Last night was the first half of the always dramatic Project Runway finale, and those of you smart enough to actually skip over spoilers got something of a controversial surprise towards the end. We always love when Tim Gunn visits each designer’s home to opine on their collections and spend time with the famillies (Tim Gunn + Turtle Poop = Billion-dollar Comedy Franchise). Yesterday proved that we might have the wealthiest finalists yet – from Laura’s huge New York loft/Discovery Zone (”Do places like that exist?” we wondered from the bottom of an Ikea-furnished well) to Michael’s cozy Atlanta abode to Uli’s beach retreat and Jeff’s lovely L.A. townhouse.
But we’re here for the clothes. And while photos surfaced from the Olympus Fashion Week runway shows a few weeks ago, our opinions changed last night upon seeing the garments up close. Laura’s collection delivered no new surprises, other than that hideous green ruffle-coat that belonged on the mother-of-the-bride at some Renaissance Wedding somewhere. The grey-sequined-gown/yellow-belt dress remained the definition of elegance. Uli’s dresses looked less fabulous on the hangers than on the models, and poor, sweet “Braceface” (as Michael insisted he be called) really missed the boat entirely, with a collection better suited for Beyonce at the gynecologist than the real world.
After the jump, our thoughts on the Laura/Jeffrey debacle… and we want to know what you think!
No, what really stood out for us was how beautiful Jeffrey’s collection was. Those leather pants? Drop dead. That sequined shirt? Stunning. And the Tim Burton-esque dress with zipper seams? We’d marry a carnie in that dress! (If only he would ask.)
When the designers unveiled their collections in their new workroom, something was clear: Jeffrey had twice the amount of clothing than the other designers. Leave it to Encyclopedia Laura, who has somehow managed to speak her mind in a completely bitchy manner while still being loved by America, to sniff out a cheat — she tells Uli and Michael that she believes Jeffrey had outside help sewing the garments together, that it would be impossible to do so much in the measly two months they were alotted.
At first, we were skeptical: Maybe Jeff is just that good. But when Tim Gunn was clued into the allegations, and goes to take a closer look at Jeffrey’s well-crafted gear, it becomes clearer… the sequins on that top were exquisite, and that vest with the ruffled neck! The only way we would believe Jeffrey “hand-sewed” it, as he claimed, was if he was 7, Cambodian, and worked for Nike. And we’re not sure if you noticed, but Tim’s furrowed brow had “cheat” written all over it.
The other giveaway, which Laura picked up on? Jeff’s attitude! He seemed so meek, so… guil… ty. Instead of telling Laura to expletive off, he barely choked out a response before looking at the floor. Here’s our theory: Even if Jeffrey did cheat, and even if he is disqualified, his designs still seemed the nicest and most saleable out of the four, which can only help his career once the series is over.
Some things to note, from Tim’s podcast: Most of Jeffrey’s clothes were stored in a separate room from the one you saw, the room where his staff works. Not insinuating anything, just something to think about. Uli is a German disaster freak. Michael’s family, as we know, rocks. And Laura’s son did a cat walk on a table, and she has a chandelier made of bones, hopefully not her own jutting ribs.
So, as usual, we turn to you: Do you think Jeffrey cheated? Or is Laura looking for any way to bring him down? Will Jeffrey be eliminated next week? How often does he cry? Why do we still like Laura? Do you think we’ll have a surprise winner? Who are you rooting for? And, most importantly, what was our beloved Michael thinking?!?!
One thing still remains the same: We HEART Uli and Michael (sequins and all) — they need their own show!
