S17.E04: Survive in Style

[aquarian1]

Quote

The designers are whisked away for a camping trip and challenged to create survival chic looks; the work room, accessories wall and runway are moved to the woods where the designers must battle the elements in order to stay in the competition.

Original airdate: April 4, 2019

[Fellaway]

Okay, Show, I'm totally over the whole Marni... stylist... thing.  Honestly, I don't even look at the models except at the designs they're wearing.  Y'know, the thing the designers are making... that they're supposed to be judged on.  And this Christian/Marni visit seems particularly redundant.  She's not covering anything Christian isn't capable of covering.

Yeesh.  Styling...  I blame Gretchen.  She started it all.

P,S.  I know in the greater fashion world that styling has its place, but I strongly feel they've made too much of an issue of it for the design competition of PR.  Are they really gonna give a win to a lesser designer, just because their styling is better?  Oh, yeah.  Gretchen.  Asked and answered.

[chitowngirl]

Ok-I laughed when the music stopped when the model had hem issues, then the music started back up when she resumed walking. It’s the small details that show quality in the editing. Eta-I didn’t laugh because the model tripped. I laughed at the detail of the music stopping and starting. 

I liked Hester’s! And my boys are Scouters-Renee’s outfit is everything!

Edited April 5, 2019 by chitowngirl

[TexasGal]

Dang they look cold.

Ok, I actually like Hester’s this week.  What is happening?

[pinkandsparkly13]

Who wants to bet that Sonia is out? With the exception of a few, I always feel that older women on the show are among the first few eliminated every season. 

Oh I was wrong! I'm glad actually.

Edited April 5, 2019 by pinkandsparkly13

[Rhetorica]

I'm liking the no drama in this reboot.  The designers actually seem to like and respect each other.  The camping was an additional challenge this week.  I am not a camper! 

They kept Awful?  No...... 

[Ellaria Sand]

I usually enjoy the unconventional materials challenge but this time...I didn’t get it. Are tarps and sleeping bags really “unconventional?” Construction was crucial and there was some questionable construction in many of the looks.

Why did they have to sleep outdoors? Why was the runway outdoors? Everyone involved looked miserable. I would guess that this challenge took place in mid October. Living in NY, I can attest to the fact that the weather at that time of year is unpredictable.

I liked Hester’s look. I wasn’t wild about Renee’s with mugs and fanny packs attached to it but, again, I didn’t understand this challenge. I also liked Bishme’s look. It was impressive that Tessa weaved her own fabric but she basically made a vest.

Do not understand why Kovid was kept over Afa. Neither impressed in this challenge but, IMO, Kovid hasn’t demonstrated any real skill to date.

Edited April 5, 2019 by Ellaria Sand

[MerBearStare]

I HATED Renee's look. I have no idea why the judges loved it so much. When her model came out carrying that empty plastic jug, I was like, "It looks like she just has trash all over her." If TIm were still on this show, this would be one of the wins where he would say, "Are the judges smoking crack?"

I felt like Kovid should have been out over Afa. He's been in the bottom twice already, how many more chances does he get? 

[TexasGal]

I really thought Renee was on the bottom until they started gushing.  

I’m sad that Afa is gone but that look was really, really awful.

[Ashforth]

The only thing that could have made this unconventional materials + work outdoors + camp out in miserable weather crapfest worse would have been to make it a team challenge.

[Straycat80]

Really surprised at Hester. That was awesome, she should have won imo.  I liked a lot of the designs that were deemed safe.

Renee’s was literal but I guess that’s what the judges were looking for. I liked Afa, I felt bad for him, I thought Kovid or the other designer lady could have gone.

why was Brandon wearing sunglasses? It was cloudy and raining. I like that this group of designers get along so well and support and help each other. 

[Miracle Maxie]

This is the first judges’ decision that really felt producer-driven to me. Neither design was good, but keeping Kovid seemed to be purely for the drama they’re hoping he’ll bring in subsequent episodes. 

[Ashforth]

2 minutes ago, Miracle Maxie said:

This is the first judges’ decision that really felt producer-driven to me. Neither design was good, but keeping Kovid seemed to be purely for the drama they’re hoping he’ll bring in subsequent episodes. 

Agreed, his "poor me" stories have worn thin and his design sucked. He should have been eliminated and he obviously knew it.

Edited April 5, 2019 by Ashforth

[HappyDancex2]

Kovid's voice is straight up Jar Jar Binks.

[buttersister]

Kovid for the kill. Miracle Maxie for the win. 

[HappyDancex2]

I really liked the outdoor runway.   They really did a good job of it and the rain made it cool.  Why the designers had to camp outside was strange.  I kept wondering where they were going to the bathroom and getting makeup on over 2 days.

That model that was freezing is too damn skinny.  I don't think she looks good at all.  Very sickly.   

I wish they would have kept Afa because I want to see more of his designs.  I feel like I've seen the layered puffy clown suits of Kovid and I'm OK with it.  He has some good stuff, some bad stuff, some confused stuff but he needs to go.   That look when he goes back to the tent after he is declared safe was so DRAMATIC to me.  

I didn't realize they were going to take the survivalist aspect of the challenge so literally in this challenge.   There is no way those gowns would have won in those constraints....like Hester's.  Normally good for unconventional challenges but not this one.

[nb360]

2 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Kovid's voice is straight up Jar Jar Binks.

OMG, you’re right.

I’m also loving how the designers support each other. I hope this collegiality can be maintained for the entire season. 

I really loved the design with the darker model who was wearing some dark tights under the design, made of strings or thin ropes. Idon’t know the designer’s name but the model had a fuller figure and she looked great.

Who got the model that Renee and Nadine talked about last week?

[Plums]

Afa's look was bad, but Kovid's was GODAWFUL, it looked like clown clothes, and I'm upset that he was safe instead. I am so over his histrionic schtick and want him gone. And I was lulled into a false sense of doom for him because I totally thought he was getting the loser edit to Rakhan's winner edit when they showed Rakhan following Christian's advice and Kovid explicitly disregarding his advice, so that made it feel worse. 

I think Renee won because she's literally the only designer who tried to make survival clothes, lol. I guess I'll take Nina's word for it that it was well made, because I couldn't tell on my tv. If the challenge was solely to create fashion with the camping equipment and nature, without the survival element that everyone but Renee ignored, I think Hester no doubt wins again. She and Tessa have grown on me, ngl. I was surprised Hester did so well, tbh, and feel like kind of a jerk for assuming she wouldn't. And though I hated her look, I was super charmed by Tessa making a loom. 

I felt so bad for Sonia when her model tripped OMG. Like, she had her face in her hands and I did too, I could barely look. And then her dress coming apart during the judging, ugh. She had to be on the bottom just because you can't not be if your dress is coming apart and your model can't walk in it, but I think if it didn't have those issues it would have traded places with one if the safe designers. 

[HappyDancex2]

Oh and the judges looked like a mess.  Nina needs to get some Olaplex on her hair or it needs toned out.  Yikes.   Brandon was wearing sunglasses because he was hungover or lit.  

[HappyDancex2]

Also when Christian tells you to do something YOU SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER DOING IT IF YOU WANT TO STAY ON THIS SHOW!!!

Christian "Hey why don't you get the entire look on your model and trim the bottom so she can walk in it?"

Sonia "Nah."

Christian - eye roll

Model - trips

Me - eye roll.  Snicker.  eye roll.

[Kitty Redstone]

Wow.  I thought Afa would be there for a good long time and am sad to see him go.  While I would've given Kovid the auf, the rationale for the judges decision (that Afa didn't use enough of the materials and what he did use wasn't well done) at least made sense.  So many times over the course of this show I haven't understood the judges decisions, but this time I did.  Still. I wish Afa was was the one who was staying.  He's just flat-out more talented.

I liked Renee's look but also think that Hester should have won.  It's so weird that she comes off as sort of jerky in her talking heads but the other designers really do seem to like her. 

It didn't really make any sense for the designers to camp, but it was a fun episode.  I love that this group is so generally happy and supportive of one another.

I'm really loving Brandon and Christian.  Like some others have said, Marni isn't necessary.

ETA:  That cape that Karlie was wearing was beautiful.  Also, was Nadine's model from last week eliminated?

Edited April 5, 2019 by Kitty Redstone

[Fellaway]

1 hour ago, chitowngirl said:

It’s the small details that show quality in the editing.

::nods::  I don't know if they have the same editors now, as they did in the Lifetime seasons, but I will never forget, nor stop applauding, that cut to a needle flying into Ivy's face.  Perfect.  Timing.

I liked all three of the top designs, even Hester's.  I know!  Whodathunkit.  I liked Renee's, but it read costume to me, like something an actress would wear in a post-apocalyptic movie, rather than fashion, and since I thought fashion was the be-all to end-all on this show, I guess I'm not sure what the criteria were for this challenge.  Whatever, I was okay with her win, though I'd have given it to Rakan.

Very glad Sonia didn't go home, and I really didn't think she deserved to be in the bottom.  Very sad Afa went home.  Overall, I've liked his work better than Kovid's, and of their looks this week, I think Kovid's was the worst.  Really hated everything about it.  I just don't feel his aesthetic.

[Arkay]

Renees's outfit looked like a walking junkyard. I understand it was functional, but I don't think it was fashion. The judges loved Hester's even though it wasn't very functional, so I never understand what they want. I don't think they do, either. 

I really liked Afa and I wish he could have stayed, rather than Kovid. I feel for Kovid, that he had a rough background, but he's too manic pixie dream boy, and I've never liked anything he's done,

Was  that Bishme who started the chant about gloves and heat and something to eat? I thought that was cute, and the designers do seem to be getting along. 

Edited April 5, 2019 by Arkay

[njbchlover]

1 hour ago, Plums said:

Afa's look was bad, but Kovid's was GODAWFUL, it looked like clown clothes, and I'm upset that he was safe instead. I am so over his histrionic schtick and want him gone. And I was lulled into a false sense of doom for him because I totally thought he was getting the loser edit to Rakhan's winner edit when they showed Rakhan following Christian's advice and Kovid explicitly disregarding his advice, so that made it feel worse. 

I think Renee won because she's literally the only designer who tried to make survival clothes, lol. I guess I'll take Nina's word for it that it was well made, because I couldn't tell on my tv. If the challenge was solely to create fashion with the camping equipment and nature, without the survival element that everyone but Renee ignored, I think Hester no doubt wins again. She and Tessa have grown on me, ngl. I was surprised Hester did so well, tbh, and feel like kind of a jerk for assuming she wouldn't. And though I hated her look, I was super charmed by Tessa making a loom. 

I felt so bad for Sonia when her model tripped OMG. Like, she had her face in her hands and I did too, I could barely look. And then her dress coming apart during the judging, ugh. She had to be on the bottom just because you can't not be if your dress is coming apart and your model can't walk in it, but I think if it didn't have those issues it would have traded places with one if the safe designers. 

I agree with your entire post, but specifically about Sonia.  I felt horrible for her, more because I thought her dress looked better without the mylar overskirt.  I liked the camo stuff she used underneath - it looked like gathered leaves, and just flowed so much better.  I guess Sonia was trying to implement the "survivor" part of the challenge by using the mylar as an overskirt.

And, I was also hoping that Kovid would be eliminated over Afa.  Kovid and his endless stories about his upbringing are becoming tiresome - we get it - you had an extremely difficult childhood being so different from what your world expected.  I applaud that you have managed to rise above your challenges and are being youself, but we don't need to hear it every single week.  Aside from that, his garment was just awful, and made no sense.  

Afa went in a different direction, one he was comfortable with, and, while not perfection, his design at least had a more understandable "story" behind it.  And, I may be the only one, but I really enjoyed the flowers!  Plus, he just seems like such an upbeat (usually) and kind person, I was sad to see him go.

Edited April 5, 2019 by njbchlover

[HappyDancex2]

For everyone who was asking, Venny Etienne had the plus sized model from last week.  She was wearing a green tarp jacket with rings down the front and around the sleeves and her boobs were cleavage out.   They pretty much got no airtime other than the runway walk.

[Angeleyes]

I guess since Afa’s model was literally freezing he couldn’t sell it on the survival part. He should have used more material. It’s too bad because he seemed so likable. Afa’s model was the transgender model. Does this mean that she’s out of the competition too now? Kovid will definitely have to step up his game next week  I’m not sure how many more chances he will be given  

I was really thinking Hester was going to win this one. Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought the cultural appropriation argument was a bit much. Designers seek inspiration from everywhere and people of different cultures have always been inspired by each other. 

Renees design was the most functional, but certainly not the most attractive. I wouldn’t have called it fashionable. Good for her though. 

[HappyDancex2]

Garo Sparo's bungee dress with the movement was pretty cool.   And his black model is beautiful.   

Thumbs up for Tessa's weaving too.  That was pretty cool.  Hopefully she can do it again on a challenge where she can make a bit more fabric for herself.

The yellow leaf dress was stiff but still fantastic.   Yay Sebastian.

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, Ellaria Sand said:

Do not understand why Kovid was kept over Afa. Neither impressed in this challenge but, IMO, Kovid hasn’t demonstrated any real skill to date.

The only skill I saw was with his combover, and roughing it really took its toll.  I could see the bald part of his head waaaaay back from his forehead.

And speaking of, I just this episode took a careful look at Christian's hairdo, and I'd be shocked if he's not jinking around in the hairline department, too.  He's lucky he had the benefit of a hotel bathroom and mirror in order to arrange his.

[Fellaway]

6 minutes ago, Angeleyes said:

Afa’s model was the transgender model. Does this mean that she’s out of the competition too now?

I don't know how they're determining that this season, but Nadine's model was there this week, so it's not a certainty Afa's model will be out.

[nb360]

4 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Garo Sparo's bungee dress with the movement was pretty cool.   And his black model is beautiful.   

Yes, this was the dress I was thinking of before. It was beautiful and fit the model very well.

[mightysparrow]

I liked Hester's look but I liked it even more when John Galiano did it.

[mightysparrow]

Construction and basic sewing skills don't seem to count for much here.  There's been a lot of really bad sewing.  Kovid's outfit was literally coming apart at the seams. 

Afa was very sweet and didn't hold a non-stop pity party for himself.  Kovid should have taken his non-stop pity party home.

[violet and green]

Bizarre. I was certain from all the airtime and the would-usually-be-called-out in an unconventional materials challenge use of a tarp, being too like just using some cloth material, and then the completely literal interpretation of the challenge and the lack of style, Renee would be if not going home, on the bottom. It was so literal and clunky.

So sad for Afa. I was expecting him to be there for the long haul. Also sad for Mimi if that means she's out. I hope not. That is some fierce runway walk she's got going on, as Tyra would say.

I thought Hester won, again. I also thought the top two chap had one of the worst designs and should have been in the bottom along with Renee. So much crack being smoked by the judges! Plus, does no-one in fashion own a jumper, for god's sake. It wasn't that cold. 44 F/6 C. Pfft!

[Wandering Snark]

I've been over Kovid since he made his first appearance really, he's always on 11 and that is tiring. Every week he gets 5 minutes to talk about his horrible past and cry. Done. With. It. His little squeal of 'I get to meditate in the wOOOds!' is just one example of why I need him to tone down, a lot, or for someone to use some duct tape from this challenge to remedy the situation.

I actually would also have gone with Hester this time. To my own shock.

I felt the winner should have been in the bottom... there was certainly a lot of elements there and I didn't think it worked. At all. The hanging cup and all... yikes.

Afa, give a model a fish she'll eat for a day, give a model a fishing net and fishing lures and she can always have food. His different perspective on 'survival' was lost on the judges I guess. I'm sad to see him go, especially over Kovid.

I was impressed everyone was still in good humor after two days of sleeping in tents and working outside when it's in the low 40s.

[staphdude]

Not really much unconventional material in this challenge. They should require the use of at least 50% items that wouldn't normally be identified as fabric/cloth/ string. 

I  would have kept Afa and sent both Sonia and Kovind home. Afa made a survival outfit for a specific environment. That is perfectly reasonable considering they never said it had to be a Northeast, late autumn ensemble.

[HappyDancex2]

2 hours ago, MerBearStare said:

I HATED Renee's look. I have no idea why the judges loved it so much. When her model came out carrying that empty plastic jug, I was like, "It looks like she just has trash all over her." If TIm were still on this show, this would be one of the wins where he would say, "Are the judges smoking crack?"

I felt like Kovid should have been out over Afa. He's been in the bottom twice already, how many more chances does he get? 

When she came out holding that plastic jug I thought it was an appropriate urine bucket.  Ick.

Kovid is being kept because the producers want to enrage us.  He feels joy.   We don't.

[HappyDancex2]

I have an evergreen sap allergy.  That would have been unfortunate if the models were exposed to natural items that they were allergic to as well!  I don't trust those city slickers to know poison oak from maple leafs LOL

[roctavia]

Uh oh... I hope this is a fluke and not the judging going off the rails... I’m mostly ok with their top looks but definitively would have sent Kovid home for his mess.

imI also don’t get why they were giving Afa such a hard time about his model being cold. Hester’s look covered about the same amount of skin and there was a whole outfit that was just netting...   just because that specific model was cold shouldn’t have led to his aufing... not that it was a great outfit, but it had a story and some nice details behind it.

[Brookside]

I could have made one of these as a child.  Does that make me a designer?

Who takes a sewing machine when they go camping?

Why did Rakan draw a penis and balls on his model's leggings?

[h2ogirl]

Ugh. Kovid should’ve been gone last week if not this week. He was the weakest to me two weeks in a row. This week was particularly god-awful. Why the hell is he still on the show. Makes me angry. 

[HappyDancex2]

I loved the fact that when the model tripped the music cut out.....and then when they had her hold it and she started walking again the music cut back in.  Hahahahahaha that was so clever.  Plus 1 editors!

[HappyDancex2]

Upon the rewatch, Kovid's design is even more hideous the second time around.   The bungee cords that are hanging out of the sleeves that he is SO proud of look like when they rip the arms off a robot in a movie and the wires are hanging out before the robot's chip decelerates and it dies.  

[HappyDancex2]

9 hours ago, Brookside said:

Why did Rakan draw a penis and balls on his model's leggings?

What?????   I missed that.

 

I thought it was odd that all of the brand names of the winter coats were taped over.  That looked like Canada Goose on Nina and Rakan maybe Ralph Lauren?  I guess it's free advertising but it seems a little extreme.  I'm not going to go out and buy a scarf because Kovid is wearing Burberry ya know?

Perhaps Brandon should have outfitted the judges with coats?  That would have been a nice tie in.

Are we completely not going to talk about the fact that Brandon said he looked at Sonia's dress, declared he was starving and saw a kale salad and was craving a baked potato?  Anyone want to fight me on the fact that those sunglasses were hiding the hungover or lit Brandon?   Dude was junking out LOL

[Fellaway]

Watched the repeat because my cable kept cutting in and out on the first airing, and, oh, hey, there's Hester wearing a houndstooth head scarf.  Oh, wait, I mean gingham.  No, houndstooth.  Well... at least it's her favorite color... ☺️

Edited April 5, 2019 by Fellaway

[Brookside]

39 minutes ago, HappyDancex2 said:

What?????   I missed that.

The camera panned up the "look" at one point.  It was probably just my dirty little mind working overtime 🙂

Edited April 5, 2019 by Brookside

[GreyBunny]

I liked Afa’s a lot better than Renee’s. I get what he was going for, survival in the South Pacific. Her net dress could catch fish all day.

Renee’s was just a tarp with a belt and random crap hanging off of it. It looked like exactly what it was - a camping outfit done by someone who doesn’t know shit about camping.

I really liked Hester’s outfit. Using the carabiners to hold the skirt was my favorite bit.

The camping song was cute.

I think the rain was fake. It looked it came from a couple of hoses off camera to create fake weather drama.

[GaT]

I think Hester should have won, Renee's look was just strange, Hester's actually looked like fashion. I'm sad to see Afa go, I liked him.

[millennium]

2 hours ago, Wandering Snark said:

I've been over Kovid since he made his first appearance really, he's always on 11 and that is tiring. Every week he gets 5 minutes to talk about his horrible past and cry. Done. With. It. His little squeal of 'I get to meditate in the wOOOds!' is just one example of why I need him to tone down, a lot, or for someone to use some duct tape from this challenge to remedy the situation.

I hated Kovid's singsongy lament of "I'm a dainty lady so I can't carry all my things."   Speaks volumes about his image of women.

And with that, I think I must bid you all Auf wiedersehen after lo these many seasons of Project Runway.   I survived even Ashley Nell Tipton, but I don't wish to devote any more of my time on earth to a show that carries a fine-print disclaimer at the end informing viewers that winning and elimination decisions may be the result of consultations with the show producers and Bravo.

The judges seem to be figureheads only.   "Do we know who the winner is then?"   Yes, because the network and show probably decide who the finalists and/or winner will be at the outset of the season and everything else is just a long, choreographed charade to get to that pre-determined conclusion.  

We always suspected it was fake but now it's out there in white type for everyone to see.

Edited April 5, 2019 by millennium

[GaT]

1 hour ago, millennium said:

And with that, I think I must bid you all Auf wiedersehen after lo these many seasons of Project Runway.   I survived even Ashley Nell Tipton, but I don't wish to devote any more of my time on earth to a show that carries a fine-print disclaimer at the end informing viewers that winning and elimination decisions may be the result of consultations with the show producers and Bravo.

The judges seem to be figureheads only.   "Do we know who the winner is then?"   Yes, because the network and show probably decide who the finalists and/or winner will be at the outset of the season and everything else is just a long, choreographed charade to get to that pre-determined conclusion.  

We always suspected it was fake but now it's out there in white type for everyone to see.

That disclaimer has been there from the beginning. This is from 2006 when the show was originally on Bravo, & this post on Reddit is from 2014 when the show was on Lifetime (there's a link in the post to a screenshot with the disclaimer). A lot of reality competition shows have similar disclaimers.

[millennium]

10 minutes ago, GaT said:

That disclaimer has been there from the beginning. This is from 2006 when the show was originally on Bravo, & this post on Reddit is from 2014 when the show was on Lifetime (there's a link in the post to a screenshot with the disclaimer). A lot of reality competition shows have similar disclaimers.

thanks for the clarification.   i never noticed it before.   

now it all just seems like bullshit and contrived drama with a pre-packaged ending.   live and learn.