The Project Runway finale for a season we haven't seen yet

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By Anne Bratskeir

If you're looking forward to a suspenseful season 6 of Project Runway…whenever and wherever it finally airs…please don't read this.

The show has been mired in contract disputes between Bravo and Lifetime for months, so while production has continued, no one has seen an episode or has any sense of the players and their personalities. Which brings us to the finale show at the tents Friday morning.

Heidi Klum and company were all on hand. Heidi, who spoke briefly, said she felt "a little bit sad for our designers," for not getting any recognition. To keep the finalists secret, the collections came out like headless horsemen, no inspirational information, no designer intro. Who will the winner will be? Kind of obvious, though we could be wrong...but we sincerely doubt it.

Here we go:

Out of the three, the best was by far, the third shown, which began with a stitched leather corset-sweater over leggings and featured fabulous outerwear, many with strips of fabric encasing the waist or stitched over the back. The knitwear – cushy sweaters, one cocoon-like hooded job in creamy camel, another slouchy sweater coat – absolutely fabulous.

For evening the crisscross effect was taken to another level – black dresses and a gown wrapped in strips featured sparkly fabric insets. Overall, an obvious wow with a touch of rocker luxe.

Even Season 4 winner Christian Siriano, who sat front row, looked impressed. Now all we need to know is whodunit? And in the interest of not being mean (yet), we'll only say that the first two collections, which both had some good pieces, were underwhelming.

Maybe this is too much information for Project Runway lovers but Suzy Menkes, the famed fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune, is the guest judge for the finale. And we're thinking based on other show attendants, that Marc Bouwer will be a guest judge on the show, as will hip-hop singer-songwriter Akon. C'mon Project Runway, bring it on.

>> Photos: "Project Runway" finale at Fashion Week

How do the Season 6 final designs compare?

>> Season 5 finale
>> Season 4 finale