TV: Project Runway Shocker

First of all, this is clearly one of the best 2nd Generation Reality TV programs being produced. I'm not, however, certain that last night's finale did justice to the designers who didn't win.

Jeffery presented his work first. He had an awesome collection, granted, but it would seem it looked much better up close than from a distance. Some of the garments looked like they had been produced from curtains and tablecloths! Of course, the zipper work was immaculate, and some of the leather pieces he--ahem--created were truly admirable. There was a question that was brought up in the last show by his competitors of whether or not he had done all the stitching himself. And though the producers did an exhaustive accounting of his receipts, there was one item that remained questionable AND he went over budget by $200! To be frank, his $8000 collection did not look like it was worth that much. The theme of his collection was disjointed and it didn't even reflect his Rock and Roll spirit very well.

Uli's collection was perhaps the most surprising. She gets all her inspiration from her tropical environment in Miami (we've heard this 10 times before, on every previous show, in fact). Her whispy collection was at once youthful and beautiful. She got a little carried away with the hippy prints, which may have cost her the competition, but her cuts and stitching were clearly the best of the three. There was a certain creativity to her collection that the other three designers lacked. And her outfits were utilitarian as well. One could see her models in a number of different environments wearing what Uli created. Personally, I thought her outfits shined above the rest, and though I don't like her very much, I feel her collection was the strongest.

Laura presented her work, which was astonishingly beautiful, composed mostly of evening wear, with ornate, ultra-chic cocktail dresses. This collection actually had a theme, but it felt a bit antiquated, and old fashioned. I could see someone wearing these outfits in the 1930's or the 1950's. Not so much today. Although, celebrities on their way to the red carpet would be wise to contact Laura. Her collection looked like it was worth $30,000. Not bad on an $8,000 budget.

Finally, Michael, oh Michael.... His collection, much like Uli's, was chasing after this trendy Urban Safari theme. Uli did it ten times better, though. Michael, who was probably the most talented designer this season, proceeded to have a showing that flopped. Where Uli created elegant, airy pieces, Michael devolved into ghetto-fabulousness. Not only were his clothes a bit tight and hoochy, but he had the worst models of the bunch! These were clearly dresses made for strong URBAN women (or should I just say black women?) The skinny, pale, sad-looking models that strutted his stuff did it no justice whatsoever. His work was sexy and sultry, but the models couldn't make it look good. He needed a troupe of chicken-eating sisters to parade his gowns, instead he ended up with heroine-addled, bulimic, half-asleep chicken heads. And though he won the popular vote by the viewers (and even the crowd's approval at the show), his clothes were clearly not something the average white female could pull off without a few random implants.

Anyway, Jeffery won. Don't ask me why. Uli's collection made his look sophomoric. But oh well.