Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 11—Leanne Raps

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The Challenge: Designers had to create a music genre-themed look for one another this week, with LL Cool J as the guest judge. Genres were picked via name-out-of-hat method as follows: Jerell created a pop look for Kenley; Korto a punk look for Suede; Leanne a country look for Korto; Suede a rock 'n' roll look for Jerell; and Kenley a hip hop look for Leanne. Of late, Kenley has stolen the show—this week by getting sexed up by Jerell a la Britney Spears (and seeming to like it), being generally clueless about anything hip hop related, and, once again, getting defensive with the judges.

Tim, bless him, clearly is not up on hip hop style either, asking Kenley if her look shouldn't be over-sized. "What does Tim know about hip hop anyway?" Well, not much. But Kenley's idea of high-waisted jeans and a black leather jacket as channeling hip hop is also off the mark. The floral fabric she uses for a top (just like all the other fabrics she chooses for her '50s frocks), she says "looks like graffiti." Then she blames her horrible outfit on Leanne, who she says looks like a "big, fat poser" on the runway. But the creme de la creme was Leanne rapping:

"Kenley's gonna make an outfit for me,
she better not make it look like it's from nineteen-fiftee"

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The Winner: Korto prevails with her punk-inspired look for Suede—skinny-ish jeans splashed with bleach and a sleeveless top with appliqué and chains woven into it. LL thinks it has a lot of energy and is "right on the money." Nina thinks he looks like Marilyn Manson, which he doesn't, but she means it as a good thing: "It was right on." From Michael: "I actually think once you get past the punk aspect, it's a good silhouette on him; forget everything else, it looks really great on him."

Jerell won high marks for his sexy-pop-tart look for Kenley. Nina thinks she looks like a brunette Britney Spears: "I love that she's exposed but not too naked." Heidi would've like to have seen Kenley's breast better supported, but LL begs to differ—he thinks they look, uh, "supported." Michael thinks it's "sexy, but not vulgar."

Leanne fell right down the middle with her countrified look for Korto, a long black skirt with volume at the back, silky purple top and gold belt. Nina thinks the color is "fantastic," but wanted to see more "glamor" and "sophistication." Heidi thinks the skirt has an "amazing shape" on Korto. LL calls it "subtle" to a fault. Michael echoes this saying it was a "great silhouette," but could've been taken up a notch.

The Loser: We knew it was coming: Suede was sent home with his not-rock 'n' roll-enough look for Jerell—tight black pants with a nasty exposed zipper, plunging tie-dye top and patchy vest. Michael says the pants are "expected." Nina says it's missing "drama." And from LL: "Subtlety is wonderful for photographs, but doesn't work for the stage. Plus, I think it needed more accessories."

Kenley came in second to last with her hip hop look for Leanne—ill-fitting high-waisted jeans, a floral top, too-small black leather jacket, and awful accessories. From Heidi: "What happened to the pants? These are probably the most unflattering pants I've seen in my life." LL thinks the high-waisted jean "is a problem" and when Heidi asks if it reads hip hop at all to LL, he says a definite "no." Kenley gets defensive and condescending. LL responds: "She doesn't look like she's part of the culture." Nina's rather tame, saying she doesn't "think it makes the point as readily as the others." But Michael puts it bluntly: "Nothing she's wearing looks extravagantly luxurious without being garish."
· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 10 [Racked]
· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 9 [Racked]
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· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 6 [Racked]
· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 5 [Racked]
· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 4 [Racked]
· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 3 [Racked]
· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 2 [Racked]
· Reality of Fashion: Project Runway, Season 5, Episode 1 [Racked] For more stories from Racked LA, go to la.racked.com.

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