PROJECT RUNWAY.....Season 12 Project Runway Recaps: Episode 3 "Coney Island Meltdown"

 Last week's Lifetime Network Season 12 "Project Runway" episode had the remaining designers work in teams of two (Oh dear!) as well as create yet another look out of "Unconventional" materials (it's the second Unconventional Challenge in only three weeks into the season!).

 Season 12 "Project Runway" designers Karen Batts and Bradon McDonald get their stuffed-toy and plastic alien winnings

The designers were brought to Coney Island Amusement Park to do a Yoplait Yogurt taste-testing shtick (Yoplait is a big sponsor of "Project Runway" so it was a way to tie them in...somehow!). They also ran around the Park playing games and using what they won as the material for their future creations.

This was supposed to be a 'fun" episode--both for the designers and viewers. But, naturally, it ended up being STRESS CENTRAL with two particular teams arguing, verbally fighting and not having fun at all. the twosomes that were not getting along at all were...

 Milwaukee Meltdown Twosome: Miranda Levy and Timothy "Unicorn Loving Sustainable" Westbrook

 Sandro "The Shouting Diva" Masmanidi and Sue Waller

The Runway Best:

Alexandria von Bromssen and Dom Streater--They designed a great look that payed homage to the "fun" part of this challenge, it was definitely in my Top Two. The minute the look came out, I smiled! Alexandria and Dom both did a fab job of the COMPLETE look--from head to toe. It reminded me of several things including the "mascot" for the Japanese television station NHK, Domo-Kun (above right). But it also was reminiscent of designs from...

 Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada (designs above), as well as...

 Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (designs above)

Kate Pankoke and Helen Castillo--Kate and Helen's design was deemed the BEST (and rightly so) by the judges. It might not have as "fun" as Alexandria and Dom's "Harajuku Girl" but it was refined and almost Couture-like in its execution: it was almost completely made out of red straw sombreros!! It could have easily fit into Jean Paul Gaultier's Mexico-inspired Spring 2010 Haute Couture Collection:

 Sombrero Señoritas: Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2010 Haute Couture "Mexico Collection"

The "Oh Dear":

Miranda Levy and Timothy Westbrook--The Milwaukee Meltdown Twosome created the worst look from last week with the concoction seen above. It was just SO plastic-y! Poor Timothy was so proud of his yellow vest and the technique he used yet it ended up looking like a shredded life vest.

 

It was time for little Timothy to take his Sustainable mantra back to Milwaukee--along with his Unicorn Stuffed Toy...

Now, if you wanna know what I REALLY THOUGHT of this entire episode--Keep reading below and my "Project Runway Blog" Recap:

Coney Island Meltdown

Last week on "Project Runway," Kate won with her Vivienne Westwood-looking gown, which best showcased the million-dollar jewels; Helen couldn't make bust cups and cried; Sue couldn't thread a bobbin; Sandro continued being a Diva 2.0; and unicorn-loving Timothy went dumpster diving for fabric at Mood. Oh, and Kahindo was out for a dress deemed too "on sale." After revisiting last week's episode, I now have to question the judges' decision since there were so many others that were more "off-the-rack" looking, and certainly worse in terms of construction (hello extended-bust Karen!). With that all in the pot, let's discuss this week's "light and frothy" challenge that turned out to be nothing but drama, drama, drama.

Klum Wake-Up Call
For some reason, Heidi wakes the designers up at 5:30 a.m. in their Refinery Hotel rooms. A) I can't believe they got Miss Heidi up that early for this scene, and B) What sense did it make since we subsequently found out that she wasn't even part of the challenge announcement, which occurred hours later? Moving on. After their early-morning wake-up call, the designers head over to the Coney Island Boardwalk, where they are greeted by Tim Gunn and Dave Smetter, VP of Marketing Communications for Yoplait Frozen Yogurt.

Not-So-Sweet Yoplait Teams
The designers have to give out Yoplait Frozen Yogurt samples to passersby, collect descriptive words from the yogurt-tasters describing their tasting experience, and then choose three of those descriptive words to inspire their runway creations. Designers will be paired up in teams of two. Welcome to the FIRST team challenge. Poor Miss Kate, who just got off an entire season of team challenges...

CLICK HERE to read the rest of my Recap of MyLifetime.com Project Runway Blog