PR 16 Ep 7: Yassssssss! .... Noooooooooooooo ... Whaaaaaaat?

SPOILER ALERT ... this episode is :::ack!:::: “To be continued”; meaning we don’t know who’s Auf’d until next week though ... Spoilier[?] Alert ... I don’t care who’s Auf’d either way.

But let’s start at the very beginning, because I hear it’s a very good place to start ... the designtestants meet up in the JCPenney men’s section, where there are five rather lovely male models waiting; I hoping for male model’s in underwear trying on clothes, and Brandon is hoping for menswear because that his thang. Margarita is less than thrilled because male model’s have “junk” down there, and Kenya says what I was thinking:

“I want to touch them, but I don’t want to dress them.”

But this isn’t a menswear challenge —Brandon winces—but a womenswear look based on menswear and some JCP menswear fabrics. Each male model reveals the names of two designers who must use the fabrics chosen for them. Oh, and it’s a team challenge, made all the worse when Tim Gunn reaches for the Dreaded Button Bag™ and says each designer must work with someone who has different fabrics.

As last week’s winner Kentaro gets first pick and he instantly goes for his Brother, Brandon. I love that coupling. Amy chooses Kenya. Claire picks Batani ... I kid, she chose her sister because, yeah ... Batani and Margarita are a team, as are Ayana and Michael.

Tim explains that they must create two cohesive pieces, with the winning look reproduced by JCP. They have $100 for “notions”—Claire and Shawn clearly need a notion—and supplemental fabrics, and one day to get it done, so let’s rip ...

SAFES

MICHAEL AND AYANA

I didn’t get the dark, heavy bomber jacket on Michael’s billowy dress and I saw no reason for the dark pants underneath Ayana’s shirt dress.

TOPS AND BOTTOMS

KENTARO AND BRANDON

The Brothers are a good match because they get along with one another—and I noticed last night, rarely are heard being negative about anyone else’s design—and seem to have similar aesthetics. Still, Brandon has to reign in Kentaro’s need to go too sexy with backless outfits, and Kentaro tries to keep Brandon from going too menswear.

They come up with a sportswear collection that really focuses on their strengths, though Tim—who, to the annoyance of the workroom, dubs them The Dream Team—worries about some of their fabric choice and if these looks, all separates, can work together.

In the end, Brandon and Kentaro do tone down the black, but stick to their aesthetics. Kentaro and Brandon are working on “futuristic sporty” with their country-style patterns.

WHAT THEY SAID

Kentaro—It looks creative. Our looks are cohesive.

Brandon—We both know it’s the most cohesive.

WHAT I SAID

It looks like a Brandon piece, without the straps, but then Brandon’s comes out, and there are the straps; I like his style, but he really needs to veer away from the crop top and the floating straps or else he’ll find himself out.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Heidi Klum loves both looks and the mix of fabrics.

Nina Garcia called it effortless, and loved that there were lots of choices, calling the pieces versatile and cool.

Zac Posen called then looks JCP Ready, casual, sophisticated and loved the oversized gingham print.

Guest judge, actress Asia Kate Dillon—from one of my favorite shows Billions—loved the cheekiness of the collection, with its hint at menswear.

And, as with team challenges, Heidi asks who should be the winner and, as cute as can be, Brandon and Kentaro won’t answer. I love this bromance!

Nina says it’s effortless and cohesive at the same time. Zac says it’s perfectly ready for JCP and the most cohesive collection. 

Heidi asks which person should win; they hem and haw and ultimately refuse to answer. Brothers for life!

CLAIRE AND SHAWN

Oh, you get the sense right away that this will go down in flames ... and I’m pleased by that; indeed. It begins when Shawn, for no reason I can fathom, tells Claire the looks are for fall. I never heard anyone mention fall looks but, Shawn ... I guess she knows best?

Or maybe not, because this week Claire’s facade of twin-love is starting to crack; there is a snappiness and a testiness as she realizes she has to help Shawn before she can work on her own looks. And Shawn’s neediness doesn’t help, given that, at one point, she actually says, “I feel like you are abandoning me.”

And Tim’s critique doesn’t help because he loathes their ideas, and is clearly bothered when Shawn tries to do all the talking, even stopping her at one point to say he’d like to hear from Claire. The twins again whine about working with plus-sized girls—even though it’s Week 7—and Tim shuts that shiz down.

Too bad he couldn’t just shut them both down.

WHAT THEY SAID

Claire—I love that we made outfits that look nothing like anyone else’s on the runway.

Shawn—Liris is working this. She has a pop of color.

WHAT I SAID

Um, Claire, yours look nothing like the others because the others are rather good; I mean, what kind of f**kery is this sleeve belt and frilly one-sleeved mess. As for you, Shawn, a red lip doesn’t constitute a pop of color, and how dare you put Liris in a potato sack—even though she rocked it; again, what kind of f**kery is this?

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Zac Posen calls Shawn’s dress trashy, uninspired, and banal; and he says she was just lucky to have had Liris as a model. He calls Claire’s top “bad design” though the jeans, he says, are good, except for the “dumpy butt.” He wonders about the weird tie and Nina says it’s in case you need extra sleeves.

Asia Kate Dillon calls both looks confusing and says many pieces—like the sleeve belt—look like an afterthought.

Nina Garcia asks who would buy these clothes, and Claire tries to say that JCP customers would be inspired by influencers like them—Nina’s head nearly explodes.

Heidi has no idea what these two are doing, and says she’d be sad if she saw people in these clothes.

When she asks who should go Shawn volunteers, and Claire stammers.

KENYA AND AMY

Amy and Kenya set to work on a denim suit—with blue jean buttons—and a knit dress. They are working so well together; Amy likes Kenya’s aesthetic and Kenya likes that Amy is a professor and can teach her a thing or two.

Quickly, though, it goes downhill, possibly because Tim loves the top-stitching on the denim, but worries that Kenya’s dress looks matronly.

And so Kenya sets off to make something new, though there is no time, and Amy is getting annoyed; we see a lot of Amy shrugs and Kenya eye-rolls as the two fall apart.

WHAT THEY SAID

Kenya—It looks good, it’s well made. I like it, but I don’t love it.

Amy—I hope the judges see the level of construction, quality and fit.

WHAT I SAID

On Kenya’s look ... Miss Jones? Can you come in and take some dictation? And bring your steno pad. As for Amy, I’m seeing Kate Jackson wearing it during a 1976 episode of Charlie’s Angels.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Heidi calls the looks boring and not modern; they are not new and not special; she dubs Amy’s a “silly suit.”

Asia Kate Dillon goes for a mean Garcia impression with: “They look like flight attendant uniform rejections from the 1970s.”

Zac Posen liked the construction of Amy’s look, but called Kenya’s a snoozefest.

Nina Garcia hated the aging styling of the models and calls Amy’s look a costume—Why is she wearing this? She asks! She calls Kenya’s a look for a nun, which spurs Zac to say, “Sexy nun?” and Nina replies, “South American nun.”

When Heidi asks who should go home, Amy volunteers; Kenya stutters that she deserves to be there and refuses to say that means she wants Amy to go. That was kind of nasty, I thought.

BATANI AND MARGARITA

These two really take the menswear idea to heart, with Batani making a wrap dress with a man’s blazer-inspired top, and Margarita creating an asymmetrical men’s shirt dress. But, since Batani has never done anything remotely menswear or tailored, she’s leaning a lot on Margarita and once again, I worry she won’t finish in time.

Tim’s critique helps, because he loves Batani’s idea and her fabric choices, though he has concerns that Margarita might not have time to do a placket and button holes for her shirt dress.

WHAT THEY SAID

Batani—I’m excited about the color and how the dress is bouncing.

Margarita—It’s just effortless.

WHAT I SAID

The color of Batani’s dress is beautiful, but I’ve seen that look before. Margarita’s, on the other hand, is cool, and her model Meisha is really working it; I mean, for being so covered up she looks hot.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Heidi loves both looks, but especially loves Margarita’s; she would run to JCP and buy it. She calls the mini-collection real world design.

Zac Posen loves the asymmetry of Margarita’s dress, calling it different, but good; he thinks Batani’s is cute, but also stellar.

Nina Garcia calls both pieces polished and sophisticated, saying Margarita’s is fabulous and Batani’s is more taste specific.

Asia Kate Dillon calls both looks “one and done”—just put them on and go; she does love the power of Margarita’s dress.

When asked who should win, Margarita clearly wants it, and Batani smiles.

I thought it was gonna go to the Dream Team, but this week, after nearly going home last week, Margarita gets the win. Yes, tis true ... one day you’re in, the next day you’re out ... or vice versa.

Then we learn that Amy and Kenya are safe and I freaked Carlos out by screaming Yasssssssss at the TV.

Heidi tells the twins that one of them will be out ... but not yet. What.Kind.Of.F**kery.Is.This?

Instead, the two of them will have an hour to re-do the challenge without help from the other and whomever has the best design will stay.

Claire says, “My success will result in my sister’s failing.”

Oh, she clearly knows who should have gone home when Heidi asked.

I was worried when Kentaro picked Brandon that it was a setup for them to be the losing team and with Kentaro having immunity Brandon would go; then I realized Tim Gunn had the Tim Gunn Save so my heart settled down a bit.

Claire talking to Michael in the sewing room was priceless, especially when he just wandered out and she kept talking and talking until she finally realized she was alone. Perhaps that’s a metaphor for what’s to come ... ?

Shawn asking Kentaro if she can copy the boot leggings he’d made a few weeks back is just another example of Shawn having no ideas of her own; it reeks of her look last week, which was just a recreation of a look her model-client already owned.

LINE OF THE NIGHT:

Tim Gunn, entering the workroom:

“What a quiet workroom. I like it. It means you’re—”

“Focused?”

“—contemplative.”

Never speak for Tim; he’d never go for two syllables when four will suffice.

I also loved when Claire noted that Margarita spent so much time helping Batani that she might not finish her own look; there are none so blind ... yada yada yada.

And I was shocked when, while sitting backstage, Shawn and Claire actually believed their looks were good and should not have been in the bottom. Seriously. A belt of sleeves and a potato sack.

The Tents: Brandon, still, with Kentaro. Margarita has stepped up, while Kenya has fallen. Also-rans are Michael, Batani and Ayana, Amy, safe for weeks, fell to the bottom, and, hopefully, fingers crossed, one twin with be Auf’d next week and the other won’t be heading to The Tents.

Next week, The Conclusion ... and someone better go home or I’ll be suing the PR for my shattered television set because I threw a shoe at it!

What did YOU think?