An innovative use of safety pins and hair, yes human hair,  just weren’t enough to land San Francisco costume designer Chris March the third and final spot in the Project Runway: Season 4 final runway show.

The 44-year-old March was up against 31-year-old Los Angeles designer Rami Kashou in a sort of semi-final walk-off before the last official runway show, the big one at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City’s Bryant Park. Freelance fashion wunderkind Christian Soriano and Ralph Lauren illustrator Jillian Lewis already secured their spots during the “Art to Fashion” challenge in episode 11.

Tonight’s episode began with a rundown of the final challenge and a reminder of what’s at stake if they win. The final challenge had the designers creating a 12-piece collection. They got $8000 for materials and 5 months to complete their garments. The winner of Project Runway: Season 4 gets a coveted spread in Elle magazine, $100,000, a Saturn Astra and a chance to sell their line on Bluefly.com.

We also learned that the four remaining designers opted to keep their models from the last challenge meaning Leigh, Sweet P Vaughn’s model is out of the competition.  Tim Gunn came out to the runway with host Heidi Klum and congratulated the four on their work. He also reminded them that they’ll show their collections to the largest and most influential crowd in fashion.

After a Moet toast at the New Gotham apartments’ rooftop (the product placement always ramps up in the final two shows), Gunn told the designers he’d check up on them and their collections in three and a half months - which equated to six weeks before the runway show at Fashion Week.

Gunn paid his first visit to Bravo viewers’ fan favorite, Christian Soriano. Christian showed off his tiny but completely organized studio apartment in New York City. His bedroom is about half the size of most linen closets in your typical McMansion. We learned more about Christian’s upbringing in Annapolis, Maryland. He called it a small, preppy Navy town. Christian took a job at a hair salon when he was 13. He says that experience helped him to finally fit in and also got him interested in fashion. After high school Christian moved to London for 3 years of design school and work with famed European designers Alexander McQueen and Vivenne Westwood.

Christian showed Tim his collection which he calls “romantic, gothic and dark”. What we saw in that brief time was very much in line with the 21-year-old’s other themes of structured pieces mixed with soft, voluminous ruffles. He also showed Tim Gunn a pair of pants adorned entirely with feathers. Gunn said they looked a bit costumey but at the same time told him not to get rid of them. Tim’s advice to Christian was to edit more.

Next, Tim Gunn visited Jillian Lewis, also in New York City. The 26-year-old’s apartment seemed slightly larger than Christian’s but with a sweeping view. Methinks Ralph Lauren must pay fairly well to land a flat like that. Lewis said she was so inspired by the “Art to Fashion” challenge that she began researching more 15th century Florentine art, particularly portraits depicting body armor, to base her 12-piece collection on. She showed Gunn a very structured, intricate jacket with a gorgeous contrasting lining. He loved the mix of femininity and strength but wondered if the color palette, mostly black, was too gloomy.

Later, Jillian took Tim to meet her family on Long Island. She mentioned that two other famous designers come from that area of New York: Michael Kors and Donna Karan. Jillian’s family seemed refreshingly middle-class and down to earth - something she seems very proud of. Jillian’s mother relayed a story about how a psychic once told her even before she was married that she’d have three children and one of them would be famous. Jillian says she grew up hearing that story often and was always driven to succeed. She says she wants her clothes to be sought after by the world and believes completely that she’ll win Project Runway.

Tim Gunn’s next stop was in Los Angeles to visit Rami Kashou. Rami talked about his upbringing in Jerusalem. His mother was interested in fashion and even served as Miss Jordan in the 1960’s. She died when Rami was 5. His father remarried a couple of years later to a woman Rami loves dearly and calls Mom. Rami says they were very supportive of his culturally unconventional career path.

Later, Rami took Tim Gunn to his very nice studio in another part of Los Angeles. Rami says his collection for Fashion Week was inspired by French saint, Joan of Arc. One of the pieces he showed Tim was a structured cape over a softly, draped blouse. Another was a heavy coat that Tim Gunn worried looked too “hammered and nailed” together. He suggested Rami pull the collection back a bit.

Finally, Tim visited Chris March who is also working in New York City at present. Chris says he is still questioning how he, a costume designer, fits into the world of fashion but insists his collection is 95% fashion and only 5% costume. Now I love Chris March. Personality-wise he has been my favorite on Project Runway: Season 4 from the beginning. But I have to say I was a little grossed out by his use of human hair on several of his garments. It looked kind of sad to me.

March says he wanted to be provocative and wanted his collection to be dark, gothic, off-beat and a big creepy. When Tim saw one of the pieces, a coat trimmed with long, black hair-extensions he said, “my gag reflex is kicking in.” That pretty much sums it up. Tim also used the euphemism of a zoo’s monkey house. When you first step in it stinks to high heaven. As you spend more time in there you stop smelling it. Tim said March has been in the ‘monkey house’ too long,

Later, we meet a few of March’s friends in New York City. One of them has lived in his apartment for 30 years and built the inside into what March calls a “baroque, rococo nightmare”. There isn’t enough time or space here but there should be a show just on that apartment alone, I’ve never seen anything like it. March talked a little bit about his four older brothers. It sounds like they’re not particularly engaged in his life or choice of career. March says he just likes making people happy and adding laughter and fun to the world.

Finally, we see the designers arrive back together in New York City five days before the final runway show at Bryant Park. We learn the next day that Rami and Chris have just three hours to get their models fitted and their hair and makeup done before the runway show to present their three strongest looks to the judges.

Rami’s Three Looks: We finally get to see a different side of Rami. His first look presented was a blue, wrap coat that somehow had puffy sleeves and structure at the same time. Underneath was a gorgeous black (I think) knee-length dress (I think, the color was so dark I couldn’t tell if it was one piece or two). His next garment was a black-and-white draped, strapless, bias-cut cocktail dress. I say draped but something about the fabric and cut on this one seemed completely different from his past offerings of Greek-inspired dresses. Rami’s final look was a gorgeous, strapless, floor-length cocktail dress in shimmering black. The judges seemed impressed with Rami’s collection saying it was not at all what they were expecting to see. They agreed that each of his designs showcased his ingenuity and craft. Nina Garcia was a little concerned about the coat saying she didn’t think it was proportionate. Heidi and Michael Kors thought one element on the floor-length gown made the model look larger than she is.

Chris March’s Three Looks: Chris stuck to his guns about the human hair even though Tim Gunn suggested he trim it up a bit. His first look featured a hair-trimmed black jacket and fitted skirt made with hundreds of safety pins. The next look was a dress that featured a black hair-trimmed skirt and a beige, black lace overlay sleeveless top. His final look was a long, slim black velvet gown. Michael Kors again applauded March’s attempt to think outside the box and bring a different point of view to fashion but he worried that the looks were too dark and too overly-constructed saying the third dress made it look like the model was trying to walk in a “velvet coffin”.  Nina Garcia appreciated what March attempted to do as well but worried that perhaps the collection went too far overboard. Surprisingly, none of the judges criticized March’s generous use of human hair and safety pins.

In the end though, it was Rami’s measured use of draping mixed with structure that edged March out of the competition. The judges couldn’t deny that Rami created a collection that was different from what they expected, creative and highly refined.

If it is any consolation, Chris March and Sweet P Vaughn did get to show their collections at Fashion Week roughly two weeks ago. They were included in the final runway show to throw off the crowd as to who the Final Three might be.

We’ll finally get to see Christian, Jillian and Rami’s entire collections and who won the big prize next Wednesday night in the Project Runway: Season 4 finale. The show will air at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.