Last night was another new episode of Project Runway season 8. And boy, this was one of the most dramatic episodes they’ve had all season. (Which is saying a lot.) Our final six are: Gretchen Jones, Christopher Collins, Michael Costello, Andy South, and April Johnston. That’s four males and just two females!

As we began this episode I must tell you that I did not think that Christopher Collins or Michael Costello belonged there. Christopher ha always designed very boring things, and Michal C. is a really annoying person with no taste and a very odd-shaped head (which doesn’t matter, I just really dislike him!) Valerie Mayen should, especially, not have been eliminated in the previous challenge. And it’s such a same that she was, because the challenge this week as to design active wear, and Valerie would have rocked that!

The client: Heidi Klum. And Heidi’s picky because she can be. Plus, the look (which ended up being looks – as in 3) would be sold as part of her collection for New Balance on Amazon.com. The designers needed to step back and see themselves as DESIGNERS, and work with the material provided. But they were able to buy other fabrics, and many of them decided to cut off their nose to spite their face by designing without thinking of what the client wanted. Quite frankly, that was very dumb. It was about the design of the garments and how they could be re-made for thousands to fit in with an existing collection, not about what colors and fabrics you personally wanted.

The designers got help when eliminated designers returned. That brought drama. I’m not sure why people volunteer to return. Do they get paid? Do they just want more exposure? If I was eliminated, I’d be upset. The one former contestant that couldn’t contain her bitterness was Ivy Higa, who openly accused Michael Costello of cheating. And what’s interesting is that they nothing was explained to us very well, but Michael knew exactly what challenge and what Ivy said he’d done. Later we found out that it had to do with Michael having his model go into the womens room and use double sided sticky tape to make the garment fit on her better. Michael said that the model used fake breasts and attached them with the material. We learned that after the challenge, Ivy and others told the producer’s what happened but they said it was too late.

Tim came in, and he said it indeed was to late. I don’t know if this was Tim’s opinion, or if he was just relaying what the producer’s wanted him to say. I don’t think there should be a statute of eliminations of when you can discover or illuminate cheating on a competition! But we’re told that the past was the past. I personally think Michael Costello cheated, and they should have had that same model put on that outfit and see if it fit her the same way as it did on the runway. I’m betting it wouldn’t have.

But everyone’s a fan of Michael  – at least, the judges are. And Heidi is. We’re seeing more of Heidi Klums personality, and I’m not finding her very likable. She liked Michael C’s initial designs because they were basically just copies of what she already had. Then she joked with him about how an eliminated designer (Ivy) had said he couldn’t sew but she wasn’t even here anymore. It wasn’t an insightful comment, it was a catty dig.

It was funny to see Gretchen tell the camera how Heidi’s active wear line really didn’t look active at all. And it doesn’t. What’s interesting is that the line is fro New Balance, but no New Balance shoes were provided to wear on the runway. Instead, the models were all in heels! Ridiculous.

The top three: Andy South, Mondo Guerra, April Johnson

Winner: Andy South

My thoughts: I liked Mondo’s stuff a smidge better, but Andy’s stuff will  sell better on Amazon. And April… she used all black and her stuff was interesting, but not really activewear, and nothing that would fit with Heidi’s collection. I like April’s work, but not as what I would personally wear. I thought she styled everything very well, at least. I would wear pieces from Andy or Mondo’s collection. I wouldn’t wear the headbands Mondo made, but I love that he made them!

The bottom three: Gretchen Jones, Michael Costello, Christopher Collins

Eliminated: Christopher Collins

My thoughts: Gretchen is obsessed with over-the-knee tan suede boots, ugh. (She was wearing them.) I didn’t really like anything she made all that much.  Costello has no taste. He had one dress that could have been cute if he didn’t belt it. Collins made boring stuff I would expect to see in a teen section of a K-Mart, with the exception of his dress which I kind of liked.

P.S. Surprise, surprise. If you visit Amazon.com today you’ll see a big advertisement for HKNB Heidi Klum for New Balance.

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