Project Runway 9/4/14--"Priceless Runway" summary

Previously on Project Runway: Everyone had to pair up and make “unconventional” wedding dresses and reception outfits. Really this was only important because Korina said something to Amanda and then Amanda cried and then of course they were on a team together. Sean won again, with a top that Kini said he made. Char was eliminated, for listening to Sandhya and using a not-so-great yellow and also for poor construction. I like Char, but that dress was not good. Really it ended up being a boring episode for all that it was teams. Eh. (click for more)

Sandhya feels kind of responsible for Char being gone, because she is the one who picked out the yellow the judges hated. I think she feels bad, which is nice. Korina talks and laughs to Amanda, who is carefully ignoring her. Sean is now convinced he will go all the way to the end.

On the runway are lots of jewelry cases with expensive jewelry. Oh, I remember this challenge from the last time. It wasn’t very good because everyone made basic black dresses. Caroline Scheufele is here, the co-president of Chopard. They are apparently world famous jewelry people. They might be, I don’t know these things. So everyone will make an evening look to showcase some jewelry. Wow the judges! But you only get one day! Plus Caroline will be a guest judge. Sean gets to go first but then the velvet bag is next. Sean picks a huge necklace/earring combo but there are smaller things. Like, just hoop earrings and a cocktail ring.

As everyone leaves, Tim watches them go and then interviews that “something” is weighing heavily on him and he’s been up all night. Footage of Char’s elimination and that weird thing he said about how he would have saved her if it was several challenges from now. So Tim goes to the workroom and gives a gather ‘round. He’s actually visibly upset, and then he brings Char back into the workroom. They didn’t tell her anything, and then Tim says he missed Char so much he’s using his Tim Gunn Save. He’s crying and Char is crying and I’m touched. But why all the drama of waiting? Well…if they are still using the old shooting schedule, it’s actually the same day. So maybe he’s been thinking about it for a few hours and changed his mind. Maybe the producers didn’t want him to use it and he needed to convince them. I’m not sure. I’m glad, though, because I like Char. Of course the show ruins the moment by having EVERYONE interview about how the Save is gone and there’s no more safety net and blah blah.

Now it’s field trip time! There’s an exhibition of evening wear so Tim wants them to be inspired. These gowns are awesome. I’m not sure why this field trip is here unless there was weird behind-the-scenes things they needed time for. Mood is Mood but I am glad to see some colors. Korina picks out a “Southwestern” print in red and gray, which is nice but not “the most beautiful fabric I’ve ever seen” as Korina says. Sean and Samantha buy the same fabric, or close enough.

Amanda wants to make a sheer overdress and a jumpsuit. Yes. I’d laugh but: floor length fringe. Char says she can relate to Amanda because they both have second chances. Alexander has some “crinkle” taffeta which I’m hoping will not just look wrinkled. Samantha talks about how nervous she is and how she has the same color as Sean and her sudden screen time is suspicious. Kini worries about breast cups.

Tim Time! There are heart shapes in Amanda’s sheer thing. Tim says he doesn’t see hearts. Sigh. Char has a weird neckline and Tim is terrified it will be bridal. Fade has a weird silver band. Kini is trying to cover up the breast cups with draping. He needs to make the dress longer. Korina’s coat is dumb. In my opinion. She hasn’t lined up the print along the seams so that is a serious problem. Sean is putting shoulder pads in the hips of his gown? Alexander’s neckline is so high! And he has a necklace and Tim says his crinkle taffeta looks like a lava flow. Oops.

Sam is worried because she’s behind and her gown is not super exciting. Model fitting. Amanda has nothing. Kini is having serious bodice problems. Korina loves her coat even though the print still doesn’t line up. It’s upholstery fabric. She says so. Sean is mostly done. Kini really wants to win but his bust cups are still not that great. Korina has spent all her time on the coat but the dress is not finished at all. Amanda is terrified, but whatever: floor length fringe.

Runway day. Tim warns them that they are not approved to even touch the jewelry themselves. Heh. Alexander is hand-sewing things. Amanda’s sheer “jacket” is just a sheer thing and it has no structure and I don’t like Amanda so I’m not about to judge this fairly anyway. Korina is just throwing fabric on the dress form and making one seam. Kini has fit issues. Mainly those damn bust cups. Hot makeup guy Scott. Alexander sews his model into the dress. He’s also left pins in the hem, according to Kini.

Caroline from Chopard Jewelry is back to guest judge. Today’s winner gets immunity and then, no more immunity. Korina: long red and gray coat with a diamond-shaped Southwestern pattern. It is literally upholstery fabric. Under that is a very plain black dress with a high neck. The jewelry is many strands of black bugle beads, gathered with a big red gem and hanging down like a bolo tie. It’s a very dramatic coat, but yeah, the seams don’t line up perfectly and that is weird. Fade: dark blue cocktail dress with a halter neckline. The bodice comes up to a point and then there is thin silver trim that lines the top of the bodice and goes around her neck. The back is almost bustled, with a tail that doesn’t hit the ground. This goes with some earrings. It’s nice but really simple. Char: long white gown with a peplum. The peplum ruffle extends diagonally up to right underneath one armpit. The neckline is a high crew neck. Keyhole in the back and a train. She’s got a bracelet and some turquoise earrings so that works pretty well. Emily: red gown with a two-tiered skirt. The tiers are gathered, so it looks like a bubble hem that ends at her knee or just below, with another skirt underneath. The top is just a deep V, but the jewelry is a long chain necklace that drapes really well in the V. The back has some draping also, like a reverse cowl neck. I just don’t like that skirt. Samantha: navy ballgown with a strapless sweetheart neckline. There’s some fullness in the skirt but I’m not seeing a lot of detail. There are flaps? A train? Watch and ring.

Kini: white gown with a structured strapless bodice, and some sheer fabric draped across one shoulder (making a sleeve with a cuff and everything) and down into the skirt. It’s a miniskirt covered in sheer. The bust doesn’t look that great, but isn’t obviously terrible. Hoop earrings and a ring. Sandhya: short cocktail dress in a dark pink and purple print. The print is kind of geometric and makes rounded squares, if that makes sense. The dress has a boatneck and no sleeves, and a peplum in the pink color. The peplum runs around and down the sides of the skirt to make a tail. Small earrings and a big ruby ring. Sean: navy gown in a mermaid cut, with off-the-shoulder sleeves. You know, when you put rings of fabric and the model doesn’t look like she can lift her arms. His jewelry is a huge sapphire and diamond necklace like a sunburst, with matching earrings and a ring, I think. Amanda: black jumpsuit and a white sheer cover-up. The jumpsuit is close-fitting and has weird straps around her neck, and then the sheer thing is belted with a black belt. I mean…it’s sheer so you can see the seams and it just looks dumb. Plus the sheer piece fastens at her neck but nowhere else. This shows off a bracelet with hearts. Alexander: gray/blue gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline and a slim skirt. There’s a lot of draping and shaping so the wrinkles look like they’re on purpose. The necklace is a diamond collar with a big ruby and I feel like I want his dress to be half an inch lower. You can see the necklace but if she moves the wrong way I feel like the dress will cover it.

Fade, Emily, Char, and Sandhya are safe. Kini’s dress is clearly terrible when you see it up close. Well not all of it is terrible but the bust cups are not great. Heidi likes the rest of it though. Kini picked the wrong fabric. Nina says “beautiful but not well-executed”. Amanda admits she picked out the wrong fabric for the overdress. Heidi makes her guess if she’s in the top or bottom, which is annoying, because they don’t do that unless you’re in the top. Which she is, because OF COURSE. I hate this show. At least Zac says he hates it. Nina is pretending it’s elegant. UGH. Korina talks about her coat and Nina loves it. Upon closer inspection the dress underneath looks red maybe. I’m OK with liking this, moreso than stupid Amanda. Zac says it’s her best work so far. Alexander talks about his gown, and the shot they have of it, the top of the bodice obscures the pendant. See, that’s what I thought might happen. Zac says he never saw it. Nina hates it and says something about spin cycles. The back of the dress has weird loops. Alexander futzes with the dress but it isn’t working. Sam’s dress is so simple. The back, though, has some weird draping or butt flaps or something. Heidi says “design competition” a couple of times, which is stupid considering they felt Amanda’s catsuit and sheer bullshit were appropriate for diamonds and “evening wear”. Sean’s dress, which is just as simple, is lauded for his choice of color. I am dead serious. It’s the same color as Sam’s. Say Sam’s dress is not well-made or doesn’t go with her jewels or something. This is stupid. Sean’s gown is just as simple but fits better, but they are going on and on about the design.

Heidi admits Sam’s dress isn’t that bad but “she didn’t push herself”. Zac makes one tack to Alexander’s dress and they can see the necklace so now it’s much better. Kini tried to do something different and they seem somewhat forgiving. Amanda’s jumpsuit is somehow perfect. Also her sheer fabric was tricky, but she’s getting a free pass for that while they rolled their eyes at how dumb Sam was for using the fabric she did. And they blamed Kini for his fabric too. I hate this show. I also do not like Korina but I have to admit her coat is pretty great. The dress is black, not red, so it’s a black necklace on a black dress which isn’t that great of an idea. Everyone loves Sean’s dress which I don’t think is that interesting but it does fit perfectly. So there’s that.

Amanda is in. Korina is the winner. Yeah…I think I’m mostly OK with that. Sean is in. Kini is in. Alexander is in. Sam is out, which is dumb because I feel like they had the dumbest excuses. Say her dress had a weird flap on it, or it didn’t fit right, or something. Don’t say it doesn’t have “design” when you fell all over yourselves to praise Sean’s really simple dress. Tim comes in to tell Sam her dress was beautiful, which is nice of him. She seems happy to have been here.

Next week: that weird runway with artificial rain. So who knows.