In episode two of Project Runway, the designers were given two minutes to collect all of the greeting cards they could from a Hallmark store to use as materials for their unconventional material challenge. They only had one day to execute their looks and while some rose to the occasion, others were party store flops. Here’s my ranking of the looks from the episode from worst to best. Tell me about your favorites in the comments.
#15 Merline
It happens every season in the unconventional material challenge: There’s one look that seems like it’s about to fall apart at any moment on the runway. Merline’s dress gets that distinction this season. Besides the fact that it looks like wrapping paper glued together, the long gray piece in the front is just hideous and distracting. Yet somehow she escaped the bottom.
#14 Joseph
This is one of the stranger skirts (and looks in general) I’ve seen on Project Runway. The skirt is structured so it looks like a gift box wrapped in construction paper instead of actual clothing.
#13 Ashley
Ashley had immunity this week, but she wasn’t allowed to leave the runway without a stern talking-to from the judges about her look. They were upset with her for not following the rules of the challenge by using too much muslin. I’m more upset about the ugly, boxy poncho.
#12 Blake
Blake’s got a huge attitude problem and an even bigger ego. But that didn’t stop this look from landing him in the top looks with the judges. Unfortunately for Blake, I have to disagree with them. I think the dress looks cheap and hastily made.
#11 Gabrielle
After Ashley mentioned that Gabby’s dress looked like a certain part of the female anatomy, I can’t look at it anyway else.
#10 David (Eliminated)
It makes sense that David was eliminated because he didn’t follow the guidelines of the challenge. But I don’t think his look is a complete disaster. It looks quite wearable but he should have used more of the card material as his base instead of taking the easy way out and using fabric.
#9 Amanda
This look landed Amanda in the bottom because the judges hated the skirt, but I don’t think this look is as bad as they thought. The print paired with the lace on top makes for an interesting piece and I think the envelopes on the skirt have a flowy quality that almost makes it look like fabric.
#8 Lindsey
I like the color palette of this look as well as the geometric design on the chest, it was just stiff and without movement on the runway.
#7 Laurie
This dress is cute and feminine with a great length and design on the top. It’s got a nice shape that must have been hard to achieve with paper.
#6 Jake
Everyone needs a shiny little black dress made of greeting cards in their closet, right?
#5 Hanmiao
What a great rebound Hanmiao has had from last week! She’s the only one whose model removed a card from an envelope on her dress right on the runway which was a quirky concept. One of her fellow designers also pointed out that from far away, the dress almost looks like it’s made of leather.
#4 Candice
Candice’s dress caught the light in the room in all of the most glamorous ways. It’s strong, sexy and chic and looks more like metal than paper.
#3 Kelly
Kelly’s cool envelope fringe skirt may be the first place your eye goes when you move to when you see this look, but the way she made her own print and textile on the top may be even more impressive. It’s a hip look made that way by her interesting and innovative technique.
#2 Swapnil
The work on the top of this look is so intricate and impeccable that it’s hard to see in this photograph. But I love the contrast of the edgy black and white on top and the fun and feminine pink florals on the bottom. A perfect collaboration of hard and soft.
#1 Edmond (Winner)
Some designers dread an unconventional material challenge. Some designers dread a bridal challenge. But Edmond took two of the (arguably) hardest challenges and combined them ingeniously for a stunning outcome. And his hand-made bouquet is the perfect pop of color to send his bride down the aisle with. Not to mention, the detail on the bodice had the brand name all over it, which I’m sure producers just loved.
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
