Project Runway’s surf-wear challenge is a wash out

September 5, 12:04 AMProject Runway ExaminerJi Hyun Lee

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  Ra'mon's design that Heidi would wear if "tweaked"

Episode three of the Project Runway challenge saw the 14 designers get the assignment of creating a surf-inspired look with an added difficulty of designing a second companion outfit that is of the avant-garde persuasion.

But why the heck did the producers decide to bring in such unrelated design themes to a single episode? What ended up on the runway was an ostentatious mix of poufy dresses with uninspired beachwear that can be found in any Target store.

Once again, Nina Garcia, Heidi Klum and guest judges Rachel Bilson and Max Azria got it all wrong when they crowned the winning design tiara on Ra’mon’s neoprene avant-garde look, which was a soybean-colored dress with a random vomit splotch on the side. Most women would probably agree to wear this dress if they wanted to be mistaken for edamame.

Project Runway judges, what are you smoking?

Ra’mon Lawrence, adorable as he maybe, created two awful designs in two consecutive challenges and he really should have been auffed. In fact, he and Mitchell should have both been booted for making no effort to work together and as Max Azria said, “If you’re not a team player you cannot be a designer.”

Rachel Bilson’s appearance on Project Runway was pointless and ridiculous. She’s a cute actress with a TV show under her credit but that does not make her a fashion maven and her evaluation of the designs were simply repeated critiques that was better said by Michael Kors and Nina Garcia. Even Bilson’s Mickey Mouse cute factor could not hide the fact that she had no value to add as a judge, except to say, “I would wear the green dress with a few alterations.”

Heidi Klum echoed the same response to Ra’mon’s edamame dress— “I would wear the avant-garde look if it was tweaked.”

Sounds like everyone would wear Ra’mon’s design if it was a different color, fabric, pattern and style.

The high point of the episode was seeing Mitchell get the much-deserved and long anticipated boot from the show. There were some fantastic avant-garde looks to be admired but unfortunately, the designers who made it to the next round were quickly shuffled off to the next room. Good designs from Althea/Louise, Carol/Shirin and Logan/Christopher deserved more attention than they received.

Shirin, Althea and Carol has designed fantastic outfits in the last three challenges and as such, they are currently in the running to be finallist for Fashion Week. The Project Runway Examiner is putting the bet on Shirin.

The low point in the episode was when Epperson repeatedly went after poor Qrystal like battering ram to a stack of bowling pins. While Epperson does exhibit good design aesthetics, there was no need for him to disrespect Qrystal the way he did: She was, after all, the leader of the challenge and chose him as partner. His arrogance and absolute condescension to Qrystal, during the challenge and the judging, was painful to watch and was made even more painful when Max Azria commented, “She’s weak and he took advantage.”

Generally, catfighting on Project Runway is enjoyable but in this instance, it was just cruel and unfair. What's up with that Epperson's attitude? Auff with the nastiness.