It’s episode 10 of this season, and Ken has almost gone home at least that many times. Maybe tonight will finally be the lucky night that his bad attitude and mediocre talent are finally sent packing.
Superfans Invade NY
Things start of a bit differently this week with Tim Gunn telling us all about the Project Runway superfans who were all invited to come to New York to be a part of this challenge (no one asked me!). Well I guess, they all submitted video auditions online that displayed why they loved Project Runway so much and why they were in need of a makeover.
The eight women who were chosen are obviously ridiculously thrilled to be in New York, at Parsons, meeting Tim Gunn. Then Tim brings them to the work room to meet the designers.
This week’s challenge is for each of the designers to give one of the superfans a makeover look that includes a creation of their own as well as input from the L’Oreal consultants for new hair and makeup. They have a suggested budget of $200-$400.
The designers all spend some time sketching with their supefans, the partnerships had been randomly selected at a previous time ala button bag. Then they head off to Mood where their clients help them pick out the fabrics for their looks and pet Swatch a little.
“Real” Women
The designers keep referring to this challenge as the “real women challenge” because we all know that those twiggy little fashion models are all actually alien pod imposters.
Ken let his fan, Susie, talk him into this difficult green fabric while they were at Mood and he almost instantly regrets it. Good. Hopefully the judges hate it and he gets sent home this week (whoops, is my anti-Ken bias showing?).
Jamie is the superfan all of the designers wanted to work with, because she is tall and skinny and in the most desperate need of a makeover. But Helen is the lucky one paired up with her. She wants to design something super sleek and sexy for her to make her feel more fabulous and less like a wallflower. To top it off, the people at L’Oreal gave her a great short Anne Hathaway haircut.
Justin’s fan, Tristen, is a Mormon who has lost over 100 pounds. So Justin wants to give her something she feels confident and sexy in, but while maintaining her modesty.
The fan that Alexandria is working with is named Stephanie and she’s a 20-year-old looking for an outfit that she can wear when she starts looking for jobs. But she’s also an artist so she wants to still express herself. Tim warns Alexandria that she should make sure she makes Stephanie look “mature” but not “old.”
Bradon is working in black for the first time during the competition. He’s worried that his fan Jennifer is already too beautiful for the challenge and the judges won’t recognize much of a transformation. But Jennifer wants to look very edgy and “New York” and Tim really likes what Bradon is making.
Kate’s fan’s name is Altagracia and she’s a mother of five. Kate wants to make something sassy for her and she’s really getting into the spirit of the challenge. Kate, more than anyone, is really thrilled to be designing for a real client instead of a hypothetical one, and she’s really making it a priority to make her fan happy.
Alexander may have bit off more than he could chew with his look for his fan Andrea. She wants a dress suit she can wear to work at the office but still be fashionable. Both him and Tim fear that he won’t have enough time to complete his vision.
Tim is also worried about the water color fabric that Dom chose for her client Jane-Sarah, because he said that that kind of palette doesn’t work very well on anyone over a size 10.
Roomie Meltdown
After the end of the exhausting first day of the challenge, Alexander and Bradon have to pack up their things and move in with Ken and Justin. No one is really happy about the situation, especially, you guessed it, Ken, who is very reluctant to share his living space.
His face is completely covered in a white skin cream mask and he is ironing a pair of denim cut-offs (maybe he’s a never-nude?) in the doorway when Alexander and Bradon come into the room. Alexander is nice at first, telling him he needs to move, but Ken goes on ironing like no one is even standing there. He finally finishes ironing his cut-offs and Alexander, who is completely out of patience, shoves Ken’s iron angrily to the ground as he enters the room, saying that he “can bring the drama too, girl.”
That sets Ken off. He starts yelling at Alexander and then at the producers who try to step in and calm him down. He screams at them that he is not calming down and that he is not changing his “f***ing living situation for no one.” Bradon and Alexander scurry back to their rooms.
The next day, Tim approaches Ken, having seen the tape and tells him his behavior was unacceptable, but so was Alexander’s. He brings Ken to the rest of the designers to all have a discussion about what happened.
Neither Alexander or Ken manage an apology, but they agree to just put the incident behind them. And Tim tells them that Justin, Alexander and Bradon will be sharing a room together to give Ken the space he needs. Tim also tells Ken that he is concerned about how his anger issues will effect him and those around him.
Makeover the Runway
Unfortunately for the fans they don’t get to meet Ms. Nina Garcia, who is normally among the judges being fierce. But they do get to meet cutie Zac Posen, and fashion experts Zanna Robertson and Erin Fetherston.
All of the fans are thrilled to be walking down the runway, but Susie (Ken’s client) and Jamie (Helen’s client) work the runway the best. Jamie even manages to make a little trip at the end of her walk seem cute and endearing.
Top
Helen- Of course the judges are completely wowed by Jamie’s transformation. And they love the sleek dark navy red-carpet dress that Helen made for her. Everyone loves the color and the fit and they appreciate the way the garment made Jamie feel sexy and confident.
Bradon- Heidi loved the fact that Bradon created something that could make Jennifer feel great as both a day look (with the vest) and an evening look (without the vest, obviously). Zanna does complain that she wished the detail on the dress was leather to match the vest instead of a the plastic-like strips he adorned the skirt with. Zac disagrees, saying if it were all leather it may not have popped as much.
Justin- Justin incorporated Tristen’s signature with white thread on her dress, which the judges really admired. Heidi said that she had never seen anything quite like it. They also appreciate that he designed for her new body (even going as far as to make her an undergarment that would conceal excess skin) and for her religion while still making it fashion-forward.
Bottom
Alexander- Zac notices right away that the piece is unfinished. Erin does appreciate the look he was going for, but points out that he failed in execution. Heidi hates the color blocking and the black flap on the back that was meant to be there to liven the look up.
Ken- While everyone enjoyed Susie’s runway walk, no one likes the actual garment. Heidi points out the terrible color and the lay of the leather lines that are both unflattering. Zac says it’s poorly finished and poorly fit and that Susie is better than the dress.
Alexandria- Tim’s worries about Alexandria creating a look that seems too old have come true. No one thinks the look is age appropriate on Stephanie and Zac even thinks the waistband on the skirt looks like maternity wear.
The judges decide that Helen is the winner of the challenge, and it’s hard to argue with such a serious transformation, even though I’m still pulling for Justin to win a challenge.
And finally, FINALLY, they decide that it’s time for Ken to go home back where he can have all the space he needs to iron his denim cut-offs.
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(Image courtesy of Lifetime)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
