Project Runway – Season 10 Episode 9 – Recap – It's All About Me

On Project Runway season 10, episode 9, "It’s All About Me”  the designers were tasked with creating their own pattern, based on their own cultural history.  The designers also got a visit from Project Runway All-stars winner Mondo and some very special guests.

Last week, on Project Runway, the designers worked in teams to create a two look fall collection.  The team of Sonjia, Christopher & Gunnar overcame personality conflicts to win the challenge and Sonjia was declared the overall winner on the strength of her beautiful jacket.  The team of Dmitry, Alicia & Elena couldn't work together and ended up on the bottom.  Alicia failed to distinguish herself with her blah contribution to her team and was out.

In a fun moment early in the episode, Gunnar shared that he needs to win because he needs new boots and a boob job for his mama.  I hope his mama also wants that boob job or that could be a pretty awkward conversation.

Mondo, who won Project Runway All-stars, helped Tim introduce this week's challenge.  The challenge was to create  their own pattern, which needed to be influenced by the designer's own cultural heritage.  Mondo shared with them that this particular challenge changed his life.  Mondo designed a fabric inspired by his diagnosis as HIV positive in his first season on the show.

The designers would receive HP Ultrabooks to design their patterns with and Mondo got to plug a bag he designed for said Ultrabook.  The Ultrabooks, which all contained family photos, video, etc., were delivered to the designers by one of their loved ones, which had tears flowing all over the workroom.  The designers were all able to consult with their loved one and get inspiration regarding the cultural heritage aspect of the challenge.  The designers also received $100 to spend at Mood for extras to go with their created textiles.

Ven designed a pattern based on an Indian religious symbol - the hibiscus flower.  His pattern was basically just a white fabric with a purple flower.  Ven decided to use his print as an embellishment rather than the main fabric of his garment and was feeling very confident in his design, saying it would be "something you haven't seen before."   Dmitry thought Ven's print was the weakest and Ven's use of the print was lame.  Worse yet, Tim Gunn called Ven's design "an homage to a menstrual cycle" and thought the folded pattern looked like used Maxi pads.  Ouch! Ven was understandably upset by this and ended up starting all over and doing basically the same thing he always does.

Chris was struggling with the challenge because he "hates patterns."  Chris designed a ladybug inspired pattern because when his grandmother passed there were ladybugs everywhere.  Chris was generally stressing out and lost for the entire challenge.  Sonjia called him a "hot mess."  Gunnar compared Chris to a lost puppy and said he often feels Chris takes the easy way out.  Chris wasn't very impressed with everyone else's patterns either, saying they were all "kind of crazy."  In the end, Chris basically ended up covering up his entire pattern, even though he acknowledged that was probably a bad move in a pattern challenge.  Chris was not happy with his finished product at all.  I thought his finished product instantly evoked the "prom dress" comparison.

The designers got to spend the evening hanging out with their loved ones.  Some of the designers felt that seeing their love ones was just what they needed to recharge and refocus, while others, Chris and Sonjia in particular, worried that the visit would throw them off their game.  Melissa seemed to be stressing about disappointing her family.  Elena, however, said her mom brought her back to her happy place and that she usually isn't such a "bitch."  I'm not convinced.

In one of the more bizarre moments of the episode, Fabio revealed that his abstract pattern was a bunch of penises and vaginas and represented the "source of life."  I actually kind of liked his crazy pattern.  I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Gunnar was initially excited about the challenge and the chance to tell his personal story of his struggle with bullying as a child.  However, he had a lot of problems making anything of his pattern.  Several of the other designers remarked that they liked the pattern, but that Gunnar's jacket was a mess.  Chris noted that he really identified with Gunnar's story, because it was very similar to his own.  Awwww, a bonding moment!

Sonjia had some struggles getting the fit right on her pants and Ven called them "pajama pants," but Sonjia ended up being very pleased with the end result.  I thought her pants looked pretty cool as well.

The Judging:

The guest judges were past Project Runway winners Mondo and Anya!  The loved ones of the designers were all allowed to watch the runway show, though I hope they didn't stick around for the critique.

Top Three:

1. Melissa - the Polish flag is red and white and she grew up in a very large Polish family.  Her brother told her to remember that "blood is thicker than water," which inspired her design, which was meant to represent the family bloodlines all flowing together.

Michael - was surprised that Melissa "went to Park Ave" and gave them this different "up town girl."

Heidi - thought the front looks too much like wings and likes it a little edgier.  She wished Melissa would have injected a little more of her "coolness" into it.

Nina - said it looked chic and smart and a little sexy and had wide appeal.  She liked that Melissa tried something new.

Mondo - thought it was a "smart" design.  He thought the styling was a little predictable.

Anya - thought she could have pushed it a little bit further, but it was a "good job."

2. Dmitry - he is from Belarus and his whole family are artists.  He tried to put all his family emotions and feelings together to create a two dimensional illusion.  His pattern represented an ornament used on traditional Belarusian costumes.

Michael - said "you did what we are looking for."  He thought Dmitry stepped out of his comfort zone.

Mondo - said the take away piece was the jacket.  He criticized Dmitry for covering the pattern with the jacket in a pattern challenge.  He said it was done well, but over designed.

Heidi - thinks it is a nice print and the entire look is great.  She loved the back of the jacket and said she would buy it and that it's "crazy good."

Anya - loved how he took the print challenge a step further.  She thought it was "super smart" and "really powerful."

Nina - thought the jacket was "phenomenal."  She thought the most interesting thing was that the jacket was phenomenal because of the print, which made her happy, since it was a print challenge.  She advised him to work on his styling, saying that "less is more."

3.  Sonjia - wanted a print that read "tribal" and picked the colors red, white and blue because she's American and black, because she's black.

Heidi - said it's hard to make a giant print and make them pants and make it work, but that Sonjia succeeded.

Anya - thought the pattern was beautiful and she loved the black top, even though it was very simple.

Nina - loved the surprise of the draped back and thought it was young and chic and was wowed by it.

Mondo - thought it was one of the most successful looks.  He thought the pants were cut beautifully.

Michael - remarked that if that pattern wasn't done right it would have "looked like Pac-Man was eating her crotch."  He thought her attention to detail was really fantastic.

Bottom Three:

1.  Ven - he is originally from Guyana, which is in South America, but of Indian heritage.  He wanted to pick one flower that was really popular in the culture and keep the white to make it pop.

Heidi - said the model looked like  a Hawaian Airlines hostess, which isn't good in case you were wondering.  She thought it was one of the worst ones today.

Michael - told Ven "we know you can do this" and advised Ven that he needed to move on to the next thing.  He told Ven that he's not a fabric florist.

Nina - wanted to see him incorporate the pattern into the fabric manipulation and said the look showed that Ven didn't know what to do with the pattern.

Anya - thought the print was very simplistic and the dress was "three dresses in one."

Mondo - acknowledged that Ven has a "major skill set" and is really, really good, but said there was "such a disconnection" and called the dress "visually confusing."

2.  Gunnar - he was a victim of bullying in school and wanted to encompass the hands coming around and the bird flying away to represent his struggle with bullying.

Heidi - didn't understand it at all.  She thought it was not cool, modern or edgy and called it "bizarre."

Michael - said that the point was that it was supposed to be personal, but that Gunnar's pattern was not compelling and looked like a "sheet of bird postage stamps."  He added that the thought behind what Gunnar was trying to say was great.

Nina - said she got sadness from the print, rather than the "freedom."

Anya - said she kept thinking it read as "non-fashion."

Mondo - thought the print was very chaotic and busy and that the garment was boxy and read very junior.  He thought it looked crafty.

3.  Chris - designed a ladybug print, because it is their family mascot.

Heidi - thought it was "OK" and called it a very simple dress.

Anya - said you couldn't see how beautiful the pattern was, because it was covered up.  She didn't love the silhouette and thought it was a little "prom dress."

Nina - thought it was the most disappointing execution she has seen from Chris.

Mondo - thought he should have embraced that it was a print challenge and shown the print more.  He thought it was "over designed."

Michael - expected more from Chris.  He thought the print looked like upholstery.

Winner:  Dmitry - they loved the jacket and how he showed off the print and that he stepped out of his comfort zone

Out: Gunnar - they appreciated his message, but not his look.

Ven told the judges he wouldn't keep doing the same thing and Heidi warned him that he better not or he's out.  Gunnar and Chris made up before Gunnar left.  They hugged it out!

I was very happy with the winner this week.  I liked Dmitry's pattern and I loved what he did with the jacket.  It was really nice to see him step up and do something different not only from what he has done in the past, but from what everyone else was doing this week.

I actually thought Chris' look was the most boring, but I think he got something of a pass because he is usually much better.  I really wanted to see Ven go home.  His pattern was boring and he did the same technique he has done almost every week so far.

I have really come to love Gunnar as a person and am sad to see him go.  I think he probably doesn't quite have the skill set to hang with the top competitors in this competition, but I enjoyed his time on the series.  Good luck Gunnar!