PROJECT RUNWAY: Rumble on the Runway

Why is it that every season at least a few of the designers need to be personally escorted back to Kindergarten to learn all over again how to play nice with others?  Geesh. I get it…they’re artist, they’re creative people and they don’t like anyone impeding on their artistry. Get over yourselves. Despite what the producers think, personally all the petty bickering does nothing for me.  For me it’s all about the fashion, oh and Tim Gunn…and tonight Rachel Bilson, but uh, yeah, the fashion.

Tonight’s challenge took the designers out of the studio and on to the beach.  The designers were paired up to create a surf inspired look that infused the beauty and culture of the surfing lifestyle with their own personal point of view as a designers. I can’t say I saw much of the “surf” look on the runway tonight. Most of the designers just went for summer wear. Is it the same? Hmm.  There were a few hits and only a few misses, but the misses missed it big time.

Before we get to the designs, can I please say how annoying the gratuitous Garnier product placement was last night.  Having the stylist on the beach talking about how he was going to give the models the perfect beach hair was ridiculous. Why is it different than any other week when the models go to the Garnier hair salon?! Ease up there, PR producers. I know you’re on Lifetime know and you need the money, but that was cheesy.

All my bah humbugging aside, let’s get to the runway.

Shirin & Carol Hannah

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These two looks were my favorite of the runway. I thought the surf-inspired dress was beautiful, but when it cut away to reveal itself as a pseudo cover-up I was floored. Very cool. And while I thought there was a lot of fabric going on in the avant garde look, I still thought it was beautiful.

Althea & Louise

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The dress was cute but not necessarily all that exciting. It looked too much like a beach cover-up.  I think it was intentional, but I still didn’t love it.  The avant garde piece was one of the nicer of that style tonight. I didn’t see any cohesiveness between the two looks.

Christopher & Logan

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Again, I didn’t think their surf look was all that inspired, but it wasn’t heinous.  The dress on the other hand…geesh. It’s about this time in the blog post where I once again admit that I know nothing about fashion.

Qrystal & Epperson

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I wish the challenge was to design a muzzle because these two wouldn’t stop squawking. What annoyed me the most was that they brought it all out on the runway.  Way to look completely unprofessional. I’m not sure I was with the judges that Epperson did all the work. It didn’t look like that to me, but who knows.  The surf look was nice.  I’m not sure I loved the MC Hammerish bottom but overall a good look.  I didn’t hate the bathing suit ensemble as much as everyone else.  I think they tried too hard to pair the avant garde look with the initial challenge.  As with most of the designs tonight, I was bored.

Nicolas & Gordana

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Sorry Nicolas but you lost me (and my favorite PR blogger, Jennifer Eolin) when you started dissing sweatshirts and hoodies.  How dare you! Um, these clothes do have a place on the runway.  Just ask Mr. Hilfiger or Mr. Lauren for starts.  I’m just sayin’. Both pieces were a disaster.  The bathing suit was well done but a little over the top.  The white pants paired with it were a hot mess.  And don’t even get me started on the second look. Yikes! I think the outfit could have been saved if only Nicolas had a wee bit more taste.  The lace chaps were hideous.  The crazy collar and the lace on the top, however insane, did create a nice silhouette.  That was an error by ego.

Irina & Johnny

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Guest judge Rachel Bilson said she should could see herself in this summertime outfit. I could see her in it too.  She’s causal, but fashion forward. She and her dog (who by the way is uber-fashionable himself since he wears Mascot dog accessories) could be strolling around LA in this look and I would applaud her.  The macrame back of the top was very interesting – one of my favorite looks of the night. I thought the avant garde dress was a bit of a mess.  It looked poorly constructed, ill fitting and sloppy.

I saved the best…and the worst for last.

Mitchell & Ra’mon

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Let’s get right to it. Please join me in a round of applause in celebration of Mitchell’s auf’fing. So frustrating to think how many designers were turned away so this asshat could have a place on the show.  He didn’t have the talent or drive to be there. He knew it, but did he have to flaunt it so much? He was so bold as to tell the camera that he chose Ra’mon because he thought Ra’mon could carry him in this round. And then he sabotaged himself by standing on the runway and telling the judges that Ra’mon did all the work.  If he wanted to stay then that was the dumbest thing he could have said, seeing that he was already on thin ice. In the end, he made a smart choice.  Ra’mon carried Mitchell all the way to the winners circle.  I LOVED the first dress.  The cut, the colors – everything just worked.  It seems that it was the neoprene second dress, the one that was designed and made it under an hour, that gave them the win.  I didn’t see what the fuss was all about. I thought it was hideous.  But again, I’m no Nina Garcia.

The winner of this challenge was Ra’mon. He has immunity for next week. And as I previously mentioned, it was in fact the team leader of the winning team, Mitchell, that went home.

I was not thrilled with this episode of PROJECT RUNWAY.  This is the second week in a row that I haven’t been wowed by the challenges or the designs.  Let’s step it up, people.

Talk fashion to me.  Best designs of the night?  Worst?  How did your favorites do?  The comments are open!