Who was out at the Project Runway finale? The designers.

Being that NBC Universal is embattled with the Project Runway producers The Weinstein Co. in a nasty legal tiff, the identities of the finalists are being heavily guarded until the lawsuit pans out. So, for the collections, that meant seeing some nice garments come down the runway, but having no personality to attach them to. And -- as we all know who watch the show -- the people themselves are half the reason we love collections. Would we have raved over Christian Siriano's collection if it didn't come from the pixie prima-donna we know and love? Maybe not, maybe so. In any case, enthusiasm for whoever was showing was easily stifled. Even the ever-German, ever-bubbly Heidi Klum was underwhelmed: "I'm a little bit sad for our designers that they don't get that recognition today." Ve're sad too, Heidi, yeah.

But -- back to Mr. Siriano -- he actually enjoyed the mystery show, claiming it allowed an unbiased appreciation of the collections, because in seasons past there's "always been a weed or two that manages to make it through 'Project Runway.'" A comment like that begs the question -- would have collection been any less "fierce" without his own fierce 'tude? We'll never know. And, for now, the latest Project Runway collections will have to stand, stitch for stitch, on their own until the designers, and whatever personalities they bring along, make it to the airwaves.