Project Runway Episode 3: Surf Inspired

Bitchin' times! It's a California surfwear challenge this week as designers take a field trip to the beach where they find Tim Gunn waiting for them in sunglasses and flip flops (I hope he brought sunscreen as well). As Tim reassures them: "only at the beach!" The contestants must design a fun and functional beach inspired look, as well as a perfect 'just off the beach' hairstyle for their models (which, by the way, the judges oddly ignore later on). As Tim announces the dreaded it's a team challenge, groans and cries ensue. 20 mins. to caucus and the designers are off taking notes on the clothing preferences of local surfer chics. I really love Nicolas by the way as he shakes his mop of hair around and exclaims:" what they hell are those surfer girls talking about anyway??"

Nicolas & Gordana

$50 and 15 mins. later the design teams are back from Mood and in the FIDM workroom muttering words like hippie, beachy chic, mer-people... Nicolas is thinking wrap around pants and ombre bathing suits, and asks "can you say ombre of macrame a million times?!" Actually no. On the other side of the room team Mitchell and Ra'mon are heading towards major DRAMA! And to add more drama Tim shock-announces that each team must create a second avant-garde look to compliment the first one. As Ra'mon puts it - "capital WTF!!!"
Meanwhile the marriage of team Qristyl and Epperson heads for divorce as Epperson's irritating micromanagement frustrates his team leader Qristyl who is this-close to snapping. While happy teams like Christopher and Logan are harmonious personified and confident they'll win the challenge, Ra'mon tries to keep an aimless Mitchell focused on ironing bathing suit bits (and looking at the ceiling).

Qristyl & Epperson

Mitchell looks bored

Irina & Johnny

Logan from Seattle


Christopher

Hello Macy's Accessory Wall, it's Runway time! Guest judges Max Azria and Rachel Bilson ooh'd and aah'd over Johnny and Irina's super cute slouchy top and draped skirt with macrame back detail, as well as Ra'mon's avant-garde neoprene dress with hand-dyed splotch in front (no thanks to Mitchell, by the way, who did jack diddly squat in the sewing room). Nicolas and Gordana's second look was a nightclub appropriate blue lace tranny mess which got them into the bottom-two spot, and by the looks of Christopher and Logan's enormous space-age prom dress, they bought out all the tulle at Mood. The most cringe-worthy moment of the show, however, came when Epperson and Qristyl (whose blue shiny dress should've been aufed) bickered in front of the uncomfortable judges. Someone please shut Epperson up! As judge Max Azria wisely advised-"You can't be a designer if you are not a team player." Well put. A few anxious moments later a very surprised Ra'mon was declared the winner, and then it happened. Heidi calls 3 strikes and Mitchell is OUT! About time, since ain't no design, sewing, or creating going on in whiny Mitchell's world. By the way I LOVED Heidi's striped knit mini dress with beading detail. Who makes it?? And one more thing that's not sitting right: Where the hell is Michael Kors????





Ra'mon-Lawrence's Winning Design




Photos courtesy of mylifetime.com