Oh Ricky You're So Fine

Any fan of Project Runway probably is aware that Ricky, was not in the bottom this week. Not only was he not in the bottom, but he won! Let's recap:

For the challenge, the designers were taken across the Brooklyn Bridge (gasp!) to a warehouse on the docks. Outside the warehouse they were met by Caroline Calvin of Levis. Inside the warehouse were hundreds of pairs of 501's in different washes and yards of plain white cotton. The designers have to create an iconic look using the jeans and cloth. They have a few minutes to gather all the material they can carry and stuff into laundry bags.

YAY! Another challenge where Chris is going to have to run. Did the producers not learn from the first episode of the season? Don't make Chris run. Then again, they probably did and that is why they made him run. I think being on PR is the most exercise that man has ever gotten. On the run to the jeans, Sweet P lost a shoe. Who the hell wears flip flops when you know there is always the possibility of some kind of field trip? Does she not know how this show works?

The designers all scramble to get as much denim as possible. Rami goes for dark colors while Jillian goes for lighter ones. They seem to be the only two who have a concept of what they are going to do, at least color-wise. When the designers return to the workshop, Sweet P laments how dirty her denim is. Chris and Christian get into a bitch fight about the best way to clean the denim. Christian is a talented designer, but he is too bitchy for color TV. Chris is just a bitter man. He might have been suffering from low blood sugar, after all, he did have to run 100 yards.

We get a side interview with Rami who talks about not being an American designer. He talks about growing up in Jerusalem and how sketching clothes was his was of feeling safe when he was 5 years old. What the hell did this have to do with anything? It was as if he was trying to explain ahead of time why his design won't be good. Apparently, unless he is doing something where he can drape the fabric, he can't make anything. He is starting to seem like a one hit wonder, much like Laura Bennett. He does one style. He does it well, but there is little, if any, variety. He drapes much like Laura only did the Empire waist thing.

Jillian is making a long coat. Unfortunately, this is the same thing she did last week. Fortunately for us, she has a complete melt down when she is making it. While her idea was good, it was way too much for her to complete in 10 hours. When it came down the runway, you could sort of see what she was going for, but there was too much going on. If she had more time to edit herself, I have no doubt it would have been much better. Not a winner, but still better.

Victorya decided to make a trench coat, almost copying Jillian. Victorya, the only reason you did well last week with the coat was because Jillian made the coat. Victorya talked about when she was a child she would sketch clothes and her mother would make them. OK Victorya, that only means you can sketch. And we have no idea how much your mother altered your designs. The only reason you have survived this long is that each week one of the other designers tells you how to fix your garment. The trench coat she designed looked like she tailed an already existing denim jacket and added a skirt to it.

Ricky was excited by this challenge. He decided to call on his lingerie experience (designing, not wearing...as far as we know). He makes a corset with a skirt. I actually liked it. It was much better than what he has previously done on the show. During the judging, Michael Kors, remarked that we are finally seeing Ricky's talent come out. Man, Ricky is lucky he wasn't cut before this.

For me, Sweet P had the best design. She used several different washes of denim to make a gorgeous dress. She initially started out making a wedding dress, but after Tim told her it looked like "Happy hands granny's sewing circle" she rethought the design. She cut off the bottom length and the amazing dress emerged. Nina and Michael had a great quip about it:

Nina: Any of us women, except you Michael, could wear that dress.
Michael: I don't know, with the right shoes...

Snaps to Michael!

Christian made a motocross outfit - skinny jeans and a denim jacket. The jacket was made from jeans and the jeans were made from jackets. Very clever. It had a very Pat Benetar look to it. I liked it, but I didn't find it right for this challenge. I give him a lot of credit though. Christian had immunity this week, so he could have designed drek and still been safe. However, he worked hard and made a great outfit.

Chris tried to reinvent the little black dress as a little blue dress. Tried being the operative word. The dress looked unfinished. When Nina asked about some of the unfinished edges Chris said he left them that way intentionally. Michael challenged him by saying that he could have frayed all the edges then to make it uniform and look like a design element, not unfinished. Chris, you got served.

Rami's final dress was cute. He highlighted some of the seems with zippers. However, this reminded me of Jeffrey's designs for the finale last season. Rami may not be a one note, but he is not always original. Yes, the design was nice, but when I am reminded of a design from someone else, that is a problem.

In the end Ricky won. I just wonder if he would have won had he not been in the bottom so much. Because he has been so consistently bad, doing something good looked that much better. Not only did he win, but Caroline Calvin announced that Levi's was going to sell his garment as a limited edition. I think Sweet P should have won this one. Her dress rocked and was totally wearable. I am sure that Ricky only won because his garment was so much better than anything else he had done before. I am all for rewarding improvement, but Sweet P was robbed on this one.

Victorya was aufed this week. Michael commented that he garment looked like she just reconnoitered a denim jacket. Normally when a designer is aufed, he or she thanks the judges for the opportunity. However, Victorya walked off in silence. She got her kiss from Heidi, and then left. There was something insincere about this. Victorya was given a huge opportunity, but she showed no gratitude for it. Moreover, when Tim told her it was time to go to the workroom to clean out her space, she said she didn't want a group hug. Every other designer, when aufed, gets a big heartfelt good-bye from the remaining contestants. Victorya didn't. This was truly the biggest sore loser moment I think I have ever seen on this show.