EPISODE THREE
Such a treat seeing people standing next to each other, walking out in the world! Seems like such a long time ago.
The challenge: create a “collab collection,” like Vivienne Westwood’s collaboration with Louis Vuitton. They had to make a three-look collection, where one look had to be accessible. The designers were paired up with each other. As we know from Project Runway, this could either be a match made in heaven or a match made in hell. We saw the designers meeting with each other, all happy and thrilled with each other and themselves. Subject to change!
Quote of the episode, from Will: “It’s important to know how to collaborate with other people. Because nobody wants to work with a dick.” The other great quote, from Tim, about the designers piecing things together but not really morphing their visions: “There’s way too much Frankenstein going on in this room.”
I loved that Sabato and Sander called each other Papi and Bébé. Cute! I really adore the inserts with Tim and Heidi being cozy. That caricature situation was priceless, also the large dog peeing on the tree.
The runway (on the banks of the Seine, no less):
Jonny and Megan: fabulous collection. The white jacket was my favorite piece.
Ji Won and Rinat: strange, all of it.
Will and Esther: the judges thought it was matchy matchy and unfinished.
Josh and Troy: mishmash. Richard thought it looked like it came from a thrift store.
Sabato and Sander: The French judge (who Richard called “The Wolfman’s sister”) called it, “A very strange collaboration, but it works very well.”
Jonny and Megan were in the top, the judges felt the collaboration was very fruitful. Sabato and Sander were chosen as the winners, their collection had a lot of impact.
Josh and Troy were on the bottom, they felt that the looks weren’t cohesive even within a single look. And what a shocker, Josh wrote his own pink slip, he said he wanted to leave! Which he did. The episode ended with a cliffhanger, with the judges not making up their minds about whether or not Troy was going to stay.
EPISODE FOUR
Naomi, Nicole, Joseph, and Carine all decided to give Troy another chance. Heidi, that cool Teutonic number, told him she had NOT changed her mind and she still thought he should leave.
Tim and Heidi had a little talk and he talked the designers about how they need to demonstrate their determination, drive, and, to use his word, “fight.” He gave them a challenge, to prove their mettle: they were given the fabric from the previous challenges, given seven hours in the workroom, and they would make one look to be presented to the judges.
Why seven hours and not five or ten?
The Heidi and Tim insert: Tim and Heidi did some fencing. Tim said he was obsessed with fencing and had been fencing for four years. Heidi won three out of three in their match. Tim was totally namby pamby, what was up with that.
Here’s what Troy said before the runway show: “I’m just hoping for the best.” Doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, does it.
Megan: lovely, very sharp.
Rinat: didn’t have much impact, didn’t really show much.
Ji Won: again, not so wow.
Jonny: the fabric had big impact and the design was understated, an interesting combo.
Sabato: looked a little rushed and not so original.
Troy: oh it was bad, ill-fitted, blobby, dull. Naomi asked her to take off the jacket so she could see the dress, and the story only got worse.
Sander: the judges liked it, but I thought it was a little too tricked out.
Will: Nicole called it “weird party clothes back in the day.”
Esther: fascinating, detailed but not over designed.
The judges spoke with Rinat, they thought she did a good job but could have done more. Megan told the judges that she wanted to make a “sophisticated Fly Girl” look, which the judges loved. Once Naomi heard the Fly Girl inspiration, she was able to forgive the elastic waist.
Naomi said she was proud of Jonny, that must have been wonderful to hear. The judges loved his dress. Joseph said it was feminine and graceful, Heidi said it was simple but a head-turner. Jonny was the winner, he and Megan were the top two.
Whoa, Naomi was intense in her critique of Troy, she didn’t feel like he delivered it. Joseph didn’t feel that he could see Troy’s identity in his clothes, never during the whole competition. His defense was that he was learning a lot with each challenge, but you know, this isn’t a teaching competition! He was sent home.
The judges also put Will in the bottom, they felt like his stuff was too disco and not really Now. Will said that he went outside of his comfort zone and made pants, which he hadn’t done before - - Nicole didn’t feel this was the time to try something new. Good point! Will was also sent home.
The episode ended with the designers being told to pack their bags because they were moving to TOKYO. Can’t wait!
Comments