PROJECT RUNWAY.....Season 8 Project Runway Recaps: Finale Part 1

Lacroix 2.0, Pattaya Bay, Whole Foods Sales Girls and Mommy-Daddy Therapy...Yep, It's Project Runway, the Almost-last Episode!

Is the Camera On: Andy South consoles Michael Costello during "Finale Part 1", Project Runway Season 8

Oh Dear! Yes, those were basically the only two words I could muster after watching Thursday night's "Finale Part 1" of Project Runway Season 8. The episode began cute enough and pretty typical in terms of previous "Road to NY Fashion Week" Project Runway Episodes...

The remaining 4 Designers get their "Congratulations" from Heidi and Tim and then are sent off to their respective home bases to make their Mercedes Benz NY Fashion Week Collections. Tim jets off to Hawaii, Denver, Palm Springs and Portland. After 6 weeks, they return to NY for their last Challenge that will narrow down the Top Three Finalists who will show at NY Fashion Week. The Runway Show at Parsons occurs and then it all heads south from there, concluding in what could have been an advertisement for Mommy-Daddy Therapy sessions.

Highlight: Mondo's Circus

For me, there was one Winner and that's it. When Mondo Guerra's 3-piece mini collection came out, it was like "Done and Done". The judges gave him both positives and negatives, saying he had to somehow learn how to tame the "Print Beast" inside him. Well, he can't do much, because the collection is done kiddies! And I like it , circus prints and all.

It all reminded me of Christian Lacroix (Spring 2009 Haute Couture above), well, the H&M version. After Mondo, in my opinion, any of the other three could have been out. Yes, I might have chosen Andy or Gretchen instead of Michael C. but I KNEW Gretchen wasn't going--she's the "Wendy Pepper" of the Season, so you know they were keeping her!

Lowlights: Andy's Warrior Divas go to Pattaya Bay

What happened to Andy South? I was so looking forward to a whole army of Andy Warrior Goddesses ready for battle in almost all black, fierce, well-fitted dresses. He went from this FIERCE look above...to this below...

Is this what happens when Project Runway Finalists go home. They do great in the pressure cooker of the show's surreal competition environment but then they return home and lose their style? Wassup Andy?

Instead of Warrior Divas, his 3-piece Laos/Buddha-inspired mini-collection was a cross between something Imelda Marcos would wear (Hello Silk Shantung!!??) and...

Something you'd see on the Pattaya Bay Girls in Thailand. Now, mind you those two inspirations sound HOT, but I don't think that's what he had in mind.

Lowlights: Gretchen's Vegetarian Girls Who Don't Want to Get Laid

Her designs were so not exciting, so not NY Fashion Week and so something you might see at some Granola-Crunchy store, as Michael Kors kept alluding to. All that was missing was some Birkenstocks and some incense. Take a look at this lovely example:

Muffin Top Alert: This poor girl is a size 2 or size 4 MAX...AND somehow, Gretchen still gave her a Muffin Top! Seriously.

Lowlights: Housewives of New Jersey Meets Liza Minelli

I really liked (and so did the judges), the one copper silk charmeuse gown he made but the other two choices were not my faves, especially that fringed top (Miss Heidi LOOOVED it!) and lace embroidered pants look: On top, she's a cast member in "Chicago" and on the bottom, she's Liza Minelli!

It looked a little too "Real Housewives of New Jersey" on a night out on the town. Michael Costello was Auf'ed and proceeded to have THE "I'm a Failure To My Parents" meltdown. After he dried his tears, Michael C. actually did get to show at Mercedes Benz NY Fashion Week--along with like 44 of the other contestants (yes, I'm exaggerating!). I know it's not the same, but still. In case you missed Michael C.'s NYC Fashion Week Finale Collection...you can click HERE to see it. I liked most of the looks but I wasn't a fan of...

Nipple Alert: This multi, multi, MULTI-layered ruffled gown with a see-through bustier seen on Season 1 Models of The Runway Model Lisa Blades. I love Miss Lisa, she's my friend, muse, and of course, has modeled LOTS of my gowns and dresses. But I, as a designer, would probably have NEVER put her in this. But what a trooper Miss Lisa! So, there you go. I'm betting on Miss Mondo to win. Anyway, to read what I REALLY thought of this last episode:

Here's the Beginning of my MyLifetime.com Blog/Recap for this "Finale Part 1" Episode: Road To Therapy (I Mean New York Fashion Week!) I cannot believe it's almost OVER! We are in the last lap of this season's "Project Runway" and it's been a KRAZEE marathon! This episode left me shaken. To be honest, immediately after watching, all I could focus on was that I may need to re-think my recap and instead write an open letter to all parents entitled "How Not to Mess Up Your Children's Lives." But then I wouldn't be able to discuss this last DRAMATIC (and oh-so-fashion-boring) penultimate episode. So here we go… Click HERE to read my Entire Recap and make sure to leave your "two cents".