Season 15 woohoo! Clearly the producers agree with my excitement because the designers walk into a serious party. Moet is flowing, there are balloons and a serious food spread. We are also getting to meet the designers. My first thought is, “WOW! How in the world is Laurence 41 years old?!” The second thought is, “OMG… Jenni’s laugh…”
Then they really throw a surprise at us. They make the first challenge an unconventional challenge. Really? Now? I knew things were too good to be true with the too welcoming reception for the designers. Also from the way the designers are ripping up the room, methinks that there is going to be a lot of drama this season. Have we ever seen a designer rip something out of another designer’s hand? Plus, is anyone else surprised that more designers are not taking the balloons? The latex could be a great material to work with on this challenge!
Boy! What a nice welcome at the workroom! There are plenty of threads in all different colors, materials and muslin. Although the last material worries me a little bit when I see Brik making an entire pant out of them. Yes, he is covering the pant in glitter. (Although, hello?! Wouldn’t you wait to add the glitter until after constructed?) But that doesn’t take away the fact they they are going to be constructed entirely out of a conventional material, the muslin. Conversely, I am really excited about Roberi’s design and the way he is using the materials.
Tim comes around and starts his critique. Surprisingly, he totally disagrees with my assessment of Brik, although in general he is very positive with all the designers. He thinks that Ian need to go a little more OTT, and while I like the simplicity, I do agree that it needs to look a little more finished. Ian does not agree. Tasha seems to be in a little bit of trouble, but I like her calm attitude and I think she will pull it together. Erin also has the same relaxed attitude and this definitely seems to perplex Tim!
I do see potential in Dexter’s design, but agree with Tim’s assessment of it being a little too literal with the materials and not pushing them. I think Dexter has a great base, but I am surprised when I see him in the break room chatting instead of working overtime to get his design to the next level. I am really pulling for him.
On to the runway…
Mah-Jing – I think this is a “safe” look. It is constructed well and has a nice silhouette, but is not exceptionally unique. I think he styled it well.
Tasha – I am unsure about this look. I appreciate the creativity, but I’m not sure I would have paired that top with those pants. It seems like there are two different looks. I do like the look better from the back, where there are the two black lines. My belief is that it would have looked more chic with just a simple black front, similar to the back.
Kimber – This look seems a little juvenile. I have to say it does give me some doubts about her ability as a designer because she seems so proud of it. The silhouette is not exceptionally flattering, it’s made of muslin and the use of the unconventional materials is very basic.
Cornelius – While I appreciate the color and think the neckline is stunning, I do not think the layered plastic plates are flattering at all. I would see this being safe, but after seeing the guest judge’s reaction, I think this might actually be in the top.
Dexter – I love this look. I love the use of the rug to create volume. I think the pop of color at the bodice is interesting and flattering. This look absolutely belongs in the top three.
Rik – I am impressed with this futuristic look. It reminds me of a femme fetal version of a storm trooper. The back is even more interesting then the front. I also believe this look deserves to be in the top three.
Jenni – Well, this turned out better then I anticipated, although I think Jenni might be exaggerating a bit when she stated that it “looks like Picasso.” Umm… no. There is nothing incredibly unique about the silhouette, but the whole look flows together well. I also liked how she styled her work.
Nathalia – I like the silhouette of this look. (Although we are starting to see some things that are looking repetitive). However, the construction doesn’t look flawless. I am sure this has to do a lot with the flimsy texture of the doilies. Overall this look seems “safe” to me.
Erin – Oh no, another top three contender! I love this look and think she pulled off a crazy idea gracefully. A side note, she is lucky that her model had a skin tone that was so flattering to the bright yellow fabric because it could have easily washed out a different model.
Linda – Okay, now I am in trouble… I see another top three candidate! This dress is so clean and well-made that it doesn’t even look like it was made from unconventional materials! I love how the top is a little more exposed paired with a conservative cut skirt.
Sarah – I appreciate the use of color in this look, but it seems a little more juvenile then some of the other designs on the runway. I am more drawn to the skirt and would have liked to see a sleeker top paired with the volume and color of the skirt.
Laurence – This look clearly will be in the bottom three. It is made almost entirely from muslin and the small accessories made from things found at the welcome party are not very interesting. I would like to see more from Laurence, so I hope that she is not sent home.
Brik – I am torn about this look. I love the pants, but don’t like that they are made entirely of muslin and that it only coved by the glitter. I also think the use of baseball cap brims is interesting on the top, but I am not crazy about the top paired with the pants. I call safe.
Ian – I think the dress has a young and fresh feel. It reminds me a lot of PR alumni Uli Herzner’s work. A simple silhouette made exciting with the use of trims, fringe and great styling.
Roberti – I think he did a great job on this dress. It has a good chance of also being in the top there. I thought he did a great job of successfully using color and volume, which can be very hard to do.
Alex – This look could be in the bottom. It looks as if it was made from unconventional materials, and the color story is just all over the place. I think he did some interesting work on the bodice and wish he had continued with that idea throughout the dress.
Overall, I thought the designers put on a great show and I am excited about the talent this season. I was a little surprised with the top and bottom three, although after years of blogging, I find that this often happens. So no surprise, Erin wins! I was, however, surprised with the loser, Ian. Although this look was definitely not a favorite, I do not think that it deserved to be sent home.
