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(S06E12) It's the trend for most contestants on Project Runway to cave during the final challenge; this season was no exception. This season's final challenge was to be inspired by the Getty museum. The contestants had two days and $300 to design the dress.

Inspiration:

Althea - Overall Architecture
Christopher - Rock Fountain
Irina - Mischief and Repose by Godward.
Gordana - Rouen Cathedral by Monet
Carol Hannah - Bed - French, Paris (circa 1775 - 1780)

There was so much to be inspired by in the Getty Center, and I feel like the show rushed its way through.

The one thing that I really liked was that the designers got to go with the models around the museum. Not only did the models get a sense of how they should model their piece, the designers got to bounce ideas off of someone. Models of the Runway destroyed the idea of interaction between the models and the designers, and this was the only episode that even showed the models with some actual interaction time. The models' interviews never end up on Project Runway, and that's one element I wished they would keep in the main show.

The work in the workroom was above average from what we got to see. Even with Tim's opinions, some of the dresses needed more help. I would have loved to see Irina continue working on the Scandinavian rabbit pelt. I laughed when Tim told Christopher that most of the judges think, "what?" when staring at his clothes. I still don't get how he continued to hang by a string.

The guest judges joining Heidi and Nina were fashion designer Cynthia Rowley and model Cindy Crawford. As the models walked down, I gotta admit I wasn't impressed with any of the pieces. Althea's dress would be perfect if the skirt was the top and the top was a free-flowing fabric bottom. I loved Carol Hannah's dress, but I wished that she incorporated the shade of blue that was on the French bed. As Katie walked down, I didn't understand Christopher's design at all. The bottom was horrible, but I didn't understand the juxtaposition of the corset with the loose top (I didn't understand Althea's either). Gordana's color scheme and way the dress opened up reminded me of Santino's final dress in season two, except the back was just boring. I liked Irina's top half of the dress, but I thought there was too much fabric in the end.

All the contestants got some criticisms and positives from the judges: Althea (brave, but too ambitious) Irina (strong back, dowdy skirt length), Gordana (best connection to inspiration, no wow factor), Carol Hannah (well executed, safe), and Christopher (cool top, very heavy bottom). Heidi asked each contestant who they wanted to see make it to the finals and oddly, only one person picked the correct combination: Althea. She picked herself, Irina and Carol Hannah. It takes a lot for someone to admit that the person you don't like deserves to make it to the finals. That meant that Christopher and Gordana were going home. I find it funny that even though Tim thought Gordana's piece was inspiring, the rest of her pieces this season were boring.

The final models:

Althea - Tanisha
Carol Hannah - Lisa
Irina - Kalyn

Though I would have liked to see Gordana and Althea have one of those challenges right before fashion week, Althea would have wiped the floor on Gordana. I think the three were the most deserving and the most consistent. Did you expect this as your final three? Leave comments as always.

[Catch clips from Project Runway on SlashControl]