Finale Part I starts out on the runway … Heidi tells the designers tell them they each have $8,000 and five months to put together a collection of 12 pieces. Of course, either Chris or Rami will make it to fashion week. (Why is she carrying the black velvet bag?) Then it’s up to the apartment roof for champagne, where Christian breaks his “fierce” embargo. (Although, technically, the reunion episode was taped after this one, so we’ll cut him slack on this one.)

Three and a half months later, Tim Gunn starts his visits to the designers. First up, Christian, whose place is tiny! It used to be a closet, and he can’t even store his bed and his linens in the same place. We see photos of him working in a hair salon back in his teens and he looks exactly the same; the only nod to different eras is the changing accessories, like a bunch of gold chains for what I presume was his hip-hop phase.Re the clothing: Tim suggests Christian ask, “When does this not need something?” because a few of his outfits are a little excessive – a ginormous ruffled top with feathered pants. Tim says Christian needs to use his “editing eye” and “work hard, think harder.”

Then it’s on to Jillian, whose place is way bigger than Christian’s. She’s got a lot of coats and says she was inspired by the 15th-century armor from the art challenge. Tim says only that her “palette is a cloudy day.” I will point out she’s wearing a Fair Isle print sweater and formal shorts, over tights. I guess I should expect nothing less from a woman who was surprised to learn overalls were a fashion trend that had been retired for a reason. We go to meet her family, which lives on Long Island. Her dad wears a trucker cap, without irony, but they are incredibly proud and supportive. I also wonder whether they spent a lot of money sending her to a school where she lost the accent the rest of them have.

In Los Angeles, we learn that Rami’s mother was a Miss Jordan in the 1960s, before she died early. He talks about how his brother caught him in the bedroom, doing something he shouldn’t have, and ran down to tell their parents, while Rami freaked out about what he’d tell them. Oh, by the way, he was sketching. We see his studio – with his name on the streetfront! – where he’s got his designs inspired by … Joan of Arc. What is this about women and armor? Tim says he’s crazy about his first look but worries about the “heavy-duty effing coat.” I love how Tim Gunn just tried to drop an F-bomb. He suggests Rami try to “pull it back a bit.”

Then it’s back to New York – why did I assume Chris would live in L.A.? I wonder whether he would even fit in Christian’s space. He says his thing his “beauty with a quirk,” including using human hair as trim. Tim says that his gag reflex is kicking in. It’s crazy – on an aesthetic view it looks beautiful and shiny, but once you know what it is … you really do go, “Ew.” Tim says it might be OK to use it in small quantities but it’s like being in the monkey house at the zoo: At first you think how horrible it smells; after 20 minutes, you think, “It’s not so bad” and after an hour you’re used to it. And then someone new comes in and says, “Oh my God, this stinks!” and reminds you that no, this isn’t normal. “You’ve been living in the monkey house!” he says.

Then it’s off to visit some of Chris’ friends, one of which is living in a monkey house of a different sort – there’s some baroque, some rococo, a lot of gilt and whatever else can be squeezed into the place. “It’s Versailles, it’s the Sistine Chapel,” Tim says in amazement. Chris says something about how his brothers say they’re used to him, but the way he precedes it with “Yeah, he walks down the street in drag, yeah, he’s on TV, we’re used to it,” makes it sound like they’re kind of embarrassed or exasperated.

And that’s when I realize we never met any of Christian’s family or friends, which makes me a little sad. Maybe he doesn’t have any? Or maybe he didn’t want to share the spotlight? Or maybe they wouldn’t fit in that apartment. Whatever: When I think of him working under those constraints, instead of, say, a giant studio, it makes me appreciate his finished pieces more.

The designers reunite five days before fashion week, and Jillian and Christian room together. If that had been Kevin, would they have shacked him up with her? Nearby are Rami and Chris, who swing by. Instead of the Moet they stock when Heidi’s around, they settle for Bud Light. Christian doesn’t look like he drinks Bud Light very often.

The next day, there are only three tables: One of the designers is going home, and it will not be whoever designed Jillian’s gigantic tumor-snood of a hat. They’ve got three hours to fit the models and get everything ready; although Tim tells them to avail themselves of anything on the Bluefly wall, it looks like they brought their own shoes.

Rami picks three thematically different pieces, while Chris goes for three in the same color palette – which I think was his downfall. That doesn’t show versatility! (And he didn’t include my favorite look, either!) Their aesthetic differences continue at hair and makeup: Rami wants clean ponytails and emphasis on the eye, while Chris opts for “dark and strange.”

Heidi shows up wearing … vinyl leggings? … under a minidress, under a jacket. It’s very ‘80s redux, and it reminds me of a suburban mom trying to cop a little Pat Benatar look.

The judges say that Chris’ “dark glamour goth” pieces are beautifully crafted but overly designed. Marcia can hardly walk in his long gown, which Michael Kors calls “a velvet condom.” But one of the dresses has a section that’s made entirely of black chrome safety pins, and they say the work that went into it is remarkable (even as Nina Garcia says “it can go overboard. Why do the designers never heed the words of Tim?).Rami’s sleeveless dress draws the most kudos – Michael says it looks effortless – but his coat not so much: There’s a high collar, a capelet sleeve, odd cuffs … too much! His elaborate gown – as Nina says, a “fantasy dress” – is beautiful but there are panels on the hips that distract.

Rami is in, which means Chris is out.

Back in the workroom, Chris is sanguine about it. Of his ouster, he says, “You know what, Tim? This has happened before.” And he goes upstairs to clean out his workroom … and we end with – what else? – that delightful demonic laugh.

ammit

WHAT SAM WORE: 2/27/08
The shirt: Long-sleeved cotton crewneck sweater (Banana Republic) I figure I’ve got a few weeks left with long-sleeved sweaters, so I’m gonna milk it for all it’s worth. Plus, I sit under the A/C vent.
The pants: Khakis by Chip and Pepper (I made my annual pilgrimage to Last Chance last weekend.)
The shoes: Suede trainers by Puma (Last Chance)
The scent: Mentha Body Lotion by C.O. Bigelow (Bath & Body Works) I’ve been fighting a cold so spraying on cologne isn’t anything I’m concerned about, but this tube sits on my desk and it’s part of my sitting-down-at-my-desk routine.

sammit

Posted in: Project Runway |

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.