Coming Down To The Wire - Project Runway NO SPOILERS

This week's Project Runway had only five designers competing for the four slots that are usually available for Fashion Week. The challenge guidelines revolve around making an outfit inspired by breast cancer survivors - modern day warriors with an editorial look. Although there are some contenders who are "almost" guaranteed a slot for the Fashion Week show, nobody has a lock on it yet and at this time, with a disastrous design, it's anyone's to lose.

Read on to get a synopsis of the workshop this week. NO SPOILERS! The spoilers come tomorrow when I will show each of the outfits designed for this week's theme.

There's something strong about the color red. Here, Margarita works on her
gown for the Warrior Women challenge.

The designer's budget for the 2-day challenge is $250 and, since Avon is sponsoring this challenge, the makeup for each model will take on extra importance. Kentaro is talking about a kimono look, Margarita seems to be making a corseted look with brilliant red accented with golden leather. She wants to pull together the various scattered elements of being a cancer patient. Brandon is talking about a dropped crotch pant with a hooded top. Ayana seems to be designing a blouse that has identity issues. Everyone is doing better than Kenya by the end of Day 1. Kenya doesn't even have anything in the works - she's searching for design inspiration and coming up empty.

The designers aren't sure if there will be four or only three people moving on to Fashion Week, and historically, PR has done each of those numbers. So anything is possible and those of us watching have no more idea than the contestants.

Tim's critique gives positives to Brandon and one of Kentaro's looks (Kentaro is so indecisive that he's designing more than one look). Tim tells Kenya that since she's the only designer left who hasn't won a single competition, she needs to up her game to a 20, not just a 10. He pulls Margarita's look apart, saying it is too much like a costumed super-hero look. Ayana's look seems to be escaping under the radar. After Tim's visit, the workshop recovers and everyone refocuses.

I was underwhelmed by the makeup consultations and the final fittings with the models. Kentaro's hooded sweater doesn't fit Jazzmine at all, Liris looks awesome in Kenya's blue petals vision. Ayana is focused, thinking about the many mini items she needs to complete (the finished design features bunches of buttons and their button holes, for example). Margarita is still skating along the border between fashion and costume.

Brandon's design looks exactly like a Brandon design. From the beginning, his aesthetic was clear and indisputably his own. If nothing else, it should be an interesting Runway since so much still remains to be done at the end of Night #2. They're going to need that little more than two hours that they usually get on Runway day.

At this point I had my personal favorites. Tomorrow we'll see who wore what on the Runway, but tonight I'm in Brandon and Kenya's corners as their models get ready to walk under the lights for the judges.

Today is SHED DAY! I'll be so happy to have this over with already. We're getting our first snow of the season and the forecasters say it could leave 2"-4" on the ground by the end of the day. Of course, all of this is going on today only - the one day we really needed/wanted good weather for the installation of the shed. DH is fit to be tied! I'm just hoping that things go off without a hitch.

Have an awesome Friday. Stay warm - I've pulled out my winter coat. *sigh* Such is late October in the Frozen Northlands!