S13.E04: A Suitable Twist

[slensam]

I kind of liked what Amanda did and thought she should have won, Also, I sort of like her. The 90's thing, at least in my mind. But I'm starting to get the feeling this is like Kate Part 2. The redemption angle, again. Don't remember when Kate got knocked out the second time though.

Edited August 15, 2014 by slensam

[kar328]

So is Amanda going to send fringy stuff down the runway every week now?  I really can't stand her smirk.  Sometimes Korinna reminds me of Julia Roberts with that incredibly wide mouth.  And that is NOT a compliment. 

 

I keep seeing Heath Ledger as the Joker. It just popped into my head a few episodes back and now I can't not see it.

[Surrealist]

I keep seeing Heath Ledger as the Joker. It just popped into my head a few episodes back and now I can't not see it.

That's who she looks like. That's a great description and now I can't erase it from my mind.

[Milaxx]

I hate to sound cliche but this is Season 13! Why are thee people acting like they are new?  All the whining about Sandhya trying to sabotage them when it's so obviously producer influenced pot stirring is silly and counter productive. Like she said, i't not like she gave herself a Gucci suit. In fact she took one of the biggest risk with a suit that was yellow and purple. I think Kini & Fade deserved to be in the top, and I thought Kini clearly deserved that win.

 

 

...... been reading about different countries for that past three years, and what struck me about Sandiyha's is that the skirt was referential to what a man in an Asian country might wear, but not a woman. (in that culture a woman would most likely have her legs covered.)     

Asia is a continent. What country are you referring to India, China, Korea? Lumping them all together doesn't make sense when the cultures are different.

 

I kind of liked what Amanda did and thought she should have won, Also, I sort of like her. The 90's thing, at least in my mind. But I'm starting to get the feeling this is like Kate Part 2. The redemption angle, again. Don't remember when Kate got knocked out the second time though.

Oh she's definitely Kate 2.0. Kate made it top 6 with one inexplicable win after another. Like Amanda they were mostly over praised. How they awarded her Roberto Cavalli knock off with the win tonight would be mind boggling if Cavalli wasn't a designer that Heidi likes and has worn often on the red carpet.  That fringe mess is something Amanda did several times last season, so I hve no idea why Nina wanted to act like it was something new. That dress was a hot, fugly mess. Someone on twitter called it BohemianCrapsody!

Edited August 15, 2014 by Milaxx

[Lnmop]

Kink was robbed. Amanda's "hippy/bohemian" look is just BORING. And don't start me on the fringe.

I LOVED Fade's dress. That was the winner in my book. Korina would have done better if she'd shortened her skirt, Kristina should have done a skirt.

Zac? It's nuclear disaster, not nucular. Read a dictionary.

I hate Amanda.

That dress was a hot, fugly mess. Someone on twitter called it BohemianCrapsody!

Perfect!!!!

Edited August 15, 2014 by Lnmop

[RealityGal]

I almost gasped when Kini's look came down the runway, it was so fantastic.  And it loses to Amanda's 1960's fringe nightmare?  Ugh.  I loved Alexander's design, too, the length on that dress was just perfection.  Fade once again goes unappreciated.

 

Can we just talk about the obsession with midriffs?  What the eff, fashion?

 

ITA about Kini and Fade being robbed.  Those were my two favorite dresses.  Amanda's wasn't bad, but I thought Fade's was so interesting and beautiful.

 

Goodbye Hernan, don't let the door hit 'ya where the good lord split 'ya!

[RealityGal]

My musings: 

The Red Robin guy was the best guest peddler they've had. HE WAS EXCITED! I thought Sandhya was very gracious picking the suits. 

Amanda is tiring. Why did she select that fabric? 

 

Director of Brand Transformation.  I wonder if they are trying to attract a more upscale client, or what exactly they want their brand to transform into that includes a sponsorship on PR.  Well, I know they have bottomless fries

I liked Sandiyha's best this week.  She really worked that yellow and I liked the little patchwork of different colors, including the purple.  I wish I could have seen more of it.  The most I saw of it was on the runway and it went so fast.  I think she transformed it really well.

 

I thought Mitchell should have been on the bottom with his plastic-wrapped dress.  Amanda's suit brought back memories since that was a hot prom look for guys in the 70s.  Actually that's the one I would have picked.  I'm glad Hernan is gone.  He focused too much energy in crabbing about how awful his suit was and how mean Sandiyha was to assign it to him instead of being figuring out how to work creatively with it.  It was white - not like it was corduroy or leisure or plaid.  Kini's was nice, too, but I do agree about it being seen before.

 

I think Fade should have been on the top, too.  His outfit did not look like it came from an ugly suit.  I liked Amanda's better once it was on the model but I still didn't care for it that much.  I don't know if it's because it's not my style or if it really was kind of ugly.

 

I noticed Sandiyha not saying good-bye to Hernan, but I think she felt he was too hostile toward her.  I really think she did try to match up suits to people in a favorable way.  4 episodes: Sandiyha 2, Amanda 2.

 

Well here is the thing......someone is going to get the shitty suit.  So even if Sandaya gave you the shitty suit, it was going to go to someone, you're not so special buttercup.  And maybe she did purposefully give you the shit suit, but maybe if you were nicer you wouldn't have gotten the shit suit, so its on you, and besides that, if she purposefully gave you the shit suit, the best revenge would be to behave as though you just LOVE the suit.

 

I thought for sure the Mitchell was headed for the bottom, it looked very jetsons.

Has this show lost so much of its credibility that the only person they could get to be a judge was a "Youtube sensation" whose commentary consisted of picking another judge and rephrasing what s/he said?

^^^Yes, yes, and hells yes to this.  I was thinking - didn't think show used to have guest judges who were successful designers?  I vaguely remember Vera Wang, Anna Sui, and Elie Tahari.  Now we have a "fashion blogger" who pretty much says things that I would say.  And yes, pretty much saying what someone else said in a more general way?

[shipmate]

My teen daughter thinks Bethany Mota is the bees knees, so I wonder if the idea was to have her pull in younger viewers?

 

It seems that Nina gets the final say in the winner since whomever she LOVES wins, even when the other judges give an advantage to another designer.  This happened in at least one other challenge this season. 

[RealityGal]

So for a second time Amanda wins with fringe when I think a guy should have won with what I thought was a tighter design (I'm a woman, so I'm not pulling guy solidarity here). First she beat Mitchell's DVD dress and this time it was Kini's interesting and well made dress.

 

 

But wasn't Zac the one who was arguing how much more "original" Amanda's design was and that it was something they hadn't seen before? ... which seems kind of silly since: wasn't he there judging 2 weeks ago when Amanda's also fringed design came down the runway and won?

 

But it looked to me like Zac was arguing for an Amanda win. I thought that it was Heidi saying that Amanda's design could be found in vintage stores. In either case, I thought Kini should've won over Amanda. It wasn't his fault that his suit might had easier fabric. He still rocked it and kept the inspiration of the suit - the pockets were such an inventive detail to leave and somehow he made it not look kitchy. (How did he not win?)

 

And speaking of Amanada. I know she's trying to be nice with her "I so thought it was going to be you [who won]" a bunch of times, but Amanda - it's not helping. I don't think Kini is going to be thinking "oh phew, Amanda thought I should win, that makes it all better." Because no it doesn't and it just makes it sound like you're trying too hard to be humble. Saying it once and maybe in a different way like "wow yours was awesome. I'm surprised you didn't win." and then shut it about that would, I think, be better

 

Zac was saying that he had seen Amanda's look before, on the Cavalli runway, in vintage thirftstores.  It was in response to Nina suggesting that Amanda should win because Kini's look had "already been seen"  So Zac said "well I've seen Amanda's look before too!"

 

 

And every time Nina says Vagina.  She seems to be obsessed with that word.  She's trotted it out several times this season already.

I think the drinking game should be every time Char uses the term "classic and sleek"

 

 

Tim just stood there like a leetle beech, not admitting to the judges that he encouraged Sean to show that skirt inside out. I hope it just got edited out, but I have my doubts.

And speaking of beech, I think Sandhya's exchange with Hernan was the result of a miscommunication. On one hand, I applaud her for not taking any shit. But on the other hand, I don't think Hernan gives the word "bitch" as much strength as most do. He tacks it on the end of every sentence, like "dude." He was a whineypants, but overall I think he's a good guy.

 

I agree with you about Hernan's intention, but if Sandiya doesn't like being spoken to that way, I think its okay for her to voice that too.  Especially he was chastising her mid-whine about the fucking suit....again.....

 

I like how Sean was trying to explain "deconstructed" to Zac Posen and Nina Garcia.  Zac looked like he was about to blow!

[Julia]

I'm not by any stretch of the imagination a fan of Sandhya's, and I thought her design genuinely deserved to be in the bottom. It was like a cheaper, less tastefully assembled version of Sean's. Still, I can't remember them ever giving the winner of the previous challenge more than the first choice and the choice of who gets the second choice. Absolute shenanigans to piss off the other designers (and to make Sandhya look like the brave victim - and here I think she was, but of the producers).

 

tbh I'm not sure if I'm going to make it to the end of the season if they keep skewing the narrative and the judging to make Amanda and Sandhya, who I don't see as even in the top half of the contestants for talent and skill, the ordained winners. 

Edited August 15, 2014 by Julia

[Oldernowiser]

Once again I have such a case of the WTFs that my head hurts and I may have to lie down until it passes. Amanda's thing was hideous--that black fringe looked like it fell from the sky and happened to land on her model.

Kini was robbed.

Oh this SHOW. SMDH.

[tv echo]

I really don't understand the judges' choice of winners this season.  Amanda's look was not high fashion at all.  Kini's look should have won.  However, I am glad that Hernan was eliminated.  He was whiny, bullying and egotistical.

 

Also, Amanda had an awful lot of camera confessionals - it seemed like every other confessional was hers, while some designers had no confessionals.  She is getting to be really annoying.

Edited August 15, 2014 by tv echo

[terrymct]

More thoughts now that I've had a chance to look at the photos:

 

Best outfits:  I'd have been happy with a win by any of these designers.

 

Emily:  She made a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  The outfit is cute, flattering, interesting, and very well done.  She should have gotten more praise than she did.  Maybe the judges thought it could have been improved with some fringe.

 

Fade:  I'm starting to love your funky and fun styles.  I probably wouldn't wear them, but I love to look at them.  Fade can work a pattern and his shapes are fun and interesting.  Definitely one of the best.

 

Kini:  This was very nice.  Not something I'd wear, but it made great use of the material and actually (as the judges said) gave a good nod to the original suit.  

 

Sandhya:  This was great.  Fun, flattering, pretty, and I wanted to see more of it close up.  How did she get that greying effect on the skirt?  Another hit out of the ballpark.

 

Worse outfits:

 

Char:  I hate to say it, because I like her, but this outfit sucked.  What the heck was up with that neckline?  The slit up the front was too high for a mini dress.  In the photos you can almost see the model's underwear.  The bow.  Jeeze louise that was terrible.  Colors are nice but it looks trashy and like a student project.   She shouldn't have done home, however.

 

Hernan:  This outfit looks like a rejected costume from either Buck Rogers or Logan's Run.  Trashy looking, poorly made.  He has the fatal combination of bad taste and low skills.  His trash talking was frickin pitiful.   He was the correct person to go home.

 

Christine:  Oh, man was that a hot mess.  Ugly and a whole series of poor decisions.  She's lucky that Hernan was a complete disaster.  

 

Mitchell:  What the heck is with all the sci-fi outfits?  Were their minds still on the future challenge from last night?  Mitchell has some trash-tastic taste perfectly suited for Miami and South Beach.  For the rest of the country?  Eh, not so much.   This dress should be a waitresses uniform at a bar on some distant space station.  Or maybe be worn by one of Kirk's alien love interests on the original Star Trek.  Maybe with pale green skin to contrast the blue.  He's on the cusp of bad and safe here.   It appears to be well made, but damn.

 

Safe outfits:

 

Alexander:  I thought this was nice enough but not spectacular.  What were the judges seeing that I missed?

 

Amanda:  I think the judges believed the second crappy pattern in that dress was from the lining of the suit.  She bought that, though, didn't she?  If it was the lining, good for her for trying to make it work.  If she bought it, she has terrible taste.   The dress was fine, but pretty much a fringe festooned version of something you can find at any vintage shop or from a dozen or more vendors on Etsy.   Meh.   I hated the combination of patterns.  It was a bad attempt at capturing 70's style.  If she puts fringe on anything else, she should be sent home immediately.

 

Korina:  Meh.  She's in well trodden territory here.  How many times have we seen variations of this look on runways or on Project Runway.  Heck, even in department stores over the last year or so.  She modified it only so far as it could now be a costume on a military oriented sci fi show.   Maybe the original Battlestar Gallactica or Space 1999.  

 

Samantha:  Oh, honey.  This needed a pop of color or something.  This is the uniform of a very sexy policewoman on a distant space station.  Maybe she hangs out with Mitchell's waitress after work.   Meh.

 

Sean:  I'd have put him in the safe category, not the bad category.  The top should have been black or a color to contrast the 50 Shades of Beige skirt.  I liked the banding in the skirt and the ragged edges, but the seams down the side should have had their raw edges inside so it didn't look like she was wearing her skirt inside out.  I put him in the safe category because he tried something here.

[poeticlicensed]

Kini was robbed. Amanda's looked like a craft project. I was pretty clear that Zac wanted Kini to win, and was outnumbered by the two wicked stepsisters

[RealityCowgirl]

He openly disliked her, and certainly treated her in a bitchy way, so I think he meant it. I liked that she told him it wasn't ok.

Yeah, I know we only see a teeny sliver of what really takes place; but his reactions to her seemed really intense and undeservedly hostile.

[PepperMonkey]

Aren't "Bottomless Fries" the first thing you think of when you think of the fashion industry? I mean, in an industry where size 2 is considered elphantine, and you know all the cool models are hanging out there every weekend for nonstop fries and a burger that by itself probably has over 1200 calories???

I still don't care who wins and who leaves. I don't care that it may be a double elimination next week. Hell, they can send all of them home but their chosen final 3 and I'd be okay with it although they may just be setting it up for Tim to rescue one of them with his hallowed "Tim Gunn Save"...

I wish Nina would move on from the show a la Kors, who exited with class and while the show was still somewhat noteworthy. The only reason she loved Amanda's dress is because deep westerny fringe is all over the fashion mags right now; even Chanel did some western looks for fall, so for her, it's the coolest thing since Gretchen's honeycomb textured granny panties. PR used to look down its' nose at what was current because they were looking for something they hadn't seen before.

Wanted so badly to like Charketa cause I wanted a possible African American winner that wasn't Dom, but wow, she has really disappointed. Herr Fade continues to get no love at all and I really like his stuff. No, it's not groundbreaking, but is any of the dreck they keep picking as the winners and top finishers??

It makes me sad to think this may be the last season, but simultanously thinking "oh well, it's been such a disappointment since season 12 anyway."  Does anyone know what the ratings have been?

Edited August 15, 2014 by PepperMonkey

[larapu2000]

That's who she looks like. That's a great description and now I can't erase it from my mind.

And now I can't erase it from MY mind.

[terrymct]

The only reason she loved Amanda's dress is because deep westerny fringe is all over the fashion mags right now; even Chanel did some western looks for fall, so for her, it's the coolest thing since Gretchen's honeycomb textured granny panties. PR used to look down its' nose at what was current because they were looking for something they hadn't seen before.

 

This is part of my problem with  the moto jackets.  Good grief, there were moto jackets in Lord and Taylor a year ago.   I wish there weren't so many designs that look to be knock off of things in stores now or in the recent past.  That's why I like Sandhya and Fade.  They have their own styles and vision and their designs don't look like something you see every day.

[Primetimer]

The designers turn menswear looks into 'high fashion.' The judging turns Sarah's stomach.

Read the story

[LisaBLingLing]

When they called out the Top 3/Bottom 3 groups, the only one I knew was in the top was Kini and the only one I knew was in the bottom was Hernan.  The rest?  I was curious to see who they liked and who they didn't like I although was pretty sure Alexander was in the top.  

I thought Sean's look was fun and funky and flattering.  I know, I know, I'll never be a guest judge. And speaking of Sean, he better step it up.  He takes risks which is what has kept him after two in row trips to the Bottom 3, I suspect.  (Last week, I thought that dress moved well, ugly color and needed more detail, but the model worked it and it flowed so . . .)  

 

I find I'm very much about how the clothes walk.  I didn't like Amanda's until I saw it move.  I think if she goes back to the "Alexandria von Bromsson dropped crotch" well one more time with her fringe, she'll get called out but that fringe moved like a dream this time.  Raise your hand if you were surprised that Amanda has made her own fringe before!  Nobody?  Oh, OK.  

 

Remember way back in Season 2 when Daniel kept being in the safe group until midway through he started winning challenge after challenge?  Yeah, I think Fade is in the Daniel Zone.  

Edited August 15, 2014 by LisaBLingLing

[leighdear]

I like the sarong style Sandhya used for her skirt, but it did come off a bit "junior" with the other bright colors & the mustache stenciling.  Maybe if she had mixed the yellow & purple with black and gray, it would have read a little more sophisticated.  

 

Crazy, but I thought Mitchell's dress was adorable.  I really liked the design, but maybe if he had used a thin, black mesh overlay like Sandhya did, it would have come off less Space Waitress. 

 

Fade's dress was just stunning to me.  And I rarely pay attention to the styling & accessories, but his was dead on.  Very minimal, but the shoes were absolutely perfect.

 

I also thought Heidi's snakeskin print mini dress was really cute and I would absolutely wear it.  She looked great this episode.

Edited August 15, 2014 by leighdear

[sleepyjean]

I liked Kini's dress and Fade's garment the best. I didn't completely hate Sandhya's, which is a huge step up for me. I think allowing her to assign the suits was just the latest installment in the "Sandhya rises above"  storyline.

 

I was both amused and saddened by Hernan. Amused because he genuinely thinks he's such a scary talent that Sandhya felt it necessary to single him out over everyone else for the worst possible sabotage. Saddened because it's no fun to watch a man that age dive head first into the vortex of self-pity and spend the entire show circling the drain. I thought for sure self-preservation would kick in at some point and he'd get it together, but nope.

[PrincessSteel]

I had not heard that this might be the last season. This news makes me want to stick with this (so far) lackluster season to the end, oddly. <br /><br />When Sandhya called out Hernan for his runway show snit, I applauded. He was his own worst enemy in this challenge from the jump and his whiny, excuse-laden, pants-on-fire stupidity during the judging sealed his fate. Despite the fact that I share Sars' love of his mangled locutions, I will not miss him.

[Twopper]

You guys are great with the names; I still have trouble matching names and faces for about half of them.  I think the right person went home, but I wouldn't have given Amanda the win; I thought she over-fringed and was in the bottom.  I liked the pin stripe better.  Also I heard the hint for a double elimination next week and wondered if that might also hint at a save by Tim.  Speaking of Tim, I am thinking the designer that he advised about whether the material should be inside out or not should have gone with it inside in and risked being boring; I think his boring dress would have been safe if it was decently constructed which I am not sure whether it was.

 

BTW, the Red Robins I see are stand alone; I did have a sudden desire for mixed fries and onion rings, though.  

[Julia]

Aren't "Bottomless Fries" the first thing you think of when you think of the fashion industry? I mean, in an industry where size 2 is considered elphantine, and you know all the cool models are hanging out there every weekend for nonstop fries and a burger that by itself probably has over 1200 calories???

 

Data point: they have an app, Red Robin does, which you can use to build meals and then find out the nutritional information. My husband has slightly high blood pressure and he has to watch his cholestrol, so we checked. Red Robin doesn't have a single menu item that meets the numbers his doctor asked him to stick to for the entire day.

[Lorimac]

I am so relieved to see that everyone else thought Fade's design seemed inspired and that people were surprised and disappointed he was not in the top 3, because he should have been there instead of Alexander. My fear is that Fade has a bad week and gets auf'ed before we even get to see his best stuff.

Also, as much as I like Char, all of her work seemed intent on having poufs of fabric that cover the model's chin. What's with that?

[Beden]

 

they may just be setting it up for Tim to rescue one of them with his hallowed "Tim Gunn Save"...

But if he uses it to save Amanda, I'm officially outta here forever.

[walnutqueen]

I don't know shit about fashion, but I do know the kind of dresses available in any local thrift shop, so I could get Amanda's look with a patchwork maxi dress and an old lady fringe shawl.  If it looks like something I might wear, it has no business on the runway.  :-)

 

Kini must have some mad sewing skills to be able to finish early and still have one of the best looks of the night. 

 

I was surprised Fade wasn't in the top three.

 

The guest judge was useless.

[Captain Asshat]

Director of Brand Transformation.  I wonder if they are trying to attract a more upscale client, or what exactly they want their brand to transform into that includes a sponsorship on PR.  Well, I know they have bottomless fries

Here's what I didn't get. Red Robin, a burger place trying to rebrand and tout the number of gourmet burgers they offer, gives the designers...unlimited FRIES! Why didn't they give each designer, oh, I don't know...one of the 20something burgers on their menu?

 

Well here is the thing......someone is going to get the shitty suit.  So even if Sandaya gave you the shitty suit, it was going to go to someone, you're not so special buttercup.  And maybe she did purposefully give you the shit suit, but maybe if you were nicer you wouldn't have gotten the shit suit, so its on you, and besides that, if she purposefully gave you the shit suit, the best revenge would be to behave as though you just LOVE the suit.

This! Frankly, I thought Amanda had the most challenging fabric and or pattern to make "high fashion." Hernan had fairly neutral colors to work with. Beyond that, he's the one who chose the "veenul," and he's the one who created the pattern for it. The dress failed, because he didn't have the vision to take some crappy polyester in a benign and boring color palate and make it better. And he chose to blame Sandyha for it. Did she choose him last or nearly last? Yep. Then again, he's treated her like crap since Day 1, why *should* she give him a better fabric than someone she likes or hasn't been a total douche canoe to her? I'm not a fan of her designs, but she is innovative and she ain't takin' anyone's crap. Good on her for giving him the finger and the admonition to "never speak to me like that again."

Edited August 15, 2014 by Captain Asshat

[izabella]

I think the drinking game should be every time Char uses the term "classic and sleek"

 

She ought to shelve that phrase until she learns how to make a blouse with a back on it.  I thought her blouse and slit-way-too-high-in-the-middle skirt (speaking of vaginas!) should have put her in the bottom.  That was truly an awful outfit, and after looking closer at it on Rate the Runway, I might have even sent that home instead of Hernan's.

 

I really can't figure out what Hernan's problem was.  He was given a mostly white suit.  How hard is it to pair white with any other fabric, anything?  So what if it was polyester?  It's not like any the other suits were made of fine silk!  Sandhya took the yellow and purple polyester, so Hernan can suck it just because he has no skill and no imagination of what to do with white material or how to pair it with anything other than brown vinyl, of all things.

Edited August 15, 2014 by izabella

[RealityGal]

When they called out the Top 3/Bottom 3 groups, the only one I knew was in the top was Kini and the only one I knew was in the bottom was Hernan.  The rest?  I was curious to see who they liked and who they didn't like I although was pretty sure Alexander was in the top.  

I thought Sean's look was fun and funky and flattering.  I know, I know, I'll never be a guest judge. And speaking of Sean, he better step it up.  He takes risks which is what has kept him after two in row trips to the Bottom 3, I suspect.  

 

Apparently if you have the ability to talk and know anything about social media you just might be a guest judge!

[teebax]

Well, I'm no Youtube sensation, but I'm a sensation in my own mind. So, maybe I can be a judge on PR. I can hear it now, "And our guest just tonight is, a sensation in her own mind, teebax."

 

I don't want this to be the last season, but I do think the show needs a refresher. For sure, it could do without Nina and Zac. 

 

I would like to see Char get some attention, positive or negative. She hasn't been in the top or bottom all season. I wasn't crazy about her look, but I do wish the judges would acknowledge that she's alive. I had her in my top 3 during the first week (mostly for her pants) and the movie theater challenge.

[RealityGal]

Well, I'm no Youtube sensation, but I'm a sensation in my own mind. So, maybe I can be a judge on PR. I can hear it now, "And our guest just tonight is, a sensation in her own mind, teebax."

 

 

Just call yourself a sensation and I think you can be a guest judge.  I mean they don't have to know what medium you're a sensation in, right? 

[Qoass]

Would that work for Top Chef too?  I dress appallingly but man, you should see me eat...

[alrightythen]

I would've dreaded the faux denim suit the most.  I actually thought Mitchell's idea to cover it with clear vinyl was pretty brilliant, but then he had to go ruin it by making it into a cheap hoochie dress.  A modern version of a trench coat would've been really cool.  I'm an armchair designer, lol.

 

Even though I'm not a Sandhya fan, there was nothing wrong with what she did.  If I were in her spot, I'd have given the crappiest suit to the person who disliked me the most too. Giving Sandhya the upper hand in picking for the other designers was definitely a pot stirrer move.   They did it with Angela too when Heidi called her out for dragging down her teammates.  Drama from personalities clashing is one thing, but when the producers manipulate it, I just feel... manipulated.

[RealityGal]

Would that work for Top Chef too?  I dress appallingly but man, you should see me eat...

Hey, if they keep doing design challenges at food joints you might be able to guest judge both.  Just let the word sensation speak for itself :)

[tribbles]

I missed it - what did the guest judge do on youtube that makes her a 'sensation'?

[Zima]

You all are scaring me. You are aware that people probably watch YouTube more than normal T.V. these days, right? So having an acclaimed channel on YouTube where each video someone uploads gets millions of views world-wide is a big deal.  I can certainly understand why they had a YouTube fashion blogger as a guest judge.

 

I have to say that this batch of designers is quite talented and that I've been impressed with what they can crank out in a day. I do wish they were given two full days instead of just one, but I guess one day challenges are the norm going forward :(

 

I agree that Kini was robbed and Fade should have been in the top three. Amanda's dress was Okay, but there were better ones that I could have seen in the top (Emily's, for instance).

 

I haven't liked Sandiya at all, but I did like her this episode. The producers absolutely wanted to manufacture drama by making her pick the suits the other designers had to use, but I thought she handled it very well. Also, I almost cheered when she told Hernan to never speak to her "that way" again. And her look was pretty cute too; I give her kudos for picking that weird purple and yellow suit.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Zima

[Qoass]

Don't worry, Zima, I am aware of the popularity of YouTube.  I am just of the opinion that popular does not equal good.  Would you have a McDonald's spokesperson judge food for you?

 

No offense to McDonald's:  I love them hard.

 

I actually have a fantasy of being a "model" on PR rather than a judge:  I'm tall and fit so I would be picked first and then my poor designer would discover that I have zero sense of style and am borderline-hostile to boot.

[Anoia]

Fäde: Should have won, not only did his outfit look good, he used fabric with plaid, stripes and dots (or little squares?) together without it looking like shit.

 

Kini: Comes close after Fäde, his outfit did look good, but he "only" used stripes and black.

 

Hernan: Not only did he claim the fabric fell apart, but that he had to cut the hem, because he dyed it and it didn't work out. He knows that the show is taped, right?

Also: How difficult is it to work with a white suit?

 

Sandhya: Loved the colors, hated the moustaches and the white overlay.

 

Sean: The worst of the outfit were the shoes for me, black shoes with beige clothes, brr.

 

So, they now resort to have fashion bloggers as guest judges? But then again, last season they had i.e. Kelly Osbourne. -_-

 

 

[Sandman]

How does an illiterate sorehead like Nina Garcia have paid employment?

[Julia]

I don't think Nina's uneducated. Just ignorant.

[Passing Strange]

Wasn't the Red Robin episode supposed to be the designers designing an accessory for them? I know we were posting about it here, are they going to have two Red Robin episodes?

The "opportunity" to design an accessory for Red Robin servers is part of the winner's prize.

[jackjill89]

 

Tim just stood there like a leetle beech, not admitting to the judges that he encouraged Sean to show that skirt inside out. I hope it just got edited out, but I have my doubts.

 

I thought the same thing. I thought Sean's look was better before he turned it inside out. Tim should have said something. 

 

I think that they only served fries to the designers because they were sketching in the restaurant and burgers are a two handed meal v. being able just to pick up and munch on the fries while sketching. 

 

Kini should have won. Amanda's dress was OK, but not better than Kini's look.

[Joan van Snark]

This may have been stated already, but what in the world is Red Robin, a hamburger chain, doing on a show about 'high' fashion???

[Latverian Diplomat]

I like the sarong style Sandhya used for her skirt, but it did come off a bit "junior" with the other bright colors & the mustache stenciling. 

I thought the mustache thing was tacky, though I can certainly see others finding it whimsical. Sandhya strikes me as someone who falls in love with her own ideas. I realize that the editors can't show us every creative decision, but I would like to see an example of her giving up on or scaling back on something like this that is a questionable choice. I'm not yet convinced she has the discipline to do that.

[3jt]

Okay- I like that Sandhya is doing her own thing and being "true" to her POV- but I think it's largely crap.  I haven't liked anything that she has sent down the runway yet.  Amanda- Are you effing kidding me! It was stupid. I'm not a huge fan of fringe anyway- so this was just basic hippie wear that is hidden behind a bunch of hanging fabric strips.  Loved Kini's and Fade's- both well thought out designs and fabric manipulation. Not sad that Hernan went home - white polyester not hard to mix with other fabrics and can you get a more neutral color?????? No you cannot!  Mitchell's was too damned short and I didn't like it- it looked like a shower curtain with the plastic backing so that the water doesn't spray out of the tub.  I do give him points though for trying to transform the fugly material that he got stuck with. I felt like Char was robbed on the first runway- so am wanting to love her stuff, but she just isn't producing that previous level of skill. Okay, I feel better now that I have gotten that off my chest.

[BusyOctober]

Amanda's Trippy Hippie atrocity was reminiscent of her 20- yr old picture from last episode (you remember-  the patchwork quilt dress she made to hang out with her brother in the basement, laying down "sweet tunes" or some such puke). I wouldn't ever equate that with "high fashion" unless I were the offspring of Pa Ingalls and Holly Hobbie. 

 

And I do not like how she acts on the runway with the judges.  Someone mentioned it last week, but she comes off as if she were one of them and hanging at a cocktail party.  Just because you were there in Season 11 does not make you BFF's w/ Heidi and Co.  I think her act of "humility" and "I was NOT expecting that!!!" when announced the winner is so fake. 

 

Good riddance to Hernan.  So young and so bitter!  I'm sure he thought Tim would save his ass but I'm so glad he didn't!  Although, maybe if Tim had wasted his "save" on Hernan, then it'd be gone before he could save Amanda if/when the judges get sick of her fringe.

 

In four shows, only 2 designers have won.  I'm convinced now more than last week that the judges are determined to mind-fuck the contestants and the audience just for kicks.

[sleepyjean]

And I do not like how she acts on the runway with the judges.  Someone mentioned it last week, but she comes off as if she were one of them and hanging at a cocktail party.

I like the way Amanda is handling her wins and losses. She's not being overly dramatic or angsty or teary or annoyingly defensive or going on and on with the excuses. Their opinion is their opinion and she's taking in stride and being gracious about it without kowtowing one bit. She treats them like regular people who are no better then she is. I like that about her.

 

I was surprised that Nina liked Amanda's dress. Isn't Nina the one who is always complaining that outfits don't look expensive? Amanda's looked like something home made from clothes from the rag bag.

[Julia]

I like the way Amanda is handling her wins and losses. She's not being overly dramatic or angsty or teary or annoyingly defensive or going on and on with the excuses. Their opinion is their opinion and she's taking in stride and being gracious about it without kowtowing one bit. She treats them like regular people who are no better then she is. I like that about her.

 

In fairness, it's probably not too hard to control your angst when you get a do-over and two unearned wins in four times out of the gate. She was not all that graceful in how she handled the judges noticing that her pants outfit was bad.