Anthony opened the episode with the brilliant observation that being in the Bottom 3 means that there's no place to go but up. Actually, that's not accurate - look at Jesus, who spent three out of four weeks on the bottom and then got eliminated. Being in the Bottom 3 just means you suck. Meanwhile, Mila - quickly becoming my favorite designer - revealed a surprising naivete when she interviewed about her surprise that her competition wasn't terribly happy she was in the Top 2 last challenge. They're not fawning all over you because you're competition, and also because you were blatantly fishing for compliments. That's not going to win you any friends, dear.

For their next challenge Heidi teased the designers that they would be creating a look that needed to be "picture perfect." Emilio guessed that that meant they would be going to a photographer's studio and recreating a classic photo. That was my guess, too. Instead Tim took them to the Hearst Building, where he introduced them to the editor-in-chief of Marie Claire magazine, Joanna Coles. Tim told the designers that this challenge is one of the biggest in the history of the show, and the reward is also unprecedented. And the challenge was: design a look to be worn by a celebrity on the cover of Marie Claire. The designers all freaked out all over themselves at the announcement; the exposure is huge. Then Joanna clarified that they would making a look for the April cover, and the celebrity wearing it will be Heidi Klum. I love Heidi, but that kind of sucks. They get to work with that bitch every week. Heidi has worn the designs of other PR contestants before. So that cheapened the prize to me somewhat, although the designers were all esctatic. The bad news: it was a one-day challenge, and the budget was $150.

Back at Parsons everyone was so focused on the task so intentently that nobody was talking - I've never seen a "PR" workroom that quiet. Seth Aaron decided to cut the tension by acting like a 5-year-old, making goofy noises and being hyper and irritating. Anthony and Anna both chose really bright turquoise fabrics, which didn't make sense to me, because those aren't colors I would think would look good on Heidi, or that would make sense for an April cover. Meanwhile, Janeane started freaking out that her cream and pink palette was looking a touch bridal, which was not what she was going for; she quickly found herself in a shame spiral. Anna questioned why she chose to make three pieces. Yeah, why the hell would you do that for a 24-hour challenge? That's beyond ill-considered, especially since her craftsmanship has been an issue in the past.

During Tim's take, he noted that all of the designers seemed totally worn out. Anthony confessed to not really knowing where he was going, he just started cutting fabric. What happened to the "design" part of "fashion design"? Mila was doing a striped dress of peach and gray wools that looked very cool in the sketch. Tim was worried that Janeane's idea to have fabrics spilling out of her dress like a wave wasn't her point of view, and specifically warned against the outfit looking like clown clothes. Ben's outfit was a whole bunch of colors layered on top of each other, a look he referred to as "Madame Butterfly on acid." I liked a lot of what he had, but Tim steered him away from using a shiny purple leather that he worried would cheapen the outfit. (It would have.) Emilio planned on doing something complicated with ribbons, and Tim was worried that he wouldn't have time to do the detail work, since that was the outfit's entire wow factor.

Then it was time for the designers to bash Mia in interviews. Jay called her fake, while Emilio called her a one-note since all she does is color blocking. Really, Emilio? I don't think any of her stuff thus far has looked at all alike. I can see how Mila could be slightly irksome to work with (I can also see how she would be a really cool chick to hang with, though), but I do think that part of the haterade here comes from her dominance of the field so far. She's been in the top an awful lot -- more than any other designer, I think -- and I think Emilio and Jay realize taht she's serious competition. I also think Emilio is the stealth bitch of the season. That guy has a critical word for just about everybody. But he's also obscenely talented, so I'll let it slide. (I'm still not sold on Jay.)

The runway: Michael, Nina, and Heidi were joined by Marie Claire's Joanna Coles. Duh. The clothes went a little something like this: Amy's garment looked like a whole bunch of handkerchiefs wadded together, with odd splashes of dark color near the bust line. It would have given Heidi absolutely no shape and I wasn't a fan. Seth made a very striking gun-metal gray suit that was sexy yet serious. I liked it (but why was his model trucking down that runway so fast?). Jesse's look was incredibly simple; the only real interest to it was a weird ruffle pattern on the stomach that wouldn't translate on a magazine cover. Anna's outfit looked  hella cheap - like Wal-Mart cheap - and I didn't get how any of the pieces (a loose, shiny vest, soft blue sleeveless tee, and striped charcoal shorts) related to one another, at all. Anthony's dress actually came out really nice, with these interesting folds starting on one shoulder and going down the top in a bias. And while I was initially not sold on the color, I thought the bright blue looked stunning on the runway. Janeane's dress had a bizarre hem, puckered seams, and this wackadoo shrug. It looked old and bridal. Mila's dress was really cool and sexy, but the color was off - her peach looked nude on the runway, and it would not translate to a magazine cover at all. Emilio's dress was a little too milkmaid for my liking, as well as awfully juvenile for a mature woman like Heidi. The magenta color was nice, though. Jay's dress was romantic and pretty, but the color palette was very dull. It also featured a gigantic train that would not be seen in a cover crop at all. Johnathan had some strange 70's inspired get up with a print that looked like butter mixed with cream and beige/brown shorts, plus huge sleeves. It certainly looked comfortable, but what the hell does that have to do with a magazine cover or Heidi Klum? It looked like a costume from "Boogie Nights." Maya's dress was dull in color and the collar wasn't as bold as I think she expected it to be more. Ben's dress looked cool and modern; there was something Asian about it but not overly so. I liked the mix of colors and the huge belt. It had a point of view, that's for sure.

Final runway: Mila, Emilio, Ben, Anthony, Anna, Janeane. Michael thought Ben's dress would cut through the newsstand noise. Nina liked the colors and the modernity, and that it was as beautiful in the front as it was from the back. Nina thought Anna's outfit would give Heidi's figure absolutely no definition, and the MC editor referred to it as "three ingredients in a dish that leave you feeling slightly nauseous." Oof. Anthony explained that he wanted clean lines and a nice silhouette, and Michael responded well to it. He called it modern, and not costume drama, like Anthony usually does. The judges really loved the color, and Heidi found it slimming. Janeane explained that she found inspiration in the ocean, which had absolutely nothing to do with the challenge. Michael thought too much was going on, Heidi didn't think that it was fashion forward. The MC editor didn't get the sea reference, unless it was "a polluted ocean with plastic bottles floating in it." ZING!

Michael said that Mila's peach came off as ace bandage on the runway, and Nina thought the arrows of the dress pointed to the model's crotch. Like anyone needs to directions to Heidi Klum's ladybits. Michael liked that Emilio made jersey fabric look structured, and the MC editor thought that the dress would give them a good cover. However, all the judges thought it looked too junior, and they had Emilio whip out his scissors and take off his fussy straps and let down his model's hair, and suddenly the dress looked so much more sophisticated. That was a fun makeover!

Results: Anthony ended up winning, and he was a predictably irritating and super squealy about it. Honestly, I'm cool with the decision. I may not like him as a person -- he is just so many bad gay/black stereotypes rolled into a quote machine that's not nearly as funny as it thinks it is -- but I am really responding to a lot of his design work lately. Ben and Emilio were both in, and Mila got the easy save from the bottom. That left Anna and Janeane, who could seriously both go home and I wouldn't care. They are the defintion of chaff. But ultimately Anna was cut. Again, the right choice. Anna's clothes have been uninspired and fairly ugly the past few weeks, and I don't feel like she really know what she's doing. I'm sure she's a lovely human being, but I never saw a point of view there.

I am pleased that five episodes in we've had five different winners. I don't know if that's ever happened on this show before. I'm also pleased with all of the eliminations so far. I don't think any of the auffed contestants deserved to stay, and no one I really liked has yet gone home. At this point I think we're getting a fairly clear picture as to who the contenders are/aren't. I suspect Jesse, Janeane, and Johnathan will be the next three to go (although Johnathan gives good interview, so that may spare him for a bit). After that it gets tricky, because I think the rest of the field is quite good this season. I could see any combination of about six designers in the finals. (For the record, those six would be Mila, Maya, Jay, Emilio, Amy, and Anthony. I can see Ben sneaking in there too after this episode. Oh, and Seth Aaron, who has been awfully quiet lately, but will surely be a factor later on.)

Next week: kid models, which Jesse astutely identifies as "a nightmare." Boy, howdy.