Project Runway TV Show - There Is No I in Team - Project Runway Recaps, Project Runway Reviews, Project Runway Episodes | TWoP

Recapped by Jeff Long · Aired 2013-01-24

Some people are popping in without being introduced. Here's a dude named Stanley and another named "Two?" There's a lady named Cindy and a guy named Matt from New Orleans. Here's Benjamin Mach. He is 35 and from Sydney. He tells us that he is currently living in London and he moved there with 300 pounds in his pocket and a dream. That's stupid. There's no way you could settle in London with that small an amount of money. Is he not counting what was in his checking account? In that case, 300 pounds is actually a lot for just pocket money. He says that his aesthetic is faded glamour, something beautiful but tarnished. That lady Cindy is 59 and from Kent, Washington. She tells us that after 23 years of running a funeral home with her husband, she went to fashion school. Well, I mean, she could make strictly clothes for eggplants and you would have to let her on the show with that story. If I ever hear that there is actually a person who dresses eggplants, I will do my best to destroy them. Emily says to Cindy that she would never have guessed that she worked in a funeral home because she seems so upbeat. Lame stereotype. In fact, I would imagine that people in funeral homes have to be super genial to help their clients get through the tough time that brought them to the funeral home in the first place. She laughs and interviews that there is no connection between her job at the funeral home and as a designer. Gotcha. She says that being at the show feels like a rebirth for her. It's almost like a religious experience. Now I know that her backstory as a funeral director makes it sort of impossible not to cast her, but I wish they would cast older people who seemed more like contenders than ringers. Bert seems like the only truly viable older contestant that has been on the show.

Then, Heidi and Tim appear behind the scrim. They walk out to applause. James interviews that he's not sure if he should throw his "underwears" at them or have them sign his underwears. James, are we going to have a problem? Heidi welcomes everyone to Season 11. Patricia Michaels is 46 and from Taos. She says that it is a real honor to be here. I have to say, there's some really interesting energy straight away. Tim congratulates the designers for being chosen. They will move into the Atlas Building that evening. Heidi tells them that there will be a twist. Michelle says that she hopes it's a martini. Strike two, Madam Curie. They are going to have to eat each other. No, that's just a joke. You see, what she really told them was that they were going to have to work in teams. Kate is all "Hell No." Samantha Black who is 28, from Brooklyn and so far the most crushable person present on this here program says that she's a team player but she would prefer to work on her own. Richard says "sad face." Daniel seems like such sweetheart. He says that he doesn't want to see any childish player. He adds that he rather likes working with others, so he is excited to see how this goes.

Tim leaves and they all get back to work. Michelle says that she is worried about her team. She starts offering some assistance to other people on her team. We see her give time-saving tips to Matt. Benjamin interviews that he is worried as well and is a born leader, so we see him giving some advice to Emily.

The models come in for their fitting. Michelle interviews that she has seen Daniel's look before... like 30 years before. Rude. She has sooo much to say, that one. Cindy is unhappy with the length of her dress. Emily interviews that she only needs to be better than one person to stay in the competition. What an achiever.

After the fitting, Daniel is feeling good because all elements of his look are on the mannequin and he knows what he needs to do to finish. Emily, meanwhile, doesn't have a single thing on her mannequin -- just muslin. Matt remembers that they told her not to get bogged down with details and just power through. Michelle asks her if they can help her the day, then interviews that Michelle is in way over her head. They finish for the day with Emily still having nothing completed.

It's the day of the show and Emily thinks that she might be going home. In a neighboring apartment, some ladies are standing around. Michelle says that she really likes her outfit, but thinks that she might not be able to win because of Emily. Amanda asks her if she is going to help her and she's not sure. Cindy says that they need to weed out the herd anyway, which is a mixed metaphor much like her outfit is currently a mix of ideas, none very good.

At the workroom, everyone gets to work. Cindy changes her tune and decides to help Emily, who feels bad for judging Cindy earlier. Benjamin feels that his design is strong, but thinks that his team is not strong. He doesn't understand James's aesthetic. It's hair and make-up time. Scott Patric, hot make-up daddy, is on the scene and steers Cindy away from a make-up story that's a little too 1970s. She agrees, as appearing to be from the '70s is extra-sensitive to her since she's the oldest of the contestants.

Michelle notes that there are both strong and weak looks on their team. Patricia says, not rudely, that Cindy's look reminds her of an Asian candy wrapper. Tim comes in and drags everyone to the runway. Emily is wondering if maybe they will still be able to pull out a win.

Heidi greets everyone on the runway. You can see her bra under her shirt, but I'm sure she knows that. We have a new judge! Zac Posen is our new Michael Kors. Zac Posen is very attractive. Nina is there! Christian Siriano is our guest judge. This is a pretty prickly panel. We'll see how the judging goes. The show begins with Stanley's look. It's a dark blue jumpsuit. It is very tailored and gorgeous. From what we see, it fits perfectly. Kate's look is and it appears that sleeveless was the way to go. There's some interesting strap action happening across the neckline that is interesting, though a little homemade looking. She says that she feels like she accomplished what she set out to make.

By Jeff Long

Whoa. Emily's look is . What? It's a mess. Tulle everywhere. The model looks like she had an accident. Meanwhile, Benjamin's look is great. It's also a dress with multi-colored flowing stuff happening. His looks a little more on purpose than Matt's did. He breathes a sigh of relief.

Here comes Cindy's dress. It's ugly. Some fucked up tie-dyed fabric and a red and white checkered waistband. Who could have thought of this? This would wake the dead. Sorry, I had to. She says that she's happy with it on the runway. This is a common response from the designers. I wonder if they are more impressed with the transformation that happens when hair and make-up are involved than they are with their actual work.

Michelle's look is up and she made this waxed denim dress with some sort of harness on the outside. It's got a lot of originality. Michelle likes the "will of character" that the woman wearing this dress would have. She thinks it's the strongest look on her team and I think she may be right. This is mean, but I don't think I would mind it if Michelle were always matched with shitty team members. I kind of need to see the pathology that circumstance would create and I think that Michelle would be the perfect lab rat. Afterwards, Richard says that he would said something as a team member on the Dream Team about some of the weaker looks.

Afterwards, Heidi tells Team Keeping It Real that they are the winners. The losers go backstage. Michelle says that she is not surprised that they won. Onstage, Heidi tells Daniel, Patricia and Richard that they have the high scores. Zac thinks that Daniel used sportswear, structure and draping. Nina loved the short pant. Christian liked the neckline a lot. Richard says that gray and black remind him of NYC. Zac and Heidi loved the asymmetry. Richard says that his team helped him with their critiques. Patricia says that she was inspired by windows. She talks for a while. It seems like a really long time. Heidi finally says that she is a talker. She loves the dress, though. Zac loves that it's tactile. Nina likes the simple shape (contrary to Zac's opinion about the shape being more creative) because it emphasizes the other handiwork.

Dream Team comes out. James, Cindy and Emily have the lowest scores. James says that he was going to color block the top, but he says that the team steered him away from his idea for the top. Nina says there is nothing wrong with the outfit, but it is not inspiring. Zac thinks that the ruching on the top is gnarled. Heidi says that they did like a couple of outfits from Dream Team, namely Tu and Benjamin. Heidi tells Emily that it looks like a kid made her outfit. Christian can see some hints of design, but nothing was finished. Zac can see it too, but he thinks that she needs to have her craft ready. Nina says that she has never seen such an unfinished garment on this show. Ouch. Cindy explains that she was going to make a short dress and slacks, but the team convinced her to make a long dress because everyone liked the pattern. Heidi, incredulous, asks for a show of hands for who liked the print. Samantha explains that a long dress made more sense. Not "sense" but "more sense." Heidi doesn't like the dress at all. She thinks that the mix of fabrics is all wrong. Nine doesn't think there is anything urban or NYC about this. Christian likes that it's a gown, but he doesn't find anything designer-quality about it. Zac says that he wants to see who Cindy is as a designer and she says that this dress is not her. Then, he just smiles and reminds her that this is the first challenge and that's what the challenge called for. OK, it has started. I'm just going to apologize from the beginning, but I'm having a whole relationship with Zac Posen right now. He's running hot and cold for me and it's fun with the safety of a TV screen between us. Nina reminds them that the low scores for this team overpowered the high scores. Zac says that one hole in a boat will sink the boat.

By Jeff Long

Tu's look is . It is very cool and modern. It's a skirt and top combo with a bare midriff. The top is zippered with full sleeves and it sort of peaks in the middle. The front is white and the back is black. Tu is very happy with it. Here we have James's look. It's a black and tan skirt with a white camisole. The top has some weird ruching at the shoulder. I see what he was getting at, but it doesn't look like he executed that element well. He seems reserved but happy that he has something on the runway.