Project Runway Premiere Recap 8/24/17: Season 16 Episode 2 “An Unconventional Recycling”

Project Runway Premiere Recap 8/24/17: Season 16 Episode 2 "An Unconventional Recycling"

Tonight on Lifetime their Emmy Award nominated series Project Runway airs with an all-new Thursday, August 24, 2017, episode and we have your Project Runway recap below!  On tonight’s Project Runway season 16 episode 2 “An Unconventional Recycling,” as per the Lifetime synopsis, “In their first team challenge, the designers struggle to make their voices heard. It is an unconventional materials challenge and many of them stumble when tasked with creating a fashion-forward look out of recyclable materials. Maggie Q and Anne Fulenwider join the judging panel.”

So make sure to bookmark this spot and come back between 9 PM – 10:30 PM ET! for our Project Runway recap.  While you wait for the recap make sure to check out all our Project Runway recaps, news, spoilers & more, right here.

Tonight’s Project Runway recap begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!

The season opens with a review of clips from last week’s show. For the first time the models will be from size 0 to size 22. Batani reflects on how badly she felt being at the bottom last week. She knows she has to step up her game. The designers enter their hotel rooms to find hard hats and orange and yellow vests. They are told to get ready to deal with waste. They all enter a recycling center and complain about the smell. Tim and guest Anne Fukenwider, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, welcome the contestants.

Anne tells the designers that Marie Claire is focusing on sustainability and she shows her dress which is made of 100% recycled materials. Tim directs them to the materials all around them. They must use this materials to make high fashion looks. This will be a team challenge. The teams are Kudzanai, Michael, Kentaro, Deyonte and Margarita as team one. Aaron, Bantani, Kenya, Brandon, and Ayana as team two. Team three is made up of Sentell, Amy, Claire, Shawn and Samantha. Each team has one day for this challenge and the winning team’s design will be highlighted in a Marie Claire magazine article about sustainability.

The teams are given 5 minutes to gather as many materials as they can before they begin to design. Each team of 5 will be creating a 5 piece mini-collection. They have until 10:30 pm to complete their work. The models will rotate from last week so each designer has an opportunity to work with different body types. Tim stresses the need for cohesion within the team. Shawn has never worked with plus sized models and is worried if she can do it.

The teams start to decide on themes. Team 2 decided their theme will be Ballin’ On A Budget. Team 1 decided that they will tell a story of Japanese fashion with their designs. Team 3 will go with water, sea glass, fluidity to tie their collection together. Brandon begins painting his material as Samantha begins braiding plastic bags into a top. Shawn is not feeling the vibe of her team and struggles to figure out what she wants to do.

Ayana is not sure of her design. She has a clear material that is completely see through. She wants a modest dress. Claire tries to help Shawn figure out what she wants to do but her tears fall as her fear of failing takes over. Being at the bottom last week has really shaken her confidence in herself and her abilities. Samantha is worried about both Shawn and Claire as they seem to be feeding off each other in a negative way. Team 1 is working well together as they explore their Japanese theme.

Ayana’s goal is to show Muslim women that they can be modest and also trendy, current and fashion forward. Team 1 will be called Wabi-Sabi and Kentaro explains that is means arty and connected to the universe. Team 3 agrees on the name Tsunami to emphasis their water connection. Kenya is feeling very overwhelmed as she just can’t get her design ideas to come together. Tim returns and is excited to hear the team names. He then asks each team to show him what they are working on. He encourages Team Tsunami to make sure they have cohesion between their pieces.

He moves on to Wabi-Sabi and while he loves each piece again he does not see cohesion between pieces. Ballin On A Budget has great ideas but Tim tells Batani he is most worried about her. He suggests she ditch her current design and start over. Again each piece doesn’t seem like it is coming out of the same closet. He encourages them to work together. He tells all the teams that he is worried but has confidence in them.

The models come in to begin their fittings. Several of the models do not have actually items to try on and they are worried. Sentell’s husband face times him and they tell the camera that they got married the day before. Sentell had to leave for the show so they did not have a honeymoon. He wants to win for him. Amy is very worried about Shawn and Claire. They continue to feed off each other and don’t get anything done. She worries Shawn’s design will be a hot mess.

The day of the runaway show starts and each team fears they will be at the bottom. There is not much confidence in the room. Tim returns to remind them of the JC Penney accessory wall to help stylize their models for the runway. The models will be heading to the Avon beauty lab and hair studio to get the final touches before the show. The team pulls together to try to help Claire and Shawn finish up their creations.

Kenya and her model are both very happy with her final product. Shawn’s design is again referred to as a hot mess. Aaron’s model loves her look. Several of Sentell’s team mates don’t think he transformed the materials he used enough. His model looks like she is wearing a trash bag (which she is.) The teams head to the runway and just seem to want to get it over with.

he judges for the runway show are Zac Posen, Nina Garcia, Maggie Q, Anne Fukenwider and Heidi. All of the designers on team Wabi-Sabi are happy with their final products. Team Tsunami is pleased with their dresses. Even Shawn had a nice final dress however she is worried that all played it safe and were too safe for the completion. The final team’s models, Ballin’ On A Budget take the stage. Each of the designers is very happy and think they have a shot at winning this challenge.

Heidi announces that there will be a winning team and a losing team. One member of the winning team will be declared the overall winner and one member of the losing team will go home. The winning team is Ballin’ On A Budget. The judges were blown away by their designs. The losing team is Tsunami. Team Wabi-Sabi is safe and leaves the stage followed by Tsunami. Heidi will call them back shortly.

The judges loved the print and cohesion. They all did a great job transforming the materials. The judges ask who they think should from their team and each one names a different designer. The winning team leaves the runway and Tsunami returns. Heidi says when she looks at most of the pieces she still sees garbage not fabric. She does complement Samantha on the top she created. Zac tells Sentell his dress looks like a leprechaun went dumpster diving.

The team mates all turn on each other as Shawn’s design gets compliments from the judges. Each pointing out the ways they helped her get her dress finished. She then says she thinks Amy’s design is the weakest of them all. Shawn tells Heidi time management wise she was the weakest designer and Amy was the weakest based on style. Sentell, Amy and Samantha would send Shawn home. Claire would pick Sentell to leave tonight.

All of the designers and models return to the stage and Heidi announces the Ayana is the winner of the challenge. Her design will appear in Marie Claire magazine. Samantha, Amy and Claire are safe and leave the runway. It comes down to Sentell and Shawn. Heidi then tells Sentell he will be going home.

THE END