Oh my, I’ve been so busy - - three episodes of the new season and I’m just watching them now! I’ll dive right in.
E P I S O D E O N E
Oh yes I DO want to go to the TWA terminal at Idlewild! Yes, oh yes! I love that Karlie is head and shoulders taller than Christian.
The challenge: teams of two, they have to create two looks to be worn at a space hotel. A jumpsuit, sort of space activewear, and a cocktail look for hanging out at the hotel bar, like a space floozy. Of course some of the designers is all up in arms about having to do a team challenge, and of course I will have NONE OF THAT. The designers are told to get a drink and choose their own teammates.
Of course every designer feels that he/she is the sh-t and better than everyone else, maybe even the best designer ever birthed of human loins. We’ll see what Nina has to say about that!
A few designers stand out, either because of talent/background or personality:
Victoria: from Moldova, has a thick accent, was looking for “fox leather” at Mood (aka “faux leather”). Also she broke Asma’s ruler and let out a shriek that was right out of an Almodóvar movie.
Sergio: he made Billy Porter’s up-cycled Tony Awards look, the *Kinky Boots* curtain made into a gown.
Nancy: 64 years old, I hope she’s on the show for a while, she’s a bright spirit.
Geoffrey: hunky but easily rattled, had major indecisive drama at Mood.
Delvin: he wears a lab coat in the workroom, as a nod to the French couturiers.
Asma: love that they have a Muslim designer, she’s really going to push perceptions.
Alan: I don’t even understand how it’s possible that you can go to Mood, buy your fabric, and walk out of the store with no fabric. Wouldn’t you think that, as you’re leaving the store, you’d notice that other people are carrying Mood bags and you don’t have one?
Once again, I’m bothered by Christian as mentor. Too hands on, too present, too all about him.
Time for the runway: flash sale - - the fan favorite and winner-chosen-by-judges will be sold online. Woo hoo.
ON THE TOP
I was surprised that Brittany and Sergio were on the top, I thought Delvin and Tyler were stronger. But they nailed the theme of the challenge.
Geoffrey and Melanie, really? I thought their outfits were so dull, so Studio 54.
ON THE BOTTOM
Jenn and Asma. Jenn didn’t do a good job defending her garment. And Asma, why did she buy cotton if she hates cotton?
Doyoung and Alan: I didn’t think they were so bad. Plus they more or less got along, unlike Jenn and Asma, who clearly did not. Plus Nina pointed out that Doyoung and Alan’s pieces were cohesive, and Jenn and Asma’s were not.
Brittany and Sergio were the winning team, with Britany the winning designer. And wow, both Jenn and Asma were both sent home! That’s so cut throat, I love it!
E P I S O D E T W O
The episode started with EMTs going to the designers’ penthouse and taking Dayoung out in a wheelchair. Hm! She said she couldn’t move her body and felt disconnected from the rest of the world. The other designers basically had the attitude of, “Get better honey, taking care of yourself is the most important thing. Oh and wow, that was a pretty easy elimination, right? Could we have some more of that? And was someone using my curling iron?”
Oh no, not a challenge inspired by the movie *Cats!* Whew, thankfully it’s just about animal prints and we were only subjected to a brief glimpse of the movie. It’s also supposed to be Street, which means something different to different people.
I had my eye on Delvin at the beginning. He chose a parrot feather print silk gazar, a total departure from what everyone else had bought.
Christian did a gather-round in the workroom and informed everyone that Dayoung was back in the penthouse and feeling better. A couple of designers visited her back at the penthouse at the end of the day and she said she was nervous but excited to get the challenge done in just one day. It was so inspiring that many of the designers helped her out as they approached the finish. Not every designer, and ya know, it IS a competition. There’s no obligation to be generous!
Guest judge: celebrity stylist Marnie Senofonte, who played such a major role in the previous season.
ON THE TOP
Delvin: so beautifully tailored, head and shoulders above the rest in terms of elegance. The judges were over the moon.
Victoria: I thought it could go either way - - high style or hot mess. The judges had lots of reservations and criticisms, I was surprised that she was in the top.
Marquise: I didn’t like the asymmetrical flounce on the side. But the judges liked it, and the blouse was good.
ON THE BOTTOM
Veronica: thank you, Nina, for using the word “bloomers.” And Brondon called it an “exotic diaper.”
Tyler: the judges were impressed with his construction but felt it was too well mannered and precise to be Street.
Geoffrey: too bland, and yet too much going on.
I was shocked that Sergio didn’t end up on the bottom. Oh dear Lord it was so dreadful, everything about it was wrong, but most of all the ruffle.
Marquise was the winner, they felt he nailed the Street element the best. Veronica was sent home.
E P I S O D E T H R E E
Oh yes, the unconventional materials challenge! The audience’s favorite, the designer’s bugaboo! It was interesting watching the recap of the previous episode and thinking, “Hm, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that designer before!” Watch, one of those people will end up being the winner. Will get back to you on that.
The designers got out of bed to find Christian in the living room, which had been bedecked with holiday finery. Ho ho ho, did you call me a ho? The challenge was to make a chic holiday cocktail dress out of the holiday decorations. Of course it was pande-freaking-monium when they started tearing the joint apart. Tyler put it perfectly when he said, “This is crazier than Black Friday in a K-Mart in Ohio.” Quote of the season, so far.
Was anyone else driven batty by the endlessly sparkly holiday music on this episode? Arghh. God bless Nancy for being so loud. And wow for the story that Alan told about his father being deported at the holidays. Wow indeed.
I felt bad for Brittany, clearly she had a very hard time. But in an unconventional materials challenge, don’t you think it would be a good idea to do a little test drive early on, to make sure your materials are behaving the way you need them to? So then you can come up with a Plan B? I’m just sayin’.
Guest judge: Kieran Shipka. I didn’t recognize either of the current credits that Karlie mentioned, I will always think of her as the daughter on *Mad Men.*
ON THE TOP
Sergio: I loved it! The bells were darling! And the dress was so beautifully tailored, beautifully constructed.
Victoria: I thought it was too hoochie mama, but the judges seemed to like that. I definitely would have put Nancy in the top instead, her two-piece outfit was a stunner, and the judges generally respond positively to multi-piece outfits.
Shavi: I thought it was very pretty, lovely shape. More wearable than Sergio’s.
ON THE BOTTOM
Tyler: ugh, badly made. This is what Nina said: “You are cute and you are funny. But the dress had construction issues.” You gotta get up pretty early to put one over on Miss Garcia!
Brittany: I thought it looked better than it was, but thank you Brandon, for pointing out that Sergio’s dress was also made out of wrapping paper. Karlie put it perfectly when she said the downfall of Brittany was the attitude of feeling defeated.
Alan: he decided to pull a Tyler and try to mask his bad work with being cute and funny. I didn’t think it was as bad as some of the others, but Nina was super tired of his excuses.
Sergio was the winner. He really embraced the unconventional aspect in an exuberant way. Alan was sent home, though he really owned it and made it his moment! Bless his heart.