judges, who say she has lost her taste on the project. Kenley starts fighting with the judges, saying she doesn’t look at collections. Suede’s look was criticized for being boring, which I totally agree with. It’s funny how angry all the designers got during this challenge. Michael Kors says it quite accurately when he says there is a lot of self-delusion going on today.

The winner (as voted by the old Project Runway contestants) was Jerell’s, and Blayne and Terri are out. Though I think we all know it should have been Suede. Why is he still here? She’s a much more talented designer.

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