Survive in Style.
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Well, here we are with a recap for Episode 4 of the 17th season of 'Project Runway'.
Karlie Kloss, the host of 'Project Runway', interrupts the designers' pow-wow to inform them that they will go on a trip. Vans will pick up the designers (aka "the contestants") at 6am. Karlie advises the designers to pack warmly...
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The designers are still unsure of where they are traveling too. Will it be London? Will it be Paris? Their vans pass by JFK, so the designers get the hint that they will not board an airplane for this destination. Where are they going?
The designers wilderness for a few days...which is driving distance from their filming location in New York City. The designers sleep in tents for two nights too. It is literally survival of the fittest, amiright.
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Day One
The Challenge
Christian Siriano compares himself to more of an 'indoor cat', but he is excited for the designers' to take on a challenge in the good ole' outdoors. According to Christian, the outdoors is the place where fashion truly began. That said, the designers have to create a chic, high-fashion survival look for an unconventional materials challenge.
The designers gather materials that they will use for their garments. Apparently, the materials Hester gathers are ransacked by the other designers...uh oh. Afterwards, the designers make a mad dash to pick up their model cards.
The Workroom
Garo creates a dress, as inspired by his childhood memory of fishing with his father. The goal for the utility jacket Renee is working on is for the jacket to cover the survival needs for if a person was to be outdoors. Lela's garments are "Mother Nature goes to a mall"-esque. Sebastian is using tape and leaves for his garment. He is attempting to avoid having to use a sewing machine. Meanwhile, Jamall is incorporating his puffer-signature by creating a puffer jacket made out of a sleeping bag. Tessa does not have pre-made material, so she makes a loom in order to weave a textile. Afa likes the neon flowers he is making, but he feels unsure of his idea for his garment.
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Marni Senofonte, a celebrity stylist, is back this week to help the designers with styling. Marni and Christian check on the designers and the progress they are making with their work. Christian does not seem to be on board with Hester's mod tarp. Hester has a fallback plan in case this garment does not work out. Plan B consists of plastic army-print netting and to drape it into a gown with a plastic corset over it. Marni and Christian take a peek at Hester's sketch for her second plan, and they seem to be more on board with that garment idea. In the words of Marni, "That's genius." Hester decides to ditch her first garment, and focus on working on her backup plan.
Marni loves the twig bustle that Sonia is been working on, calling it "inventive." Christian advises Sonia to continue to push herself into the direction to "take something from nature and make it gorgeous." Kovid uses a patchwork of materials for his garment. Christian is not a big fan of all of the elements Kovid plans on using for his garment. Bishme creates a cropped jacket that is made out of a sleeping bag. Marnie loves the jacket, but feels that Bishme needs to add an extra oomph to it.
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Rakan is taking a more literal approach by creating a "safe place" for the model. He tells Marnie and Christian his idea to add colored threading to the gauze material he will use for the shirt.
The designers are done working for the day, and they munch on s'mores near their campfire. (Fun fact: This is Sebastian's first time eating a s'more!)
Day Two
The Workroom
The next morning, Bishme comes up with a "'Project Runway' campfire song". It is 44-degrees Fahrenheit outside, but that is not stopping these designers from working hard.
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The models arrive for their fittings. Some models will be colder than others. Christian feels that Renee needs to push forward with something for her garment because she has created a tarp jacket.
Christian worries about whether the model will be able to walk in Sonia's garment because the hem is very long. Afa is thrilled with how his garment looks on Mimi. Christian pushes Rakan forward to figure out how to drape the bottom fabric of his garment around the model's legs.
Kovid looks for materials he can find to tone his garment down. Kovid and Renee end up trading materials. Time's up for the day, so the designers create a fire.
Day Three
Prep for the Runway
The designers wake up at the crack of dawn...at 5:30 AM. They are ready to warm up and get ready for work. Garo can smell rain coming.
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Kovid does not have any worries about his garment and the model who will wear it. Meanwhile, the twig bra that Tessa makes snaps in half, but she still decides to incorporate it into the look. The models head into hair and makeup while the designers make last minute fixations to the garments. Christian and Marni arrive in all their glory, just as it begins to rain.
Runway
Thunder booms loudly before the runway show starts. One day, these designers will be in, but they will be out another day. Nina Garcia, Brandon Maxwell, and Elaine Welteroth judge the designers' garments.
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Hester is happy with the movement of the skirt she made for her model. Karlie is "obsessed." Hester is not super worried because she has immunity. Garo is thrilled with how his garment looks. (I can't blame him for thinking that. It looks awesome.) Tessa characterizes her garment as "chic nature". Even though the dress looks stiff, Sebastian loves the garment he makes. Renee is nervous about what the judges think because her garments take a more literal approach to the challenge. Lela describes her garment as "survival chic". Sonia forgets to trim the bottom hem of her garment, which leads to her model tripping on the runway.
Results
The following designers are safe and make it to the next round: Lela, Tessa, Bishme, Sebastian, Garo, Jamall, and Venny.
Karlie and the judges choose the final six: Hester, Kovid, Afa, Renee, Rakan, and Sonia. Of that six, Hester, Renee, and Rakan have the top looks. Renee is crowned the winner of the unconventional materials challenge. Afa is eliminated from the competition.
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