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As happens when we have an even number of designers, this week will be another team, er, duo challenge; and no one is happy about except for Sam who might get his wish to have Mitchell killed … or sent home.
Alyssa meets the designtestants on the runway, along with Little Big Town, a country band made up of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet.
Is it a couples challenge? Nope; the fellas are swiftly whisked away because, really, they have no need to be present and we learn that the challenge will be to make two opposite but complementary red carpet looks that the country gals will wear to the Academy of Country Music Awards.
The designers have $600 and one day and, as last week’s winner, Sam gets to pick his partner, and then pair up the remaining designers into teams of two. He picks Kini because Kini can sew; he pairs Asha with Alexander, Layana with Emily, Ken with Dom, Valerie with Stella, and, lastly, Mitchell with Daniel.
Let’s rip …
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THE SAFES
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KEN and DOM
Ken thinks his look is the winner, and I think it’s a belabored t-shirt over Capri culottes.
Dom calls he dress chic and red carpet, while I see it more as chic and high tea, no shade.
LAYANA and EMILY
Layana says this isn’t her best work, and I agree, though I think the model makes a lovely bridesmaid.
Emily, on the other hand, hates her pants but loves her vest, while I cannot help but think the vest is saying, “Welcome to the Home Depot Paint center, how can I help you?”
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THE BOTTOMS
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STELLA and VALERIE
They opt for Naughty and Nice, with Stella going naughty, naturally, and Valeria being nice. But, I must say, I get annoyed when Stella seems bothered by people saying she’s got the bitch aesthetic, tough girl vibe, because that’s how she acts and that’s how she designs. And that’s how she picked a fabric for this week, choosing vinyl — which she’s never worked with before and I say “Why now?” — over leather.
Zanna worries about their two looks, and Stella worries that Valerie won’t shut up; and again, when Zanna says Stella’s look might not be the best, Stella snaps, “Oh yes it is.”
And then she chooses to be really nasty when, while running out of time, she asks Valerie to make a belt for her and then bitches about how Valerie made the belt. I like Stella, and I’m not so fond of Valerie — remembering her Mean Girl Days towards Michael on her season — but I’m getting annoyed by Stella’s bitchy attitude.
WHAT THEY SAID
Stella: I love the shape of [the top] but it might be a little open.
Valerie: My model is wearing the hell outta that jumpsuit!
WHAT I SAID
That slit is so high on Stella’s look that I think I see Alaska from it, and the lack on lining on the inside is cheap-looking.
Valerie’s look is cute and pretty and very garden party, but not what I’d call red carpet.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Stella: Isaac liked the look, even the high slit but called the fabric a garbage bag and was pissed off about the lack of a lining. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ called the slit a disaster while Kimberly Schlapman liked the bustier and the booty. Alyssa called it right, saying the fabric looked like a tarp.
Valerie: The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ likes it, though she agrees with me that it isn’t red carpet ready; she describes the lace flaps on the front, with the string-tie, as looking a little “butcher’s apron.” Isaac liked the lace details at the top and the design of the back, but hated the waist flaps. Karen Fairchild agreed that the petals would make her look hippy, while Alyssa liked the petals, especially after Valerie turned them around the face the back.
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MITCHELL and DANIEL
It’s clear Sam put these two together to get rid of Mitchell, though I’m sure he’d be pleased to see Daniel go, too.
These boys dubbed themselves Team Pleasure and Pain — and they are painful to watch, which is my pleasure — go all wrong from the outset with Daniel trying to mentor Mitchell and Mitchell running from the room to whine to Auntie Stella.
STELLA-A-A-A-A-A-A-A!
Mitchell created a long, drape-y pink dress with feathers glued to the top, while Daniel went bondage and underwear and under-boob. Zanna said Daniel’s look was tacky and Mitchell needed to edit his look way down … like back to the drawing board, I’m thinking.
WHAT THEY SAID
Mitchell: It looks stellar on her.
Daniel: This is an edgy, punchy look.
WHAT I SAID
Last week, in a comment about the show, jawhite21 said, “Mitchell's designs always look like the aftermath of a dress.” That’s all; I concur.
I think that if Daniel created that dress for a real client, she might punch him and push him off the edge of a cliff.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Mitchell: Kimberly Schlapman loved the color, and the dreaminess of it, but called it an unfinished craft project. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ said it was, again, a great idea badly executed and demanded that if Mitchell stays he needs to, “GIVE US A DRESS!!!” Isaac loved the feathery top, but hated the droopy draping and the sad lining, while Karen Fairchild said there was no execution to Mitchell’s look. I think, actually, she was calling for Mitchell’s execution.
Daniel: Isaac loves skin, but said this was too much skin, and bordered on objectification; he called Daniel “clueless.” Karen Fairchild likes edgy, but not glimpse-of-boob-edgy, while Kimberly Schlapman said it was “disrespectful.” The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ liked the top, but felt that the bottom should have been fully lined to give it more glamour.
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THE TOPS
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SAM and KINI
Since Sam is from Boston and Kini from Hawaii, their opposites theme is east and West, Boston and Hawaii, Bitch and Beach — Sam being the Bitch, naturally.
Kini will go couture gown with a flowing cape attachment while Sam will be doing yet another jumpsuit idea because he does not do couture, which comes into play later when he runs out of time, and Kini comes to the rescue with finishings and aligning the pattern and creating an entirely new, couture top for Sam’s look; basically, Sam made pants.
Zanna simply says the two looks don’t go together because Sam’s is modern and Kini’s is 90s.
WHAT THEY SAID
Sam: It’s awesome. That look is great.
Kini: I love the way the chiffon moves away from the under-dress.
WHAT I SAID
Sam’s look is great … because it’s Kini’s. The pants are just pants without that top.
On the other hand, Kini’s look is kind of dated and reminds me of Missus Roper Takes A Cruise.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Sam: Isaac loves both looks, but doesn’t get the opposites vibe at all. Alyssa says Sam’s look is not really red carpet but that it is one of the best she’s ever seen and Sam comes clean about how much of it is Kini’s … I kid; Sam beams and acts like the look is 100% his design and creation … rhymes with witch. Kimberly Schlapman loved the business bottom and drama top, and Karen Fairchild loved
Kini: Isaac loved Kini’s dress in motion, but said it fell flat, and fat, when standing still. Kimberly Schlapman echoed that sentiment while Karen Fairchild just liked the color. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ hated the print, but thought it walked well, and kinda liked the idea.
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ASHA and ALEXANDER
These two are keeping it simple in theme, going for light and dark, with Asha creating a light and sexy short dress, and Alexander bringing the drama with his flowing tulle and floral silk number; they are also keeping it simple in the drama department … no fights at all. Zanna likes their looks, but worries that the fabric choices won’t photograph well.
Asha and Alexander just smile, and then go have tea and cucumber sandwiches because that’s what ladies do as friends.
WHAT THEY SAID
Asha: I love the way it looks, light and effortless.
Alexander: It has depth. It has character.
WHAT I SAID
Asha styled her girl to look exactly like Kimberly Schlapman and so you can see this look on her … and it works.
There is a slight hint of side boob in Alexander’s dress, but it flows and moves and has drama, so it is red carpet ready.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Asha: Isaac thinks Asha and Alexander completely fulfilled the challenge with their two opposite looks. He loves Asha’s light, short, fancy dress, but wasn’t keen on the waist slit that was sloppily sewn. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loved the subtle sparkle to the dress, as did Alyssa. Karen Fairchild called it flirty while Kimberly loved that the two looks are so great side-by-side.
Alexander: Isaac loved the iridescence of the dress, while The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loved the floral print, and the black-and-blue color palette; she did think there was too much tulle in the caboose though. Kimberly Schlapman loved the draping and the femininity of the dress while Karen Fairchild liked the subtle sexy bits of skin that showed.
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Sam and Kini take the second spot, giving Asha and Alexander the win. In the final decision, though, Asha takes the top spot and I have to think it’s not just because her looks was fun and flirty but because of the styling on her Kimberly Schlapman look-alike model.
Valerie and Stella are safe, clearly because Valerie made a beautiful look that saved Stella’s garbage dress from the Auf’d heap.
It comes down to Mitchell and Daniel and, in the end, Mitchell gets saved because he has ideas and Daniel has, well, none.
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Daniel’s shock at being cut was hilarious; he really thought that dress would keep him there because every woman wants to walk a red carpet in their panties and with their boobs slipping out of the top.
And I loved when he said, “You haven’t seen the last of Daniel Franco.”
I think he’s said that same thing every time he’s been Auf’d from every PR he’s been on. If he’s lucky, maybe Lifetime will do Project runway: Utter Losers Try Again and he will be back.
Sam. I want to like him, but he’s sneaky and bitchy and, well, he takes credit for work that isn’t his own. I so wanted Kini to smack him when Sam bragged backstage about how much Alyssa loved his look when everyone … everyone … knows that a great deal of that look was all Kini.
Still, I did giggle a bit when Sam explained why he paired the people he paired together, saying he had the personalities of the designers in mind and picked opposites on purpose …except for Mitchell and Daniel; Sam couldn’t help but Evil Grin when was called out for that team. I get that this is a competition, but I also like when people compete by designing something great and not creating hopes for sabotage.
And I liked when Kini said, of Sam’s rationale:
“That’s a good excuse you came up with, really fast.”
And I loved the look on Sam’s face when Mitchell says he’s safe; price.less. Speaking of Mitchell, the scolding by Isaac when he was saved “by a hair.” Yeah, Mitchell is probably going soon.
LINE OF THE NIGHT:
Daniel, upon being paired with Mitchell: “It’s not the worst pairing.”
I thought, “Nope, it’s a pairing of the worst.”
Stella. Stop being so angry every time someone calls your looks dark and mean; they are. Leather and spikes and black and severe; that’s Stella. Own it.
What did YOU think?
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“Welcome to the Home Depot Paint center, how can I help you?” - Perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteStella's was awful! I could not see any use of any talent in it at all.
Daniel - dear gawd. You have not heard the last? He isn't even working in the
industry anymore is he? Good job as always :-)
Daniel and Mitchell should have both been out the first week, however we would have missed that great line about it not being the worst pairing!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you liked (and used!) my description of Mitchell's designs! After this week, I continue to stand by it. I don't get the top part of the dress that the judges liked... are those supposed to be lopsided flamingos? Also, Kini's dress looked like an entry the "depict your country" portion of the Miss Universe pageant? Are the American CMAs being held in the Caribbean this year? Maybe Puerto Rico? Is there a country music fanbase in Puerto Rico?
ReplyDeleteI'm in total agreement about Sam. I want to like him, and I generally feel that he does good--but not great--things, and then he goes and does something like he did with Kini.
Actually, I have to say that I'm over Kini. During his season, I initially thought he was a wunderkind with his sewing skills, but I never seem to really *like* his designs that much. As Isaac (or Michael Kors--I always seem to merge the two of them in my head) says (said?), this is not "Project Seamstress." Still, though, his design didn't make my eyeballs bleed, so that's always a plus.