Week 13 poll results

Hooray, you finally agreed with the judges. After a consistent disagreement all season between the judges' aufings and our readers' aufings, both sides are in synch.

40% - Jerell (270 votes)
33% - Kenley (222)
21% - Korto (143)
3% - Leanne (25)

Project Runway 5/11: Make the music with your clothes

I'd whine about not having all the excitement in the world to watch these shows before the actual finale after six designers actually showed at Fashion Week, but I think Kenley did all the whining for everyone for rest of the season on this episode.

We saw a pretty neat challenge in Week 11 as the designers had to create something for one another using a musical genre as the inspiration. Tim Gunn pulled their names out of a bag and then the type of music out of another of those magical Project Runway bags.

It may have seemed random on air, but it's waaaaaaay too coincidental some of the pairings. Little '50s Betty Boop girl Kenley Collins getting hip hop as her genre? And turning Korto Momolu into a country gal? C'mon.

But I digress. Back to the show.

Here's a look at the pairings and the genre and our thoughts:

Kenley for Leanne - Hip-Hop

I think guest judge LL Cool J said it best when he tried to cover up from laughing his swagger off as Leanne made her trip down the runway with some wannabe hip-hop outfit and a wannabe old-school Pepa hairdo. Those high-waisted jeans -- called "Mom jeans" by LL Cool J, "the most unflattering pants I've ever seen in my life" by Heidi Klum and "just God awful" by me -- looked um, well, I think LL, Heidi and I explained it perfectly. The leather jacket was nice, but as someone who grew up in the so-called "Hip Hop Generation," it was absolutely nothing close to anything resembling hip or hop.



Leanne for Korto - Country

The pink top was nice, as was the skirt that hugged the patoot and flared out at the bottom. Other than the cowboy boots and the neckwear accessory, Leanne's country outfit was made for walking . . . back into the design room.



Jerell for Kenley - Pop

Jerell nailed this challenge and had a legitimate gripe when not winning, not that he griped at all -- at least not on camera. The fishnet top and silver cups covering the goods combined with a mad short bottom and a blue short vest was quite cool. And all the way pop star. Jerell had Kenley looking like Ashlee Simpson impersonating Britney Spears trying out for the Pussycat Dolls, making it to the final cut before losing and then trying out for Danity Kane. Yes, that's a good thing.



Korto for Suede - Punk

Great pants. "I think it's right on the money," my boy LL Cool J said of Korto's work. She did a brilliant job of bleaching the pants. Can't really argue her victory on this challenge since she pretty much nailed the punk look for Suede.



Suede for Jerell - Rock 'n Roll

Not altogether sure what went on here. Suede made some sort of pants and a shirt that still baffles me. The vest was supposedly rock 'n roll, but after seeing this whole thing move down the runway, I started thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder what Stella Zotis is throwing at the television as she watches this episode."



- La Monica

Photos from BravoTV.com/runway

Project Runway 5/11: Honest Abe Jerell

Gotta love Jerell's honesty this week, suggesting he'd have no problem sabotaging Suede and letting Kenley go on with what her notion of hip-hop is in terms of fashion.

Well, played Jerell.

This is indeed a competition, and regardless of Bravo's ability to completely botch the calendar each season of this show and let nearly everyone show at Bryant Park, you still have to be in it to win it.

- La Monica

Project Runway 5/11: Leanne goes G

And we thought we'd hit the high point of ridiculously funny quotes when Tim Gunn learned a little "Holla at your boy!"

Well, in this week's fairly unique challenge of designing for each other based on a music genre pulled out of a hat, the quiet and reserved (at least on the show) Leanne Marshall was the client for Kenley Collins. The genre? Hip Hop!

Kenley asked Leanne what she'd like. And then Leanne strung these words together for us: "I'll totally do all gangster."

Such genius in this unscripted world these days.

- La Monica

Jillian Lewis' thoughts on Season 5 at Bryant Park

We cornered (stalked?) Jillian Lewis after the "Project Runway" fashion show at Fashion Week on Friday and got her thoughts on what she just saw. We also asked for an update on her designs. Watch the video below.

VIDEO: Leanne Marshall's collection at Fashion Week

Lots of pleated things and a nice color palette in this Fashion Week collection from Leanne Marshall, the odds-on favorite to win Season 5 of Project Runway

VIDEO: Kenley Collins' collection at Fashion Week

Kenley Collins loves dresses and colors and her unique point of view. That's what you're about to get in this video of her runway show from the Season 5 finale of Project Runway at Bryant Park.

VIDEO: Korto Momolu's collection at Fashion Week

Korto Momolu is definitely one of three legitimate finalists on the show, and her collection at the Project Runway Season 5 finale at Bryant Park during Fashion Week proves it.

VIDEO: Joe Faris' collection at Fashion Week

Joe Faris went with an "Americana" theme for his collection shown in Bryant Park at the Project Runway Season 5 finale during Fashion Week.

VIDEO: Jerell Scott's collection at Fashion Week

Jerell Scott led off the parade of six designers at the Project Runway finale at Bryant Park for Fashion Week.

VIDEO: Suede's collection at Fashion Week

Take a look at Suede's collection from Bryant Park during the Project Runway Season 5 finale.

Breaking: J. Lo out as finale judge

The "Project Runway" finale shows at Bryant Park just ended and the biggest news -- Jennifer Lopez was a no show. As Heidi Klum walked down the runway to introduce the show, she said Lopez hurt her foot and couldn't make it. Bummer. So who's the mystery finale judge? TIM GUNN!

Stay tuned for videos from Jerell, Suede, Joe, Kenley, Korto and Leanne, up this afternoon.

Week 8 poll results

The judges whacked Stella. You disagreed.

45% - Joe Faris
30% - Stella Zotis
21% - Suede

5/8 Designers Do Diane von Furstenberg

Talk about career opportunities – the designers tromp through Manhattan’s Meat Packing District to meet at the gloriously sexy headquarters of Diane von Furstenberg, one of the world’s most famous designers and get their challenge right from the grand dame herself. "Create a look for my fall collection inspired by Marlene Dietrich in a Foreign Affair," commands von Furstenberg. She’s one of those fabulous at-ease-with-her-power types who is also extremely charming. Besides running her huge clothing and accessories empire she’s also the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which explains the bonus of tonight’s challenge. The winner’s look will be sold to AmEx cardholders (P.S. Diane’s a company pitchwoman) with a portion of the profits going to the CFDA. How nice.

Ok, so we reviewed Diane’s fab fall line on the runway last season in Bryant Park – yes, we were there with the likes of Ellen Barkin -- and indeed it conjured up smoky drinking clubs, femmes fatales and sultry spies. Lucky designers got to raid von Furstenberg’s sample room for fabric (several very nearly killed themselves with the huge bolts). For the second week running, Leanne nailed it, and man, she deserved it. Her swank inky evening gown with ruffled back topped by a short dove-gray mohair jacket – gorgeous, beautifully constructed and most of all, Diane, a judge, liked it. We expect to see Leanne in Bryant Park and at the moment, in our minds she and Korto lead the pack.



We knew that Stella’s time on this show was limited –- such a character -- but when Michael Kors said of her pants, “the crotch is every woman’s nightmare,” well, that was the last straw. So Stella is out for her cape (“Dracula,” said Diane), vest and pants ensemble. But to be honest, we think Joe’s look was worse … so costumey … in fact his drag queen may have looked well in it, and terribly constructed. Watch out mister.

Korto’s graphic black and white gown with lemon-yellow inserts was terrific, though even better was the jacket she designed to go over it. We would buy it now. Kenley was a doggone mess – oy vey, the weeping, the Diane worshipping and then the sheer audacity of telling Diane von Furstenberg that she felt her fall collection needed a dress. Honey, the dress was cute, but hush your mouth.

Blayne had a few interesting moments tonight, though we weren’t so keen on his runway knickers. First off, he admitted to wanting to marry Mary Kate Olsen. Second, he thought Diane gave him a look over and said, “Diane loves a tan.” Hmm.

Fern Mallis sat in for the Nina tonight, and while she was good, well, we miss the Nina. And you know what, we’ll miss Stella from Astoria, because wild as she is -- that girl is the real deal. Oh yeah, and you know who else we miss? Our girl Jillian Lewis from last season. We’re calling her to see what she thinks of the season so far. Stay tuned. – Anne Bratskeir

Guess the final 3

Let's start with some basic math:

Project Runway's show at Fashion Week at Bryant Park is Sept. 12 at 9 a.m.

Today is Aug. 25.

That leaves us with 10 contestants and three more episodes before Fashion Week.

Barring some crazy double switches, rule changes or whackings at an Al Capone pace, we're going to be left with some interesting decoys on Sept. 12 (unless Bravo decides to just say "Screw it" and gives away a week or two worth of suspense by only having one or two decoys).

So here we go with the second annual "Guess the Final 3" contest. We made our predictions and listed them below. It's now your turn. Use the poll in the upper right area of this blog and vote for the final three.

Stella Zotis

She is just whacky and wild enough to make it through to the final.



Terri Stevens

Solid mixed with funky and creative makes for a legitimate spot in the final three.



Joe Faris

A bit of a wild card here, but after careful consideration, he edged out Korto Momolu and Kenley Collins for the final spot on my list.


I may be 100 percent wrong on these predictions (likely, since I was 100 percent right last season), but that's the fun of it all. Let's get your thoughts on the matter at hand.

- La Monica

Runway 5/7 guest judge Rachel Zoe

OK, so maybe this post isn't the most enlightening, but hey, it's a picture of Rachel Zoe, the Week 7 guest judge on "Project Runway" so that's not so bad.

It could be worse. It could have been a picture of me.




- La Monica

Coming Monday: Pick the final 3

Get ready, 'Runway' fans. This Monday, we'll post our predictions for the final three to show at Fashion Week in Bryant Park on Sept. 12, then give you the chance to vote for your final three.

(Or at least the three that will actually count as the finalists regardless of how many people actually send stuff down the runway to act as decoys and protect the integrity of the show since the producers can't quite seem to match up the show and Fashion Week calendars.)

We're not going to toot your own horns here, but we nailed the final three last season with Jillian, Rami and Siriano. This year, there's no way we'll get all three right but that's the fun of making predictions online.

The Tim Gunn highlight, Week 6

We heard this line on the tease last week (and prior to week 2), but dadgammit, it's so good:

"It looks like it's a pterodactyl out of a gay 'Jurassic Park.'"

Bless you, Tim Gunn. What brilliance!

Week 5 poll results

Honestly, people. You're a perfect 5-for-5 in disagreeing with the judges. They whacked Kelli Martin. Y'll disagreed.

It's getting a bit out of hand, but we love a good rebellious spirit. (Of course, none of this voting is scientific and the margin of error is roughly +/- every vote.)

The reader poll results from Week 5

45% - Daniel Feld
33% - Blayne Walsh
17% - Kelli Martin
nbsp;5% - Leanne Marshall

The Tim Gunn highlight, Week 5

Tim Gunn creates a great dichotomy on this show. While the designers are busying dressing their mannequins, Tim Gunn gets busy undressing the designers' work. He lit up Korto and Joe's orange jacket thingy.

"I mean, it looks like a big sweet potato."

Wow.