Project Runway Recap: Blue Suede Snooze

Can you believe this? The challenge is to make two blue dresses. That's it. Blue isn't even a fabric. We could've been treated to a "Render Nina Garcia's hatred of the Weinsteins in a series of animal-mauled, blood-red looks," but no, not even close. After all the designers sketch ideas and pitch them to Martine, she selects five of the designers to be team leaders. The team leaders then choose their partners, and a rollicking hour of blueness can begin. Irina, Carol Hannah, Louise, Christopher, and Althea are selected as team leaders, with Althea noting that she's been picked as team leader for every group challenge so far. That's two whole challenges, Althea, including this one, so props on your massive accomplishment and shady counting skills.

Louise and Nicolas pair up to create a duo of ruffly looks. Louise notes, "My two designs are so strong that I'm confident we'll be in the top." Nicolas notes, "I hate ruffles. I'll say it 40 times this episode, in fact." Even on paper, Louise's designs look like basic silhouettes festooned with frills -- which makes one wonder why she was selected as team leader in the first place. After last episode when the trenchant, all-knowing judge Zoe Glassner said her dress "looked like a snoozefest" (because that looks like something), Louise is clearly attempting an exciting rebound, but her idea is flat-out ugly, particularly for the Macy's brand.

Carol Hannah and Shirin start composing basic, high-waisted pencil skirts and midnight blue tops. Their ideas are boring, but cohesive and wearable enough for a department store that proudly sells the wares of Mariah Carey. Christopher is ebullient with his designs and his choice of a partner in Epperson; they conceive of a shirt-dress for their first look and a long, bubbly top with leggings for their second. You'll notice those two ideas bear no resemblance to each other. In the designs, we ogle a Banana Republic baby blue for the shirt-dress and a saturated teal silk for the bubble contraption. Oh, Christopher. How your penchant for emotional outbursts will soon come close to tearing you in half while Epperson, again, refuses to feel.

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