The Judges:
Linda: 49-year-old designer with 20 years' professional experience; studied at both Parsons and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Danielle: 36-year-old writer with 15 years' editorial experience; no formal fashion training.
Amy: 33-year-old stylist with 10 years' experience in television, film, theater, and print.

Linda's Take: Years ago, I designed for a firm whose clients included J.C. Penney and Lane Bryant, and I'm familiar with the challenges of dressing real and plus-size women. So I loved this episode in theory, but in practice, it was really problematic because the designers didn't start out with an even playing field (the models ranged from a young, well-toned size 6 to more mature size 22s and 24s). While Uli's top was brilliant, it should be noted that Kayne's mom (Judy) isn't that heavy--she carries most of her weight in the middle, but her legs are quite slim (she's an apple body type)--and unfortunately, Uli's pants made Judy's legs look heavier than they were (I would've chosen a darker brown myself). Vincent was smart to draw the eye upward with Uli's mom’s (Heidi's) dress, but ultimately, the design wasn't very flattering. Heidi has a straight shape, so in her case, the objective would have been to create curves--something that could've been achieved by adding more width on the shoulders or volume on the bottom. Although Laura's design for Jeffrey's mom (Pam) was figure-flattering, it was totally archaic (very Talbot's, and not in a good way), while Kayne's ill-fitting top and Capris for Michael's mom (Pam) defied the basic rules of slim dressing (lengthen the silhouette, avoid horizontal lines around the body). Angela's shawl-over-pants for Laura's mother (Lorraine) was incoherent and bulky; she would've been better off with just the top, the pants, and some great accessories (even Angela's rosettes would've been a better solution than the fringe). While Jeffrey's design for Angela's mom (Darlene) was a dowdy, house-frau mess, Robert's ensemble for Vincent’s sister (Patricia) actually wasn't bad: Although a sheerer print fabric for the kimono would've been more flattering, Patricia obviously wanted red, and isn't customer satisfaction part of the criteria? At the end of the episode, I wanted to take all of these women on a field trip to Chico's or Eileen Fischer--both brands are great at dressing real women--except Robert's sister (Teresa) who, with the exception of the beltloops, looked fabulous in Michael's formfitting shirtdress and therefore hardly qualifies as an "everyday woman."
Scorecard: Uli 3; Vincent 3; Laura 3; Robert 3; Angela 3; Kayne 3; Michael 3; Jeffrey 2.
*Because the models' proportions varied greatly, Linda opted to give everyone a 3 for this challenge, except Jeffrey, who she felt deserved a 2.

Danielle's Take: Am I hallucinating, or did Vincent just win for a design similar to the one that nearly got Robert kicked off three weeks ago? And didn't Vincent himself remark that such a design was boring? Okay, so I liked the buckle detail, and the pilgrim collar looked pretty cool, but the dress itself lacked flow, and the back appeared to be poorly constructed. I think Michael was the one who hit the ball out of the park this time around. That black-and-white number was slamming, and, ahem, no, Mr. Kors, that belt was anything but matronly. Everyone else underwhelmed me to the point where I'm not sure I have much to say. Yes, yes, Uli's the master print mixer, but I just don't dig that paramecium print. Laura made a very nice outfit for a senior-citizen flight attendant. Kayne again showed great enthusiasm for a project that fell flat in the end; those pants were so, so wrong. And the Perwinkle Blue Meanie, er, Jeffrey came up with a frock that would rock the folks at the insane asylum but few others. What was up with that vest? Eeek! And, sure, Robert bored us again with his fashionably draped circus tent, but the person who really should have been given the boot was Angela for the fringy nightmare she made Laura's mom wear. Good grief, she lacks talent, as does Vincent. Why, oh, why do the judges keep letting them slide by? I don't get it. If either one of them makes into the top four, I'm swearing off Project Runway for good.
Scorecard: Michael 5; Vincent 4; Uli 3.25; Laura 2.75; Kayne 2; Jeffrey 1.5; Robert 1; Angela 0.

Amy's Take: This challenge had so much potential, but in the end, it was long on drama, short on design. I agree that it's almost impossible to score the garments because the body types were so different, but some choices worked better than others. Uli's tunic top, as expected, was superb (I fully expect it to be knocked off by everyone from J.Crew to Joyce Leslie this spring). By choosing a sheer print fabric, she created interest on top without bulk; the vertical line down the middle elongated the body; and the colors complemented Judy's peaches-and-cream complexion. Although the pants weren't as successful, it proved that plus-size garments don't have to be boring to be body-flattering. Although Michael's shirtdress was also fabulous, he did have an unfair advantage since his model, Teresa, looked so svelte and comfortable on the runway, I might've mistaken her for a real model. Vincent obviously loved this challenge, and it showed: Although the dress was a bit basic, ultimately, the look was chic and age-appropriate. But there again, his model, Heidi, was thin to begin with, so he didn't have to contend with some of the issues the other designers faced. Despite what the judges said, Robert's design was smart; the materials he chose draped well and gave the look fluidity. Although I wouldn't have chosen the red fabric, Patricia obviously loved the color and felt great in the outfit, so I was disappointed to see him go (and even more disappointed that the judges were so dismissive of Patricia's comments, which was rude). Although Angela and Laura had two of the easier body types to design for, both outfits were bombs--the former too shlumpy for the stylish Lorraine, the latter too uptight for the youthful Pam. For all of Kayne's enthusiasm, the Capri pants shortened his model's legs, and the sleeves didn't fit correctly (still, the peachy-pink fabric was a great choice for Pamela's mocha skin). But the low point was Jeffrey, in both design and behavior. Although I don't think Darlene was the easiest client to please, he made it clear from the onset that he didn't want to work with her or anyone of her proportions. Let's just hope that Jeffrey's "celebrity" clientele continues to like his designs; if he ever has to condescend to design for real women, he'll be in for a rude awakening.
Scorecard: Uli 4; Michael 4; Vincent 3.5; Robert 2; Angela 2; Laura 2; Kayne 1.5; Jeffrey 1.

Judges' Total Tally: Michael 12; Vincent 10.5; Uli 10.25; Laura 7.75; Kayne 6.5; Robert 6; Angela 6; Jeffrey 4.5.

EPISODE 7 CHECK-IN
(The judges' total tally, compiled for challenges 1 through 8).
Active Designers
Michael: 81.25
Uli: 77.75
Laura: 72.75
Jeffrey: 60.08
Kayne: 59.66
Angela: 57
Vincent: 44
Auf’d Designers
(Reverse elimination order.)
Robert: 55
Alison: 44
Bradley: 31.25
Bonnie: 33
Katherine: 20.75
Malan: 14.75
Stacey: 3