Thursday’s “Project Runway” Season 22 finale picked up in the middle of a tense elimination before Joseph McRae was officially saved, sending Bryan Barrientos and Naheim Muhammed home. That left us with our Top 4: Jospeh, Anna Molinari, Bi Pham, and Jude Mikulencak, who gave it their all in one final fashion face-off. Let’s recap!
Each designer was tasked with making a five-look collection in five days, which was ultimately judged by Law, Heidi, Nina, and guest judge Fausto Puglisi. Each finalist got help from a previously eliminated contestant to complete their last challenge: Joseph paired with Aaron to work on a line of sporty looks with dramatic silhouettes; Anna got a hand from Jeffrey to design pieces inspired by her evolution on the show; Bi teamed up with Bao to create a collection inspired by a Vietnamese card game; and Jude worked with Naheim to execute more of his trademark structured suits.
Joseph ultimately delivered an over-the-top collection that had the judges split: Is he really a strong designer or does he just have a show-stopping personality? Law thought his looks were a joke, while Nina and Heidi wondered if he might actually be connecting with people in a fresh way.
The judges were also split on Anna’s collection. Law loved her show front-to-back, saying it made him really feel something. Heidi, on the other hand, admired the clothes and craftsmanship, but she had trouble following the story. The host ultimately felt Anna failed to create a cohesive collection.
The Project Runway Season 22 winner is…
The judges as a whole seemed to be most drawn to the collections by Bi Pham and Jude Mikulencak. Everyone gushed over Bi’s all-black look, which appeared to be a tulle ballgown from the front, before the model turned around revealing a pair of slim-fitting black trousers hidden beneath the voluminous backless top. They all took issue, however, with his white dress which looked old, dated, and completely random amid the rest of his collection.
The judges fawned over Jude’s collection, applauding his ability to impeccably tailor all his pieces at just 23 years old. While everyone agreed each of his looks appeared flawless, Heidi wondered if he was missing a “wow factor,” noting that his show didn’t contain anything memorable that would make you remember it after it had concluded. Nina disagreed, saying that Jude is no Joseph McRae. His design aesthetic is crisp and clean, and while his show appeared understated from afar, it wowed when it came to those small details.
While each contestant put forth a strong effort, only one designer could walk away from this finale with the $200,000 cash prize, six months of representation by Agentry PR, the mentorship with the CFDA, and the spread in Elle magazine. And that designer was… Jude!
“I feel amazing,” the emotional winner said at the end of the episode. “Thank you so much and I’m so honored to be here. This has been an incredible experience.”
How do you feel about the newest “Project Runway” winner? Grade the finale, and Season 22 overall, in our poll below, then drop a comment with your thoughts on Jude’s victory.