Major spoiler alert here, friends. If you do not want to know about the Project Runway finale, which taped last Friday here in NYC, then read no further. Consider yourself warned.
Okay. So at said finale taping (pictured), 10 designers showed collections. No, that’s not a typo. Ten. Really. As in one more than nine and one less than 11. Obviously, since only five episodes had aired by the time Fashion Week rolled around, Lifetime did not want to spoil, oh, two-thirds of the season by only allowing three finalists (and maybe a decoy or two) to present in the tents. So lest they repeat the major downer that was last year’s finale show — when three collections marched down the catwalk anonymously — the network gave 10 designers a chance to shine.
That was odd enough. I was there (sitting next to Carol Hannah, lucky me!) and had a helluva time trying to keep track of 100-plus looks. It was sorta overwhelming. And not just for me, apparently. Somewhere around the seventh collection, a woman two seats down from me shook her head and said she was “numb.” Of course, there’s also the bigger issue of diluting the honor of the Bryant Park experience by allowing so many contestants to take their bow in front of the crowd.
But the really weird thing? As of last Friday, 11 designers, not 10, were left in the lineup. And here’s where I issue another spoiler alert. (Flee! Flee, all ye spoiler-averse!) Everyone still standing in the competition on February 12 showed a line except Maya. I was shocked. Confused. I like Maya and think she’s got real chops. So what did her glaring absence mean? The obvious answer was that she would be kicked off on tonight’s episode. But the idea that Janeane (who was among the anointed 10) outlasted Maya made me want to weep. Just like Janeane!
We’ll find out tonight if Maya committed a fashion blunder major enough to get auf’d. As for the final collections themselves, I was most impressed by Jay, Mila, and Anthony. (I especially love this.) The blogosphere is pretty keen on Seth Aaron, but I’m mixed on him—especially due to stuff like this. (Also: He said he was inspired by German and Russian military from the 1940s. So… Hitler and Stalin? Tell me that’s not what he meant.) Sadly, I was underwhelmed by Amy, whom I’m enjoying so very much on the show. This humpback turtle dress is just tragique. And for this alone, Jonathan should have been ejected from the tents immediately.
What do you think, PopWatchers? Are 10 finalists just about six too many? And, to paraphrase Santino Rice by way of Tim Gunn, What happened to Maya? Be sure to check back here tomorrow morning for my recap of tonight’s show.
Haven’t they always had more than the three show at Bryant Park? I agree, 10 is a bit much (what is it with having 10 nominees lately!?), and it does dilute the significance of being able to show at Bryant Park. What I want to know is does PR furnish the 7 other lines with money? Hrmmm….
No, but a few seasons ago, I think they let Sweet Pea and Chris March show, even though they had been eliminated.
Actually, using decoys has been going on since Season 1 when they let Austin Scarlett show a collection. PR has always had a problem with their air schedule vs. Fashion Week time frame.
It doesn’t mean that Maya is out tonight. It just means she isn’t in the final 3. Maybe due to personal reasons she couldn’t show instead of PR not thinking properly that there are 11 left on the show instead of 10.
She showed her collection in Boston during their fashion week (same time) for Haiti relief.
I didn’t notice models of the runway models in all the shows… of course, some of the makeup choices made it hard to tell. but i wonder if you can narrow down the field to the finalists by seeing who did or did not use those models.
Well, one of the ways to tell might be the models used – sorry, but some of the designers used some busted up broke down girls – and I would think the actual finalists would have first dibs on the good models. I think Anthony, Mila and Emilio all had strong looks.
I was thinking the same thing about the models! I was like, good God, who chose these girls?!
What the H*ll are those shoes that Amy’s models are wearing? Barf-o-Rama!!!
i just looked at anthony’s designs. i can see lots of the hollywood party/it/fame-hoing people wear a lot of his stuff. i love his personality so much i hope he does well in the competition
I’ll be watching the Olympics so this was a “lost” episode for me anyway.
based on those photos, jay and anthony have the most impressive collections. still not a big mila fan, she can design but there is something very 1980 sears catalogue about her finished product.
Emilio and Jonathan = FAIL!! Huge letdowns.
OK, looked at the others and it honestly looks like everyone was a HUGE letdown other than Jay, Anthony and Seth Aaron. Amy, Jonathan, Ben and Emilio have been my favorite (with Jay) and I was sorely disappointed with all their collections. So sad that their collections didnt live up to the potential we’ve seen on the show.
I don’t care for Seth Aaron’s collection at all.