Project Runway Episode 11 review

October 30, 1:00 AMBaltimore Sewing ExaminerWendy Kaufman

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Tanisha Harper models her designer Althea Harper’s
winning look in episode 11 of Project Runway,
Season 6 on Lifetime Television.
Photo Credit Mike Yarish/Lifetime Television.
Thursday, October 29, at 10 pm ET/PT

Please, please, please, can we strike the words "Take it to the next level" and "stepping it up" from our lexicon of fashion designer catchphrases? It's worse than all the "likes" and "you knows" you hear in daily conversation, and it's even worse than my other personal verbal bugaboo: "cooked to perfection." That's the phrase that you see on all the low-end restaurant menus when they describe their yummy food. Are all the other options on the menu only cooked to imperfection? Likewise, did you not need to do your best in all the other challenges, and if so when did you start thinking it would be a good idea to actually do so?

Alas, the wear and tear on the designers is having a real effect on the show. As the designers look worse and worse, we wonder if they will even survive to see Bryant Park, let alone actually be in it. It's getting to be terribly painful to watch their decline. These people are talented, and I'd really rather see them in top form, rather than as the walking dead that they are right now. Maybe it's a serendipitous Halloween theme. Yeah.

The ugliness of the sleep deprivation is creeping into most things in Projet Runway Land. Althea's peeved that Logan's stolen her zipper collar from a previous challenge. Truely, it's not like it was something that was so unique that it could have been copyrighted. Using zippers as fabric is not a new concept. Any 80's punker will back me up on this. Logan had zippers as the sole trim on his lovely, but plain dress. He had a claim to use them in this challenge, so he took it and ran.

Granted, Althea (and Louise Black) has king-of-the-mountain rights for the idea for Project Runway with both her avante guard surf look from episode 3 (where it really made a huge statement, and much of it was form about a hundred pins still in the bodice that glittered beautifully under the lights. Could this be what Logan was after with the glitter he expected, but did not get, from the zipper teeth?), and the Bob Mackie challenge of episode 9. Frankly, I had no idea that Althea even had a collar at all on that look, let alone one with zippers, and I am betting that Logan did not have a clue either. As far as I can tell, it was on the odd little jacket she had tossed over her silver sequin dress. You couldn't see it in all the fluff of the jacket. I think it was just case of similar designs popping up. If Althea needs any proof of things like that happening, she need look no further than her own zipper dress from challenge three which was 'copied" by a well established designer this summer. Trouble is, the footage with Althea's dress, (and the dress itself) was put away in storage after filming closed, and was not seen by anyone until after said designer's looks were shown. This sort of thing happens all the time, and it pained me to see the gorgeous and kind Althea be caught in any moments of cattiness. Thankfully, she did manage to get her wits about her and come out a lady in the end. Yeah!

Oh Irina. If you are truly sure of your supremacy as a designer (and yes, we all agree that you are a terriffic desiger), loaning a fellow designer a hook and eye will do no harm to you. Can't we all just get along? Yes dear, you should make friends during the competition. it's called networking. We'll call it the effects of sleep deprivation. Indeed, it seems that  sleep deprivation seems to be affecting everyone at season 6. Heidi, what are you wearing? Yikes!

Carol Hannah, you rocked. Your little cocktail dress was adorable. I was worried for you when you said that you wanted to abandon what made your first look a winner, but you knew what you were doing. It was beautiful. Make me one, eh?

Gordana, yes, you did make an adorable jacket. I loved the light feel of the collar, even though I have never been a fan of the deconstructed look. Raw edges always looked to me like you just didn't have the skill to finish the garment. Still, I loved the carefee look of it on your jacket. It was so refreshing to see you own your design, and be proud of it. No one could auf you this time out, no matter how "sad" anyone thought your look might be.

Althea...ouch. Who made the sweater first? That had to hurt. Irina, ouch, wrong again. Althea wins with her avant-garde pants and big, basted-together sweater. That must have been awkward for both of you, but again, big oversize sweaters are not a concept that was just invented. They are a staple of design, and a great tool to use for playing with proportion. Granted, not all of them are fashionably executed, but they certainly are not worth fighting over. Nothing is new. It's all been done before. I promise. Aiieeya, what an episode!

We lost Logan this time. Not even his silver jeans could save him. It was not his best look, but again, it was not clear exactly who deserved the auf, and I am not sure how the judges made the decision of exactly who to auf. Still, we are only one more episode from Bryant Park. My money is on Althea, Carol Hannah, and Gordana and Irina. Can't wait to find out who those looks from Bryant Park actually belong to.