A week has gone by and part of me is still wondering if Tim using his save was more of a producers’ decision because of the arguments Cornelius had with his team members before he was eliminated. Obviously there will be lasting negative emotions, which we all know that can lead to some serious drama in the future. I still can’t help but think that was the sole reason for his save.
The program quickly reboots and we learn about the next challenge. I thought I was jealous before, but now I am really envious! The contestants’ moms (or close friend) get to come visit AND get a dress made for them. Oh wait…and the designer who wins AND their family member gets $25K! That total is half the amount of prize money for winning the entire thing! I really, really can’t help but think that I was a designer on the wrong season. I mean, can these challenges get any better?
The designers then are also informed that they get two days to complete the challenge, as well as take their mom (friend) to a chic lunch to discuss the design. It’s interesting hearing all of the moms talking about their stories and goals for what they would like to wear their outfit. They then head to Mood for their fabrics and back to the workroom.
I like everything that I am seeing so far in the workroom. Methinks the hardest part of this challenge will be fitting the garment to a body type that is likely not the same measurements of the mannequin. This will require a lot more patterning and less draping, which is a lot more work. Also, often times models can carry looks that are actually quite a mess. It will be harder to do that with non-professional models.
During the Tim Gunn’s critique I am noticing that a lot of the looks are not looking all that age appropriate. Sometimes I feel that while this group is incredibly talented, they are not great at stepping outside of their comfort zone. I am also in agreement with a lot of the designers in worrying about Erin. I see how emotional she is in her interviews, therefore I wonder if that is a sign that she is to be sent home. Often times a lot of the interviews are done for a challenge after the challenge has already wrapped. A little PR alumni insider secret ;-). I am also concerned about Jenni’s look and her fabric choices. It looks very juvenile.
The day of the runway we go into the workroom without having seen a lot of the looks, which should make for an exciting runway. I love that the moms get to have a full hair, and makeup experience for the runway. I am proud of all of them for showing up to walk the runway. That takes a lot of guts, especially when it is being filmed for national television and in front of celebrity judges.
On to the runway:
Roberi – I love this look and think that he was successful in completing all the elements of the challenge. The dress looks great, is very flattering and the model looks, and it seems like she also feels, beautiful. I believe that he deserves to be in the top three.
Jenni – Jenni’s mom is so beautiful and in shape that she had a pretty easy model to work with. However she still seemed to run into fit issues. The sweatshirt-like top makes her mom look more boxy than she really is, and the pants don’t seem to be particularly flattering either. The fabrics she chose do look a little juvenile on her mom.
Dexter – I love this look. Dexter had it a little advantage in using his friend, who is completely gorgeous and modelesque, however he completely stepped up to more than make up for it. He used the knits so well to create a garment that looked super comfy and also flattering. This would definitely be a head turner no matter who wore it.
Rik – I love this look as well! The dress and jacket fit his mom perfectly, and it looks exactly like she wanted it to–an upgraded chic look to start her next chapter. I love the stitching and heart detail. This is my front-runner so far. Although I hope the basic silhouette doesn’t hurt him.
Erin – I actually like this look a lot more then I thought that I was going to. I think she would have been a lot more successful if she had left off the lace details and had just done a great jacket and a well-tailored blue dress.
Cornelius – While this isn’t my favorite look, I think that he did a great job of completing all the elements of the challenge. The outfit fits well, and you can tell that his mom loves it. He did a great job of having all the lines meet up, which is not an easy thing to do.
Laurence – Wow, Laurence does it again. I would agree that the look seems a smidge tight, but overall it is a beautiful jacket and a sleek look. She looks completely in charge in taking the next step of her life, and that was the goal of the challenge.
Mah-Jing – I love this look and think this deserves to be in the top, as well. Knowing the personality of his mother and what she is looking for in her garment, I cannot think of a better choice. She looks cool, sophisticated and in charge. I love the way that he styled the look with the black boots, fitted pants and top.
Nathalia – This look was not the complete disaster that I thought it was going to be. However, it was far from flattering. Nathalia’s mom is beautiful and this look made her seem boring. It also did not compliment her figure at all. I would have preferred if she scratched the jacket and made an amazing pair of wide leg pants with a gorgeous blouse.
Ultimately, Rik wins the challenge. I was so happy to hear this because of the design and his relationship with his mom. I hope they do take an amazing vacation together with some of the money that they won.
Jenni ends up being sent home. It was between Jenni and Nathalia in the end. Personally, I would have preferred to see Nathalia go home. I feel like Jenni has produced better looks in previous challenges and seems to be a stronger designer.
