Project Runway: Threads Episode 5 Recap: Prom Dress

Tonight on Project Runway: Threads, host Vanessa Williams introduced three new contestants to their prize package totaling $25,000 and a chance to launch their career in designing. The teens going head to head this week were Kimmani, Bella and Tielerm who start off by showing pieces they brought with them from home in the “Show Us Your Style” challenge.

Vanessa and Ingrid will decide who will win an advantage in the week’s challenge.

Kimani is 12-years-old and from Atlanta, Georgia. She may have only started sewing a year ago but her sassy, strong-willed Project-Runway-Threads-Kimmani1attitude will make her a force to be reckoned with. Kimani has dreams of creating her own international brand … and also buying Jamaica. She’s brought her mother Kym as her assistant, even though the two frequently clash with their strong opinions. Ingrid likes the modern fabric that Kimani chose, but advises her to not keep things too girly. Vanessa likes how classic the look is but would like to see more colors going forward. I agree with what they had to say.

Project-Runway-Threads-Bella1Bella is the next contestant and she’s a 12-year-old  and from Manhattan Beach, Calif. She’s inspired by her hometown and her creations have a boho-chic, beachy vibe. However, Bella eventually wants to move to New York and model her own designs. Her grandmother Nancy is her assistant and may or may not be of much help since she’s taken a 35-year hiatus from sewing. Vanessa likes how the fabric crosses in the front of the top, but tells Bella to make sure it doesn’t take away from the outfit. The look reminds Ingrid of the resort collections that designers sometimes create.

Tieler is a 14-year-old and from New Orleans. He’s been designing since the age of 7 and wants to make women feel like Project-Runway-Threads-Tieler1goddesses in his designs. Tieler’s inspiration comes from designers such as Alexander McQueen and Zuhair Murad.

He says that his edgy look was inspired by abusive relationships: At first they appear to be like sweet roses but in the end you want to get away from them. Tieler has brought his super supportive mother Tahmi as his assistant. Vanessa likes the coat the most. Ingrid applauses Tieler for taking such a risk and making a high-fashion piece, but wishes it were shorter in length because of tripping concerns. She does want him to stick with his high-fashion element throughout the competition, though, and I completely agree.

While Tieler took the biggest risk, Kimani ends up winning the challenge, even though Kimani herself thought Tieler would’ve been named the winner after seeing his outfit. But she will be the one with the special advantage in the next challenge in which they’ll create a Prom-styled dress. The judges don’t want the teens to stick to stereotypical Prom dress looks, so these new designs should be amazing.

Bella is looking to design a two-layered dress with a sweetheart neckline. Kimmani is creating a classic circle skirt but adding a twist by making a train. Tieler is creating a corset ed top with a long, gathered chiffon skirt to accentuate the model’s curves.

Vanessa comes back in to let the teens know that their “Surprise Door Twist” challenge is to design a second look using only real flowers.

In this week’s “Be the Boss” challenge, each teen will be getting some extra help from some familiar faces: They will each get another assistant from Project Runway. Bella gets Michael Costello, who just create designs for Beyoncé. Kimmani gets Dom Streater and Tieler gets Christopher Palu. Happily for each contestant, they end up being working with their favorite designer from the show. Vanessa also tells Kimmani that her special advantage is a pass that will allow her to steal one of the other assistants for 30 minutes.

Kimani ends up using her pass to borrow Bella’s assistant, Michael. Kimmani is also good at bossing everyone around and not lifting a finger herself, but Michael mentions that she’ll be successful in the fashion industry because of this.

Project-Runway-Threads-Bella2Come runway time, Bella is the first to get evaluated by the judges. Christian says that the numerous design elements in the first dress might be a little too much. He loves the second dress, though, and would even fight Ingrid for it. Gina loves the neckline in the first dress since it’s so feminine but thinks it’s a bit too short in length. Ingrid says she wishes she would’ve had the Prom look to wear to her prom, but since that was a while ago, she also wishes the look was a bit more fresh and modern. Ingrid likes how there are a lot of flowers on the top of the dress in the second look, but wishes they would’ve continued further down. I would wear Bella’s second dress, too, but her Prom look is a bit too plain for my style.

KProject-Runway-Threads-Kimmani2imani is next. Christian likes how the first look appears futuristic and enjoys the underlayer in the skirt. He feels that it shows how well Kimmani knows designing, but wishes there were more flowers on the second dress. Ingrid thinks the first look is what Wonder Woman would wear to Prom. She loves the big flower on the shoulder because it’s the unique and special thing that every girl is looking for in their Prom dress. Gina doesn’t like the big flower because it would compete with an earring or hairstyle but can see how the look suits Kimani’s style. Gina felt the waistline in the second dress was a bit too bulky. Vanessa likes how the colors make the model stand out in the first dress but thinks they’re more Bollywood than Prom.  I agree with Gina and Vanessa the most — I don’t like the way Kimani styled her Prom dress myself but I could see it on her, which is what they asked for. I wish she should’ve tried using different colors, too.

TProject-Runway-Threads-Tieler2ieler is the last contestant to be judged and as soon as I saw his looks come down the runway, I felt there was no question who would be the winner. Vanessa said she was happy to see his first look, because the dress flowed with the model, but she still wished for another pop of color, because it might be a bit too sophisticated for a Prom as is. Vanessa loves the second look but wishes she couldn’t see pops of the white dress among the flowers. Ingrid loves the second look and notices that the leaves create a subtle peplum look. Gina says that she’s a pro when it comes to Prom dresses since she has to work with them in a special Seventeen magazine issue, and mentions that there are definitely customers looking for this dress. Christian loves the round bodice instead of the usual sweetheart neckline in Prom dresses. He feels that the second look might appear to be less youthful, though, because plum is such a mature color. I think Tieler’s second creation is genius and I would wear it in a heartbeat. I love the plum color and don’t feel that it’s too sophisticated for younger people to wear.

Though my money was on Tieler winning since I loved all of his creations, every designer this week created incredible looks. I didn’t think Bella could create a daring look , but her second look proved that she could. And Kimani stayed true to her style.

After evaluating the looks, the judges do name Tieler the winner, and I hope to see his designs in stores ASAP because I’d wear something he designed.

What were your thoughts on this episode? Do you think Tieler should’ve won the competition? I clearly loved his designs but who was your favorite? I remember my Sherri Hill Prom dress and how much I loved it. What did you wear to Prom or what do you plan on wearing? Would you want to wear any of these looks? I wasn’t sure how the designers would’ve been able to create a look using only flowers but they made it look simple. Would you wear a look created in flowers? I’m not too sure on how you’d wash that one. Leave your thoughts below.

Watch Project Runway: Threads Thursdays at 10/9CT on Lifetime.

Photos: Bobby Quillard Copyright 2014

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