Well there's good news and there's bad news. The good news: We know what the judges are looking for this season, and that's a designer named Amanda or Sandhya. The bad news: We still don't know what "bobo" means. Thanks to your comments ("boho," "a cheap knockoff," "boohoo," "Bilbo, as in Bilbo Baggins from the Hobbit," "hobo," and "bourgeois bohemian") we have a lot of contenders. And Mitchell's utterance of the word "hobo" in tonight's episode rules out one contender.
But there's no time to ponder Mitchell's vocabulary because it's Red Robin time. A quick Google search reveals that the Red Robins closest to Manhattan are either Seacaucus, New Jersey, or Staten Island. Designers, hope you're ready for an unnecessary car ride to do some sketches inside a chain restaurant. (That Google search also turned up news results that the burger joint is losing profits—maybe they spent too much on Project Runway product placement? If it goes bankrupt before the finale, the winning designer won't get to create an accessories look!)
Before being treated to bottomless fries, the contestants learn about their challenge from Jason Rusk, Red Robin's VP of brand transformation, and Tim Gunn. Just as Red Robin does a fresh take on something classic like the hamburger (24 kinds!), the designers will have to take the classic suit and make a high fashion look. The chorus line of servers makes it seem like it is a menswear challenge, but—surprise—they have to use the actual suit fabric. Sandhya gets to choose first because she was last week's winner, and—double surprise—she gets to select everyone's suits.
You know that thing called karma? It's coming back to bite some people. Although Sandhya doesn't make mean-spirited picks, the designers who have been nice to her definitely receive the nicer of the horrible options (it's good to be Samantha!). Sandhya is like that kid in school who was always picked on but then went on to become a millionaire; a.k.a. she's getting the last laugh every week.
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After taking what has to be at least an hour drive back to the city, the designers shop at Mood (back-to-back Swatch sightings!) and then quickly get to work at Parsons. As the looks begin to take shape, a few things emerge:
• Kristine and Korina are both making motorcycle jackets in red.
• Kini is a hella fast sewer.
• Alexander says Kini's aesthetic is "bland." Hey Alexander, remember last week when you sent a Planet of the Apes potato sack down the runway? That is the definition of bland.
• Vinyl is apparently "high fashion" as both Mitchell and Hernan incorporate it in their looks.
• Sandhya is inspired by a moustache. Of course.
