PROJECT RUNWAY.....Season 19 Project Runway: Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress: Photo Recap!

 Bottle Caps, To-Go Bags, Straws, Bar Mats...It's the Unconventional Materials Challenge! Models (L to R) Jessica, Grace, Cassandra, and DD in designs from Kristina Kharlashkina, Chasity Sereal, Anna Yinan Zhou, and Coral Castillo--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

It's time for my next installment of "Project Runway" Season 19 Photo Diary BLOG...Episode 9 was the infamous "Unconventional Materials" Challenge, one of the most fan-tastic of the show. It's always super creative to see what the designers on "Project Runway" do with materials that are not your traditional fabrics, like satins, cotton, etc. For this season, the design challenge involved designing a Cocktail Dress....out of (wait for it!), actual materials found AT A BAR! (Get it: Cocktail Dress & Cocktail Bar Materials!)...

Ready...Set...Go! Designers get ready to make a run for it, at the bar--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

The designers were brought to a bar in Long Island City, where many typical materials found at a bar, such as stirrers, straws, bottle caps, plastic take-out bags, coffee filters, doilies, bar mats + much more, were placed throughout the bar for the designers to find. The designers had 30 minutes to gather as many materials as they could and use them to create their designs...

After a day in the Workroom: 

Doilies, Straws, and Bar Mats--Unconventional Materials designs from (L to R) Prajje Oscar Jean-Baptiste, Shantall Lacayo, and Aaron Michael--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Plastic Take-out Bags, Bar Mats & Plastic To-Go Containers--Designs in the workroom from (L to R) Anna Yinan Zhou and Kristina Kharlashkina--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Materials for a Cocktail Dress? Plastic take-out containers and aluminum covers, on the floor of the workroom--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

The Finished Designs:

Cocktailwear--Designs from (L to R) Kristina Kharlashkina, Chasity Sereal, Anna Yinan Zhou, and Coral Castillo--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Mesh Bar Mats, Plastic Take-out Containers, Aluminum Covers--Design from Kristina Kharlashkina--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Coffee Filters, Bottle Caps, Dried Pop Corn--Design from Chasity Sereal--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Plastic To-go Bags, Exit Signs--Design from Anna Yinan Zhou--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Rubber Bar Mats, Stirrers--Design from Coral Castillo--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Ready for a Drink?--Unconventional Material designs from (L to R) Bones Jones, Aaron Michael, Shantall Lacayo, and Prajje Oscar Jean-Baptiste--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Beaded Curtain Door Strings, Mesh Bar Mats--Design from Bones Jones--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Stirrers, Parchment Paper--Design from Aaron Michael--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Straw Couture--The winning design from Shantall Lacayo--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Doilies and Faux Leather Bar Couch Fabric--The Losing Design from Prajje Oscar Jean-Baptiste--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Backstage:

Models (L to R) Yuen and Cassandra in designs from Shantall Lacayo and Anna Yinan Zhou--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Models (L to R) Luz and DD in designs from Aaron Michael and Coral Castillo--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Models (L to R) Mimi, Dariana, and Jessica in designs from Bones Jones, Prajje Oscar Jean-Baptiste, and Kristina Kharlashkina--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway

Last but not least...

Guest Judge, fashion designer Christopher John Rogers--Episode 9 Unconventional Cocktail Dress, Season 19 Project Runway