Project Runway Episode 13-Part I of the Season Finale: Tim Makes Some House Calls!

This week’s episode begins with Heidi and Tim sending off the three finalists, designers Althea, Irina, and Carol Hannah, back to their homes where they will spend the next few months designing their 12-piece collections for New York Fashion Week. As Tim and Heidi trot off the runway and bid their adieus to the designers, they make sure to show off some provocative shadow dancing moves behind the Project Runway screen. Tim doing the shag? Who Knew?
First let me say, once again, how much I love and adore Tim. He really is the sweetest man, and I wish he was also checking in on my collections! Moving on, Tim pays his first visit to Carol Hanna in snowy Huntington NY, just as I was getting used to Tim in sandals in sunny LA… Ooh Carol Hannah’s looking good! Great hair, great sweater. Her collection looks impressive so far. Inspired by architecture, Carol Hannah designed an oversize puffy tulle-skirted cocktail dress, and she has finally designed some pants. Definitely showing some versatility there…Later on Carol Hannah invites Tim for a Southern home cooked dinner, but only if he’s willing to get his manicured hands dirty. Picture this: Tim in a suit wearing an apron making biscuits. Love it!! Trudging back through the snow, Tim says goodbye to Carol Hannah with the words "Love you." I'm jealous. Love you Tim.

Next stop: New York City’s Upper West Side, where Tim is checking in with a very nervous Irina and her collection. Inspired by Coney Island and everything NY, Irina has made some serious boyfriend t-shirts designed with the Coney Island Logo emblazoned on the front (turns out Tim informs her later on that the images are copyrighted and she must remove them, thus bringing us the first real bit of juicy drama to the run up to Fashion Week). I’m particularly loving her chunky knits and coats, although the collection is all black with a tinge of grey. A little somber me thinks. A fancy dinner with the Shabayevas, Irina’s lookalike-she’s-practically-her-twin sister, and a toast to the American Dream later, Tim is off to sleepy Dayton, Ohio to check on Althea’s progress.
Back at Althea’s place, Tim is super intrigued by her Sci-Fi inspired collection, especially a black tiered coat dress which is a standout, but Tim’s concerned it might look costumey, "a bit like the Wild West." Darnit. I also have my eye on a black sequin jacket, but Tim advises Althea to Edit Edit Edit!! Later on Althea takes Tim to meet the massive gathering of her nearest and dearest (I’m surprised I wasn’t there), including her cute boyfriend Stewart… The designers finally arrive at the Parsons workroom! Goodbye FIDM, yay I missed you Parsons. Poor Carol Hannah is pretty sick with a stomach virus and is contagious according to Tim, but she shows up undeterred, much to the chagrin of her hopeful competitors. Wait, what the hell is Althea wearing? (cue to grey tie-dyed turtleneck). Tim starts to review and edit everyone’s collections, beginning with Althea’s, and the Great Tim just doesn’t hold back on the brutal honesty by pulling pieces from the collection which need either tweaking or chucking. He just wants to make sure there’s cohesion. Rethink those pleat front Hillary Clinton pants Althea!

It's on to Carol Hannah’s collection which needs some restyling and a youth injection, and last stop is Irina’s, who took care of the copyrighted tshirt dilemma by silk-screening her obsession with NY all over a set of black t-shirts. I love Tim’s comment about Irina’s leather pants with patches: “We don’t want those leather pants looking like “Chaps!” Another day, another surprise, and this time it’s Big: Nina and Michael show up in the workroom! Wow, this is the second time they’ve been on the show, or so it seems. So what guidance did they give the designers about their collections? Michael: “Show us who you are as a designer.” Nina: “If something feels like you’ve seen it before, then take it out.” Oh and “Black is very hard to be editorial about.” Irina disagrees with that one. And most importantly, go with your gut. I liked this visit. Hugs and smiles all around.
They're Baaaaaack

It’s yet another day, and yet another surprise: Heidi shows up (looking very pretty I might add). What a reunion! And one final surprise, which I guessed correctly in advance by the way thanks to some tremendous psychic fashion powers -The designers must design a 13th look to add to the collection. Classic final twist by the Project Runway producers, but do not fear, the designers will have finishing help in the form of yet Another surprise: Logan, Gordana, and Christopher!... Stay tuned for next week’s very last and final episode when the designers show their complete collections at Fashion Week, and one designer is crowned the winner. Auf Wiedehrsen…..
Photos courtesy of mylifetime.com