Project Runway Episode Episode 10: Mondo's Story

Yikes. This was one emotional episode. Backgrounds, family, memories, locked-up secrets converge in the workroom when the designers must design a textile fabric for their look that is inspired by a moment from their past. After all, as we arrive in the workroom and see childhood photos of Michael C in his underwear plastered all over an HP computer screen you know this is going to be one deeply personal challenge. Most notable and poignant is Mondo's inspiration for his fabulous and vivid plus+sign textile print. Through a brave and powerful on-camera admission we learn that Mondo is HIV positive, a secret he has kept for the past 10 years. This is no light fare, and I'm almost wishing for some rude and pure Gretchen workroom drama, but no such luck. By the way did I miss the part where the designers get a tutorial in using the HP Touch Smart textile design program system for this challenge? Just wondering...
And this episode's surprise workroom guests are....everyone's mother!!!! No one, and I mean no one is spared from any tears this week, not even Tim. Within minutes every single designer is reduced to a blubbering baby, and well, it's precious to watch. We even discover a bit more of Gretchen's tough back story which perhaps makes her seem a tad more human and justified in behaving as rottenly as she does?......Nah!
Then Tim does away with the work day and all the designers get to spend the day with mom. Well there goes Andy's focus...

It's Runway time with guest designer judge Rachel Roy who, by the way, needlessly comes off as super snarky... and GAH! what kind of circus act dress is Heidi wearing???
So far I'm loving April's love divided punky dress with the too-long peekaboo cool printed sleeve...Andy's shorts and loose blouse combo is a no brainer in being knowingly worrisome, and Mondo's purple checkered pants and printed blouse top are incredible...Valerie's ill-fitting black sheer dress with blue patterned skirt feels super messy and cheap, like pieces of paper stuck together... I love Gretchen's textile pattern, and the frilly tank is pretty but I would have liked to see lots more of it... Michael's dress, though clearly an ode to dark family times, fits perfectly and is so well tailored, well done, while Christopher's print, though silky and fresh, is paired with boring pants and the entire look is so blah and underwhelming...Meanwhile the judges had lots to say about the mixed bag of momentous looks on the runway. Rachel Roy refers to Gretchen's outfit as "Almost," (as in not quite there yet), Michael Kors thinks Michael C's dark evil eye print dress looks like a joke, and Nina's so right by exclaiming, upon critiquing Christopher's boring ensemble, that she wants to see OUTSTANDING Fashion!! For goodness sakes, it's Episode 10 of Season 8 and I'm still waiting for more cow bell!...

....and Mondo is once again the deserving WINNER for the third straight challenge. He's simply the only designer with enough curious vision and mental color palette to wow us thus far...and in this episode Mondo becomes, without a doubt, his as well as our own, Inspiration.
That means quirky and kind Valerie is rightfully OUT. That dress was awful, along with a lot of other awful she's designed the past few weeks.
SO dry your eyes, throw away those crumpled balls of kleenex, and stay tuned for next week's episode where the designers must design for Heidi Klum herself, and that is a clear guarantee for some more ugly in the workroom...Auf Wiederseheeeeeeeeen!