Project Runway Behind the Scenes: Kimberly Goldson's Winning Challenge

The winning look would not only work for Garcia's days at the office and nights at industry events, it would also stop people in the streets as the outfit she'd wear in Marie Claire's first major ad campaign on New York City's ubiquitous yellow taxis. "I wanted something tailored and streamlined," Garcia says — a request that's in keeping with her fondness for classic silhouettes and clean neutral tones. "But at the same time, it had to be something that, when I walked into a room, would make people say, 'Wow, who is she wearing?'"

In the end, "who" would be Kimberly Goldson, who designed an asymmetrical brocade top and sleek pants that inched past Viktor Luna's all-black ensemble for the win. "The biggest challenge was to give Nina something she hasn't seen before," the 35-year-old design rookie says. "But my clothes really suit her. I feel like Nina is someone who could actually be my client." Even with her hawk's eye for detail and finishing, Garcia tends to agree. "She makes a mean pant," Garcia says. "Her pants are phenomenal — she uses expensive, special fabrics and manages to make the butt look great."

Whether or not Goldson makes it to the show's finale at Lincoln Center remains to be seen. (She marks the mohawked Anya Ayoung-Chee as her stiffest competition.) For now, she's just thrilled to have Garcia's vote of confidence. Win or lose, "Kimberly's going to be the designer who will always offer you that little something special," Garcia says. "It's never going to be humdrum" — or worse yet, boring.