Fashion Police

The clothes changed a few times, but the attitudes remained the same.

Leanne said Kenley's looks were too "Holly Hobby" and amateurish for Bryant Park, while Kenley said that Leanne didn't know how to use color and had brought a boring collection to New York Fashion Week. And Korto thought that Korto had really nailed it.

But, personal opinions be damned, only one snazzy sticher-upper was named the winner of the fifth season of Project Runway tonight after the first all-female finale in series history. And considering plans for the series' move to Lifetime have unraveled like Jerell's chances of launching a bridal collection, we may as well soak up the couture while we can.

Hauteiness and all...

Leanne Marshall took her waves-inspired collection and rode it all the way to the finishing line.

The 27-year-old designer from Portland, Ore., won this season of Project Runway after judges Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Michael Kors and, for the first time, Tim Gunn (sitting in for J.Lo) obviously decided that Leanne has more in her than flower petals and muted palates.

"I'm so excited because I'm on my way and my dreams are happening," Leanne said afterward. "It's unreal. Project Runway  has been the most amazing opportunity that I've ever had in my life, and I'm just thrilled about everything."

Here's our quick take on how it all went down (the runway):

"OK, maybe I should I have improved my attitude," Kenley Collins twanged after Tim, who promised to be impartial, was introduced as guest judge before the show started.

Kenley: Not including the addition of the couture-fairy-tale (or McQueen-knockoff, depending on who you ask) wedding dress that helped get her there, the majority of the 25-year-old New Yorker's 10-piece collection looked fairly...familiar. Kenley had some fun shapes, like the narrow sheaths with the puffy sleeves and high necks, especially the one ringed with feathers. And the hot-pink and black strapless number with the full tiered skirt was to die for. But it also looked as if a paint gun had exploded over half of the stuff. The busy florals on one of her hand-stenciled dresses were way too "grandma's couch" (only brighter!) and the judges called her out once again for its resemblance to present-day Balenciaga. Even the ruffly collar on the fab cap-sleeve shirt that topped a black skirt was reminiscent of Christian-Siriano-goes-avant-garde. This gal says she doesn't follow designers but…Maybe they follow her!
Best Look: Not counting the wedding dress, easily the pink and black confection.
Judges Said: Kors called her line "full of charm…and spirit," while Gunn pointed out the "impeccable construction" and "profound point of view."

Korto Momolu: Every single piece was wearable. The 33-year-old wife and mother from Little Rock, Ark., prepared a palate of turquoise, leaf green, goldenrod and a glorious khaki-esque neutral and served it up on a series of both formfitting and flouncy dresses of all lengths. Where was she hiding that white gown with the neck-to-toe ruffle?! The ruffled vest top and matching pants were pretty fierce, as well, and we oohed and aahed over the must-have-it-now halter minidress that came down the runway after it.
Best Look: The leafy green asymmetrical halter gown with one strap made out of the oversize ethnic beads that Korto rocked so well all season.
Judges Said: Garcia thought the collection looked "effortlessly cohesive," but warned Korto about the perils of overdoing it and reminded her of the importance of holding back a bit when there's too much going on in one look.

Leanne: If our offices were decked out in the crisp, clean and serene shades of ivory, sand and aqua that the not-so-mousy brunette used to illustrate her Fashion Week vision, maybe we wouldn't be so quick to crack wise all the time. Piece after piece was meticulously constructed, with Leanne displaying a mastery of textural architecture that she hinted at during the season but really exhibited at Bryant Park. She could have been accused of repeating similar concepts over and over again—in fact, she was!—but each piece was so just… right...that no one really cared. Plus—and how chic is this—half of her line was composed of sustainable materials. We particularly dug the creamy off-the-shoulder top that looked like the cup of a calla lily, the high-wasted trousers with the petal-adorned vest, the asymmetrically ruffled sand and ivory mini and the full-length strapless blue gown whose skirt embodied the wave concept to a tee.
Best Look: That blue gown, hands down.  
Judges Said: "The trickiest thing to do is make complicated clothes look easy," Kors mused of Leanne's handiwork.

For her efforts, Leanne will receive a spread in Elle magazine (as will the winning model, Tia Shipman), $100,000 courtesy of TRESemmé to start her own line, the chance to sell her line on Bluefly.com and a Saturn VUE hybrid.

So, was fashion justice served? Were you glad to see Kenley get the No. 1 boot, or did her high-pitched tears win you over? Was Korto robbed? How awesome is Tim Gunn? How sad are you that there's no more Project Runway for at least four months? Do share and, until next time…

Thanks, designers!

Already going through PR withdrawal? Relive the past five seasons of fashion fun with our Project Runway: Remember When... gallery.