Last night’s episode opened in the Atlas Apartments with the remaining designers speculating what their next challenge might be. Kenley still seemed confused as to why she was in the bottom following last week’s challenge (and the more times I see the pictures of her big puffy sleeved creation, the more it makes sense to me, actually).

The designers arrived to the Runway, where Heidi began to introduce the coming challenge. A group of middle aged women filed on to the runway, causing Leanne to say, “None of us want to design an old lady outfit!” (Really? Old ladies don’t buy clothes?). Heidi then went on to say the women brought along with them the person the designers would be creating for: the daughters, recent college grads. The challenge was to create a head-to-toe makeover, creating a new look for the next stage in their lives.

Next, the designers were paired with their Mother & Daughter and given thirty minutes in the work room to consult and discuss looks. Joe addressed (for the first of many times) that the mother/daughter dynamic was the eight wonder of the world – that if the mom liked it, the daughter wouldn’t (Any one else bothered by this generalization? I was annoyed the first time, and flat out mad the second).

Kenley was thrilled to be paired with Anna and Nancy. She was happy to discover that Anna’s tastes were very similar to her own. Korto felt she’d easily be able to relate to Megan and Amy because she’s hip – her initial thoughts were to create a wrap dress that could move.  Jerrell’s client, Caitlin asked for a garment that was more androgynous – prompting Jerrell to consider a high waist pencil skirt, blousy top and a man style cardigan. Paired with Holly and Ellie, Leanne was tasked with creating an outfit for future elementary school teacher, Holly – who needed an outfit that would be comfortable, and make her look like an adult as well. Joe’s client Laura (with mom Janet) was in need of an outfit that would be professional for interviews for her career as a graphic designer. Suede’s client Avital wanted an outfit to interview and work in. As a photographer, she requested an outfit that would be easy to move and “roll around” in – which was a panic to Suede because pants “are not Suede’s thing” (Wow, he broke out the third person in the first ten minutes of the show!).

At Mood, Korto takes over Stella’s throne as “Queen of Leather”. The designers seem to move around the store well and don’t seem too concerned with the project at hand. By the way, how adorable is it that Mood has a dog named Swatch?! Love it.

(Sidenote: Commercial for Top Chef: New York . Good news!)

The designers continued to work in the workroom until Tim brought the moms and daughters back through for thirty minutes for fittings. Jerrell loved his mother/daughter team. Joe’s client wasn’t loving the pinstriped material he selected for her suit. Ellie, the mother of Leanne’s client didn’t like the outfit, and she told her daughter that the outfit flattened her down, made her look flat-chested. Observing the teams, Jerrell had wondered who was going to get the “Hedda Lettuce” in this challenge – then stated that it looked like Leanne did (Love the reference to Hedda Lettuce, Suede’s picky client from the drag queen challenge). Following her meeting with her clients, Leanne scrapped her work to start over.

Joe’s stuffy, clichéd suit became the joke in the workroom – particularly given that his client was in a creative field and he created a suit with a pocket square (“Where’s your pocket square!?”  teased Kenley – I don’t think I’ve ever owned anything with a pocket square – you?)

The following mornings, the clients arrived for a second fitting sans Moms. While the daughters were in the workroom, Tim called for a “Gather Round” to introduce the groups to Jeanie Syfu from Tresemme’ to consult on the hairstyle portion of the makeover.

Tim Gunn wandered through the workroom to check the designers’ work. With Suede, he questioned the length of the sleeves on the jacket and told him to make sure everything was just so – that it would all be visible on the runway. Tim’s concern with Joe’s garment is that the suit did not look like a graphic designer. Joe told Tim that he wasn’t considering the field, but rather creating a professional interview look. Tim questioned this line of thinking, responding to Joe that the field is “everything.” Before moving on, Tim said, “Joe, you have a lot of work to do.” Tim loved Jerrell’s design and gave only brief guidance before moving on to Kenley. He offered her a smidge of advice that she said she wouldn’t listen to.

In the midst of all the work, all the mother-daughter-ness of the challenged made Joe miss his family. He went to the breakroom where we were treated to an emotional phone call home (and again, that whole mothers/daughters hoo-haa. Joe, do you REALLY think that all mothers and daughters are like that?!).
Finally, the moment for the Runway rolled around. The designers got their clients dressed and primped and ready for the runway where they would be judged by Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia and special guest judge, Designer Cynthia Rowley. The designers are told that the winning look would be featured in a Tresseme’ ad in Elle magazine.

The looks came down the Runway. Joe’s model appeared first in her suit (which wasn’t at all flattering, by the way). Leanne’s look followed – and I’m unsure why her model didn’t remove her jacket to show the dress underneath. Jerrell and Korto’s looks came next (what was going on with Jerrell’s hair? Was that a hair piece? Strange hat?). Suede’s client Avital appeared next – I loved her hair makeover, but wondered how on earth her request for an outfit she could roll around in got translated into “funky print dress.” There’s no way anybody was doing any functional work in that garment. Kenley’s Mini-Me trotted down the runway next (anyone else think her client had a bit of a resemblance to Christian Siriano?).

The designers were called to join their clients on the runway to discuss the looks with the judges. Kenley told the judges she wanted her model to look fresh and cute. The judges all liked the look – calling it cute, charming and the right style for the job Anna would be doing.

Joe explained to the judges that he interpreted the challenge as giving a young girl a professional interview outfit. Cynthia Rowley commented that she found it interesting that he interpreted “professional” to mean “suit. Michael Kors set Kenley off in one of her famous giggle-fits by mentioning (you guessed it) pocket squares.

Korto expressed to the judges that she wanted to give her client something “fun”. The judges liked the look, noting that the jacket was particularly cool.

Leanne was next to be questioned, and Nina asked Holly to remove her jacket to show the dress (finally!).  It was agreed that the dress was much more charming sans jacket.

The judges told Jerrell that his look was great. Cynthia Rowley noted that it was perfect for his model’s body type.

Suede’s look crashed and burned with the judges. Cynthia Rowley felt the jacket was gratuitous. Nina was rendered nearly speechless telling Suede she didn’t like the shape of the jacket with the printed dress. She then added that it was “the tip of the iceberg, I will say no more.” (That can’t be good.)

The designers were sent backstage so the judges could chat. The judges liked the designs by Jerrell (“He transformed her”), Kenley, and Korto. They didn’t like Suede’s (aged the client 20 years), Leanne (old fashioned and frumpy), or Joe’s (“Becky Homecky” said Michael Kors).

The judges called the designers back on to the Runway and Jerrell was declared the winner. Sent to the safety of backstage were Korto, Kenley and Leanne, which left Suede and Joe in the Bottom Two.Image courtesy of Bravo.

Once more, Joe was criticized for taking a beautiful girl and aging her twenty years. Suede was reminded that his look was overworked and not practical. Suede was sent to the safety of backstage while Joe was the receiver of the Auf’ing and Heidi’s double air kiss of death.

Image courtesy of Joe Faris/RedFly.

What did you think of this challenge? Did the judges get it right? Am I the only one excited to see that next week’s guest judge is LL Cool J?

When Sarah isn’t over-analyzing Project Runway, she’s blabbing at The Mom Chronicles.