Project Runway Season 18 Episode 2 - Animal Prints and Street Smart Style

My Thursdays end with Project Runway. Last week two designers were sent home, something extremely unusual. This week's episode starts with the remaining designers getting over the shock of a double elimination and continues with Dayoung awakening unable to move. Paramedics were called and she was taken to the hospital for treatment. What a way to kick off the day!  

I'm presenting all fourteen designs below, in alphabetic order of the designer's first name. I'm not telling you who placed until closer to the bottom, and the very final paragraph will actually tell you the winner and loser. Here we go - here's the Runway for Episode 2. 

Alan Gonzalez - I liked his top, but wasn't awed
by the bottom. 

Brittany Allen had immunity this week, but
it wasn't a bad design. She hand-painted her
animal print onto the right sleeve of her jacked. 

Entering the workroom, a giant door stands in the center of the room, opening for Karlie Kloss to enter. Wearing a leopard-print shirt, she introduces  - interpreting the world of "Cats" (Broadway show and upcoming movie) through street-style clothing using animal prints. Brittany, as the winner of the last episode, has immunity and was given the option of keeping her model or changing to another. She opted to keep her model for a second round. 

Chelsey Carter was bold and very street smart. I liked
the matching cap and thought the shoes really worked. 

Dayoung Kim only had a day to pull her look
together, but she managed with the help of
several other designers toward the end of the
day. We get by with a little help from our
friends. 

Marquise is already wearing animal prints for his shirt and shoes. He says this challenge is custom made for him while other designers are less certain about their tactics. After a short design session, the designers move onward to Mood where they will shop in the print section of the store. While most are choosing cat or African animal prints, Delvin decides on a fabric featuring parrot feathers in variants of green and blue. It's stunning fabric and I look forward to seeing what he'll design. I'm not sure animal prints are the best design element for Christian Seriano - his animal print shirt isn't really flattering on him. 

Delvin McCray chose this exquisite parrot feather
fabric for his animal print, then made a beautifully
fitted and tailored dress. In two days. He didn't even
pick up a needle on Runway day. Crazy! 

Geoffrey Mac was running around Mood like an
idiot once again, unable to make up his mind. He's
got to get better at his time management when
faced with fabric choices. 

Mood is left behind and the designers are return to the workroom to begin their muslins and their final garments. I'm loving some of the concepts, and we're finding out more about some of the designers too. Histories, dreams, prior projects and families are explored for a few of the designers. It's fun, and there's some serious talent on the workshop floor this season. 

Marquise Foster joined three different animal
prints for his tap, then added a sporty
skort for his skirt. It shouldn't have worked,
but it did. 

Melanie Trygg chose a pattern, but is it actually
an animal print? The judges were wondering, and
I have to agree that this isn't really an animal print
at all. 

Dayoung, diagnosed with extreme exhaustion, returns to the workroom on Day Two. She'll only have a single day to design and construct her garment which might be a problem. Because she's Korean, she chooses a tiger print, reflecting the national animal of Korea. At the end of the day, most of the designers still have a lot to do before the Runway which will feature guest judge, Marnie Senofonte, the styling mentor from Season 17. 

After a rushed 2-1/2 hours before the Runway, it's time for the walk and judgment. I enjoyed this Runway quite a bit because I love prints. After all of the designers had their fashions presented, Karlie said that the individual styles of each designer were evident during the fashion walk, and that it is unusual to see that this early in the competition. I have to agree. There were unique styles walking up and back, and the distinctive voices of each designer were coming through boldly. Now to see what the judges say are top and bottom looks. 

Nancy Volpe-Beringer shredded her animal print
for her hooded top. I loved her concept and the
bold colors she had for the skirt. She's a fun
designer and a well-liked member of the group. 

Sergio Guadarrama stated that he designs for the
35-55 year-old woman, so "street smart" isn't part
of his design aesthetic. That's pretty evident in
his train, and he's also an arrogant SOB. 

BTW, Dayoung's one-day challenge piece wasn't bad, and I don't think she'll be in the bottom, despite her constrained worktime. At the end of the day, several of the other designers had banded together around her and helped her hem and finish her garment. (Although Delvin was finished with his dress, he conspicuously does not join the others in helping Dayoung. Not much of a team player, is Delvin.) 

Shavi Lewis took a bold animal print and then made
his own animal print from it. It was a cute concept,
and a well-executed dress, but the actual style was
a bit dated and uninspired. 

Tyler Neasloney presented this odd silhouette, but
it was beautifully constructed, with hook and eye
closures down the bodice. He knows how to sew.  

SPOILERS BELOW - YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!




The top and bottom looks are from Delvin, Veronica, Geoffrey, Tyler, Marquise and Victoria. The winner comes down to either Delvin or Marquise. Marquise married several different animal prints with a flirty unicolor skort to make something beautifully street style, but Delvin's tailoring on the bird print dress is exquisite. On the bottom, Tyler, although not the best, is way above the other two designers in terms of a finished garment. That leaves Geoffrey or Veronica - short caftan or saggy pleated diapers. Frankly, they both are awful. 

Veronica Shaeffer usually hunts for organza and
chiffon as a wedding designer. She seems to be a
bit lost in fabrics that don't float. 

Victoria Cocieru wanted to make the handbag - it
was her entire focus on the challenge and it
stood out like a large yellow elephant. I don't
think that was a great design decision, and she's
also using the "I can't understand you, I don't
speak English well" card a bit too much. I suspect
she speaks and understands much more than she's
letting on. 

The winner is Marquise - with his combination of animal prints and swingy skort. Delvin and Victoria are safe, but Victoria barely skated through this challenge. As for who is going home, with Tyler safe, it comes down to Geoffrey or Veronica. Veronica is sent home and Geoffrey survives for another challenge by the edge of his fingernails. He has to get his nerves under control or he'll be out the door soon. Project Runway is a pressure cooker situation and he's not a very focused designer. Next week is the unconventional materials challenge. Yippee!