The designers are challenged to create a cover look for Heidi Klum Seal to wear on the cover of Marie Claire. Huge, right? They never stop telling us. This is the BIGGEST CHALLENGE EVER. Too bad the designers are already exhausted. Everyone works quietly, except for Seth Aaron. He yucks it up the whole time, annoying his fellow designers. Mila is bummed that no one seems to like her. I don't know if everyone feels this way, but Emilio thinks that she's cocky with not much to show for it. While they're working, no one, aside from maybe Ben and Seth Aaron, seem especially confident. Janeane, per usual, is a ball of weepy nerves. She changes her mind about her dress, because her original design is too bridal. All of that said, most of the dresses look pretty good on the runway. The bottom three are truly the only ones that were kind of bad and I didn't really hate any of them. Janeane, Anna, and Mila were in the bottom. Emilio, Anthony, and Ben were in the top. Mila got slammed for a beige dress that looked like a girdle. Janeane's dress was still too bridal. Anna's outfit of shorts, top and vest was too junior. Anthony won the challenge with a beautiful blue dress that finally got him out of costume territory. His look is going to be worn by Heidi on the April cover of Marie Claire! Janeane and Anna were in the bottom two with Anna being the one who was sent home.
Discuss this episode in our forums, then see who we think has a shot at winning!
Previously: The challenge was to create the "signature" dress for the Campbell's Address Your Heart Program. Their clients were all women who had been affected by heart disease. They were the dreaded "real women" that we hear so much about when we're huddled around the campfire telling spooky stories. And, let me tell you, the work suffered. Granted, they were saddled with the requirements that the dresses be red and feature Campbell's branding, but damn. The SHINE. Everything was so damn shiny. Amy won and the dress was pretty and modern, but I think her success was mostly in avoiding the pitfalls that the other designers fell victim to. Jesus was eliminated, and his dress was really no good. Some people on the forums have been defending it, and I get their points. It's made well and, for some occasions, it might be fine. I think, though, that his choice of fabric was pretty gauche, I agree with the judges about the straps being wrong and it's a really bad length/fit combo for a gala event.
It's morning at the Atlas apartments. And, making coffee in the boys' apartment is a shirtless... Seth Aaron? This is not what I ordered. Anthony, who is still in bed, is trying to wake Jay up. He tells him that's it's time for Bible study. Jay doesn't comply, so Anthony says, "If you won't read the word, I'll use it as a weapon." Then, he hits Jay with the Bible and they laugh. That Anthony is full of surprises. I like him more and more all of the time. He interviews that it felt nice, during the last challenge, to not be in the bottom three. However, a thing he has learned about the bottom three is that when you're in it, there's nowhere to go but up. The mannequins are like, "Or home. You could go home."
Anna is asking herself if she wants tea or coffee. She interviews that being in the bottom three sucks, but she knows that amazing things are going to happen. How? Because, though she is nice, she is also fierce. You are not on the Gauntlet, Anna. She has been the biggest disappointment for me this season. In the first episode, I read her as a cheery, focused little peach. But, she's a BORE. I don't just mean that she's not overflowing with witticisms, though it would be nice. Her clothes pretty much bore me too, especially when you look at what she's done collectively this season. Pull it together, Anna.
Mila is fixing her hair in the mirror as we see Maya over her shoulder lying in bed. It's very Baby Jane. Mila interviews that she was disturbed that no one congratulated her on her 2nd place victory. She says that she isn't sure if it's a matter of jealousy or maybe they didn't feel like she belonged in the top. In any event, it bummed her out. That's sad. No one likes to feel unwanted, especially in a group atmosphere like that. Everybody rushes out the door, and Jay even leaves without checking his hair. In case you were wondering what kind of toil the rigors of the competition is taking on the designers, there you go. Jay just went into public without checking his hair! He is becoming untethered. He'll be walking barefoot to Alaska before this season is over.
On the runway, Heidi greets all of the designers with a "Hello" that sounds like "What are you looking at?" She tells them that, for the challenge, they will be designing a look that had better be "picture perfect." Is this a challenge about Jennifer Aniston and Jay Mohr? I KNEW I should've applied to be on the show this year. This is around the moment when I would have walked away with the show. In my pocket. Saw it in the theater, folks. She says that Tim will be taking them to a spectacular location where they will be meeting a special guest and filling them in on the details of the challenge. Heidi leaves and Emilio interviews that, from the hints that she gave, he assumed they would be going to a photographer's studio and looking over old photos in attempt to recreate a look. Interesting.
Emilio is wrong. They're going to the Hearst Corporation building. Jesse says that the building is open and bright and beautiful. It really is extraordinary. It's a fairly new addition to the New York skyline and a friend who is an urban planner was telling me that it's one of the first (if not the first) green office building in the city. Part of that purpose of the amazing windows is to reduce heating/cooling energy costs.
Tim tells the designers that it is his sincere honor to introduce Joanna Coles, the editor-in-chief of Marie Claire. Joanna cuts a stern figure in a slick blonde do and black dress, not to mention her British accent. I am immediately preoccupied with wondering how she and Nina Garcia get along. Raucous nights out making go-go boys pick those dollars up? An arrangement where assistants do all of the conversing between them, even when they are in the same room together? I need to know. And, frankly, I need it to be one of those two things. And, not because I think two women in positions of power need to fight or anything like that. I, for one, am content to believe that the women of The View actually get along pretty well (though I'm pretty sure Whoopi thinks that Sherri is a moron). I just need the mystery of Nina Garcia to have a really amazing payoff. Joanna greets them and tells them that the offices for Marie Claire are in the building.
Tim explains that this challenge is one of the biggest in Project Runway history, and the reward for the winner is unprecedented. The challenge is to design a look to be worn by a celebrity on the COVER of Marie Claire. This is huge! Gasps all around, none larger that Janeane's. Can someone ask her to drop the wide-eyed, small-town-girl act? It makes me like her less than I want to, because I do kind of want to like her. Everybody starts applauding. This really is such a big prize. I do kind of wonder if they aren't diminishing the worth of the grand prize though. A layout buried in the pages of the mag is not likely to have as much impact as your dress being on the freaking cover. Anthony wipes perspiration off of his head with a giggle in his interview. Emilio tells us that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Hopefully you'll have more than just this one opportunity, Emilio. Jesse interviews that something like this has so much potential for boosting your career. If he wins this, he will be in heaven.
Tim says further that the winning design will be on the April 2010 cover of the magazine. Designers who have been featured on the cover in just the last year include Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci -- to name a few. Wow, this is really making an impact on the designers. Somebody's gonna need to bring out some environment-friendly cleaner to wipe up the pee on the floor. Joanna tells the designers that they have to consider the crop of the photo when designing for a cover. The detail needs to be in the top part of the dress, unless they are wearing it upside down. Just writing that makes me miss Ping. Also, Joanna says that color is a concern, because they will probably want to put cover lines over parts of the garment. The dress would never be black. Also, patterns can be "tricky" because you want to put words there. Couldn't the words be white over black fabric? I'm sure there's an simple, industry-wide known answer to that question, but I thought I'd at least query. She tells them that the cover will publish in April, so they should consider what will be happening fashion-wise in the Spring. Finally, she says that studies have shown that a magazine buyer takes about three seconds to decide which title they are going to purchase, therefore, the garment should be eye-catching, bold and sexy.
Joanna asks Tim if she can tell the designers which celebrity they will be designing for. Crossing my fingers for Anne Hathaway or Laura Linney. I love them. Tim gives he the go-ahead. It's "none other than Heidi Klum." Screams! Emilio interviews that this is huge. Janeane basks in the knowledge that, not only do they get to design for one of the... best fashion magazines. Her pause, not mine. Because, seriously, I don't know, I just don't think of Marie Claire as one of the best. It seems a little pedestrian every time I look at it. An example of my feelings about Marie Claire is the fact that they would have Heidi Klum as a cover model. Sorry, Heidi, I just believe that ship has sailed. Anyway, Janeane gets to design for the cover of one of the BEST FASHION MAGS as well as for one of the BEST SUPERMODELS in the WORLD! Joanna wishes them luck and the designers depart. Say goodbye to the sun-filled atrium of the glorious Hearst building, it's back to the windowless Parsons basement for you.
At the workroom, the designers are busy sketching when Tim enters. He tells them that they have 30 minutes to sketch, however, he's glad to see that they have already started. He reminds them of how exciting the opportunity of this challenge is. And, truly, my feelings about the magazine aside, this is an enormous opportunity. With Heidi being the model, it feels more like a branding opportunity for the show than for the designers, but the exposure will be enormous. He tells them that they will only have a day for the challenge. Then, he leaves them to their sketching.
While they're sketching, we're made privy to the inner thoughts of sketching designers. Mila tells us that, if her dress is on the cover of Marie Claire, she wants it to say, "Mila!" I wonder if that's like the white stars on the Campbell's dress. I'm not sure that is the proper taste level. Jonathan says that designing for Heidi is both a dream come true as well as an incredibly intimidating experience. Intimidating because Heidi will be sitting right on the runway when the dress is revealed. Anna tells us that she is choosing an "icy" color palette: silver, light blue and charcoal gray. She thinks that those colors could really stand out on a cover. OK. I'm having a hard time conceptualizing magazine covers right now. So, I grabbed a few magazines that were lying around my house. I have the September, November and December issues of Vogue 2009. They all feature maroon. Actually, Cate Blanchett is wearing a gold dress on the December issue, but she's holding a maroon cape. That's interesting, yes? I guess maybe it's different with Marie Claire because it's usually a tighter shot of the cover model. Anyway, Vogue also has a mix of white and black and red cover fonts. Maybe Marie Claire has a style independent of being able to read the font over the dress, and comparing it to Vogue is like apples and oranges, but that wasn't made clear. It sounded like, "When one designs for the cover of a magazine, one takes these factors into consideration." My point is, Joanna, by declaring black off-limits, has pushed them towards lighter colors, when that doesn't seem entirely necessary. And, from what Anna has said about choosing three really boring colors and believing that they will "stand out," I don't know. This could be really weird. And boring.
Anthony tells us that he would like to design a dress that is form-fitting and short, "but not slutty." Much appreciated, Anthony. Ben feels that working with colors will be his best shot at creating an eye-catching design. He wants to create something that someone passing a newsstand could see a glimpse of and be curious about seeing more.
Tim enters the quiet workroom at the end of sketching time. Something about Tim and this season--is it just me or does he seem particularly concerned about the collective mental health of this group. It seems that he's always looking around, taking a nervous reading of the room. He tells them that it's time to go to Mood, so they should bring whatever they need. Then, he tells them to drink their juice and guarantees a positive shopping experience.
At Mood, Tim gives each of the designers $150 for supplies. He tells them that they will have 30 minutes to shop and Jay rolls his eyes and shakes his head as if he is being TORTURED. 30 minutes? You want me to make magic with 30 minutes? That's what I'm feeling. We see Janeane grabbing a lot of fabrics in (light) blues and greens. She interviews that she's not quite sure how they will fit together, but she's just grabbing stuff. Tim gives the 1-minute warning and everyone starts running around. We see Mila nearly DIE in front of our eyes. Seriously, she's running with her hands full and falls near a downward staircase. She could have either tumbled down the stairs or brained herself on the metal staircase. It was very close. And embarrassing. I feel particularly bad for her because she was lamenting everyone not being nice to her and she just fell and it's horrible and vulnerable and tweaks that part of me that's laughing and crying at the same time. They check out and leave. I can't remember a moment where someone had to put something back because they didn't have enough money. I would like to see that. That would have been a crowning humiliation for poor Mila, huh?
Back at the workroom, Tim tells everyone that they will have until midnight that evening to work on their looks. He reminds them that there will be very little time to work the day. He pleads with them to make it work, then leaves.
As Amy works with muslin, she interviews that time has really become a major factor. The stakes are getting higher, too, which makes the time crunch even more of a stress sandwich. That's so stupid, what I just wrote. The workroom seems so silent and tense. Jesse interviews that everyone is in the zone and quiet due to the high stakes of the competition. Anthony says the same thing -- that it's quiet because everyone is trying to make it work. Which brings us to Seth Aaron. He says aloud in the workroom that he's going to fall asleep if it remains that quiet. Then, he starts to sing and create sound effects for his own enjoyment. I cannot get over how much like grade school this is. Jay interviews that Seth Aaron is very immature and won't shut up no matter how many times they tell him. He continues to make the most random noise, while all of the designers glare at him. Anthony says, "I wish he would stop," probably for Seth Aaron's benefit, but it does no good. They need Tim to come in here and talk about seriousness of purpose to shut Seth Aaron up. He says, "I shake one helluva martini," which is stupid and takes me right back to my Episode 1 hatred of Seth Aaron. Emilio interviews that some people don't know how to keep quiet and let their garment do the talking. He believes that Seth Aaron needs to take it down a notch. Anthony calmly asks Seth Aaron if he smoked anything but a cigarette when he went outside. He says that he didn't, and Anthony replies, "I'll take your word for it."
Ben interviews that he's worried, because a magenta fabric that he purchased is looking more like fuchsia. However, he started working with the stuff that he had, and he's beginning to like it more than the sketch that he made. Janeane remarks that it's very striking. Anthony uses a new iron near Emilio, and Emilio is surprised that he's already working with fabric, instead of muslin or sketches. Anthony mumbles that it's not amazing, because he has a lot of work to do. He interviews that he's trying to absorb the criticism that he has gotten from the judges, but he needs his dress to say something about Anthony. So, he's not going to beat himself up too much with the criticism that he has gotten. Mila interviews that Anthony is using a bright turquoise fabric and that Anna is using one very similar. "Yikes," she says. From my perspective, it really doesn't look that bright. Anna says that she's making three pieces for this challenge, which is the first time she's attempted to make more than one piece. In fact, she's not sure what possessed her to try to make three pieces in nine hours.
And, that brings us to Janeane. With 7 hours left in the work day, she says that she looks at the shell pinks and the cream colors of her fabrics and realizes that it's looking very bridal. And, Janeane don't play bridal. She realizes that she needs to go in the opposite direction design-wise and decides to do that. There was a voice inside of her that said, "Dammit, Janeane, don't blow this." It's a shame that voice wasn't awake a few hours ago when we started sketching.
It's 6 hours to go in the day and everybody's scrambling. Anna and Jonathan are in the sewing room, and she asks him if he's making a dress. No, he explains, he's making a spacesuit. I wonder if the voice in Janeane's head told him to do that. He tells us that this challenge means more to him than anything else up to this point of his career. Mila says that, as the competition has progressed, she has gotten better and better at time management. That said, this challenge is particularly frustrating because the reward is so huge and she wants her construction to be immaculate.
As we watch Janeane work, we see an interview where she says, "I'm trying not to emote the dread that's boiling up in my stomach." Well, shit, if this design thing doesn't work out, she should really try her hand at poetry. What an intense and evocative thought. The idea of boiling dread is really powerful to me. She feels that she's lacking a point-of-view in her design and that's going to screw her.
Ben asks Anna how her pieces are coming along, and she seems pretty positive. She says that what she really needs is a fitting. She wants her shorts to be beautifully made, as she has been criticized for craftsmanship issues in the past and she doesn't want that to be a part of her future. Seth Aaron tells Anthony that he's making a jacket, a top, a vest and a pair of pants. Anthony's response is to tell Seth Aaron that he is so talented. I so believe in Anthony's attitude right now. It opens you up somehow when you look at the good and talented parts of your competitors instead of thinking about how you're better than them. Seth Aaron's reply is that everyone in the competition can sew.
Jesse interviews that his biggest competition is probably... half the people in the room. I believe he just identified himself as a middle-of-the-packer, yes? He says that Emilio has a lot of skill and experience. He also acknowledges that Mila has a lot of experience. He says that he's not really a fan of her aesthetic, but it's obvious to him that the judges are. For her part, Mila says that she doesn't feel like she really has any competition for this challenge. She says that Jay and Maya have some interesting things going on. I think that has more to do with her keeping her nose to the grindstone and less to do with her thinking poorly of other people's work.
Tim's back! Total silence. He asks how everyone is doing and Anthony says that they are working. Tim seems truly disturbed by the vibe in the room. He says, "You don't sound so good. You sound worn out." Tim says that he will start his consultations with Anthony, who responds with a sigh. Tim acknowledges that this is an intense challenge and, in case Anthony wasn't freaked out enough, reminds him that Heidi will be WEARING the winning dress. He asks Anthony to explain his dress and he wanly says that he wants something short but not formal. Tim asks if he can describe what it will look like and Anthony explains that he's not quite sure yet what it will look like. Tim says that he's worried. He doesn't want Anthony to "gimmick up" his look, just for the sake of doing it. He implores Anthony to use his editing eye.
Tim asks Mila to explain her dress. There is a graphic element to the dress, which Tim recognizes as Mila's signature. Janeane says that she chose nautical colors and would like to layer them, in a simulation of waves. Tim wonders if this "spewing out" look is really her. Janeane responds that this is the fifth challenge, and she has yet to meet the judges. Tim points out that, you know, that might be a good thing. Yes, yes, but right now she's looking like she's not horrible but not great. Oh, the convoluted stories we will conjure in order to rationalize our decisions to make ocean dresses at the last minute. Janeane assures Tim that she knows when to edit, but I'm not sure the makers of Project Runway do, because I actually found that exchange ultimately confusing.
Tim notes that Ben is working with bold colors. He says that his concept is Madame Butterfly on acid. Ben explains that he will be using metallic leather as a belt and Tim warns him against cheapening his outfit and making it a joke. Anna explains her look to Tim and he seems doubtful that it exemplifies who Anna is as a designer. She seems confident, though. Emilio is making a short, red cocktail dress. He's using ombre lacing at the neckline, and Tim seems iffy about that whole idea. In the end, it sounds like Tim tells Emilio that it's absolutely necessary that he use the lacing, for that is the "wow factor" in his design. See what I mean? Something funky is happening with the editing in this episode. Tim says that he's leaving "reluctantly." Seriously, he's afraid these guys are going to start hopping out windows. Luckily, Parsons is a windowless fortress, at least the part that we see.
The models enter for a fitting. Jesse only has the front of his bodice completed, but he has an opportunity to see how the basket weave that he is using works. Jay seems happy with his look. He interviews that he wanted to use a muted color and to make something really sexy -- a look that he feels Heidi embodies. Anna is freaked because her shorts don't fit well. Emilio noticed this as well, just like he always does. Being so brilliant means constantly having your mind space sullied by the shortcomings of others. He's just emoting his dread.
The models leave and everybody gets back to work. In the sewing room, Mila says with a dry laugh that no one had better go near her machine. Cue Jay, who interviews that Mila is fake and insincere. Emilio says that he has no problem with Mila the person, but Mila the designer acts cocky when all she does is color block in every challenge. Yes, Emilio, that's ALL she does. Her garments fit for shit, wait, they don't. He thinks she has only one trick. Mila interviews that she needs to stay focused and is there to win.
Anthony is worried. He's unsure about how to manage the workflow for his dress. He wishes they had more time. But life isn't fair, so why the hell should Project Runway be? The mannequins are like, "Anthony, that is for real etched on my ass." Janeane is in shock at the end of the day, because she still has work to do. And, Emilio made a mistake! Mark your calendars. His dress is too short, and he doesn't have time to cut it again. Anna is also pressed for time.
The morning, everyone seems frazzled and exhausted. Emilio says that there is going to be a bloodbath on the runway. Jonathan agrees with him. From her bed, Maya tells Mila that she believes that the two of them will be in the top three again. Anthony, who is apparently saddled with the task of waking Jay every morning, asks if he (aka "Queen of Sheba") plans on getting up. Anthony reminds us all that the reward in this challenge is huge. We see him posing in the mirror. You look cute, Anthony.
In the girls' apartment where only Anna and Janeane remain, Janeane says to Anna that she feels their time may be running out. She interviews that she feels she and Anna really missed the mark on this challenge and it may come down to the two of them. As everyone is leaving their respective apartments, Emilio jokes with Jonathan that he forgot his purse. But, he didn't! He totally has his purse!
In the workroom, everyone starts hurrying to finish. Mila says that she feels like she nailed this challenge. She thinks that Heidi is going to look amazing in her dress. Janeane, however, tells us that she is nowhere near finished. She's remarkably calm about it, which makes me feel that she is genuinely up shit creek sans paddle. Like she's reached some numb state.
Tim enters, and guess what he has to say? He tells them that this challenge is the biggest in Project Runway history. Jesus Christ. Tell us how much everybody hates Mila or something. Do what you have to do to kill some time. But, PLEASE, stop telling me how important this challenge is. I really truly understand the weight of this moment. Tim tells the designers that he wants all of their garments to be perfect. Then, he sends in the models for fittings.
Everybody scrambles to finish, and it's accompanied by hard driving drums and electric guitar. That's how important this is, people. No pan flute for this shit. We get hardcore, people-are-chasing-you-and-will-fuck-you-up-in-the-alley music. Maya says that her dress is pretty much what she set out to make. If she'd had more time, she would have added more volume to the neckline. I realize that I'm sounding increasingly crabby as this recap goes on, but haven't we seen enough of Maya's out-of control collars? Emilio thinks that some designers are going to have problems with the judges because they chose bland colors. Well, I think you can maybe blame Joanna Coles for that. Janeane tells us that, if she had the opportunity to start over again, she would do everything differently. Then, we see her needle break at the sewing machine. She is having so many problems. I'm starting to feel badly for her.
Anthony says that he's feeling confident about his dress. He has that little voice in the back of his head that wonders if the judges are going to hate it, but he reasons that he has to stay consistent. He had made a decision to make something that he thought was beautiful, and he's staying true to that thought process. Ben is happy, though you wouldn't know it from looking at him. Have you seen The White Ribbon? Ben seems like a cast member. Meaning, he seems like he's in stark black-and-white early 20th Century rural Germany to me. He thinks that this might be his time to shine.
Tim enters to take everyone to the runway. It's time for the most important challenge in the history of Project Runway, nay the WORLD! On the runway, Heidi greets the designers. When she describes the challenge for the 700th time in this television hour, she mentions that the winning design will be worn by "yours truly," at which point she does a little dance that I find adorable. Get on with it, Heidi. The fate of everything that is and ever was hangs in the balance. She introduces Michael, Nina and Joanna Coles. Because they are not in the same shot, I can't tell if there's any tension between Joanna and Nina. I need to know this. That may sound sexist, but everyone's a bitch in fashion. The tension I am trying to detect is genderless. And the show begins.
First, we have Amy's dress. It's lovely, though it has an empire waist and is strapless like her red dress from last week. Please don't let her be a serial draper. This is really pretty, though. It's short with the aforementioned empire waist. The fabric is a really interesting and modern mix of black, violet, yellow and red. There is a black band at the waist and a flower made of the print fabric at the right side of the bust. The skirt is flowing, with layers that make it shorter at the knee and longer at the sides. She says that she thinks it's perfect for spring, and there's maybe her one problem. The cut says spring, but the print says fall, or at least summer. But maybe people can wear more dark stuff in the spring, why do I have to be all pushy about it? She says that she's glad she's the one person who decided to use a print, which she finds completely appropriate for the cover of a magazine. And, that's a big raspberry to you, Joanna. Take that!
up is Seth Aaron's look. It's a pantsuit in silver leather (or the like). It's cut very slim and rock and roll, with plenty of decolletage showing. Seth Aaron says that he can guarantee that Marie Claire will sell more copies if they feature Heidi wearing his look on their cover. You're on, Seth Aaron.
Here is Jesse's dress. It's a blue fitted dress with a basket weave at the waist. I don't know. It looks like a pretty dress, but I'm not sure how interesting this would be on a cover. Well, upon looking at it a little longer, there is a pretty shimmer to the fabric. Jesse thinks that this would definitely grab someone's attention at a newsstand. But... OK, fine, I've been watching a little bit of that stupid model show that comes on after PR. And, this Alexis girl who is walking for Jesse is a nightmare. She seriously told one of the girls that she dreamed about this other model getting fatter and fatter, and then she didn't realize why everyone thought she was an asshole. So, I'm not a fan of his model. She has serious filter issues.
Now we have Anna's look. I can't imagine why she decided to make this. It essentially looks like a sleeveless peasant blouse of blue with a silver vest on it; worn over short black shorts. The outfit itself is... fine? It's just so unremarkable. This would be good for 17-year-old girls, though the shorts might be a little too much even for them (at least in my make-believe world of friendship bracelets and cotillions). This is certainly not an eye-catching look for a magazine cover. And, Heidi's gonna have big momma boobies in April! Why wouldn't you want to enhance them? This blouse is completely shapeless. I'm almost thinking she should have considered belting this, though I don't know if that would have helped. The thing is, it doesn't look poorly made. It's just a really bad idea. Anna thinks that this would be right for Heidi's cool and contemporary side. She is wrong.
Up is Anthony's dress. Nice! This blue was a terrific idea! It's bold without being gauche. It's a short, fitted one-shouldered dress. On the side of the dress with the covered shoulder, there is an interest of fabric that winds up the entire dress. It's textural and feminine. Anthony says that when he saw his model turn the corner onto the runway, he was like, "Yes, Ma'am!" He feels like he found the balance between volume and figure-hugging.
Oh my, here's Janeane's dress. It's a knee-length cream dress, with what appears to be a blue tulle shrug. There are seams everywhere! It's like she's the A Beautiful Mind guy of fashion design. She's trying to unlock some sort of secret of the universe with all of those seams. Right? It's like a seashell. Janeane acknowledges that her dress is not the prettiest on the runway, but she thinks she did her job. She thinks there are some problems with bulk in the dress, but I sincerely believe bulk is the least of her worries.
Mila's dress follows. It's a figure-hugging dress in jersey. Most of it is a beige color, with triangles of gray in successively lighter shades pointed inwards at the waist. There is also the same pattern at the ass and in front of the dress. I like the slimming effect it has at the waist, but including it at the bottom really highlights the womb. Is that what we're doing now? Mila likes the dress but notices that the fabric that she thought was peach appears beige on the runway.
Here's Emilio's dress. He didn't get enough of red last week, apparently. This dress looks pretty hot, no matter that it's pretty short. It's a super-fitted bodice with like a ballet skirt. In fact, this would be a really lovely costume for a ballet. He has the straps of ribbon that he described for Tim, and the ribbon also criss-crosses the bodice. Emilio is very happy with the dress. He thinks it's put-together and that Heidi would look sexy in it.Here's Jay's dress. It's essentially the same thing that Amy did, except there's a huge train in the back. And the color is like muslin. To be fair, the interest over the shoulder is more a garland than the flower that Amy had. Still. Jay thinks the dress is beautiful, and it is.
Jonathan's design is , and I love it. It's a little romper. The bottoms resemble tap pants and it has long bell sleeves. It's belted at the waist and is a champagne color. Jonathan is really proud of his craftsmanship, and he should be. He also thinks that a romper would be great for a cover and I kinda like where he's going.
Maya's dress is . It's a short, fitted gray dress with halter straps that create a frame for the model's face. There's cream pleated fabric on the straps. I don't think it looks that great. There's something weird about the fit that I don't like. Maya, however, is happy with it. As we recall, she thinks she and Mila are going to be in the top three.
up is Ben's design. It's a sleeveless belted kimono with blocks of blue, brown and yellow fabric. It's completely eye-catching. I really love it. "Fashion forward" doesn't seem like such a weirdo phrase when I'm looking at this. Ben is happy with it and keeping his fingers crossed.
After the show, Heidi calls Seth Aaron, Jay, Maya, Jesse, Jonathan and Amy. They're all safe! The models return to stand by the remaining designers. Ben says that he wanted to use vibrant colors. Michael says that a newsstand is a noisy place and he believes that Ben's dress cuts through the noise. Nina feels that it is as beautiful from the front as it is from the back (there's a cutout). Heidi is also a fan of the back of the dress. Joanna feels that it's a garment that would be worn by a very confident person. It's a contender.
Anna explains that she picked a color palette that she felt would flatter Heidi as well as appeal to the contemporary, not-completely-whimsical reader of Marie Claire. I don't know what she's talking about. Nina points out that Heidi has a terrific figure, but the outfit is shapeless. Joanna says that the outfit is like three ingredients in a dish that leave you slightly nauseous. She's just trying to be mean. That doesn't even really make sense. Michael thinks that Anna missed the mark in regards to who the Marie Claire reader is. Anna designed for teens. Heidi says that Anna's pieces were well-made, but she didn't push the envelope.
Anthony says that he was inspired by Heidi. He wanted clean lines and a feminine silhouette because he knew that she wouldn't be pregnant for the cover shot (don't speak too soon, she's ALWAYS pregnant) and would want to show off her curves. Michael exclaims, "The costume drama is over! You've entered modern times!" Anthony squeals and claps, which tickles Heidi and Michael. He continues, saying that Anthony has made something modern and feminine. Nina thinks that the dress will look great on Heidi and kudos to Anthony for being one of the only designers to embrace color (Joanna's fault). Joanna says that she loves the color! In fact, if that's where we are going to be come April, beam her there now!
Janeane tentatively says that she was inspired by the sea. Michael thinks that the dress is far too busy for a cover. Heidi doesn't think that it's modern enough. Joanna doesn't even think it looks like the sea, unless we're talking about a polluted sea with plastic bottles. Janeane makes a face like, "Is that really necessary?" I agree with her. Nina thinks that it's too romantic and bridal. Heidi furthers that it's too sweet all around. Nina points out that, when she thinks of Heidi, she doesn't think of sweet, to which Heidi responds with narrowed eyes, "No."
Mila tells Heidi that she wanted to create something strong and feminine, but still soft. She says that the graphics on the dress were to create a slimming effect and that she chose soft tones instead of a bolder color because they were fresh. Michael is not a fan. He thinks that the peach fabric resembles an Ace bandage. Also, the top looks like a jog bra. Heh. Nina doesn't like the triangles pointing at the crotch and barks that this would not work at all. Joanna doesn't think that it looks like a confident dress, rather that it's trying to disappear. Mila offers that the fabric looked much more peach in her hands, but Michael totally rolls his eyes. Bitch is dead to him.
Emilio says that he wanted a strong and sexy color, as well as interesting detail from the waist up. Michael commends him for making jersey structured, because that's very hard to do. Joanna loves the boldness and thinks it would be eye-catching. Nina likes it too, but she feels that the ribbons on the straps are too junior. So, Emilio pulls out scissors, which Michael loves. He tells him to cut off the entire strap, which he does. Michael thinks it looks way more sophisticated without the strap. Then, they have the model take her hair down from a pony tail. Michael laughs that they've never done this before. Joanna loves the results.
The designers leave the runway while the judges confer. Nina thought Janeane's dress was really weird, especially for Heidi. They thought there was nothing special about Anna's outfit, though Michael likes that she made separates. Joanna thought that Mila's dress was the color of hospital food. Heidi says that she would have to wear a lot of self-tanner in an effort to fight the color of the dress.
They really liked Emilio's dress, once they fixed it. Joanna likes that he was at the ready with his scissors. Heidi felt that Ben's dress was very eye-catching. Nina likes his confidence. Joanna felt Anthony's dress was charming. They've made their decision!
The designers return to the runway. Heidi tells us that this prize is really huge. Shut up, really? Anthony... is the winner! He screams and claps and stomps his feet, which the judges love. Heidi says that she can't wait to wear it. He leaves the runway and hugs Emilio on the way. He tells everyone backstage that he won and they go WILD! They are so happy for him! Wow, that's really a testament to what a sweet guy he is. Anthony interviews that he feels the judges are noting his growth.
Ben is in, as is Emilio. Mila is in. It's down to Anna and Janeane, just like the big J said. Heidi tells Janeane that her inspiration was unique, but came off bridal. Anna's look was forgettable. Ouch. Anna is... out. Janeane is teary and hugs Anna. Pull it together. Janeane leaves and Anna gets her kisses. She interviews that she's sad to be eliminated but she's proud of herself. The whole experience was amazing. Tim tells her that she should be proud of what she has achieved. Anna says that she will take with her a new-found confidence! So long, Anna!
Discuss this episode in our forums, then see who we think has a shot at winning!
Jeff Long is a Brooklyn writer/actor. He can be reached at jeff.long75@gmail.com.