It is a truth universally acknowledged that there are good florals, and there are bad florals. Overwhelmingly, yes, flower prints are gorgeous—but they can quickly veer into the territory of wallpapers and couch fabrics if a designer doesn’t maintain a wary eye. So, I came into this week’s Project Runway eager but armed with a pair of figurative garden shears.

In episode 4, “Flower Power,” our remaining designers are asked to create their own floral fabrics, drawing inspiration from the installations of Lewis Miller, mastermind behind the “flower flash,” in which the artist adorns Manhattan staples—trucks, stop signs, traffic lights, even trash cans—with bursting blooms. From the moment they see the piles of stems arranged throughout the workroom, the young hopefuls are all screeching with excitement, but they only have an hour and a half to work with a graphic designer to craft their print.

My girl Anna dives headfirst into arts and crafts, dipping her blossoms in paint and stamping them on paper, while Kristina sprawls out on the pavement, where Katie tosses a bouquet into the air for her to photograph mid-flight. Shantall selects a checker print as the backdrop for her cascading petals; Katie draws a color palette from a spiky pincushion protea. Sabrina is attempting something akin to a “deconstructed poppy” while Chasity fuses feminine pinks and purples with the rough texture of leather and grommets.

And then, of course, there’s Darren. “SpongeBob is my bro,” he posits as explanation for his design inspiration: the doodle-like hippie flowers of Bikini Bottom. He delves no further into why this particular image haunts him, only that designing for SpongeBob is “the dream, man!” Even as I shake my head in bafflement, there’s a part of me that’s definitely thinking, I mean, same?

Once the designers have gotten some rest and shared a few shots of green juice the next morning, they’re shepherded back to the workroom, where they discover special deliveries rolled up into a parcel at their stations. They’ve each been gifted five yards of their self-designed fabric, which—if you’ve ever attempted one of those sorority-beloved fleece tie blankets, then you know—is not as much as it sounds like.

Back on the hunt for outfits to eviscerate, Christian is absolutely on one this episode. As he pops from table to table, he finds new and inventive ways to torture. Aaron’s yellow pastel shirt is “old St. John that my mom pulled out of the bin.” Katie’s clown pants are “Doris Day goes to the mall.” Prajje’s print is leaning a little “couch-y,” and Kristina’s robe is “bag lady in couture fabrics.” Finally, Christian reunites with his beleaguered admirer, Darren, in time to inform him that the designer’s skirt seems fitting for a certain sort of Palm Beach woman “who’s had too much to drink and now is kinda dizzy.”

“Maybe you love a tipsy girl,” Christian suggests, by way of a backhanded compliment.

“I am a tipsy girl,” Darren says, with visible delight.

“Maybe this is the challenge for you!”

Alas, we’ll return to that point later.

What’s interesting, however, about Christian’s prowl around the workroom this episode is that it inadvertently causes the meltdowns of no fewer than two designers. (To be clear, this isn’t Christian’s fault. His advice is correct. The execution of his advice is what causes his mentees to fall apart at the seams.) When he recommends Katie abandon her clown pant for an elevated dress, she practically tears her fabric to pieces trying to assemble a ruched miniskirt that resembles a crumpled grocery bag. And when he worries Sabrina’s empowering burqa-cum-jumpsuit shows a tad too much emphasis on the crotch, she tacks on an enormous skirt rather than tastefully adjusting her fabric.

“You’re making me nervous about the ding-dong down here,” Sabrina says of her vaginal print.

“Well, it’s not a ding-dong!” Christian cries.

“Well, not a ding-dong. What’s the woman name?”

“I don’t know, girl, you’re makin’ up your own thing.”

I rest my case.

By the time everyone makes it to the runway, it’s already evident who will have a winning look and who’s lost themselves amongst the bright colors. Shall we dive in?

• First is Shantall’s three-piece suit, which happens to feature the least floral print of the group—yet one of the more sophisticated designs. Her model looks fantastic in the navy and lilac vest, jacket, and trousers, highlighted by tiny pops of yellow flowers.
• Aaron’s three-piece fit combines a pale yellow puff-sleeve overshirt above a crop top and wide-leg pants, all in a red floral border pattern. It’s workable but not inventive.
• I’m obsessed with Anna, and I fear it may be clouding my judgment, but I absolutely love her geometric monstrosity? There is no way anyone could ever sit comfortably in the inverted triangle skirt Anna sends down the runway, but it’s the runway—who cares! The abstract white and maroon print is gorgeous, and the styling of her model is so chic. 10/10.
• Bones sends out a velvet bodycon skirt and a one-shoulder pink floral top that bunches then spills out into a cape at the back. Apparently, the cape comes off so you can “put it in your lap at dinner,” he says. (Sure, but why?) Regardless, the effect is lovely, but it feels like something I could buy at Anthropologie.
• Coral loves black, and her model’s in a black deep-v blazer and transparent skirt, paired with criss-crossing hardware. It’s a funky mesh of soft femininity and punk-rock detailing.
• Chasity takes the criss-crossing even further with her stripped-up bubblegum-colored fabric, layered between black straps on a deflated puff-sleeve minidress. That’s a lot of look, sure, but not enough to prompt any shock and awe. It’s messy, and Chasity knows it: “My look is not 100-percent me,” she says.
• In spite of practically every word that’s come out of his mouth, I find it impossible not to root for Darren. His bright-orange SpongeBob print is actually pretty fun, albeit childish. Cut into a ruffled crop jacket and poofy mid-thigh circle skirt, his ensemble is “very Gossip Girl, very Carrie Diaries,” he says. Not sure I agree, but you do you, Darren.
• Next is Octavio, who finally blows me away with the movement on his ruched halter-neck gown. His model literally looks as if a cloud of smoke is tumbling out from behind her high-low skirt. The black-and-white pattern is unexpected for a floral challenge, but the impact is gorgeous.
• Sabrina definitely took a huge risk with her burqa-inspired bodysuit and detachable skirt. The print alone is a cacophony of pinks and chartreuses, which could be a joy if there wasn’t the addition of the enormous skirt.
• I know it’s passé to call Katie’s looks immature, but her garment looks like something a character would wear at Disney World. Between the pastel print, the oversized sleeves, the gigantic scalloped collar, and the sad ruched skirt, it’s all a bit of a disaster.
• Oh, Prajje, designer of my dreams. His navy and red mermaid gown is my favorite look of the night. Simple, clean, but made eye-catching through its deep-v bodice and structured puff-sleeves, this is a look I could see on a thousand red carpets.
• In perhaps the most ironic development of the night, it is Zayden’s look, not Sabrina’s, that ends up looking like a vagina. (Am I the only one who sees this??) Maybe it’s the shocking pink color, but the way the model’s head is sticking out from atop the oval of fabric looks just like…never mind. Zayden loves it, so I’m happy for him!
• Kristina managed to rescue her look, transforming it from a silk bathrobe to a fluid, elegant coat. Paired with the sleek, almost plastic-like fabric of the dress, it’s a fun, fresh take on high-end loungewear.

Bravo

Guest judge Gigi Hadid joins the panel this week, and she helps trample a few looks: namely, Darren’s, Sabrina’s, and Katie’s. She worries Katie’s scalloped collar looks like “craft felt” and that Darren’s silhouette is confusing. But it’s Nina who steps in with the most biting remarks of the evening. She calls Katie’s garment “chaotic” and “tortured,” while she deems Darren’s Bikini Bottom print a mimicry of what’s come before. All the judges agree that Sabrina’s bodysuit is a powerful idea, one that would’ve executed had the skirt and heels been removed.

On the flip side, they adore the looks from Prajje, Kristina and Shantall. Prajje’s is a classic, Kristina’s has the best movement, but it’s Shantall who wins for her clever, clean interpretation of florals on a brilliantly tailored suit.

Finally, it’s Darren who faces the chopping block. He’s had a rough go of it since he first started at Project Runway, but he’s quickly become one of the most memorable characters for his off-the-cuff remarks and cheeky flirtation. Of course, he refuses to exit the stage without getting in one last wink at Christian: “You’re gonna see a lot more of me,” he hints.

Next week’s preview teases the return of drama—though, hopefully, nothing like what Meg sparked in episode 2—and the appearance of some fan-favorite Winter Olympics ice skaters. Let the games begin.

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Lauren Puckett-Pope
Associate Editor
Lauren Puckett-Pope is an associate editor at ELLE, where she covers news and culture.

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