Project Runway S6 Ep6 Part I: Kermit the Frog Gone Wrong

Previously on Project Runway: Lie-gate failed to shock us, Nina and Michael Kors continued to be absent, and Cueball was sent home for doing crappy work and being shady about it.

We begin with the same thing as we did last week, and the week before that.  There's a formula that's developed, and it's making me cranky.  Designers talk about how, wow, people keep going home and the competition keeps getting tougher.  Nicolas aka Peppermint Patty (thank you, Tom and Lorenzo!) talks smack about people and interviews the same old "I'm here to win" thing.  (Why is Nicolas featured on this show so much?  Every two minutes there he is, in interview, bitching about something.  Please cut it out, producers.)  Designers are getting ready in the morning.  Blah blah blah.

Here comes Heidi, in a gorgeous navy-blue dress.  Hey, it's finally time for a movie-related challenge!  The designers head to a Real Hollywood Soundstage, where they are met by Collier Strong, Tim, and The Great Velvet Bag o' Buttons.  Could be another *gulp* team challenge?  No, thankfully!  Rather, the designers will have to pick from 5 different film genres.  Irina, as last week's winner, can choose whichever she wants, and then the rest of the designers will be randomly chosen to select one of the two spots available for each genre.

The genres from which they may choose are: Action/Adventure, Film Noir, Science Fiction, Period Piece, and Western.  Film Noir goes to Irina, Louise and Althea, while Action/Adventure is chosen by Logan and Carol, Science Fiction will be Unnecessary Apostrophe and Nicolas, Period Piece by Gordana and Christopher, and poor Shirin and Epperson are left with Western.  Nobody wants to do Western.  Who could blame them?

The designers are tasked with creating a film character with a story, and then creating a look for them.  It's not totally clear whether they're doing a costume or an "inspired-by" look.  Whichever it is, they've only got until midnight, with a budget of $150!

The designers get to sketching, and there's a smidge of Carol and Logan talking about how they dig each other (boring!).  At Mood, there's lamentation about the cost of some of the fabrics - Gordana likes a fabric that's $200 a yard, and Chris has the sads because he can't afford brocade.  Are those *feathers* I see in Nicolas's hand?  Finally?  Poor Shirin squeaks for help because she's too short to reach the notions she needs.  (I can relate to that, my co-shortie!)

Epperson really wanted to do a Period Piece look, but will make the best of the Western category by looking at it as a Period.  Gordana decided to choose the 20's as her Period look, because that's when women started to speak out and become more independent.  Uh-oh, what's this?  Louise has lost her bobbin and goes on a long hunt for it.  "Sabotage," sing-songs Irina.  That's so helpful!  Well, the bobbin must be found eventually, as Louise ends up putting the sewing needle right through her finger. Owwww!

Okay, where were we?  Nicolas is doing a look for one of three Goddesses of the Universe that live in Orion's belt, and one of them turns evil.  UA wants some reptilian/human hybrid jumpsuit to be worn by a visiting alien.  He's not dyeing his fabric in the toilet this time, at least!  Louise isn't sure yet who her character is, giving Nicolas the Know-It-All the opportunity to snark in interview about how HE thinks about who his client is and has a concept and blah blah getoveryourself.

Tim-Time!  Gordana's flapper dress belongs to a woman in her 30's who's just discovered oil.  Well, we assume she hasn't *just* found it, since it's not covered in gunk. (Har!)  Irina interviews that Gordana is basically old and boring and the other designers are on a totally different level.  I don't think that level is necessarily a better one, kiddo.

Chris is doing a bustled Victorian-inspired dress, but Tim chides him for not designing arms for the dress.  I'm about to chide him for doing the same damn silhouette again.  Epperson is doing this awesome outfit with ruffles and leather straps.  UA is doing... uh... Disco Iguana Leather panels.  Tim isn't sure if it'll be "sublime, or a hot mess."

Tim kindly points out Louise's complete lack of innovation by telling her that her talent for nuance doesn't show well on the runway.  I'm a bit bemused, and disappointed, to see she's doing exactly the dress I figured she would do.  "I'm obviously doing Western," says Nicolas to Tim, and it's the first genuinely funny thing he's said so far this season.  Tim thinks Nicolas's ice-queen dress is too safe, that he should exaggerate more.

Oh, dear... Models come in, and UA realizes his idea is not going to work it all.  He describes it as "Kermit the Frog gone wrong."  Sadly, he's right: I know exactly what he wanted to do and the idea is awesome, but this outfit is just uggo.  He is starting over from scratch with only 2 hours to go.  Ruh-roh!

We get a quick few shots of Collier Strong consulting with designers and trying looks on models; I am completely drooling over his shelf full of eyeshadows.  Nicolas's model just has the greatest face, doesn't she?

Before we know it, it's the next day!

Next, in Part II: Say WHAT?