'Project Runway' Season 8 Episode 3 Recap: “It’s a Party”
We start with Gretchen, who is coming off her second win, gushing about the support from everyone. Gretchen is completely full of herself and all the designers talk about how much they hate her. They have model elimination and it is off to a party supply store. The Challenge? With $100, make an outfit from materials found in a party supple shop. Tim gives a warning that the judges frown on tablecloths and other things that look like fabric.
Then the designers are set lose in the shop and Casanova is “not able to make a dress from this bull****” and goes for the tablecloths. Well at least he understands the important English. He also buys “plush puppies.” Back at the workroom, he is ripping and beating the stuffing out of them. It’s horrific. Andy is braiding ribbon and going very slow. Tim thinks Valerie should have won the last challenge. AJ is talking a lot and Gretchen loves to give her opinion.
Tim is in. Valerie is folding black and white napkins for a dress based off of My Fair Lady. Tim loves the movie and sells Val on not using teal. Andy is falling behind because of the ribbon. Tim is worried. Kristen is making something out of animal wooly balls and regular wooly balls. Tim is crying with laughter. He thinks it’s so wacky, no one could disapprove. Tim feels Peach is being too uptight. He mentions coal in an uncomfortable place and now she needs to make it a diamond. Tim believes Michael Costello’s red plate dress is sensational. Tim likes Gretchen’s streamer shirt and crumpled black paper leather jacket. Casanova is troubled and Tim tells him, “You have to do it so well that they don’t care what you use.”
The models arrive baring gift bags with ribbons, beads, and sequins. The designers have to make an accessory with what’s in their bag. It is a hot glue gun mess to make it to the runway. Runway is Heidi, Nina, Michael, and special guest Betsey Johnson. Judges work their poker face, while the outfits on the runway look amazing, creative and almost don’t look like napkins and plates.
The judges love (super sexy, fun and sophisticated) Valerie’s deep v-neck black and white napkin dress. Nina finds Andy’s braided and folded ribbon dress remarkable. Michael says he could see Heidi and Rihanna fighting over it. Betsey wishes it were a little more fun. She thinks it is too beautiful. Of course Gretchen’s gold and silver garland shirt with the crumpled up paper leather jacket is a hit. Betsey describes it as Mel Gibson’s Mad Max on top and Dream Girls on the bottom. Nina thinks it's very now and fabulous. Heidi does not love the boots.
Now it is to the bottom of the fashion runway. Heidi judged AJ’s pink NYC club kids and party favors dress by saying it looks silly. Nina says it looks like “a hot mess.” AJ says “thank you” and Heidi explains that wasn’t a compliment. Betsey wishes he went further. They hate Casanova’s floor length back ruffled, front compensation of checkered tablecloth and poster board. Michael described it better when he said, “She looks like a transvestite flamingo dancer at a funeral.” Love you Michael. Heidi says, Sarah’s spray painted palm tree dress looks “sad.” Nina finds it looks like a cut out dress and it looks simple. Michael finds it doesn’t look like a full idea. Betsey says it’s a mish-mush.
The designers go to the back while the judges discuss their fate. The designers want to hear from Andy, who ends up sounding a lot like Gretchen. AJ gets fed up and tells Gretchen to shut up. Gretchen just thinks he is sensitive because he is in the bottom three. Out on the runway, Val is in and Andy Wins! Don’t worry, Gretchen is still completely full of herself.
AJ is in and the judges find they have to decide between boring and safe or a parade float. They keep the parade float so Sarah is out. How does Casanova keep making it in? After the judging, Ivy faints and she is taken to the hospital. We are left to wonder until next week when the designers have to make a dress for a Philip Tracy hat.