Project Runway Recap: It's Raining Product Placement

A curved display. How can we turn this into a challenge that totally has nothing to do with the display itself? Let's make it about rain!

I actually love this challenge, but the way PR tries to throw in product placement is a bit of a joke. I'd love some honesty here. “We can't keep having runways unless someone pays our bills. This challenge is sponsored by this curved display.” I could totally get behind that.

Anyway, a Rainway! I've actually been waiting for this since I saw it on the previews a while back. It's an avante guard challenge, which is fun, too. The contestants can make whatever they like. Create new shapes and designs.

Uh oh. Fade speaks. At first, I was scared. This can't be good. Wait, but maybe it's because he finally wins a challenge?

They have two days for this challenge. That's the longest time they've had so far to make a garment. While some of them aren't even taking the rain into account, others are trying to figure out how to make their garments interact with the rain. That seems like the best idea. Why ignore the fact that water is going to pour from the sky? It's pretty awesome. If I could design clothes, I would have made some kind of sculpture that allowed the water to cascade down the model's body. Like little cups that overturned and filled the one below!

Sean talks about this wacky yet genius idea of adding dye packets so when the rain hits the dress it transforms on the runway. I was so excited by this concept. He has some really innovative ideas. I hope he can pull it off.

Kini wants to repel the rain so he's making an upside-down umbrella dress.

Fade says he's uninspired, empty and stuck, but he'll experiment his ass off. Oh no, Fade! I can't panic. He has a dry sense of humor that I really like, and I'm frightened for him. Or maybe he'll pull it out at the end. That happens sometimes.

Sandhya is making a clown costume with pinwheels all over it. I like her pinwheel idea since it was almost the type of thing I was thinking about making. (you know, if I was a talented designer!) but that clown costume. Meh.

Korina's idea sounds better than what she's actually making. A thunderbird with wings that creates storms. Sounds badass, right? Not so much. It was sad, little floppy silver wings that looked like the outside of stickers when you remove the good part.

Amanda basically says, “What says rain to me? EYEBALLS!” Wha-?

I don't hate Amanda. I liked her for a bit but she's working my nerves a little. I picture this giggling maniac in her head saying “hm what can I get away with since the judges just ooze love over everything I do?”

Tim does his critiques. Emily is doing a hood on her garment. No surprise there. Emily loves a hood. Alexander is making a clear, plastic poncho. He also breathes through his mouth constantly, which irks me a lot. Char is making a big piece that almost wants to be structural but doesn't quite make it. Sandhya is confident with her clown jumpsuit, so Tim just waves her on. She doesn't want to hear anyone else's opinion. While I can appreciate when a person is confident, that smacks of arrogance to me. Korina seems to give up on her garment about halfway through it. Fade still seems lost. Sean gives Tim goosebumps. Kini also has a strong concept.

I really liked the excitement of this runway. It was definitely a show. Sean's was the most memorable to me because it was such a special moment. The model started twirling and the dye started to spread under the spray of the rain.

They didn't like Emily's outfit which they called cliché. She did have some outdated concepts in there. Nina yells “I'M SORRY!” It made me laugh for some reason. Nina talks trash about the designs, gets a little angry and yells that quite a bit. She's the only reason I mentioned Emily.

They didn't like Fade's look at all. I'm sad to see him go. I don't think he really got the recognition that his outfits deserved. Plus he wasn't over the top or dramatic enough for television.

They loved Sean and Kini so both won. Neither of them seemed angry about a co-win. I liked both outfits for different reasons. It might have been hard for me to choose a winner, too.

I'm sharing a video of the highlights this time because I wanted you all to see the transformation of that dye dress from Sean.