Season 5 of Project Runway kicked off Wednesday with a familiar face, season 1 finalist Austin Scarlett, and a familiar challenge, which–no coincidence—the bridal designer won back in 2004. Yes, Runway fans, the designer contestants went grocery shopping at Gristedes, where they had $75 to create an outfit from anything you can pick up at the food emporium.
Sadly, few of this season’s 16 competitors used food (Scarlett created his winning look from cornhusks), and instead relied heavily on tablecloths and other fabric-like substitutes. Even Runway’s sage mentor Tim Gunn criticized all the tablecloths he saw when he did his walkabout in the workroom. Well, what the contestants lacked in imagination, they made up in personality.
Let’s talk about 23-year-old neon-loving Blayne, who is already threatening last year’s champ Christian Siriano in the most-overused catchphrase department with his ubiquitous “Holla at ya, boy.”
Meanwhile, Jarell is gunning for season 2’s Santino Rice’s mantle with his pitch-perfect Tim Gunn impression. And who can resist the charms of tattooed Kelli, whose dress made of vacuum cleaner bags stained with bleach earned her immunity and the show’s first win.
Now on to the bad news: Jerry Tam, this year’s first auf’d designer. The 32-year-old has an impressive pedigree (he’s worked for Zac Posen and owns his own line, FORM) – but to quote contestant Kenley: “Jerry’s garment looks like he created something for an ax murderer!” And when designer judge Michael Kors compared his raincoat and dress ensemble to a “handiwipe gone wrong,” we knew it was time for Tam to say “sew long.”
As for other the night’s other highlights:
• Poor Stella’s outfit looked like garbage, but that’s because it was! (Seriously, she used garbage bags.) Maybe her design could have doubled as a barf bag: “It makes you want to vomit all over,” she gravely intoned about showing her design on the runway.
• Leanne may have dubbed herself the “the silent fashion assassin,” but there’s nothing stealthy about announcing that to the world.
• And while Jerry got the boot, it was hard not to appreciate his confidence. Even while packing up, he assured the cameras, “I make beautiful clothes, and I know that’s what people want.” –Brian Orloff
Check back later for our exclusive Q&A with Jerry.
Tell us: Did Jerry deserve to go? Who has the potential to go deep in the competition? And who’s your favorite “character” this season?
Jay Sullivan/Bravo
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