PR 18 Ep 12: Avant-garde, Final Six! Avant-garde!

Immediately after last week’s episode the designtestants are herded back to the runway to await the return of Karlie, who brings Brandon, er, Captain Obvious, with her; he declares:

“You are the final six.”

Yeah, they were the Final Six last week when no one went home so this isn’t news; but I digress … this is the week many of them—well, not Brittany—have been waiting for: the avant-garde challenge. Karlie explains that avant-garde literally means ‘ahead of the pack,’ ‘beyond the norm.’ And since it’s beyond the norm, this final runway show before The Tents will take place at The Vessel …not a building, but, well, stairs … to nowhere … really.

Nancy, who lives beyond the norm, and won last week, gets to pick her model and then choose the order for the others to pick. She, naturally, takes DD, and gives Sergio the next choice; he picks Yuen. Brittany picks Severine. Marquise takes Nora, and Geoffrey picks Thijin. Victoria is picked last, chooses the last model standing, Madeline. Victoria thinks getting picked last means the other designers are scared of her.

Oh, honey, no.

They have two days to work, an hour  at Mood, and $600 dollars. But there is a twist—and evil Christian loved springing it on them—that turns out to be a pleasure: each designer will pick two of their former looks to also show in a kind of mini-collection/retrospective.

It’s a lot, so let’s rip …

TOPS AND BOTTOMS

VICTORIA

Victoria isn’t avant-garde, she’s one-note, but this time she’ll be different. This time she’s making a backless organza romper that’s attached to the model’s ear—yes, you read that right—and not one, but two coats.

How daring! And to achieve her own fabric choice she’s literally cutting out over a million square fabric pieces and sewing them one-by-one onto organza.

Christian doesn’t quite understand her look—two coats and ruffles and oh my—and calls it Lord of the Rings; he tells her to push it and reminds her that two designers are going home:

"I am not going home; don't even say this word in front of me!"  

Home. Hope.

Victoria picks her two extra looks—and her looks are always extra—from the Ultimate Upcycle challenge and the Sew 80’s week.

WHAT SHE SAID

It’s an avant-garde look … very wearable.

WHAT I SAID

Wearable? Wearable? Or does she mean where-able, as is where am I able to wear this?

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Brandon thinks the champagne color was smart because of how it played in The Vessel, though I doubt that was a specific choice. He loved how Victoria created a more “romantic” and less cut-out-skin-tight-one-arm-power-suit look; and while he wondered about the “fish-hook breast hammock” he said that if the model sat down and a boob fells out, that’s avant-garde. Karlie loves the back of the coat, er, coats, and  their “structure” and the “fluidity.” Elaine didn’t think the earring attachment worked and “over-complicated the design;” she says it wasn’t her fantasy look. Guest Judge Rachel Brosnahan agreed, saying it wasn’t her favorite, but did like the silhouette and the texture.

SERGIO

Can we just skip him? No? Really?

Sergio will create a look to honor female samurai warriors and will tell an “amazing political story.” Maybe he can explain the juxtaposition between female samurai warriors and the geisha make-up since geishas were basically women hired to, um, “entertain” men.

There will be a big skirt—seen it before—and wild sleeves—seen it before—and some weird things growing out of her back—that’s new. And then, just to make you like him even less, he says:

“All these designers look at what I’m doing because I always set a really high bar for everyone and I feel like I push all of the other designers. My biggest competition is right here.”

He points to himself. Goddess help me, I loathe this person. But then he nixes his big sleeves because he’s looked at the other designers and many are doing big sleeves; huh? I thought he set the bar.

Christian likes the samurai warrior idea. That’s all; no need to discuss because Sergio knows better.

Sergio chose his two winning looks from the Paper Week and from the Sheer challenge.

WHAT HE SAID

I am just in awe of what I’ve created. I feel like I  always do a bit more than everyone else.

WHAT I SAID

I like it, but his ego keeps me from loving it.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID 

Elaine was “haunted” by the “theatrical” image of the model in the Vessel elevator, and says his tailoring is “a cut above the competition.” Nina was haunted by the fact that she has seen Asian-influenced looks before from famous designers, specifically the hair and makeup. She wants Sergio to stop referencing other designers and do his own thing; I think she also wishes he’d shut up. Brandon agrees; he thinks Sergio’s craftsmanship “cannot be denied,” but he needs to be a better “thinker” … and less of an arrogant asshat; that last bit was me.

BRITTANY

Brittany is not thrilled by this challenge because she thinks in more utilitarian ways and not at all avant-garde.

Her idea is a coat; bold and pink; and big; and pleated; with crazy sleeves. I get the idea that she thinks the bigger and bolder and crazier it is, the more avant-garde it appears. Not. Especially when she makes the coat over a very simple dress with a butterfly motif, and will then make 3D butterflies all over the coat and … this is exactly what she did for the Ashley Longshore challenge, so it’s just a reboot in ginormous pink?

Oddly enough, Christian likes the look—even the butterflies—but worries that it’s looking like “a pink straitjacket.”  She loses the attached sleeves and ignore the pleating and butterflies the shiz out of it.

Butterflies; again. And even worse, is that she chooses her simplistic black look from the first challenge, and her butterfly embellished look from the Longshore week. Not smart.

WHAT SHE SAID

I took what I do in an avant-garde way to the max. I took a risk.

WHAT I SAID

It’s a giant hot pink sheet over a butterfly sheath dress. Ooooh, risky.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID 

Elaine loves the color and the shape and the drama. Karlie was “wowed” at the Vessel, but up-close notes that the execution is somewhat lacking. Rachel also loved the color—which doesn’t avant-garde make—but didn’t care for the basic dress beneath it. Brandon wishes she’d paired the coat with jeans instead of the dress, while Nina called the plastic butterflies “kitschy” and said “detracted from the sophistication” of the rest of her look. No one noted that this was the second time in the season Brittany used 3D butterflies on a look.

GEOFFREY

Geoffrey is inspired by the Vessel—his favorite “building” in New York—and because avant-garde is his thing. But then, at Mood, he tries to pick the same satin he used last week, the one Elaine called “stiff and tacky;” luckily, Christian snatches the swatch from Geoffrey’s hand:

“They will murder you.”

And that frazzles Geoffrey, and a frazzled Geoffrey at Mood worries me; especially a frazzled Geoffrey that ditches the satin and heads to the latex aisle. Satin to latex? Latex?

Christian’s worried about the latex until Geoffrey explains that he owned a latex company and has done work for Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Katy Perry.

“I can make latex do stuff that nobody else can, I’m very good at it.”

He creates a sculpted top, with architectural sleeves, a flowing latex train and … a granny panty? And yet it all works. He proves that latex doesn’t have to be skintight but can have fluidity and structure. He tells his model, Thijin, that to get latex to shine you smear it with water-based lubricant. Thijin has never seen lube before so Geoffrey sings a song about it:

“It’s a gay staple. Can’t have sex without it—well you can, but …”

And then the good times end, because once again Geoffrey has tragedy strike; he pricks his finger—we go from lube to pricks, which is not a far walk—and gets blood on his garment:

“Blood is avant-garde, but I wasn’t really planning on it … I’m not into a blood print right now.”

And later, he cuts his hand again, but soldiers on, using tape to secure the wound and avoid the paramedics. He gets the blood off his look, and his hand, and then picks his Cyndi Lauper look and the jumpsuit from the tuxedo challenge as his two looks.

WHAT HE SAID

My looks are future forward. The latex looks like liquid.

WHAT I SAID

I gotta say, this is latex like I’ve never seen it; it’s structured and fluid and skintight. Gorgeous.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Elaine said the latex moved in a “poetic” way, loved the light shining through the attached skirt. Rachel liked the bold shape of the top and the minimal bottom. Nina is studying him, arms crossed, lips pursed, ready to pounce; and she does. She says it’s “tragic” that this is the first time Geoffrey has used latex this season because it’s “beautiful.” She also notes that while some designers stumbled, he seems to have gotten better each week. Brandon thought this look “matched the location” the best, but it was “very Land Before Time.” The other judges have no idea what he’s talking about and they gang up on him, as Geoffrey squeals:

“Get him, girls.”

NANCY

This challenge is Nancy. I mean, most of her looks this season have an element of avant-garde to them; she just needs to get it together, so she isn’t tossing fabric on her model at the last minute.

She’s going sheer, again, and horsehair, a lot of horsehair, again, to make a structured piece that is reminiscent of the Vessel. That’s her idea; nothing more. As she waits for the fabric to speak to her, I think the fabric is shrieking, Pick a f**king idea! And Christian is also worried that she needs to decide where she’s going so time doesn’t get away from her.

“Is it a top? Is it a skirt?”

It’s sheer and horsehair and even her model, DD, wonders what they’ll be wearing down the runway. Nancy has her own pace and her own method, and takes her time—which is not good on the PR—and as she sits at the sewing machine at the end of Day One, she announces:

“I’ve just put my first seam in.”

And Geoffrey, like a good gay soldier, replies:

“Semen?”

Not hardly; he’s the one with the lube.

Nancy chooses her Sheer Genius and Cats of the Urban Jungle looks as second chance looks.

WHAT SHE SAID

I really think the judges are going to get who I am.

WHAT I SAID

I like it but it’s very similar to her Sheer look.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID 

Rachel likes the drama and the movement and can tell it’s inspired by the Vessel; it’s one of her favorites. Elaine loved the architectural and sculptural elements, and now understands who Nancy is as a designer. Karlie notes how similar it is to Nancy’s sheer challenge look, but calls the way it was  manipulated “wearable art.” Nina is “not completely floored by this” and said the head piece looked like a “black cloud;” she says Nancy missed the opportunity to use the light and color of the Vessel to its full potential. She does love that Nancy has a passion for design.

MARQUISE

Marquise is excited for avant-garde because he comes from the ballroom world where fashion is an anything goes kind of thing.

And to that end, he’s making chain link pants, and they are heavy AF. Brittany says they’re too heavy, and Victoria thinks they’re fine; one or both of these women is a saboteur.

Marquise removes some of the chain links from the pants, even though Christian loves the idea. But Christian worries about the cropped jacket with its pointed shoulder detail. He shows Marquise how they look folded over, and Marquise totally agrees.

We do learn that Marquise’s brother was shot in a nightclub, and that he gave Marquise money to go to New York and make his dreams come true. It makes me like Marquise all the more.

He chooses his winning Tuxedo look—but cannot get the hotter-than-hot Taurean Everett back to model—and There’s Only One You design as second looks.

WHAT HE SAID

All of my looks have that masculine-feminine vibe.

WHAT I SAID

I’m sure about the jacket, but I love that pleated shirt.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Brandon calls the pants “really cool” but feels Marquise needed restraint with the coat. Rachel thinks the proportions are “slightly off” while Nina likes it better without the jacket—which she called Tin Man—and said Marquise over-complicates the process. With the jacket removed, the look is so much better, proving that you should listen to Nina. Karlie loves his raw talent, and thinks he’d be great with some mentoring, and both she and Elaine think he could bring a great menswear vibe to the finale.

It’s clear that Butterflies Aren’t Free and aren’t enough to get you to The Tents; Brittany’s out.

Latex, however, is really in this season, and so ids Geoffrey, becoming the first finale designer. Nancy is also in, which was a surprise, and so is Victoria, which is a shock.

Then it boils down to Sergio the Ego and Marquise the Raw Talent. I hope for a Marquise win because his POV would be cool, but in the end, the judges give the last slot to Sergio.

I will be using my Remote-Control Mute button a lot, I think, next week.

I’m glad Brittany is out; I was never really a fan and those damn butterflies really pissed me off this week.

I mad that Marquis is out because he’s adorable, and, most of all, because I love his aesthetic. So many of his pieces I would like to have, and his show would have been edgy and cool.

As for who wins The Tents? Geoffrey, I hope … or Nancy … or Victoria. But please, for the love of Coco Chanel, not Sergio. I won’t be able to stand his self-congratulatory speech.

Shock?  Nancy and her husband met on a golf dating site. Let that sink in …a golf … dating …site. Golf? Dating?

I absolutely love Elaine Welteroth, especially in that glittering mirrorball gown. I love her critiques, and I love her facial expressions that often say more than her critiques. She’s giving Nina a run for her money.

That said, I adore Nina Garcia; I love her eye, I love her snark, I love her side-eye, and her shrugs, and her bowed head and crossed arms that say so much more than all the other judges combined.

I love the Vessel; it’s very cool, very architectural, but, really, it’s stairs.

Note to producers: when Marquise picked his Tuxedo look to show again, y’all should have moved heaven and earth to get Taurean Everett back; and I say that again here so I can post his picture again. Deedles? You’re welcome.

I loved Brandon being scared of heights, going up the stairs and then coming back down! Cute.

LINES OF THE NIGHT

Christian at Mood, on the use of duchess satin:

“I’m gonna cut you all.”

And I think he will.

Brandon, to Elaine, who liked Geoffrey’s look but not Victoria’s:

“I am shocked that a latex panty moved you more than a breast hammock earring.”

Breast hammock!

Brittany, on why she chose such a bold pink:

“It’s the epitome of me … jolting.”

I don’t think she meant it the way I took it.

Next week: home visits, and Sergio’s cooking up something in the bathtub.

Dear Goddess.

What did YOU think?