| Season AS2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 12.13.2012
The designers meet Carolyn at the South Street Seaport, which is gross, if you don’t know. They meet this dude, Fawaz Gruosi. He makes jewelry and has the craziest name in North America. The winner of the challenge will win one of his watches. Laura Kathleen starts bleeding platinum and hate at that point. So, it’s an unconventional challenge. They have to use only materials used from some store. I’m listening, what store? A judge this week will be freaking KYLIE MINOGUE. Shit guys. This is so exciting. Anthony Ryan says that this is probably the biggest judge in Project Runway history and he’s completely right. So, the store they have to work with is a Christmas store. And, they can’t have it look like Christmas stuff. Santa is there. Emilio thinks he’s a burglar. Touché.
Ivy and Casanova are getting gruff for being friends. Anthony Ryan is getting cuter to me. Uli is a hot piece. She decides to make a whole dress with embellishments. I honestly don’t know what that means. She can’t just make a dress with garlands, can she? They have five hours remaining and no one is out of the Christmas woods. Ivy thinks that she’s working outside of the box and that is nice. Joanna pops in and is worried for Joshua. Emilio tries to sell this weird adornment to Joanna and she’s not buying it. Joshua doesn’t like it but he’s the tackiest person in 2012 so who the fuck cares what he says? Casanova has like beads and twigs, so he’s in trouble.
The models come in for fittings and they become the elves, per Ivy. Uli says that every time she turns around Casanova has a new dress. Later, with all the girls gone, he is looking on the floor for extra trimmings. He is also wearing a Charlene blouse from Designing Women. That night, some of the designers are feeling fatigued.
The day, Emilio decides to glue a lot of stuff. Casanova pulls a lot of stuff from the trash. Hair and make-up happens, which doesn’t seem so horrible. But, everyone is running around crazy and upset. Joshua is gluing a lot of stuff. Emilio says that is the worst thing that he has ever done, but he said that about the last design.
On the runway, Carolyn introduces Georgina, Isaac, Ga ga Anthony? And Kylie Minogue. Anthony Ryan’s is first and looks like Uli’s from the 70’s challenge. Ivy’s is and it’s a gold bodice with a ruffled skirt and a smooth bodice. This seems like a fail on first look. Josh’s look is essentially a bathing suit and it’s horrible. Uli’s work is a smooth job of what Anthony Ryan just did. Emilio’s look is pretty fab though he was worried about it before. Casanova’s look is problematic, though thoughtful. Laura Kathleen is very happy with what she did. Kylie loved her pockets. Isaac thinks that her girl looked fat.
Casanova explains how he was out of sorts until the last moment. It’s unclear if they hated him or not. Joshua is commended by Isaac for the top but damned for the bottom. Georgina thinks that Ivy’s proportions are off. Uli gets huge kudos from Isaac, though he thinks that the hem in back is too long.
The judges confer and Kylie liked Anthony Ryan’s dress. They all seemed to like Uli’s dress. Georgina and Isaac didn’t love Laura Kathleen’s dress and Kylie has stopped loving it. Nobody seems down with Ivy’s look. People can’t seem to hate or love Josh’s look. Casanova’s last gold weird jeweled dress was the last to be discussed and it seems like they hate it.
The designers return to the stage. Laura Kathleen is safe. Dumb bitch. The winner is, announced by Kylie, Uli! She’s so happy! Anthony Ryan is safe too! Uli is so happy when she gets her watch backstage. Josh is safe, which seems wrong. Ivy...is in. She’s so sad to see Casanova go. Ugh. Emilio speaks Spanish to him backstage and Ivy is so sad. It’s really pretty and I hope that Casanova kicks some ass.
Previously: The designers had to create red carpet looks with green fabrics. Diane von Furstenberg was the guest judge, which made little Laura Kathleen super happy. And, she won the challenge! Althea, who liked Diane von Furstenberg just fine as well, didn't do so well and was sent home.
Has everyone noticed how sexy the girls have to act in the opening? I feel like Uli, who acts kind of goofy as she's standing there, is the only one who actually comes out of it with her dignity intact. Laura Kathleen looks like she is in serious danger of throwing a hip out of joint. The designers meet Carolyn at the South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan and Joshua wonders, jokingly, if maybe they are going to have a pirate challenge. Seriously, crazier things have happened. He's currently wearing a purple tank top with a vintage photo of a bodybuilder on it. Just reporting the facts here. Carolyn greets them and tells them that the Seaport is the site of this challenge. Also, the guest judge is someone with a really exotic name who makes fancy watches and jewelry, such as Carolyn is currently wearing. Fawaz Gruosi. That's his name and I love it. He comes out and shakes Carolyn's hand and greets the designers. In so many words, he tells the designers that he's glad to be there and he's excited about the watch. Carolyn elaborates. The winner of this challenge will receive one of his watches as a reward. Laura Kathleen wants that watch.
Carolyn then reveals that this will be the unconventional challenge. Lordy. Emilio interviews that he has not been looking forward to this, because he used like washers and string during that challenge during his season and was almost sent home. Anthony Ryan says that we all remember his infamous birdseed dress from his season, but he didn't win that challenge. He really wants to win that one. Is his birdseed dress really considered infamous? I don't think about it much, especially not in a scandalous way. I thought it was good. I just think that it's interesting of him to refer to it as infamous. It's kind of like talking about yourself in the first-person. They are going to have to find everything they need for the challenge in one store in the Seaport shopping place. The twist is that they have to completely transform the materials. The judges shouldn't be able to tell where they came from. Casanova interviews that this will be difficult for him because he is not used to making garments with bullshit. Heh. They get $350 though and that's cool.
| Season AS2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 12.13.2012
Even cooler? Carolyn tells them that one of the guest judges will be Kylie Minogue. Holy crap. Anthony Ryan responds most rationally and sort of dissolves into hysterical clap/jump screaming. I mean, I try to play it cool but I'd be pretty excited if I knew I was going to be hanging out with Kylie. Anthony Ryan thinks that she's the biggest guest judge in Project Runway history. He must be forgetting about that time Parker Posey was a guest, because recognize.
Carolyn tells the designers to get started and they start sprinting towards the mall-like section of the Seaport. They run up an escalator and Joshua is the first to see that the store that is the center of their challenge is a Christmas store. Santa is waiting at the front of the store. Seriously, how does he get everything done? He's stretched thinner than Rihanna? Uli is worried about how much stuff she has to buy to be able to cover her dress. Most everyone is revealed to be a little freaked out. Joshua says that he's looking for ornaments that can be broken down. Laura Kathleen is thinking about making a mod dress with a lot of beading. So, she's looking for everything that is silver and shiny. Emilio is staying with pink stuff because he doesn't want anything to scream "Christmas." That said, my friend and I were talking recently about how we need to reclaim the green and red color combo for the non-Christmas occasions. It's beautiful and flattering and I don't see why Christmas gets EVERYTHING. Anyway, Emilio says that he's going to try his hardest to stay away from anything even remotely Christmas-colored.
Santa comes out and tells the designers that they have one more minute to shop. Everyone thanks him and Uli adds that she has been a very good girl this season. Casanova is maybe breaking the rule about not pouting. He is not happy with this challenge in the least. He thinks that the only thing he can do with all of the gold and silver and shiny stuff around is to make a live piñata. I'm down for that. He starts grabbing red and gold stuff, but he really has no idea what he is going to do. Emilio says that a big fat white man who climbs down your chimney (pronounced how Schmidt on New Girl says "chutney") in the middle of the night would get shot in his neighborhood. That's called a burglar. He thinks this is very funny, which actually sort of succeeds in the selling the joke to me. At least for a minute.
They head back to the workroom with their Christmas booty. Ivy says that she wants to make a flapper-like dress that is more mini than the traditional representation of the idea. She wants to create beautiful movement and texture with the garland that she bought, which, frankly, already sounds like a problem. Everything I see her touching looks very stiff and that might lend to the texture, but I think there won't be much movement at all. Casanova tells her that he thinks she's committing herself to too much work but she assures him that it isn't. Uli jokes that the two of them should have come to the competition as one person. I think everyone has been a little unfair about their friendship. They have a real working relationship. I don't see why they have to act like they don't. Talking over the ideas that are running through your head is one of the benefits of being collegial and fucking decent. It's not like they are fighting with some sort of secret weapon. Look at Melissa from the last real season. She was incredibly friendly and engaging and got a lot of help from people. At least she did before they got all crazy and cut her off. She didn't do anything really wrong though and Casanova and Ivy are even less in the wrong, because they are exclusively and willingly using each other for support. Fine, they've actually jumped in and worked on the others' looks before, but I say that membership should have its privileges. Your nice and support your friend? Great, your friend glue guns shit to your dress when you're really busy. Uli says they are like two bodies and one mind. She thinks it's very helpful for their work but she wonders what will happen when one of them goes home. We see the two of them joking- Casanova wraps a tree skirt around Ivy's neck and says that he has made a poncho and is done with his look. She giggles so much when he jokes. I think it's really cute. Josh tells them that he left the house once wearing the same thing as a cape. Great.
| Season AS2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 12.13.2012
Speaking of Josh, he has gotten himself into a fine mess. He doesn't really have any fabric. In fact, the fabric he thought he was buying was actually the carrying case for a Hanukah banner. I know the shopping happens at a fast pace, but how does one make this sort of mistake? It's so urgent that shopping be precise, I just don't get it. Maroons. At least he and Anthony Ryan get a good laugh out of it. Uli, who had previously vowed to take it easy with all of the trimmings on her designs, has decided to take Diane von Furstenberg's advice and actually go even further. Her whole dress is going to be embellished. Casanova reiterates that the unconventional challenge is not really his milieu. He spent most of his money on fake poinsettias and its unclear whether he has enough to cover his entire dress or not. Josh is making a bra. Anthony Ryan says that he is worried about him, but he says it with a little bit of a smirk so I wonder if he's glad that he's worried about him. Emilio says that his brain doesn't really connect with the ideas behind the unconventional challenge. He hates what he's making right now.
Ivy says that the challenge is really exciting to her because it gives them all a chance to think outside of the box. I firmly believe now that Ivy is functioning from a Power of Positive Thinking standpoint. There is no way that the Ivy we have known before is all hearts and puppies about the unconventional challenge. She has clearly told herself that she doesn't want to be the downer in the group and, you know what? I actually kind of respect her for how diligent she has been about presenting herself as a positive person. It's a hell of a lot better than the alternative. I just feel like I have to point it out though. It's great. But, it's not real.
Joanna comes in and tells the designers that she thinks they can create something great for this challenge. Then, she goes to Josh's station and finds out that he doesn't really have any materials. She tells him that her heart is beating faster for him. So, I guess that is confirmation that Joanna Coles has a heart. The more you know.... OK, so I was going to ignore this, but Josh keeps saying that his bra is a bra-let. Now, it's my understanding that we add this "-let" to an article of clothing when it's sort of an abbreviated version of the original. How do you abbreviate a bra? It's already like the smallest article of clothing that one can wear. Unless we are going to talk about g-stringlets and jock straplets. Sometimes, Josh works so hard to talk an inventive game that the chutes fall off the track and the ladders crumble and it's sad for all of us. Josh says that he wants to make a high-waisted short with some ribbon. Anthony Ryan, who is still looking on and, I swear, laughing a little, doesn't think that Joshua really has anything planned for the bottom of his outfit. Josh insists to Joanna that no one does Josh like he does Josh. I hope no one ever has to. That's my Christmas wish.
| Season AS2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 12.13.2012
Casanova is truly in the dumps. Joanna suggests that maybe it doesn't look as bad as he thinks it does and he asks her if she wants to wear his dress. She does not. Point taken. His thing is that he's not really a glue guy, but he's going to have to be one for this challenge. Joanna moves to Emilio and immediately says that, upon seeing the neck piece that he has created, she would have no idea that the materials came from a Christmas store. He says that was his intention. Most of his fabric though is ribbons, which Joanna says is not enough. Josh rags on it and says it reminds him of students in design school.
Anthony Ryan only has some adornments on the waist of his dress form, but Joanna thinks that it's very beautiful. She says that it's not Christmasy, but it does suggest winter. He responds that, since Kylie is one of the guest judges, he is interested in making a "stage dress". We laymen usually refer to that as a costume, the scourge of Project Runway. I wonder if he's comfortable enough just trying to change the word that is said instead of making something that isn't a costume. He's going to use a lot of mirrored pieces on his dress. Ivy feels like Anthony Ryan is mimicking Uli's design. That's funny, I hadn't considered that. But, Ivy continues, saying that Uli is known for this overly trimmed look. She also says that Anthony Ryan is often inspired by the designs of others, but she doesn't really say it like that's a bad thing. Before leaving him, Joanna tells Anthony Ryan that he has glitter all over his face. She only just noticed?
Uli tells Joanna that this is her kind of challenge. Joanna thinks that it looks a little like the dress that Uli made for the '70s challenge. Eh, it is kind of the same shape and Uli acknowledges that, but she says that the new dress is going to be much more structured than what she did earlier. Laura Kathleen says that there are maybe some cool ideas in the looks that Anthony Ryan and Uli are making, but really she just thinks that they bought a lot of stuff from the same color palette and are throwing it on a dress.
Then, Joanna moves onto Laura Kathleen and at first glance her dress is super similar to Uli's, so whatever. Joanna congratulates her on her win during the challenge and she says that it was one of her biggest moments in fashion so far. I believe that. Good for her. She really wants that watch though. She says that this isn't about who needs it but about who deserves it. OK, no one needs a luxury watch. I don't know what she's talking about. It sounds oddly like she's taking up some weird conservative talking point and using it because she's been so ostentatious about her privilege when she was young. So, yeah, just shut up LK. She has put pockets on her dress, which is cute. Joanna says that she thinks the girls are ahead for this challenge. Ivy explains her look to Joanna and she says that she thinks it is very creative and she would not know that the materials she is using came from a Christmas shop. Before she leaves, Joanna reminds them to use the Nine West accessories wall.
| Season AS2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 12.13.2012
After she is gone, Casanova still hates what he's making. He tells Emilio that he's going to start over, with only three hours left. The models come in for their fittings. Anthony finally says that his look is actually a costume, because he had to break it down for his model. Ivy says that they are running out of time and put their models to work on their look, as if they were their elves.
Uli notes that Casanova is working on his third dress for this challenge. It's obvious that he is without any direction. He looks in the trash can and starts looking for stuff to make his look work. Uli is feeling the pressure, but she thinks everyone else is too. That night, at the hotel, the girls say that they are concerned for Emilio. In the boys' room, Josh tells Casanova that, the day, he needs to go around and see what stuff the other designers are not using. Then, he needs to throw it on his dress.
The day comes and Emilio is embarrassed that he has to glue a lot of his look. He says that this is the first time he has ever done that, while Anthony Ryan tells him that there is a first time for everything. Casanova goes around grabbing stuff that the other designers can spare. Hair and make-up happens and no one makes out with Scott Patric, make-up daddy. I don't know what that's about. Uli's dress is exactly like what she wanted to make. She also approves of Anthony Ryan's and Laura Kathleen's looks.
Anthony Ryan thinks that Ivy's look is very old, but she seems happy with it. Uli likes Josh's bra-let, but she hates the shorts that he has made. Emilio is having glue gun problems. He can't work a glue gun. Shit. He says that his dress is the worst thing that he has ever presented. I guess he's even included that strings and washers disaster. Wow.
Carolyn greets them all on the runway. She introduces Georgina and Isaac. La La Anthony is the first guest judge. The girl from MTV. That seems odd as a choice. Then, she introduces International Pop Icon, Kylie Minogue! Love Kylie so much. The show begins with Anthony Ryan's design. It's a cocktail dress that is short and completely adorned with silver leaf-type trimmings. There's a high neck in the front with some mirror action on the bust. There's a cut out in the middle of the back, which is cute. He seems very happy with it.
Ivy's look is and it's kind of similar to her last look, though much more successful. It's gold and short again. She used garland or something to make a kind of crinoline effect on the bottom of the skirt. That's kind of cute but she used this sheer fabric over the neckline and it makes the look seem old. Joshua's look is . I mean, its underwear. It's kind of fabulous, like a Frida Kahlo painting by way of Amanda Lepore, but that doesn't really make it less terrific. It's just not very sophisticated is all.
| Season AS2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 12.13.2012
Uli's look is and this is a nice success. It's a sleeveless short dress with lots of trim on the front and the shoulders. It's very chic the way it hangs. Uli says that it looks even better than she had hoped for it to look. She feels like it's everything she wanted to show the judges. Emilio's look comes out and he's beside himself. It's a purple halter dress and it's made with sort of like quilted ribbon. It's not the best thing ever, but I really feel like he's maybe beating himself up a bit regarding this. He says that he's seeing his whole season flash before his eyes. He is praying that he'll be safe.
Casanova's look is and I expected much worse. First of all, I'm impressed that it's gold when so much of his original material was red. How he pulled that off, I'm not even sure. I'm guessing that Ivy's help had something to do with that, though I think she used most of her supplies for her look. It's a cocktail dress with a center adornment that travels from right below the bust to below the knee. The real problem is that the bust is made with some sort of rope and it makes the model seem sort of shapeless in the boob area. He says that he would really like to stay in the competition.
Laura Kathleen's look is . It's a sheath dress with lots of crystals on is and pockets. I actually think the shape is not bad, but with all of the extra trim on it, it kind of makes the model look lumpy. That's not good.
Afterwards, Carolyn says that the runway show proves that they can all think outside of the box. She calls Ivy, Emilio and Casanova and tells them that one of them is safe. It's Emilio. He's so relieved. The remaining designers are the high and low scorers. The models return and Anthony Ryan talks more about his look being a stage dress. Isaac thinks that it could be at home on a Paris runway. La La says that she really liked it the first time she saw it, but now she sees a lot of Christmas influence in it. Kylie says that you would definitely see this outfit from the balcony. She really likes the "bottom" and she gets a little embarrassed about her delivery. She means the hem though, where there are a lot of mirrored tiles. Laura Kathleen is and says that she loves beading and wanted to create a dress that could look as if it were, in fact, a bunch of beads. Kylie says that her favorite part of the dress was the pockets. Man, they are always a sucker for the pockets, aren't they? Kylie thinks that the beading is a little messed up and that some of the beads near the waist of the dress are a little too big. La La thinks that the dress looks planned and well executed. Carolyn likes the low-cut shape of the back. She thinks it makes the dress fresher. Isaac says that he has major criticisms for the dress. He thinks she looks fat. Called it! Sorry, but it just seemed so blatant. I was wondering why no one had mentioned it! I don't think they are blaming the weight of the trimmings like I sort of did, but they think her placement of the adornments was indeed a problem. Georgina agrees on that point.
| Season AS2 | Episode 7 | Aired on 12.13.2012
Casanova says that he presented his third look. He explains that his first one screamed Santa Claus and his second one was just generally awful. So, he made a dress of recycled bits from the other designers. He jokes that that means it's green too. Georgina says that she likes his dress so much more now that she knows the background of its design, but she does feel that it is heavy-handed. Kylie thinks that the rope part is kind of rad and like Gauthier, but that the panel in the middle of the dress is super unflattering. Josh says that he was trying to be out there and Isaac says that he wants to commend him and at the same time slap him on the wrist. He loves the bra-let, but the shorts are revealing the privates of the model. That's not cute. Georgina says that Ivy's dress is sweet, but looks inexpensive. Isaac thinks that it can't decide what color it is.
Isaac thinks that Uli's dress is masterful, though he feels that the hem is too low in the back. Kylie loves it. Carolyn loves the mesh she used on the side and she explains that she wanted to keep the dress from getting too heavy. It's talk time and the designers go backstage.
The judges love Anthony Ryan. Kylie and La La plot to steal it. That's cute. They felt that Uli's dress was a little heavy, but otherwise perfect. Georgina just felt that Laura Kathleen was OK. Kylie thought that Ivy's look was too serious. They all think that Joshua's look was bold, but kind of a disaster. Kylie is so cute! La La thinks that Casanova should get some credit for dealing with his circumstances. They've made their decision.
Laura Kathleen is safe. That means that either Anthony Ryan or Uli is the winner. Kylie calls the winner and it's Uli! She goes backstage and Fawaz shows up with a beautiful watch for her! She tells him that she will have it forever and will think of him when... she's famous. You know she just caught herself and was about to say that she would think of him long after he was dead. Anthony Ryan is safe. Josh is safe. It's down to Ivy and Casanova. Ivy is... in. She seems surprised. Bless her heart, she starts crying immediately. She interviews that she would switch places with him because he's one of the best people she knows. Carolyn gives him kisses and he goes backstage. Poor Ivy is just so upset. He interviews that he was honored by everyone's emotion. He knows that he has something to learn from the experience, but he's not sure what it is yet. Good luck, Casanova!