NBC Takes Project Runway To The Olympics

by WindUpDoll

So this week Project Runway is taking the designers to the Olympics. Well, not really since they are starting tomorrow, and Project Runway was filmed months ago. But this week’s challenge is the ultimate fashion tie-in as the designers are challenged by Apolo Anton Ohno to design the outfits for the opening ceremonies for the Olympics.

Now, here’s the thing, I’m a huge Olympics opening ceremony fan. I love the cheese and pageantry. Daniel has never seen the opening ceremonies. I feel for the poor boy. He’s missing out on some good stuff. If you’ve been missing the Olympics opening ceremonies, you can relive some of the latest moments at ChannelGuideMag.com

Tanorexic — Blayne’s tanning bed withdrawal symptoms, as described by Jerell. Poor Blayne. He was driven by a tanning bed, and not given the chance to recharge his orange Michael Kors glow. He thinks he’s going to shrivel up by the time filming ends.

Stella’s thinking gladiator. Awesome. She thinks black is cool. Even at the Olympics opening ceremonies. She knows there’s a lot of bikers who watch the Olympics. Other designers laugh at her, but I think that she may be on the right track, as opposed to other designers who are going more ‘feminine’ or ‘glamour.’ Yeah, not so much for the Olympics.

Tim Gunn gives his sage advice to the designers. I get the feeling Tim would like to smack Blayne’s young, young butt. Blayne doesn’t know what Sergeant Pepper was. Or the Beatles, really, for that matter. He did watch Across the Universe, though. It brought the Beatles into the now. Holla atchya boy.

Jerell needs to tone down the Lucy Ricardo in his outfit. Jennifer needs to get out of the matronly vibe she’s in. Joe and Daniel get into an argument about who is using what machine. Daniel claims he’d been working on one machine and Daniel rethreaded it on him. Much whining ensues. Korto wants the group to graduate from high school & get to college right quick.

Model frenzy, model frenzy, model frenzy, and Jerell made a hat. Blayne calls it very Titanic, and I have to agree. So much retro for a very modern, very current event. Korto says she lives in ’08. It’s at this point I realize that Suede hasn’t been talking about Suede at all this episode. He doesn’t need to; others have been annoying enough.

Let’s start the show.

Where to start — there’s so much stuff that just would never work at all. The ’40s stuff, whatever Terri did to her model’s boobs in her outfit, and the poof skirt.

Suede, Kelli, Leanne, Stella, Keith, Blayne, Kenley are called out as the mediocre middle. They’re off the runway, leaving Terri, Joe, Jennifer, Korto, Daniel and Jerell.

Terri went with the jacket because that’s been done historically. The judges loved it. Jennifer talked about being inspired by a ’20s Olympic outfit. Nina thinks her model looks silly & completely not Olympic. Joe gets mostly high praise for his literal take. He also has sportswear experience, which gave him an edge.

There’s nothing athletic about Daniel’s outfit. Michael Kors thinks his model is from the Republic of Cocktailland. Korto’s white outfit, also very athletic, gets high praise, too. Jerell confused Nina Garcia. She’s seeing Mary Had a Little Lamb. The judges love his ideas, but what he designed was so not relevant to the challenge.

This was probably a very good challenge for this group of designers. It’s the first time most of these designers had to break out of their comfort zone. There’s a huge schism between those who could work with the challenge and those who couldn’t. Those who embraced sportswear, and those who stuck their fingers in their ears & say ‘La, la, la, I can’t hear you!’ until the runway show.

Michael Kors mentions that Daniel’s dress would be appropriate for an Olympic drinking athlete, but that’s about it.

Joe is in. Korto wins it. Terri is in. Jerell is in, leaving Jennifer and Daniel. Jennifer is stuck in the past, and so she gets the Auf Wiedersehen this week. She doesn’t think that her garment seemed stuck in the past. Oh, honey. She then mentions her surrealism. Huh? What is she talking about? What’s surreal about a shrug sweater and a little A-line dress? Anyone? Anyone?

Next week: Brooke Shields! She’s apparently a ‘powerful woman’ who needs some clothes. Whatever you say, Heidi.