Project Runway Season 12: Episode 7: Much Ado About Nothing

Bitchy Ken should have won this time.

Three basic black dresses were the top choices on this week's Project Runway and the judges went for the most boring of all. The challenge was to create an outfit to complement a pair of fabulous shoes from the Marie Claire fashion closet. Helen, Alexandria and Ken were the top three and each created a simple, black garment which faded into insignificance beside the footwear. I don't care for bitchy Ken as a person, but his was definitely the most interesting. It had a fascinating texture and was well-constructed. Helen's was basically a shift with a cape and Alexandria's was a Victoria's Secret nightie with some lace on the top. Yet Helen's cape won. You could see Ken was seething at not winning and, according to the preview for next week, his jealousy will spill over when he spews Sandro-like venom at Helen. Poor Helen, she should realize as soon as a male designer defends or befriends her, he'll turn faster than a plunging neckline. (Couldn't come up with a better fashion metaphor.)

Jeremy, Braden, and Miranda were on the bottom. The men tried to do too much with fabrics resembling boiling water and marshmallow icing while Miranda was criticized for her red plaid pants being to Christmas-y. Alexander used the same material and his was better, but Miranda's wasn't awful. I believe she was eliminated because she's been consistently bad and the other two show more promise. Jeremy did come in for a tongue lashing from Zac Posen for not having a clear aesthetic. Maybe Jeremy just likes to design for older women. The same for Braden whose garment Ken said was fit for his great-grandmother in her casket. I'd like to have attended that funeral. It must have been very fashionable.

I liked the fashion quiz at the opening which was used to determine the order for the contestants to choice their shoes. I was surprised neither Dom nor Miranda knew that Chanel designed the little black dress. Even I got that one.

This was not a very exciting segment, perhaps the Ken explosion, which will call for a Tim Gunn intervention, will spice things up. Plus Michael Kors returns to offer Zac Posen a lesson in Paul Lynde-like zingers.

I predict Helen's triumph will not last long and Braden and Jeremy will rebound. I'm waiting for Dom to get out of the middle pack.