Andy
Let me get something out of the way first: there's been a lot of speculation on teh intarwebz that he borrowed ideas from a pattern book to put together his collection and/or some of his work on the show and may (or may not) have cheated on his last-minute look, which was in the same fabric some of his existing looks were in. I don't care, and I don't think I know enough to have a firm opinion in any event.
Back when I first saw the collections and the decoys, I had him on my short list for a win, but looking at it again, I'm not entirely sure why. He's definitely got some skill, but I got a little bored of all the silver and grey (and I like silver and grey) because it was too much in the same shades for me. The green was interesting in small doses, but I wish he'd also used some of the black he favored during the season to help break up the grey a little more. Or at least worked with a wider range of grey.
Stuff I did like: He had a jacket early on with a ruffle-layer shirt I really liked, although I didn't like them together because of where the jacket hit (right above the first ruffle). There was a pair of dark grey pants that I couldn't possibly wear but still think were very sleak and chic. And his 11th-look ruffled dress was really interestingly constructed, although possibly a bit much in that shiny green.
Stuff I didn't like: Aside from the colour issue, I think he maybe went a bit heavy with the loose flowing semi-sheer thing and the ruffling. I'm not really a huge fan of ruffles; they can be nice if done well, but too much in one collection doesn't do it for me. I also wish he'd done any looser fitting pants except that pair of capris in the start, which I didn't like the draping on. It was tight pants, short shorts, or short skirts for the most part.
Overall: Didn't hate it and liked some pieces, but didn't love it. I'm sure he can be a successful designer, but he needs to learn how to balance the soft and hard better and when it's right to get a little more range into his collection.
Oh... and those hairpieces? Ridic. But fashion shows often have silly hair, so... no big.
Gretchen
Let's start with this: by the end of the season, I didn't really dislike Gretchen the way I did earlier. I still don't really like her much, and I still think she thinks a little too highly of her own opinion, but then, look at my blog. I may not have much room to talk here.
She did a better job of mixing up colours than Andy did, and also a better job of picking them than she did on the show overall. She does like her neutrals, and that's mostly what we got, but in this case I think she went with some fabrics with some interest. However, despite what the Korsinator and Nina may think, the styling she went with really did not, IMO, elevate the looks at all.
Stuff I liked: I really liked her last piece, with the black vest and t-shirty sleeves and the long, flowing skirt, even in an animal print (which normally I don't care for). It looked comfortable and pretty and even very much like something I would actually wear if it were in a different set of fabrics. I also thought the black-and-grey-patch pants that Nina praised were interesting (possibly the only thing the judges said about this collection I agreed with), though I'm not sure I could envision anyone I know wearing them.
Stuff I didn't like: The animal prints. The 70s vibe... well, I'm closer to neutral on that, but it didn't really work that well for me, especially in the styling. The styling. The granny shorts that I think were supposed to be hot pants, but were in bland colours and not really very sexy looking IMO.
Overall: I actually do think Gretchen could be successful doing ready-to-wear if she wants to do that, although I think she'd need to branch out a bit in colour scheme and lose the granny pants and the other attempts to be overtly sexual to really make it work. She doesn't do the sexual part very well, but she does make some comfortable, practical clothing I could see people buying. Heck, if she redid that last dress in fabrics I liked, I might even be willing to buy it (you know, if designers ever made clothes in my size).
But I still don't think she should've won (and honestly, I still think she should've been the one auf'd in the team challenge, but I'll let that go, now).
Mondo
I will admit I may be biased a bit by also liking his quirky self and his attitude... but I am sure that that's not the reason why I thought he should win.
This may surprise people based on the compliments I'm about to give out, but I actually don't wear a lot of patterned fabric and often don't like it even on other people. Somehow, Mondo is able to pull together mixes of patterns or pattern/solid that works for me, though. That would be the basis of why I thought he should win, when it comes down to it. When a designer can take elements I don't typically care for and put them together in a way I actually really like? That's talent, and that's really good design.
Stuff I liked: I actually sided with both Heidi (for once) and the guest judge in loving that long dress with the polkadots. Seriously, if I had a body that could pull it off? I would so, so buy that. I loved the back of it, too: just sexy enough without getting into vulgar territory. Aside from that, I also adored the skull shirt (make one in a large size and I'll buy it) and the leggings it was paired with, the top in that polka-dotted material, the skirt in his 11th look, and taken as separate pieces, the other t-shirt with the black jacket and the plaid pants. I didn't like them together as much.
Stuff I didn't like: I didn't really care for the skirt paired with the polka-dot top or the very loud pink and aqua and black and silver dress, although in the latter case I at least thought it was interesting. Also the high-waisted shorts weren't my favorite, although I think it's just because I'm not fond of high-waisted shorts.
Overall: Seriously, why didn't this win? No, I didn't love everything, but it was overall really good: well-executed, interesting, and diverse. Even the weirdish styling seemed appropriate, given his theme. And he had pieces that I could see wearing with other things even if I didn't like the combo in question, and that gorgeous freaking dress that MichaelK and Nina were totally, totally wrong about.
Thankfully, I think the exposure from Project Runway (and that $20k he won for the earlier challenge) should help him really get going on being successful. And now that it's obvious he has the full support of his family, approval of his personal life or lack thereof notwithstanding, I think that he'll do very well.
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