Total garbage!

I watched Project Runway a day late because of problems with my DVR, so my apologies for not posting on it earlier. Of course, spoilers ahead:

I pretty much loved this episode until the end, at which point both Gobo and I were disgusted, with Gobo swearing off Runway forever.

First things first: the challenge involved the designers going to a recycling plant in New Jersey (and New Jersey was really at its ugliest the morning they drove out there) to get their supplies for the challenge: all recyclable materials. Everyone scrambled for a half hour to get their materials, then went to a crafts store where they had $25 to buy paints and other supplies, and then had one day (as opposed to the two days they have been given until this challenge) to design their outfits.

Generally, the designs were not that great, which is to be expected considering the materials the designers were working with. The worst? In my opinion, and the judge's, Alison's and Vincent's. Alison's made her model (called "zaftig" by Tim Gunn) look fat. Poor Alison spent most of her time working on a different design, but realized about four hours before deadline that it wasn't going to work, and so had to scramble to make something else. Vincent, on the other hand, never strayed from his "vision"--white paper covered with paint and embellishments. He called it "wearable art," but most everyone else just called it ugly. And what was going on with the black tank underneath the dress? Was it the model's own sports bra? Ugly.

The most disturbing aspect of Vincent's outfit? He continually said that it "got [him] off." Ew. And worse? Immediately after that, he said that it reminded him of a "child's drawring." (Yes, the extra r in drawing was purposeful, that's how he pronounces it.) So a child's drawing worn by a grown woman gets Vincent off? Somehow, I'm not surprised. But again, ew.

And so with Vincent and Alison in the bottom two, Alison was eliminated. And I understand that her design was truly unflattering. Of course, I also thought that an outfit like hers was something that the judges might like: it had a very sculptural feel and was definitely different--things the judges have liked in the past. More important, in my mind, was that Kayne had been in the bottom three and although the judges hated his design they cut him slack because of his past performances. Didn't Alison deserve the same? In episode one she was safe with a white minidress with a necklace hanging from the front. In episode two she worked with Jeffrey on a brown Miss Universe dress in multiple layers and fabrics that was neither the highest or lowest rated. In episode three (the dog episode), she was in the top three with her leather, silk and linen dress and jacket combo with matching leather outfit for the dog. In episode four, she and Jeffrey completed Keith's design after he was ousted, and despite the depleted manpower finished in the top two. In episode five, she was safe with her look for Farrah Fawcett, which was really quite cute. So to recap: twice in the top three, never in the bottom three until this last episode (the sixth).

On the other hand, Vincent has been in the bottom three a total of five out of six times (in the first challenge with that hideous dress with the straw pockets and straw hat with chains; in the second episode with the ill-fitting green Miss Universe dress with elfin-inspired sleeves which also showcased his complete inability to work with others when he ostracized Angela; in the fourth episode working with Robert and Kayne on the dress and ugly-jacket combo; last week with his Twiggy-inspired dress complete with tacky crescent-shaped pockets, an ugly plaid print, and a color-blocked bodice; and in this most recent episode). He has never been in the top three. He is clearly the least-talented of the remaining designers, whereas Alison really had potential. And his dress this week was legitimately bad (and Laura had a point that his model couldn't walk in it). I really would have gone another way with this decision.

As for the rest of the designs? Michael won, although I would have put him third, behind Jeffrey (who I would have put first, in large part because his dress did move) and Robert (who got almost no airtime but created what I thought was a kind of cute mylar dress). The dresses are posted here in the order in which I thought they should have finished.

Laura ended up in the top three again, but I have to agree with Jeffrey that her stuff is just getting really boring. I have already noted her tendency to repeat the same design (fur collar and cuffs in two outfits already), and this wasn't that different, with another low-cut neckline and high waist. The "For Nuts Only" print on the back of the skirt was a cute touch, but shouldn't have been enough to put her ahead of Robert in the top three.

I just don't understand how Vincent is still in this competition. Maybe next week is his week to go?