by Gina Scarpa

 

I would say that the wait is finally over… but it really hasn’t been that long!  Regardless, tonight, Project Runway returns to Lifetime for its 7th season and thankfully, the show has been moved back to New York City where it belongs.

 

16 designers have descended on the city to show Tim, Heidi, Nina, and Michael what they can do.  A running theme among some of these contestants is that they come from other career fields that have nothing to do with design.  We have everyone from a physical therapist to an advertising exec to a Disney World cast member… oh and besides being successful in their chosen field, they happen to be fierce designers in their spare time!

 

Based on the portfolios and the work I’ve seen so far, I’m excited!

 

After a little get together with Tim and Heidi, the designers meet up with Tim at Central Park.  There, they find a ton of fabric from Mood and they’ll only have 3 minutes to grab what they can to take back to the workroom.  When they’re done, they find out they can only take 5 fabrics with them.  Their first challenge is simple (or so it seems): design something that will show the judges who you are.  The winner will receive immunity in the next challenge so the stakes could not be higher here.

 

In the workroom, it’s clear that Ping marches to the beat of her own drummer.  She tries the fabrics on, jumps around, and talks to herself.  She told Tim that she will only give clients outfits that she herself would wear.  Kinda makes it hard to be objective then, doesn’t it?

 

The designers are paired up with their models and do the first fitting before some of them even have anything significant completed.   The learning curve for this group is going to have to come quick.   Jonathan seems concerned that he could go home first… get confident, man!  Janeane could be in trouble after Tim tells her that the fabric that she chose doesn’t hide a thing and she contemplates scrapping it and starting over.  Tim doesn’t like that Jesus added onto his originally short dress and thinks that it’s possible that Emilio will be the first designer in the history of the show to just not finish his look.
 
Sidenote: I hope Anthony hangs around for a while.  Besides the fact that I have high hopes for him, he is 100% entertaining.

 

After a trip to the Garnier hair and Loreal makeup studio, and a final fitting, it’s time to head down to the runway, where Nicole Ritchie is tonight’s guest judge.  Here’s who stands out to me for all the right reasons: Jonathan, Seth Aaron, Emilio, Anna, and Maya.  Ping’s is a disaster… I don’t get her aesthetic or point of view at all.

 

Amy, Anna, Ben, Janeane, Jay, Jesse, Jonathan, Maya, Mila, and Pamela are all safe.  Seth Aaron, Ping (yeah you read that right), and Emilio won the judges over while Anthony, Jesus, and Christiane struggle with their designs.

 

Ping and Seth Aaron are safe.  Emilio is the winner, which makes me happy.  I like this guy.  Anthony is sent to safety.  Though the judges are concerned about Jesus’ taste level, they can’t forgive Christiane’s fabric choice and send her packing first.

 

Be sure to check back tomorrow to hear what season 6 designer Christopher Straub has to say about tonight's runway show!

Project Runway airs Thursday nights at 10pm ET on Lifetime.

 

(Image courtesy of Lifetime)

 

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

 

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