Staff Blog: The Fiercest Fashion Finishes First: ‘Project Runway’ Season 4 Finale

Another stellar season of “Project Runway” came to a close last night, with cocky and flamboyant Christian Siriano, reserved and indecisive Jillian Lewis, and Grecian drape-obsessed and sardonic Rami Kashou battling for style supremacy in a knockdown fashion melee in the middle of Bryant Park.

Before we get to who out chic’d who, lets go over what these style-soldiers were wagging war for?

– A spread in Elle Magazine (unless Nina Garcia hates it)
– A chance to sell your collection on BlueFly.com (I don’t care how many times she says it, but Heidi Klum is not logging on to the internet to get her gear.)
– A 2008 Saturn Astra (this product tie-in has never made sense. Besides the last three “Runway” winners, I challenge you to find a fashion designer who would buy a Saturn. Even if it was adorned with Mood fabrics, I still don’t see it.)
– One year of representation from Designers Management Agency (who doesn’t love a good agent to do their dirty work!)
– And the jackpot– $100,000 to start their own collection (furnished by Tres Semme)

And now, on to the recap!

With three days until the runway, Christian, Jillian and Rami’s nerves are getting the best of them. All three designers look the other’s collections up and down, slinging glares of disapproval and raised eyebrows of fashion disgust as the clothes are shown in the workroom.

Luckily, Tim Gunn, the granddad of chic, steps in to calm their nerves and put out a few fashion fires — well except that flaming puffy-yarn-sleeved meets prison-inmate-striped shirt Jillian concocted. That is a fashion fire with a power far greater than Tim Gunn’s abilities. Later in the episode, that inferno will blaze its way down the runway, in all of its Jack Sparrow-meets-Lamb Chop glory!

Kudos to Tim for slipping in two more SAT words (“incongruous” & “exuberance”) as the finale continues. Not only does he educate in style but he also improves our conversational vocabulary.

Next up, the Final Three cast their models. But what are they looking for in their runway walkers? “Petite,” “edgy,” “dark-skinned” and of course — “fierce-tallness” are terms bandied about.

Rami and Christian seem confidant with their model casting, but Jillian continues, as she has all season, to be indecisive.

When the models show up and slip into the designer’s clothes, Rami gets a wee bit insecure, so naturally he lashes out on his biggest competition, saying of Christian, “He has a lot to learn in this industry in terms of designing clothes for women, not just for models.” Snap! But wait… will Rami be eating those words come Bryant Park?

Most of the models look good in the designers’ clothes, but a few were not feeling Christian’s choice in shoes. But he doesn’t hear any of the model complaints, saying, “I worked it around my apartment in those shoes for like a week, and if I could do it, these ladies could do it!”

I’m guessing Christian pranced around his apartment in more than just the shoes.

As the models prepare to leave following the fitting, Christian leaves them with some parting words of encouragement, “Be really skinny, don’t eat.”

The next day, with only 24 hours before the big show, Jillian’s indecisiveness rears its ugly head yet again. She decides she needs to recast a few of her models. After a call to the model casting director, where he tells her to suck it up and deal, she pouts for a little while, and then Rami tells her to focus on the positive, but she continues to whine — spot a trend?

The day of the show arrives and the nerves are palpable. The Final Three go to Bryant Park and walk through the empty massive space, which will be packed with 2,000 people, including booted contestants from all four seasons, “Top Chef’s” Padma Lakshmi, “Make Me A Super Model’s” Niki Taylor and Tyson Beckford — it was a Bravo TV bonanza of reality stars!

And of course we can’t forget about our judges. Heidi Klum welcomes the crowd in a blouse and jeans (What does she care, she has a hit show and is married to Seal, she can wear whatever she wants). Michael Kors is decked out in head-to-toe black, complete with a scarf and sunglasses (He looks about two seconds away from pulling out a dramatic paper fan. Karl Lagerfeld called, he wants his look back). Nina looks tasteful and stylish in a Nina-esque dress. And then there is the one we all tuned in for — Victoria “Posh” Beckham. She’s wearing a whole lot of orange (imagine if Rami dressed her in an orange bed sheet).

First up is Jillian, who hopes the audience is “inspired” by her collection. Out come lots of hats, high-necked shirts, tailored coats, skirts with flare, and that Jack Sparrow-meets-Lamb Chop casual.

Second is the King of Drape, Rami. He says his collection “celebrates women.” As opposed to other collections that stifle? On with the Grecian-garb already! Rami shows bright colors, which Michael Kors later refers to as “‘Brady Bunch’ colors,” gathered fabrics, woven wonders, intricately designed frocks and of course, a few Rami-draped-signatures thrown in for good measure.

Finishing out the fashion face-off is Christian, who takes the stage with a shimmy and a shout out to the crowd, calling his collection “hard and soft.” Christian offers up dramatic jackets and billowy outfits, full of feathers, ruffles, gathered fabrics, and lots and lots of hats!

Check out all the “Project Runway” Finale fashions HERE.

After audience accolades, it’s back to Parsons School of Design for judging. Heidi, Michael, Nina and Victoria Beckham pick apart each collection, throwing around words like, “innovative,” “monotonous,” and my favorite, “your collection made me smile, and I never smile.” Guess what spicy Brit said that?

Jillian is sent packing first. Heidi auf’s her with a hug and kiss. And then there are two.

Christian, on the verge of tears, and Rami, eyes darting from the floor to the judges and back to the floor again, wait through the dramatic pauses, until Christian is crowned “Project Runway’s” Season 4 winner!

Rami thanks the judges, as Christian breaks down in tears of joy.

Victoria Beckham tells Christian, “I would be honored to wear any piece of your clothing.”

At final count, Christian uttered his favorite word, “fierce” six times during the finale. Heidi said it two times. And Victoria said it best to Christian, “Rather than fierce, I would say you’re major!”

So what’s next for this major-fierce youngest-ever “Runway” winner?

“Vay-kay! Breaky breaky!” Christian concluded.

Think you have what it takes to conquer the runway? CLICK HERE to strut your collection!

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