One episode in, and Project Runway is already starting the day with an ominous overtone. Cloudy skylines set the scene as designers climb out of bed. Of course, we see their various states of mind contrasted against each other in neat little snippets.
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| Rob exercises while Jay smokes. |
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| Starr sulks while Mario mocks Daniel Franco. |
Eventually, they make their way to Parsons and we are treated to the very first ever model elimination. Beforehand, Heidi mentions that this challenge will be centered around the word "envy" and the designers interpretation of that feeling. Fittingly, Heidi reminds us that Austin will select his model first, the rest of the losers have to deal with the button bag. Tension is in the air. The models aren't wearing their requisite black slips yet, so we get an inkling of what youngsters wore in 2004, and that is bootcut jeans. Austin wisely selects Martinique. Morgan is noticeably nervous, as she was late the last challenge (also known as the first challenge), but Vanessa snatches her up for being a "big strong walker." She also doesn't care if she's late, as long as she's there two minutes before she needs her, which to me, sounds like being punctual. For those who care about model selection order and loyalties, the rundown is:
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| How can we fairly objectify them without black slips? |
1. Martinique (Austin, ditching Olga)
2. Olga (Mario, ditching Erin)
3. Melissa (Robert, loyal to Melissa)
4. Erin (Wendy, ditching Josiane)
5. Joy (Nora, ditching Allison)
6. Audrey (Starr, loyal to Audrey)
7. Morgan (Vanessa, after losing Joy)
8. Julia (Alexandra, loyal to Julia)*
9. Allison (Jay, ditching Jenny)
10. Jenny (Kevin, after losing Martinique)
11. Josiann (Kara, after losing Morgan)
*we don't see Julia's selection, but she is shown standing next to Morgan when Vanessa selects her, and is absent when Jay selects Allison via eeny-meeny-miny-mo.
Mary, probably still carrying the stink of Daniel's butcher paper dress is eliminated, which is sad, because not even Morgan could elevate that look and styling.
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| Bye girl, bye. |
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| Watch out behind you! |
Back to the workroom, where Tim introduces the next challenge, pointing out that cotton jersey is wrapped all over the workroom behind the designers, in case they missed it while setting up this camera shot. "This fiber is your blank canvas," Tim notes, and each designer will derivate from there. They need to "be creative and inject envy into that canvas." Also present is Linda DeFranco, director of trend forecasting for Cotton Inc., which, I suppose, is a real job. I bet she gets to wear t-shirts to work every day. Linda not so subtly plants the seed of dying their fabric (foreshadowing!)
Wendy takes the lead of the group, suggesting (rather sagely) that those with short dresses cut into the fabric first, while giving each designer at least 4.5 yards. Mario and Jay both interview to the camera how Wendy is a calming agent for the group, the "den-mother." Of course Wendy then voice-overs that "every thing I do to this competition is strategic ... I know that exploiting my role as a mother is kind of evil, truly, but if it's going to help me get to the end, you can believe I'm going to do it." (Foreshadowing!)
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| That's not Mood! |
Tim then takes the designers on a field trip. With $50 and one hour, the designers are brought to Mood, no wait, to Daytona Braids & Trimming. We get an obligatory shopping montage. Wendy gets gold braiding, Mario buys beads to make a 'blood splatter,' and nearly everybody buys dye. This, of course, is followed by a fabric dying montage, culminating in a tense moment where Kevin can't find his black dye. Accusing Jay of malfeasance, Jay blasts Kevin, nothing that "I used your black dye, my stuff would be black right now and not purple." As someone who has tried to dye fabric using black Rit dye before, this is not too solid of a defense. However, we are treated to Project Runway's first, and possibly best, catchphrase, thanks to Jay.
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| "I didn't take the bitch's dye. That's fo sho!" |
Before we can call in Jessica Fletcher to solve this mystery, Wendy (who else?) finds the dye on the corner, presumably of Kevin's table.
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| Bye girl, bye. |
As the theme, envy has everyone running in different directions. Robert envisions "penis envy" and starts a menswear inspired look, Vanessa thinks "pregnancy envy" and prepares a maternity gown, Austin thinks of an evil Queen, and begins a Disney costume. Nora places cut outs in her dress, highlighting areas "people may be envious of." Jay creates a jumpsuit, with social conscientious messages written all over the pants, like "bitch." Mario, who finished his last garment in half an hour, aims high, and decides to make "a plain white tube dress." Wendy, showing a moment of vulnerability, mentions how envious she is of other designers there, which would mean a lot more if she didn't already mention how she intends to manipulate everyone. Mario finishes his dress with four hours to go, and bounces before Tim can come in for his walk through. He meets with Kara, who outlines her military inspiration. "Envy is destructive, and eventually turns to war," Kara notes, which is a pretty tenuous stretch. That completes Tim's walk through this week. (Foreshadowing!)
Designers stress out. Kevin and Nora argue (foreshadowing!), Austin sews into his finger(foreshadowing!), Vanessa screams (foreshadowing!), Jay asks for a drink (foreshadowing!).
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| Sure, your chin itches... |
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| Like looking in a mirror. |
Back at Atlas, we see Wendy in the laundry room as Vanessa and her darkly dyed hands walks in. She doesn't look to pleased to see Wendy there either (or perhaps the camera crew.) Vanessa whines that she's "not amused by this. It's not fun, it's stupid." Wendy probes if Vanessa regrets coming on the show, and Vanessa, wise beyond her reality TV show years, responds "Wendy, don't interview me for the camera, please." Well, this sets Wendy OFF. She starts to whine, harass Vanessa, and victimize herself, all at once. Vanessa half-apologizes, but also subtly smirks at the camera and gives Wendy the finger. Things go better upstairs, where Robert and Austin male bond over beers and clay mask facials. It's actually kind of cute.
Tim gathers the designers the next day, and brings them on another field trip! This time to 30Vandam, "New York's most exclusive retail store dedicated to selling the work of America's best up-and-coming designers," claims it's robotic owner, Paul Berman. The designers will take part in a meet-and-greet with the public, or as Paul calls them "some of New York's most fashionable people," who will silently bid on their envy inspired creations. The winner of the challenge is the one with the highest bid, regardless of the judge's opinions. The rest will be judged based on their work and be eliminated.
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| Reminder of the challenge, and of who is really important to this show. |
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| Very subtle Camera Crew. |
Cue shocked faces of designers! Vanessa feels screwed because she has a maternity dress. Mario is confident because he used to sell cars. Jay is confident because he is dressed like Jesus, and what fashionable person doesn't love Jesus? Kara needs double sided tape for her mannequin, which to me, is not a good sign. Heidi drops in to open the doors to the dozens of 'interested' shoppers. Robert and Alexandra are surrounded by loads of youngsters. Starr scares her polite patron with her cancerous inspiration, noting she added 'tumors' to her garment. Wendy is alone, depressed, and ironically, envious of her enigmatic competitors.
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| 30Vandam circa 2004. |
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| 30Vandam circa 2013 (thanks Google!), but even this PingKong has closed shop by 2014. |
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| "Alright, are you ready to rock?" |
Next post... the runway review!
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