Project Runway: 17 Best Designs Of Season 10

17. Gunnar Deatherage

"Real Woman" Makeover (Aug. 23)
The neckline of this little black dress looked slightly askew, but I liked that Gunnar clearly put a lot of love and effort into the cut chiffon squares sewed over a layer of jersey. It didn't hurt hat Gunnar and his client had one of the sweetest makeover relationships in show history, or that girlfriend worked the bejeezus out of her frock on the runway.

16. Melissa Fleis

Lord & Taylor "Project Runway Collection" Challenge (Aug. 30)
I'll admit I howled when Michael Kors joked that Melissa should've attached a bell to the exaggerated fishtail of her otherwise gorgeous design. But that flaw aside, her copper brocade cocktail dress had a quirky sexiness about it, and while that strapless neckline panel wasn't exactly the stuff of mass-market success, it certainly wasn't boring.

15. Sonjia Williams

Team Challenge: Cohesive Fall Looks (Sept. 6)
In an episode that was a disappointment on almost every level, Sonjia's intricate pea-green coat with its draped front and viciously hot sleeves provided a solitary moment of chic.

14. Ven Budhu & Fabio Costa

Emmys Red-Carpet Challenge (Aug. 2)
While rival Sonjia had a point that the garment might have looked more appropriate for Sunday church services than the Emmy red carpet, there's no doubt it hugged Season 5 grad Kenley Collins in all the right places — while fitting her exacting demands. Plus, there's no arguing the draping across the bodice and skirt of this flirty midnight-blue concoction were masterfully executed.

13. Elena Silvnyak & Buffi Jashanmal

Emmys Red-Carpet Challenge (Aug. 2)
Buffi and Elena, despite all their workroom drama, cranked out a sexy yet classy black gown with a delicately pleated bust and poofy little sleeve that would've actually been right at home under the glaring spotlight of Ryan Seacrest's "Who are you wearing?" ridiculousness. Why the judges left them stuck in mid-pack is yet another of those Project Runway taste-level mysteries that'll probably never be answered.

12. Nathan McDonald

Season Premiere in Times Square (July 19)
We didn't see much of Nathan's dramatic, structured gowns in green and bright pink — in fact, it was almost as if the show's producers were playing a game of Where's Nathan? during the early weeks of the season — but to my eye, they were bolder and more romantic than anything that came down the runway during the season premiere.

11. Sonjia Williams

Day-to-Night Look for an On-the-Go Woman (Aug. 9)
For once, a Top 3 and a challenge winner with which I had no quibbles! Heidi pointed out that Sonjia "manipulated the fabric in an interesting way," and I fully agreed: The criss-crossed back, the scarfy-belty thingie, and the peekaboo shoulder detail were all really subtle and sexy. As guest judge Rachel Roy noted, Sonjia "really curated and thought out the design." I

10. Melissa Fleis & Dmitry Sholokhov

Emmys Red-Carpet Challenge (Aug. 2)
To me, the judges missed the mark by leaving Melissa and Dmitry's garment out of the Top 3. Their silver charmeuse gown (designed for Season 8's April Johnston) looked totally luxe and featured interesting details like a mid-arm sleeve and a groovy neckline.

9. Christopher Palu

Lord & Taylor "Project Runway Collection" Challenge (Aug. 30)
Christopher's challenge-winning gown — which used his patented "manipulated fabric strips" technique on the bodice — looked really expensive, and it fit his model beautifully. What's more, the juxtaposition of pale pink and black — and the minimalist styling — put a modern twist on a decidedly romantic garment.

8. Dmitry Sholokhov

Lord & Taylor "Project Runway Collection" Challenge (Aug. 30)
There hasn't been a garment all season that's fit as perfectly as this stunning silver cocktail dress with a jagged neckline and chic boning, and yet somehow, the judges placed it at the middle of the pack. To paraphrase Nina Garcia, I'm starting to question their taste level.

7. Fabio Costa

"Real Woman" Makeover (Aug. 23)
Okay, so Fabio's winning look was a wee bit Amish, but really chic and unique as well. I loved that Fabio somehow managed to design specifically for his client, yet not compromise his own aesthetic. As Nina and client Ko-Rely summed it up: "You look like a professional!" "With an edge!"

6. Melissa Fleis

Marie Claire @ Work Challenge (Aug. 16)
With its gorgeous, structural collar, diagonal zip back, and brilliant color, this really was, as Nina noted, "a showstopper." Did this remind anyone else of those Chinese paper floor lamps? No? Nevertheless, it was nice to see the best design rewarded with a win.

5. Dmitry Sholokhov

Candy-store Challenge (July 26)
I don't know how the judges left this beaded flapper skirt— with its flirty movement and sophisticated back zipper — out of the Top 3. But then they've been underscoring the sensational Mr. Sholokhov all season, haven't they?

4. Christopher Palu

Season Premiere in Times Square (July 19)
This gray gown — made with strips of manipulated fabric, and with a train that moved more seductively than Jessica Rabbit — was completely ready for primetime (if not the Oscars or Emmys, at least the People's Choice or the American Music Awards). A truly worthy winner of Season 10's inaugural challenge.

3. Sonjia Williams

Candy-store Challenge (July 26)
The way Sonjia turned jellied sharks into a vibrant neckline, the way she used subtle gradations of turquoise to catch the eye, and the way her dress flattered her model's figure were quite remarkable. Ultimately, this was a vibrant, flirtatious piece that perfectly captured the parameters of the challenge.

2. Christopher Palu

Rockette Costume Challenge (Sept. 20)
The most obvious challenge winner in Project Runway history? Hell, yeah. On paper, the idea of his "NYC skyline" bustline sounded kind of jank, but in practice it was a thing of elegant, art-deco beauty. As La Kors noted, Christopher had himself a "Bob Mackie moment."

1. Dmitry Sholokhov

HP "Design Your Own Print" Challenge (Sept. 13)
Dmitry's red and black print, inspired by traditional Belarus designs, was kicky and modern. Still, it was his intricate black suit jacket with peekaboo strips — which introduced pops of color to the total look — that made it one of the most memorable designs of Season 10.

What were your favorite designs from Season 10 of Project Runway? Sound off in the comments!