When the Project Runway season 16 trailer was released, a supposed case of cheating was teased. In last week's episode, we could finally see what was going on.
It all started in Client on the Go, aired on October 5th, where the designers had to create a print and a look for familiy and friends of Project Runway crew members. Everything was going well until when Margarita Alvarez told Michael Brambila that former contestant and Twinning winner Claire Buitendorp was ripping off a previous look Margarita made for the show and how she "is gonna be upset if she wins". However, she didn't confront Claire at any moment.
Runway time, and this was Claire's final look
which received a high score. On the other hand, Margarita (who had immunity for winning the last challenge), Margarita was arguing to the judges that they don't know what happens backstage, but she doesn't reveal anything to them either.
In the end, Claire won the challenge, leaving Margarita really mad and this:
Michael walked off the stage! Everybody was confused. Heidi asked what was going on and at took a while until Batani-Khalfani explained the whole Margarita/Michael - Claire feud. Margarita then accused Claire (and her already eliminated sister, Shawn) of """unfairly recreating designs""".
The judges defended Claire, affirming that using other designers' looks as inspirations is not against the rules. So, in the end, Claire's victory stands.
In the backstage, Tim Gunn asked Michael why did he walk off the stage. Brambila told him that he came to the show to play fair, and that he is seeing anything but fairness at the moment. He also said that Claire was using a retractable ruler to measure her own clothes in her room to see the proportions and fitting. Tim said they would look further in this situation, and, if it was, indeed, true, these actions would have consequences.
In the greenroom, the discussion continued, and the contestants keep confronting Claire about the measuring tape. One of them, Amy, even pointed that how she ripped off the clothes was the real issue here.
A few moments later, Tim entered and started questioning Claire (you can see the video at source 3, I can't embed it for some reason). Here is the transcription:
"Tim: First things first, Claire, is it true that you’ve had a measuring tape in your room?
Claire: I have a measuring tape.
Tim: Is it true that you’ve been measuring garments in your room?
Claire: I have measured a tank top and I have measured the crotch of a pair of pants.
Tim: Alright. Claire, we must rescind your win and send you home.
Claire: Okay. That’s fine."
The twin's journey ended right there. "I'm very regretful that I even considered holding onto something I shouldn't have had," Claire said of her exit. "Project Runway has been something I wanted to be a part of since I watched it when I was in my early teens. These are the worst possible circumstances to leave this competition. But that's how my story's going to end."
Fun fact: Claire is the second contestant to be desqualified. In season 3, Keith Michael was eliminated for keeping pattern-making books in the apartment.
The victory was, now, sent to Brandon.
SOURCE: 1, 2, 3, 4
Sorry for posting this almost a week late! I only saw the last episodes yesterday.
