Project Runway Season 20, Episode 14 Recap: The Finale

Spoilers below.

Project Runway: All-Stars season 20 goes out on one hell of a finale—even if getting here was something of a winding road. By the time the 14th and final episode reached its credits, I was blubbering through my note-taking, which is about as good a sign as any that a reality competition has done its duty. It was clear from the opening sequence that this would be an emotional close to the Bravo staple’s anniversary season, as evidenced by the preposterousness of the challenge itself: Make an entire runway collection in eight days. The world’s most accomplished designers would balk.

Still, Bishme, Brittany, and Laurence—or “BBL,” as they’ve cleverly coined themselves—have come this far, and they aren’t about to tuck tail. Meeting with Christian at his atelier, they learn they have little more than a week to complete their capsules. Still, they’ll get some assistance: Not only are Prajje, Fabio, and Kara Saun back as their second-in-commands, but each of them will get $10,000 to stock up on fabrics from anywhere in the Fashion District. Once they’ve stuffed their shopping bags from spots like Spandex House, District Leathers, and BJ Fabrics, BBL return to the workroom for the last time, where Bishme tacks up his late sister’s obituary as a reminder of whom this is all for.

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The next day, Christian trots between their stations with his feedback on their concepts. Bishme is toying with the idea of a “phoenix reborn from the ashes” that’s “conquering depression,” a nod to his own grieving journey after his sister’s death. Brittany, meanwhile, is focusing on the “progression” of her elevated athleisure, and Laurence wants to tell the story of a dark, moody night in France’s capital.

The episode zips through the remaining days: The assistants appear (with Fabio working for Brittany, Prajje for Bishme, and Kara Saun for Laurence), and BBL get a chance to scuffle over models during a walk-off competition. Mimi, as per usual, prompts all-out war between the designers; Christian negotiates a treaty by picking the winner at random.

Day 5 comes and goes, and it’s clear Bishme is feeling the emotional weight of his work start to crush him. (Christian urges Prajje to “give him a little love,” which Prajje insists he’s “been doing,” thank you very much.) On Day 7, Marc Karimzadeh, the editorial and communications director at the CFDA, drops by to assess the cohesiveness and marketability of their work across the entire season, and Prajje’s right there when Bishme starts to panic. “We don’t have the time for the mind to play those tricks on us,” the former tells the latter, who confesses he’s worried that even if he did win the competition that it “wouldn’t feel good because she’s not here.” It’s gutting to hear him say it aloud.

But when runway day arrives once more, Bishme is realigned and recommitted. With Billy Porter and Zac Posen serving as guest judges (Zac, in particular, is there in Brandon’s stead), the crowd—featuring myriad Project Runway familiar faces—settles in to witness the designers’ NYFW debut. For the final time this season, let’s get into the looks.

• Brittany’s collection, “Pop-gression,” is up first. Immediately it’s clear the capsule will have something of a Gen-Z Y2K bent, a fun but tricky aesthetic given its specificity. My favorite looks are the opener, a lime bralette with culottes and strap accents; the bubblegum peek-a-boo corset top with a dual-slit skirt; those fabulous wide-leg checkerboard pants; and the closer, a matching checkerboard gown. These final two designs, in particular, represent the marriage of couture-finesse and sports-wearability that Brittany has championed as “activewear eleganza.” But I worry some of the fabric choices veer childish; the polka-dots paired with pink and lime, especially, give off the vibe of Limited Too, even if I’d personally be honored to rock a revamped Limited Too. And, as has often been the case, there’s a distinctly referential quality to Brittany’s work here. We’ve seen many of these elements before. Is this collection new? Is it forward-thinking? Does it really matter? Project Runway can’t seem to decide. Overall, Brittany’s is still a solid offering, and I admire her ability to straddle the worlds of supposedly “low-brow” athleisure and snobby high fashion.
• Bishme, debuting “Powering Through,” is such an obvious talent. His ability to execute reinterpretations of traditional shapes is incredible—if, yes, occasionally referential—and this collection showcases the best of what he’s already put out in season 20. My top looks are the red-and-white sequined stripe dress and coat; the scarlet off-the-shoulder jacket and cargo trousers; the latex ensemble with sculptural shoulders; and, of course, the show-stopping ruffle gown with a silhouette bodice. But it’s the story, as with so many elements of fashion, that ultimately lends this capsule not just beauty but power. You can see the naïveté, the grief, the anger, the pain, and the triumph all in the clothes. That’s the real feat.
• Finally, a confession: Of all the collections tonight, my personal style is most aligned with Laurence’s “One Night in Paris,” so I’ll cop to some bias. But I nevertheless think there are absolute gems in this show. My favorites are the powder-blue suit and ruffled tulle jacket; the black organza top and low-cut leather pants; and the cropped biker jacket with matching bedazzled maxi skirt. These looks just radiate superior quality and expensive taste (or, as the judges put it, “sophistication”). They’re all on-trend without sacrificing their classic appeal, plus they’re versatile enough to be worn beyond the red carpet. I think celebrities (Billy Porter obviously included) would go wild for a handful of these staples—even if Laurence’s purple suit is a rare disappointment, nor her closing design as explosive as I might have hoped.

Ultimately, I think the winner is clear—and perhaps has been for several episodes now. Bishme has clinched multiple challenges and stayed out of the bottom group all but once this season, which isn’t a guarantee of future success but certainly doesn’t hurt. When his name is finally the one announced at the end of season 20, he (and his beautiful mother) burst into tears. Their cascade of joy, imbued as it is with loss and pride and utter exhaustion, is so visceral it’s shared by the audience—both those at the physical show and those sitting at home watching.

This, I’d argue, is what still makes Project Runway worth watching, 20 years on. Even when the show’s judging patterns are inconsistent and its impact on the wider fashion industry debated, the show captures the human passion that fuels this industry beyond the slivers we witness during fashion weeks. There’s an earnestness here that’s not always felt in some of the more traditional couture circles. I’m not sure what Project Runway’s future looks like, and it’s certainly due for a deeper evolution. But if it keeps giving designers like Korto, Rami, Kayne, Prajje, Kara Saun, and the BBL a platform, then I—and I suspect many others—will continue to tune in.

Culture Writer

Lauren Puckett-Pope is a staff culture writer at ELLE, where she primarily covers film, television and books. She was previously an associate editor at ELLE.