Project Runway Season 18 began Thursday, December 5, 2019.[1] Sixteen designers compete to become "the next great American designer." Returning as judges are supermodel Karlie Kloss, editor-in-chief of Elle, Nina Garcia, fashion designer Brandon Maxwell, and former editor-in-chief of Teen VogueElaine Welteroth. season 4 winner Christian Siriano returns to mentor the designers and use the "Siriano save" for the first time to bring an eliminated designer back into the competition if he disagrees with the judge’s verdict. A "save" was also used by Tim Gunn beginning in season 12 and continuing for the remainder of his time with the show.[2]
^1 Asma and Jenn, the losing pair, were eliminated, as the judges had a hard time deciding who should have been out.
^2 Due to health issues, Dayoung withdrew from the competition, sparing Marquise from his elimination.
^3 Christian Siriano decided to save Brittany from elimination, using the Siriano Save.
^4 On Episode 11, No one was eliminated as the judges felt that everyone did a good job. Because of the non-elimination, it was revealed that Episode 12 would be a Double Elimination round.
The designer won Project Runway Season 18.
The designer advanced to the Finale.
The designer won the challenge.
The designer was in the top two.
The designer had one of the highest scores but did not win.
The designer had one of the lowest scores but was not eliminated.
The designer was in the bottom two.
The designer was eliminated from the competition.
The designer lost, but was saved from elimination by Christian Siriano using the "Siriano Save".
The designer withdrew due to health reasons.
Model progress
Model
Episodes
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Thijin
JC
CC
BA
-
BA
CC
DK
GM
VC
SG
-
GM
GM
GM
DD
TN
NB
DM
-
CC
MF
NB
NB
NB
VC
-
NB
NB
NB
Yuen
DM
DM
SG
-
MF
DK
GM
DM
-
MF
-
SG
SG
SG
Madeline
AB
DK
GM
-
SG
NB
CC
-
-
-
-
VC
VC
VC
Severine
NB
SL
MT
-
DM
BA
SG
BA
SG
NB
-
BA
SG
OUT
Nora
VS
TN
NB
-
SL
SL
VC
SG
-
BA
-
MF
OUT
Asia
MT
AG
TN
-
MT
DM
DM
VC
-
DM
-
OUT
Jessica
BA
BA
DK
-
NB
VC
BA
CC
-
GM
-
OUT
Stephanie
VC
SG
SL
-
DK
SG
MF
MF
DM
OUT
Garnet
-
MF
AG
-
GM
GM
OUT
Christina
MF
VC
VC
-
VC
OUT
Audrey
GM
VS
MF
-
OUT
Malia
SG
MT
CC
-
OUT
Jasmine
CC
GM
OUT
Emmy
AG
OUT
Meandra
DK
OUT
Priscilla
SL
OUT
Alan Gonzalez - AG
Asma Bibi - AB
Brittany Allen - BA
Chelsey Carter - CC
Dayoung Kim - DK
Delvin McCray - DM
Geoffrey Mac - GM
Jenn Charkow - JC
Marquise Foster - MF
Melanie Trygg - MT
Nancy Volpe-Berringer - NB
Sergio Guadarrama - SG
ShaVi Lewis - SL
Tyler Neasloney - TN
Veronica Sheaffer - VS
Victoria Cocieru - VC
Episodes
Episode 1: Blast Off
Original airdate: December 5, 2019
With luggage still in tow, the designers are greeted at the TWA Hotel at John F. Kennedy International Airport ready to take flight with their first challenge: to create an innovative look inspired by humanity's continued push into space exploration. The designers must pair up and collaborate to make two cohesive pieces—a jumpsuit and a cocktail look—that blow away the judges.
Jumpsuit
Cocktail Look
Brittany
Sergio
Chelsey
ShaVi
Geoffrey
Melanie
Jenn
Asma
Veronica
Victoria
Marquise
Nancy
Dayoung
Alan
Delvin
Tyler
WINNER: Brittany Allen
ELIMINATED: Jenn Charkow & Asma Bibi
Episode 2: Cats of the Urban Jungle
Original airdate:December 12, 2019
Designers must create a fresh take on a timeless classic: animal prints;. Taking inspiration from the movie Cats, the designers must tame their prints to create cool street-style looks that compete on the runway and in the Flash Sale challenge.
The designers are awakened by a surprise visitor and are challenged to show their holiday spirit in the perfect party dress. They are given two days to create the look using holiday-themed unconventional materials.
Guest mentor and celebrity stylist Karla Welch tasks the designers with dressing Karlie Kloss, her client. The designers must use donated clothing from a Goodwill store to create their looks for this one-day challenge.
Singer Cyndi Lauper inspires and guest judges this team challenge. The designers must create cohesive mini-collections paying homage to Lauper's 1980s fashion style while still giving the looks a modern take—but Christian throws out a mid-challenge twist that changes everything.
Teams
Assigned Designers
Team Chaos
Brittany, Dayoung, Delvin, Geoffrey, Nancy, Victoria
Team Stripes
Chelsey, Marquise, Melanie, Sergio, ShaVi
Guest Judge: Cyndi Lauper
Winning team: Team Chaos
WINNER: Geoffrey Mac
ELIMINATED: Melanie Trygg
Episode 6: There Is Only One You
Original airdate:January 16, 2020
The designers are given a chance to think about their family history and channel those stories and emotions into a look of their choosing. The stakes are high in this one-day, Flash Sale challenge.
Guest Judge: Fernando Garcia
WINNER: Chelsey Carter
ELIMINATED: ShaVi Lewis
Episode 7: Project Runway X Ashley Longshore
Original airdate: January 23, 2020
The designers are challenged to collaborate with the fashion industry's latest art darling, Ashley Longshore. Using her pop art prints for their garments, the designers must create bold looks that celebrate these one-of-a-kind prints.
Guest Judge: Ashley Longshore
WINNER: Brittany Allen
ELIMINATED: Marquise Foster
Episode 8: Sheer Genius
Original airdate: January 30, 2020
The designers are faced with their hardest challenge yet: a one-day challenge using difficult-to-use sexy, sheer fabrics to create editorial looks.
Note: Dayoung Kim withdrew for health reasons.[a]Most recently eliminated designer Marquise Foster returned to the competition.
The challenge is all about turning the tuxedo on its head; inspired by Christian Siriano's Oscar look for actor Billy Porter, the designers must find a way to take the tuxedo into the future with a mix of male, female and non-binary models. A perfectly tailored suit is nearly impossible without help, so the designers get a surprise second set of hands to help out.
Tie dye is back in a big way, and the designers will need to create their own textiles to elevate the trend from casual to couture. In a twist that may feel more like a trick to the designers, it's an overnight challenge.
The designers are paired up with athletes who will be competing to be in the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games. The designers need to make them their dream outfit for a victory night celebration, using all of their specialty skills to make the perfect proportions for their client's unique bodies, all while keeping their own point of view during a tough client challenge.
With only one challenge left to make it to New York Fashion Week, the remaining designers must think big to create an avant-garde look that is anything but ordinary. In a fashion first, the runway begins with a season long retrospective, outside and 16 stories high, at New York City’s dramatic Vessel. The stakes are as high as the runway, because in fashion one day you’re in, and in this challenge, two will be out.
Christian visits the remaining contestants at home as they furiously complete their final collections. Then it's back to workroom to refine and revise, because even though New York Fashion Week is here, that doesn't mean everyone will show in the finale.
Note: The episode ends with a cliffhanger, the next episode will announce who will officially go through to the New York Fashion Week.
The remaining designers rush to put the final touches on their collections, balancing advice from experts while trying to not lose their own point of view. It’s game, set, match when Serena Williams joins as guest judge for the final runway, with only one designer chosen as the winner.
ELIMINATED: Nancy Volpe-Beringer & Sergio Guadarrama & Victoria Cocieru
Notes
^She was later diagnosed with dysautonomia, “a condition that exhibits difficult-to-pinpoint symptoms like digestive problems and chronic fatigue and had gone undetected for about five years.”[4]
