PROJECT RUNWAY.....Season 14 Recaps: Episode 12 Best Western Challenge

A Trip to Red Carpet Land: Images from this week's Episode 12 Season 14 "Project Runway"

This week on Lifetime's Season 14 "Project Runway", there are only four designers left in the show and they are very close to going to NY Fashion Week to show their Finale Collections...

Red Heidi: Heidi unveils the "Best Western Red Carpet Challenge"--Season 14 "Project Runway Episode 12

The Challenge this week was to design a Red Carpet look inspired by the "Land of Glamour": Los Angeles. This was also the Best Western Challenge...

Tim Tickets: Tim Gunn had the "tickets" for the designers to fly to Los Angeles. Not sure if these would actually work through the TSA Security but...I give the "Project Runway" Bunim/Murray Art Dept. props for coming up with these "airline tickets". I highly doubt that the four contestants got to sit in "A1"; a $4,000 round trip Transcontinental First Class ticket is not in their budget, kids.

LA-LA Land: Once in L.A., the designers headed to their hotel--their home for the next 1 1/2 days while in Los Angeles

Sunset Villa: Being that it was the "Best Western Challenge", the designers got to stay at the wonderfully located Best Western Plus Sunset Plaza Hotel. The hotel is iconic and situated in the heart of the Sunset Strip.

(L to R) Tammy Lucas, Managing Director of Marketing and Advertising Best Western Hotels and Tim Gunn: While at the pool of the Best Western Plus Sunset Plaza, Lucas announces to the designers that the winner of this Challenge would get 100 FREE "Best Western Rewards" NIGHTS (!) to be used at any Best Western Hotel and Resort worldwide. Lord have mercy! Yeah...this was Candice's reaction:

Shut The Front Door!!! Designer Candice Cuoco reacts to the "Best Western Rewards" prize for the winner--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 12

After their time at the Best Western Plus Sunset Plaza, Tim and the designers were off to a multi-million dollar Hollywood Hills home...

Nice View: Tim Gun and Season 14 Top Four designers--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 12

(L to R) "The Insider" correspondent Keltie Knight and Tim Gunn: The reason for this Hollywood Hills location was to supposedly get the designers "inspired for designing for the Red Carpet. The view was very nice but I think they should have, instead, had a visit with a Red Carpet L.A.-based designer such as Monique Lhuillier or at least, gone to a red carpet premiere. #JustSaying. Also, I had issues with Knight's statements that "this is not the time to play it safe". Has she actually been to a recent ACADEMY AWARDS!!!??? It's ALL about SAFE! And Fashion BOOOOOORING.

Mood L.A.: The designer got to go to Mood Los Angeles--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 12

 FIDM: While in Southern California--and during their 1 1/2 days--the designers got to create their Red Carpet designs at my Alma Mater, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM. In case you're wondering, this was the same place we shot "Project Runway: Under the Gunn".

While at the FIDM workroom, someone got SCISSOR HAPPY...

 Cutting Edmond: Designer Edmond Newton cuts, and cuts...and cuts, into his multicolored sequin fabric--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 12

From OK to Oh No: Edmond's design went from a long column gown to a cape-sleeved, fishtail hemmed mini dress--Season 14 "Project Runway" Episode 12

The Runway:

Ashley Nell Tipton: Cryin' Ashley did a pretty good Red Carpet gown, using copper/gold sequin fabric. It was impacting and sexy, but the top was a little wonky. But overall, good job! Thank goodness she didn't do a CROP TOP and PLEATED CIRCLE SKIRT.

Candice Cuoco: Candice loves the color black so it was no surprise she would do a black gown. This was the "safest" of all the red carpet looks and honestly, one of the most successful designs.

Kelly Dempsey: Kelly's halter neck jumpsuit was oh-so-chic and oh-so-perfect for a young Hollywood Starlet. The fit was EVERYTHING! She won. Rightfully so.

Oh Edmond...

Edmond Newton: No. No, and No. While this is perfect for Heidi Klum hosting "Germany's Next Top Model" or a Eurovision contest, it wasn't Hollywood Glamour Red Carpet. This was cheap looking and tasteless. It reminded me of a costume from...

Mamma Mia: The Musical

Edmond was OUT!

Or Is He???? (Hello! Tim Save!)

Here's my RECAP for this week's episode:

Season 14, Episode 12: A Trip to the Land of Glam

And then there were four! Four designers are left on this season of “Project Runway” and this week they took a trip to sunny Los Angeles for the Best Western Red Carpet Challenge. Their designs ranged from safe elegance to glam goddess and even stretched into "Mamma Mia" musical theater territory. And of course, there was that cliffhanger-like ending (To save or not to save?). We’re getting closer to NY Fashion Week, so there’s no need to dilly-dally…time to recap.

The episode begins with a shot of a red carpet-lined runway stage. The designers are there as Heidi calls out to Tim to “bring the tickets.” Immediately, she announces that for their next challenge the designers will be heading to the “land of glam. Where the lights shine and the stars shine brighter." Los Angeles! Tim hands the designers their “Project Runway” super economy class tickets and tells them their challenge: to design a look for the red carpet and use L.A. as their inspiration. He tells them that they will be designing as well as constructing their creations in Los Angeles. The segment ends with Ashley saying she is excited to be thinking “outside of the box.” No crop tops or pleated circle skirts, I hope.

The designers arrive in Los Angeles and check in to the Italian villa inspired Best Western Plus Sunset Plaza Hotel...

Click HERE on the myLifetime.com "Project Runway" Blog to continue reading my RECAP