Project Runway: Althea, Irina, and Carol Hannah Go to Bryant Park!
This always the toughest week on “Project Runway” – the final challenge before Fashion Week. The contestants were taken to the Getty Center in Los Angeles and told to find inspiration for their final piece. Gordana and Irina took their inspiration from paintings, Carol Hannah took her’s from an ornate French bed, Althea took her’s from the architecture of the center, and Christopher took his from the algae in a water fountain. Sounds weird, but he was so sincere about it, it almost brought tears to my eyes.
I loved it that Tim told he finalists that he wanted them to blow Nina Garcia’s shoes off her feet and have them shoot right across the runway. Unfortunately no one did that – the judges all seemed less than impressed with all the designs.
I thought Carol Hannah’s was beautiful, but they couldn’t see the inspiration in it. Guest judge/designer Cynthia Rowley thought it was a fantastic fit, but Nina felt Carol Hannah played it safe. They thought Althea was brave – perhaps a bit too daring, as she didn’t exactly pull her look off. Nina said it looked like she did all her work on the skirt, barely leaving time for the top and Heidi was shocked, calling it a mess. Irina was told by Nina that her dress was “dowdy” and the hemline looked like that of an old woman’s dress. Guest judge Cindy Crawford thought the shoes were too heavy and liked the look once the model took off the shoes, headband, and bracelets. Gordana put her soul into her design and it was pretty. Heidi said her dress was the one that showed the most inspiration, but Nina pointed out Gordana took no chances with this design. Cynthia didn’t like the back, especially the zipper. Christopher was told they loved the top, but not the skirt. Nina felt he didn’t understand what fabric to use for skirts and it was just too heavy.
Christopher cried when telling Heidi how he found beauty in the algae on the rock that many people wouldn’t notice. While the judges seemed to appreciate that insight, they sent Christopher home, telling him he needed more experience. They also told Gordana her look was the one that was most like the inspiration, but she too was sent home.
The final three designers are Irina, Althea, and Carol Hannah. As much as I liked Christopher and Gordana, they judges got it exactly right. Carol Hannah is a good designer and the least bitchy of the three, so I think I am pulling for her going into the finals. But, I’ve always liked Irina’s designs since the beginning of this season and Althea is a great designer too, so I think it will be very, very close for whoever wins.
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