This week’s challenge is introduced as the Mary Kay makeup challenge. I can’t help but think this will be a lackluster episode, but I was very pleasantly surprised! They get to use NYC as their inspiration, which is great, but it could prove problematic. I could see it becoming overwhelming for our hapless designers.
Luckily they are reined in by the instructions to take a classic piece and modernize it. Perfect! A broad inspiration with a specific goaL. As a designer I think that these are the best challenges. When the inspiration is too narrow you can feel stuck and the contestants can end up having too many similarities to other designers. Conversely, when the inspiration is too broad it can feel overwhelming and sometimes hard to narrow down. Tim also mentions that the designers will receive $5,000 from Mary Kay. Awesome! Come on big money…
The next station is Mood, surprisingly the first time this season! They make some quick fabric selections and it’s back to the workroom. Upon return everyone freaks out because Blake can’t tell time. He mixed up the minute and hour hand. Who cares?! The designers are so under-slept and over-stressed that I can see myself mixing it up as well! Time to chill out!
Tim quickly comes in for the first critique. Amanda, understandably after being in the bottom two times in a row, is feeling very stressed out. After Tim’s critique she is feeling more energized and confident. These are the critiques from Tim that I really like to see. Because he is so talented at what he does and it is so very difficult being a designer on the show, that little bit of encouragement makes all the difference to a contestant.
Blake – Interesting design, especially the back, but the construction is really bad and distracts from the overall look of the garment.
Kelly – While this look is very NYC, it all looks a little “been there, done that,” and not especially creative. That said, I would have loved seeing the top made into a dress.
Joseph – I love this look. Even though it is a classic design, there are so many interesting details in the stitching. Plus, it fits her beautifully. Add to that, with it being the Mary Kay challenge, her make up shines. The model looks completely amazing.
Lindsey – Oh man, I am not a fan. I do not like the combination of colors or materials. Also the jacket looks store bought and the skirt length seems completely off. Next…
Ashley – I love this look as well. It’s beautifully constructed, the color palette is really beautiful, it looks very Park Avenue and in sync with the inspiration. Well done.
Laurie – While I certainly applaud her boldness, I do not think that this look is very modern at all. Maybe the jacket would have translated better if it would’ve been made of an interesting material or different color than white.
Jake – This is a very simple look, which is needed for the fabrication. I think the idea is interesting, but I would have really made the number nine (I think that’s what it is) stand out a little bit more. The dress needed to be longer, and I think he could’ve done something a little more interesting with the neckline.
Amanda – This is probably one of my least favorite looks. The model looks pregnant, which is pretty hard to do with this group of models. The fabrication looks completely anti-New York. I don’t see a whole lot working for the dress. Fail.
Swapnil – There are certainly some interesting ideas going on with the dress, but it is way too short and looks somewhat overworked. I do think it could’ve been a really beautiful idea, if it had been simplified and elongated though.
Merline – I love the jacket. I think it’s really unique and something I would definitely see on the streets of New York. I also like how even though she kept the top and bottom simple she used extremely interesting fabrics. This is definitely a top look for me.
Gabrielle – It’s unfortunate that this look had to come out after Merline’s. The jacket is not successful and the dress looks ill-made. The color palette is boring, and this dress belongs in the bottom.
Candice – The jacket is not as exciting as it looked in the initial critique. The dress definitely looks amazing and is fit to perfection, but all is overshadowed by the lack of an interesting design.
Edmond – I love the jacket and find it to be really interesting in both fabrication and fit. But I think he could’ve done something a with little bit more style underneath. With the stomach showing and the super short skirt, it just cheapens the overall look little.
So once again I am at odds with the winner: Blake. I’m keeping my streak up, for I thought Merline was a winner this week. I can’t argue with Gabrielle being sent home though.
