PR 15, Ep 12: Austin Trippy

Heidi and Tim lead off with a little Cotton-Eyed Joe as they meet the designtestants on the runway, and Heidi is also rocking a Southern accent—she’s nearly as bad at them as Carlos, who thinks is he talks in a higher pitch it’s an accent.

But it’s all in fun because she has a little trip planned for the Final Five ... to Austin, Texas, a town whose motto is ‘Keep Austin Weird.’ So, after a brief montage of planes flying and scenery changing from skyscrapers to farmland, the designers land in Austin and head to ... blatant product placement ... the local Best Western. After checking in, they head out to the pool to meet up with Tim and PR Alum, and very toothy-, Nick Verreos, who explains some mumbo-jumbo about teaming up with Best Western for a new modern sleek hotel that has absolutely nothing to do with the challenge but it does give the show free rooms for cats and crew, I guess.

Tim and Nick tell the designers that they must create a high fashion look inspired by Austin using unconventional materials ... yes, another unconventional challenge ... from Georgetown Farm Supply: America’s Country Store, and from Stubb’s BBQ. And this week’s winner gets 50 ... five-oh as Nick toothfully exclaims ... free nights at Best Western anywhere ... thank you product placement ... and be sent directly to The Tents.

But, as happens in the final episode before fashion week in almost every PR season, there’s a twist. What? Twist? Who? After the designers return to NYC and begin work, Tim tells them that they must also create a second look, a companion piece, for the unconventional look, but it will be made of conventional fabrics.

Let the panic ensue and let’s rip ...

ERIN

Erin goes for the weird, grabbing dried mealworms at the farm store, and then stocking up on sunshades, buttons and guitar pics at the BBQ joint.

She has a plan of creating guitar pic flowers and then adding dried mealworms, spray-painted gold, to the inside for a flower detail; I must admit, it’s very cool and ambitious.

But, while time likes the idea, he finds the simple A-line dress upon which to attach the flowers a bit too basic. Erin scraps that and creates a sort of halter-top for the flowers with a rope belt and flirty little sunshade skirt.

For her more conventional look, Erin picks a hideous pineapple fabric and turns it into a jumpsuit with floppy, too long, too short, sleeves.

WHAT SHE SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

I’m really excited about the worms on my dress.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

I think what I made is awesome.

WHAT I SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

I love the top, though the skirt is nothing special; it does seem kind of top heavy and low-waisted.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

Cheap and ugly. That’s what I got, folks.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL

Zap was wowed by the use of mealworms, and the 3D textured top. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ called the texture incredible and snappy while Heidi did love the top, but wasn’t so fond of the bottom. Guest judge, actress Priyanka Chopra dubbed it a couture piece while Nina thought it was the most bizarre combination she’d ever seen on the PR, but loved it.

CONVENTIONAL

Zac says “a million girls” would wear it, though The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ points out “construction issues.” Heidi loves the hideous print—she always loves a hideous print, she was wearing a hideous print, while Priyanka called it great. Nina, however, was not amused by the pajama-ness of the look and says Erin didn’t push herself.

ROBERI

He is mostly inspired by twine from the farm store—perhaps in hopes of tying Erin’s hands to keep her from The Tents? –and with electronic cords from Stubb’s. He says he wants to create an Anxiety Dress because he loves to knot, macramé, when he’s anxious. The anxiety really sets in because, when told he needs to do a second look, Roberi is nowhere near done with the first.

When Tim sees the knots he wonders about the “modesty factor” but Roberi creates a flesh-toned underpiece for the model so, no ladybits.

Tim also sees that Roberi hasn’t even started the second look—cue anxiety for Tim—and he is in a “mad panic.”

Cue my anxiety. But the Conventional look does get finished, and is a mixture of different fabrics in another swooping motion—kind of reminiscent of last week’s curved metal pieces.

WHAT HE SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

I’m very excited.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

It’s powerful.

WHAT I SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

It’s a work of art ... or an elaborate plant holder.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

I’m amazed at how he mixes patterns and colors, and this look really compares well with the unconventional look.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL

Zac likes its “folkloric” 1970s vibe, while The Beautiful Georgina Chapman calls it magical and beautiful and like a fairy tale, though she hates the exposed belly button; I’m guessing she never designed for Cher ... ? Priyanka calls it a work of art while Heidi said it was a gutsy move to knot an entire dress. Nina loved its organic nature and said his two looks worked the best together.

CONVENTIONAL

Priyanka loved the mix of fabrics, calling it striking, and Heidi said it “read” well. Zac said the seams in the second look mimicked the curving of the knots in the first piece and The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loved the journey of the differing textiles. Nina simply said it was “stellar.”

CORNELIUS

He decided to let his hands think and give his mind a rest, and so his hands selected dog treats and plastic cups.

He first tried spraying the dog teats white, because he said they were looking a little too “moo moo cow” but then he scraps the treats entirely. He’s left with plastic cups ... plastic cups ... every season someone makes a look of plastic cups!

It’s enough! But not for Tim, who tells Cornelius he needs more plastic cup flowers on the dress.

As for his Conventional look, Tim thinks the idea of a jumper-romper ... what’s the difference, I ask you ... is simple and safe because there are plastic flowers to be glued together!

WHAT HE SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

It speaks to my aesthetic.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

I’m excited it’s finished.

WHAT I SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

It speaks to my desire to see no more plastic cups on the PR Unconventional Challenge. EVER!!!

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

This was a winner, sleek and chic and sexy.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL

Heidi loves the texture and says she didn’t know what it was .... PLASTIC CUPS, KLUM!! The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ was amazed by the cups ... Really? ... but thought it was “unresolved” and had more impact while it walked, but turned sad standing still. Nina praised him for taking a chance ... Really, Nina? ... while Zac said it had been done before ... Thank you! ... and looked like a craft project. Priyanka simply said it look unfinished.

CONVENTIONAL

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ dubbed it a “perfect little jumpsuit” and Nina was surprised it came from Cornelius, though she hated that the hair covered up the gold details. Priyanka loved the fit of the jumpsuit, especially from the rear.

LAURENCE

Laurence, slow and steady, picks up leather horse straps, but then, thankfully, sidesteps into birdseed.

She uses the straps, the seeds, some ropes, a few napkins to create a flirty Little Birdseed Dress, or LBD. Then, in a great leap outside her comfort zone, she opts for a Gulden’s Brown Mustard fabric for her conventional look and I will give her props for staying away from the black.

Tim isn’t a fan of the muslin inside the skirt pleats and Laurence fixes that by adding napkins dyed a blue-gray; he is happy with the Conventional piece because it’s safe and she needs to focus on Feeding The Birds.

WHAT SHE SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

I never thought about high fashion like that before.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

It’s just all right.

WHAT I SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

I think the bluish napkins inside the pleats take it from being too monotone and make it much better.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

I love the slinkiness of it, and the sexy back.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL

Nina called it “extraordinary” and loved that Laurence did something surprising. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loved its sweet and naughty quality and called it wonderful. Priyanka thought it unbelievable that it was birdseed and harnesses, while Zac called it successful if a bit of a costume ... there was a bad comment ... Xena The Warrior Birdseed ... that fell flat. Heidi loved it but saw a dirndl and wanted a beer; she also felt the skirt was messy.

CONVENTIONAL

Nina loved the sexy back and felt the look paired well with the showstopper Birdseed Dress, while The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ was having difficulty with the color. Priyanka, however, called it chic and fun, but Zac dubbed it boring. Heidi was also bored, but mostly by the “poopy” color.

RIK

Again, Rik is adorable and just seems so nice; there, I said it again.

At Georgetown Farm Supply, Rik also went for leather harnesses—perhaps he’s also kinky—and at Stubb’s he picked vinyl records and guitar straps and cowboy boots.

His unconventional look will be black—Rik is kind of Goth like that and I wish he’d step away from an all-black look—with broken bits of records for shine, and harnesses on the shoulders and in back.

Rik also works fats and when Tim comes by he has his two looks nearly done. But ... Tim calls the conventional look “country bumpkin” and so Rik reworks it a little, and then starts to distress it a little to give it some edge.

WHAT HE SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

I’m really excites, it’s very polished.

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

It may be a little too young. I’m nervous.

WHAT I SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL LOOK

It’s pretty but is it enough? 

CONVENTIONAL LOOK

The shredded pieces, especially the one on the back, seem off; plus, it’s just so safe.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

UNCONVENTIONAL

Priyanka loves it, loves the back and calls it edgy and sexy and dangerous and epic. Zac loves the shine of the broken records, but laments that the bottom—made up of dog leashes and guitar straps—look too much like a Leger bandage dress. He does say it’s impeccably crafted. Nina said it was so perfect it almost lacked humor; I didn’t get that, but Rik nodded, so who am I to take on Nina? The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ called it beautifully executed but thought the dog leashes on the bodice brought it down. Heidi was also amazed that Rik’s unconventional looks always look like they’re ready to be sold at any store.

CONVENTIONAL

Zac thought it lacked personality and Nina thought it looked unfinished. Heidi said it wasn’t memorable, and The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ thought it was panicked.

Clearly Roberi would win, because his two looks were both fantastic and different and yet worked well as companion pieces.

Roberi heads to The Tents. He is followed by Erin—who clearly thought she should win—and Laurence.

That leaves Sweet Rik and Cornelius in The Bottom. I told Carlos I would throw a shoe at the TV if Rik was Auf’d and, well, we’ve had a lot of car repairs this week, so a new TV would be out.

Luckily, Rik is safe, and Cornelius gets sent home.

Enough with the unconventional challenges. I know people like them but if I see one more dress made out of plastic cups or seeds or napkins, I’m’a go Elvis on the TV and throw a fried banana sammich at it.

LINES OF THE NIGHT:

Erin:

“I won the last two unconventional challenges, so I’m really hoping to win this. Make it a trifecta of unconventiality.”

Unconventiality? Not.A.Word.  

Roberi:

“Cornelius is buying an insane amount of dog treats. I don’t know what he’s going to do with that ... maybe a soup?”

Soup might have been a good choice for his last meal? Too soon?

Roberi:

“Tim, we’re wondering if you want to have a skinny dip with us?”

Tim:

“I don’t think you want to see Grandpa.”

Is that what he calls Little Tim?

So, Roberi, Erin, Rik and Laurence will be at The Tents. And, while I find Rik just so darn sweet and cute, I’d probably be happy with anyone winning the show—though, maybe, maybe, not Erin because she thinks she should win.

Still, Roberi has the edge going into it ....

What did YOU think?