Austin Scarlett on Episode 11 of Project Runway

Missed an episode of Project Runway? Be sure to catch up on all the drama and fashion as your favorite winners and finalists from past seasons blog their way through season six.

Recapping the 11th episode is season one favorite Austin Scarlett. Be sure to check out Austin's website, austinscarlett.com!

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

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As we begin to approach the finals, most every designer still in the competition has had at least one winning design. In a unique stroke of brilliance, the producers of the show have presented the designers with, what I feel to be one of the best challenge concepts ever. Using one of his or her top outfits so far, each designer is asked to create a companion look to compliment their previous success. Now this was a challenge that required the contestants to take a long hard look into the mirror of their design souls. Unfortunately in this episode a few of those mirrors seemed to crack.

With 6 contestants left, and the pressure beginning to build, stress began to manifest itself quickly into the form of catty one liners around the workroom. To paraphrase Norma Desmond, in my day we didn’t need lines, we had talent then.

While Logan’s collar did look an awful like Athea’s earlier design, lets just say people living in glass houses.

With Halloween upon us, why don’t we go right ahead and sink our fangs into the runway looks. To begin with, I disagreed with the judges on both the winning and losing designs. While I really liked Althea’s pants, I felt the fashionable shape of the pants was completely overwhelmed by her huge grey sweater thing.

Speaking of huge sweater things, Irena’s cries of design plagiarism on the runway were unprofessional, unattractive and unfounded. Its not like she invented the idea of wearing a big fuzzy blanket. Snuggie anyone? I already have mine in red and leopard print. Generally I found Irena’s look to be very Donna Karen 1995, and pared with her Aspen look, just to much camel and faux fur for my taste.

While I found Nick Verrioses quip about the look reminding him of a Russian trophy wife accurate, I’m not sure if I would take that as a complement. The best design this week I thought was Carroll Hanna’s. Her little black cocktail dress was both young and flirty yet chic and sophisticated, if not incredibly creative.

Also I felt It complimented her earlier inspiration evening gown well, I could see a real collection beginning to take shape in the two pieces. Throughought the design process, however she seemed a bit indecisive and I questioned the amount of Tim’s input. Did he cross the line between critique and design input by suggesting she layer the black over the chartreuse organza?

I agreed with the judges on Gordanas’s design, just a little dated and somewhat uniform like. I also basically agreed with the comments about Logan’s dress. Cocktail waitress on the planet Vulcan? Go-Go vampire of Carniby Street? Either way the look was a Halloween costume right out of the made-in-china plastic bag.

While Logan’s dress was a costume I think a lot of girls would actually wear to fulfill their sexy sci- fi fantasies, I cant imagine anyone wanting to wear Christopher’s 30 yard monstrosity even on Halloween. It looked like a ice-cream cone one of Heidi’s kids dropped and left melting on the runway. Now don’t get me wrong, I of all people go into uncontrollable fits of glee at the mere mention of the word ball gown. The unwieldy rag-bag Christopher’s poor model had to drag down the runway has no place calling itself anything of the sort. A ballgown should float with lightness of a cloud, not do double duty as a street mop. There was just too much heavy material at the bottom, and the flimsy ill fitting top looked as thought it could barely support the weight underneath. I think I did better at age 6 playing Cinderella with my sisters using the tablecloth as drapery. On top of it all the dress was essentially the exact same design as his inspiration piece. For those reasons I felt Christopher’s design was worst of all.

All in all I was rather disappointed with the Runway offerings this episode. It is such a shame to considering what potential the challenge seemed to offer. I was just a little bored, and at this point wish there was at least a provocative point of view like someone such as Malvin might have been able to provide.

With Bryant Park looming ever closer will the designers be able to step up their game enough to give a good show? I guess we’ll all have to wait and see…

Always,
Austin Scarlett