And the Winner is ....

Christian! Was there any doubt?

The moment Posh saw those outrageous puffy sleeves, My Fair Lady Hats, frilly collars, and tight, tight pants, she began to salivate all over her orange designer gown. Nina fought the good fight for Rami, her darling, but Posh's overt lust for Christian's clothes won over Nina's tepid puppy love.

The big surprise was Jillian's third place finish. Her ready to wear, flattering clothes were outstanding. Those knits were to die for, and she definitely kept the female body in mind with fabric, color, and silhouette. Several of those pieces could have been worn right off the runway.

Fifty percent of Rami's clothes were breathtakingly beautiful, especially his evening wear, but I wouldn't wish some of his designs on my worst enemy. What was this sack dress all about? Those shoulders make this poor model appear like a hunchback. And what was up with that icky puce color?

Not that this outfit by Christian had much going for it, except that Posh kept thinking "Me, me, meeeeee!"

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the finale. There were no histrionics, no backstabbing maneuvers among the designers, and no last minute surprises by Bravo to throw the designers off. We were treated to an outstanding runway show, great coverage of the judge's deliberation about their final decision, and a satisfying ending. Our winner Christian couldn't hide how much he wanted (needed) the win, and my heart melted every time his lower lip trembled.

So how come this season is already blurred in my memory, while Seasons 1 & 3 still stand out? Food for thought.

Someone Got Nair?

I'm all for original point of view and creative design, but, like Tim Gunn, my gag reflex worked on overdrive when I viewed Chris's final Project Runway collection close up. I had no idea he'd used so MUCH human hair. It must have taken 30 Asian women who hadn't seen scissors for over 20 years to supply Chris with his black goth fringe material. Let's hope none of them had dandruff.

While his final collection left something to be desired, I adore Chris the man more than ever. I thought no one could lose more graciously than Sweet P, but Chris managed to do it. His manners are impeccable and his talent with office supplies is stupendous. Chris, you have a future in recycling products.

This time I agree with the judges - despite that seriously ugly coat and those hip bumps sewn into his evening gown, Rami should have won. (Did anyone else get the idea that he is Nina's darling?) At the very least his collection didn't remind me of shrunken heads and voodoo dolls, although why Rami thought women would want to look like Joan of Arc encased in armadillo armor is beyond me. Was it just me or did anyone else think that Rami's beautiful mother resembled Jillian? Just a thought.

And didn't you just adore Christian's little closet, where he sleeps, snips, sips, and creates his fierce collection with such neatness and precision? It looked like he lived inside the cabin of a 44 foot long sailboat! And yet he managed to pull together some spectacular pieces.

As for Jillian - hot collection, hot boyfriend. Where did you get HIM, dahling? Are there any more like him lying around?

Once again Tim Gunn's assessment of everyone's collection was SPOT ON. Monkey House, indeed. The designer who listened most closely to him and made the adjustments will win the competition, mark my words.

At the end of the Finale Part One, Chris was given the Heidi Heave Ho. I shall miss him. But it least he DID get to show his Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Goth collection at Bryant Park.

Should I Care Who Wins Project Runway 4? Do You?

This image of Chris says it all, doesn't it? If he didn't care enough to push himself to the limits, why should I bother to root for him? Look, I've been a Chris March fan all season long and hoped he would win the competition. If not the competition, then I wanted him to win the most popular vote. Frankly, I now understand why this enormously talented man was booted early by the judges. The devil is in the details, and Chris was happy to do only enough for a "win."

Which explains the problem I am having with this season.

1) These contestants were among the most talented of all the PR seasons, but most seem to already enjoy thriving careers. Ain't now way they're going to put their reputations on the line for some cockamamie show, even for $100,000. That's why this last challenge using the fabulous works of art at the Met was SOOOOO predictable - Rami creating a draped design, Christian going for puffy sleeves and tight black pants, Jillian combining an expertly crafted jacket with a short, short skirt, Chris designing an over the top creation with one hand tied behind his back, and Sweet P, well, Sweet P dithering here and there and coming up with something not quite breathtaking and a little odd.

2) The judges voting for their favorite designers, instead of the best design. C'mon, Robert Cavalli, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, and Heidi Klum, fire the creator of the worst designs already. Frankly, you should have made a decision between Chris and Rami. Having them return for a mini showdown is a cop out. My guess, based on three or four dresses in the final collection, is that Rami will win the mini run off.

3) Like last year, the final collections can be seen online. Bad timing, Bravo, for the thrill and excitement of discovery are gone. Just looking at the photos you could guess who created the collections. In my humble opinion, Princess Puffy Sleeves, as Tom and Lorenzo call Christian, designed the most cohesive, breathtaking collection, and I think she'll walk away with the prize. Jillian's brilliant designs ran a close second, and I think the judges will choose either her or Christian. Some of Rami's evening dresses were drop dead gorgeous show stoppers, but he draped his way down the runway, and frankly his collection was not cohesive. As for Chris? He lost steam somewhere along the way and pulled a Santino. I wanted to love his designs, but couldn't work up the enthusiasm for any of his dresses. None struck my fancy, and his use of human hair was just plain gross. Sweet P's runway collection was a revelation, but she's been aufed already. Shades of Season 2's Kara, whose runway collection outshone the winner's.

4) The reunion show was another dud. Why bother airing it unless we learn some delicious tidbits about all the designers that would have us sit up and take notice?

As a review of what we already know and to summarize this season, here's a short visual quiz. Which of the following photos would our designers choose for inspiration? You only get one try, but something tells me you'll guess them all correctly.