Project Runway's Scarlett Burned

When the Project Runway designers were asked to create a Grammy gown for Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell, Austin Scarlett — who seemed a shoo-in for the final three — lost out to the far less creative Wendy Pepper. Why? His dress was too glamorous. The sneaky Pepper's final showdown against cool costumer Kara Saun and wild-child styler Jay McCarroll airs tonight at 9pm/ET on Bravo.

"With Wendy's designs, we thought she had a good chance of being eliminated, but she managed slip by in every episode," Scarlett laments to TVGuide.com. "[But] I was kind of prepared for anything, so I wasn't too completely heart-wrenched."

O'Dell tried to soften the blow, however, by asking the aspiring couturier to design her Oscar gown. So will we see her rocking an Austin Scarlett original this week? Unfortunately, no. "Austin never called Nancy's stylist to follow through," an Access Hollywood rep explains. That's true, confirms Scarlett. "I've been so busy putting my first line together," he says, "I really didn't have a chance to pursue that offer." But he's sure to get plenty of others. "I've been approached by a buyer from Saks," he says, "and I'm in the process of getting my website up."

Still, we just know Scarlett has dreamt up a glamorous gown or two for O'Dell on his mental sketchpad. "I would have a variation of my design on the show in one color, like a buttery yellow with her complexion, or a rich pink," he muses, adding that he still hopes to design for the Access hostess. "I would have loved to have done it — maybe next year."

With Scarlett gone, nobody's sure who'll stitch up Project Runway's top spot — and a hard-earned hug from Heidi Klum. Of course, the ousted designer has his own theory about which way the fabric will finally fold. "I think Jay deserves to win because he's the most creative," Scarlett says, "but I think the judges will choose Kara Saun."