The Biggest Challenge "In The History Of Project Runway"

By Dodai Stewart  |  February 12, 2010 | 5:00pm
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Shit just got real.

Who knows why it took so long to come up with this kind of challenge: In which the wining design would actually be on the cover of a major ladymag. But when Marie Clarie editor Joanna Coles announced that the designers had to make something for Heidi Klum to wear on the April cover, it was like: GAME ON. This is how you put fear and longing into the hearts of the contestants, and, more importantly, separate the weak from the strong.

The designers had one day and $150 to come up with something fresh, flattering and eye-catching — as Coles noted, most people take 3 seconds at the newsstand to decide if they’re going to buy a magazine. This challenge forced the designers to step up their game, and instead of creating fantasy, conceptual garments, they had to make a dress that would be appropriate in a real-life situation.

All was quiet on the western front workroom floor.

But when I saw Anna’s shorts, I knew she was finito. Lowrise. Pinstriped. Shorts. On Heidi Klum? On a Marie Claire cover? No. No no no.

The judges hated Anna’s ensemble. Michael Kors told her she’d “missed the mark.”

The judges liked Emilio’s dress… Once he’d snipped off the straps.

Highights and lowlights from the runway:

Amy used a print even though Joanna Coles specifically said that patterns weren’t a good idea. Ballsy! And I really like this dress.

Jay’s dress was beautiful, but the fabric was not bright enough for a magazine cover. If he’d chosen optical white, sunny yellow, grassy green or hot pink, I think he would have had a shot.

Ben’s graphic urban kimono was edgy and cool, and Michael Kors said it would “cut through the noise” at a busy newsstand. Joanna Coles called it “a real contender.”

If the challenge had been to design a garment for a woman to wear while lying in bed sipping a martini and playing Clue with a dog named Asta while pretending the year is 1934, Jonathan would win.

I thought Emilio’s dress was good with the straps, but maybe he needed more stringy things on the shoulders, like in his original sketch. Lots and lots of loops, almost like epaulets, would have been cool.

If you look up “meh” in the dictionary, there’s a picture of Mila’s Spanx-colored dress.

Janeane was in the bottom two, because her dress skewed “bridal” or bridesmaid. She said she was inspired by the ocean, and Joanna Coles said it was more like a “polluted sea with plastic bottles.”

Poor Anna was out. This was really not the right competition for her, anyway. Auf Wiedersehen!

Anthony won! His vivid blue confection was fresh, bright and springy. The color will be flattering on Heidi Klum, and I think the dress will look awesome on the cover of Marie Claire. Go Anthony! There’s only one thing we have to worry about, when it comes to Anthony:

He will hit you with his bible.

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