The episodes where they bring in the family members and friends always make me super curious about the behind the scenes action. Laurence had mentioned previously that she'd been kicked out when she got pregnant. So not sure that's the only reason her daughter was her person but I imagine that's part of it. And then you start to wonder, especially as Dexter and Roberi get friends, how much of this had to do with who in your life was willing and able to hop a plane last minute, and if Cornelius hadn't been saved, would his mom just be sitting in a hotel room sipping tea with him? Huh, maybe that's it. Maybe all the other relatives are sipping tea in the special room with the eliminated contestants.
Anyway, it seems "Project Runway" has learned that if you bring families, you cannot trust them to other contestants. There will be enough emotion as these folks who've been in a reality show bubble for two weeks or so, to get to hug a real person who loves them. And in this case, with the contestants and the contestants friend/family member having money on the line too, the idea that you were making something for them was a thing you say, and really it was a question of who made an awesome outfit for this person the judges had never met before.
I did cringe a smidge as the models heard the judges, because, Zach was doing his normal check the hems and peak at the underside, which he generally does (at least as far as I can see through my TV screen) respectfully, but it's a strange thing for a contestant bud to sit through. Hopefully the contestant buds have watched enough "Project Runway" that they knew what they were in for.