'Project Runway': The Acid Wash of Ricky's Tears

When he reigns, it pours.

Yes, even when Ricky L. ("L" as in: "I know Lingerie!") emerges victorious from a challenge, as he did last night, the waterworks gush forth. Win or lose, he's got the blues. Emotions run high on the runway. Welcome to Ricky's Roller Coaster, where even if you keep your arms inside the car, the ride is sure to end with someone getting wet.

Somehow, though, it was gratifying to see Ricky Lingerie finally win one of these. His "Splash Mountain" relief seemed genuine. Our heartfelt congrats, Ricky, and no-no, please, really: Keep the Kleenex.

The blues, in fact, emerged as the show's theme this week, as the seven remaining contestants took the Levi's challenge, creating clothes from all the denim they could stuff into their duffel laundry bags. The 4-1-1 on the 501's contest: Design an iconic, fashion-forward look from these Levi's jeans -- specifically, from some 500 available pairs, as well as bolts of white cotton. So Rami ran through the Brooklyn warehouse plucking the dark denim, as did Christian. Jillian got the lightest pairs. And Sweet-P sprinted right out of her shoe. (Shades of the season opener -- my, the show's producers do like to make the contestants high-tail it to their materials.)

Then they repaired to the workroom, where this became our favorite episode of the season for good ol'-fashioned trash-talk. Nerves were as frayed as some of the hemlines. Suddenly Chris March and Christian, a week off of their jubiliation of shared triumph, were sniping at each other. Chided Costume Chris: "I don't know how many times YOU'VE been paid as a designer." And then Chris got much workroom grief for, um, talking to his garments -- his affectionate little soliloquys to his slacks, cooing over his creations. It was enough to prompt Christian to jab: "He's probably talking to himself like a crackhead." Oh, if this isn't just like the juiciest part of high school, then you matriculated at a far more noble institution of learning than I.

Christian also spouted: "The fact that Ricky is still here is a joke" -- which quickly got us to believing (following the Rules of "Runway" Arc Set-Ups) that Ricky Lingerie just might actually win this challenge with his "little cocktail dress." Meantime, Christian -- doing an "edgy biker woman" design -- was likened to a living-breathing cartoon character. (Perhaps Wile E. Coyote? Tweety-Bird? Meatwad? Pikachu? We welcome your suggestions.)

As spleens were vented around the room, though, the only (apparent) sign of blood came from Jillian, who insisted she was bleeding at the sewing machine. (Blood! Sweat! And Tears!)

So Ricky Lingerie wins with a cocktail corset dress that the judges call impeccable, as Michael Kors raves that we're finally getting a glimpse of Ricky's mad skillz. Sweet-P scores big points with a patchwork "wedding dress" that Kors&Klum collectively laud for its "slimming voodoo." And Christian creates "motorcyle" skinny jeans that the guest judge, Levi's design exec Caroline Calvin, calls "innovative" and Kors praises for its brilliant tailoring. (Full disclosure: I'm a true Child-of-Levi's, my parents having met while both employed with the San Francisco-based company, and Sweet-P's design brought back memories of my mom's own stitchwork: 501-inspired designs. If I didn't appreciate Sweet-P's take, it was only because it hit so close to home. Hmm, how to get Mom on this show next season...)

And at the bottom, Jillian and Victorya clash just one week after pairing so well together. They both design trenchcoats, and Jillian is none too happy about Victorya having "copied" her design. Jillian went a little nuts with the epaulet ("overly complicated," decree the judges of the design; "looked like a marshmallow," says Heidi), but Victorya deservedly is auf'd for what Kors calls "a party skirt glued on a jean jacket."

So the losing Victorya is stoic, the winning Ricky weeps, and Jillian lives on another bleeding week....

-- MICHAEL CAVNA

By Michael Cavna | January 24, 2008; 2:53 PM ET Project Runway
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I was shocked, but not sorry, to see Victorya go. I thought the judges loved her and fully expected to see Chris auf'd for the second time.

Posted by: project runway fanatic | January 24, 2008 5:53 PM

Glad to see Chris wasn't auf'd again. Victorya fully deserved it this week. She didn't even remove the bottom of the jacket before adding the rest of her 'trench coat'. I couldn't figure out how that thing took her so long to make.

Posted by: jmom | January 24, 2008 6:12 PM

Re: Christian's cartoon character background -- he's the love-child of Xandir and Ling Ling from Comedy Central's "Drawn Together."

That having been said, I think they're wrong about the "cartoon" part of Christian's character -- to me, every time I see him, I think of Chris Kattan's "Mango" from SNL.

Posted by: WoW | January 25, 2008 1:16 PM

I thought Christian should have won. I know that Christian may socially be age 13, but he does amazing work! I think Ricky got the win because commerically it would have been easier to do. Although the dress Sweet Pea made would sell thousands because every woman could wear it. The show this season would have been boring without Christian

Posted by: Mimi | January 25, 2008 2:03 PM

IN RANDOM "RUNWAY"-RELATED NEWS (in some cases, even Tim Gunn refuses to "make it work"):

"LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Britney Spears is one project even Tim Gunn wouldn't take on.
He tells People.com that he thinks Spears is "in exile from the human race" and no amount of money could convince him to give her a makeover. Gunn says it doesn't even seem like Spears wants to succeed.
But she should at least get her kids back, right?
Not according to Gunn. He asks "who would trust her with children?...She is a basket case!" "

Posted by: michael cavna | January 25, 2008 5:56 PM

I agree with mimi that Christian should have won, his idea to creation was AWESOME! Next time Ricky will go right...please?

Posted by: chris | January 26, 2008 7:39 PM

I'm also hoping that Ricki will be finally kicked off next weekend. His work is sub par and he's CLEARLY too emotional to handle the show.

Posted by: project runway fanatic | January 28, 2008 1:22 PM

Christian is the moral equivalent of a drag queen's unflushed turd! Ricky is cute but has more baggage than Coach leather and he needs to go back to the barrio.

Posted by: Hermione Hairpie | February 8, 2008 12:14 AM

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