quesarah | project runway

This week's episode didn't seem quite as dramatic as last week's, despite Kara and Zuleema dysfunctioning all over the place. I knew they'd pull something together, if for no other reason than they're too stubborn to give in. The challenge was sort of fun. The Banana Republic garments are usually pretty dull, but the added twist of the window display added a new dimension.

Nick and Santino blew it, and I wonder just how poorly they did in the customer voting. But the judges made the right choice in cutting Diana and Marla this week. Nick and Santino went out in left field and just couldn't pull it off, but Diana and Marla had neither the creativity nor the panache to pull off their garment and display.

I feel ready to make preliminary guesses about the finalists now. I'm positive Kara and Zuleema will be cut; neither of them has the temperament to pull off challenge after challenge. And I don't think either of them has an innovative enough style to really stay in the thick of it as the field thins. Emmett will also be cut. He's a very competent tailor and technically skilled, but he just isn't creative or daring enough to win.

I worry about Nick. He's very talented, has a tremendous eye for fabric, color and pattern, and flow. But he does like his "schtick;" flowing feminine garments. Don't get me wrong, they're beautiful, but I worry that he'll fall into the Austin Scarlett trap of always making the same garment. His elimination will depend on the challenges they're presented in coming weeks, and his willingness to branch out and get a little funky with them.

I would love to see Santino out, and soon. He's such a petty little schmuck that I actively want him to lose. I don't think it will be a character issue that gets him booted, though, unless you count arrogance against him. He has very specific ideas of what an "artiste" like himself should do, he's right, how dare you question him, etc. As he's proven in this week's challenge and also in the lingerie challenge, he isn't capable of working within a particular scope or genre. Like Nick, his elimination will depend on the types of challenges they receive, the judges, and how far afield he ranges from the assignment.

Daniel Vosavic is impressing me week after week. Great use of color and fabric, and he isn't afraid to take advice or switch things up. He's done some cute and funky designs -- I loved his Revenge line for the lingerie challenge -- and I think he has the chops to make it all the way through.

Chloe is also a keeper in my book, for many of the same reasons. She changes up her style, she's technically great, good eye for color and also for wearability, which puts her ahead of some of the other designers. Another point in her favor is her poise and the way she handles the judges' questions and comments. They might not have understood her Day to Night garment, but she explained her choices calmly and effectively. Obviously a sign of a professional in the business.

Andrae has been doing well after getting off to a shaky start. I didn't think I'd like his garment for the Nicky Hilton challenge (jersey, wtf?) but it was great. Cute, fun, sassy, young, and very wearable. I'm not sure how he'll rise to coming challenges, so I'm not ready to say he'll be a finalist. I think it will depend on whether Nick is able to hang in there and keep making the cut. He's my wild card in the whole competition.