PR is headed down the final stretch as four designers remain. During model selection Uli throws a wrench into Michael's game & chooses Nazri. Michael was visibly annoyed with her choice, his muse had escaped him, so he chose Clarissa.

The Challenge:
The designers are sent to meet nina garcia at the offices of elle. nina launches a presentation about the importance of fashion editorials blah blah blah & introduces Elle's "First Look" page the mark of the beginning of the fashion section of the magazine. The First Look conveys a design point of view, and that is what the designers are seeking to achieve in this challenge...convey their own design perspective through and outfit of their choice with few limitations.
the requirements were to choose three words that describe their designer identity, and that their outfit must convey those words. Their designs should tell a story, and should allow us to have a peek into their prospective collection.

The winner of this challenge would have their design & model photographed by Giles Bensimon & would appear in Elle.

The designers were allowed 30 min. to sketch, $250, and 2 days to complete the challenge. Mid-Challenge it comes to their attention that their creation/sewing time would be cut short as they were to fit their models, and photograph them anywhere in NYC. The goal is to pitch what your Elle First Look pictorial would look like.

Heidi, in an attempt to cause panic, announced that two designers (not three) would be moving on to fashion week.

Teri Agins, lead fashion writer for The Wall Street Journal, sat in as the guest judge.

Uli Wins:


Uli struggled during this challenge & essentially wasted an entire day. She begin cutting up her creation, and seemingly had no direction, but she created a fun & gorgeous dress. I thought the fabric was ugly at first, and somehow she transformed it into something I would completely wear.

Uli's three words were, “Fun, Life, and Adventure", so it was fitting that Uli had photographed Nazri in the epicenter of NYC: Times Square.


No one is out!...What? All four are moving on to fashion week but deservedly so!

Jeffrey:

Jeffrey is so full of himself isn't he? Well he just might be a tad over confident. I love that he is a risk taker and he is constantly trying to do something new or different. We need that on this show. I really liked the colors he chose, but wasn't keen on the fabric choice (velvet & silk). I really liked the silloheute, but the judges weren't too nice about it. Jeff's words were: “Provocative, Irreverent, and Romantic" one out of three isn't bad! :)

Michael:

Poor Michael!!! If only Nazri was there...he seemed so lost! I hated this dress, but loved the color. The fit was way off, but this probably could have been remedied had he not wasted an entire day, figuring out his design path.


Laura:

Ummm hello didn't we just see this dress in black?! I don't understand why she REFUSES to do anything different. Yea Yea Yea it is pretty, and it exudes “Glamour, Confidence, and Elegance” (her three words), but why oh why does she insist on being stuck in this "If it Isn't Broke Don't Fix It" Mode? I'm sorry, Laura, you are talented, but I'm OFFICIALLY BORED!

Project Runway airs on Bravo on Wednesdays 10/9c

October is almost here, and it just so happens to be National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so while you are pre-holiday shopping pick yourself up some of these do-good items.

tees:




Primp Breast Cancer Awareness Tees $68 tee; $75 thermal tee @ shopbop(50% of proceeds benefit the Y-Me Breast Cancer Awareness Organization



Oscar De La Renta Key For A Cure Tee $35 @ Saks Fifth Avenue ($31 from each sale benefits the Women's Cancer Research Fund, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation)

beauty:



Philosophy Shower For the Cure $20 (100% of the proceeds benefit the Women's Cancer Research Fund); e.l.f. color therapy kit $10 (20% of the proceeds benefit the Women's Information Network Against Breast Cancer (WIN ABC) )

mr. & mrs. trevor titus were married on september 23, 2006

After much speculation, it has been reported that Britney Spears & Kevin Federline have named their new baby boy Sutton Pierce Federline. I am sure he already has a mini white mercedes with the license plate Sutton P. to match that of big brother Sean Preston. I have to say I don't hate the name, but is terribly formal, considering the fact that he will probably grow up wearing "PIMP" tracksuits, & referring to women as "Hoes", but formal isn't bad, and if Britney takes my PR advice I have been offering her for free, then Sutton P. could grow up to be a very respectable business man. I have a big thing with initals, so I have more of a problem with the fact that she now has two children with the initials SPF...15, 30, 40 not sure which one she would prefer, but I'm told that anything above 30 will help you when you are flailing about in your carseat while riding in the back of a convertible & the california sun is beating down on you! i don't know that is just what i hear!

I find it strange that the Britney camp hasn't commented on the birth, but they are probably going to post a message once her new website launches. That brings me to another point, I am not quite sure what to think about the Britney Spears site redesign. I like the tiger theme because it gives me hope that SEXY Britney is going to make a comeback. One can only hope right? But the Tiger/Britney morph on the homepage freaks me out a bit. Here is a screenshot of the new homepage still under construction:





The redesign was obviously spurred by her little poem/journal entry/musing aka: "Love B Stream of Consciousness" she posted a few months ago:

It began by quoting the William Blake poem 'The Tiger':

"Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

"In some ways, people are a lot like animals. We all hunger for the same things. Love, lust, danger, warmth and adventure."Like people, animals all have their own rhythm to life. I'm mesmerised by tigers. Their eyes, their stripes, their constant quest for survival. They almost have a sense of mysteriousness about them."They pull you in and make it difficult to look away. They make you wonder what is behind their gaze. A sense of eerie awe comes over you in their presence. The fear they give you when you pass them is stunning. Behold the beauty of the tiger."

For those of you who have been tuning into Project Runway week after week, you know that the final 4 is composed of designers with completely different aestectics. I think most contestants on Project Runway view the show as a great way for the designers to hone their talents and grow creatively. Sure it is other things as well, the publicity doesn't hurt at all, nor does the prize money (if the winning designer happens to take it), but i think this is really an opportunity that most of the designers use to really find their true design style. This season has been an incredible journey with great personalities and fabulous designs. It is hard to compare seasons, because everyone has their personal tastes & styles, but judging from these collections, I think the previous fashion week showings were superior. I will tell you more when the next episode airs!

Heidi introduces the Project Runway Show:


Uli:


















Uli stayed true to herself & to the season by giving her collection a warm weather feel, but didn't go over the top with the prints & carribean styling. I loved her use of the silver fabric and her combination of the silver with the beige. her tailoring and fit was suberb.

Jeffrey:









Jeffrey's collection was overall pretty cool, but not exactly cohesive. Some of his designs were super casual while others were very chic. I really did like some of his looks, but as a collection one look didn't really flow into the other.



Laura:









Laura's collection was choc full of beige, gray, & black, with a teeny tiny bit of yellow embellishing. It was also full of crystals, feathers, lace, & satin. the sheer black lace dress over pants escapes me. she didn't line the bodice, so it is obviously going to be revealing. why does it look like they stuck tissues in to cover just the model's nipples? is it really tissue? WHY? what's the point. if you want them covered, line the bodice!!! you gave her pants for godsakes!!! Overall, the collect was very sophisticated with simple shapes, and fantastic tailoring.

Michael's "Urban Safari":





I guess I don't respond well to urban safaris, because i didn't care for Michael's collection at all. It was a huge let down for me. Michael I still love you, and I still think you are amazingly talented.






Who will the final 3 be?! Most importantly who will be the winner? I thought Michael would have this thing in a lock, but after seeing his collection, I am not so sure. My first thought upon seeing all of the collections was, "Wow, I really wish Alison Kelly was showing!!!" or even Chloe Dao, Nick V., or Kara Saun... thankfully Jay McCarroll is showing later today, so I won't have to wait long to get my Project Runway fix!

read: blogging project runway for their reports from the tents

(photos: getty images)