Episode Report Card Jeff Long: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT How Much Is That Doggie On That Dress?
By Jeff Long | Season 9 | Episode 2 | Aired on 08.04.2011
Tim meets the designers outside of Petland Discounts, where he tells them that they are about to take part in the "unconventional challenge -- a Project Runway favorite." How exciting! Anthony thinks that they are going to be dressing dogs. Olivier tells us that he is not much of a pet person and has never been to a pet store. He did have some rabbits when he was younger, but they all died. That's all we get. Old age? Cosmetics testing? We don't find out how they died. We just know they're dead and that Olivier's accent is AWFULLY thick for a person who spent, what, like two years in the UK after growing up in Columbus, Ohio? I think Olivier's pretty damn cute and I'm really interested in touching his hair, but I need answers and I need them now.
Tim explains that the designers will be creating looks from supplies in the pet store. He warns them that the judges frown on designs made of a lot of fabric, however, they are free to use muslin as infrastructure in their designs. I wonder if Olivier's going to try to get rabbits. I think that's against the rules. They will have 300 dollars and 30 minutes to shop. And, they're off!
Bert asks Tim if the live animals are off-limits. They are. Then, Tim makes a face of disgust, presumably at the idea of animal products being used in the challenge. Fallene says that she's looking for fun and whimsical stuff- she doesn't take fashion too seriously. Anthony seems revolted that the other designers are using lots of leashes and plastic plants. He vows to make something from items that no one else is using. Someone asks Tim a question about what they are allowed to buy and he explains that they can buy anything they want (aside from live animals? Rude!), however, they don't want to show the judges, say, a doggie bed that has merely been deconstructed. Cut to Bert asking for help reaching the doggie beds. He interviews that costume-y challenges such as this one are really not his thing. He's going to leave the clown work to the other designers. I can't really decide if that was super honest or a little bitchy.
Bryce grabs a whole bunch of pee pads for puppies. Bert thinks that Laura is doing a good job shopping. She grabbed a plastic dog collar/cone- those things that dogs wear when they're not supposed to lick something and humans want to embarrass them.
Back at the workroom, everyone unpacks their shit. Viktor sees that Becky got some green plastic plant thing that he wanted. He sings, "That's alright. That's OK. You're gonna pump my gas someday." After a small delay, Becky enjoys this and laughs. Julie was going to use the packaging from dog food, but she doesn't like the material once she's working with it. Becky notes that Cecilia is going to use dog food like beads, waits a beat, then laughs her head off. Bryce is still going to town with his pee pads.