ENTERTAINMENT REALM

Project Runway. Season 16 Episode 7 on LIFETIME. judges: Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen. Guest judge: Asia Kate Dillion. Host: Heidi Klum. Mentor and co-host: Tim Gunn.

Episode 7: The Ultimate Face-off

As annoying as the twins are I still feel empathy for them and perhaps it’s just good editing and producing. Claire’s freaking out about being in the bottom two twice. Shawn notes that she’s also been in the bottom. “I just want to get out of this rut and move toward the top where I belong,” Claire says. She’s been saying that for weeks so either she’s out or she makes a massive comeback. Although in past seasons I’m not sure anyone has been able to make it to the final four after being on the bottom for that many challenges.

This season isn’t all that interesting or surprising and it’s unclear how Project Runway can change up the show to make it more interesting. I like most of this season’s designers okay but nobody stands out that much. I look forward to Project Runway Jr. to return.

The designers are at JC Penney. This doesn’t scream fashion to me. As Andy Cohen said in his Andy Cohen Diaries it’s “low rent.” They’re in the menswear department so everyone freaks out a bit until Tim tells them that they’re not designing menswear but using menswear as inspiration. Cue the “boyfriend” sweaters, jeans, shirts etal. It’s a team challenge. The designers will work in teams of two. First they’re assigned JC Penney fabric. Yuck. The they pick teams and can’t pick someone who has the same fabric. The teams are: Kentaro and Brendon; Amy and Kenya; Claire and Shawn; Margarita and Batani; Ayana and Michael. They get 30 minutes to sketch and will get $100 for notions, trims and supplemental fabric at Mood. I have NEVER bought an item of clothing at JC Penney. The last time I entered a JC Penney was to look at a Sephora inside the JC Penney. A dirty, messy Sephora. At Mood it’s Swatch’s tenth birthday! So cute. He’s wearing a crown. There’s a cake.

Claire: “I think Shawn has relied a lot on me for the last challenge. It’s frustrating. I too want to succeed in this competition.” Brendon and Kentaro seem to be the frontrunners. Amy and Kenya say they respect each other and work well together. During the critiques, Tim tells Margarita that her design is “a lot of work.” He’s concerned about Amy and Kenya’s look being matronly. He tells Ayana her design “looks like a hospital gown.” He dubs Brandon and Kentaro the dream team as they have similar sensibilities, good skills and have both won. Margarita seems particularly spiteful and catty every time she’s interviewed about other designers. Michael hopes that being dubbed the dream team does to Brandon and Kentaro’s heads and they “crumble.” Tim tells Michael he doesn’t understand his look but notes: “I could be wrong. I’m an old fart.”

Shawn asks Kentaro if she can design a legging boot like he’d designed for the prior challenged. Model Liris gets in the mirror to say that she’s a 14 with a “badonkadonk” and that the twins aren’t used to designing for plus size. To be fair, as Tim said when they mentioned this, none of the designers are all that used to designing for plus size women.

Guest judge this week: actress Asia Kate Dillion [Billions]

Runway notes: Amy’s look is constructed well. The hoodies that Brandon and Kentaro designed are super cute. Batani’s look is lovely. Margarita’s dress is pretty. I’m not keen on any of the fabrics but I’m not the target shopper. Underwhelmed by this week’s runway.

Ayana and Michael are safe.

HIGH SCORES:

Kentaro design

Brandon and Kentaro

Heidi: “I’m in love with both of these looks.”

Nina: “I love the effortlessness. There’s a lot of versatility in these outfits.”

Zac: “Nice casual quality. By far the most cohesive on the runway.”

Margarita design

Batani design

Margarita and Batani

Heidi: “I love both these looks too. I am a huge fan of yours Margarita. The fit is so nice.”

Zac: “I’m in love with your dress. It is just a little bit different.”

Nina: “It’s so polished and sophisticated.”

Asia: “They look comfortable. They look effortless.”

LOW SCORES:

Claire design

Shawn design

Zac: “I don’t feel the cohesion. This t-shirt is just bad design. The world doesn’t need this.”

Nina: “Why do we need these clothes?”

Amy and Kenya

Amy design

Kenya design

Heidi: “Kenya, I think what you presented is too boring.”

Asia: “These looks feel like flight attendant uniform rejections of the 70s.”

Nina: “Even the way you styled these girls, they look old.”

Margarita is the WINNER

the twins will have a one hour faceoff challenge.

to be continued…

One of the twins will likely be OUT but we won’t find out until the next episode.