Project Runway Recap | Season 14, Episode 4

This felt like the first halfway normal challenge of this season.  No races to get fabrics, no unconventional materials, no teams.  Just a trip to Mood and off you go.  FINALLY!

This week the designers had to take an iconic fashion staple (i.e. the little black dress, jeans and a t-shirt, a business suit, etc.) and modernize them to their own aesthetic.  This was also the Mary Kay Challenge, so the designers got a special consultation with Mary Kay to complete their look.

My Top Three:

1.  Swapnil Shinde

This is SO GORGEOUS!  A little short for practicality, but I'm in love with the draping in the front and the straps that created the open back.  It's feminine and sexy and completely fits the theme of the challenge - he took a little black dress and made it new.  Plus I'll always go for a tomato shoe.  Umph.

2.  Blake Patterson

But Jordan, you HATE Blake!  But Jordan, you've been saying since week one that Blake should go home!  But Jordan, you have a VENDETTA AGAINST BLAKE!!!  Yeah, I know.  I must eat my words a teeny, tiny bit.  TO BE FAIR, I still don't like Blake's personality and I don't think he'll last long in the competition, especially considering he pulled this dress out of his butt at the eleventh hour.  That said, I can't argue with how great this is and I understand why the judges gave him the win.  It's a beautiful blue butterfly with intricate, never-seen-before strap details.  I can concede that it's a job well done.  OKAY?!?  Okay.

3.  Candace Cuoco

The fact that Candace made this look in one day absolutely kills me.  There are some puckering issues with the leather dress, but that's absolutely forgivable because it's a PIPED LEATHER DRESS with a MATCHING JACKET where the PIPING LINES UP WITH THE DRESS.  That's crazy town, and it's beautiful work.


My Bottom Three:

1.  Amanda Perna

This was a total disaster.  When you go to Mood for the first time and have all the fabrics of the world at your disposal, this is what you choose?!  I get that she was trying to create a modern version of the classic wrap dress, but it just looks like a poorly made version of a dress I might have thought was cool in sixth grade.  The choice in accessories  was awful and her execution wasn't great.  After being in the bottom several times in a row at this point, I'll be surprised if she lasts through next week.

2.  Gabrielle Arruda

From far away this doesn't look too bad, but I understand why the judges sent her home after seeing it up close.  The jacket is solid, but the dress was, as I believe Zach said, the most poorly constructed dress he's ever seen.  Seams were puckering, hemlines were cut like they were hacked up by children with safety scissors, and there really isn't an excuse for it at this level of competition.

3.  Jake Wall

When Jake initially presented his design as "the classic sports jersey, re-imagined as a dress," I knew he was in trouble.  You know what is already a sports jersey re-imagined as a dress?  An oversized sports jersey.  Little did I know that his "re-imagination" was making a PINK SEQUINED sports jersey.  It's straight up ugly, and even if it wasn't, it's too basic of a design to be at par with the rest of the designers.  I was shocked that he was safe and that he wasn't in the bottom.


So YOU WIN THIS ROUND, Blake.  We'll see how you do next time.

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All photos from mylifetime.com
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