It’s already Episode 4 of Project Runway Season 21 and this season is going by fast. It feels like just yesterday Heidi Klum returned for her first comeback episode. Anyway, two designers have already been eliminated and within the first few minutes of Episode 4, a third one gets the boot.
Season 21 continues a legendary Project Runway challenge tradition
The episode commences and the Bottom 3 from the previous challenge reappear. Ultimately, Angelo Rosa is sent home. But, Heidi makes it clear that if it was just up to her, Ethan Mundt would have been sent packing..
Once Angelo exits, Christian Siriano enters the lounge and informs the group that the team houses are officially over (thank god). Law Roach also surprisingly enters the room, and takes the team on a field trip. They follow him to a schoolhouse and enter a room that’s set up as a science fair. And who’s waiting for them? None other than Elementary stars Lisa Ann Walter and Chris Perfetti.
For their first solo challenge of the season, it’s a Project Runway classic: Unconventional Materials. The nine designers remaining are tasked with using what’s on the science fair tables and presentation boards to create a stunning look. They have only 20 minutes to grab materials, and they practically take everything but the floor.
During the rush for materials, Round 3 of Jesus Estrada vs. Veejay Floresca commences over volleyballs. Jesus walks by a rack of volleyballs and claims them for himself. Despite walking away from them, he runs up in a frenzy when Veejay attempts to grab them for herself. Veejay later brings up that since this is a solo challenge, Jesus shouldn’t be helping out his twin Antonio Estrada at all.
“I don’t think it’s fair that the twins are always working together because it’s an individual challenge. I already know what you guys can do together. I’ve seen it three times already. It’s really a struggle to separate the twins. So, at the end of the day, one of them needs to go home,” she rants.
A designer credits his entire fashion career to Lady Gaga
Because of the schoolhouse inspiration, viewers get to know a little bit more about the designer’s childhood backgrounds. Joan Madison was the captain of her cheer squad and Veejay was accepted by her parents for being gay at a young age.
Yuchen Han gets vulnerable and reveals that he was abused as a child. He was shy for a long time, and it wasn’t until a visit from Lady Gaga at his school that pointed him to fashion. What an icon.
Christian enters the work room and he’s not happy with what most of the designers have come up with, as per usual. One who he questions the most is JosephMcrae. Known for playing with shapes and angles, the outfit he’s working on already feels familiar. Not only is Christian not onboard, but some of the other designers feel concerned for his safe, repetitive style.
“If what I see is what Joseph is going to send on the runway, he’s going to go home,” Jesus predicts.
It’s Day 2 and while the designers are finishing up their looks, Christian pops in and announces that the runway will take place inside the work room. This is the first time in Project Runway history that this was the runway location. And in this bright and exposing lighting versus the dimly-lit traditional venue? Oh yeah, the seams will be showing people.
The runway is about to begin, and Christian reveals one last twist (or so the designers thought). For this challenge, there’s only one judge conducting the review. Antonio is hoping that it’s not Law, giving their first episode riff. And yep, you guessed it, Law is indeed the sole judge for this panel. What are the odds?
Law Roach continues his battle with the Estrada twins
The looks walk the runway (a.k.a. the work room) and it doesn’t take Law long to crown a winner. He says that Yuchen’s two-piece soccer ball is his favorite. He is blown away by the creativity, and even references Gaga in his applause (see what I did there?) Anyways, Yuchen gets his first challenge win.
Law said that his second place pick comes from Ethan’s butterfly dress. While he didn’t take home his second win, he did feel redeemed from his denim fail last episode.
Now, for his least favorites. The first model enters and it’s JosephMcRae’s outfit that he made out of the science fair banner. Not only did he find it distracting, but Law found that it was “cocky” for him to sign the back of the top. Then comes Joan’s popsicle look which Law compares to “dead vegetation”. Yikes. This is her second week in the bottom; Given Angelo’s timeline it doesn’t look good for her.
Last but not least, Antonio’s sheer dress and pink overcoat end up in the bottom. At first, Law was really kind and constructive in his feedback. He admits that the only drawbacks were the styling choices, but otherwise, the dress and jacket were great. For some reason, Jesus thought that would be a great moment to interrupt the stylist, adding that “I liked it”. Law instantly got offended by his unwanted input, and quickly took a different tone in his critiques for Antonio. He now dubs his styling errors “ugly” and “wrong. Maybe having your twin on the same show as you isn’t the best idea after all.
This elimination takes the designers by surprise
The Bottom 3 have received their critiques, but Law isn’t thinking about who to send home. Instead, Christian lets the designers know that they have to boot out their least favorite, Survivor style. Everyone gets a vote in the decision, except for the bottom 3.
The new team of judges head to the lounge to deliberate, and right away they are divided. Ethan calls Joan’s look the worst and doesn’t believe JosephMcrae should get the boot, and Madeline wholeheartedly agrees. Surprisingly, though, Veejay and Jesus have actually agreed on something: sending JosephMcrae home. They both think that he didn’t deliver for this challenge at all. These seem to be the only people in the bottom they are actually putting up on the chipping block. But, at the very near end of the episode, Ethan throws a curveball. He mentions the idea of getting Antonio off, which would separate the twins from helping each other. But, if he wants to even attempt that plan, he’d have to get through Jesus first.
Project Runway airs every Thursday on Freeform, and is available to stream the next day on Hulu.
TELL US – WHO DO YOU THINK THE DESIGNERS WILL CHOOSE TO ELIMINATE?
