Project Runway Recap: Sleigh The Runway

Apologies Form TT I can’t do photos this week

By THE LOVELY LES!

The Holiday Season has arrived.  Literally. It seems as if Wayfair vomited every item off their website into the designer’s penthouse.  The designers wake up to sleigh bells ringing by the one and only Christian Siriano – who consistently impresses me each episode.  BUT before we get to that, we need our moments of reflection from the previous challenge!

Tyler is desperately trying hard to not be a “salty bitch” but is able to highlight how unfair it was for him to be in the bottom 3 while Sergio was safe with his “non-costumey” ball gown?  Others point out that they were confused as to how a ball gown is considered streetwear? It’s good to know that the designers do think like us!

Are My Pajamas Appropriate?

So the designers hop out of bed and join Christian for some holiday cheer – and they are all wearing appropriate pajamas because it is a reality show and it’s not the Bachelor.  However, Geoff finds it perfectly normal to just bare his torso – which is not hard to look at – and he is loving the extra attention that he gets from Christian. Christian begins the holiday challenge by gifting everyone with a tacky holiday sweater which Geoff is bummed to hide his ripped body.

So the designers are tapped with making a holiday dress as a statement entrance to a holiday party while using the holiday decor. Alan is beyond thrilled with the challenge as he has used unconventional materials his whole life. He describes his low income upbringing and you have to just love on him.  It’s a 2 day challenge with only 10 minutes to grab their materials. Then 20 minutes to sketch and off to the workroom.  

Let the chaos begin! 

Victoria has no strategy as she thinks you can’t plan and grab at the same time.  Tyler exclaims that it feels like Black Friday at a Kmart somewhere in Ohio. Shavi is not crazy about the holidays.  Delvin is in HELL because he only designs couture clothing. Someone shrieks that they have a gash on their hand and then Brittany gets hit with a bloody nose.  She has to stop her grab bag effort to get help to stop her bleeding nose. She ends up losing out on lots of ribbon that she had envisioned as the core element of her design.  Sergio loves the challenge because he is all about upcycling and recycling in his business.

The designers head back to change for the workroom and are discussing amongst themselves.  Victoria plans to make a New Year’s Eve’s cocktail dress. Nancy loves the monogrammed stockings – as she points out that she hasn’t had a stocking like that since she was little.  She plans to make a 2 piece ensemble as it harkens back to how her mom bought holiday attire for their Christmas photo.  

I Can Always Find A Way To Bone!

Brittany shrieks when she realizes that they can not access some of the items at Mood such as boning – only to say “I can always find a way to bone”!!!!!  I think I will get a good quote each week from Britt! Alan loves Christmas because his dad always made it so special for him. Unfortunately, his dad was deported and he never got to say goodbye to him.  So he cherishes what he did at Christmas even more.

Another tear drops from my eye – I adore Alan as does my daughter. Tyler is having PTSD from Nina’s comment of “too costumey” from the last challenge. Marquise plans to create a Tina Turner meets Christmas party look.  Delvin is acting like a primadona as he can not deal with the noises that Nancy makes. Meanwhile, Nancy is breaking down some materials – I mean literally Delvin is saying he can not take it another more or he will have a stroke! Alan has too many decisions to make.

Here Comes Santa Claus!

And yes, Christian Siriano and Santa have reversed initials!  Of course! All the designers call Christian, Santa – so apropo.  Christian stops by Victoria’s first and sees that she is using the pillow fabric as her dress fabric?  Um???? Have you ever watched this show? This challenge in previous seasons? That is a big NO NO!!!!! Christian also points out to not just place the berry wreath over the model’s head to make it look like a capelet.  Get to work!

Brittany is literally picking berries while sporting a farmer style hat – she is very entertaining to me.  She has a lot of intricate design work ahead of her. Christian is excited but steps away quickly because she has a ton to do.  Tyler is still fixated on his costume concern. Christian points out that it’s the silhouette that lends itself to costume – so as long as the form is good – it should be no concern. 

Sergio is going for a Gone With The Wind petticoat made out of baskets and wrapping paper. Funny that he used GWTW reference as I used that description for his ball gown last week…He points out to Christian that the movement of his dress will be the feature and I don’t need your advice again, etc, etc, etc.  Christian then asks Sergio if he can be excused as if he is the student! LOL! I love me some Christian.

I Am Already Scared for My Boy In The Hat. ;(

Shavi is going to make a dark and romantic dress for the holidays.  It is a good design so Christian moves on. Delvin’s look makes you think of a tin man.  He starts to complain about Nancy’s noise making again. He can not stand the unconventional challenge.  Delvin is getting on my nerves and CJ Bomb is blowing up my phone with texts of Delvin this Delvin that…she is not happy to say the least. 

Alan has no strategy still. Christian is trying to help him make sense of his options as he has too many items in his grab bag. Christian says to create color buckets and eliminate down to one color and go from there.  Melanie loves how the precision designers have been thrown off their game. It’s time to go home and Alan has nothing on his model form and everyone is literally slap happy with glitter and ribbons from what Delvin coins as his arts and craft project….I mean, really?

Everyone Need MORE BACON IN THEIR LIVES!

Designers are up early with the lovely smells of bacon by Brittany – CJ Bomb would be right there by her side!  

In the workroom, Brittany figures out that she can not make the box pleats and she is getting quite emotionally frustrated with her ever growing limitations of her materials.  Sergio, who can have a good side, offers up his help if he finishes early. Delvin is all bah humbug. Alan starts to see a design. He has sheer cutouts from a teal ribbon and comes up with a very minimal boob coverage for his dress.  Oh no! Who remembers the pasties from last season? Was that Hester? Marquise is almost done – remember he has immunity. Brittany is not happy again and she literally is unraveling,

You Better WORK, Work It Girl

The models arrive and they say it looks like Pier 1 imploded in the workroom.  Alan is showing way too much boob. Brittany is really behind – she is in a horrible writers block moment.  Melanie is using corn husks. Dayoung is talking through her vision story of her design. Shavi’s berries dried up on his dress top and he literally has to switch gears and go with the next best option.  It’s wild watching how some embrace the obstacles and others just get mired in the mud.

Someone asks Dayoung how Christmas is celebrated in South Korea (thank you to the comment about Dayoung being from South Korea vs. China in my prior post).  She says it is treated almost like Valentine’s day. Alan has way too much skin showing. Geoff says that the only girl wearing Alan’s dress is at a strange party on drugs. Well, there you go!

TOO SHORT!

Chelsey is admiring all of the other designers but is really excited about the usage of her materials.  Tyler had to move his panels around because he saw that he had designed a candy cane dress and freaks out over the COSTUME effect again. In the process, he loses a bunch of hemline. Back at the penthouse, the designers are all sharing their anxieties. It ranges from Geoff who can’t get his glitter off to Sergio missing his partner.

Sleigh Time

Christian enters the workroom and heads over to Brittany.  Poor Brittany hates her skirt so she opts for a gathered skirt – It’s the oh shit moment of the episode.  Tyler’s dress is way too short and Christian freaks out!!!! It’s a bit too late to save him. Sergio is adding bells to the underside of his basket form.  Christian again acts like he is seeking advice from Sergio because Christian is always wrong when it comes to his advice to Sergio. Alan has either made a pair of fur boots by adding some of the unconventional materials or they were on the accessory wall.  Either way – it raises my eyebrows and Christian’s. Christian says to scale back on accessories with such statement boots.

Brittany.  Britt. Britt is working on Brittexit.

It’s down to the last 10 minutes of make it work before the looks leave for the runway…there is a lot of “oh no” being heard.  

Sergio’s look is a timeless silhouette.  It looks like you took the character out of The Nutcracker and placed it in a cocktail dress.  The bells are ringing and it’s a very demure look. I must say – it hit all the high notes for me.

Victoria’s design is very pretty but it’s obvious how patch like her usage of real fabrics from the pillows make up the bulk of her design.  I just don’t see a ton of creativity but I see a lot of leg so she is probably courting Karlie a bit.

Geoff played it safe.  I personally do not like the chevron pointing to the privates so I’m not won over by his design.  Geoff seems to have found his new mid-mood level which was expressly assigned to him last week by Brandon.  So I must commend him for that hidden effort.

Short Shift

Tyler, poor Tyler.  It’s almost good but not good enough.  It is way too short – he has hurt himself by losing the hemline because of his costume fears.  He can not get away from his nightmarequise has a Scottish tartan top with a frilly skirt – total fun, hip, young look.  It even looks wrapped up in a bow. He nailed it and he has immunity. I love those who get immunity and still try to win again vs. those who take the opportunity to do something lazy or completely wackadoodle.  

Alan’s model shows up like she is at a red carpet event at the Ice Hotel in Iceland – the garment is definitely not what the judges cared to see.

Delvin’s look is lame lameè.  I’m not even sure where the snowy material came from other than the pillow forms?  Not impressed.

Melanie’s corn husk usage was great but I didn’t see enough of a holiday effect to it.  

Shavi’s look appears as a Poinsettia dress to me – but in a good way.   Though it seems Elaine is not digging it.

Oh What About Thijin?

Chelsey has a classic short dress style.  The upcycled materials appear as a 3D stained glass window – I thought it was perfection.

Brittany’s construction was good in the top half  but not so much in the skirt. Her creativity options seemed to have diminished throughout the challenge.  I did not care for the cranberry waterfall. Brandon was the only judge who sided with me on that opinion.  

Nancy’s dress was made up of ribbons and created a really cool pattern.  She designed a cape and dress in record time though I do not see where the hammering project was utilized for this outfit.

Dayoung’s look reminds me a bit of the Frozen fairy princess – so I go a bit costume on it.  It was beautifully made but it just seemed more appropriate for a themed party or on stag.

Usually, I Am Not Sad About Being On The Bottom

My top 3 picks are Chelsey, Dayoung and Marquise.  I struggled with not selecting Sergio because he is so full of himself.  My bottom 3 are Tyler, Alan and Delvin.

I was off yet again!  The judges selected Sergio, Victoria and Shavi.  Sergio gets the win. I am not seeing eye to eye again with the Victoria selection.  I need to get some better readers apparently.

Brittany, Alan and Tyler get selected for the bottom and sweet, joyful and young Alan is asked to clean up his workspace.  My daughter is devastated.  

And Tyler, Nina threw out that costume judgement call again!  He will be besotted with the critique next week for sure!

Next episode airs in 2020…

Happy Holidays and Happy 2020!  CJ Bomb will be back from overseas by that time and we will hopefully be back to sitting on the couch sipping hot tea as we dive into our January resolutions.

TT Thanks you both for your fashion service. Apologies for having a rough day.