TIM GUNN HAS SNAPPED.
The Challenge: It all started off just fine, with a two-day challenge in which the designers had to make over a “real woman” – a woman on the Project Runway crew. I loved this idea at first – techie girls hamming it up in front of the camera, how fun! – but it meant the clients already knew a lot about their designers’ skills and based their desires on that. And I always hate the producer manipulation when the button bag doesn’t make its appearance – of course Tim paired the plus-size woman with Ashley and the “difficult” (read: instructed by producers to bring some drama) one with Swapnil.
Swapnil decided his client was a “bombshell” and never looked back – or bothered to listen to her much at all. He made some critical mistake – standing around doing nothing while waiting for Tim, having nothing for his client to try on, ignoring the client – and Tim Gunn ABSOLUTELY LOST IT, demanding to know why Swapnil even wants to be here. Here, a gif is worth a thousand words:
And the audience reacted thusly:
Did Tim lose control in an unprofessional way? Yes. Absolutely. But I think this was the problem with casting the crew members as a client – those are Tim’s coworkers. They’ve probably been with him much longer than any Project Runway contestant ever has. This was Swapnil coming into Tim’s house and fucking with one of his own. I think Tim was sensitive to that, and Swapnil was not, and then Tim’s brain exploded.
Guest Judges: Two Unreal stars who I couldn’t pick out of a police lineup if my life depended on it.
ASHLEY NELL TIPTON
Bottom 3
Client: Nicole Plascencia, challenge assistant
Photo: Lifetime
It’s a good thing Tim Gunn cursed – TWICE – in this episode, because the fashion is barely worth discussing. This print was awful, and this silhouette is pretty much all Ashley does. Also: I know we’ve discussed this before, but peplums are so the new exposed zippers in terms of Project Runway trends that have gone on for years and need to finally die.
CANDICE CUOCO
Bottom 3
Client: Monique Stout, model wrangler
Photo: Lifetime
I love the job title “model wrangler.” What a fabulous thing to have on your resume. Unfortunately, the “Sexy Witch” Halloween costume Candice dressed her in was somewhat less fabulous.
EDMOND NEWTON
Top 3
Client: Desiree Ortiz, sound mixer
Photo: Lifetime
Edmond really listened to his client – he made her a fucking raincoat, for God’s sake – but the clothes didn’t really work with the coat at all.
KELLY DEMPSEY
Winner
Client: Ashleigh Hocking, talent manager
Photo: Lifetime
I’ll forgive the lack of a button bag just this once, because the producers were right to pair Kelly with the overalls-wearing Boston girl. Kelly never quite managed to remove the “ten foot tall vulva” problem, but otherwise, this was a very adorable, client-centric transformation that still read as Kelly’s work. I’m not saying it’s the most brilliant design in the world, but pickings were slim this week.
MERLINE LABISSIERE
Top 3
Client: Katie Harris, camera assistant
Photo: Lifetime
I think this was in the top three because the model werqed the SHIT out of her new haircut. Go on and get it, Katie. This doesn’t look like much of an outfit to me, but at least Katie’s happy.
SWAPNIL SHINDE
Eliminated
Client: Jennifer Cohen, production coordinator
Photo: Lifetime
Congrats, Swapnil – you had the worst look – falling apart at the seams, I might add – and the worst personality of the episode. Good riddance.
Judges’ Top 3: Kelly, Edmond, Merline
Judges’ Bottom 3: Ashley, Candice, Swapnil
Diva’s Top 3: Kelly, and Edmond and Merline by default
Diva’s Bottom 3: Candice, Ashley, Swapnil
The Democracy Diva 
I haven’t ever watched an episode of Project Runway, but I adore these recaps. And I see many, many uses of the “bullshit” gif on Snark Squad in the future because it’s utter perfection.
Swapnil was always polite. He spoke ill of no one. While he is a successful designer in India, Swapnil is still young and looking towards a bigger future. I think that he misunderstood the way things are done in America/Project Runway. I thought it was unconscionable that Tim Gunn wisked away his “model” when this was exactly the time that Swapnil should have had for consultation with her While Swapnil’s third outfit was still a fail, he at least tried to please his client. It is true that Swapnil failed the challenge but so did Tim Gunn. TG fostered an atmosphere of hostility. I found this very distasteful regardless of how disappointed TG was in the performance of all the designers. I think they all needed a nap.
Swapnil said something to the effect of, “my client doesn’t want her arms showing, she doesn’t want her legs showing – how can I work with someone like that?” I really resented that attitude. Sure, it might be tough to do a bombshell aesthetic with those parameters – though not impossible – but you could make a whole range of fantastic things for a woman who likes some coverage. That’s not an unreasonable request.
I’m not sure that Tim whisking the model away really interfered with their consultation, or if their consultation was finished by that point. The editing makes it hard to tell. But I 100% agree with the “I think they all needed a nap” statement. That is absolutely true.
Every time I think designs have hit a new low, I’m surprised that the designers/producers manage to dig another hole in the bottom of the barrel. Obviously, there must be enough fans to keep the show on the air, but I wonder how many of them are like me–watching the disasters like drivers rubber-necking at a gory road accident. Frankly I rather enjoyed Tim telling it like he should have many times in the past instead of puffing and ooh-ing over not just sheer junk but disrespect and disregard for the challenges and for the clients.
Related question. Where do the producers get the guest judges? Some of them I can sort of see as fashionistas or of influence in the profession, but other “stars” are people I’ve never heard of and who clearly have little expertise. Are they paid? Are they desperate enough for exposure they’ll do it for free?
I don’t know a lot of people who still watch it, and those I do are rubber-neckers like us. My jaw was on the floor during Tim’s rant in a major way – it might not have been professional, but the message was something the designers absolutely needed to hear.
Good questions about the guest judges – I have no idea how that works. Remember the days where Diane von Furstenberg and people of that ilk would guest judge? And now it’s two starlets I’ve never heard of on a show I’ve never heard of. Sigh.
Now I am tempted to watch the episode just to see Tim Gunn loose it…
Just watch that scene. It’s delightfully dramatic.
Unreal is actually really (and surprisingly) good! Not that they were very good at being guest judges.
Other than that I agree with you: seeing a lot of anti-Timness online over the past few days, but I thought Swapnil’s decision that this model had it in her to be a “bombshell” (as if she needed his intervention to be beautiful) was really driving me crazy.