The Hype - General Discussion

[Door County Cherry]

Quote

The Hype is a competition series set in the colliding worlds of streetwear, business and culture where fashion visionaries must elevate their designs and entrepreneurial sense to avoid elimination while remaining authentic to their style. The series features ten streetwear professionals who will compete in challenges to prove they can walk the walk and deliver the product. Speedy Morman will host the eight-episode season, which will feature co-signers judging the competition, including Grammy® nominated recording artist and designer Offset, creative director and founder of Bephies Beauty Supply Bephie Birkett, and Emmy® nominated Costume Designer and Renowned Stylist Marni Senofonte. 

 

[zenithwit]

Just finished the episode with Cardi B.  I'll try my best to summarize my thoughts so far on this show...

So this is pretty much the same format as Heidi Klum's & Tim Gunn's Making the Cut where the designers have established brands and they utilize seamstresses via tech packs.  What I like about that format is there is more emphasis on the designs and less whining about fit issues.  What I don't like is when the designers complain about the seamstresses' work.  

There is a lot that I don't know about streetwear.  When did "fashion" become a dirty word? 

In general I'm having a hard time telling what is good and what is bad...  except for Caroline's wannabe LA gangster red bandana jacket.  She looked so awkward in that jacket and clearly did not understand the brief in that challenge.  And she only made it worse by continuing to double and triple down on her viewpoint.

I wish we had more challenges that were different from design a hoodie or jacket.  Other than Jolleson, have we seen a dress?  

Speaking of Jolleson, I know his first look wasn't the best fit but I really wanted to see more from him.  He seemed to have a style different from the other designers and I was interested in seeing more from his point of view.

Also, I really felt for Murph and didn't think she should have been eliminated in the first episode either.  If this show gets picked up for a second season, I hope the show brings her back.

I thought Cardi B was a really fun guest judge.  I would definitely tune in if she shows up again.

[zenithwit]

Apparently I'm the only one watching this show lol.  That's okay, I don't mind talking to myself.

I was surprised when Kai said that he had never designed women's wear before.  Maybe I've watched too much Project Runway where the designers always freak out for the obligatory men's wear challenge so it was funny to see the opposite scenario play out for once.

That final challenge was really meh.  Giving only a day and a half to create a cohesive collection from the past 7 disjointed challenge briefs plus 2 new looks just doesn't to be setting up the finalists for success.  And why did it have to be a final two?  There didn't seem to be any special constraints or limitations for having a third person in there.  I'm surprised that a show with HBO money wouldn't be able to throw some extra cash and a few weeks at the designers for a better final runway collection.  Is Offset's schedule that busy?

That being said, Dapper Dan was awesome and really seemed to connect quickly with Kai and Justin in an impactful way.  He would be great in a Tim Gunn-type mentor role.

Anyways, congrats to Justin for winning. I was kinda surprised that Kai didn't win because the judges have been drooling over his stuff since episode 1.  But Justin did seem to have a unique vision and his patchwork was pretty cool.   You could really see how Justin's grandmother inspired him with those flashback photos with the quilts.

Manny made an offhand mention to  "future seasons" at the end.  We'll see if that happens lol.  But if it does, hopefully they clean up the format a bit.  (I'm still not 100% sure what a co-signer means in this context.)

[LoveIsJoy]

Nope, you're not the only one watching.  I stumbled upon The Hype and got a little excited because I love any creative competition show.  However, after seeing the entire series, I was pretty disappointed and not at all hyped!

First, the judges left me confounded.  I know that the Marni lady is a celebrated stylist to the stars, but those ridiculous shoulder pads and hairdo just left me shaking my head. I've since found out who Offset is (although most of the season I could barely understand any of his criticism or praise of garments; he mumbles when he talks).  The other woman judge--whose name escapes me entirely-- was so off-putting in the crap she chose to dress herself with.  She looked like an extra in Macklemore's Thrift Shop video.  I couldn't concentrate on what she was saying because I couldn't take her seriously.  Every time she spoke I was fixated on trying to figure out what in the world she was wearing from head to toe.  

I know I'm not the demographic for this show, but I really thought it would be more interesting than it was.  All that Offset seemed to care about was whether there were (and how many) pockets an outfit had, and whether the pockets could be attached, removed, or reattached somewhere else.  There had to be a hoodie involved with some "fi-ya" neckline (which went past me because I thought most of the hoodies basically looked alike). And for some challenges the hanging zippers, strings, and other attachments were superb, yet in other challenges they were too "been-there-done-that."  And did we ever see anyone's full look-book?

The good: Cardi B was a fun guest judge. For some reason that surprised me. I also loved Dapper Dan.  For the most part, the designers were competent and already established so they had good contestants (even though I hate 1-day challenges).  I enjoyed the host as well.  He was laid back, but also very earnest.  I truly thought Kai and Paije were going to be the final two, but I was okay with Justin's win, because I love quilting and I'm a grandma!😉  I was surprised that Marni wanted to do a future collaboration with Paije, but no one offered something similar for Kai.  In my opinion, he was the best designer.  I think he'll be fine and he has reached a wider audience.  Justin probably needed the win more.

I could see myself watching this again if they replaced the judges.  Or at the very least, if the judges had conversations that better explored the construction of the garments and why one outfit was considered dope, while another that looked very similar, was a miss.  And I want two days for each challenge. And I need Offset to speak more clearly and in complete sentences so that I--the audience member--can understand what's going on.  Everyone on the show seemed to understand him just fine, so maybe it's me.
 

 

[rollacoaster]

Welp, that makes three of us watching!

I binged this entire series yesterday as I crafted. I really enjoyed it, and hope it comes back for a second season. It's a nice complement to Legendary. 

Loved:

1. That the designers were young and hungry and pretty talented.

2. That I got to learn about a style I wasn't familiar with.

3. The 2 women co-signers. Their styles weren't to my personal taste, but I really enjoyed seeing their unique style statements. They generally offered solid and thoughtful advice and observations. 

4. The high caliber of mentors. The offered so many useful opportunities for the contestants to learn and grow, and didn't offer sabotaging or vague feedback. 

Hated:

1. Camila constantly running to Paije for sewing expertise, yet not acknowledging Paije's contribution to her success. 

2. How often Paije's talent, big heart and giving, helpful nature were overlooked and taken for granted. Paije mentioned that she and Justin were from the midwest, and praised both their work ethic and sewing skills. Justin never once praised her sewing skills, and seemed to consider her a lesser designer. She basically carried Alan in the team challenge and he had the nerve to be snide when she needed to alter her pants to better fit the model. Pretty rich from a guy with crap sewing skills and who contributed little to the collab. Her designs had a strong message, she had impeccable drafting and sewing skills, took risks with colors and shapes, listened to the judges, and demonstrated growth throughout the competition. Somehow, her work seemed undervalued by the co-signers and other contestants. 

3. Offset. Just...ugh. Cardi, you deserve better. We deserve better. The contestants deserve better. He truly was an impossible client to please. His feedback was garbage, and he seemed to be on an ego trip the whole time. 

Misc:

1. Miss Kentucky Bandana. Giiiirl. They tried so hard to gently educate her, but she was determined to be obtuse. Glad she was put out. I mean, if bandanas are the things that matter so much, AT LEAST choose a different color. I wonder how she got into designing street wear. She seemed so clueless and tone deaf. 

2. Kai had a whole journey, from hard and arrogant to more open and approachable by the end. I was especially pleased that he realized that Paije was a strong competitor by the end, and was nervous about it. 

3. It's so weird to me that, in the fashion industry, that non-sewing designers seem to look down on designers that can sew. We saw that dynamic with Alan and Paije. 

4. I wonder why they even mentioned JunglePussy? I think we saw her off to the side performing during the final fashion show. I really wanted to see and hear her perform. Maybe they couldn't get rights to her music? 

5. That last fashion show was meh. It would have been more interesting to have Paije against either of the other 2. I think she would have made more inventive changes to her garments. 

 

[zenithwit]

8 hours ago, rollacoaster said:

1. Miss Kentucky Bandana. Giiiirl. They tried so hard to gently educate her, but she was determined to be obtuse. Glad she was put out. I mean, if bandanas are the things that matter so much, AT LEAST choose a different color. I wonder how she got into designing street wear. She seemed so clueless and tone deaf. 

When she first started talking about being from Kentucky and the bandana, I thought we were going to get some sort of Farmer/Cowboy & LA Streetwear fusion but then she went down the route of stereotypical LA gangster.  She made the rookie mistake of presenting something that she thought the judges wanted rather than something that was a true representation of herself (and the latter would have been WAY more interesting).  Her defensiveness throughout was very frustrating.

Edited September 7, 2021 by zenithwit

[rollacoaster]

On 9/6/2021 at 2:30 PM, zenithwit said:

When she first started talking about being from Kentucky and the bandana, I thought we were going to get some sort of Farmer/Cowboy & LA Streetwear fusion but then she went down the route of stereotypical LA gangster.  She made the rookie mistake of presenting something that she thought the judges wanted rather than something that was a true representation of herself (and the latter would have been WAY more interesting). 

That WOULD have been an interesting fusion. 

I'm not sure that she was even going for stereotypical LA gangster. I don't think she really put much thought into the concept or the audience she was designing for. I think she thought what she offered WAS a true representation of herself, and that those powder blue raindrops were pushing the envelope. 

[rollacoaster]

On 9/1/2021 at 11:10 AM, LoveIsJoy said:

I could see myself watching this again if they replaced the judges.  Or at the very least, if the judges had conversations that better explored the construction of the garments and why one outfit was considered dope, while another that looked very similar, was a miss.  And I want two days for each challenge. And I need Offset to speak more clearly and in complete sentences so that I--the audience member--can understand what's going on.  Everyone on the show seemed to understand him just fine, so maybe it's me.

I agree with you about Offset. I think the female judges seemed to be able to discuss the outfits on the level you mention, Offset, not as much. Unfortunately, they seemed to defer to him on a lot of it. I guess because he's the name brand talent that most folk are going to recognize? There were moments when the other judges would refer to a fashion term, like "epaulets" that Offset wasn't familiar with. He reminded me of Heidi Klum on Project Runway/Making the Cut, always judging based on whether she would personally wear a garment. He's also juvenile and self-absorbed in that same way. And and another moment when Bephi was trying to talk about a garment, and Offset shut down the discussion by snapping out something like, "I don't like it." And that was that. Bephi just bit her lip and was quiet. You could tell she wasn't thrilled, but not really able to do anything about it. I bet they really had to simplify the conversations so that Offset wouldn't feel left out or slighted. I suspect Cardi has to do a lot of ego stroking at home to keep the peace. 

He knows what he likes and what looks good on his body, but I don't think he has much insight into what goes into designing quality clothes. 

[TVbitch]

Finally found this one and binged it. I think Justin's looks will be easier to sell and reach a broader market. I could even see myself in a couple of his pieces, whereas I would look categorically ridiculous in any of Kai's pieces. (Not that I would fit into them!) Kai is super talented though, and I was glad they showed him crying after Justin won. He was very stoic throughout the competition, and seeing him breakdown, and Justin trying to buoy him melted my heart. I hope they both succeed, as they are both worthy.

This show did kind of follow the Making the Cut pattern. (Ha, unintentional pun!) With the tech packs, musical interludes, and photographing the fashions. For me, the Great British Sewing Bee is still my favorite fashion related show, and a big reason is that the judges are highly qualified, specific in their critique, and delightfully humorous. Something both Hype and Making the Cut could improve upon. 

[Michichick]

I just watched this show. Well, almost all of it…I turned it off after Paije was eliminated and came here to see who won. I really liked her and wanted her to win. I know nothing about streetwear and don’t think this show educated me about it as much as I’d hoped it would. I agree with the commenters who said Offset wasn’t a great judge since he couldn’t really offer constructive criticism at all. If there are future seasons I hope Offset is replaced with a judge who is more constructive. Maybe just have Offset guest judge one challenge, a repeat of this season’s “make something for Offset” challenge.

[zenithwit]

Woah!  Calling the three other people who actually watched this show... somehow this show actually got a second season and the first three episodes are available on HBO Max.  I have no idea how I missed that.

[TVbitch]

I am watching @zenithwit! I know nothing about street wear. I just enjoy watching creative people do stuff, whether it's pottery, baking, painting or designing. I must say though, for something called "street wear" it seems like a lot of calculation goes into it. If I had to put that much thought into the sweatshirt I throw on every day, I would have a nervous breakdown! 

[zenithwit]

On 9/24/2022 at 10:30 AM, TVbitch said:

I must say though, for something called "street wear" it seems like a lot of calculation goes into it. If I had to put that much thought into the sweatshirt I throw on every day, I would have a nervous breakdown! 

From what I can tell, "streetwear" is making basic clothes not basic?  But in this show, that seems to manifest itself in a collection of oversized shirts, hoodies and pants.  Not sure why there aren't more dresses and skirts in the mix. 

Though I did laugh in the first episode when they were stressed about only having 30 minutes to get ready.  I'm lucky if I have 30 minutes to get ready some mornings.

I finished the first three episodes and Offset seems kinda quiet so far.  There were a couple of times that I forgot he was there.  Maybe he was intimidated by Law Roach?  (Who was an awesome guest judge) But so far I'm digging the challenges and I like the look book concept (vs last season's "Surprise!  Your eight disjointed looks are now your finale collection!  You have two extra looks to try and make it cohesive ").  Hopefully the show will give the finalists this season some extra time/money to fix any hiccup looks in their lookbook.

It's a bit of a bummer that three female contestants have already gone home - especially when there were so few to begin with.  As for Vell, the show was fairly vague on why he was kicked off.  They tried to make it look like he was in a physical altercation but I would be willing to bet that it was some technicality (like patterning in the hotel room, etc).

[TVbitch]

Watched the second set of 3 episodes. Seems like it is coming down to Kahn or (and I might be getting this name wrong) Knoxx, and while Kahn might actually be more polished, I am probably rooting for Knoxx. 

One thing I don't understand about the gold bee guy: Wouldn't wearing an actual gold bee on your street clothing make you a target to be robbed?! And how much exactly does that make the sweatshirt cost?! 

[rollacoaster]

Late but reporting for duty, @zenithwit!

I was sad to see that Offset was back as judge, but excited to see that Law Roach would be guest judging. 

I'm just into the second season first episode. The judges are looking over a rack, and Offset comments something about a collection not being IT, not being current, and Mardi diplomatically responds "It's not something YOU would wear." I really do appreciate the judges with expertise. 

I wish I had a heaping tablespoon of the swag and confidence these designers have!

Intrigued by the Indian designer. 

Oof! Walking into the workroom and your rack isn't there. That's brutal. Save yourself in 30 minutes! This show ain't playin!

Interesting all the designers thought Chelsea had the best style based on what she had on. Heh! The judges called her stuff corporate street wear. Her presentation was least compelling.  

Alexander is already getting on my nerves. The pants were fire, though. Dammit. 

I feel Jason's passion! He made an impression! 

Very cool of Mardi to let the first designers out the she worked with last season's first out on the Oscar's. Leaving the show early is definitely not the end of the journey. 

Edited October 9, 2022 by rollacoaster

[TVbitch]

The season went fast! Surprised and not surprised by the winner. {SPOILERS AHEAD!}

I feel like they wanted Bart to win from the jump. They kept saving him and pushing him forward despite him being in the bottom so many times with the judges really giving him harsh critique. And they had to flat out tell him to LOSE THE BEES which he never really did. I liked some of his stuff, but honestly, I think everyone was just gagged over his new hoodie converting to a face mask invention in the first challenge and decided then and there that it was an idea that would  blow up. 

I was rooting for Knoxx but honestly felt Kahn's final collection was better. I actually would wear quite a few of his pieces! And the judges are right that the patchwork stuff has already been done. Wasn't the season 1 winner a patchwork guy? Having said that, Kahn seemed stoned and super low energy the last two episodes. Maybe he already knew that he had lost.

[GaT]

I just finished season 1, so I haven't read all of the thread so I don't accidentally spoil myself for season 2. I really thought Kai was going to win, so I was surprised when Justin took it. Blu was an idiot, & Camila's stuff all looked the same.

[GaT]

Forgot to ask, is there a reason the judges are called "co-signers" instead of "judges"?