PR 18 Ep 13: The Beginning of the End

As we begin the beginning of the end, it’s three months after the last runway and Christian is running around the country like a fool …well. He crossed the country and then came back; still, he travelled.

The designers had $10,000 and five months total to create their collections for Fashion Week. Five months and 10K? I could’a done something Fashion Week worthy with all that cash in five months; well, maybe there would have been a lot of glued pieces and stapled thing, but still …

And then another two months pass and they arrive back in La Grande Apple, where Karlie Kloss meets them in the workroom … with a twist: the designtestants will show the judges three looks from their collections; they can show their best, their favorites, or anything they might want critiqued. And after that last runway the judges will decide if all four show at Fashion Week …or maybe just three …or maybe just two.

This could get painful; let’s rip …

NANCY

First stop is Nancy in Philadelphia. There’s a huuuge lion’s head door knocker that looks like it might have Christian for dinner, but more importantly we learn that Nancy has some coins because her studio is in a separate apartment right next door to her home.

Nancy is organized beyond belief, which is shocking when you consider how she worked all season, and always seemed to be a last minute kinda gal. There are  compartments and spreadsheets and calendars and … a life-size cutout of Christian that says: "Amazing!" I.Love.It.

Nancy wants to do an all-inclusive—she’s designing another look with a wheelchair-user in mind—zero-waste wearable art with a lot of liquid-look fabrics. Christian likes the fabrics and silhouettes, but wants her to pay attention to the fit, and avoid going overboard. He thinks she needs a more streamlined piece, that’s well executed.

Best part of all is that Nancy lives right next door to the “Rocky” steps in Philadelphia, so she asks Christian to run them with her … and he does!

In New York, Nancy opts to wow the judges with her three looks; she’ll show her wheelchair look, one of her liquid fabric looks, and a very tailored suit in a bold print.

And a bag to hold a box of wine. Goddess, she is too much, and too much fun.

WHAT SHE SAID

I love the wonderful fantasy skirt and the dramatic transition from skirt to cape. Pure beauty. I love the tailored suit. It’s one of my strongest pieces. And the fabric [on DD’s dress] is magical.

WHAT I SAID

I like the adaptable look but felt her first attempt during the season was more effective. I love the suit; who knew Nancy could tailor? And DD’s dress is stunning, but I’m kinda over the neck wraps.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Elaine thinks the styling could be more modern, especially on the second look; it does read a little “head for business bod for sin,” and that ain’t good. Steven Kolb, president and chief executive officer of the Council of Fashion Designers of America [CFDA], likes the adaptability look, but thinks the skirt needs work. Nina loves the fitted suit—who knew Nancy could tailor—but is worried that the bold print is too much for that one look. Brandon loves the wine purse, though he thought it looked like a bird, and no one liked like the “tamale wrapper” around DD’s neck; when it comes off, they like the look a lot better.

SERGIO

As we—and Christian—meet up with Sergio in New York, we learn that Sergio’s newest political theme is global warming and the melting of the ice caps; and he will show this by doing looks progressing from frozen white ice to melted dark blue ocean waters.

Okurrrr? I’m not seeing it, and when we learn that Sergio is “growing” his own leather in the guest, er, cat’s bathtub, I’m glad I can’t smell it. I did, however, see it, and it looked a little like a decomposing body in the tub.

Just sayin’. Christian likes the melting ice color palette—though the leather is making him ill …literally—but thinks some of the fringe details make it all seem a little more “saloon girl” and less glacier. But, as happens with Sergio, he won’t listen to Christian—or will he? …

“I’m going to probably stick to my guns.”

Guns? Westerns? Six-shooters? I’m sensing a new political theme: Westworld is real!

After the critique, Sergio takes Christian to soccer practice where Christian notes the hot guys and then goes for a scone instead. To be fair, Sergio had promised boys in short shorts, but they were all in leggings because it’s cold, so I’d have sat down with a pastry and cocoa.

And then he’s back in NYC and, wait, what? Sergio didn’t just ignore Christian’s remarks about the fringe, he went and fringed up a lot of stuff. He took what Christian said was wrong and kinda costume-y and worked it in everywhere; Victorian saloon girl meets global warming? Huh? What?

His three pieces to show the judges include some negligee looking thing that was so sheer the model’s underwear was showing through, some Annie Oakley looking cowgirl dress with fringe and a flirty skirt, and a dress that weighs about fifty pounds due to what looks like mirrors and about a thousand miles of fringe.

WHAT HE SAID

I feel like I have a very clear point-of-view in this collection. I put my heart and soul into every single look [and] it has the weight of the world on the collection and something that needs to be talked about.

WHAT I SAID

He said the first look was solid like ice, but it’s sheer and nekkid? And the second look is very saloon girl and how does that play with melting ice caps. Now, that last look is gorgeous, but again … global warming?

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Steven Kolb doesn’t think the global warming theme comes through in the clothes; but then Sergio’s political messages never do. Elaine tells  Sergio to stop bouncing around between political themes and pick one and do it consistently; she does love the ethereal first but calls it too sheer and lingerie. Nina thinks the three garments are “gorgeous,” but calls the styling “dated;” she adds that she doesn’t know many women who are looking for these kinds of designs. Brandon bluntly tells  Sergio that he needs to “f*ck it up,” and to edit; don’t show every technique he knows on all of his looks. Karlie agrees, telling Sergio to “reel it in.”

VICTORIA

Christian travels to Los Angeles to meet Victoria; he clearly doesn’t know LA because he arrives in a leather coat and pants; oy!

Victoria has made a lot of progress on her collection; she’s using traditional Moldovan patterns and has created her own logo. That last bit has Christian worried because, who is she and why would anyone want her logo on their clothes? He’s also worried at how little cohesion there is between her looks. He tells her she needs to simplify her looks and maybe lose twenty or thirty of the accessories she’s created.

And then we meet Victoria’s husband, ex-soccer player and current beefcake truck driver, Dan, and their son, Christian, who is none too thrilled with Christian. Dan left a successful soccer career to move to the US with Victoria, so winning the show would mean Dan could quit his job and they could keep the family together.

It was sweet; and Dan has some killer legs.

Anyway, back in NYC, Victoria has revised most of her designs, but she’s still giving hats and gloves and purses on every look; and that damned logo … KHEOPS … is still there.

WHAT SHE SAID

I think my embroidered blouse and pleated pant is my strongest look. And the tan pant suit is very Victoria.

WHAT I SAID

You may not get the reference, but the tan suits seem very Beverly Hillbillies Miss Jane Hathaway to me; but I love that fuchsia coat. And that hood on the sequined piece is kinda White Supremacist Oscars, or something.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Nina is worried about the colors … it’s a lot of beige … and the fit; though she thinks Vitoria was smart to do separates, she urges her to tailor some pieces, like the lopsided cropped jacket. Elaine thinks the glittery jumpsuit looks cheap and needs to fit better. Steven Kolb likes the crocheted caps and thinks they should be Victoria’s signature. Brandon feels Victoria’s branding is premature for her in her career. Karlie is unimpressed and thinks the handbags are unnecessary.

GEOFFREY

Last stop is Geoffrey, in Brooklyn, and he’s a mess, which is kind of expected.

During the 3 months off, he tore his meniscus while skateboarding, and broke up with his partner. He even took another job while recovering from his injury — working with Zaldy to do “The Little Mermaid Live” costumes, so he has sketches and ideas—lots and lots of ideas—but very little done.

Christian points out that he has really only just begun, and asks Geoffrey who will wear his looks; who will buy them? Christian and Geoffrey talk through his ideas and then Geoffrey says:

"I definitely took Christian's advice to heart—everything he said—which was 'get to work.' So, I got to work."

Um, yeah, I said that, too, Geoffrey!

Back in NYC, nerves still frayed, voice still quivering, Geoffrey does  stand up for himself and demands he get Thijin as one of his models. But that was his only decision; he has no idea how to decide which three looks to show and keeps changing garments on his models.

Christian wants to see Geoffrey first because he hasn’t seen anything from his collection yet and he’s shocked that Geoffrey hasn’t tried any of his looks on real people.  And then there’s the dress with sleeves hanging everywhere, including from a breast. That worries me. As does all the puffer coats that he’s stuffing with feathers in the workroom.

He’s planning on showing two very similar puffer looks, and one look that, to me, feels like the model’s blouse has popped open. It’s all different, but is it too different?

WHAT HE SAID

I definitely pride myself in my design aesthetic. I pride myself of staying off of trends. I go big, bold and loud. These looks represent me as a designer.

 WHAT I SAID

Thijin has a hot body and can slay a runway, but he covered her in fabrics. And that second look? I feel like the top is splitting open and some beast action is about to occur. The third look? Yeah …I’m kinda feeling it… even the dick pants.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Brandon thinks he needs to work on how to better showcase metal mesh, a hard fabric to use, and says Geoffrey’s looks are cheap and overdone; he likes the tops, but feels like the bottom halves don’t measure up, literally and figuratively. Nina thinks Thijin’s puffer jacket needs to open into something beautiful and slinky. Elaine loved the giant mustard puffer with the  octopus pants but calls the black dress “shapeless” and “not flattering on her body.” Steven Kolb agrees there’s not enough shape or sexiness in his looks.

The judge’s critique and then tell the designtestants that perhaps not all will show at Fashion Week.

As Karlie prepares to deliver the news, we get …

TO BE CONTINUED…

I loved Christian Siriano’s fashion show. I love that he designs all sizes because U remember him in his season being upset at designing for bigger models; he’s evolved. And I loved that he showed menswear, too.

After speaking with Christian in New York, I loved Nancy getting choked up because Christian liked her work; and I loved Geoffrey hugging her. Sweet.

I loved Victoria asking about “khaki” and pronouncing it “cocky,” and then saying to Sergio that cocky is what everyone thought about him.

That said, I was pleasantly surprised that Sergio was less of an ass; perhaps seeing himself on TV and hearing the shiz that fell from his lips week after week, may have taught him a lesson.

What happened to Brandon’s retro black framed nerd glasses? I did not like this new pair!

LINES OF THE NIGHT

Nancy, on Sergio being cocky:

“I think he’s been misunderstood … [sigh] … Yes, he has said some crazy things.”

Nancy should work at the UN.

Christian, to Sergio, and his leather body:

“I would like to look at clothes and not organisms.”

Never mind the smell.

Christian, walking in LA:

“What a lovely day in California. We’re outside with the wilderness…[swats away a piece of dander] … Wilderness.”

He’s such a city queen!

Geoffrey, on his accident:

“It got me seats on the subway.”

Always look for the silver lining.

Christian wearing Geoffrey’s gigantic puffer coat was the height of hilarity; he looked like an enormous blueberry.

And after seeing all their homes, I wanna be an untapped designer with a fabulous workspace. I mean, Nancy’s next door office! Sergio’s loft! Victoria’s backyard cottage workroom! Even Geoffrey’s Brooklyn walkup would be nice.

And Nancy, the mom, vacuuming the workroom to keep it clean of Geoffrey’s feathers.

So, The Tents. I think Nancy and Sergio, for sure, with maybe a spot for Geoffrey. But I think Victoria’s looks may have done her in unless the whole thing was cooked up by the producers and they all four show.

Who do YOU think will show next week?