Project Runway: Season 8, Episode 1

WIN: Gretchen
AUF'd: McKell

What is worse- making something basic and a little pedestrian or showing so much skin that Michael Kors says your model looks like a Dubai pole dancer? (I'm paraphrasing.) It's a tough call to say the least. All too often I have to wonder if the producers are encouraging the judges to keep someone around because they'll make for better TV or if they truly want to see more of that person's work. In the premier episode last night, Casanova made an incredibly vulgar dress that was completely unwearable. Is he the Santino of this season- completely inappropriate and over-the-top, but the judges are "intrigued?" Or will he just be good for ratings because of the language barrier/hearing problem and the tragic demise of his $1000 pants? (Not to mention his tiny yellow tie.) And was McKell's dress really that bad? Because I would wear it in a heartbeat. It was a little basic and not particularly innovative, so that combined with her quiet personality meant she was auf'd? In my humble opinion, there were far worse train wrecks on that runway than this precious little dress:

Need an example? How about this mess of an outfit:

Really? This is color blocking gone horribly wrong. Valerie made this monstrosity using Casanova's $1070 Dolce & Gabbana pants. That's just wrong. And what about this mess of an evening gown:

At least Nicholas was called out for this hot mess. I honestly don't understand what the judges meant when they said, "Well at least we know he can make clothes." Really? Because when I saw the back of this dress, I thought, "What on earth is going on with that zipper?" I'm all for exposed zippers, but his was all puckered at the bottom and looked so messy. Also, was it his intention for the gown to be so wrinkled? It's a mess.

I did, however, agree with the judges about the winner. I also felt the choice was clear because this look made me gasp, it was so beautiful:

Everything about this is wonderful. The dress is so beautifully made and the back is even more stunning than the front:

In the words of Rachel Zoe, "I die." The styling is as perfect as the dress, from her hair right down to the ankle boots. Also, when Tim spoke to Gretchen about her design, she seemed to have really put a lot of thought into the dress. It was more than just a garment for her- it was an idea, a person. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her work.

As for the changes to the show, so far I am LOVING the new 90-minute format. There have been times when I felt the show was rushed, like they were cramming as much as possible into an hour that they possibly could. Now it feels a little more relaxed for the viewer. We get to see more of the design process and isn't that why we tune in to begin with? What do you think of the first episode this season? Love it? Hate it? Have a favorite designer yet? Leave a comment!