The Face - General Discussion

[Tara Ariano]

Discuss The Face Here!

[Tara Ariano]

Here's what Leigh-Ann wrote about it!

[Tara Ariano]

The models try to walk on an unusual runway in restrictive dresses. Appearing: Tyson Beckford.

IT'S A WALKOFF! 

[Tara Ariano]

Here's Sarah's post about it! And there was a walkoff, because Tyson was there and that's the law.

[Tara Ariano]

The girls learn firsthand that it takes more than a pretty face to be a brand ambassador and that they'll have to act in commercial shoots for fast-growing lifestyle brand Alex & Ani.

[milkyaqua]

I really find it silly that they make the girls write their own script and then complain when they botch the name of the designer.  Give them all the same script and figure out which model can pronounce the client name.  Done and done.  It's not that hard but it wouldn't be as entertaining and Naomi couldn't throw a hissy fit.  Wait a minute, Naomi can throw a hissy fit anytime about anything.

[flyingpeach]

Wow!  Naomi is so inspiring with all that screaming and gnashing of teeth. /sarcasm.  At no point did it occur to her that her tantrum was actually making the team's performance worse. 

[milkyaqua]

No different than her calling Kira out before the group photoshoot because they weren't all stressed out enough already as it was.  Count on Naomi to find the most inopportune time to act crazy.

[formerlyfreedom]

The models create a viral video for a handbag launch.

Original airdate: April 2, 2014

[milkyaqua]

I'm going to watch this at lunch tomorrow but what the heck at Lydia putting up her best girl for elim?  She's clueless.

[WimminWinning]

I'm done with Lydia from the US version and Nicole in the AU version. They are both ruining the purpose of the competition.

Edited April 4, 2014 by WimminWinning

[heckkitty]

That "dance" that Lydia made her team do was cringe-worthy.  And she knew it - SHE was cringing.  So don't make your team be cheerleaders then! Argh, she's very frustrating.

[Saintz]

I'm just glad that Anne V keeps winning. Tiana is great and I hope she wins but I'm not holding my breath.

[WimminWinning]

Anne won this last one by default. Lydia's team was the single worst performance of any season ever and Naomi's choreography consisted of the models turning the handbag like a wheel and popping their collars.

[Lisin]

You never know a man until you’ve walked in his shoes, and that’s what the models will have to do. The contestants pose as the opposite sex in an androgyny campaign. To prove versatility to a judge from Elle, they must transform into strapping men.

Original Air Date 2014-04-09

[milkyaqua]

You can see the most recent epi of the Australian version here as well as past episodes.

It's actually a step up from the U.S. version.

[MMLEsq]

Maybe I'm not creative enough, but looking at the three pictures that each group ended up with, I wouldn't have been able to immediately discern what the "story" was supposed to be.

The elimination wasn't all that surprising -- I figured it would end with the three teams tied with two girls left each, rather than leaving Lydia with only one person and Anne still with three.

I think I've already said this in another thread, but Naomi really makes this show almost unwatchable for me.  I like Anne and Lydia, Nigel, pretty much all of the girls that are left, but I cannot stand Naomi.  I'm almost at the point where I can't watch anymore because of her -- I might give up and just wait to hear who wins at the end.

[Bella]

Lydia really does not know what she is doing, and I'm now more annoyed with her than I am with Naomi. How many bad ideas can Lydia come up with, anyway? And Amanda should want to leave her team - that was the only right answer, though Naomi shouldn't have asked the question in the first place. 

I'm still hoping Tiana wins the whole thing, but some of the other girls are picking up their game.

[milkyaqua]

I can't figure out which is worse, Lydia or Nicole on the Australia version.  I think Lydia may have the edge here.  I love Joe Zee and RuPaul.  Nigel wasn't as creepy this epi as usual.  I figured Khadisha wouldn't last too much longer.  I've got this feeling that the most bland girls will be left standing in the finale.

[milkyaqua]

From epi 2, the challenge win prize:  Marie Claire Australia, May '14, The Debutantes ed, photos by Corrie Bond

[Kromm]

It's always the same on ALL three versions of The Face.  Naomi makes sure no real "threat" to her is cast as a fellow mentor.  She always picks on the "quirky coach" the most.  She throws at least one serious tantrum every two episodes on each show.  Her acting falls apart when she ejects a girl and pretends to care.  Etc etc etc.

Edited April 11, 2014 by Kromm

[milkyaqua]

She is a drama queen that's for sure and you do have to wonder if as suggested by another that if say Paulina Porizkova or Janice Dickinson were hired as mentors if Naomi would roll over them like say Lydia and Nicole.  I always cringe when she starts yelling and does something like fall to her knees because the girls aren't doing what she wants them to do.

Yaya from the Australian version was at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia S/S '15:

By Johnny / Swim / Jayson Brunsdon / Bianca Spender / Ixiah / Hayley Elsaesser / Ae'lkemi / Gail Sorranda

Nikolina walked for The Innovators and Ae'Lkemi and semi-finalist Peach Yamaoka walked for Zhivago.

[timeywimey]

I don't understand why they gave away that Naomi's team won in the first five seconds of the show. They could have shown what was upcoming on the show without that shot of Naomi at the desk. Lots of shows give it away through editing but this was ridiculous.

[Saintz]

I don't like when one of the girls has to leave the show due other circumstances and they do not bring any replacements for her. Nicole is not the sharpest tool in the shed but it is kinda unfair how she's down to one girl at this point. I didn't like it either when it happened on S1 of the US version with Coco.

Poor Annouska. She was one of my faves since the beginning :(

It's obvious she gets eliminated next episode based on the previews. What is Nicole going to do now?

[WimminWinning]

It wouldn't be fair to bring in replacement models when someone leaves. I notice that the couple models who have left the different versions of The Face, they weren't doing well in the challenges around the time that they left and they tend to be models from teams that don't win (Nicole and Coco). I really feel that these women are using supposed "personal matters" at home as an excuse to bow out of the competition and circumvent the elimination process. It's not a bad idea for these models in the long run in terms of their career because they can say that they withdrew of their own volition instead of being squarely beaten in competition.

If these models are leaving because they are underperforming/poorly mentored and they know they would have been cut soon if they stayed (which is the case with the models that have left so far, imo), it is unfair to Team Naomi and Team Cheyenne for this underperforming model to be replaced with a better model. Part of the competition between the mentors is having to fight for the better models and Nicole didn't get great models because she doesn't have the name recognition or mentoring capabilities as the other mentors. It's unfair to give Nicole a (potentially) great replacement model that Cheyenne and Naomi didn't have a chance to select for their team.

[Kromm]

It wouldn't be fair to bring in replacement models when someone leaves. I notice that the couple models who have left the different versions of The Face, they weren't doing well in the challenges around the time that they left and they tend to be models from teams that don't win (Nicole and Coco). I really feel that these women are using supposed "personal matters" at home as an excuse to bow out of the competition and circumvent the elimination process. It's not a bad idea for these models in the long run in terms of their career because they can say that they withdrew of their own volition instead of being squarely beaten in competition.

If these models are leaving because they are underperforming/poorly mentored and they know they would have been cut soon if they stayed (which is the case with the models that have left so far, imo), it is unfair to Team Naomi and Team Cheyenne for this underperforming model to be replaced with a better model. Part of the competition between the mentors is having to fight for the better models and Nicole didn't get great models because she doesn't have the name recognition or mentoring capabilities as the other mentors. It's unfair to give Nicole a (potentially) great replacement model that Cheyenne and Naomi didn't have a chance to select for their team.

The "fair" way would be the "last eliminated" rule.  That way it wouldn't just be some random girl who didn't get a free pass to a later round.  The one back would go to whichever team lost someone due to these other circumstances rather than go back to her previous team (unless those two things are the same).

[milkyaqua]

I like that idea about bringing back the last eliminated girl if you have a situation where a mentor's team is decimated.  I also like the idea of having some sort of swap though I don't know how it would work.

On another topic, I think Nicole would work better as say the host of Australia's Next Top Model.  I think she'd have a little bit more personality and be more engaged than JenBot.

[threebluestars]

Susan, who left last episode when she was feeling ill - she was pregnant. It doesn't seem fair to fault Nicole for that - I'd like to see them bring back the last eliminated model (regardless of which team she was on) to join the team if someone leaves for health reasons.

Edited April 15, 2014 by threebluestars

[milkyaqua]

Well that last epi was uncomfortable to watch.  I'm glad that Naomi told Cheyenne to stop thanking her but Naomi's yelling at Nicole was uncalled for.  I'll miss Anouska.  Cheyenne should have put Olivia up for elim because that's who the judge and Cheyenne herself dinged.  Of course, Naomi probably would have sent Olivia home since it had been her second and Naomi seemed giddy when Cheyenne said she didn't listen to her.

[halgia]

The models pose intimately with complete strangers, in a sexy lingerie campaign for Fleur du Mal. They’ll need to find chemistry with their male models in order to stay in the competition. Lydia steps up her game with a more forceful technique.

[milkyaqua]

I've sort of been spoiled on which team is winning and who is being eliminated.  I'm not happy with the elimination (assuming it's true) but I won't be surprised.

[Bella]

Do we need a spoiler thread for this show? Feel free to create threads if you think we need them.

I was not happy with the elimination, but one of the problems with this show's format is the teams and the possibility for strategic eliminations. Sitting in the winning mentor's chair, I'd have done the same thing for the same reasons. Since Sharon is 24, I'm not sure she's going to be able to have much of a modeling career to begin with - beyond what she's already done - so it would have been a pointless win. And I do think Naomi wants a credible model to come out of a show that has her stamp on it. 

[MMLEsq]

I don't know why I continue to subject myself to this show, but at this point I guess I'm in it for the long haul.  I do like that the challenges seem more realistic in terms of what a "top model" might actually do than some of the ridiculous photo shoots that they come up with on ANTM, but the whole "eliminate the strongest models, so that the (presumably) weaker models on my team have a chance of winning" strategy just means that a so-so model could easily end up winning.  And what is the point of that??  Have I missed something -- do the model mentors get something extra if someone from her team wins at the end?

Also -- and this was bugging me last night -- is the pronounciation of her name Feh-lee-sha, or Feh-lisa?  I just went on the Oxygen site to see if it's spelled in a way that would clarify.  I couldn't find it, but I did see this.  Goodness -- there is such a thing as too thin.

[Kromm]

Well that last epi was uncomfortable to watch.  I'm glad that Naomi told Cheyenne to stop thanking her but Naomi's yelling at Nicole was uncalled for.  I'll miss Anouska.  Cheyenne should have put Olivia up for elim because that's who the judge and Cheyenne herself dinged.  Of course, Naomi probably would have sent Olivia home since it had been her second and Naomi seemed giddy when Cheyenne said she didn't listen to her.

Naomi always seems to have (or at least pretend to have) a special hatred of whichever of her fellow mentors is closest to "the quirky one".  Not that Nicole is really that, but she's the closest on this version.

[Bella]

Oh, gawd! Tiana has seemed a tad ribby before, but this is awful.

I've always thought that "plus-sized" models should dominate the swimsuit and lingerie sectors of the fashion world. They have the curves without the ribs.

[milkyaqua]

I don't think a spoiler page is necessary since it mostly seems to be conjecture based on folks studying the screen shots from the opening to figure out the elim patterns.

I do understand the strategy angle and figured that since Lydia had stated in the previous epi that Sharon was the strongest, if she won she'd eliminate Sharon regardless of Felisa having been put up by Naomi for a second time.  I'm not sure what tweaks they could make to the formula so you don't wind up with the weaker girls towards the end with maybe one or two exceptions.  I think we'll wind up with Afiya, Tiana and I don't think it matters who winds up standing for Team Lydia.  Also, it seems the sponsor/client has some say in who the final winner will be.  I seem to recall that Ulta liked Devyn.

I like Tiana but this is a case of where she really needs to be more aware of how her body looks when posing.  I don't think Sharon's age is necessarily a hindrance for her.  Some other people, probably.  I don't know about the pronounciation of Felisa's name.  I think Naomi just doesn't seem to want to be bothered pronouncing properly.

[Kromm]

Naomi really has no shame.  Either she totally manipulated a girl into saying she'd change teams, then spilled that to her mentor to cause further trouble so she could further destabilize a team, or she did the same thing just to have another "Naomi is the Alpha Bitch" TV moment, that all versions of The Face everywhere seem mandated to have plastered all over them.

As for Lydia, she's in it bad too.  Either she knowingly is cooperating with a "reality plotline" that's making her look like an idiot, or she's a massive dummy who's allowed herself to be used this badly.

[Kromm]

 I just went on the Oxygen site to see if it's spelled in a way that would clarify.  I couldn't find it, but I did see this.  Goodness -- there is such a thing as too thin.

The main fault for this would lie with whoever picked the outfit, and also with the fact that in real life no one model would do all kinds of modeling and someone with her build would never DO a shoot of this type.  We could go on about her diet or if Tiana herself is contributing to looking like that, but as a practical matter on the day she should have been dressed in something that covered her middle section.

[Bella]

I will say in Tiana's defense that a tall girl can look awfully ribby without being underweight. When I was young and skinny like that, I wore 1-piece swimsuits because I was embarrassed about my ribs. I really do believe that the bustier, less ribby, larger models should predominate in the swimsuit and lingerie niches.

The other thing is, they take so many pictures that some are bound to be good and some are bound to be awful, no matter what the quality of the modeling is overall. This was one of the awful ones. Poor Tiana, to have that get out there!

[Kromm]

I will say in Tiana's defense that a tall girl can look awfully ribby without being underweight. When I was young and skinny like that, I wore 1-piece swimsuits because I was embarrassed about my ribs. I really do believe that the bustier, less ribby, larger models should predominate in the swimsuit and lingerie niches.

The other thing is, they take so many pictures that some are bound to be good and some are bound to be awful, no matter what the quality of the modeling is overall. This was one of the awful ones. Poor Tiana, to have that get out there!

Yeah, it is a bit wrong IMO to totally go the "eat a cheeseburger" route, when Tiana's build kind of communicates a genetic tendency.  The key fact is simply that she's not an appropriate lingerie or swimsuit model (while at the same time being somewhat ideal for certain other kinds of modeling).

[WimminWinning]

Tiana is ill and I worry for her. Yes, some people are naturally thin and sometimes the top bone in the upper abdomen sticks out (especially in childhood and old age), but it is never healthy for the entire ribcage to be showing at all, let alone that predominantly. She isn't even in a body position that can explain having the skin stretch over the ribcage like having the arms raised or severely arching the back. All that prominent ribcage and she's just standing there? That indicates that she has less than 10% body fat. You can see it is affecting her health by her skin problems. Acne and general bad skin is a symptom of being underweight (thanks Dr. Oz!). Also, Tiana seems lethargic and removed compared to all the other models - which again indicates a health problem. This is not a matter of having clothing to cover her or choosing the right photo, unhealthy women should not be the representation of beauty. A woman that thin shouldn't have been cast in this show.

[milkyaqua]

I don't know.  If there were other pics that were like the one above, maybe...  I still think she was caught inhaling in a not so great position.  Regardless of her body type, I'm loathe to accuse a girl of having an eating disorder just because she has bad skin.  Would I hire her as a lingerie model, probably not.  Like most models, her Fenton Moon port contains a certain amount of lingerie/swimsuit shots.

[Kromm]

I don't know.  If there were other pics that were like the one above, maybe...  I still think she was caught inhaling in a not so great position.  Regardless of her body type, I'm loathe to accuse a girl of having an eating disorder just because she has bad skin.  Would I hire her as a lingerie model, probably not.  Like most models, her Fenton Moon port contains a certain amount of lingerie/swimsuit shots.

The mere fact that she (according to that profile) has a 32 inch bust (not big certainly but right in a very marketable middle range) likely ensures she gets some of that work.

Overall she doesn't look excessively boney in most of the shots on that profile. Then again, maybe she weighed less when on The Face vs. when those other pictures in her profile were taken.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Kromm

[WimminWinning]

 

I don't know.  If there were other pics that were like the one above, maybe...  I still think she was caught inhaling in a not so great position.  Regardless of her body type, I'm loathe to accuse a girl of having an eating disorder just because she has bad skin.  Would I hire her as a lingerie model, probably not.  Like most models, her Fenton Moon port contains a certain amount of lingerie/swimsuit shots.

You do know that those Fenton pics are retouched, right? Even with the retouch, some of those pics prove my point. In the last pic, I see all of the bones in her back. That is not in any way natural no matter what pose your in. Sometimes the ribcage shows, ok, but the back bones. Look at her arm in that last pic. I see the outline of the entire bone around her shoulder. Look at the third to last picture - she doesn't even have a buttocks, it's all bone. No ma'am. There is no rationalizing that this is healthy. I'm not saying she's too thin just because of her skin, that is just one symptom. I'm saying she too thin because I can damn near see the woman's heartbeat.

 

The mere fact that she (according to that profile) has a 32 inch bust (not big certainly but right in a very marketable middle range) likely ensures she gets some of that work.

I don't believe those measurements at all. There is no way her hips are 10 inches bigger than her waist. With a good pushup bra and her arms squeezing her bust, she has manufactured some curves in a few shots.

Edited April 22, 2014 by WimminWinning

[Kromm]

You do know that those Fenton pics are retouched, right?

That's debatable with a small boutique agency like that.  It takes some fairly serious resources (like at an actual publisher) to do a half-way convincing photo retouch.

It's more likely (and not incompatible with your theory) that she's changed weight since those photos were taken.  And there's at least one pair of photos (in black and white, where she's in a long coat and black lingerie) where you can definitely see her bones--so even those portfolio shots probably were taken with her at different times at different weights.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Kromm

[Bella]

I'm sort of in the middle on this, not fully agreeing or disagreeing with anyone.

Tiana could have been in an odd position at the moment. She could very well be too thin to be textbook healthy, and she could very easily have had weight fluctuations. As a formerly too-thin person myself, I will just repeat that ribs show, they're never attractive, and they cause people to comment. So the mere fact that she's ribby in a particular pose says little to me.

I look at arms and calves. She has decent calves, and her arms don't alarm me. Her elbows look normal. Her collarbone looks normal as well. Would I give her the proverbial cookie? Yes. But I wouldn't put her on IV fluids and lecture her about eating nothing but melba toast and lettuce (and I knew a model who did that).

[WimminWinning]

 

Would I give her the proverbial cookie? Yes. But I wouldn't put her on IV fluids and lecture her about eating nothing but melba toast and lettuce (and I knew a model who did that).

I'm not saying she needs to be admitted to the hospital and given an IV. Damn, is that how dramatic a situation needs to be before it can be said that a model is too thin to be the standard of beauty for women?

At the end of the day, models are advertisements personified. A model is meant to sell you on what you life could be like with specific brands and products. A model is not like a singing or acting celebrity selling their talents, models are literally selling their bodies (not in the streetcorner way, but you get my point). The modeling industry promotes women (and girls) who regular women are supposed to aspire to be - well, looks-wise anyway. No, she doesn't need an IV, but she is too thin to be put forward by the modeling industry on magazines, commercials, runways and reality tv shows as something other women should aspire toward. That's my only point about Tianna and why her being extremely boney is problematic. Her health is between her and her doctor.

[milkyaqua]

High drama.  Oh, Naomi.  While I like the fact that CheChe kept Chantal, I'm curious as to whether or not she just didn't want to face Naomi's wrath.  However, Brittaney had overstayed her welcome even if keeping would have been more "strategic."

I liked seeing Nicole and having her on hand at the challenge and the shoot.  Next time are the semis so no promo.  I've never gotten the love for Chantal so I do hope she goes.

[halgia]

The models shoot a jewelry commercial for Chopard. They must remain composed while running in 10 inch heels and dressed in restrictive dresses made by Lady Gaga’s favorite designer, Iris Van Herpen. Afiya and Naomi don’t see eye to eye.

[MMLEsq]

I knew Naomi wouldn't get rid of Tiana.....especially when they were showing scenes of Anne V. from next week before we even knew who had been eliminated on the current episode.  (If a mentor's entire team is eliminated, would the mentor still be part of the rest of the episodes?  On that note, my completely spoiler-free prediction for next week is that Felisa will be eliminated, which will result in each mentor having one girl left.  Is the last episode a final two or a final three?)

 

I know that Naomi mentioned at one point whether the girls should be given an option to wear different shoes.  Did that happen?  I wasn't paying close enough attention.  I worry I'm going to sprain my ankle when I wear anything over a 3" heel (yes, I'm wimpy), so I can't even imagine wearing 10" heels.

 

I thought Lydia's team should have won the challenge, but I guess they couldn't let that happen because she might have gone off script and eliminated Tiana.

 

For once, the product placement might have worked.  I actually thought the jewelry looked lovely and thought to myself, hey I should check it out sometime.  ***  Okay,  I just did a quick search on Amazon.  Their jewelry falls into two categories:  $50-$100 (CZ) and $1000 and up (way up) (for real diamonds).  I was kind of hoping for something in between those two choices...oh well.   

 

Note:  Happy to see the editor has changed (one return = line break now).  :-)