'Project Runway': Oktoberfest moments

Call it the "anti-bridal" challenge: Last night on "Project Runway" the contestants were faced with nine women all in wedding dresses.  The task? To turn the gowns of the women, who were recent divorcees, into "hip, cool" outfits for their new stage in life.  So the plum choices weren't the women with the best figures or the chic-est gowns but the women who had the fullest gowns, as the designers weren't able to buy more than two yards of fabric at Mood.  Shirin Askari was faced with the biggest obstacle: how to make something out of a minimalist gown while trying to please Charlie, her gregarious client, who wanted to look like "Half-Breed" Cher.

Tim Gunn to the rescue! He was in fine form last night, comforting a crying Shirin as she contemplated her task and advising her to work more for herself than her client, who wouldn't be sent home if the challenge went awry. I also like the way he said "I'm worried" about Christopher Straub's shiny bubble dress (which I actually thought went over a little bit better than the judges thought), his tone with Logan Neitzel: "Logan, just figure this out" (he didn't) and the look on Tim's face when Irina revealed that the gown she was working with was 100% acetate. 

It seemed clear from the get-go that Gordana Gelhausen's dress would come out nicely: she shortened it and dyed it a pretty lavender color and feathered the edges and seams along the body of the dress.  You knew that Christopher would be in trouble because he was feeling "really confident" in his design (that's how he felt last week) and Nicolas Putvinski admitted that he thought his outfit, which looked neither hip nor cool, was "one of the most hideous things I've ever made." "I love you, I want to have your child," his client nonetheless told him and they both laughed nervously. 

On the runway, I actually didn't care for Irina's design as much as the judges later did: I liked the color but the short lace fluttery sleeves were a little matronly for me.  Shirin's dress did look like a simple white shift but her creative stitching in black thread made it a little more interesting.  I actually felt bad for Logan's model: The wool pants he made were poorly crafted and unflattering, not to mention the "Oktoberfest" bustier-type top that was equally unflattering but, worse, to me seemed to have nothing to do with the pants.  Rodney Epperson also got taken to task for a similarly German-looking outfit, with a fitted bodice and flowing top but I didn't think it was as big a disaster as Logan's outfit.  In the end the judges sent Epperson home, which I thought was a shame: I think he's done more in the competition compared to Logan, and while Epperson's outfit was a mess, I didn't think it was nearly as big a disaster as Logan's. At least the judges got it right and handed Gordana the win, however.  While one of the elder statesmen of the show got sent home, at least one of its other more "mature" contestants got some recognition.

--Claire Zulkey

Photo: "Project Runway" contestant Gordana Gehlhausen; Credit: Lifetime

Comments

[Kim]

NOT Epperson! I think he should have been forgiven this mess because he's had consistantly strong designs whereas Logan's failed to impress me he seems still immature in his design.

[sassiebrat]

I stopped watching this show the first season I watched (season 2). These judges are in the fashion industry? I have no idea why they picked the winner they did. His outfits were AWFUL! We are all in trouble!

[Mister]

Epperson was one of the strongest designers on the show. Why was he dismissed? I do not understand those judges. I just don't get it period. Well, I will no longer watch the program because of far too many questionable decisions by its judges. I mean, come on! One constructs a trash bag dress and the other makes badly designed pants and top. Then, Epperson gets the hatchet. Please!

[singpretty]

Worst elimination, ever! Ep's dress was nowhere near as hideous as Logan's, Nicholas' or Christopher's. The divorced models even thought he would win with it. You just know that Ep would bring it in the future. Logan & Nicholas, "zzzzzzz"

On the other hand, yay to Gordana for getting some appreciation and huge props to Shahrin for creating something lovely from that mess of a dress!

[agreenan]

I think the judges might have a problem with African Americans. 2 hideous bubble dresses in a row should have gotten Christopher kicked off instead of Epperson.

[Tomi]

The only reason Logan did not get sent home is because he is cute. Epperson's dress was clearly better than what Logan sent down the runway.

[david Slavin]

Oh yes Agreenan, it absolutely must be the color of their skin. I can see Michael Kors looking at logans' and Eppersons' dresses and saying "well they're both pretty bad , but Eppersons' skin color is much darker than logan's so I'm gonna vote for him." How stupid!

[Dolly]

Epperson's dress was ugly, but it was not the ugliest. I think he was sent home because he did not understand the assignment.

[kana]

Epperson shouldn't have been in the bottom three at all- Nicolas' outfit was a WRECK and barely seemed to include the wedding dress. This was a very disappointing episode in what's shaping up to be a really awful season.

[Betts]

I completely agree with Claire. I thought Gordana made the best outfit - and I've often disagreed with their choices of best outpit of the group. I also think that Logan should have been sacked and Epperson allowed to continue. Logan's outfit was clearly much worse than Epperson's - I can't imagine anyone else in the universe wearing it. Nicholas' outfit was equally awful, and it's almost a shame that he made it through based on his immunity because he's frankly too catty for anyone to work with in real life. There was an early episode where the contestants worked in pairs and were told how important it was to be able to work well with others in the fashion industry. Who would want to work with Nicholas since he is so negative?

[Betts]

PLEASE don't pull out the race card on this one - that's ridiculous. The judges have made bad decisions in the past when choosing how should lose, so it's completely unfair to say that this was because of racial prejudice.

[Dan]

Yes, I didn't understand how the picked the bottom three or the bottom one. But I don't think Epperson was going to win overall, he had a young family at home, and he had demonstrated talent in earlier episodes. He had, in a previous episode said he was missing his little ones pretty badly, and I think he was pretty much at peace going home. Seemed like a very classy guy all in all.

[Deby]

Thank heavens Epperson is gone, I don't think he has come up with anything I've liked, and his attitude drives me nuts.

[yourfather in heaven]

i have no comment today

[omar]

I might be going out on a limb here, but just listen. This particular episode seemed to glamorize divorce as a sort of freeing, life-changing (in a good way) experience, etc *(not something that literally tears families and lives apart). Like something to be proud of. Then the winner (she did deserve it) of the week was a divorcee herself while the person they kick off was the good hearted 'family man' of the show. Some might say I'm reading too much into this, but did anyone else notice that? Are the producers of this show subtley yet purposely injecting their values into this really popular show?
Also, everyone should be aware that its not just the judges who choose who wins during each competition but the producers of the show also have a say. It says so in the credits. That really doesnt make it a competition based on merit anymore, but sort of a mix in which they consider which contestant draws better ratings. I guess Epperson didnt fit the bill for these people. Shameful, such a talented guy.. Christopher truly should have been sent home if the competition was merit-based.

[Adeola Oluwamakinde]

I have never posted a comment on the computer before but when I saw this last episode of Project Runway, I was shocked and outraged. I was screaming at the television. How in the world could Eperson be sent home over so many blunders by some of the other designers? The one that outraged me the most was Christopher. He made a tin foil looking, trash bag dress. I really don't care that; due to Heidi's country of origin, she associated the dress with Octoberfest! The fact is that there were other outfits that completely missed the mark simply based on, "basic tailoring". Chistopher cryed tears last week, so I thought that if he didn't bring it this week, that he would definitly be out. My mistake! My only consilation is that those designers that are bad, will eventually face that same fate. I just wish it had happened during this last episode. Project Runway, you sent home the wrong person!