Reality Roll Call

Last week: Poor Keith got sent home for his boring car-materials dress and cried all the way home.

This week, Tim announces the challenge will involve a fashion legend. As they are speculating as to who the guest design judge was going to be, Blayne gives one of his usual gems: “My first thought about a fashion legend is Mary Kate Olson. I want every challenge to be involved with Mary Kate. I want to marry Mary Kate, who doesn’t? Besides Tim Gunn.”

Tim brings them down to the Meatpacking district, where Mastercard spokeswoman and wrap-dress maker Diane VonFurstenberg greets everyone. The challenge is to make a dress inspired by Marlene Dietrich’s Berlin-to-Shanghai spy movie, A Foreign Affair. The designers are allowed to paw through von Furstenberg’s fabric collection in order to get what they need for their garment. The winning designer gets immunity, and his or her designs will be sold as part of von Furstenberg’s collection (but only to Mastercard members. Typical).

Last Week: Inspiration challenge: New York City after dark. Kenley won with her Miami-lawn-chair print dress, and Emily was voted off for her Bonfire-of-the-Vanities ruffle.

This week: The designers go on another field trip; this time to the Armory Track and Field Center. On the way there, Blayne complains that he can’t feed his tanorexia addiction on “Project Runway.” I don’t think anyone feels too bad for him. The challenge is to create a look for the opening games ceremony of the 2008 Olympics. Gold medal speed skater Apolo Ohno is the guest judge, which seems as much of an odd choice as last week’s Sandra Bernhard. I’m a bit terrified as to how the contestants are going to present their image of America to the world. I hope somehow guns are involved. The designers are allowed to go through the Armory museum and see old photos and costumes for inspiration before heading off to mood. Surprise, surprise, Stella is going for leather. I’m more into Kenley’s blue plaid myself.

On this week’s episode of  Bravo’s Project Runway, Tim Gunn takes the contestants out in the rainy streets of Manhattan at night for their assignment. You can’t really tell what he has in mind for them in this clip, but it does end with that age-old reality show saying: “I’m not here to make friends.”

Be sure to catch Project Runway on Wednesday at 10PM, then come back to Reality Roll Call and read the weekly recap.

Last Week: Gristedes challenge: making clothing out of grocery store materials. Jerry got voted off for creating “serial killer chic,” and Kelli won for her coffee-filter-and-vacuum-bag party dress.

This week Project Runway is cashing in on the eco-friendly bandwagon. I swear, if I hear the word “green” one more time I’m going to freak out—every other ad I see on tv is for green products, every Oprah episode is on green lifestyles. I’m over it.

But clearly Heidi Klum et al isn’t over it, so this week they had a challenge where the designers could only use organic, or otherwise “green” fabrics for their designs. The designers get to choose which model they want, only after they choose, the twist is revealed: the models are going to be the clients for a cocktail dress challenge. Not only that, the models get to go out shopping for materials. Crazy! See, it’s crazy because models are stupid.

The New York Post has a ton of pictures from the Project Runway final viewing party, hosted by TRESemme. There were plenty of past and present stars of the Bravo reality show posing for the cameras, including this years winner Christian and the omniscient Tim Gunn. Click here to check them out.