Project Runway - Season 10 Episode 3 - Recap - Welcome Back (or not) to the Runway

In episode three of season ten on Project Runway, some special guests are welcomed back to the runway for a red carpet challenge. See who is In and who is Out in this week's recap.

Last week, on Project Runway, the designers had to create their looks using candy, and other items from a candy store.  Ven's stain glass window inspired design won him immunity, while Lantie's design didn't incorporate enough candy and bought her a ticket home.

For this week's challenge the designers will have to make a look that is "red carpet ready."  But, it wasn't just any red carpet look, they would need to design a red carpet look for the Emmys!  They also would be assigned a Lexus GS - product placement! - that they would have to incorporate the color of into their red carpet look.  The winning designer and client will get to attend this year's Emmys.

Each designer would be escorted to their special mystery red carpet client in their assigned Lexus.  The designers were placed in pairs for the challenge.

Buffi got paired up with Elena and neither of them were thrilled about it.  Ven also was not happy to get Fabio.  Chris was paired with Andrea, whom he felt he could learn from.  Gunnar was less than thrilled to get Kooan, due to Kooan's previous stint in the bottom three.  Melissa & Dmitry look to be a potential dream team.  Alicia & Raul are thrilled to be working together, as they both do men's wear.  Sonjia is paired with Nathan.

The special red carpet clients turn out to be past Project Runway contestants.  Chris' team gets last season's winner, Anya.  Alicia's team gets Mila.  Gunnar's team gets Irina.  Melissa's team gets April.  Sonjia's team gets Valerie.  Buffi's team gets Laura.  Ven's team gets Kenly.

Buffi & Elena are getting on well in the early going, but things quickly fall apart for them.  Elena is freaking out and being a major drama queen.  Buffi tries to calm her down, but that only upsets Elena more.  At one point Buffi threatens to walk out, but the other designers encourage her to just take over the project.  Everyone seems to think Elena is a psycho bitch, but she thinks she is just being tough.  Eventually they manage to get their act together and complete the dress, but Elena is still prepared to throw Buffi under the bus if need be.

Gunnar thinks Kooan is a weak partner and that his client is very hard to work with.  Neither he, Kooan, nor the client is very happy with the dress they produced.

Alicia and Raul are both very concerned about their ability to create an evening gown and neither is very happy with the end result.    Mila thinks their first effort looks too "day time" and asks them to add more drama.  Ven isn't happy with Fabio, because he feels he doesn't understand some of the basics, but both he and Fabio end up being pleased with their end product, though Sonjia thinks it looks like something you would wear to church, rather than the red carpet.

Dmitry & Melissa struggle with their difficult fabric choice, but are pleased with their finished product.  Buffi thinks the pair are a threat to win and their client is also very pleased with the dress.

Chris is like a deer caught in the headlights throughout this challenge and he is very upset with Andrea's slow work and flippant attitude.  However, he is too much of a wussypants puddin' britches to confront her about it, though that doesn't stop him from bitching about it behind her back.  Anya is concerned that their look shows too much skin.

It's runway time!  The guest judge is the star of ABC's Don't Trust the B in Apt 23, Krysten Ritter.

Results:

Top Two:

1. Ven & Fabio - they focused on clean lines and luxury

Heidi thinks it's fabulous and looks expensive.

Nina really likes it and loves the color.  She loves that they made it short.

Krysten thinks it is too short and a bit boring.

Michael thinks no one would rave about it on the red carpet, but likes that they held on to their asthetic while including Kenly's style.

Kenly loves it.

2. Gunnar & Kooan - Kooan was scared because "elegant" isn't in his comfort zone

Irina thinks the dress has a nice mix of comfort and elegance, but isn't impessed with the sewing skills.

Heidi thinks the dress is exciting to look at.

Nina likes the design and thinks many women could look great in it.

Krysten likes the high neck.

Michael likes the silhouette and thinks they understood their client.

Bottom Two:

1. Raul & Alicia - didn't think their execution was great, but loved it

Mila thinks there was major fit issues and thinks they should have played to their strengths and done something tailored.

Heidi thinks it is boring and has no sex appeal and hates the hair extensions.

Krysten thinks it is a missed opportunity.

Nina thinks the dress makes Mila look frumpy and looks like zero effort.

2. Chris & Andrea - going for minimalist and sophisticated

Chris thinks it's awful and poorly executed.

Heidi agrees that the execution is horrible.

Anya thinks they were too ambitious.

Nina thinks it looks dated and cliche.

Michael is very disappointed.

After each critique Heidi asks the pairs who they think should win/go home if their look is the top/bottom.

Both Ven & Fabio think they deserve to win, though Ven is much more adamant about it.  Kooan says there is no way he could have done a dress like that without Gunnar, so he thinks Gunnar should win.

Raul & Alicia try to dodge the question, saying it was a fifty, fifty effort from the start, but Heidi eventually brow beats them into confessing that the design and styling was mostly Raul's idea.  Chris completely throws Andrea under the bus, blaming her slow work and poor attitude for their failure.  Andrea says that they both made mistakes and that Chris didn't know how to do several things that held them up.  Chris gets very emotional about the whole thing.

Winner: Ven

Out: Raul

The next morning, Andrea appears to have left in the middle of the night.  To be continued!

Teaser for next week: bunches of people threatening to leave.

I didn't really agree with the winner this week.  I thought Ven & Fabio's look, looked very well made, but I didn't think it looked like something you would see on the red carpet. It looked more like a cocktail party dress to me, but what do I know!  I was very impressed with how professional Ven was and how much he listened to Kenly, even though he obviously has a very different aesthetic than her.

Personally, though it wasn't executed as well, I thought Melissa & Dmitry's look had the best combination of dramatic appeal and design quality.

I did agree that Alicia and Raul's look was the worst.  They should have gone with their strengths, instead of doing something neither of them had a passion for.  Raul didn't really make much of an impression on me and I like Alicia, so I was glad to see her make it to next week.