It is morning at the Atlas (shameless plug) luxury apartments. The designers frantically dress and apply makeup and copious amounts of hair gel, anticipating the challenge for the day. Ping, while trying to put her contact lenses in, says, "I can only see through one eye!" Anna, the sweet young thing from Wisconsin, retorts, "Maybe it will help your design." Ah, yes. Week three on "Project Runway." When we see the wheat begin to separate from the chaff. When we see the cream rise to the top. When everyone on the show starts blatantly making fun of Ping Wu.
This week the designers meet Tim Gunn at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the most unoriginal sources of artistic inspiration that the producers of the show could have chosen. My smug sneering at this unimaginative venue quickly turned to awe when I saw gowns from the Costume Institute archives. Yves Saint Laurent! Christian Dior! Swoon! The challenge? To be inspired by the work of these geniuses and to create a "high-end signature look worthy of a master collection." The designers receive $500 to create the look and are told that they would be working in pairs. Ooh, reality TV paydirt!