Friday, October 28, 2016

PR 15 Ep 7: Bungle In The Jungle

The PR is always about product placement, with Sally Beauty and Mary Kay and JustFab this season, and booze and cars and Broadway in seasons past, but this week really jumped the shark.

The designers are told by Heidi that they seem tired so she sends them on vacation — presumably a three-hour vacation — Universal Orlando Resort where they will meet Tim and Mike West, Director/Executive Producer of Universal Creative, and then ride Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

Why Skull island? Death-wear? Autospy avant-garde? King Kong? Clothes for apes.

Nope, they’re at Universal because Universal produces Project Runway and they need some free ad dollars for the Skull Island ride and the upcoming Volcano Bay water-park and so, yeah, fashion it is! Luckily, they have Tim Gunn who makes these cheesy challenges seem legit: he says that the jungle surrounding Skull Island reminds him of another jungle – the urban jungle — and so the designtestants will, in one day and with $200, take some of Skull Island and turn it into urban street wear.

Yeah, even for Tim that was a stretch so let’s rip …
THE SAFES
Clockwise from top left
JENNI Meh; a stringy crop top and stringy pants.

MAH-JING Um, Mah? May I call you Mah? This is a cocktail dress worn under a jacket stolen from Lost and Found.

RIK Loved the punk edge to it, though it wasn’t very jungle-inspired.

ROBERI This was more Jungle Loungewear … like what Kong would don after a hard day of terrorizing the natives and he’d gone back to his suite at the Days Inn.
THE BOTTOMS
CORNELIUS
I don’t “get” him’ he didn’t channel one bit of Skull Island or King Kong into his look, which was basically an urban hip-hop-hot-mess: blue-and-black-denim-drop-crotch-patchwork-pants — and yes, even typing all that is proof as to how overworked this was — topped off by a last-minute-made-boob-baring-halter-top.

But hey, Corny thought the pop of yellow as a safe bet because, while Tim was  worried that Cornelius’ ‘street’ was a little too Broadway, he pushed him to use yellow because, he says, the judges like yellow … and they do, but not in some two-minute sewn hodgepodge looking mess.

WHAT HE SAID
I’m loving my pants.

WHAT I SAID
It’s awful. The pants are a mess and the top is about the worst thing I’ve ever seen a designer make.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Heidi said it looked like a school project from someone who can’t sew; the top was too big, the pants too baggy, the patches too bad … it was an eyesore. Guest Judge, actress Carly Mr. Robot Chaikin agreed that the top was bad and said the whole look was not her style; she added that, even with more time, say, a week, this still would have been a miss. Fellow Guest Judge, designer and Project Runway: Fashion Start-up investor, Rebecca Minkoff said she liked it … from the knees down! Zac Posen —not so adorable any more — called it sloppy, ill-fitting, uninspired and the less said about the top, the better. Nina gave him credit for having an idea but kicked him in the teeth for his horrid execution.
BRIK
Brik went stripes because, well, something about 4-D, 3-D and zebras, and then paired it with a slab of vinyl tribal fabric. It screamed mess, but at least Brik went for it.

Tim sees the inspiration, but worries that the top print might be too much and that Brik should reconsider his design lest it become too busy … wackadoo Twilight Zone Zebra prints and stained glass tribal vinyl too busy? Go on!

WHAT HE SAID
I’ve created something that is very different.

WHAT I SAID
I must have awful taste because I quite liked the mix of prints and it was very urban jungle.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Rebecca said it looked like the model got dressed in the dark and that it was all too much, but she gave Brik points for execution. Heidi, however, said the hard work didn’t pay off because the fabric choices were bad. When Carly asked the model if she felt good in the look, the model giggled—which I think sealed the deal—and Carly added that she liked the pants but paired with the top it was all too much. Zac shrugged, sighed and winced a little and called it annoying. Nina pointed out the zebra-esque print gave the model a wide ass and that’s never good. She then says she’d wished he was more considerate of his ideas and that it all felt unplanned … Brik said it was and, well, maybe that helped seal the deal too.
ERIN
After being in the bottom last week Erin goes back to embellishments and embroidery this time because that’s what will secure her a win … not design or style or execution, but some little raffia-looking splotches on a pair of shorts she took nine hours to make.

And that caused concern for Tim because, again, Erin admitted she’d have nothing for her model to try on until runway day, and then only the shorts because the shirt was patched together in the last couple of seconds.

WHAT SHE SAID
It doesn’t look terrible.

WHAT I SAID
Uh, yeah; it does. And then Carlos asked, ‘Who puked up the pasta?’

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Zac appreciated the ‘thought’ that went into the design, but added that the model must have gotten sick on the ride. He called the badly sewn shoulders a miss. Rebecca noted the bad construction and the wee bales of hay on the shorts, while Carly said the top was a cool idea even if it didn’t fit. Heidi also said the top was ‘okay,’ but was stunned that the shorts took the entire day to make because, well, moss and throw-up. Nina said, “I’m disappointed,” and the security rushed out to surround Erin before Nina could get out of her chair: Rule One of PR: Don’t disappoint or bore Nina! She said there were a lot of ideas but that Erin got lost and maybe that’s why the model was wearing the top backwards? She finished by calling it immature, saying embroidery was Erin’s crutch and, finally, security left the building.
THE TOPS
LAURENCE
While at Mood Laurence lamented that people call her the “leather designer” and so this week she’ll avoid cow hide … and then scoops up some red leather.

But this is Laurence, who doesn’t say much, with her voice; she lets her ideas and skills speak for her. And so she makes a bomber jacket in a Michael Jackson red and then some not-so-dropped-crotch khakis. Tim loves the jacket — though he worried Heidi would say it was already out there, until Laurence mentioned it would have more details — and liked the use of the khaki fabric.

WHAT SHE SAID
I’m loving it, except I am bothered by the crotch.

WHAT I SAID
It was kinda masculine down there.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Nina gave it a ‘wow,’ and said she loved Laurence’s intelligent POV; she wanted the jacket, then she wanted the pants. Zac called it ‘Kong-tastic’ — kill him now — and polished and precise and poised and fierce and chic and safari; but he wasn’t a fan of the boy crotch. Carly said the jacket was unbelievable and Heidi loved all of it, saying she wanted to be that girl.  
DEXTER
Dexter is tired of being safe and wants to show the judges his ‘real’ side and so he’s creating a jacket with an exaggerated round shoulder detail that looks a little familiar. And he’s going literal with some gorilla buttons and some green safari fabrics.

During Tim’s crit, Dexter wonders what the judges will say if he steps way out of the box and Tim suggests he run with it, but be prepared for the dreaded ‘costume’ comeback.

WHAT HE SAID
Ooh, I’m so excited; it’s so extreme and fun.

WHAT I SAID
And a little bit Minnie Mouse Goes To Kenya.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Nina loved the idea and the attitude, and the hair and the jewelry and the shoes and the buttons; she called it strong and disruptive and editorial. Zac, though, said it wasn’t disruptive — and I thought security would be brought out again to save Zac from The Wrath of Nina — and said it was a look from the wrong theme park ::: cough Disney cough ::: and hated the fit of the shorts. Heidi also didn’t like it, but said it was memorable though kinda ‘try hard’; she did not want to be that girl. Carly called it interesting and she loved the shorts and the gloves that Dexter made, while Rebecca noticed the uneven shoulder-ears and said it bordered on an avant-garde costume.
NATHALIA
She went bats this week, but in a good way. She left the jungle and the apes and the 3-D for everyone else and found that the bats on the ride were inspiring enough to create a jacket with oversized dolman sleeves, a crop top and some slouchy pants.

But, she also missed big time when she grabbed some King Kong faux fur to line the jacket; luckily Tim snatched that idea from her hands and head and suggested the jacket would look more modern if it was shorter and less heavy.

WHAT SHE SAID
I’m so happy that it looks like my vision.

WHAT I SAID
I’m so happy that she listened to Tim because faux-fur gets you Auf’d more often than not.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Heidi loved it, wanted it, wanted to be that girl—that may be Heidi’s new tagline since she used it, or a more negative variation, at least three times last night—and loved the cool easy vibe of it all. Carly also wanted the look and called the jacket amazing and effortlessly chic. Zac called it impeccable and perfect and loved the more muted safari colors. Nina praised the volume of the coat though she worried the pants might be too long and Rebecca called it fashion forward and accessible.
It was clear that since Nathalia really stepped it up this week she would be the winner … until Heidi gave the top spot to Laurence.

It was also clear that Cornelius would be going home for his badly executed, badly designed, piece of sh— … until Heidi said Brik was Auf’d.
Cornelius should have gone home because when does a badly sewn school project that doesn’t fit beat out something that, while the judges didn’t like the fabric choices, was at least well-made? And since when don’t the judges like mixing patterns and textiles; in seasons past we’ve seen people take the top prize because they mix patterns. Maybe I’m just pissed that Man Bun and Sweetheart Brik is gone and Back-bashing Cornelius is still there.

Yeah that could be it.

Line of the Night belonged to Jenni, who bragged about her style and then realized something:
“Street wear is the epitome of my existence so hopefully I’m going to crush this … I don’t know … either way I’m gonna be here next week, guys. I have immunity.”
Second Place Line of the Night goes to Dexter who, while shopping at Mood said:
“I hope there’s not one designer who gets fake gorilla fur because that would just be too literal.”
Cut to Nathalia:
“I want to line my jacket with fur to give it a little King Kong.”
I loved Laurence’s pronunciation of ‘bomber jacket’ because, for her, the second ‘b’ isn’t silent! I love Laurence’ silence in the workroom; she’s head down and get it done; and I love her simple acceptance when she wins … no falling to the ground, no tears, no shade.

And so, Laurence should be at The Tents, along with Rik — mostly because of the Adorability Factor™  along with maybe Dexter and Erin, if she quits with the one-trick-pony-ness of embellishments and embroidery. I don’t see Mah-Jing or Jenni or Roberi getting to the end; Roberi started strong but he’s Middle of the Pack now and Jenni only won the week she kinda borrowed another designer’s idea. Cornelius will stay a bit longer for the Bitch Edit and Nathalia will stay a while because she redeemed herself this week, but a show at The Tents for these two seems like a long shot.

Next week, more teamwork and, apparently Dexter and Erin go mean Girl on Cornelius?

What did YOU think?



5 comments:

  1. You've got to wonder how far afield they will take their sponsorships?
    The hay bits!! Seeing Laurence winning the tents.

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  2. Anonymous5:29 PM

    How, oh how, did that hideous creation of Cornelius' beat out Brik's? RIGGED!!! I didn't even like the sketch of Dexter's outfit. I've spent a lot of time cutting shoulder pads out of my clothes, so why would I want to wear them on the outside. Mickey Mouse ears are only cute on Mickey Mouse!

    Deedles

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  3. I'm going to miss Brik. I'm really going to miss Brik.
    Did I say I'm going to miss Brik?

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  4. This is Bungle in the Jungle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJhAyg2LTEk blow Skull Island

    ReplyDelete
  5. Corny not long for this world. He'll be out in the next episode or two.

    ReplyDelete

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