What is the polar opposite of high fashion? I’m guessing professional wrestling after watching tonight’s episode of Project Runway on Bravo.  Tonight’s challenge had the six remaining designers creating a look for the Divas of WWE.  (That stands for World Wrestling Entertainment for the uninitiated.)

This challenge took the lingerie and figure skating challenges of seasons past to a whole new and tackier level. You don’t need a degree from Parsons to know that under the best of circumstances it is hard to make spandex, stretchy lace and rhinestones classy or wearable.

Despite the violence they inflict in the ring, the Divas of WWE seem like fairly nice gals. They requested outfits that best showcased their wrestling alter egos… like the sexy tomboy or sexy gold digger or my favorite: the classy sexpot.

Snooty 21-year old Christian actually embraced this low-fashion challenge. He created a leather and lace ensemble for his WWE Diva,  Kristal. Despite the black leather chaps and lace cutout pants (hello White Snake) the outfit looked really cool and wearable, particularly the biker chick meets Victorian prude top.

Ralph Lauren illustrator Jillian also got high marks from the judges for her royal blue ‘girl next door’ getup that used boy shorts and over-the-knee tube socks to create a sexy tomboy effect.

Sweet Pea struggled with this challenge. Her wrestler’s shtick is to come into the ring wearing a robe then reveal a sexy outfit underneath. Her requests included cascading rhinestones, cut-out stars and feathers. It was a losing battle to begin with. Sweet Pea called it the tackiest thing she’d ever made, the ‘Diva’ didn’t think it was flashy enough and the judges were underwhelmed.

Rami cooked up a hot-pink and draped spandex number for his wrestling Diva, Tory. She liked it, the judges didn’t and neither did Rami. He said the outfit looked like he’d been smoking crack.

Costume designer Chris March had an undeniable edge in this contest. He designed a sparkly black and leopard print hoodie ensemble. As scary as that sounds it actually looked plausibly wearable - if you are a female wrestler, streetwalker or Britney Spears.

Finally there was last episode’s winner: sweet, weepy Ricky. He designed a striking orange and gold lame’ bathing suit. Too bad it wasn’t a swimsuit competition. Guest judges and Heatherette design team Traver Rains and Richie Rich said the outfit was neither flattering nor sexy. Judge Michael Kors said the suit’s accompanying gold and fishnet robe looked like a disco haircutting cape.

In the end it was Chris March’s use of glittery material as the lining for the leopard print hoodie that won the judges over. They said his wrestling outfit looked expensive and well-made. He won the challenge, though not immunity. 

The bottom two designs were Sweet Pea’s glamour trainwreck, 80’s rock video costume and Ricky’s orange 70’s bathing suit look. The judges sent Ricky packing. Sweet Pea lives to sew another day and is still in the running for a slot to show at Fashion Week in New York’s Bryant Park.

You can catch another new episode of Project Runway: Season 4 next Wednesday at 10 pm on Bravo.