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[Images via Bravo]
Last night's episode was notable for two reasons. One, we got to learn about Stella's boyfriend, Ratbones. And two, it marked a historic moment in Tivo-frightened product placement. For the first time, Project Runway contestants were asked to construct a look out of the products pushed by the show's corporate sponsor, Saturn. As in, the car company. As in, they made clothes out of cars.
Biggest surprise: Stella decides to "do something pretty." No grommets! Unfortunately, Stella's definition of "pretty" still looks like it's about to punch you in the face.
Worst attempted catchprase: Blayne might have called Tim Gunn "Loverface." That, or he just said "Love your face!" Either way is fine by us.
Feud of the week: Keith versus the judges. And his fellow contestants. And his model. And, pretty much, the world.
Most annoying contestant: Every time a challenge involves unusual materials, there's one designer who becomes so determined to make a garment that "doesn't look like it was made out of car parts" (or "vegetables," or "New Jersey's recycling") that he or she forgets the outfit also has to look good. This time it was Keith, who irritated everyone else in the workroom by obsessing out loud over how badly he needed to impress the judges, while constructed a totally unimpressive mini pencil skirt. At first we felt bad for him, but he lost our sympathy when he complained that his model had the audacity to sit down, therefore splitting her skirt. He also instructed her to "watch the breathing." Silly model: Skirts aren't for sitting! Or breathing in!
Best smackdown: Keith really shone in this episode. When season three contestant Laura Bennett (filling in for a mysteriously absent Nina Garcia) said his look had no concept, he replied “You should see my other stuff.” We missed Laura: Her "Excuse me?" was priceless. Keith informed her that he wasn't being judged so much as insulted. Ever astute, Michael Kors summarized the problem: "How insane for a designer, when something doesn’t work, to say 'The model and the critic ruined my garment'?”
This week's loser: Keith. Duh.
This week's winner: Leanne's tiny, hippy cocktail dress constructed, somehow, out of car seats.
Designers who cried:"I didn't want people to see my tears, but when it comes down to it, this is what fashion means to me," Keith says between absolute sobs. Crap. Now we feel guilty.
Designers who were robbed: Korto. Many of the designers used seatbelts, but she had the brilliant idea to weave them together and make a mod, swingy coat. Rachel Zoe even said she'd wear it. We do love Leanne, but Korto really blew us away on this one.
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