Episode Report Card Jeff Long: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Fit For A Queen
By Jeff Long | Season 3 | Episode 2 | Aired on 07.18.2006
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close. For this challenge, the designers' muse is an "icon of American beauty." Not Richard Simmons -- the other one, Miss USA. Her name is Tara Conner, and my Alabama roots are showing because I love her so much I think I had a fever during the show. She tells the designers that she wants an evening gown for the Miss Universe Pageant that makes her look tall, doesn't make her look too busty, and has earth tones. Then, the designers have some time to sketch an idea and pitch it to Tara. She chooses seven favorites, and the seven chosen designers in turn choose a partner to help them make their design. The teams were as follows, with the team leader listed first in each grouping: Laura/Michael, Keith/Bradley, Kayne of Many Colors/Robert, Jeffrey/Alison, Uli/Bonnie, Malan/Katie, and Vincent/Angela.Things look kind of shitty for Vincent and Angela from the get-go, as she is the last chosen and Vincent welcomes her to his team by declaring, "I'd be happy to have Alison on my team." Keith is emerging as somewhat of a prick (though it's making him more interesting), while Malan tells a really sad story about how his asshole of a mother threw his childhood drawrings on the floor and tried to crush his dreams. Angela questions Vincent at every turn, making the butts of America clench in anticipation of Vincent's breakdown -- which, surprisingly, doesn't really happen.
On the runway, there were mixed results. Jeffrey and Alison created a nasty dress that didn't end up in the bottom. No, the bottom was reserved for Vincent's and Malan's designs. Vincent made it through because Angela was such a bitch to work with. It came down to Angela and Malan -- and Malan got the boot! He was really sad and it was kind of heartbreaking. Meanwhile, of course Kayne of Many Colors won the challenge. Quite deservedly, too. His dress rocked. Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Previously: Keith Michael won the first challenge of the season. He made a snappy little dress with a bed sheet that the judges loved. He also revealed himself to be a little bit pompous. Stacey Estrella was sent home. I'm sure that by the time the reunion special rolls around, she will have learned a little bit about industrial sewing machines. She'll probably have a PhD in Industrial Sewing. Girl loves her degrees.
As the title sequence begins, Heidi tells that the winner will get a spread in Elle, and we see a shot of the recent issue with Mandy Moore on the cover. Now, I just want to say that I can really love the Mandy Moore from time to time. I'm totally down with Saved!. But... she does not look good there. She looks like someone just pulled her out of the ocean. She looks shipwrecked. Her hair is MASSIVE and she looks kind of puffy and she's got that fucking smoky eye. Hi, welcome to the late '90s, Elle. Winona Ryder's all grown up and we are done with the goddamn smoky eye. My point: What is Elle doing? With Project Runway they have their first stab at relevance in, I don't know, ever, and they're using it to make Scarlett Johansson look like a victim on The Swan. It just seems like they could be doing something a hell of a lot more vital. People are interested in the art and craft behind fashion in a way that they never really have before, and Elle really has an opportunity to exploit that, but it looks like they're going continually downhill. They can't decide if they want to be high fashion but younger, tween but older, et cetera. It's a shame, because I think Nina Garcia is great. Let's hope they can pull it out.
It's rise and shine at the Atlas apartments. Angela is performing some grooming ritual that requires that her face be super-close to the mirror. She says that she was sorry to see Stacey leave, "but we all have to go sometime." Call Beverly Cleary -- Ramona Quimby needs to learn that shit right now.
Keith is shaving, which is funny, because I always think he looks like he needs to shave. He says he doesn't care about his immunity because he plans on doing well on all of the challenges. He sounds stoned. And he is a dead ringer for Justin Kirk.
Malan wakes up with pre-shellacked hair. My sympathies to his pillow. He's really chipper and interviews that he's totally excited to be there and really likes all of the other designers, which is a departure from his earlier comments. Maybe he's a morning person.
At the runway, Heidi enters holding the lovely black velvet button bag. The designers are beaming at Heidi. Angela is wearing this weird shirt that she no doubt made that's all Bedazzled at the shoulders. Also, she's wearing her hair in a ratty ponytail and is sporting greenish cat-eye glasses. She's putting the "Ew" in "Ewhio."