In which the designers attempt to give strangers makeovers, but mostly end up making them look way worse.
Previously: We waxed nostalgic over the American Girl dolls, and Sandhya’s toddler terror design got her the auf.
The Challenge: The designers must find a previously-screened and producer-approved thin woman stranger in Washington Square Park and convince her to be their client/muse/model/makeover victim. In two days, the contestants must make these ladies over (though half of them looked better before they ever met these designers), and the winning look and model will be featured in a Mary Kay ad in Marie Claire.
Guest Judges: Model Ashe Leland and actress Michelle Monaghan.
ALEXANDER KNOX
Eliminated
Photos: Lifetime
Farewell, Alexander. This was one in a long line of unfortunate looks from him, and it felt like his time to go. This was awkward, lumpy, and sad, and there wasn’t much in the way of design to begin with. She looks like Taylor Swift with manic depression. The only positive thing I can say about it is that Alexander’s original design – which Tim Gunn was not about to let walk down the runway – was much, much worse.
AMANDA VALENTINE
Bottom 3
Photos: Lifetime
This was a crime against Amanda’s beautiful model. She looked virtually flawless when we met her, but Amanda made her a terribly-fit dress that did not even remotely consider the model’s body. She is NOT a big girl, but Amanda made that hemline hit at the least-flattering point on the model’s thigh. The dress is boring, the print doesn’t line up – even after Tim lectured her about it – and, in the immortal words of Regina George, that vest was disgusting.
CHAR GLOVER
Bottom 3
Photos: Lifetime
Char forgot this wasn’t the American Girl doll challenge, I guess. Or she’s been driven crazy by lack of sleep. Because I cannot understand how she thought she could put a grown-ass woman in this outfit. And she basically got a second Tim Gunn save in this episode when, two minutes before Tim called time, her model was naked from a zipper fiasco. I completely understand not wanting this woman to have to expose herself on the runway – she’s not a model and didn’t sign up for that – but Tim’s solution to the problem was INSANE. Instead of giving everyone ten extra minutes to work on their designs, Tim asked the designers (on camera and in front of the clients) if they minded giving Char – and only Char – an extra ten minutes. They agreed, because they couldn’t very well say no with every eye on them, and then spent the rest of the episode bitching about it. And although it’s not at all Char’s fault – they should have directed their bitchiness towards Tim and the producers, not her – it was total bullshit. Tim used to be the one we could count on to call out these contrived shenanigans, but they’ve pulled him over to the dark side. It makes me so sad.
EMILY PAYNE
Top 3
Photos: Lifetime
This was ChaCha DeGregorio levels of flamenca craziness, but it actually suited the client perfectly. It wouldn’t have worked for almost any other woman, in any other context, but a European ballerina could definitely wear this to a gallery opening and fit right in.
KINI ZAMORA
Top 3
- Photos: Lifetime
Cheap mall clothes. It’s fine, but it’s not a makeover. She looks like someone who can’t let go of the fact that the 80s are over. It’s exhausting that we still have to pretend that because Kini sews quickly, that means he’s a good designer.
KORINA EMMERICH
Winner
Photos: Lifetime
I barely remember this outfit, but I’d probably award it the win as well, if only because there was really not much happening on this runway. This was the only woman who looked like she actually underwent a makeover, but most of the credit for that goes to the hair stylist. The jacket is cool, and that’s about it.
SEAN KELLY
Photos: Lifetime
I was basically yelling at my screen, “No, Tim! Don’t tell Sean you can’t see his aesthetic in it! He’ll just add fringe!” AND THEN HE DID. He also made his model look twenty years older than she actually is. This poor girl is 24, but you’d never know it from that matronly hair and makeup. Sadly, I’d still have to stick this in my top three just because I can’t accept Kini’s denim-on-denim in that spot.
Judges’ Top 3: Korina, Emily, Kini
Diva’s Top 3: Korina, Emily, Sean
Judges’ Bottom 3: Amanda, Char, Alexander
Diva’s Bottom 3: Amanda, Char, Alexander
Next time: It’s a Korina vs. Char showdown in S13 E11 – The Highest Bidder.
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© Democracy Diva, 2014.
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[…] Project Runway Recap: S13 E10 […]
Kini created a sad looking “date” outfit. I agree with you that it looks like a mall outfit from the 80’s. where did his $200 go? Denim is not that expensive. I would put him in 3rd place over Sean on account of Sean aging his model so. We should have been given before and after pictures on the runway — as promised. Amanda’ model definitely looked better before. I wonder what Sandhya or Fade would have done for this challenge? Both kept me entertained and I miss them for that.
I think Fade would have done wonderful things with this challenge. And you’re right – they really should have posted before and afters. But I guess then they’d have to admit that most of the befores were better than the afters…
While watching the episode, I totally felt sorry for that poor woman who not only was about to walk down the runway quite exposed, but whom Char kept blaming for the busted zipper – I have no doubt it was a stress-induced remark, but a very unfortunate one nonetheless. People were furious (and rightfully so) when Ven blamed his real model and not the accessory wall for the lack of an adequate bell, but so far I haven’t seen many of them pointing out that Char’s way of presenting the situation wasn’t the best. That might because Ven was a true douchebag and Char is way nicer, but the lack consideration for the client was somehow there.
All this to say that, at first, I seconded Tim’s concession of those extra 10 mins to fix the zipper. When I realised they were only for Char, I thought it was unfair and everyone should have benefited from those 10 mins to at least polish their garment into perfection (iron an wrinkled bit, using that roll-y thing to remove loosen hair or treads, etc). It wouldn’t hurt anyone in the least – most of them were done at that point and Alex’s garment was already way beyond salvation. The way it happened, though, is just yet another excuse for producer-driven drama and animosity between the designers, who couldn’t say “no” under those circumstances and are now bitter about it (they gotta deal with it now, though). I would like to think Tim would have done the same for any other designer under the same circumstances, whether he had used the Save on them before or not…
As soon as I heard “denim dress”, this horrible memory (http://tinyurl.com/o4voatx) came to my mind, and I would like to know what grown-up woman would wear such a thing to a first date. I had two denim dresses… when I was 14, to wear at home, during summer, while doing household chores.
And for God’s sake, Sean…
Stop with the fringe! Stop with the fringe!!! STOP-WITH-THE-FRINGE!!!
(My inner Phoebe feels better now 😛 )
aheadandbeyond—Have you looked at Sean’s final collection yet? If you’re not expecting to be wowed, you will not be disappointed.
I did look at his collection, MoHub :p at the time I thought it’d be a callback to the dress that got him his first win, but turns out it’s a callback to almost all the outfits he has made throughout the season!
He should team up with Olivia Palermo. She never seems to leave the house without something fringey.
I didn’t realize Char blamed the exposed zipper on her model – I missed that moment. That’s pretty crappy, but as you said, it was probably a stress-induced comment that she didn’t really mean. And yes, those 10 extra minutes being just for Char was the most contrived, manufactured way to create drama I’ve ever seen. Even on Project Runway, that was some serious BS.
Nick Verreos’ theory is that the zipper was too long, and Char cut off the bottom, including the stop bar, and didn’t put in a few stitches to keep the pull from sliding off the end. And either Mila or Althea mentioned that Char could have sewn her model into the shorts in about 2 minutes rather than taking 10 to replace the zipper.
And if you’ll recall: In season 3—the black-and- white challenge—Vincent’s model was in an accident (her bicycle was hit by a bus) and was replaced at the last minute by a model who was larger. Vincent also wound up with a broken zipper, but he had to make do without being granted and extra 10 minutes to fix the problem.
I believe Char said that she didn’t have time to sew her model into the shorts, but I’m not convinced that’s actually true. And I understand the producers’ hesitance to send a non-professional-model exposed down the runway, but there was no precedent for giving one designer and only one designer extra time. It’s just insane that they were all just sitting in the next room eating and bitching while Char got to finish her work.
Heaven forbid! I hope we never see that day (even though it would be good publicity for Sean) :p
A few people have pointed out that Char was trying to shift the blame away from her, but I wouldn’t compare the situation either way. Char was a typical slip of the tongue (which I have defended multiple times in the past). Ven was an a-hole during the whole challenge, and the thing with the belt was just the last straw after a string of demeaning remarks.
I agree with that, and i’ve also pointed out what a douchebag Ven was during the competition in general and that challenge in particular. Char is nothing but nice, and it must have been indeed something she surely regretted afterwards, but it was still unfortunate on top of it all.
Nice to see that Korina wasn’t in the least handicapped by the loss of Sandhya as a target for her bitchiness. She switched gears admirably and never lost a beat.
Bahahahahaha, A+ observation.
What bothered me most about the episode was how much Tim Gun manipulated the situation in order to allow Char to stay in the competition. Not just the ten minutes…that I could put down to him making a snap decision without really thinking about it. But then he proceeded to throw Alexander under the bus at the very first opportunity (was there really a need to emphasis how ugly his first attempt was?) and tried to gloss over the Char situation to a point that it would have stayed unmentioned if Heidi hadn’t asked again what was going on. Even if he didn’t want to mention it before the (supposedly anonymous) runway, he should have pointed the extra 10 minutes out the very minute the jury examined Char’s work.
I am really not upset that Alexander is gone – I am more stumped that he even made it that far. But the whole thing left a bad aftertaste in mine mouth.
Same here. It’s not Alexander’s loss that was unfair – maybe the extra ten minutes would have made a difference, maybe not. But the way the whole Char situation was handled just seemed so contrived and unfair to me.
I liked Kinis outfit. It wasn’t earth shatteringly great or anything, but I feel like we’ve seen Korina’s same stuid jacket in a million different fabrics and I’m so over it.
I think Kini at least made his model look happy. It seemed to suit her figure and style.
I can’t stand the Char thing. It was so disappointing and unfair.
Call me crazy, but I really responded to Kini’s outfit. I thought it made his model look better than she started out. It suited her figure perfectly. Korina’s was nice. Certainly Top 3, but I wouldn’t have given her the win.
I thought Char’s was the worst, like really really bad, like 1970s Hot Pants bad. The ADDITIONAL save she got was like pouring lemon juice in a cut. Enough already! She’s a nice girl, but this design should have sent her packing.
I think the problem with Kini’s is that he made rather than designed and outfit for his model. And that’s been my issue with Kini all along: He is making clothes that are department store ready rather than giving us previews of the Next Big Thing.
100% agreed.
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