L'Oreal ponied up the prize for this week's challenge on Project Runway, the starring role in a Marie Claire advertorial and a check for $20,000 which was probably required so they didn't break any union rules with the shoot.

The task was to create a high fashion look that exemplified one of their 5 types of eye shadow, matte, crystal, metallic, bright or velvet. The designers were given a budget of $300 dollars and two whole days to finish their creation. Yeah! Or not. This is Project Runway, after all.

With visions of paid-off bill collectors dancing in their heads, the designers were off to Mood where Swatch wanted in on the action. Gretchen decides to go for the toughest challenge, velvet, but it's Valerie who really takes on too much when she goes with silk. (So hard to work with!) Mondo is thinking kaleidoscope and Andy wants to make a futuristic catsuit. Michael C reveals that he's working with the same wine color as Gretchen which causes her to scrunch her face and snap that this is the last straw. In other words, it's business as usual.

With the dawn of a new day comes Tim Gunn and they all know that this isn't good. It's so not good that Tim looks sick to his stomach. It seems like he's going to tell them that someone died but all he has is a challenge twist. Like they didn't see that coming! Actually April was the only one who saw that coming and for that alone, she should get a prize.

The second half of the challenge involved making a ready-to-wear garment to go along with the couture look. The catch? No additional time. Now the designers are forced to rethink their look and that sends Valerie into the bathroom in tears. All the girls run after her, then, they sign a waiver to their contracts so the camera man can join them.

It's at this point that I realize that even though the show is an extra half hour long this season, it feels like we're seeing less of the actual garment-making than ever. As the runway show approaches we've only seen glimpses of a few of the high fashion designs and almost none of the ready-to-wear clothes. I suppose it does make for a more interesting runway show as each of the final numbers is revealed.

Sitting on the judging panel this week was Naeem Khan who dresses Beyonce and Michelle Obama. I took a look at his new collection on his website and man, his work makes these Project Runway designers look like beginners.

With the numbers dwindling, only two designers were excused from final judging, Christopher and April. Valerie, Ivy and Michael C landed in the bottom, Gretchen, Mondo and Andy took the top honors. I'll tell you what I thought about that tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are a few gems from Michael Kors.

On Valerie's white gown: "The only possible accessory she could use is a wand."
On Ivy's blue monstrosities: "they look like bridesmaids under the sea."
On the back of Mondo's look: "Kentucky Derby horse ribbon explosion" 
On the train of Michael C's "Gone with the Wind" gown: "all the curtains from Tara are in one dress."

And the best remark of all:

On choosing the loser: "It's an unbelievably tight race for hideous today."

Mondo won the bucks and Ivy was sent home.

Did they get it right this week? What do you think?

 

Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke/ Lifetime Television.