So another week of Project Runway, and another week of drama and mean guy behaviour. This week’s challenge is to make a look that transitions from normal light to black light. It’s a tie in with an eyeware that transitions from bright light to low light. Because, marketing.
There is a hokey reveal with Heidi and Tim pulling a novelty sized light switch, but the cool part of this challenge is that designers are given a handheld black light to take to Mood. And now that I know they exist, I want a handheld blacklight. I have no idea what I would use it for, but I want it.
So the designers head to mood and find material to make their looks. And there are some people who embrace it. Erin has a neat idea of sweet in the light, slutty in black light, Roberi has fabric that creates a cool effect and Dexter is all about the fringe. Others are floundering. Kimber due to her patterns and Brik due to his desire not to be in the bottom again.
Tim does the rounds, giving some very necessary feedback to Jenni, Cornelius, Kimber, Brik, and Mah-Jing. Jenni and Mah-Jing scrap looks and restart. Jenni has a particularly hard time of it, making four different pieces in a day, which itself deserves a win. (Ask me how long it took to make one pj pants.) Cornelius goes for spray painting emojis, and is a little cynical about it. He is also not content to let his talent speak for itself, but instead starts to get his claws out for Erin and Nathalia. The other designers are aware of what’s going on, with my fave Alex referring to him as Lady Cornelius from the Land of Shade.
So Runway time, and the looks are here, there and everywhere.
Brik’s is BORING, but the judges think he’s safe.
Also safe, and bizarre, Lawrence, who had an AMAZING coat, but took advantage of her immunity by clothing the lower half of the model in a handkerchief, something Alex alluded to earlier in the show.
So our top three.
Jenni’s struggling comes up with a cool plastic coat and skirt, which she handpaints. And it looks cool, although not as cool as Dexter’s fringe. I wouldn’t wear it, but I see why it caught their attention.
Cornelius manage to stop throwing shade long enough to make the emoji dress. The judges are in love with its surprise, although Brik went with the same surprise, white dress, under black light, colours! Now, I admit, Cornelius stepping gleefully into the villain role has ruined my opinion of or interest in his designs, but my favourite comment about the look was Alex’s “What no poop emoji?”
And the winner is Erin. Again. She has now won the best 2 out of 3, which I think means she gets to pick first at the next Project Runway kickball game. In all seriousness, the look is cute in the light. I really liked the pattern she made. In blacklight, it is supposed to be slutty, but it is the same thing, just radioactive.
Bottom three:
Rik’s look didn’t thrill me in the light, but under blacklight, I kind of liked it. According to the judges, this means my taste in fashion is dated and questionable. But he is not bad enough to be in the bottom two.
Poor Mah-Jing. He was all weepy and stressed this episode, being away from his family on Father’s Day. Which I am certain the producers made sure to prompt the contestants to remind him of. This affects his design, which is sad, sad, sad. He would have been better to have painted a design on the dress, rather than splash it with paint so it resembles a dropcloth.
But it is Kimber who gets to pack her needles and go, with a dress with a print that could have been a shawl your grandma made. She seems to think it pops under blacklight, but it does not, and the puff paint seems to do nothing. Judge Zach likes the print, which I’m sure caused Nina to question his taste level, given the look on her face when this outfit came down the runway. But Kimber things it’s awesome and the judges do not like this lack of contrition.
So Kimber goes home with her head held high. And Cornelius keeps throwing shade at Erin, but Erin is having none of it.
Oh, ominous previews for next week, including an audible gulp.
But seriously, have you seen the fringe?
