Last week, we saw the demise of Fallene – the pixie-ish ginger, simply seemed to completely lose focus. See my predictions here - this seems to be the first one to really come true. Well, except for my prediction about Laura being the bitch of the show… spot on! What is it about chicks named Laura being bitches??? Season 3? Anyone?
On to this week – Bryce observes that he needs to Bring It, because he’s seriously on the bubble. Yes, Bryce, that is correct – you know you can do better than this. This week’s challenge is one of those “Design for a Client” challenges… and it’s for Nina Garcia – The Colombiana Crusher. She starts out with a litany of things she doesn’t like – she doesn’t like voluminous, she doesn’t like pleats, etc. etc. etc. She’s a tiny little lady, why you gonna try putting her in a balloon skirt anyway? Becky is frightened because she’s “alternative”… yes, she referred to herself as “alternative” – when I hear someone refer to themselves as such, it sounds the same as hearing someone say that they’re edgy… it’s rarely an accurate description. Usually it’s more of a desired perception… The prize for winning is kinda rad – an ad featured on New York cabs with Nina wearing your design. That’s some pretty high-stakes business, there!
Designers are off to sketch, and get to present their sketches to Nina for review before they even shop – which they should use to their advantage. There’s a lot of fear in that room…
More after the jump…
Sketch reviews begin… Anya goes first, Nina questions her ability to make a jumpsuit. She hates Bryce’s cowl idea. She wonders if Josh M has a “plan B” at all. Kimberly’s developed a reputation for her awesome pants, and that’s what Nina wants… much to Kimberly’s chagrin. Nina calls out Cecelia for her “Dynasty” design… and judging solely by the sketch, it’s looking very huge shoulder padded Joan Collins-y.
Back from commercial, and Nina is still shredding Cecelia’s idea. Designers are off to Mood, where they fumble and cry. Anya is pulling some fugly gold situation that she’s going to need to modify a WHOLE lot. Danielle is looking for an olive green, and ends up with Kelly green. Seriously, those are wildly different ideas working there. Becky and Anthony have managed to pull the exact same fabric – an appaloosa-type print that’s wayyyy too distinct to not be noticeably the same.
Anya and her awful gold fabric...
Back to the workroom, and they start cutting – Nina turns up in the workroom – excitement and fear is palpable. Danielle’s design looks like a leprechaun pooped. Seriously, Kelly green only works on someone who is 7 or 70. Nina is neither. Through the magic of TV editing, Nina is being shown as the tough, decisive super executive that she is. But according to what we’re seeing, Nina is hating on pretty much everything, but we do learn that she doesn’t wear a bra… hard to explain, it’s all in the context. We’re back to Cecelia, who seems to have a bullseye on her this whole episode. She does have this plain grey satin? shantung perhaps? and this odd ochre-ish color fabric to resolve, and it really isn’t looking good for her.
And, another prize is added! An editorial spread in Marie Claire! That’s some bigness right there!
Work goes on, and LOTS of red herrings. PR used to be almost predictable in that whoever got a lot of camera time would invariably be the winner and/or the loser for that episode. Anthony gets a call home – please don’t let this be a bad omen… he’s actually really growing on me! Models come in for fittings, and Julie is hurting for time… lots of roughness up in here!
Morning comes, and Tim goes in to deliver the “Almost time!” speech to the workroom to find it EMPTY! because everyone is in the sewing room STILL PUTTING THEIR SHIT TOGETHER!!! WTF?
Last minute workings – Anya and Julie still don’t even have their stuff done. Cecelia just gave up, accepting that she’s in the bottom. And seriously she should be… damn. Julie isn’t done yet, so Cecelia helps her out. Of course, she’s helping by criticizing her seaming. Meanwhile Julie is gluing a hem. Damn. Anya is also racing against the clock, because she lost a lot of time dying that GOD AWFUL gold fabric! So she has unfinished hems… oh wait, it doesn’t even have a collar! Jesus lady, get it in gear. Tim summons them to the Runway… with no one following because they’re still throwing their shit together.
On to the Runway! Joanna Coles (that’s Nina Garcia’s boss at Marie Claire, and she makes Nina look like a girl scout – seriously, tough chick. I love her…) Michael Kors has clearly given up on the heavy bronzer, and inexplicably, Kerry Washington who is GORGEOUS is also on the judgement panel.
Runway notes:
Josh M’s piece looks like Mork’s spacesuit.
Bert’s piece is BORING. AGAIN! A little black dress… that’s it. Blah!
Olivier’s outfit looks awful – it needs pressed. And he needs to get over his allergy to color.
Anthony Ryan did an awesome top with the duplicated fabric, but the skirt is awful.
Becky is immediately after with “that” fabric, and I think Becky owns that one. Much better execution…
Kimberly’s piece is weird, but ultimately VERY editorial… the top is sparkly gold and asymmetrical. Not my fave.
Cecelia’s is… just bad. Looks like student work.
Anya’s jumpsuit with the dyed fabric really worked out. I gotta wonder if that’s because Laura helped…
Danielle reeled in the green, but that kelly green top is WAYYY too old for Nina Garcia.
Julie’s coat-dress COULD have been cool… but it wasn’t.
Bryce’s dress is cute except for the HORRIBLE HEM!!! WTF? DId you staple it?
Laura’s Christmas Green monstrosity is just garish. The gather at the waist is fucked up.
Viktor’s little black dress is really kinda chic. Dull in the styling, but the structured, architectural dress is pretty cool.
Top, bottom and middles are separated. Here goes adjudication… on the top?
Viktor - They love it! Love the architecture, and love that he did an innovative turn on the LBD.
Kimberly - Also loved! It was sure that the metallic gold would get called out as garish, but they dig!
Anya - her dying the fabric saved her ass. And having help putting it together certainly helped.
Danielle - she's boring, and so is her outfit. She LOVES sheer fabric, and isn't good at anything else. Michael Kors calls her "pedestrian". 'Nuf said.
Julie - Joanna says that if Nina wore it, she'd fire her. I'd fire her.
Cecelia - She pretty much concedes that she just gave up.
Winner? KIMBERLY! Okay, I can see it. Not my first choice, but Nina looks pretty good in the outfit, I suppose.
Headed home? Julie… not surprising. Although with Cecelia’s whole “fuck it” attitude there toward the end, I would have laid money on her being out the door.
Next week seems to be a team challenge wherein lots of snapping at each other happens, designers are made to run on a track against one another, at which point Olivier bites the ground hard. I suspect PE was not his strongest subject in school.
Keep an eye out on Lifetime if you’ve been missing episodes! Or, visit Lifetime’s website for details!
