'Project Runway': Fans choose Victoria's sweater dress that she made in 2 hours as best pick of the season
'Project Runway' designer Victoria Cocieru has been one of the most talented contestants this season and also a judges' favorite. Week after week, she has proven that even though she is from a faraway country, Moldova, she has what it takes to survive in a fast-paced, fierce metropolitan like New York.
Her signature is cut-outs and patchwork on well-structured garments and by incorporating those in every challenge, she came all the way to the finale.
However, along the way, judges Brandon Maxwell, Nina Garcia, Elaine Welteroth and Karlie Kloss as well as fans encouraged her to depart from her style to bring something fresh on to the runway.
Her journey to the top hasn't been easy, especially with regard to language. Victoria struggled with English and that impacted her work.
The sheer challenge was a complete miss for Victoria, who defended her unimpressive garment by saying she never understood what "sheer" meant and therefore had a hard time making a full-blown outfit out of it. Brandon had even said it seemed as though it went through a paper shredder.
It was the first time Victoria was at the bottom and ran the risk of being eliminated. It did crush her spirit but with the judges' positive comments, she was able to bring her A-game back in no time.
Her finale collection, 'The Revelation', featured pieces inspired by her country and in keeping with the athleisure trend.
Even though her line prompted loud cheers from the runway audience, the bold branding of her label was something that took a lot away from her designs. And that was exactly what the judges pointed out when they critiqued the designer's work after the show ended.
"On the flip side, we gave you really clear feedback last time about the branding. But we still got a full head-to-toe label look that was hard to see next to some really elevated," Elaine commented.
She added that the sweater dress she made in the final two hours was exquisite and a piece that really stood out and fans seem to echo the same feedback.
"I didn't love the rest of Victoria’s collection, but this dress was everything. I mean, it was just stunning. #ProjectRunway," a fan posted while another wrote: "I'm not going to stop talking about this dress. LOVE IT SOOO MUCH!!! #ProjectRunway."
"Victoria's collection looked like early 2000's JcPenny clothes. The only good thing was the last minute dress. #ProjectRunway," a user expressed. "Victoria that white dress is the best item this season by anyone #Projectrunway," another posted.