Project Runway - Season 3 - Episode 13 - Finale Part 1

Here we are...almost at the end of Project Runway. Wow what a trip it has been! We had so many ups and downs already. We lost some great designers to some strange challenges...and we are now down to the final 4 - Uli, Michael, Laura and Jeffrey.

This week I did a live play-by-play on Blogging Project Runway...where you can get all the details of the episode as the happened.

But what is a play by play without PICTURES!?!?!

Some of you may have already realized that Project Runway spreads the Finale into 2 parts. The first part the designers are sent home to work on their collection for Fashion Week, Tim comes to visit each designer at their home to see how their lines are coming along about a month before fashion week, the designers return to NYC a few days before their show, they pick their models, do last minute touch ups on their outfits...pretty much everything up to the day before the fashion show.

But First - GET OUT!!! (in the Saturday Night Live Donatella voice)

Laura is literally walking home


Goodbye NYC!!!
My dream has come true!!! I am finally leaving Laura AND I am going to fashion week!

One month later...Michael's house in Atlanta, Georgia

I don't really drive a Saturn.

Tim pulls up to Michael's house and Micheal lives in a cute house with bright painted walls (blues and reds!). By the way, Michael actually doesn't live with his parents, but Bravo wasn't gracious enough to share pictures of Michael's home on their website. Michael introduces us to his new persona - Brace Face. (Yes America, I now how braces - get over it!)

Tim gets a peak into Michael's line and we see he is doing a "Street Safari" inspired line. He shows Tim neutrals with splashes of color and Tim says it is very spring.

This is Michael's Aunt....not his mom (if you were confused like I was)

We also get some pictures of Michael when he was younger - with a fro - with a bald head - you know all that fun stuff.

Michael talks about how he was an army brat and has lived all over the place. He started designing around age 9 or 10 with big magic markers.

Before we know it we are taken away from Michael's dinner and brought back to NYC to see Laura's line.

Do you miss my ribcage?

Laura updates us on her 15th child - she is having yet another boy - and shows Tim around her amazing huge apartment in NYC. We find out that she lived in New Orleans for a long time (growing up) and her mother taught people how to sew and her grandmother was a painter.

Is this even pretty?

Tim then gets his first look at Laura's line. She talks about how competitive she has become and how she wants to use her signature look but bring it up to a whole new level. We see a bunch of dresses that I do not think ever make it to fashion week. Probably because Tim didn't like them and she couldn't make them work.

And then we get to meet the family...

Welcome to our clan. Have some poop.

One of Laura's many spawn tries to hand Tim turtle poop. I don't think Tim enjoyed that. Then we meet Laura's husband who looks like a college professor - but is actually an architect. So I guess that is what an architect looks like.

When we are done with Laura we are taken to Miami to see Uli four weeks before fashion week.

I'm eeenspired by ze palm treezzz

Because I live in Miami I think I know where she lives (looks like the Mirador in South Beach). Tim gets a look at her collection. She is doing a "Tropical Safari" (what's with all the safari??). Tim likes most of what he sees. They head to the beach for some "let's get personal" time...

No shoes required to achieve the American Dream

Uli talks about how she lived in East Germany growing up. There wasn't a lot of color in her life which is probably why her outfits now are so bright and colorful. She talks about how America is wonderful because you can have a dream and actually accomplish it (does that only work for the immigrants??). She came to Miami because of Miami Vice (isn't that how we all end up here?) So Uli is living the fabulous American Dream - no wonder her outfits are always so fun loving.

But our time runs out in sunny Miami...and two weeks before fashion week Tim goes to LA to see Jeffrey.

No, really, I don't drive a Saturn.

Jeffrey introduces Tim to the family. He talks about how he met his girlfriend Melanie through a friend and five months later she got pregnant - and say hello to little Harrison!

Please little Harrison, don't do drugs!

Jeffrey lets us into the darker side. He says his dad (who had a lot of rage) abandoned his family when he was younger and Jeffrey always blamed himself for that. He turned to heavy drugs and almost committed suicide if one of his roommates hadn't walked in and stopped him. The next day he sought help and he has been sober for the past 5 years.

Jeffrey then takes Tim to his studio (which is HUGE) and Tim is impressed by the designs Jeffrey has made. Jeffrey said he was inspired by Japanese ghost stories and the way kimonos flowed. He tried to immitate that in his collection. Tim says Jeffrey's designs are unexpected and beautiful and he must give Jeffrey a hug because he is just so happy for him.

I love it! We need to hug it out!!!!

And before we know it we are back in NYC just 4 short days before the show. The designers are all very tired - Michael says he hasn't slept in a few days. They chit chat for a little bit and run off to bed to get their beauty sleep.

Let's finally see the competition!

The next day the designers are brought to their new workroom. Tim gets another look at their collections and Jeffrey has nothing left to do! Tim is worried for Michael not being over the top enough. Tim is worried about the fit on the models for Uli. And Tim loves what Laura has going on.

The designers then get to go to a model casting - which they seem to enjoy very much.

Shopping for Models

They then get to meet with the Tresemme and Loreal makeup people to talk about their looks on the runway.

Yes Jeffrey is using wigs

The models then start showing up for their fittings....

Wow the girls actually showed up!

And finally we get to the good stuff!! The Laura and Jeffrey DRAMA!

Ok so here is the rundown...

From the second the designers start unpacking their collections in the workroom we find out Jeffrey does not have anything left to do on his outfits. Not one seem, button, hem, hook - nothing! Laura is surprised considering everyone is still working very hard on their collections with minor details to still be completed.

Laura mentions to Michael and Uli (at a time when Jeffrey stepped out of the room) that she doesn't think Jeffrey sewed his own collection. She said it just looks too perfect considering the work that Jeffrey put out during the challenges. Uli said she didn't really get a close look and the group runs over to Jeffrey's outfits and starts inspecting each thread. Michael is convinced that Laura is right. Uli doesn't want to believe it and she tries to point out some imperfections. Michael and Laura still are not convinced otherwise. Uli insists that they tell Jeffrey first so there isn't this unexplainable tension.

Before Laura has a chance to tell Jeffrey, Tim walks in and Laura says she wants to talk to him. The two step out and it goes something like this:

Tim: Laura should we step out to the Terrace?
Laura: Yes. You know Jeffrey goes out to the Terrace a lot. Speaking of Jeffrey, I think he cheated.
Tim: ???
Laura: I don't doubt the designs and the fabrics aren't his, but I want to go on the record that I don't believe he did his own sewing.
Tim: Do you know what you are saying?
Laura: I feel it in my gut (and I don't want Jeffrey to win!)
Tim: This is serious and I will have the producers look into this.

We need one last dramatic twist.

After their talk, Laura comes back into the workroom. Uli breaks the news to Jeffrey that they need to talk to him about something. This is how that went down:

Laura: Jeffrey, your outfits are well done and finished
Jeffrey : (silent)
Laura: and I just had to tell Tim
Jeffrey: (silent but with a look like - finally someone agrees that my line kicks ass!)
Laura: that I think you had outside help with sewing your outfits.
Jeffrey: (silent but with a look like - You Bitch!)

Jeffrey insists that he did not have any outside help. He says that Laura can't stand if someone does work better than her. He thinks if someone does better than Laura she has to assume they are cheating.

The next day Tim comes to the workroom and tells Jeffrey that they are investigating this situation. The designers all had to hand in their receipts and Tim said they will go through them and make a decision on it. They then go through practically every hem, zipper, and thread. Tim says "did you do this" over and over again. Jeffrey insists that he did. He is scared he won't show at Bryant Park and feels he is walking into the darkness.

We are left with no answers...until next week.....

I would like to note that when we found out about this latest drama we didn't get the right story. We were originally told that Jeffrey and Laura's mom were talking and Jeffrey's mom told Laura's mom that Tim told Jeffrey he still had a lot of work to do during their visit. Then Laura's mom told that to Laura and that is what triggered Laura to say something to Tim when she saw Jeffrey's line completely done.

So that teaches us, once again, that the leaked Project Runway stories aren't always 100% correct.