Project Runway: Love Your Faces!

Every Thursday, we recap the previous night’s Project Runway. This week, we get closer to the finale as another two contestants bite the dust. By Betsy Lowther

Comments () | Published September 11, 2008

And we’re back! This week’s show promised to start trimming down the remaining contestants two at a time. Thank goodness—tomorrow is the actual Project Runway finale at Bryant Park (and we’ll be attending—whoo!), which means news of the final four will soon be all over the Web faster than you can say “spoiler alert.” Last week, Terri  offered a “Peace out, Stella!” to the ousted contestant. Then she added, “Will I miss Stella? No.” Yeah, neither will we.

Kenley, on the other hand, began what will eventually become a torrent of annoyingly confident statements about her ability to win the show. For someone who seemed to be a producer’s favorite for so long, she sure has become really unbearable—or has been edited to look really unbearable. It’s hard to tell. She does, however, still have really great hair.
 
We’re off to the runway. Surprise—the eliminated designers are back! Awkward! They’re going to pair the ousted designers with those still in the competition, which seems a little mean to those still in the running. Um, weren’t the others eliminated for a reason? Because they just weren’t very good? Hardly the type of people you’d want to work with for a crucial challenge.
 
Tim Gunn informs the group that they’ll be designing an avant-garde look inspired by astrology, which we find kind of weird. Like a ram? Or twins? Or crabs? He whips out a bag of oversize buttons—you know how we love those silly buttons—and starts matching everyone up.

Terri states, “If I’m paired with Keith, it’s not going to be pretty.” And then she’s paired with . . . Keith! He appears to still be crying over his elimination two episodes ago. We did feel really bad when he had to go home, but enough is enough. He tells Terri, rather tearily, “Just be gentle with me right now, okay? I’m kind of fragile.”

Thus begins the Terri-Keith saga, punctuated only by Kenley crowing about how good she is. “Kenley is insanely overconfident about her design,” Leanimal observes quietly. Leanne definitely doesn’t strike us as the type to talk smack about someone unless it’s really warranted, so we have to agree. Go team Leanimal! Kenley digs herself even deeper into a hole when she starts arguing with Tim over whether or not her piece is “Glinda the Good Witch.” Oh, Kenley. You don’t mess with our Tim!
 
Meanwhile, Terri and Keith continue to duke it out. When Tim turns his nose up at their hideous fur-adorned golden dress, Keith claims, “I tried to give you something that was more higher-end and cheek.” Um, Keith, it’s pronounced “sheek.” And no one calls him out on that? Finally, Keith leaves to take a nap in the lounge, saying Terri can “defend her lion” by herself. Growl.

The designers all head to the planetarium, where they’re greeted by Heidi, a slew of past-season contestants, and a lot of bubbly. Slightly drunk designers trying to explain their avant-garde designs are pretty funny! The former contestants cast their ballots for their favorite picks and then swill some more booze.

And we’re off to the runway! Well, almost all of us are—Tim has to seek out Keith, who’s napping in the lounge and misses the announcement. It’s pretty clear from the runway show that the designers either nailed it or didn’t. Korto’s purple-blue gown is gorgeous. Leanimal knocks it out of the park again with a futuristic exoskeletal piece. Even Goatee Joe, who desperately needs a haircut and a stylist, manages to pull this one off.
At the bottom of the heap,, an ultradefensive Kenley bristles when Michael Kors suggests her design is very Dolce & Gabbana. Suede, looking more than a little exhausted, starts rambling in the third person about his very tame, almost mother-of-the-bride-esque dress, prompting Michael Kors to comment, “It’s not the ‘I need to make this and put it in a department store challenge.’ ”
 
In the end, Jerell is named the winner. Wow, we didn’t see that one coming. I mean, seriously? With that plaid maxi-skirt and those feathery sleeves? Hmmm. The elimination side is fraught with tension, and both Blayne and Terri are sent packing. Tim says, “No one’s more sorry to see you go, Blayne.” Except, perhaps, us. We are actually really disappointed to see him go. He heads out with a cheerful “Bye guys! Love your faces!”

And so we move on. Next week: Kenley mouths off! Jerell wears a plant on his head! Suede looks ready to keel over at any moment! We’re down to the wire, and it’s getting good.

What did you think of this episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! 

Read last week’s recap here, and check back next Thursday for Betsy’s Project Runway recap.

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