Project Runway Episode 7: Jersey Girls

Designing the all-important dress for 17- and 18-year old girls – yeah, we’re talking prom – that was the challenge this week. And the models, some of them divas in training, hailed from St. John Vianney High School, a Catholic school in Holmdel, New Jersey.

Witchy Victorya, whom the edit tries to soften with her admitting she misses Elisa, wins the challenge with a vibrant blue chiffon mini featuring a geometrical halter that is studded with jewels. Guest judge Gilles Mendel, whose J. Mendel collection not only features outrageous furs, but also includes close to couture evening dresses with dreamy details, is appreciative of her work.

One of the teenagers offers some breaking news: “Girls who go to Catholic School are really wild.” No kidding. Sweet P counts Catholic school as part of her education along with an all-women’s motorcycle gang. But her dress of champagne silk was pure refinement and one of the best conjuring red carpet movie stars.

Kevin, who has prided himself upon being the group’s only straight male, is a goner. And truth be told, his ill-fitting shiny red dress was cheesy – cheap looking as the judges put it -- and well, so long, farewell. He was dignified enough when he took the final walk down the runway, and asserted his manhood even further when he told the cameras, “I got a hug from Heidi Klum. That wasn’t the worst thing in the world.” Um pal, she was kicking you auf, didn't you notice her dominatrix duds early on?

The conflict of the night was between Christian, whom we almost pitied, and his client. Honestly, we reserve the toughest judgment for grownups of course, but this girl was a brat. That said, Christian should have asserted himself more. The dress, a brown satin shirred disaster with black lace overlay, was gracelessly poufed -- ouch. But how very immature of him to blurt out how difficult the girl was during judging. He needs to grow up, though the guy was sort of funny with antics like rolling around on the floor and drama queen statements such as, “I’m going to die.”

His color combo was poor, but by far, the worst color of the night was Ricky’s vampire flesh tone that basically sucked the life out of his model.

Cute touches included the designers' own prom pictures as visuals – Sweet P was really sweet-looking, Christian incredibly avant garde and Kevin, also from New Jersey, seemed the handsome greaser sort. We loved Jillian’s big query: “Is it just me or is my hair bigger than usual? Maybe it was, but then, at least it wasn’t her ego, as was the case with Rami who basically told the judges, “This is what I do,” when explaining why his knee-length acrid–green cocktail dress that had not a hint of youthfulness, looked so very wrong.

- Anne Bratskeir

Photo from BravoTV.com