S14.E03: Shut Up And Sew

[izabella]

If Edmond had not had immunity, I think he would have fought harder to do something more interesting because he would have known he could go home. Since he knew he was safe no matter what, I don't think he tried very hard to make the look better (though he did do that last-ditch effort with a different swimsuit because I think he realized the original really was awful).

 

I think the two of them spent more time arguing and not communicating with one another than actually getting any work done.

 

I guess I have no love for Edmond here, because his skirt was horrible.  I could have even gotten over the color, if the skirt had actually had some style or grace to it.  Or was hemmed.  And didn't have that side slit that went all the way to the waist.  And maybe if it actually was a skirt, which it was not since the "waist" did not actually close.  At best, that was a cover up, but I am going to say it was Big Bird's summer curtains that he sorta attached to a string and tied it together.

[izabella]

OMG, seeing the winning outfit on the Lifetime site really makes me shake my head - it is awful and thoroughly unflattering on the model.  That ill-fitting top with cowl in the back is even worse than I remembered - there are two layers of cowl, one of which is just hanging there for no reason.  I could go on and on, but a picture of one miserable model with clothes that make her look like she has no shape is worth a thousand words.

 

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway/photos/season-14-episode-3-final-looks#id=2

[ChelseaNH]

When Merline is singing and dancing, is she actually goofing off?  I can sing while doing other things.  (Not when other people might be bothered by it, though.)  People get their juice in different ways, and a competition like this really drains your batteries.  Considering their respective (albeit short) performance records, Joseph's annointment of himself as King of the Team was unwarranted.

 

I did get a good laugh when Jake pouted about being condescended to.  "Sucks to be on the wrong end of that for a change."  Not that Lindsey was an angel, but at least she can buckle down and get stuff done.  Loved her list of all the stuff she did on the runway.  Didn't care for the result, though.

 

Edmond knew he needed to collaborate; he just didn't know how.  Or rather, he had a fixed idea of what collaboration looked like.  I'm trying to decide if there's someone HanMiao could have collaborated with, or if her process is just too idiosyncratic.

 

Tim is 3 for 3 now, right?

 

Sounds like you're assuming the judges are going by merit in their decisions...  Tim told David to scrap a "constipated" look but he didn't tell him to avoid using the unconventional materials for his new look.  Tim liked the swimsuit idea (which I agree seems cliche) but didn't tell them to make an ugly one.  I think for this team, they really needed to agree on a concept and move on; the dead-simple concept was the fastest option.

[njbchlover]

They *had* to have meant Russia. What makes St. Petersburg, Florida comparable to all those other "exotic" locations? That being said.... Joseph’s “girl” probably was from Florida. 

 

Yes, and her name is either Blanche, Rose, Dorothy or Sophia....   :-)

[izabella]

Edmond knew he needed to collaborate; he just didn't know how.  Or rather, he had a fixed idea of what collaboration looked like.  I'm trying to decide if there's someone HanMiao could have collaborated with, or if her process is just too idiosyncratic.

 

Hanmaio made a huge mistake in the beginning by sketching something she thought Edmond would like.  That was not the point!  She should have sketched something SHE liked, then looked at what Edmond sketched, and figured out if they could make their ideas work together.  If not, she should have taken control and made what she wanted since she was the only one of the two that was on the chopping block. 

 

I think if she had been able to sketch a boxy top that she liked, Edmond could have worked out a bottom for it that would have been way better than Big Bird's curtains.  But his "skirt" was following, supposedly, the skirt Hanmaio had drawn.

[millennium]

Merline's an inconsiderate pain in the ass.    I hate thoughtless people.   She places her own craving for singing and dancing above everybody else's need for a workplace in which they can concentrate.   Unless her antics are a deliberate attempt to psych out her opponents, then she's just being an asshole.

 

That didn't give Joseph license to be a jerk in return.    He stated his problem with her and should have left it at that.  But upon seeing he could get her to acquiesce on the singing and dancing, he figured why not run with it and muzzle her on the assignment as well.

 

Jake was a jerk to Lindsey too.   He and Joseph both strike me as misogynists. 

 

I don't get the Lindsey hate.   Is it the hipster look?   I didn't catch "Road to the Runway" but I have seen every episode since and can't recall anything she said that's offensive.   In the first or second episode, I recall her openly complimenting other designers which struck me as refreshing in a post-Corina kind of way.

 

I swear I heard Blake the Flake remark to his partner when they appeared to be reading each other's mind, "We must have ESPN."

[Rahul]

How did I go from being okay with most of these designers to strongly disliking nearly half of them in the span of a week?

Oh yeah, team challenge.

Looking at the winning look on the Lifetime website only affirms my belief these judges should all be replaced with more competent arbiters of fashion.

[izabella]

I don't get the Lindsey hate.   Is it the hipster look?   I didn't catch "Road to the Runway" but I have seen every episode since and can't recall anything she said that's offensive.   In the first or second episode, I recall her openly complimenting other designers which struck me as refreshing in a post-Corina kind of way.

 

I don't hate her, though I don't love her.  I'm neutral right now.

 

But I think she was the one that said that her looks made a lot of people dislike her because she looks like a prim, prissy, bitch and people assume she is one.  And I gave her some side-eye for that because, if everyone you meet thinks you're a bitch, maybe it's not because you just look like one, whatever looking like a bitch means.

 

Does anyone else remember that?

Edited August 21, 2015 by izabella

[backgroundnoise]

Looking at the winning look on the Lifetime website only affirms my belief these judges should all be replaced with more competent arbiters of fashion.

 I agree.  The pants by themselves were interesting; I like the pleats.  But it needed a simple, streamlined top.  The top itself was okay, but with all that draping in the back, it needed skinny pants.  Together they were a mess.  Add the clashing cape that was hanging off the shoulders in an odd way, and it becomes a total WTF outfit, IMHO. 

[Lorimac]

My heart goes out to Merline.  I see her behavior as being on the autistic spectrum evidenced by her inappropriate behavior (i.e., when she was standing on the runway at the end with Hanmiao, the way she was giggling and rocking back and forth) and the way she seems almost in physical pain when she is required to be subdued (watch her ball her fists and shake them when she was trying to placate Joseph by being quiet).  I can see her getting accepted for this show and expecting that she will fit in, and then, as probably has happened before, she is isolated for her unusual behaviors. She does not really seem to understand what is appropriate behavior.  An average person would not have cowed under to Joseph quite so quickly, or at least taken a stand after Tim said their look was too mumsy, and Joseph's response was "We'll see."  An average person might have at least tried to stand their ground. The fact that she tried so hard to please Joseph was painful to watch.

[meep.meep]

I hated the fabric those pants were made out of.

 

"Joseph and Merline:   OMG, Joseph needs to get over himself.  Merline isn't the reason he sewed a crappy ill-fitting dress.  He was in charge the whole time.  The cape/drape/whatever was weird but it was much more interesting than the darn dress.  Joseph didn't understand the criticism he was getting either.  HE was the reason it was dowdy.  He's designing for Junior League ladies in a small to medium sized southern city who has aged out of Lilly Pulitzer, not a mature woman who is "fashion forward".  If he keeps it up, he won't last long"

 

He's designing for Hillary Clinton when he needs to step up and start designing for Anna Wintour.

 

I hope that Lindsay learned that when she's pushed away from her usual small floral prints, that the results can be interesting.  I wouldn't have put red & gold with green & gold, but it was much better than the Calico Corner that she usually chooses.  Didn't one judge say Chinese Christmas ?

[BananaRama]

I didn't realize it was St. Petersburg, FL and not Russia.  I was so confused.

Ashley and Candice's look deserved to win.

Jake is a passive aggressive person and bless Lindsey's heart for working with him.  Like she said, if she didn't like her ideas, then he should have made suggestions.  I think she would have listened to his ideas.

Joseph complained about having to spend so much time teaching Merline how to sew...well then he should have asked her what she could sew and then had her sew it.  Problem solved!  Team work - duh!

Sorry Hanmaio but if it takes you twice as long to describe your designs and ideas then that is YOUR problem.  Edmond was very patient and understood that English is her second language.  She was stalling because she didn't have an idea not because she had an idea and couldn't express it.  Also, if a colleague told me to shut up, there would be a whole new problem to deal with.  If a man told another man .. or if a woman told another woman to shut-up...everyone would have lost their freaking minds!  She did it twice and he behaved like a gentleman both times.

 

[sinkwriter]

 

Jake is a passive aggressive person and bless Lindsey's heart for working with him.  Like she said, if she didn't like her ideas, then he should have made suggestions.  I think she would have listened to his ideas.

 

He was a tool. But she didn't listen to his ideas. She rolled her eyes at the few ideas he did suggest (like the black jacket with the shiny green fabric used only as a lapel instead of as the whole thing), and she immediately dismissed them and went on to insist on doing it her way.

 

I don't really care one way or another about Lindsey, I don't hate her, but I do think she had some attitude issues of her own in this episode.

[Miss Scarlet]

Merline's TH about wanting to be cool made me sad. It never ceases to amaze me how some people never get over not being one of the "cool kids" during school and spend the rest of their lives trying to adapt their behaviour in order to be cool. There's so much more to life than that. 

 

I'm having Survivor flashbacks watching PR because Merline's behaviour really reminds me of Shirin, Lindsey has the exact same voice as Courtney Yates and Amanda looks just like a slightly older version of Baylor. It really is starting to feel like reality shows just recycle the same people.

[Gbb]

Merline's an inconsiderate pain in the ass.    I hate thoughtless people.   She places her own craving for singing and dancing above everybody else's need for a workplace in which they can concentrate.   Unless her antics are a deliberate attempt to psych out her opponents, then she's just being an asshole.

 

As far as we can tell, Joseph is the first person who said anything to Merline's face about her singing and dancing. And she immediately shut up and stopped. IMO that's not being an asshole. That's not realizing that what you're doing bugs because nobody told you.

[atir]

Lisablingling(?), I'm a knitter, too & I got my feelers dissed when Lindsay complained about Jake doing something with the fabric like an old woman knitting. Gah!

[sinkwriter]

I also saw Merline's interview as being about two things that make her herself: 1) singing and dancing, which he found annoying and said so, so she stopped, and 2) being able to present something with her specific style elements, which he didn't even let her do. I saw the second issue as being a big reason for why Merline was feeling like she didn't get to be herself. There was no teamwork, no collaboration between them. He took the reins by telling her to stop singing, but he also ran right over her when it came to asking if she even had an opinion to include. He wasn't interested in anything from her at all. So for him to then blame her for everything that went wrong with their outfit... total bullshit. It's on Joseph. He was a jerk.

[millennium]

As far as we can tell, Joseph is the first person who said anything to Merline's face about her singing and dancing. And she immediately shut up and stopped. IMO that's not being an asshole. That's not realizing that what you're doing bugs because nobody told you.

 

I'm sorry but I disagree.  By the time you reach adulthood you have a pretty firm idea of what is appropriate behavior.  And if you don't, then you follow the example of your co-workers.   I'm all for self-expression, but as the old saying goes, there's a time and a place.   Just because nobody said anything to her face doesn't give her a pass.   In fact, it's also inconsiderate of Merline to put her co-competitors in an awkward position where they would need to approach her about her behavior.

 

If, as Lorimac observed, Merline is on the spectrum, then that's a whole other thing.   Empathy can be a real challenge for people with Aspergers or other syndromes.

[aradia22]

It's getting harder and harder to watch the show this season because I feel like the judges are on crack. What are they seeing?

 

Candice and Ashley's look was fug. A) I've been to Venice. No one would wear that in Venice. B) None of those patterns went together C) It wasn't that flattering of a design, patterns aside.

 

I do not know what was going on with Jake and Lindsey. I feel like they didn't let us see enough to really know what was happening. Admittedly, I was against her from the moment she wanted to make a kimono. Fucking racists. We just went over this on Threads. Hong Kong does not mean kimono. I can see why Jake would have shut down if she was micromanaging but it's interesting that so many of the talking heads sided with her. Also, I thought the final look was still kind of racist. I don't know how it made it to top looks. 

 

I kind of wish that Swapnil and Laurie had gone with the paisley and the pants didn't seem to fit correctly. That said, I liked what they were going for. 

 

I didn't see why Amanda and Gabrielle were struggling so much with red, white, and blue. Um, those are also the colors of the French flag. It seemed like a pretty basic crop top and pant with a weird tail. I know they wanted to be fashion forward but I think they would have been better served going more vintage and nautical.

 

I surprisingly didn't hate Kelly and Blake's look. I didn't love it either but it was OK.

 

I think Edmond is kind of commercial and basic in his tastes (which is frowned upon on this show) but I liked the speedo/scuba swimsuit he made on the fly. Totally on his side in the whole mess with Hanmiao.

 

I don't think Joseph and Merline captured the opulence of Russia. I wonder what fabrics they had available to them. I did like the ice queen vibe. To me, it wasn't a trainwreck. Just too safe.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Merilene has to be on drugs, yes?  I'm not trying to be facetious. 

 

I couldn't believe that Jake and what's her name attacked each other so strongly when they were in the top, I though for sure they'd be told their attitude knocked them down to the bottom.

 

I have to just say my piece which is that I hate the (IMO) FALSE narrative of the show, which is "Collaboration is important!"  Bullshit, PR!  "Collaboration is the epicentre of every art form!"  (or some other such nonsense)  Bullshit, PR!

 

The funny thing is that season after season PR wants to so sanctimoniously show 2 designers who get along atrociously, "THEREBY" sending their look to the bottom.  But that is only the case sometimes.  Good collaborations don't always lead to winning designs - just sometimes.  Bad collaborations doesn't always lead to losing designs -- just sometimes.  Season after season, I have to laugh, when a pairing that absolutely hates each other in the team challenges is in the top 3.  It happens every year, and I knew it would happen again.  Hence, the Hong Kong team.  So what lesson have we learned, PR audience?  Oh yeah.  Nothing.

 

I thought the Greek Isles one was pretty good.  I'm really liking the woman who was on that team (so she'll be losing soon I'm sure).  There's something about her that reminds me of junior high school ca. 1992, and I'm appreciating the familiarity/comfort that brings

 

Kelly is her name, right?  Which is so perfect for her, and that late 80's, early 90's thing.  I think I'm a bit in love with her.  She wore a very bright lipstick on the Cruise Ship and looked stunning.

 

But Jake had been to Hong Kong, so he was an instant authority and wanted to "teach" Lindsey.  Idiot.

 

So?  I'm honestly shocked anyone could take Lindsey's side in the "IDGAF that Asian cultures have differences" debate.  You want to make a kimono, make it for another challenge.  This is the Hong Kong challenge.  She was being a deliberate brat.

 

I don't like how passive aggressive and weak Jake is, but at least he had respect for the culture he was designing for. And if I hadn't been to a country, but someone else had?  You bet I would let them be the authority on it!  To me that's just so logical.  

 

I don't hate Pistachio at all, but she was really hard to work with.  I just like Edmond a lot.  I think it was weird he wanted to force her to communicate with him the way he does, though.  People work and communicate differently.  I think he just works very panicked and she works very organically and "in her head".  So it was a disaster from the start.  Pistachio was the worse one for me, in the sense that she fiercely, fiercely, fiercely didn't seem to want to collaborate.  Too bad.  You don't have to love doing it, but you have to do it, for god's sake!

Edited August 21, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[LennieBriscoe]

I wouldn't mind visiting:

St.. Petersburg, Russia, complete with the Hermitage. 77 degrees F. and sunny tomorrow.

 

But for wherever the heck that suitcase was headed, the fabric used was bleagh!! Joseph had better re-think HIS aesthetic ("Mumsies with Money") for this competition!

 

In looking at the photos on the PR site, I find it hard to fathom that the Greece entry wasn't the winner. Elegant, easy to wear, and yes, blue and white.

 

The winning look was too much material! Big pleated pants! ("We're BIG PANTS people!" --Kevin Meany). Big back of blouse! Big and loud cape! Haha---I said "Big." ;-)

I think it is time for Ashley to retire the geometric pattern  with colorful print  combo.

Edited August 21, 2015 by LennieBriscoe

[English Teacher]

I clearly have no taste be I thought the top two were India and Greek Isles. I also thought South of France should have been safe and Hong Kong was in the bottom.

Interesting is the girl power with this group. With the two worthless male partners, Lindsey and Merline had a lot of quiet support from the other female designers. And it wasn't comments like, thank goodness I don't have to work with him, the other women focused on how unfair it was to the two women.

[Bebecat]

I was wishing for Dmitri during this challeng. Would have loved to see his concept of any of these cities, lol. Actually, I wish for Dmitir all the time...

For the Russia one, they should have just done full-on Empress Alexandra or whatever her title was. That dress//capelet was ridiculous. Who was the whiny cape girl a few seasons back, Helen? Lol

South of France seemed cliche to me. Just throw bright colors and mixed patterns together and call it SOF. Blah, ugly. When I have seen pics of women in Monte Carlo etc, they have been mostly very chic and slick.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

And How Do YOU Feel About The Button Bag, Swapnil? / ...Fair. The designers get paired up for day-to-night looks. Who sank and who swam?

[Kromm]

Joseph is a total ass.  He & Jake tied for the biggest douchebag of the night.  Lindsey definitely carried them after Jake had his hissy-fit.  He needed a cookie and a nap, like any other cranky toddler.  Then he needed to be booted. . 

And Hanmaio would be right in there too.  The woman is one of those stubborn artsy-fartsy types who at their heart doesn't respect anyone else or their work even a little.

 

As for Jake?  He's a stupid surly little fucker,  but I agree that Lindsay probably should have tackled the issue head on rather than simply bitching about him behind his back.  And her Kimono idea WAS stupid.

And to defend Joseph a hair, while he ran roughshod over Merline, it's not like a lot of us here weren't screaming "shut the hell up!" at the screen when she was in ADD mode previously.

 

That said, an 8 hour challenge is every kind of unfair.  Fuck you show, on behalf of those poor designers.

[Tess23]

Just because Lindsey wanted to use a kimono (dumb) doesn't mean she's a 'racist bitch' as someone upthread asserted. Methinks the term 'racist' is misused way too often nowadays.

 

And Swapnil is just beautiful. That's all from my shallow end of the pool.

[Kromm]

Geez, of course it doesn't mean she's racist. It means she's a bit culturally insensitive/ignorant, sure, but that's like a molehill where being racist is Mt. Everest.

Edited August 21, 2015 by Kromm

[mansonlamps]

Just because Lindsey wanted to use a kimono (dumb) doesn't mean she's a 'racist bitch' as someone upthread asserted. Methinks the term 'racist' is misused way too often nowadays.

 

I think it was 'fucking racist' but OMG this times a billion. I can't imagine wanting to go on any reality show of any kind when you, an average person, need to know every nuance of every culture, or God forbid you just say something stupid or ignorant, the inevitable accusation of racism rears its ugly head.

I was so prepared to love this season but this episode has seriously made me doubt that that's going to happen, mostly because of the bizarre and uneven judging. That winning look was hideous, particularly those weirdly pleated pants. Not flattering at all. Even the styling was bad IMO.

[sinkwriter]

I don't think the average person needs to know every nuance of every culture, but as designers they should be aware of the general styles of various cultures. It's basic design history 101. And they shouldn't be lumping all Asian cultures together; that's also pretty obvious. They might not be well-versed in every style, but they should know that Japan does not equal China or Vietnam or Laos, etc. Lindsey was fairly dismissive when Jake corrected her that kimonos were not Chinese in style; she acted like it was no big deal and they could be lumped together.

Edited August 21, 2015 by sinkwriter

[njbchlover]

And Hanmaio would be right in there too.  The woman is one of those stubborn artsy-fartsy types who at their heart doesn't respect anyone else or their work even a little.

 

As for Jake?  He's a stupid surly little fucker,  but I agree that Lindsay probably should have tackled the issue head on rather than simply bitching about him behind his back.  And her Kimono idea WAS stupid.

And to defend Joseph a hair, while he ran roughshod over Merline, it's not like a lot of us here weren't screaming "shut the hell up!" at the screen when she was in ADD mode previously.

 

That said, an 8 hour challenge is every kind of unfair.  Fuck you show, on behalf of those poor designers.

 

Ahhh...but according to Tim Gunn - "there's two of you, so that eight hours equal 16"....as if that is even enough time!!

Edited August 21, 2015 by njbchlover

[aradia22]

 

I think it was 'fucking racist' but OMG this times a billion.

Sorry, I think I'm still a little salty after recapping FNS for 11 weeks. I didn't mean for it to sound like there was a lot of vitriol behind it when I wrote it. That said, yes, it was racist to suggest a kimono. Lindsey is not necessarily racist but the look she created is. I don't care if it's a "fantasy of Hong Kong." That's the same excuse they came up with for the China Through the Looking Glass exhibit at the Met and while I enjoyed that, I think part of the reason it was a success as an exhibition was that it showed so many different interpretations of China through fashion and acknowledged some of the issues of such cultural appropriation... while also reveling in it. 

[Calamity Jane]

I have really sad news for Lindsey - barring any tragic circumstances, someday she is going to be, oh the horror, AN OLD WOMAN!  And guess what, the world will not actually end.  Gah, she upset me so much with those comments.  "Dowdy" and "matronly" she can rightfully disdain and avoid, but she seems to think that being old by itself is worse than death. 

[ChelseaNH]

And to defend Joseph a hair, while he ran roughshod over Merline, it's not like a lot of us here weren't screaming "shut the hell up!" at the screen when she was in ADD mode previously.

 

Although Joseph's justification for shutting her down was not that she was annoying, but that she needed to focus on the challenge.  Have we seen Merline have problems with time management?

[BW Manilowe]

I kept wondering if they meant Florida or Russia.

I did too. I'm almost certain that you can take cruises from both St. Petersburg, FL & St. Petersburg, Russia. I'm a little surprised that none of the teams, especially not the 1 which got St. Petersburg, asked Tim for clarification as to which they meant. I guess they just assumed the city that was meant, or the producers didn't give a crap which city they used for inspiration.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I don't think the average person needs to know every nuance of every culture, but as designers they should be aware of the general styles of various cultures. It's basic design history 101. And they shouldn't be lumping all Asian cultures together; that's also pretty obvious. They might not be well-versed in every style, but they should know that Japan does not equal China or Vietnam or Laos, etc. Lindsey was fairly dismissive when Jake corrected her that kimonos were not Chinese in style; she acted like it was no big deal and they could be lumped together.

Whenever people try to lump together everything in Asia, I always think of this:

As for Lindsey, after Jake pointed out that kimonos are Japanese and Hong Kong is not in Japan, she got snotty and said they could do a kimono style jacket. To me, that's like me saying we should dress up as leprachauns, someone else saying no, and then my solution being, "Okay, we can wear something leprachaun-esque instead." She was so stuck on the kimono style that she didn't care why Jake said they shouldn't do it.

Edited August 22, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Bubbetv]

I was really hoping they'd pair Hanmaio with Blake. Otherwise was disappointed by no big surprises, and by the 8 hour clock...I feel like they're serving up dishwater in an espresso cup and asking me to be happy that it's a bargain...

Ita with the feedback Posen is giving - he's the main reason I'll stick this out another episode- so much better than snarky quips from past judges. This whole season is already so tired.

[aradia22]

 

I wonder how much of a tattle-tale Tim would have been had Jake and what's-her-name had said they got along fabulously.

I'm hoping someone is keeping a running tally of when Tim's advice leads to a losing look/when he approves of something that ends up in the bottom.

 

I have really sad news for Lindsey - barring any tragic circumstances, someday she is going to be, oh the horror, AN OLD WOMAN!  And guess what, the world will not actually end.  Gah, she upset me so much with those comments.  "Dowdy" and "matronly" she can rightfully disdain and avoid, but she seems to think that being old by itself is worse than death.

That reminds me. Everyone was going really over the top on "oh, God, the horrors of the elderly!" this week. I'm glad Joseph stood up for an older consumer on the runway. Catering to an older client is just as valid as catering to a young 20-something who apparently does nothing but go to art galleries. It's the same nonsense as only designing for sample sizes when the "plus size" market is actually more of the market than you'd like to admit. 

[Calamity Jane]

Whenever people try to lump together everything in Asia, I always think of this:

http://youtu.be/bLwDd10LVP8

As for Lindsey, after Jake pointed out that kimonos are Japanese and Hong Kong is not in Japan, she got snotty and said they could do a kimono style jacket. To me, that's like me saying we should dress up as leprachauns, someone else saying no, and then my solution being, "Okay, we can wear something leprachaun-esque instead." She was so stuck on the kimono style that she didn't care why Jake said they shouldn't do it.

I was thinking, uh oh, if they do a kimono, they are going to get reamed at judging, and was quite relieved that Jake didn't let that happen.  Honestly I think Lindsey was reacting more to his manner than to what he was saying because if she had given it a moment's thought, she should have realized that that idea would get them their heads handed to them.  On the other hand, I thought their concoction was far too costume-y, so what do I know.

 

As for St. Petersburg, given where all the other destinations were, I'm certain they meant Russia.  Joseph mentioned that he was going for opulence, which would seem to indicate that was his thinking also, pointing to the pre-Revolution days of the city. 

[gingerormaryann]

I went back and re-watched the episode and Lindsay was so stuck on the kimono that she even tried to defend it in the TH.   Lindsay strikes me as one of those know-it-alls, who is so arrogant in her opinion, however wrong, that she gets pissy when someone corrects her.  She clearly didn't know the definition of kimono as she said it was a jacket style, which is absolutely wrong.  But since she thinks Hong Kong and Tokyo are the same places, you shouldn't be surprised.

 

And why is it when females band together against men it's "girl power" but when guys do it against women, it's "misogyny"? 

[gryphon]

 

 Personally, I'd tell Blake that, but he wouldn't have to be talking a lot for me to tell him to shut up. 

I especially hate Blake's way of talking.   Like when he says something like 'buttons' but it comes out 'bu-uns" like the t is silent or a glottal stop or something....I can't describe it, it just annoys the shit out of me.

I liked the winning outfit.somewhat..I can't stand high waisted pants, though.  Nothing has stood out to me so far. 

[Julia]

I'm hoping someone is keeping a running tally of when Tim's advice leads to a losing look/when he approves of something that ends up in the bottom.

That reminds me. Everyone was going really over the top on "oh, God, the horrors of the elderly!" this week. I'm glad Joseph stood up for an older consumer on the runway. Catering to an older client is just as valid as catering to a young 20-something who apparently does nothing but go to art galleries. It's the same nonsense as only designing for sample sizes when the "plus size" market is actually more of the market than you'd like to admit.

And yet, when Joseph designs for an older consumer (and I am one, so the idea of it doesn't offend me), he designs for a six foot tall size zero older consumer with a perfectly flat abdomen. The problem being that if I was a size zero older consumer with a perfectly flat abdomen, I could buy essentially the same outfit from any one of a number of catalogues my ninety-five-year-old mother-in-law gets. It was a dull off-the-rack mother of the bride dress, and while he may not have had time to produce anything better even if he was capable of collaborative work, he should be thoroughly ashamed for not owning the dowd on the runway. It was all his.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Julia

[Broderbits]

Well, we all know it's a sin in fashion to be anything other than 6 ft. tall and less than 100 lbs. This is the world where "plus-size" is a size 12 hourglass shape. I'm looking forward to this season's "real woman" challenge and all the whining, with the winner inevitably being whoever drew the most model-like customer.

[ethalfrida]

I am kind of feeling like they should let the designers design. The things they are showing do not even match what they are capable of. And talking about poorly done???? Do they not press their seams? And did no one learn about adjusting the tension of the thread?

 

I only tune in for the runway part because I can no longer tolerate the undeserved smugness coming from the contestants.

[ShannonR.]

I apologize if this has already been said, but...

It annoyed the heck out of me that Edmond kept pushing Pistachio to talk. I know that he thinks out loud and I do too...that's very helpful when collaborating, but it made me think of the woman from Puerto Rico I used to work with who tended to think and pray in Spanish first and English second. I've known of several people from other places who did that, so I wonder if that's what Hungmao (sp) was doing, thinking in Chinese first. If so, I can see why she'd be reluctant to think out loud because she'd have to translate it to be understood. That takes more time than just doing it herself. Either way, that outfit was awful, and why would anyone make a bathing suit out of anything that isn't stretchy? Never mind the fact that some types of cotton feel really heavy to wear when they get wet. I know they weren't really expecting anyone to go out and wear what they made but I don't think that matters to the judges. At least, it didn't here. That's just me, though...I could have missed something.

[Koffee Kup]

That ill-fitting top with cowl in the back is even worse than I remembered - there are two layers of cowl, one of which is just hanging there for no reason.  

That second cowl just hanging there was hideous.  Glad the nut is gone thought she should have gone week one.

[Rahul]

I apologize if this has already been said, but...It annoyed the heck out of me that Edmond kept pushing Pistachio to talk. I know that he thinks out loud and I do too...that's very helpful when collaborating, but it made me think of the woman from Puerto Rico I used to work with who tended to think and pray in Spanish first and English second. I've known of several people from other places who did that, so I wonder if that's what Hungmao (sp) was doing, thinking in Chinese first. If so, I can see why she'd be reluctant to think out loud because she'd have to translate it to be understood.

I wish Hanmaio barraged Edmond with a deluge of Mandarin (or whichever Chinese dialect she speaks) when he pressured her to tell him exact what she was thinking. It would be all that much sweeter if she was cursing him out and they subtitled it.

[sinkwriter]

 

Although Joseph's justification for shutting her down was not that she was annoying, but that she needed to focus on the challenge.  Have we seen Merline have problems with time management?

 

If I recall correctly, she had trouble in the first episode. The edits showed her doing a lot of singing and dancing and wandering around, while her competitors gave her the side-eye. After she realized she was running out of time (and I don't remember but possibly Tim gave her a not-so-great-review as well?), then she picked up the pace and got it done. But I remember being concerned that she would run out of time and that it was only going to get worse for her, as the competition got tougher and faster. She barely got her outfit done. Thankfully, it was well received on the runway, so she was safe. 

[aradia22]

 

And yet, when Joseph designs for an older consumer (and I am one, so the idea of it doesn't offend me), he designs for a six foot tall size zero older consumer with a perfectly flat abdomen. The problem being that if I was a size zero older consumer with a perfectly flat abdomen, I could buy essentially the same outfit from any one of a number of catalogues my ninety-five-year-old mother-in-law gets. It was a dull off-the-rack mother of the bride dress, and while he may not have had time to produce anything better even if he was capable of collaborative work, he should be thoroughly ashamed for not owning the dowd on the runway. It was all his.

Just to clarify, I think he made a pretty basic dress that didn't fit that well and I'm not sure if he was actually successful in making something for an older customer. But I appreciated someone standing up for that woman after a barage of talking heads acting like something made for an older woman was the biggest insult you could throw out. I'm sure if they made them do an older woman challenge in addition to the "real woman" challenge they'd go out and find people who look like Carine Roitfeld and Anna Wintour but I'd still like to see it. 

[aradia22]

 

'oversexed grandma' comment cracked me up

That reminds me. Nina's jokes about the side bib and mullet shirt were super lame. Just... stop. Why do we still have to deal with Nina? It was so bad it made me miss her insights on "foaming vaginas." *eye roll*

[Julia]

Just to clarify, I think he made a pretty basic dress that didn't fit that well and I'm not sure if he was actually successful in making something for an older customer. But I appreciated someone standing up for that woman after a barage of talking heads acting like something made for an older woman was the biggest insult you could throw out. I'm sure if they made them do an older woman challenge in addition to the "real woman" challenge they'd go out and find people who look like Carine Roitfeld and Anna Wintour but I'd still like to see it.

I forget which season, but they actually did find a senior aerobic dance class to design for, and the winning design was for a woman whose figure I would have mortgaged a body part for when I was 20. I remember Joan Rivers was the judge.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Julia