Project Runway Season-Finale Recap: Love a Deadline

by

Well, we’ve reached the end of this season of *Project Runway*. Was it worth the ride? It felt like a bit of a frustrating season, honestly. We didn’t get enough focus on the design process itself, and there was a lot of unnecessary drama. However, the show still works as a competition, especially if you’re interested in seeing how things are made, which is why I enjoy it. *Project Runway* is straightforward – the judging is clear, and it’s easy to watch. It shouldn’t be this hard to make a good season, and this one definitely tested our patience. Despite that, I had fun, and I hope you enjoyed reading the recaps. With the announcement of new casting, it looks like *Project Runway* will be back, and we’ll be here again to see who wins next!

Veejay ultimately won the competition! Despite strong showings from Jesus and Ethan – Ethan was even creating his first-ever collection – the judges favored Veejay’s consistently solid work. Throughout the season, she delivered both standout and safe designs, narrowly avoiding elimination a few times. Her final collection, inspired by the Terminator films, was a beautiful blend of edgy metallic leather and soft knits. The judges felt it was more deserving of the win than Ethan’s fantastical Gothic designs or Jesus’s brightly colored, over-the-top Barbie-inspired looks. The show led viewers to believe Jesus might win, highlighting the models’ positive reactions to his outfits, but in the end, it was Veejay who accepted the Champagne, embraced her family, and surprisingly claimed to be friends with Jesus as she celebrated her victory.

Last week’s episode ended with Antonio leaving the show after a disagreement with Veejay and Law Roach, and this week picks up right there. Antonio tells a producer he’s done, and we see Jesus angrily criticizing Veejay in a private interview. Ethan admits he agrees with Veejay’s previous point that the twins are already successful designers and might not need the prize money. Nina provides some much-needed energy by dramatically acting out a stabbing motion while commenting on the designers’ intense competition. While the judges discuss the designs, Nina remains unimpressed with Belania and continues to be critical of Antonio, stating he isn’t a fully developed designer – which perfectly sums up the rawness of his work. As Nina usually gets her way, both Belania and Antonio are eliminated. (Did anyone notice Nina hinting that Veejay is seen as a threat by the other designers? It felt like a bit of a giveaway!) Ethan wins the challenge, but the victory doesn’t offer him any real advantage going into the finale – a small budget boost or first pick of models would have been nice.

It used to be that Project Runway finalists had months to create around a dozen designs, but recently, things have sped up dramatically. Last season, they only had eight days for eight looks. This season’s challenge is even tighter: five days to create five looks with a $7,500 budget, and the designers are starting immediately. It makes you wonder if the entire season was filmed in just three weeks! Jesus is determined to honor Antonio’s memory and get revenge on Veejay, which isn’t surprising. In the workroom, the designers’ visions are starting to take shape. Jesus is planning an all-pink collection, inspired by what Antonio would have done, and is gathering pink fabrics, lace, and feathers. Ethan is aiming for a luxurious, regal look, drawing inspiration from his drag persona, Utica, and is using crystal-embellished fabrics. Veejay, however, is going in a completely different direction, using silvery leather inspired by the shape-shifting villain from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, a movie she fondly remembers watching with her father. She even says she wants to capture that ‘villain power’ and become unstoppable-a potentially telling moment.

So, things were buzzing with everyone getting settled. Antonio, Joan, and Yuchen joined as assistants to Jesus, Veejay, and Ethan, and we quickly jumped into work. At first, both Jesus and Ethan were really on a roll. Jesus had his station overflowing with bright pink designs, and Ethan had already draped five gowns, all sparkling with crystals and even some cool 1920s-inspired headpieces. But when Christian came in on day two to help with model selection, he started to worry. There was this *huge* fight between Veejay and Jesus over a model named Jessica – Veejay initially picked her, then, after a pretty harsh outburst, handed her over to Jesus. Anyway, Christian wasn’t thrilled with the progress. He told Ethan his designs were too familiar and wouldn’t stand a chance of winning, which totally freaked Ethan out and made him rethink everything. With Jesus, Christian pointed out that all the pink and feathers felt a bit too festive, and the shade was dangerously close to Valentino’s signature color – he didn’t want Jesus getting accused of copying them. But the biggest shock came at Veejay’s station… she hadn’t actually *made* anything yet! She explained her plan for these angular, oddly shaped leather panels, and Christian liked the concept, but basically told her to stop talking and start sewing. Two days in and nothing finished? I was right there with him – a little concerning!

Like many episodes this season of *Project Runway*, the show jumps ahead, skipping over the designers’ creative process. We suddenly see Ethan with a nearly complete Gothic and leather collection, though we didn’t actually see him making it. Christian advises him to avoid overly theatrical designs and suggests adding a dramatic, sculptural gown – a signature piece from Ethan’s time as Utica. I really feel for Ethan, who’s worried about having to change direction again with so little time left. Veejay is still working on her final look, and Christian encourages her to at least get a feel for the design by draping her chainmail fabric on her model, Mimi. Finally, Christian tells Jesus he needs to narrow down his options and simplify his collection.

The show jumps ahead to day four, where Heidi and Christian announce the final judges: Heidi, Nina, Law, and Michael Kors. Michael’s presence visibly upsets Jesus, who recalls a previous critique where Michael called his work “tacky.” Then, the show quickly moves to day five – the final model fitting and runway show – but the editing feels a bit disjointed. The night before the show, Jesus, Ethan, and Veejay share a moment where Veejay unexpectedly apologizes to Jesus, and he reciprocates. They agree to be friends and shake hands, which feels somewhat forced. It seems Veejay just wanted to end the conflict to avoid further issues with Jesus and present herself in a better light. The entire situation between them was complicated and dramatic, and it’s unclear whether the easy resolution is genuine, a result of producer manipulation, or simply a way for Jesus and Veejay to gain more screen time. It’s a frustratingly messy situation overall.

The clock is ticking! With just 90 minutes left, Veejay is still painstakingly making Mimi’s chainmail dress by hand, while Ethan is struggling with the back of his large, circular gown – the seams keep coming undone. We don’t see exactly how he managed it, but he fixed the problem just in time for the runway show. Now, let’s take a look at the finished collections!

  • Ethan: “Creatures of the Night” collection, including a full-length black leather gown with eyelets, corseting, and pointed bust cups; similar second dress but miniskirt length with thigh-high boots; third outfit is for a male model with a pleated cape and a cummerbund and pleated skirt; fourth outfit is a full-length gown with leather and sheer sequined panels; fifth outfit is the huge circle gown with ruching, sequins, and a very stiff circle-shaped wrap bust and shawl.
  • Veejay: “A Beautiful Moment” collection, including a silver leather minidress with 3-D skirt shape (think of a sexy Tin Man); a silver corset top with a long sweater skirt; a one-armed sweater dress with metallic silver accenting; a pair of black pants with one slashed-open leg attached with a carabiner, a chainmail bandeau top, and a cropped black leather jacket; and the chainmail gown with one shoulder and a halter top.
  • Jesus: Collection inspired by Antonio and their mother, Antonia, including a pink lace crop top with huge puffy sleeves and very wide-legged pants; a pink minidress with trailing side tulle, a stomach cutout, and a ruffled neck; a two-piece outfit with a bikini top made from silver sequined flowers and a pink ruffly shawl; a strapless gown made of that same silver-sequined-flower 3-D fabric; and a full-length gown made of furry pink fabric with sequins and feathers.

Describing the designers’ collections, Ethan’s was a dark, vampire-inspired look, Veejay went for a sleek, futuristic vibe, and Jesus created outfits reminiscent of high-fashion Muppets – and the judges and I all seemed to agree! The designers presented their final pieces, and Michael Kors commented that each collection was well-made and showed a lot of thought. He particularly loved Ethan’s gown, and Law applauded his ability to tell a story through his clothes. They felt his designs would be perfect for performers like Dua Lipa, but also thought the overall collection was a bit over-the-top and could have been streamlined. Jesus started strong with a stylish two-piece set, though Michael Kors’s description of it as “sportswear” was surprising. While they had minor critiques of his collection, Nina pointed out that all the models seemed genuinely happy wearing his designs. Finally, Nina praised Veejay’s work overall, especially her all-black aesthetic – we all loved it! Everyone also complimented her sweater dress and chainmail look, but suggested adding one more black outfit to complete the collection.

After the designers leave the runway, the judges really start to discuss the collections. Nina was surprised by Ethan’s work, but not in a positive way. Michael Kors disagreed, praising the technical skill Ethan demonstrated, and argued that fashion has room for all styles. However, it became clear that Ethan wasn’t going to win; the competition really came down to Veejay and Jesus. The judges seemed to favor Jesus, complimenting his use of color and the joyful feeling of his collection, even though Law and Heidi didn’t love the all-pink look. Nina particularly loved Jesus’s final gown, and the judges felt his collection was both beautiful and commercially viable. (Personally, I thought some of his larger tops didn’t fit well, but that’s just my opinion.) Ultimately, the judges chose Veejay, and I completely agreed with their decision. They admired the precise tailoring and draping of her designs, believing the looks were easily marketable and that the collection had a stronger, more focused design than either Ethan’s or Jesus’s. I think Veejay’s designs were also more sophisticated. While Ethan’s were fun and Jesus’s were energetic, Veejay’s had broader appeal while still being innovative. Veejay was understandably emotional when she won, as she’s the first transgender winner of *Project Runway*. Both Jesus and Ethan were gracious in defeat. That wraps up another season of *Project Runway*, and I’m hoping for longer episodes, more workroom time, and a more diverse cast next season. Until then, you can rewatch the excellent twentieth season on Peacock.

Fabric Scraps

I loved Jesus’s look this episode – especially the black jacket with the flames! And honestly, I want everything from Veejay’s collection. It was all so good.

Just letting you know that Bishme Cromartie, the winner of *Project Runway*, created the outfit Tyra Banks wore while judging, inspired by *Wicked*. You can find a closer look here if you’re interested.

Tyra noticed the contestants were very competitive and eager to challenge each other – and even the audience, she joked. I couldn’t help but laugh when she said that.

Did anyone else find Law’s final comment to Belania strange? He said her style didn’t fit streetwear, but wouldn’t be popular on the runway, even though those same looks had won challenges. It’s confusing why that would suddenly hold her back in the final, and it wasn’t clear who he meant by ‘popular’ – the judges, or potential customers? The whole thing just felt oddly worded.

It’s difficult to believe Veejay and Jesus are reconciling, considering how badly they’ve treated each other, especially in this recent episode. Jesus was particularly harsh with Veejay, accusing him of being a terrible friend over the Jessica situation. It’s hard to build a friendship when someone constantly uses offensive language or teases you and your family. Honestly, they both might deserve the drama. Jesus’ explanation that their fighting stems from a loving, sisterly bond feels a bit forced.

Honestly, one of the funniest moments all season was when Heidi asked Ethan about his…unique decorating style – all the bedazzling! His response was *amazing*. He threw his hands up and dramatically announced, “I’m gay!” It was perfectly timed and had me cracking up. And can we talk about his pincushion? It’s shaped like Totoro! Seriously, the cutest thing ever.

Read More

2025-09-26 07:56