S14.E06: Lace To The Finish

[JenMcSnark]

I loved Swapnil's panty and cover, but I thought the bra had a good concept but poor execution.  I thought the straps across the chest were okay but would have looked better as a racer-back bra with just a few straps attached to the front top.

 

Loved Ashley's.  

 

I actually liked Jake's but I totally agree that the panty was not flattering.  And I felt so bad for his model...I didn't necessarily approve of her dictating what type of panty he made, but after hearing that she had some body and/or modesty issues, I felt bad that she was so scrutinized for the one thing she seemed to be very uncomfortable about. 

[sinkwriter]

 

Merline's win says one thing and one thing only to me - mass produced.  Swapnil even admitted his would be hard to mass produce, so I don't think he was surprised.  Merline's was the easiest of the top three to mass produce.

 

Honestly, I felt like Ashley's would be much easier to mass produce. Merline's had weird straps going down to the torso, and they didn't even seem well-planned like Swapnil's tried to be. I just went over to Heidi's website and I really think Ashley's design fits in better with what she already has in her line. 

 

Personally, I hated Merline's and thought she'd be in the bottom. I was stunned when she won. I want the judges to be checked for drugs! 

 

Seriously though, I tried to look at it objectively because Merline's model was so thin that she had hardly any chest whatsoever, but overall the bra just didn't lay nicely, it looked crooked, it had all those extra straps so it's not something you'd wear except for "sexytimes" and even that I would never choose... I just thought it didn't look good. I appreciate the amount of work she put into it but I thought it looked really bad on the model.

 

I thought Ashley should have won -- her outfit was pretty, fit the model well, and had a cover-up that was finished and worked with the outfit. I also liked Kelly's. I thought hers looked really good on her model and was kind of a sporty cute look.

Edited September 11, 2015 by sinkwriter

[slothgirl]

About the tetanus shot:  I'm not a doctor (and I don't play one on TV) but I seem to recall that a tetanus shot can be given up to three days after the injury and still be effective.   I realize Lindsey required a stitch too but gosh if I was on Project Runway in the middle of a challenge and I needed a stitch to keep going and all around me are needles and thread ...

I forgot all about needle-gate! Yes, you can get it up to a certain amount afterwards. Don't know the time frame, but it's not hours.

 

Who in their right mind goes around without an up-to-date tetanus shot anyway? Especially if you are going to be doing all the unpredictable things they do on this show, including digging metal trash out of dumpsters? It should be required that their immunizations be up to date! Everyone should get a tetanus booster before going on the show even if it isn't required.

 

I know you sometimes have to get a booster after an injury if your vaccination was a certain number of years ago even if it's within the 10 year time frame (which begs the question, shouldn't we just be getting the vaccine more often then? Or what's the point of having it at all if you have to get a booster if you get hurt regardless?.. anyway.. I digress)

 

Also.. they don't have a medic who can do friggin' stitches? Just ONE stitch? They got a room full of people who can sew, but the medics can't do stitches.. anyone else find that hilarious? Just me? Oh well...

Edited September 11, 2015 by slothgirl

[sinkwriter]

I didn't like Blake's at all, but I thought the judges were very hard on him for not being able to create a good-looking bra. He's young, he's not had any experience with women's bras, and as all the other contestants pointed out, it turned out to be a very hard challenge for all of them. It's hard to create a good, supportive bra that's also pretty. And at least he tried to create some sort of unique design and used less of the bra form than Jake did -- Jake's seemed to be just what they said not to do (dressing up the demo bra they provided).

 

Still... I didn't love his and I'm not at all surprised he went home. But the judges faked me out because I thought they might send both guys home.

I thought Swapnil was hilarious -- when they asked if the guys thought the girls had an advantage in this challenge and he immediately, without a split second of hesitation, said YESSSSSS! 

 

He was also pretty funny the way he was fussing over the pajamas they gave him. LOL.

 

I thought the judges might do a twist and finally give Swapnil a win, or I thought they'd go with Ashley because hers was cute and stylish and seemed to have the best potential for manufacturing it. But to give it to Merline? NO. Not for that outfit.

 

I will say, however, that I was pleased for Merline because Candice (or Lindsey?) was being so mean about how no one thinks Merline has any talent. So for her to win was like, HAHA Bitches!

Edited September 11, 2015 by sinkwriter

[aradia22]

This was very interesting. I don't think I've heard the judges talking about designing for a diverse range of bodies this much even during "real woman" challenge weeks.

 

It helped that her model actually had boobs. The very flat-chested models did not show the designs well.

Thank you for saying it.

 

I knew Swapnil wasn't going to win as soon as he talked about all the straps. Heidi wasn't going to pick something hard to manufacture even if it was amazing. I am surprised she went with Merline over Ashley. Merline made something I've definitely seen before but it is for a very limited market. I imagine that Heidi will change the design when she actually tries to sell it. Merline's design usually requires more support. It made me think of Marlies Dekker and L'Agent (predictably NSFW links).

 

I was very surprised that they eliminated Blake because I don't think they like Jake, Blake is good for drama/soundbytes, and they've already saved him for terrible designs so why start being critical now? I guess his look was just inexcusable. His model wasn't particularly busty but my chest was hurting in sympathy watching her breasts bounce down the runway. Can you imagine that with a C or D cup or higher? Ouch.

[sinkwriter]

 

When the judges kept talking about how it wasn't meant for daywear, but for the bedroom, I wondered how easily (or not) it comes off. If it looks sexy, but doesn't come off easily, it's probably not so good.

 

I was wondering how on earth you can put ON Swapnil's bra. I could see it becoming very frustrating and me getting all tangled up in the straps and cursing whoever came up with such a crazy impractical design. And once I finally got it on, I wouldn't want to take it off right away because I'd be all, "Honey, do you KNOW how long it took me to get into this thing?" LOL.

 

Sorry, Swapnil, I love you but... maybe I will like next week's design better! 

Edited September 11, 2015 by sinkwriter

[Kenz]

I really thought at one point Guest Judge Bella Thorne might expose her own breast in her attempt to make the designers understand what she was talking about.

I thought the same thing! I looked Bella Thorne up on Google. She's only 17. I kept doing a double take to see if her breasts were that exposed and yep, they were. She needed a bra herself. She annoyed me, because she acted like she was Donna Karan or some expert in the fashion world, and she was pawing the poor models too. I think I saw an annoyed look from gorgeous Aube  (Ashley's model)  thrown in her direction after she made some comment.

[sinkwriter]

I have to crack up a little bit about Heidi when she was checking out Aube in Ashley's garments, because she said Aube had a very nice "gadonkadonk." Isn't it supposed to be "badonkadonk," with a B, not a G? Heeee. It was pretty adorable to hear Heidi trying to use that expression.

[GaT]

What was the point of making them put on pajamas & sleep together on the runway? I hate stupid stuff like this.

 

Watching Blake trying to figure out where females keep their vaginas was just weird.

 

I don't like underwear with extra straps, so I didn't like Swapnil (looked more like a bathing suit), Ashley, Candice, Merline (bra had a terrible fit, why did it win?), Blake (absolutely no support, happy he’s gone), or Laurie. I did like Jake, Joseph, & Kelly, so of course none of them won.

 

Once again the 1 hour 32 minutes the show recorded was not enough & my DVR cut out during Blake's goodbye. I've added another minute to the series recording, but it really annoys me that they can't keep this show to 1 1/2 hours. 

[Tabbygirl521]

For the last time!! No, that's not the vagina, you can't see the vagina unless you are using a speculum. That is all. Thank you.

?

Oh my gosh. THANK YOU. This is exactly what I kept yelling at the TV. It drives me insane.

However. Did Blake think the "vagina" started like, north of where the clitoris actually is? I could not figure out what he was thinking. Yikes, and when his model headed down the runway, you could hardly see the pink against her skin, and it looked like naked boobs ba-doinging as she walked. Whoa.

[sinkwriter]

 

What was the point of making them put on pajamas & sleep together on the runway? I hate stupid stuff like this.

 

I did crack up over Tim wearing his jammies with a pocket square, though.

 

(And what did he do? Change into pj's for the scene where he visits them before they go to bed, and then go home to sleep in his own place, come back in the morning and put on his pj's again just to greet them and get them up for the day? Why?? LOL.)

 

I was a little worried the designers weren't going to have any time to get cleaned up themselves, for their own runway. They had such little time to finish as it was. (Though that might have been a little funny, to see all of them looking bedraggled as they try exhaustedly to present their lingerie. Heee.)

[Bebecat]

Good grief...Blake the Flake managed to make an almost flat-chested look sooo droopy. He was unbearable this episode as usual. How can you even pretend to be a designer if you don't know bodies of one sex at all? I think he must despise women's bodies. He is not a men only designer, is he? But he is gone, yay. So we don't have to listen to him tee-hee about himself longer.

I was not in love with Ashely's but what do I know. Also was not wild about Merlene's, got a Fredricks's vibe from it. But I liked her fuller bottom best.

I don't get all of those complicated straps. They are a pain, first of all and some of them could only be worn under turtlenecks, it seems. Swapnil's looked more like a bizarre swimsuit to me. But then I don't expose my bra or bra straps on purpose, as many do.

I don't know all these names even now. The girl who cut her hand did better than I expected, after all. Kelly's was good but I did not love the colors, personally.

Just looked at Heidi's line, and basically, she only offers bikinis and thongs. Even her boy shorts are so tiny. I am thin but still like a decent hipster cut, at least. Not interested in picking at my underwear all day long.

Nina doesn't seem to think that the "sheer" trend has, or should have, run its course. At least I hoped it had.

That poor model in the panties with the straps cutting off her hips, making her look like she had a roll there.

Bella surprised me, she has very specifc opinions for a teenager. Anyway, anyone besides Kelly Osborne is okay with me.

[film noire]

 I wondered how easily (or not) it comes off. If it looks sexy, but doesn't come off easily, it's probably not so good.

 

 

Can you imagine? ( "Oh yes, baby, that feels so good -- you my lobster -- yes, yes -- just let me get this -- wait, hold on! -- okay, if you just lift that left strap over my left breast -- OH MY NECK!  -- no, not THAT breast -- yes, that's it, that's it.....STOP, I'M CHOKING!!")

 

 

As far as Blake and Merline are concerned, when you make an A-cup model's breasts look awkward and disfigured, that's grounds for immediate elimination

 

I agree; breakfast at IHOP is served.  But (based only on Heidi's taste over the years) my theory about Merline's win is that Heidi liked the look because -- unlike most little girls in the seventies (who dreamed of being free to be you and me and being president) -- Heidi wanted to grow up to be a high class whore. Not a hardass woman of the night, workin' hard for the money --- no, one of those fresh-faced, whimsical whores you find in a Julia Roberts flick or a Jennifer Love Hewitt tv series, soundtrack by Abba  -- our new female Jungian archtype: The Mom Whore. That's our Heidi.

 

 

 

Loved Ashley's.

 

Me, too -- such a pretty color combination. And the design was feminine, sexy -- and not desperate. Loved it.

 

(True Confession: I will miss Blake.  I hated him -- that racist crap a few weeks ago -- but then I softened; always

the worst part of these reality shows. The Softening -- like a horror flick for your moral compass -- but he was becoming

more engaging and less assholian.  And every time I looked at him, I would try to map his features: Blake, the perfect love

child of Anderson Cooper and Dan Futterman. And I imagined them as a couple -- even though Futterman is straight

and married, Cooper the same, with a man -- hanging out at the Cape, Futterman reprising his SATC vibe as the gay

straight man. Baking muffins, shrieking at mice, Cooper all, "Motherfucker, I went to Darfur, I can handle

rodents" -- and it would get me through to the next segment. Now all I have to get me through are the fucking designs).

Edited September 11, 2015 by film noire

[phoenix780]

I was torn about the guest judge- something felt a little try-hard to me- but I think she also just made me feel old and I was having a "silence, child" moment.

 

I thought this was worse than mere product placement.  It seemed designed to create the impression that lingerie is the hardest thing in the world to create, even if you're given half of the outfit to use as a foundation (sort of- I think it was probably difficult to use it and obey the direction that it not be merely decorated).  So to me it was just a way of trying to elevate what Heidi sells, not just advertise it.  

 

The whole daywear lingerie vs. sexytime lingerie was a bit...if they're basing the look on an existing brand, isn't that question settled?  

 

To me the skin showing between Merline's bra cups and the straps made the models breasts look weird and smaller.  Not as bad as Blake's, but a similar effect.  And while I'm all for a surprise, they need to not make the win a total non sequitur based on the last we hear from the judges.  Don't make it feel like third place and then make it the winner.  I'm half-wondering if there was some kind of mistake, like that Australia's Next Top Model season where they botched a live finale.

 

I think Ashley should've won.  I also think she and Swapnil are a lock for the finale, though, so I suppose the wins for other people creates some tension.

 

The one who stabbed herself with scissors...I feel like everything she says is wrapped up in a shrug.  It's oddly fascinating to me.  Like...what would motivate her to have a slightly stronger reaction, with an emotion attached?  

 

Last thought: I found it a little difficult to watch and enjoy these people after last week's shenanigans.  Even if I assume that was totally edited (or especially if it was), I think it's bad form to go from Candice the Lying Mean Girl to Candice the (Overly) Excited.  It's bad storytelling, imho, 'cause I'm not prepped to accept her in that amusing/fun role.  

[Andyourlittledog2]

No one will ever beat Santino and his lederhosen lingerie, complete with deer antlers.  When Nina asked him what he thought about lingerie, he replied (paraphrased) 'I think it's supposed to come off!'  Good times. I miss early PR.  

 

Tonight were not good times. So boring all the way around.  Cannot believe Merline won with that. 

 

And to repeat what other posters have said,  the vagina is not on the outside. It's inside. The pubic area does not a vagina make. That careless way of speaking about it drives me nuts too.  Also, if Blake is used to working with models without underwear on, then he's seen the area before.  And the thongs most women (including models I am sure) wear when trying on the clothes leaves nothing to the imagination. Blake is so fake.  I'm gonna miss him, but he is very much an invented persona and not a real boy.  

 

Speaking of 'real boys', I keep subconsciously looking for the strings on Posen. He looks like a wooden puppet. Love him, but he does. 

[Broderbits]

The guest judge looked like she had a fake torso under that extremely open dress. It was so smooth and plastic-like.

[aradia22]

 

Speaking of cheap, I thought that word aptly described Heidi's lingerie line.

It's like a mid-range brand which in lingerie can be pretty expensive. Think $50-$100 per piece vs. the $50 and below you can find at malls and department stores. But not so much $100+ like the crazy high end brands. Of course, wait a little while and it usually goes on sale.

 

So I guessed that they wouldn't let the models walk around almost naked because this isn't HBO but I was surprised at how quickly the cover-ups were abandoned. Then when there was no blurring I later noticed that they put "wardrobe solutions" on. I think Blake's model had weird square pasties and almost everyone had thin flesh-colored underwear beneath the lace.

 

I've never heard of her, though.

I told my mom she was from the Disney channel. Translating here... "She's got a lot of wrinkles for the Disney channel."

 

My double-D's laughed at the sad excuse for a bra that won.

I thought it was hilarious that Nina wanted Merline's girl to "layer" with a sheer top. Just walk around naked if all the clothes you're putting on offer no support and no coverage.

[film noire]

Blake is so fake.  I'm gonna miss him, but he is very much an invented persona and not a real boy.  

 

 

He is -- he's Peter Pan with handlers -- but I was getting on board with him anyway, because at least he cared enough to invent a persona for this now-moribund show; we know what the judges will say, what the editing will show -- and that Tim will disappoint us, a pale shadow of his former glory-- but at least Blake brought his best dressed self to the party.

Edited September 11, 2015 by film noire

[voiceover]

No, that's not the vagina, you can't see the vagina unless you are using a speculum.  That is all.  Thank you.

 

No.  Thank YOU.  This irritates me almost as much as people who say "amount"* when they mean, "number".

 

I was thinking that this challenge caught the designers as off-guard (with the resulting meh work) as the one from Season I-forgot, when the challenge was Tiki Barber & men's wear.

 

*all sportstalk hosts

Edited September 11, 2015 by voiceover

[Broderbits]

 

It's like a mid-range brand which in lingerie can be pretty expensive. Think $50-$100 per piece vs. the $50 and below you can find at malls and department stores. But not so much $100+ like the crazy high end brands. Of course, wait a little while and it usually goes on sale.

 

When I said "cheap", I was referring to the fabrics and workmanship. Maybe the stuff looks better in real life, but over the tv I just don't see much quality there. Is Heidi so hard up for money that she has to have these annual side businesses to make a quick buck? None of her clothing lines have been impressive.

[candall]

I know everyone loves Swapnil, but don't be showing me a garment that extends all the way above the collarbone to the throat and call it a bra.

 

Then the very next critique after Swapnil's tennis racket was the satin number with the knot in front and it had "too much going on"??  (More people should have used satin, IMO.)

 

I objected to Jake's being found equivalent to Blake's disaster for the bottom. Jake's was pretty and comfortable, with good support.  Oh.  I guess that makes it unsuitable for The Heidi Collection.  Were sequins unavailable?

 

I better be seeing Aube in that magazine spread when this clusterfuck is all over.  She kept both her booty and her breasts popped out the whole time and really showed Ashley's work to its best advantage.  I could see the tension rising off the other models like smoke--totally understandable with judges fingering their bra cups and cameras zooming in on their outer labia and buttcrack floss.

 

(I don't think they got a full flesh-colored thong, but I did see a sliver of "muffcup," so at least we were spared a demo when the judges tittered about camel toe.  You stay classy, show.)

 

Okay, I laughed when Blake's first impression seemed to be that men and women sport their genitals in the same general area, innie versus outie.  (Wouldn't that be a disaster.)  Blake must've been getting a lot of friendly indulgent giggles because he made a baaaaad mistake stepping that line of naivete' up a notch and telling the judges he's never seen lingerie before.  Smack!

Edited September 11, 2015 by candall

[mansonlamps]

In glad it wasn't just me that hated Merline's. When they called names I thought she was in the bottom three for sure. I just went and looked on the website and it's as awful as I remembered, so I wasn't just half asleep.

I was learning to like Blake a little and appreciate that he brings a little life to an otherwise very dull party, but when he went into his simpering cutesy act with pretending not to know where women's body parts are and only designing for women who don't wear underwear, I was more than happy to see him leave. Hah on Zac calling him out for his disingenuous comments on the runway.

The slumber party has to be one of the stupidest gimmicks they have come up with so far. How does Heidi muster up the energy to even pretend that she thinks these types of ideas are fun and clever? And if it was such a surprise to the designers why did they have their runway ready wardrobes available the next morning? Did they get to shower or brush their teeth? Eew. Reminds me of my job lately where my boss comes up with "fun" ideas for our department like balloon fights and we, all grown adults, grit our teeth and pretend we think she's the most fun person ever!

Final thought, I actually didn't like Swapnil's at all, don't shoot me! Without the criss cross over the breastbone maybe. Just way too much going on, not suitable for wearing under anything OR for sexytimes IMO. This one should have gone to Ashley I think.

Have any of our very observant posters tallied wins by runway model? If Aube hasn't won every challenge, it has to be pretty close.

Edited September 11, 2015 by mansonlamps

[Texasmom1970]

How ironic Bella as a guest judge for a lingerie challenge when she clearly had no bra on, she us only 17 yikes. The Mom in kept on wanting to throw a coat over her!

Ashley was robbed, I am sorry. Merlines was chosen because it fit in with Heidi's tacky line and her taste. It was just awful! I must be on old lady too because I also like my underwear to I don't know actually cover your ass!

[pasdetrois]

 

One of my aunts watches PR and told my mom that she thinks Tim will use his save for Ashley.

That's my bet, too. Ashley will have a bad day, they will auf her, and Tim will save her. And we will be treated to lots of tears and brave little speeches about how hard it is to be different. You notice we haven't had too many lip-quivering True Confessionals (e.g., HIV, cancer, bullying) like we've had in the past - I think they are saving it for Ashley.

 

I liked that many of the models had less-than-perfect bodies. I mean they were slender, but they didn't have that starving heroin chic thing going on. I bet despite their youth and beauty, it was unnerving to have Heidi taking such a close look.

 

We saw Tim with mussed hair! That was a first (I don't think his hair moves on a windy day) and made me chuckle. Plus, the pocket square in the bathrobe. Still, I feel that Tim has somehow been slowly relegated over the season to a performing minion. I wish we had more of the old mentoring and sage advice in each episode.

 

When they dragged out the air mattresses on the runway, I thought we were going to have some kind of stunt challenge, with designers crashing around on the mattresses. Stupid.

[Julia]

Ho-kay. I guess I missed the part for the last four weeks where Blake screamed and threw his arm over his eyes when the army of models came into the workroom and stood around in their bras getting fitted?

But I forgive all, because it led to that  magic moment when young Ickarus flew too close to the sun and tried to tell Zac Posen that he can't be asked to know about foundations and how they interact with the icky bits beneath them because he knows not the touch of women. And the magic moment right afterwards, where Zac kept going until the smirk died.

 

He is -- he's Peter Pan with handlers

You're absolutely right. He is. But Blake's persona is a pale shadow of the real Unicorn Boy (who was actually insanely accomplished, just not at things that take six hours to do), and for me the only thing he really added was a layer of willful 'fabulous' ignorance straight out of a thirties movie. He may be a talented kid, but watching him touch poop and giggle every week was getting kinda old. I'm sure there's a real Blake in there somewhere. Sorry we didn't get to meet him.

I thought Merline's was, at least, original, and in a competition where they were willing to redo Blake's thing enough to put it in a magazine, I imagine it's the raw material for what could be an interesting set. Swapnil's was, as ever, the best combination of construction and design, but he called it - too complex for mass production,and a little too niche.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Julia

[avecsans]

I did not like this challenge very much. I had second hand mortification on behalf of the models, who were dehumanized to a ridiculous extent. Was it necessary for the camera to zoom in so tightly on the underwear that nothing was left to the imagination? Was it necessary for Nina, Zac and the others to touch the bras and to inspect the underwear so closely and to make insulting remarks about muffin tops? I forget for whom the redheaded woman was modeling, but she was obviously so embarrassed that her neck and chest turned red.

I probably would have chosen Ashley for the win but t I definitely would not have chosen Merline. Hideous. I'm glad Blake is gone. People who wear their ignorance like a badge of honor make me sick.

Lindsey looks like Taylor Swift channeling Daria.

[msburg]

I would've put any designer who placed the ubiquitous useless bow on the bra in the bottom.  I could not believe how many of them did that!  Such a stupid detail.

[LennieBriscoe]

I'm just going to say it: IMO, Heidi's fashion aesthetic can be summed up in the word "Sleaze." Her language reflects her taste, as well.

 

As for Blake and the location of Lady Parts: In the olden days of pubic hair, the pubic region was easily discerned. Now the bar has been lowered, so to speak, but where it will stop, nobody knows.

Edited September 11, 2015 by LennieBriscoe

[sacrebleu]

What the hell are these designers doing with their time?

 

The girl who was injured (can't remember her name) lost three hours of time, and finished everything without drama. But two designers failed to produce a cover-up and just wrapped fabric around their models. (Both Jake and Blake rightfully ended up in the bottom).

 

and as another posted pointed out- the basic structure was provided- so many of the designers merely decorated existing bras so there wan't too much sewing going on.

 

I really don't know how these designers manage to spend 12 hours working but still fail to produce a complete look.

[Empress1]

I don't know Bella Thorne from the Disney Channel but she was on the Lifetime movie Perfect High not too long ago, playing a dancer who descends into heroin addiction (she gets injured, prescribed opiates, and it spirals from there). I love me some Lifetime movies about fucked up teens, and this is no exception.

 

I wanted more people to call out the fact that a bunch of them just threw fabric over the models and called them coverups.

 

I'm a 36D. I also love lingerie. (I have two Elle MacPherson bras; no Heidi Klums.) So I was looking at the challenge from the angle of "Can I wear this?" from a logistical perspective - would my breasts be supported like I need them to be, would the bras give me the shape I like? And then "Would I wear this" from a color and style perspective. I would run screaming from Blake's - if the model's A cups looked that droopy, God knows what mine would look like. (I LOVED Zac Posen taking Blake to task for only designing for women who don't wear bras. Blake would have been that guy making his real person model cry when we got to the "design for real folks" challenge.) I am all for lingerie that's meant to be taken off, but you still want to look nice in it before it comes off. Blake's shit was ugly.

 

I would also run from Merline's top because I just cannot imagine my breasts in it, and I prefer an underwire. I like Merline but I didn't see that win coming at all.

 

I love how Swapnil was so thoughtful about the production of the bra. I would wear that as "bedroom only" IF it were immediately clear how to put it on. If I can't figure out how to put on an item (not just bras, anything), it stays in the store.

 

I would wear Ashley's in a different color - but the color was striking on Aube, who is stupid crazy delicious gorgeous. As Zac said, the bottoms laid well and the bra was supportive AND sexy. I'd also wear Kelly's in a completely different color (I look awful in yellow) but I liked the style and thought it was well-constructed, and the coverup was cute and very Kelly.

 

Those double straps Jake did create rolls unless you have absolutely zero body fat. They just do. I'd stay away. And the bra did have a very "my first bra" look, but the back and front were totally mismatched.

 

Laurie, I like you, girl, but ... nah. The bra was fine, but the bottoms were awful. I did like the color story.

 

I'm not a fan of Lindsey but I would wear that with some modifications - I would make the bottoms hit a little lower on the belly. I have a bunch of lace boy shorts so I dug that.

 

Joseph's bottoms were so badly constructed - they were sagging in the front.

 

Re: pubic hair, I'd assume all these models either get regular take-it-all-off Brazilian waxes or have had theirs lasered off as part of their job as models. One less thing to worry about. There were a couple of times during the critique where I was seeing more labia than I cared to.

[OakGoblinFly]

Why is it that the designers heard 'lingerie' and immediately went to thongs, demi cups (most without support), and garters?  Not every woman wants to have a piece of dental floss up their butt nor do they want their breasts unsupported and swinging in the breeze; do these woman not deserve to have the opportunity to purchase sexy lingerie?

 

Personally I hate thongs; I prefer hipsters for everyday with the occasional boy short tossed in to the mix (my undergarment choice is driven by my clothing choice).  This sized 34-F gal prefers to wear a supportive full coverage bra, be they sassy, pretty, or sexy.  

 

And no Heidi, 'less bra, more boob' is not always a good thing.  One of the sexiest bras I own is a full coverage, underwire bra - what makes it sexy is the lace (a three-part cup (most supportive for anything over a C cup)) coupled with seam details (which gives the illusion of a demi cup while providing full coverage (thus elimionating the dreaded double boob look)), embroidery with seed beads, and strap work.

 

I did appreciate Candice's comment that sometimes the best thing about lingerie is wearing it for yourself and how it makes you feel .... Sometimes I have to dress extremely conservatively for work; I like wearing extra feminine/sexy lingerie under those garments - it makes me feel good/confident.

 

I thought most of the looks on the runway were awful. It was clear that most of the designers had no idea how to create a supportive bra or one that enhances the look of the breast.  

 

I thought only Ashley put any thought into constructing a supportive bra; as demonstrated by her talking head, she clearly has a good understanding of a woman's body and the engineering that goes into a good bra.  I thought her look was beautiful.

 

I'm surprised Kelly's look was only safe; I liked it almost as much as Ashley's and thought she should have one of the top three (if not the outright winner).

 

Swapnil's look was good for a fashion shoot - not so much for practicality.  

 

I agree with those who think Merline was given the win because her look would be one of the easier ones to mass produce.  Personally, I thought it should have been a safe look (if not bottom) - it wasn't original (I've seen slight variations of that look for years) and it looked to be terribly constructed.  The judges were lying to themselves (and the audience) when they said that Merline's look could easily translate to woman of various sizes and shapes.  Um, no.  Even if I were to wear a 'bedroom' look ... I need a wee bit of support for my breasts ...... there was zero support in Merline's look.

[Beden]

 

My double-D's laughed at the sad excuse for a bra that won.

I thought it was hilarious that Nina wanted Merline's girl to "layer" with a sheer top. Just walk around naked if all the clothes you're putting on offer no support and no coverage.

Thank you. I also thought her throwaway comment about 'sheer is trending now' was a bit disingenuous. Speaking about designing things which would actually sell? When was the last time you saw women walking down your Main Street or dining at a local restaurant in a little chiffon blouse, sans bra--or even with a fetching bra?

 

And thank you Zac for your completely reasonable take down regarding producing things which would actually sell, what with this being an actual, you know, business in which you may hope to turn a profit.

 

I was also appalled by the assumption by the majority of the designers, even the better ones, that underwear is so simple my dog could produce it. My old granny was a well known lingerie designer, high end--all silk and imported laces, she's gone but her company continues--and I learned first hand that designing and producing foundation garments which do their job in terms of support is an advanced exercise in physics. Seriously. Am I the only one who recalls that Howard Hughes designed a major support bra for Jane Russel's double D's back in the day- Howard Hughes the aeronautical designer who owned a ton of flying design patents and flight records?

 

JMO, but I thought Ashley was robbed. Good design, aesthetically pleasing and practical. Blake's simpering was wearing on me...I've never found playing the young and dumb card attractive.

 

Finger stitch girl? Please. When that happens during a time crunch you wrap it with a kleenex or something and tape it,keep working and deal when you can. To me that stupid pajama party was an excuse to rob the designers of a night's sleep.

Edited September 11, 2015 by Beden

[terrymct]

I can live with the results.  A few quibbles, but nothing worth getting worked up over.

 

Ashley:   I'd have given this look the win.  The bra and panties are wearable, pretty, and flattering.  The cover up is also wearable and nice.  Good job.

 

Blake:   Oh, dude.  When that model walked down the runway, her breasts were bouncing like 2 lbs of flour in a 5 pound bag.  He made a model look saggy.  The panties were cut rather hoochie, too.  If someone wore those, they'd be adjusting or picking at them all day.  Terrible.  The cover up was a weak attempt.   He deserved to go home.  I keep forgetting Blake is 17, but honestly unless he was home schooled or went to some uber religious school, he should have had a little sex ed or basic biology.  Heck, he's from a farm.  He should know the basics of the birds and the bees.  That said, I'm sure Blake wasn't mucking out stalls or slopping hogs before school.   It was his time to go home.  He could be a good designer in about ten years, but he needs experience and some more education.

 

Candice:   That garter belt just goes to loops around the thighs?  Are the loops supposed to attach to the tops to stockings?  I thought there were clips for that.  Maybe she needed the loops so the clips wouldn't bounce around.   Not really flattering.  Another set of panties that require the wearer to shave in order to wear.  Meh.

 

Edmond:  Meh again, although that beige strip of lace across the front of the panties bugged me.  This is just a standard set you could buy at Victoria's Secret any year from the day it opened to today.  Deserved to be in the middle.

 

Jake:  Odd mix of standard and unflattering.  He deserved to be in the bottom but not to lose.  

 

Joseph:  The bra was lovely, if fairly standard.  I could buy that at any lingerie shop catering to middle aged women.  The panties sagged like heck, what did he do wrong?  Too big?  Handled the elastic wrong?  I did like the cut of the panties better than the high cuts other people made.  You could wear these without having a Brazilian wax done.  Ok with him being in the middle.

 

Kelly:  I keep looking at this set.   First, the cut of the leg holes is wrong as is actually showing the edge of the model's pubic hair.  Imagine what it would look like on a woman who didn't wax down there.   Other than that, the design is fairly standard although the colors aren't.  You'd have to wear that under a black top or plan for everyone to see your bra through your shirt.   Her cover up was one of the better ones, she actually worked on it a bit.

 

Laurie:  I don't get the praise for this bra.  I suspect it's because Laurie tried for an interesting look.   It's nice enough, but again has to be worn under a black top or in a way that you know it will show through for effect.  Those panties look like Frederick's of Hollywood.

 

Lindsey:  I don't know why more designers didn't go with boy shorts.  In general, they're cute and flattering and don't leave the model's crotch showing.  In this case, I'm not sure why she had the model wearing both a thong and boy shorts.  For the look, sure, but man would that be a pain to wear.   This would have to be one of those outfits you put on so you can immediately take it off.   The bra's demi cups seem oddly small when compared to the bottoms.  

 

Merline:  I'm comfortable with Merline winning, even though this isn't wearable by 90% of the female population.  It will be interesting to see how Heidi's company adjusts this.  The cups need to be a bit larger and more substantial.  That said, it's an interesting outfit, which took more effort than tacking some lace on top of a pre-made bra.  I'd have given Ashley the win, but can live with this.

 

Swapnil:   This was very interesting, but perhaps slightly over praised.  I think the strapping on the bra was nice, but it seemed like it was too high up on the chest.   I agree with the judges that the straps on the panties should have been crisscrossed in some way to mimic the bra pattern.  Overall, it was inventive and fun but I'm glad it didn't win.

 

Overall, I'm really tired of Lindsey and Joseph.  They need to be the next two to go.  Both are blah designers.  Lindsey adds annoying to the mix.  After that, Kelly should be on greased skids out the door.  She has more imagination than either Lindsey or Joseph but produces more crappy designs than good ones.

[FormerMod-a1]

I liked the design of Merline's, but thought the execution was lacking.  I thought she won for the design and the fact that she made it all - she didn't use the bra foundation (or whatever it's called).  The guest judge even commented how the execution was off and showed how it would look when she pulled up a piece of the lace and commented on finishing the stitching (or something like that).

 

I also really liked Ashley's and would have been quite happy if she won.  I would wear that.  Swapnil's looked more like swimwear of something.  I'm glad it didn't win.  I liked Laurie's bra, but agree with the judges that the panties were really bad.  I'm glad she was safe.

[terrymct]

Merline's design is up on Heidi's website for sale.  They made the cups a bit bigger but overall it's pretty close to what she designed.

 

OMG, at the end where one of the designers (Lindsey?) told Merline that THIS was the challenge to win because linking your name with Heidi's is how you get known.    Sure, if you design something she wears to the Emmy's maybe.   Thinks of the designers who won challenges that resulted in their design being sold commercially.  How many of them are well known now?   The freaky chick who did the "flourishons" and had a jacked in the International Concepts section of Macy's?   Who was it that won Heidi's sportswear competition a couple of seasons back?  Anyone recall without looking it up?  How about the capsule collections for Lord and Taylor or Home Shopping Network? 

[Empress1]

Blake:   Oh, dude.  When that model walked down the runway, her breasts were bouncing like 2 lbs of flour in a 5 pound bag.  He made a model look saggy.  The panties were cut rather hoochie, too.  If someone wore those, they'd be adjusting or picking at them all day.  Terrible.  The cover up was a weak attempt.   He deserved to go home.  I keep forgetting Blake is 17, but honestly unless he was home schooled or went to some uber religious school, he should have had a little sex ed or basic biology.  Heck, he's from a farm.  He should know the basics of the birds and the bees.  That said, I'm sure Blake wasn't mucking out stalls or slopping hogs before school.   It was his time to go home.  He could be a good designer in about ten years, but he needs experience and some more education.

Blake is 24. He made a joke about being "still 17" in one episode, but he's 24.

[terrymct]

About the tetanus shot:  I'm not a doctor (and I don't play one on TV) but I seem to recall that a tetanus shot can be given up to three days after the injury and still be effective.   I realize Lindsey required a stitch too but gosh if I was on Project Runway in the middle of a challenge and I needed a stitch to keep going and all around me are needles and thread ...

 

The way she was screeching, I thought her hand would be gushing blood.  That shot she was so upset about getting was novocaine or the equivalent.  I had that when I sunk a knife into my hand by accident a few years ago.  I got more stitches than Lindsey and the numbing didn't last long afterward and didn't interfere with anything I needed to do.    She's a bit of a princess.

[terrymct]

Blake is 24. He made a joke about being "still 17" in one episode, but he's 24.

 

Good grief!  He has no excuse at all.

[Qoass]

I'm just grateful that they managed to find some synonyms for "panty".  if not, I would have gone around the bend like I do every time I hear a Victoria's Secret ad.  Somehow it seems impossible to say that word without a salacious gasp.

 

Is it possible they're trying to spread the wins around a bit so they don't end up looking like Ashley, Swapnil and a bunch of cannon fodder?

Edited September 11, 2015 by Qoass

[mansonlamps]

Merline's design is up on Heidi's website for sale.  They made the cups a bit bigger but overall it's pretty close to what she designed.

Good God would someone actually pay $95.00 for that flimsy, cheap looking mess? Frankly Heidi's lingerie would have to really be something unique and special for me to even consider purchasing it. I'm sick of these richer than God celebrities making even more money by lending their name to cheap, tacky clothing and getting their fans to spend their hard earned money on the overpriced crap. I find enough decent lingerie in department stores without paying for Heidi's name to be attached to it, thanks.

[Julia]

Good grief!  He has no excuse at all.

Oh, he has no excuse at all. Even if he was raised in a barrel and fed through a bunghole, he's spent the last four years studying fashion in Los Angeles. It's just barely possible he's been exposed to swimwear in that time. Anyone as stupid as Blake pretends to be wouldn't be able to sustain autonomic functioning.

I just think Blake is not particularly talented or skilled, and figured if he played Blake™ for the cameras they would keep pointing the cameras at him. I also think he wasn't bright enough to do it particularly well, and that he was probably the angriest person I've seen on my television in a long time. And not Bravo show-angry, either. TLC how is this my life? angry.

[sofaslug]

I missed the beginning of the show where their challenge was explained to them. Did they have to design a bra and thong (since that's what most of them made)? I'm surprised nobody designed a camisole with tap pants. Not all of us feel the need to be so exposed even for "sexy time".

[CousinOliver]

Merline's design is up on Heidi's website for sale.  They made the cups a bit bigger but overall it's pretty close to what she designed.

 

OMG, at the end where one of the designers (Lindsey?) told Merline that THIS was the challenge to win because linking your name with Heidi's is how you get known.    Sure, if you design something she wears to the Emmy's maybe.   Thinks of the designers who won challenges that resulted in their design being sold commercially.  How many of them are well known now?   The freaky chick who did the "flourishons" and had a jacked in the International Concepts section of Macy's?   Who was it that won Heidi's sportswear competition a couple of seasons back?  Anyone recall without looking it up?  How about the capsule collections for Lord and Taylor or Home Shopping Network? 

 

Well, I do like the design more on Heidi's website, with the taught straps and slightly larger cups.  Apparently, the judges could see something I couldn't, because if the model last night looked like the model in the print ad, I would have given Merline the win, too.  As for the three top ones on the runway, it would have gone to Ashley.  I would have been okay with a Swampnil win because it's him and he's missed out a few times, but the design was clearly not meant for mass production. 

[LisaBLingLing]

I watched the runway part a second time.  Lindsay's proportions were all off, the top and bottom did not go together.  I thought it walked way worse then either Laurie's or Jake's.  

 

Also, Candice's?  Yuck.  Talk about looking complicated to put on.  And unflattering once it was.  

 

Reading the discussion here about Swapnil's, I agree that his should not have won and was way too complicated.  But on the runway, as Nina said, it was a showstopper.  

[Wootini]

As a gay man, I had no frame of reference for this entire episode. And since I'm not trying to work in the fashion industry, I feel like it's perfectly fine for me to know absolutely nothing about lingerie. ;)

 

But that said, when Merlene's came down the runway, I thought it was awful, as bad as Blake's. I'm glad to see that others here agreed with me. That model didn't even have big boobs, but it still made her look saggy and unsupported. I thought it was just really unflattering on her. It does look a little bit better on Heidi's website, given that it's been produced properly in a factory and not hand-stitched by one woman who often seems to make garments that appear kind of unfinished, but man, I feel like if you have any boobs at all, that's not going to be any fun to wear.

 

I don't know what was up with all the people who did those super-high cuts on the panties like it was 1983 or something. It just looks tacky. And I also don't understand the point of making a boy short pantie in the front, but then it's a thong in the back. Why would you want extra coverage in the front but dental floss up your crack? Is that normal?

 

I was actually surprised that Blake went home, even though his lingerie was TERRIBAD. Jake's was pretty, but kind of unflattering on the model (who is so beautiful, but never looks happy to be there) and it was boring, which the judges always hate. Blake had done some things the judges absolutely loved, so I thought that would work in his favor. (Even though I've only liked one thing that he's done, I think… the rest were awful and I didn't know what the judges were thinking.) So I guess now we're not going to have any more of those totally unrehearsed moments where Blake makes a big deal about knowing nothing about something so everyone can roll their eyes at him and he can get more camera time. (Tho I absolutely LOVED when Zac and Heidi shut him down on the runway for not even making the effort before now. Surprised Nina didn't jump in -- I remember a season where she kept taking one designer to task for always designing things a woman couldn't wear a bra with)

 

My personal favorite was Ashley's. Swapnil's was good, but I actually thought it was a bit overworked. And there was no way it could win since Heidi's sweatshop couldn't realistically mass produce that. Although judging from Ashley's tears in the preview for next week, she'll be having another off week. She does seem to alternate, doesn't she? One week she's on her game and makes something great, and the next week she designs a sack. What's up with that?

 

Oh, and quickly about that "sleepover?" What was that? I thought it was a way to give the designers more time, and those who wanted to could stay up as late as they wanted. I was looking forward to seeing who was that dedicated that they would give up all their sleep just to make their garment better. But they all went to bed at the same time around 3 am. And then Tim woke them up and clearly sent them back to the hotel to shower and get dressed before they came back to the workroom to get ready for the runway. So yeah, I didn't see the point of that except to annoy the designers and give Princess Blake more camera time for shenanigans. :P

[Twopper]

 

I was also appalled by the assumption by the majority of the designers, even the better ones, that underwear is so simple my dog could produce it. My old granny was a well known lingerie designer, high end--all silk and imported laces, she's gone but her company continues--and I learned first hand that designing and producing foundation garments which do their job in terms of support is an advanced exercise in physics. Seriously. Am I the only one who recalls that Howard Hughes designed a major support bra for Jane Russel's double D's back in the day- Howard Hughes the aeronautical designer who owned a ton of flying design patents and flight records?

30+ years ago I married a widower whose wife had been a sewing instructor; she was also a breast cancer survivor who was not happy with her choice in bras so she started designing her own.  Not too long ago I decided to clean out several trunks in the attic and came across some of her work plus tons of patterns.  

 

I went to a concert last night and missed this episode, I guess I am not impressed enough with this season to set the dvr to record the series, but when I read the comments it made ask the same old question I ask about the contestants each season: why are you so unprepared when there have been so many seasons of this show already and there is not much new under the sun.  There are plenty of patterns for lingerie and swimwear.  Why not, if you are going to be on this show, spend some time just using the patterns to make lingerie, swimsuits, etc.  That way at least you would have a good idea of the basics so you don't end up with the deer in the headlights reaction when you find out that's your challenge.  As for the sleep deprivation part of this, I have no words.  Yes, I do--very unnecessary.

 

I think if I were designing sexy underwear with a cover-up, I would start with a 3-arm-holed wrap-around so I could be "unwrapped" to reveal my sexy bra and panties.  The trick would be keeping the 3 items "cohesive" --as they say --without being too "matchy-matchy."

[Thadeeeyus]

Reading the discussion here about Swapnil's, I agree that his should not have won and was way too complicated.  But on the runway, as Nina said, it was a showstopper

 

 I think it was a showstopper in that it made you sit up and pay attention.  Though I agree that Swap should have finished near the top for most challenges, and I could have given him the win on two challenges, I now think some of the praise directed at him, such as Nina's comment last night, is to create a buzz as he continues his run of not winning.

 

I would have had Merlene's lingerie in the bottom half, couldn't understand that win.  Ashley's was my favorite. 

[seasick]

I hate these Heidi-line challenges.  Active-wear, baby cloths, underwear --.boring.   And we had to suffer those Rachel Zoe commercials and her dopey husband too.  

 

 I'm with other posters in disappointment over not going to MOOD.  I do think part of it is because they are not at Parsons in Manhattan.this season.   But I am now beginning to agree that they want MOOD to pony up more ad. $$..  If not,  they would at least referenced MOOD when they supplied the "fabric."   They looked like scraps from the cutting room floor. 

 

Thanks andyourlittledog2  (and another poster too, I think) for memories of Santino's reindeer collection and his snotty   "I think it's supposed to come off is what i think!  I thought about him too.

 

Without a doubt I'm team Ashley.  Nice detailing all over.  Something any woman could wear any age, Kelly's was cute and different too.  . 

Now I understand why Heidi was shocked that they were taking so long.  I guess cutting out 2 triangles and a couple straps --what Merline won with.-- should take about 20 mnutes.   And maybe even better if the triangles 'traveled' along the bottom strap   (I hate that!)  Who knew? 

 

They keep cutting back on all the things that made watching fun.  I liked when the models were chosen and they fought over them.  I loved going to MOOD.  I liked when they showed some model selection for the finals and looked at details --like where they got their shoes and their music.  I wouldn't be surprised  if this year they don't send Tim out for visits. Cheap Cheap Cheap,  while we're subjected to product endorsements.  

 

And Ashley is for sure slated to get the save if she gets eliminated (and next week doesn't look good for her) But if not   he better use it on Swapnil if he goes !!

[njbchlover]

You've said everything I wanted to say. Except you left out Ashley. I liked her design and thought she should have been the winner.

 

I knew that Ashley wasn't going to win during the workroom chat with Heidi and Tim.  I thought that Ashley was trying to tell Heidi (in a very nice way) that she was creating something that would work for ALL women - small, medium and large.  She commented to Heidi that she is used to doing "plus size", etc., but Heidi just wasn't buying it.  She told Ashley to change her design to show more boob - wasn't her comment something like "more boob, less bra"?  

 

Ashley was trying to create something that would have been sexy and supportive for every breast shape and size, but Heidi just wanted her to create something sexy and with little fabric, and little to no support, which, as we know, is not something that most women can or should be wearing.

 

God forbid Heidi should be associated with anything that may work for someone other than a 5'11", 100 lb. model type.

 

I was curious as to whether the designers were given any information as to what Heidi's target audience is.  She told Joseph that his bra was too matronly (which I think has become Heidi's favorite word this season), and I actually thought was very pretty, so I guess I'm matronly.  She then told Jake that his polka dotted bra was too "teenager".....and, again, I thought that bra was pretty, too - and not teenager-ish at all.  In fact, I have a navy blue bra with small white polka dots and lace trim from Maidenform's Comfort Devotion line that is one of my go-to bras, that I would imagine would look pretty on all women in every size.

 

And again, if the judges on this show are any indication, I am just not a fashionable person!    ;-)

[njbchlover]

No need for that - according to my fashion model niece, Brazilian waxing is still the standard for runway work. 

 

It's too soon for me to be completely comfortable - remember when Charketa was eliminated and cleared her stuff out of the workroom? Tim woke up stressed out about losing her and announced the save the next day. There's still time for him to decide to save Princess Blake.

 

I think that the most of the models were also wearing some type of nude or skin-toned very small panty liner under the actual designed panty.  You could see it on the close-ups of some the panties.  Maybe some kind of stick-on thing or something?  I would imagine they were used just in case those flimsy panties shifted during the runway walk, so their lady parts would not be exposed.