The Project Runway Rundown, V4.4

And we're off.

Sweet P is relieved that Carmen is gone instead of her. Can't say I blame her. Better anyone other than yourself.

Heidi brings out the winning and losing designer's models, female, not male. And now there are two losing models, so Jack gets to choose between three models or all of the models. He wants to change it up, so everyone comes out. Jack takes Ricky's model, and Ricky is not too happy about that. So, a model-switch ensues, with Ricky winding up with Jack's model.

Heidi tells the designers that Tim is waiting for them in the workroom with a guest...and that she has brought some friends with her as well, to help introduce them to their next challenge. For some reason, Sweet P thinks it has something to do with senior citizens. Hmm...

Nina is waiting for them with Tim, and they have a bunch of photographs of fashion don'ts from the years. Nina calls them fashion trends that are "out." They each have to select a trend before they reveal the challenge.

Jack chooses pleather, Victorya takes underwear as outerwear, Christian chooses the zoot suit, Rami chooses the poodle skirt, Kit takes fringe, Elisa selects cutouts, Jillian chooses overalls (because she is wearing overalls), Ricky goes with neon, Kevin selects 70's flair, Chris chooses shoulder pads, Steven grabs the dancewear, and that leaves Sweet P with the baggy sweater.

Nina informs them that they are working in teams of three, and they are creating three looks that incorporate all three of their outdated trends, in a way that is cohesive and works for today. And they are selecting their own teams. They have one minute to team up and get into teams of three. Some of the groups form based on chemistry, others based on trends. The teams have budgets of $225 and two days. They have one hour to sketch and then they will go shopping. And the teams must elect a leader during their hour of sketching time.

Chris is leading a team of Steven and Sweet P. Jillian is leading a team of Kevin and Rami. Ricky is leading the team of Elisa and Victorya...but Victorya seems to be taking the lead anyways. Christian is leading the team of Kit and Jack. Some teams are planning to incorporate all trends into all looks, while other teams are planning to tie their separate trends together through fabric and color choice. Interesting.

Chris is excited about being the group leader, to break away from his pigeonholed image of over the top. Ricky is trying to speak to Elisa in her language. It is all about the center. He made sense to her somehow. Whatever. She is still Rooty Tooty, to me. Jillian is not worried about Rami, but is very worried about Kevin for some reason.

On their second day, they are finding it "hard." Boo hoo. Steven is now the one doing Tim Gunn impersonations. He's not as good as Santino was. Ricky isn't happy with how Victorya is trying to micromanage him, when he is the team leader, and in that, she is not working on her own design. Tim sends their models in for a 30 minute fitting.

Victorya decides to change the concept of her garment without discussing it with her team, and Ricky is having a hard time with making all of the looks seem cohesive due to that. Jillian is still panicking about Kevin's garment. Rami is worried about time and vision.

Tim Gunn comes in to discuss things with the designers. He is worried about cohesion with Sweet P, Chris, and Steven's team. Steven's garment doesn't seem to fit with the rest of them. He tells Jillian's team to "make it work." Ricky's team isn't looking finished and refined to Tim. He is confused by them. Victorya is now asking Ricky why he wanted to be the team leader, and saying he hasn't fulfilled his responsibilities as such. Rami feels that Jillian did not micromanage enough as the leader of their team. Ricky says that this challenge was a disaster.

Runway day arrives. Jillian is nervous about Kevin, Rooty Tooty is concerned about their collection. Hee! They talked about going to Denny's for breakfast. Kevin is trying to pull a rabbit out of his ass. Tim sends in the models, and they have their typical two hours. Steven is concerned about Chris's jacket and wishes that Chris was concerned about it too. Ricky thinks that Victorya's garment is just "wrong!" Eventually, Victorya agrees that he knows what he is doing with lingerie. That's good, since that is his specialty. Kevin finally finishes his garments, even though it was last minute, and Jillian feels guilty for doubting him. Christian thinks their collection is fabulous and "ferosh." He is certainly always good for a soundbite, as he is never short of words.

Donna Karen is joining the usual suspects on the judging panel.

Jillian's team put all three trends into all three looks. Their first design has a flaired pant overall. I don't see poodle skirt there. The second look is a pair of denim shorts with a really cute print top. The final look is an overall denim poodle skirt.

Team Chris designed a long tan dress that is really simple and elegant topped by a gaudy jacket with shoulder pads. HUGE shoulder pads. The next outfit is a shorter dress in the same color pallete, kind of a sack of a dress, but its okay. The final look is a satiny wrap top in an off white with a sleek, slim black pant. I like it, but it doesn't seem to go with the other two.

Christian's team sent out a suit with a knee-length heavily pinstriped skirt, a neat black jacket, and a high necked blouse. It is an interesting look. I like it. The next look is a black legging with a boxy gray striped shirt that could be a dress. I hate the neckline on that thing. The final look is certainly the edgiest look of the three, with more prints and patterns, on a knee length pencil skirt, a cap sleeved blouse, and a tight fitted vest. Also a tie. All in blacks and grays. Nice overall look.

Team Ricky send out a short sleeveless dress in golds and magentas. It's pretty meh. Supposedly all three of their designs are in all of their garments, though I'm not sure that I see any of them in that first one. The second garment is a one-shouldered black garment with a stained glass effect at the top. Other than the fact that it is pretty boxy and too short, I really kind of like this. The final look is in those same horrid colors, and is a very similar dress to the first one. Ugh. Plus, it makes it look like the model has zero chest. The primary difference is the pleating in this skirt.

Heidi tells them that there was a clear winner. Jillian wins and her team is all safe. They are allowed to leave the runway. Team Christian is told that they can also leave the runway. Ricky and Chris's teams are at the bottom.

Chris's team is told that they should be in three different fashion shows, not one collection. Chris's outfit looks dated with the shoulder pads. He is questioned on how he could lead if he couldn't take care of himself.

With Ricky's team, they like Rooty Tooty's dress (as did I). They say his dress is the least well constructed. He says it is because he was spending so much time trying to lead his team. The judges can see that she was trying to run things instead of working as part of a team.

It comes down to the two team leaders. Chris is out, because his team's designs were not cohesive, and his look was the worst of the three. His design was not at all modernized or refreshed. That jacket was straight out of the 80's and needs to go back there. Sorry Chris. I've liked some of what he's done, but that was still over the top, like what he does in costume designing.

Looks like next week we will have some sort of "everyday woman" type challenge instead of using their normal models. Should be interesting.