Project Runway Taps Abbott Elementary For An Unconventional Materials Challenge

Project Runway is back and bigger than ever for Season 21. After a brief hiatus, the reality TV fashion competition has returned, this time bringing back its original judge, Heidi Klum, as well as adding another fashion icon, Law Roach, to the mix.

In this week's episode, fans got to see the first unconventional challenge of the season. Even better still, the episode was done in collaboration with the stars of another hit Hulu show, Abbott Elementary.

The Abbott Elementary Cast Welcomed The Contestants To The School

In order to kick off the unconventional challenge, the cast took a field trip to the set of Abbott Elementary, where cast members

Lisa Ann Walter and Chris Perfetti welcomed them to the gymnasium. The set was decorated with the remains of a school science fair, with lab projects and other random items strewn about the large room.

Chris, who plays teacher Jacob Hill on the show, introduced the unconventional materials challenge to the group:

So, as some of you may know, Lisa and I play teachers, and we have been known to get into a fair bit of mischief on our show. Did someone say fair? Because, as you may notice, we are here, after the school’s science fair, and it will be your job to provide the mischief.

As usual, the competitors were given a short span of time to run around the room and collect materials to transform into an innovative and fashionable look. Among the supplies that were snagged were popsicle sticks, sports equipment, and even the Abbott Elementary posters hanging on the walls.

Law Roach Was The Sole Judge Of The Challenge

To make things even more unconventional, it was revealed towards the end of the challenge that there would be another first in Project Runway history—the runway show itself would be taking place right there in the workroom. Host Christian Siriano filled the contestants in on yet another twist: Law Roach would be the only one judging their looks, forgoing the full panel this time around.

Hearing this made the contestants extra nervous, as so far this season, Law's been the harshest judge by far. Law cautioned the designers that he expected them to take the unconventional materials and truly transform them into something glamorous:

We do not want to see a bunch of junk hot glued to fabric.

When it came time for the runway show, Law didn't pull any punches with his feedback as usual. His favorite look came as a surprise to some: he adored contestant Yuchen's look, which was crafted almost entirely out of shiny soccer balls. Yuchen had carefully cut around the seams of the soccer balls and used them to craft a tiny mini skirt, boots, and even a hat that came down over the model's eye like a monocle.

While some of the other contestants had worried that the look had been far too revealing, Law ended up loving it, even calling out the peek of underboob as one of his favorite parts. He called the look "high camp" and praised Yuchen's immense creativity.

Others in the challenge were not so lucky. Law was unimpressed by Miss Joan's look, which was a short dress assembled of popsicle sticks she'd painted black, and he also criticized Josephmcrae’s circular dress, saying it looked like he'd added "c**** vials" to it, and that he thought the fact that he'd signed his name onto the design was cocky.

In the end, however, there was no elimination—at least not yet. The final twist in the episode was revealed, making the contestants' jaws drop. Of the bottom three, they would have to vote among themselves to decide who'd be cut from the competition.