Project Runway 5: episode recap 5.11 “Rock ‘n Runway”
Episode 5.11 “Rock ‘n Runway”
Original Air Date: 09/24/2008
Strike a pose!
Photo: Barbara Nitke
There are five designers left, and the goin’ is gettin’ tough. Sort of. For me, Kenley and Suede both have overstayed their welcome, so we’ll see who bites the dust. By this point, we know that PR allows everyone and their dog show at Bryant Park, so the real prize is…well, is there a real prize anymore?
The Challenge
Heidi greets the designers and the models are selected. A few switch their models up, but my favorite duo of Korto and Katerina stick together. They’re a match made in heaven!
The group meets with Tim, who tells them that this week, they’re designing…for EACH OTHER! What?! The designers will serve as both the designers and the client this week, and will be paired up. More than that, each look should be inspired by a musical genre that is assigned to the designer to use as inspiration. This the chance to show how music and fashion almost always relate to each other.
Jerell is designing for Kenley, Suede for Jerell, Korto for Suede, Leanne for Korto, and Kenley for Leanne. I can see this as being a difficult challenge for a myriad of reasons, but I don’t want to make any drastic assumptions (you know what they say about those).
During a brief hour, where the designers have a chance to meet with each other and discuss ideas, Kenley butts into Korto and Leanne’s conversation by asking if Leanne can fit into a certain pair of shoes. Korto brushes her off, but I have a feeling this is the first of many annoyed moments that Korto and Leanne will encounter in the coming weeks, unless the judges get Kenley out of there. One can dream…
Off they go to Mood to shop for fabric, and everyone seems to be playing it safe as they choose their materials. Korto has punk rock as her influence for Suede’s look, and Suede has rock ‘n roll for Jerell, so both of these have the option of going a lot of places. Kenley has hip-hop for Leanne, and Leanne has country for Korto. Jerell is probably the best off, with pop for Kenley. He plans on turning her into Kenley Spears, which sounds about right since she’s just as likable as the namesake pop star.
At Mood, Kenley reaches for yet another bright print. How she’ll incorporate this to read hip-hop, we shall see. Around the store, the other designers are playing it safe. Korto opts for a stretch denim fabric, while Jerell is loading up on fishnet and some silver.
In the Workroom
Leanne is going for a glam country look, and Korto is feeling an alter-ego named Shania Janks. ROFL! For Leanne, Kenley is doing a high-waisted pant, a floral blouse and a leather jacket, which looks cool, but definitely not hip-hop. She sees no problem with this, of course, and the other designers are just going to let her think what she wants.
Jerell is sexing up Kenley with a fishnet dress accompanied by diamond cuffs. For Jerell, Suede is making pants, a tank, and a patchwork vest. It looks good, but also sort of normal. Once Leanne pulls out the cowboy boots that Korto will wear on the runway, Korto is totally feeling the country vibe. Meanwhile, Jerell has a mini-fitting with Kenley, who looks hilarious in her pop star get-up.
Tim arrives and thinks Leanne’s country look for Korto is a little too subtle. Korto thinks taking it too far will hurt her, so she’s keeping it safe, but Tim thinks it looks too basic. When he gets to Suede he’s feeling the same thing. After all, Suede has rock ‘n roll and he could get away with a lot, but he’s basically putting Jerell in his own clothes, just a little tattered. Tim makes his way over to Kenley and feels her idea isn’t conveying hip-hop at all. Kenley defends herself by saying she isn’t sending Leanne onto the catwalk looking like an idiot, and automatically becomes snarky. Tim doesn’t appreciate it, and neither do the other designers who have to see it.
Kenley isn’t listening to Tim’s opinion, so none of this really matters. I’m just hoping her attitude and her lack of depth as a designer send her home soon enough. Leanne isn’t on Kenley’s side, so I hope Kenley isn’t counting on her. Korto is working on her jeans for Suede, which fit him perfectly, but look too new. Korto’s bright idea? Bleach them! I guess because it’s stretch denim, it doesn’t take the bleach as horrendously as a pair of raw jeans, so there are these cool streaks of rust all over the pants.
The day of the show, Leanne looks like a fool in her hip-hop ensemble, but everyone is keeping their traps shut. After hair and makeup, Tim hardly recognizes the bunch, and Leanne is sewing up Korto as they walk out the workroom doors. Yikes!
On the Runway
The guest judge this week is LL Cool J. What the….yeah, I’m probably thinking the same thing you are.
Leanne- Nice, but the ties are throwing me off. We could have lost one.
Jerell- So pop, it hurts.
Kenley- Sort of costume-y. It’s just off.
Korto- This one reads the best.
Suede- Good, but tame.
Elimination
Korto explains Suede’s look, and the treatment that she gave the pants. It wins the panel over, and she seems flattered by LL’s compliments. For Suede, Michael Kors doesn’t think Jerell’s look has enough of a wow factor and needs more drama.
Jerell’s look for Kenley is loved by the panel, but Kenley’s own design isn’t understood by the panel. She tries to defend it, but the judges don’t seem to be buying it. Korto’s look is great, but again, a bit too simple. Leanne didn’t really take a chance on things and it came through in the outfit.
In deliberation, Jerell’s pop look for Kenley and Korto’s punk look for Suede are the front runners. As much trash as I talked about LL being a judge, I really think his insight is some of the most useful we’ve seen on the show from any guest judge.
Korto wins the challenge, and Jerell and Leanne are safe, leaving Kenley and Suede in the bottom. two. Suede has been there before, and Kenley’s mouth is just too good to get rid of quite yet, so Suede is sent packing.
Next episode: EVERYONE IN TEARS! Can’t wait! /evil/
Tags: Bravo, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina-Garcia, Project Runway 5, Tim Gunn
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POSTED IN: Episode Resources, Fashion Television, Program Recaps, Project Runway, Project Runway Designers

1 opinion for Project Runway 5: episode recap 5.11 “Rock ‘n Runway”
Project Runway 5: catch up on your PR5 recaps…now that I have!
Oct 3, 2008 at 11:13 pm
[...] up on Project Runway 5: Episode 5.12 “Nature Calls” Episode 5.11 “Rock ‘n Runway” Episode 5.10 “Transformation” Tags: Kenley, Project Runway 5, Project Runway catch [...]
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