If there is one burning question electrifying the air in the fashion and reality TV worlds it’s this: Who will be the winner of Season 5 of “Project Runway”?
That question came several catwalk strides closer to being answered Friday, as the show filmed its finale under the tent at New York’s Bryant Park, showcasing the 10-piece collections of each of the six semifinalists: Jerell Scott, Stephen “Suede” Baum, Joe Faris, Kenley Collins, Korto Momolu and Leanne Marshall.
Before a packed house that included a nexus of fashion and Hollywood elites like show producer Harvey Weinstein, Padma Lakshmi, stylist Rachel Zoe, the “Project Runway” iconic judging trio of Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, and Heidi Klum strode down the runway and mugged for the camera pit.
Klum introduced guest judge and beloved mentor to the designers Tim Gunn, who stepped in at the last minute for Jennifer Lopez after she canceled due to a foot injury.
“I promise to be impartial and unbiased and to put my relationship with the designers on a metaphorical shelf,” Gunn said.
Then the ever perky Klum set the production in motion with her trademark command, “Let’s start the show!”
On “Project Runway,” broadcast time lags behind real-world time. Several designers had already been eliminated by the time New York’s Fashion Week rolled around, but to keep viewers guessing, all six contestants who remained after Wednesday night’s broadcast sent a collection down the runway Friday.
Here’s an impression of the designers’ looks.
Leanne Marshall
A serenely simple palette of mint and cream floated down the runway, displaying a seemingly refined approach to cutwork and draping that manifested itself in wavy, swoopy curves, and concentric fans of fabric. Every ensemble was easy on the eye, but Look No. 9, a gorgeous mint-colored strapless, Look No. 10, an ecru bridal gown with draping layers, and Look No. 7, a cream dress with a sheer mint balloon overlay were true stand-outs (left).
Stephen ‘Suede’ Baum
Baum said the color story of his collection was reflected in his hairdo, dyed in stripes of bright purple, pink and blue. Down the runway sashayed a loosely connected array of pinks, purples, teals, and stripes in lots of directions, the first being the friendliest to the eye: a short pink plaid dress, overlaid with a ballooning turquoise skirt-cape that tied at the waist (left).
Jerell Scott
Scott’s collection featured a palette of black and gold and shiny coppers and silvers with abundant texture and glimmer. Look No. 1 (right) was the show-stealer of his collection, a fierce strapless pencil dress in shimmering copper that was corseted in a silver border that gave the piece the appearance of a tightly wrapped spring roll.
Kenley Collins
She gushed that “Alice in Wonderland” and painting were the cornerstones of her collection, which entailed bold magentas and teals, and floral prints combined with impressive tailoring. Look No. 1, a black strapless number with a magenta skirt-cape tied around the waist (right) was one of the highlights, along with a super slim black strapless that may have required the model to be poured into it.
Joe Faris
Viable retail potential seemed to be the message behind Faris’ collection, which stuck to a fairly consistent matrix of leather and denim, with lots of zippers and stitching. Inspired by “Americana and everything it represents, the West, rock n’ roll, and motorcycles,” Faris sent down the runway combinations including a brown leather corset over skinny jeans, a pair of leather pants that looked painted-on, and a pair of electric-orange crushed velvet jeans under a denim corset (below).
Korto Momolu
Citing her African roots and her life in Arkansas, she put forth an extremely succinct color story of electric greens, khaki and gold, and she experimented with an assortment of silhouettes including balloons, folds and daring ruffles that amounted to a cohesive whole. An off-ochre asymmetrical number with a halter top (Look No. 9) and a lime-green gown slit to the floor with pleating (Look No. 10) were notable.
