There's a woman who's... well, what stereotype to use... crunchy granola? That's not quite right. Umm... Zen spiritualist? I don't know.

Without giving too much away, let's just say she was rubbing her fabric all over the grass in order to "feed it" and imbue it with earthiness, or some such thing.

Doesn't make any sense to me, and I've watched every season. Then again, I only watch for my supa'stud Tim Gunn. Then when I'm done with what I was doing while watching Tim Gunn, I change the channel. But I come back if I'm in the mood before the hours over. Marathons are the best.

Why would we need blog posts about SeaTac's Third Runway project? I thought that was settled...

That show's way too gay for me. That and one doesn't get Bravo when one pays $13 per month for cable. Oh well . . .

I need this post as much as I need all Chris Crocker posts combined. Times infinity. PLUS ONE.

They ought to be rerunning the crap out of it like they have in the past. That or you can probably buy it at the iTunes store.

I only watched a few moments of it (out here it comes on at 8:00 which is my daughter's bath- and bedtime hour) but I will say that the right person won this round, and the right person was sent home. It's rare that they get both of those correct.

The real question is- where the heck is Tim's blog? I so looked forward to reading his take on all the dresses! Nina has a blog? Why? Why? Why? I already heard what she thinks.

I'm hoping everyone got the flame out of their system in that Tofurkey thread, so... I was pretty disappointed by the premiere. Overall this new crew doesn't seem to have the same talent level or personality as some of the previous seasons. I think Project Runway is going to have a hard time stealing the crown back from Top Chef.

She makes 30-foot-high marionettes for a living (huh?), and she was indeed grinding her fabric into the grass to dye it. Her garment was spectacularly beautiful from the front -- a floor-length gown made with a single seam -- but it had a train coming out of what looked to be the model's anus made of seven thousand different hunks of fabric all knotted up and dragging on the ground. It's fantastic when the models trip on the runway. Seriously insane, and she's a loon -- but not an angry loon like Vincent. She doesn't use mannequins, either; she sits on the table and sews the garments onto herself.

Also, she "hand measures" (doesn't use a tape measure).

Fnarf - I about fell on the floor when Heidi said it looked like the model was pooping fabric. Man.

Oh, I don't agree, kid icarus -- I think the talent level is over the top this time. WAY higher than before. It should be -- these are almost all professional designers or at least industry workers. It's actually a criticism -- they're not undiscovered; they're already pro. No mysterious surprises this time.

the water spirit lady was fabulous because she used sound effects in place of adjectives when describing her clothes. yet for the most part her piece was pretty good. from the knee up let's say.

this season's people have the punkrockiest resumes so far and yet are visually a varied and freaky bunch. i'm looking forward to this ride.

I dunno Fnarf. I just thought given the (relative) ease of their first challenge, and the exhortation to create a garment that reflects who each of them are as designers, I really expected some real home runs. Everything struck me as pretty lackluster. I wouldn't have picked any of them to win.

I start watching when they start the marathon runs of the show (probably in a couple of weeks). The personalities have not really developed yet and it takes a few weeks to get interesting. But I heard they were a bunch of freaks and Jack is really not that good looking. Nice body but the face of someone who tans WAY too much.

Season One is still the BEST!! No one has come as close to Wendy Pepper at being pure evil!!!

I agree with Fnarf, this season looks pretty dan good. I had the BEST time watching it at Hatties Hat. I guess they are going to play it every wednesday, which is fucking sweet. =)

And I thought that Jack was from Seattle, why does it say NY for him?

The "water spirit lady" has a name: Elisa. She is a multi-media artist.

The assignment was to make a statement of who you are as a designer. She was the only one who really pushed it! The top three were craptastic, from the gray toga, to a black sack with a silver flower; to the clumpy skirt, nothing that was a challenging creative effort.

As we all know overly ambitious design trumps crappy sewing when determining the loser. The right person did go home, but Elisa was one step away from winning. If she can reign in her creative urge to the point of wear-ability, she will make the final group.

@15, he has lived in NY since 1991. That is probably why but some websites say he is from Seattle but still. He has not lived here in almost 17 years? Why is Seattle trying to claim him?

her sound affects were great:

"I wanted a dress that was like "schick" but had, you know, this "fwoof" in the back. i know i should have, like, "ssssssssshlack" all that fabric in the back when she tripped."

brilliant.

the toga made the ugly models boobs look weird.

random thoughts...

...what's the deal with that queen who needed to make it known he's "straight" within the first 2 minutes of the show?

...i enjoyed the commentary from the kid with the unfortunate assymetrical haircut. he should have won this round.

...i was really unimpressed with the black dress in the top 3, although probably mostly because black doesn't show up very well on tv. just looked like a boring babydoll dress to me.

Jack: Total "See Tarzan, hear Jane".

Did you see in the previews of the season where the Nick Lachey dude (sorry @16, I can't remember their names yet) has some tearful announcement in front of everyone? Any guesses? It's the "pattern book contraband" zinger of season 4.

It's probably because someone moved his water bottle six inches.

I didn't say the RESULTS were great -- it looked like wall-to-wall baby dolls to me -- but that the TALENT is high. And pro. I think we'll see some good stuff. And the only one who fucking can't sew at all is gone.

I do expect kook-lady to have a couple of good episodes, maybe a win or two, but you gotta admit, she's bonkers. That's not a criticism, just an observation.

Asymmetrical Boy is an idiot, but he's only 21, so it's expected, and he's going to be fun to watch. Expect hi-jinks.

I wish they'd show the models more. With their clothes off.

That show's way too gay for me.

My girlfriend and I watch that show all the time. It's great!

Also, "FIERCE" is apparently the 2008 fashion season buzzword. Take a drink everytime you hear it.

I drink every time there's a product placement. I can't walk when it's done.

Bravo does that well. I have "furnished by the makers of the Glad family of products" burned into my skull.

@ 19, blame the producers for the editing of straight queen's comments. (Unless it was real obvious that it was the first thing out of his mouth - I missed that part so I can't say, but I'd bet on editing.)

Fnarf @ 22, are you nuts???? Those models are so friggin' skinny my stomach turns every time I see their sinewy thighs. They all need to put 15-20 lbs on, FAST.

speaking of sponsers:

it's totally a perfect marriage for bluefly to be the main accessory sponser this year. but what the fuck was with those commercials. they were terrible! i felt like i was watching tv in the early '90's.

"oops! i don't have any clothes on!"

"hey, look at her walking through security without any clothes!"

can somebody in the ad world please tell me how this past inspection??? why would they put something so lame on such a contemporary show. talk about missed oppurtunities.

SPOILER:

Jack is HIV-positive. Why they have to make a huge announcement about it in 2007 is beyond me.

Also, the showing for open call casting was so poor this year that 75% of the cast was invited on. This is why many of them are already working in the industry.

I don't think the grey toga was worth the win. It was just that, a toga. Any of the designers could have done the same thing.

And the editing for the runway show was poor. Not enough time was given to actually see the garments.

I thought the toga deserved a win, although it did create a scary left-boob situation.

I'm all about Sweet P. for this season. She used to work at Club Fuck in LA and was in a motorcycle gang with hot 90's model (and dyke) Jenny Shimuzu (who's gang name was Chicken).

So glad Runway is back. Where's the finale party this year?

27 - true, it was the producers who chose to make that clip the first thing we here from the straight queen's mouth [sorry, no 'member names yet]. it's the mere fact he felt compelled to say it i find so beguiling. kind of like madonna's solitary "straight" dancer from "truth or dare". girl, please.

FIERCE is officially the gayest word of all time. it transcends every fashion season. it should always be pronounced with 2 syllables and a steady, building emphasis towards the 2nd syllable: fiiiiiIII-ERCE!!! i defy you to say it without a pronouced lisp. go ahead, try. it can't be done!

Lotsa yapping on this post, but Terry's the only one who accurately and succinctly summed-up the whole episode.

Once I realized that I would never marry Tim Gunn, I decided to make myself as dreamboat-dreamy as Tim Gunn. And now I'm worried that I'm over Tim Gunn.

QC @29 is right about Jack's announcement that makes everybody cry.

I kind of missed the "road to the runway" part, where they show all of the bad designers and you get a better chance to see the competitor's stuff before they start with the show. I know it's sort of like American Idol (bleh), but that helped me to understand Michael's aesthetic issues in last year's finale.

Dan, does this mean you've given up on PR? Will there be no finale party this year?

Oops...missed the part of your post about you being in a Bravo-less hotel.

does anyone know how to find the episode online? I"m stranded in canada and i don't even own a TV (seriously) much less have cable. but i looooove me some project runway

@23. I'm gay. I was joking.

I don't watch Project Runway, but hey, TLC just announced that Paige Davis is coming back to Trading Spaces. Now THAT'S news.

@13 Of course they were lackluster. Every season gives the designers a chance to grow.

@29: what is your source on the quality of the contestants?

i'm not so sure about this crew, but then again, i feel that way at the beginning of every season. i think the straight guy probably has the chops to go far. and the freaky asymm hair boi Christian. despite his age. 21. damn.

"The model looked like she was pooing fabric!" is the best line I've ever heard on TV. Especially when spoken with a German accent.

I'm with Kit. Fuck the designs; one glance at the red hair bow and I was in love.

http://www.bravotv.com/Project_Runway/season/4/photos/photos/Episode%201/gallery_images_Episode_01_pic08.jpg

@38 - Of course, otherwise there is no reason to watch what happens next! Still, a battleship grey toga won the first challenge? Really? That's not the kind of shit Santino or Austin or etc. pulled out the gate.

But.. here's hoping!

I watched it last night. Okay, these designers are not that great. Think about it; Most of those dresses you can find at Nordstrom, Barneys or Macy's. And they had HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS ON THIS CHALLENGE and could only do damn baby doll dresses???!! WTF!!

Sorry, they may have industry experience and they are making the same clothes we have all seen before. I was shocked at the total lack of innovation. Remember, PR is about Innovation, Marketability and Wearability. Most designers are not cutting it already.

the dresses weren't that good, but they were in more of a time crunch than normal, i think

i miss all the amateurs though. i don't like that they are all established, to one degree or another.

There's so no way that asymmetrical haircut guy is only 21. Isn't that what Austin said his age was as well? Pul-ease...

Asymmetrical haircut looks 21 to me. He also looks exactly like the most masculine of the Le Tigre girls. I like him!