S17.E03: All the Rage

[athousandclowns]

I must be from another planet because the tablecloth costume was awful in every way. What were they seeing that will fly of the rack? Good uniform for working in a icream parlor. 

So agree about Christian he’s  as cute as a bug. I haven’t seen him in years and what a delightful guy. 

[swankie]

4 hours ago, MerBearStare said:

I felt for Nadine last week but was turned off by her behavior this week (like what happened with Frankie from episode one to episode two). Only a weak designer blames their model for their shitty design. And she threw her under the bus right away without any prompting. Loved Brandon for calling her out on being rude. I wasn't super familiar with him before this show, but I'm really loving him. I'm glad she was eliminated after saying she wanted to go home. It would be awful for someone who actually wanted to be there to be sent home instead of her.

The minute Nina said she gave Nadine a 1, I knew she was out of there.  If she had praised her model instead of tearing her down she probably could have beat that other guy in the bottom 2 because those pants he made were a hot assed mess, plus they questioned whether or not he even had a print.  She even called her model a bad walker as she was coming down the runway.  This should be a lesson for the designers.  DON'T BLAME YOUR BAD DESIGN ON THE MODEL.  It's in the same vein as killing the messenger.

[GaT]

Is there a contest for the models too? They seem to be promoting them more than the old show did. I also wonder If the judges on the old show talked that much during the runway, & we just never saw it. It seems strange.

Nadine says she designs for curvy women, but I don’t believe it. She probably means women who are a size 6. That’s 2 weeks in a row they got rid of the obnoxious person. Good for them.

[swankie]

11 hours ago, Thumper said:

Haven't other contestants in the past commented about a model that was not rail thin? 

I remember Jeffrey Sebelia of season three made another designer's mother cry because she was heavyset.  It was during a family challenge where they had to trade their family member for another designers' family member as an additional twist to the challenge.  He criticized her mercilessly the whole time he dressed her and really made her look like crap.  Yet, he ended up winning that season.

Edited March 29, 2019 by swankie
Correcting a typo.

[bobbyjoe]

Quote

Watching All Stars just before watching this one, this show is just so much more positive. Even with Nadine being super grumpy, there wasn't as much bitching about other people's outfits or stealing sewing machines or whatever. The designers are competing but still supportive of each other and helping each other. It's nice. 

See, this is why I’m relieved the show is back on Bravo and back with Magical Elves.

I was really surprised when Nadine was eliminated tonight and I was really surprised when on the first episode of the new season Cavanagh went home.  Why, I realized?  Because the Lifetime/Bunim-Murray version of PR had me so conditioned to a dynamic where the meaner contestants, the trouble-makers and the “villains” always got to stay, no matter how bad their designs were, because the Lifetime version producers felt they were good drama.  Pretty much the whole lazy formula over there got to be contestants saying mean things about each other, over and over and over and over and over and over again.  (How refreshing also tonight there were several times when we saw contestants saying nice, encouraging things to each other... I thought “what is this show I’m watching?”)

I can’t help but think that Nadine might even have been put in the top three tonight on the Lifetime PR.  And everybody would be wondering “what the heck were the judges thinking” when what they were thinking was “keep the baddies, they’re easy drama.”  So I’m sooooooo glad with episodes like tonight’s that we’re back to Bravo, where playing the villain doesn’t automatically save you, and where the focus of who wins and loses is more back to actual performance and fashion.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

On the one hand, I felt for Nadine because living in a house with a bunch of strangers (insert Real World intro here) can be tough. Everyone has their own preferences and it can be difficult to share a living space with 15 other people. I'll admit that if I were put into that situation right now, I would probably be cranky because I like having my own space.

But what really sucks is when your roommates' decisions or habits affect YOU and YOUR comfort. Not everyone is going to be considerate. It sucks to say that, but it's true. When you live in a communal space and you don't do your own dishes, that's just a shitty thing to do. Be responsible for yourself. If you use something, wash it. If you spill something, clean it up. That's all I ask.

When you wake up in the morning and there are no forks to eat breakfast because everyone just left their dirty dishes in the kitchen, that really sucks. If I were Nadine, I would not have kept doing everyone else's dishes. I would have washed my bowl, my plate, my fork, my spoon, and my cup and then put them in my bedroom so I had something to eat my breakfast with the next day. Petty? Maybe. But I'm not here to be your fucking maid.

OMG, y'all! There have been so many seasons where I complained about the designers using black week after week and I started wishing that there would be a challenge where they had to use prints and IT'S HAPPENING!!! But crap, a one day challenge? The evil part of me loves when designers like Tessa or Venny whine "But I only use black, dark colors, and solids!" and they are forced to use prints. I just wish that the designers had also been told that they couldn't use black or white.

Side note: on this week's episode of the Great British Sewing Bee, the contestants were all given dashikis and they had to repurpose them into new pieces, so not only did they have to use prints but they had to use brightly colored prints which I LOVED.

I hate this "I left all the models' comp cards in the work room" crap and the ensuing scrum. Why can't we just bring back the damn button bag?

I continue to hate the camera work during the runway show. Just put a camera at the end of the runway and let me watch the model walk straight toward it. I don't need a camera that runs behind the designer's heads. Seriously, stop with the shitty camera angles. Let me see the clothes. That is the entire point of the show!

I had to laugh when Jamall said that creating something editorial is freeing because you don't have to worry about how it will function in the real world. On Project Runway, we're already in that place since we often get designs where you can't wear a bra or have more than 11% body fat or need to use the bathroom (remember when we used to see the designers sewing their models into their outfits because they hadn't put in zippers or other closures?).

I'm not sure how I feel about the show bringing a stylist like Marni in to consult with the designers. On the one hand, I liked that just by talking with her in the workroom, designers like Kovid and Afa got some great ideas and inspiration and were encouraged to go really editorial/dramatic. And I know that in the real world, a designer would work with someone to help style their models/designs for a runway show.

But one thing that has annoyed me in certain seasons was when the judges loved a designer because of their styling. I remember they were drooling over Gretchen's fugly ass dresses because they loved the styling. I know that fashion is head to toe AND the show needs to keep pimping whoever sponsors the shoes and accessories, but this is a design competition so I think the judges need to focus on the actual garments and not get so hung up on what earrings or hats or whatever the designers were able to find.

I hated Bishme's Pringles hat (but his story about the model being a drug mule in Spain did crack me up!). The little purse he made was a throwaway accessory. It added nothing to the overall look so it was extraneous.

I laughed when Hester told Christian that she was worried what she was designing might be too punk rock. Girl, you're making something with a print that is known for picnics and Italian restaurant tablecloths. I don't think you have to worry about it looking too punk rock. And based on what we've seen from her so far, she is not in any danger of designing anything that looks too punk rock. I mean, what's punk rock about fifty yards of blue tulle?

I suspect there are a lot of details missing in her version of getting kicked out of fashion school. When she said that her teacher didn't like her "hodgepodge way of sewing" and how much extra attention she needed, I translated that as "I could not sew well and I was wasting valuable class time by asking questions about rudimentary sewing that I should have already known." Heh, I might be projecting though because I remember having someone like that in my calculus class. This girl was gone the entire week before spring break so she missed FIVE classes. When school started again, she apparently had made no effort to catch up on what she missed. Five minutes into class, she raised her hand and said, "What's that squiggly thing?" The teacher said, "That's the derivative sign. We talked about it last week when you were gone. If you need help catching up on what you missed, you need to come to office hours."

When Hester said that she has too much passion, I was reminded of Michael Scott on The Office: "I work too hard. I care too much. And sometimes I can be too invested in my job.”

I ended up really liking what she made (it should be noted that there was nothing punk rock about that outfit AT ALL). I thought she did a good job of creating head to toe accessories in the print (the hat, the earrings, the shoes). But this is EXACTLY what I'm talking about - the judges were all so obsessed with the faux garter. You should be looking at the actual garment, people. Look at the flirty cape/top! Look at the cute short skirt with the longer skirt on top of one side.

Christian seemed highly skeptical about Rakan's design for the entire duration of the challenge. I don't blame him though. That outfit made his model look lumpy and misshappen. She looked like she rolled out of bed, got tangled up, and gave up trying to straighten herself out before she walked out the door. I liked it better without the jacket, but there was still too much gathering all over the place overall which made it look messy and sloppy. His print was also tiny and boring. To me, a print challenge means you should pick something bold, whether it's the color or the actual print on the fabric. He went boring with both the color and the print.

I liked Kovid's red and black print and his garment. Sadly, there are now several companies that make masks with fashion prints because the air quality is so bad in a lot of countries. There have been some designers who included matching masks in their runway shows too. Kovid chose a great fabric because the contrast between the red/orange and black/white really worked. It was so bold and looked great on the runway.

I liked Jamall's black and white dress. I liked that he chose a really big graphic print. When I saw his model's silhouette behind the white screen, it looked like a sari.

I'm not a fan of camo so I didn't really like the print that Renee chose. There were so many layers to her outfit which made it seem really heavy, especially in the skirt.

I did not like Nadine's print or her outfit. My dislike of the design has nothing to do with the model being bigger either. The pants didn't fit well. I got tired of hearing her bitch about the way the model walked. Yes, it helps if you get a fierce model who can sell the hell out of your design, but even if you have a terrible model, your design should look good and be able to stand on its own merits no matter what. There were a lot of design elements (a hood, a cut out back, the poofy thighs, the tight leggings from the knee down) but the overall impression was so much going on but simultaneously nothing was happening.

Lela's print was so dark that it looked like a solid black from a distance. Sorry, that doesn't fulfill the challenge in my book. I liked the silhouette, but it was a crop top with a skirt and a wrap jacket which is not exactly innovative or new.

Tessa's design looked like her model wrapped an Ikea rug around herself and called it a day.

Sonia's snake print dress was not elegant (her description). Between the fabric, the print, and the actual design of the dress, it looked like a cheap polyster prom dress you'd find at Forever 21 or Wet Seal.

When Garo said that he gave himself an extra challenge because he used stripes which meant he had to line them all up, I found myself once again thinking about the Great British Sewing Bee because the judges on that show expect the prints to be lined up perfectly and their challenges are shorter than PR's (one of the judges also gets out a measuring tape to see if everything is perfectly even - this week he busted one of the contestants because her pleats weren't all the same size). Anyway, I like Garo's pink and grey striped outfit. It looked great on his model and I loved how sharp all the lines looked. I think that the problem with the fabric was the colors. That shade of pink and that darker shade of grey were reminiscent of sweatshirts and sweatpants, which is why I think Brandon said it looked like a Jazzercise outfit. I loved how he tied the shoe covers behind the heels.

Afa, no look ever needs a fanny pack! His model was working it on the runway. I love that unlike Nadina, Afa never complained about getting a model who wasn't a size 0. He just made an outfit and didn't blame her for his choices.

Sebastian's model was also working it. No wonder he decided to keep her! His outfit had great movement and drama on the runway. It looked impeccably made too.

What the top looks had in common (Kovid, Hester, Sebastian) was that they looked chic but easy/comfortable. Sometimes I see really hot outfits and I think it looks good but I would never want to wear it because it would be uncomfortable. These three all looked like you could wear them anywhere and not worry about it being too fussy.

8 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

I don’t find Hester as quirky and adorable as she thinks she is.  She reminds me of someone who thinks they are incredibly unique and special because of the way they dress until they meet a bunch of other people who dress exactly like them. 

She's every girl who's ever shopped at Hot Topic.

Edited March 29, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[SuprSuprElevated]

8 hours ago, njbchlover said:

it reminded me of a prison uniform

That's exactly where I went also.

[SuprSuprElevated]

6 hours ago, Fellaway said:

How could the judges look at Hester's design and not see a costume?

My problem too.  I realize this was a print challenge, but that print took it to that taste purgatory that these judges are always on about.  I actually thought some of the design elements looked well done, but overall, it was a too costumey.  Ditto Kovid's look to me.  Again, for me, the print chosen totally wrecked any actual design work.  My eye wouldn't allow me to really see what was going on.

[LennieBriscoe]

Kovid's design was totally (to me!) "Korean Street," with the mask 100% inspired from Marni's "They wear gas masks" comment. I loved the entire look!

Nadine, there's not only no crying in fashion; there's no grousing, either. Buh-BYE!

Note of caution to the remaining designers: Judge Brandon is SO OVER "Runway Reveals"! 😁

[SuprSuprElevated]

5 hours ago, mightysparrow said:

The model doesn't have much grace and moves very heavily. 

Yeah, too bad Ashley Graham wasn't available.  She is the only plus-sized professional model, right?

[allonsyalice]

9 hours ago, dosodog said:

Maybe if she had used any color but red.

I'm not interested in looking liking a picnic table. 

Because that's what red check screams to me.  Picnic table. 

A royal blue or eggplant purple one plaid would have been a much better choice, imo

[Aulty]

I loved this episode. There was a lot of good stuff and although there were a few ugly fabrics on the runway I really want to see them use more prints! I disagree with the tablecloth criticism on Hester's - it was supposed to be editorial and if, as the judges said, you take pieces of the look it will tone down the plaid. I'd love the skirt with a white shirt, incidentally I pinned a black skirt with a similar design a few days ago. With that being said, I liked to other two top designs better and would have given Kovid the win.

Lovely idea to give them a stylist for support, and the pornstached guest judge was enjoyable too. Calling Kendall Jenner a style icon was a bit much, but it probably comes with a more current approach to the show - if we have Instagram challenges, they also need to mention the Instamodels I suppose.

[Suzysite]

Gotta say, I'm side-eyeing Hester's story about one teacher getting her kicked out of design school for being too quirky.   Sure Jan.   I want to see her grades.   Methinks she flunked out and is making herself the victim.

Edited March 29, 2019 by Suzysite

[qtpye]

10 hours ago, njbchlover said:

I wasn't happy with Nadine's overall attitude, maybe she was just overtired and missing her kids?  That does not excuse her being insulting and dismissive about her model.  Even without the attitude, I still thought her look was one of the worst and deserved to be in the bottom.

Sebastian's look was amazing, and so well done - I think he should have won.  As mentioned upthread, Hester's was just too picnic tablecloth for me, or maybe a cliche old-school Italian restaurant.  The design was cute, but very, very young.  More editorial for a teen or tween magazine than a high-fashion magazine, imo.  I'll be curious to see if Hester can move past her quirkiness to be able to create more mainstream garments.

Also, I've heard enough of the sob stories.  I get it, and I can empathize, but I don't want to hear it on the runway.  To me, it sounds like the designer is pandering to the judges for a sympathy vote.

It's amazing to me that these designers created the garments they did with a one day challenge.  Finishes were nicely done, print matches were well placed (with the exception of Garo's - that was kind of hideous - it reminded me of a prison uniform), hems were even and in place.  All of the things that fell to the wayside when PR was on Lifetime.  I'm trying to figure out what the difference is.

6 hours ago, Cotypubby said:

All I could think of when I saw Garo’s outfit was the sandworm from Beetlejuice.

It reminded me of a prison uniform that has been accidentally washed with a stray red sock. That pink was the exact color you get when you accidentally mix colors and whites in the washing machine.

6 hours ago, nb360 said:

Okay, I have to defend Nadine a little bit. I thought she protested that she was ready to go home a little too much. She was trying to cover over her hurt and disappointed feelings. I don't think she would ever admit it, especially not on camera but I think she was more disappointed with herself and lashed out at the only person she could "pick" on -- her model. It's not a good look (especially in front of the judges) but I think it derives from insecurity rather than from meanness.  In another scenario, she might actually be an interesting person to be around. 

How old is she? Lashing out at others because you are insecure about yourself is something toddlers do. It is a very immature attitude.

[qtpye]

14 minutes ago, Suzysite said:

Gotta say, I'm side-eyeing Hester's story about one teacher getting her kicked out of design school for being too quirky.   Sure Jan.   I want to see her grades.   Methinks she flunked out and is making herself the victim.

I remember last week when she insisted on spending the team’s budget on tulle and than ended up using none of it with no apology. I get an entitled girl trying too hard to be unique vibe from her. 

Edited March 29, 2019 by qtpye

[little black cloud]

On 3/29/2019 at 12:53 AM, HappyDancex2 said:

What I learned from this episode is to REALLY listen to Christian.   Even more than Make it Work guy, Christian knows exactly how things are going to be judged.   He hated Rakan's print, he hated the pants, he hated the draping, he hated everything they hated.   Points for Rakan for sticking with his vision I guess..….but whew Christian has the crystal ball so when he tells you that your design looks dated or old lady or you are picking the wrong fabric, he ain't playin.

Right? I’m loving Christian’s presence at Mood, and his willingness to give guidance on fabric choices while there’s still time for the designers to change them. Tim often came in with opinions about the fabrics once the designers were back in the work room — and what were they supposed to do at that point?

I would have liked to see any of the designers seek out and use a varied print, one that’s not the same all across the bolt, but one with gradients or flowers here and dots there or variations in scale. You know, something they could have played with across the span of the head-to-toe look. That might be asking a lot, considering how little time they have at Mood, but nobody’s print really rang my bell. 

I was glad to see Nadine go. Beyond her outfit, which I didn’t think was actually the worst on the runway, she was no fun to watch. I don’t need every designer to be a cloying ray of sunshine, KOVID, but I also don’t enjoy watching people who are just so relentlessly sour.

Oh, and Hester’s look was ridiculously junior. ...Said in my sneeriest Nina Garcia voice. 

Edited March 31, 2019 by little black cloud
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point.

[NYCFree]

Hester’s explanation of her design school experience was something along the lines of “they didn’t give me attention and support I needed.” She seemed to equate her lack of sewing skills with a learning disability like dyslexia. It’s like she wanted to take Spanish 2, without taking Spainish 1, then demanding the instructor teach to her level specifically.  Very strange and entitled attitude.

[Pepper Mostly]

10 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

I thought Nadine was rude and inappropriate and her outfit was hideous. While her model is gorgeous, she is a terrible walker. I noticed it in E1. She's definitely more for print than runway. That being said, the problem wasn't that the model was a bad walker. The problem was that Nadine's gauchos tucked into boots design was ugly. The back was poorly constructed. The print didn't sing.

Nadine is terrible at living with people. She is probably a good mother, a great and steadfast friend, and a dedicated and conscientious worker and/or boss. But she does not play well with others. She is accustomed to having things done her way and her word being law. At home when she says "jump", her kids jump. At her shop (she has a shop, right?), you'd better not be seen sitting down if there's a table full of sweaters to fold. I think she sees herself as tough but fair. But her attitude with the model told the real story. "Practice at home, OK?". Seriously? She talks down to people. I mean, I get it. Living in a messy house would annoy me too. But there are ways to say things that won't get people's backs up. 

Her model was a terrible walker. There has been no shortage of terrible walkers on Project Runway, though. She could have coached her in a kinder way. We see designers telling their models how they want them to walk all the time. Sometimes it makes me laugh, they're so serious. Nadine was just snappish and mean to her model. Ugh. 

24 minutes ago, little black cloud said:

Right? I’m loving Christian’s presence at Mood, and his willingness to give guidance on fabric choices while there’s still time for the designers to change them. Tim often came in with opinions about the fabrics once the designers were back in the work room — and what were they supposed to do at that point?

I love how much Christian participates and acts as a sounding board for the designers at Mood. He's mentoring from beginning to end! From fabric choice to styling. He's been great. 

I think Rakan would have gone if Nadine hadn't been so pissy on the runway. His thing was awful, I didn't get it at all. The less said about Nadine's the better though. The print was so ugly, it just looked like some off white fabric had fallen in a mud puddle. I adored Kovid's--so bright and cheerful. He is such a darling and I love him without reservation. I disliked Garo's and I didn't like him much either. Lots of his stripes weren't lined up perfectly, the zipper was all bumpy, and the "here's my vagina!" moment was tacky. He thinks pretty highly of himself but I'm not seeing it. 

Very few of these folks were very adventurous with their print selection. That was disappointing. Uli Herzner from season 3, the Queen of Prints, should have guest judged or mentored along with Christian. That would have been epic. 

[terrymct]

This was the best challenge for Hester and probably her shining moment for the season.  I don't think she should have won, however.  Her look was more cosplay than fashion.   A woman wearing that would be a HUGE hit at ComicCon and have everyone wondering what comic book the the character is in.    Sebastian's look was far and away the best look on the runway, and way better than most anything shown on the recent series of Project Runway All Stars.  It was freakin gorgeous.

Nadine was the right choice to go home, although I thought for a moment they'd send Rakan when they were debating whether his fabric should count as a pattern.

[Gummo]

Bravo: Thank you, thank you, thank you. THIS is Project Runway.

In the minority here: I think Hester deserved her win. She took a picnic table tablecloth and turned it into a stylish head to toe ensemble. I thought the addition of the garter was playful and kind of brilliant -- it added just a touch of old-fashioned naughty to a deliberately retro 'innocent' outfit.

I thought all the top 3 deserved to be there. Sebastian is the one to beat this season, though. He's a monster.

Still finding Hester herself a bit tiresome. Did anyone look at Marni sitting next to Hester on the couch and think:  ah, real quirky versus fake quirky? It looked like Marni was the big sister with the effortless sense of style and Hester was the little sister clumsily imitating her sister's cool.

Bye bye, Nadine. It's a poor workwoman who blames her tools. Rude, mean, selfish, snotty -- you were all that and a bag of rancid chips.

Christian continues to kill it as the mentor.

I'm warming up to Karlie but no one can say, "One day you're in ... and the next day you're out" like Heidi Klum. 

Nina seems much happier than she has in years.

[Delete]

The  move back to Bravo and the changing of the guards is the best thing ever. I'm living for Christian, and I like that he actually stays in the workroom and continues to consult with the designers. That is what a true mentor does. I don't know who this Marni person is but she seemed like a big deal, and it appeared that she gave the designer ideas that helped get their creative juices flowing. 

Sebastian for the win! Unless he majorly crashes and burns of course, but what a talented guy. I could not believe that he created that outfit in ONE day. He's a diamond.

 Kovid's design was runner up. It was bold street wear, and was very fashion forward. He's a lot of personality,  but he's genuine, and so far I get a kick out of him.

As soon as Special Snowflake Hester picked her fabric I said, "Oooh, we're going to a picnic." I did not like her look but could see why the judges liked it. It was very editorial.  

Nadine did not have the worst look, but she did have the worst attitude. She definitely does not play well with others, and I don't think her phone will be ringing off the hook now. I don't mind a person who speaks their mind, but rudeness isn't necessary. It is never constructive. The way she treated her model was appalling. I'm glad the judges sent her packing. 

[Emkat]

Nadine acted like a straight up bitch.

Next week looks ridiculous. Should be good lol.

[chitowngirl]

I don’t get why contestants (Nadine) complain “this isn’t what I thought it would be”.  This is Season 17! What you are complaining about is EXACTLY  what it is.

[terrymct]

13 minutes ago, Gummo said:

Still finding Hester herself a bit tiresome. Did anyone look at Marni sitting next to Hester on the couch and think:  ah, real quirky versus fake quirky? It looked like Marni was the big sister with the effortless sense of style and Hester was the little sister clumsily imitating her sister's cool.

Hester reminds me of a first year art or drama student more than anything else, trying so hard to be edgy or interesting.  She's as if a large part of Etsy came to life.

[Pop Tart]

I'm okay with Hester winning even though I liked Sebastian's design more. What I appreciated about Hester's was the fun of it, as none of the other prints came anywhere close to being happy or as joyous as print can be. Two camo outfits? black and white? white with beige and gray? just variations on neutral for most of them. There was the one with the gray and pink stripes but the pink was a gray-y pink so still fairly bland as a color. Kovid's print had some color thank goodness, but the rest? Like Tessa was actually MAJORLY stressed that she couldn't use black and gray solids? 

Sebastian's was beautiful but the print was also a gray on gray, or perhaps black on gray? Lovely for sure but not exactly a wild print. So I'm okay with the Hester win even as annoying as she is.

My thought on the models is that I think that for each runway they should all have plus size or all thin. I'm a curvy woman (okay could probably be more accurately described as short and round-ish), but it is just true that clothes will look better on a tall, very thin person, basically a hanger with legs. (not slighting models for the work they do, btw). Yes, some designers can come up with outfits that looks phenomenal on a larger woman, Christian being one, but it does add a level of difficulty and when the contestants are in a challenge it's supposed to be level playing field (other than the person who wins immunity and apparently second placer gets to choose their model?). 

I would like it if they would switch off every other week. One week lean models, one week curvy, for everyone. Then see where the chips fall. Oh and maybe throw in male models a couple times in the season.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

2 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

I don’t get why contestants (Nadine) complain “this isn’t what I thought it would be”.  This is Season 17! What you are complaining about is EXACTLY  what it is.

Exactly. I get it when people say that in the first or second season when the show is still an unknown, but this is the SEVENTEENTH season so if you don't know what to expect then you really shouldn't be on the show.

[Thumper]

7 hours ago, swankie said:

I remember Jeffrey Sebelia of season three made another designer's mother cry because she was heavyset.  It was during a family challenge where they had to trade their family member for another designers' family member as an additional twist to the challenge.  He criticized her mercilessly the whole time he dressed her and really made her look like crap.  Yet, he ended up winning that season.I 

I remember that episode and it is one of the reasons I did not like him.  He was awful.

[Captain Asshat]

During styling:

Stylist decides a fanny pack would be great. Moves it around various places on model (like, as a shoulder strap). Nope. stylist doesn't like that. Then, eureka! 

Stylist: Let's use it as a belt!

Me: Oh, so wear it as a fanny pack? 

Edited March 29, 2019 by Captain Asshat

[swankie]

39 minutes ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Exactly. I get it when people say that in the first or second season when the show is still an unknown, but this is the SEVENTEENTH season so if you don't know what to expect then you really shouldn't be on the show.

The sad thing is Nadine beat out someone else in the auditions who really wanted to be there and could have done really well because of their real desire to be there.  To me her whole problem stemmed from not being able to control the living situation.  She was a neat freak among a bunch of young slobs and it constantly put her in a bad mood.  She also seemed to have a problem with people like Hester and Kovid who are chatty and at level 100 at all times.  That might have been what she meant by it not being what she expected.  

Edited March 29, 2019 by swankie
Correcting a typo.

[Shenanigan]

Quote

Still finding Hester herself a bit tiresome. Did anyone look at Marni sitting next to Hester on the couch and think:  ah, real quirky versus fake quirky? It looked like Marni was the big sister with the effortless sense of style and Hester was the little sister clumsily imitating her sister's cool.

Have to admit Marni's style made me wince almost as much as Hester's. But, hey, I'm old. Get off my lawn while you're at it.

[VintageJ]

59 minutes ago, Pop Tart said:

I'm okay with Hester winning even though I liked Sebastian's design more. What I appreciated about Hester's was the fun of it, as none of the other prints came anywhere close to being happy or as joyous as print can be. Two camo outfits? black and white? white with beige and gray? just variations on neutral for most of them. There was the one with the gray and pink stripes but the pink was a gray-y pink so still fairly bland as a color. Kovid's print had some color thank goodness, but the rest? Like Tessa was actually MAJORLY stressed that she couldn't use black and gray solids? 

Sebastian's was beautiful but the print was also a gray on gray, or perhaps black on gray? Lovely for sure but not exactly a wild print. So I'm okay with the Hester win even as annoying as she is.

My thought on the models is that I think that for each runway they should all have plus size or all thin. I'm a curvy woman (okay could probably be more accurately described as short and round-ish), but it is just true that clothes will look better on a tall, very thin person, basically a hanger with legs. (not slighting models for the work they do, btw). Yes, some designers can come up with outfits that looks phenomenal on a larger woman, Christian being one, but it does add a level of difficulty and when the contestants are in a challenge it's supposed to be level playing field (other than the person who wins immunity and apparently second placer gets to choose their model?). 

I would like it if they would switch off every other week. One week lean models, one week curvy, for everyone. Then see where the chips fall. Oh and maybe throw in male models a couple times in the season.

I felt the same way when I saw the prints.  That’s what they chose?  I love color and prints so I was excited to see what they would do.  I wanted to see color (more than 2) and patterns other than check, houndstooth, and camo.  How boring!!!!  I wanted to see flowers and colors.  But i was okay with Hester winning.  I think part of the reason she won was because she showed them exactly what they’ve been waiting to see from her.  It wasn’t my favorite (Sebastian killed that design) but I was okay.

I loved Sebastian’s but I still would have loved a brighter pattern.  But maybe with the design of the outfit, a busier pattern may have been too much.  But I would have loved to wear that outfit.  

Mondo would have owned this challenge, even with only one print.  He would have turned it inside out in some places or put the pattern in a way to really highlight it or something, but he would have given us something bold, at least.

Nadine, glad to see you gone.  I would have been pissed about the kitchen myself so I’m not mad at he about that.  But the way you talked to that model?  Unnecessarily rude.  And then to blame your model for your bad design?  No.  Own that yourself.  And then when she and lady with 9 kids (can’t remember the name) talked about her bad walk as the show is going on and at the end, bad taste, bad manners, just bad.  Not saying you have to hide your comments or anything like that, but there’s something to be said for just being, I don’t know, just decent.  It put a bad taste in my mouth about both of them.  I bet they are the sort that say they are “just keeping it real.”  Usually when I hear that, it means someone is just keeping it real nasty or real mean.   There was no reason to keep harping on her bad walk.   I bet if Sebastian had dressed her, his outfit would have still looked beautiful, bad walk or no.  

Edited March 29, 2019 by VintageJ
Cause I forgot to add something.

[Julia67]

Kovid makes me crazy.  The "lilt" of his voice is so grading.

What's with Christian and Marni (?) giving so much direction in the work room??  Has that every happened before.

Hester's outfit was "meh".  Definitely reminded me of a tablecloth.  And she is beyond annoying--almost as annoying as Tessa.

Finally figured out who Hester reminds me of though.

[Julia67]

9 hours ago, nb360 said:

I thought she protested that she was ready to go home a little too much.

yep!  Too quote Shakespeare "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

[PaulaO]

Marni reminds me of a young Betsey Johnson.  Throw a bunch of bright prints on your body and call it fashion.  Hester's look was stupid with the skirt long on one side.  I'm sorry, but I don't know anyone who would wear that.  Most of the runway was drab prints (using the term loosely) bunched around a woman.  Why were most of the garments sacks of fabric?  Other than Sebastian, I didn't see much construction or tailoring. 

I rarely say this about anyone, but Hester's whinging about being kicked out of fashion school for needing more attention makes me think she's on the spectrum.

Can someone please explain what "editorial" means, and what the judges would be looking for in an editorial look?

[cpcathy]

Hester's outfit: I could not stop thinking about my favorite pizza place from the 90's. I thought that she was out for sure. I had no doubt. What do I know.

Right person went home,

[Pepper Mostly]

12 minutes ago, VintageJ said:

Mondo would have owned this challenge, even with only one print.  He would have turned it inside out in some places or put the pattern in a way to really highlight it or something, but he would have given us something bold, at least.

Agreed! I also think Ayanna, from the latest season, the young Muslim woman who did "modest" fashion, would have done well with this also. And my beloved Kelly from the deli would have killed it. 

1 hour ago, terrymct said:

Hester reminds me of a first year art or drama student more than anything else, trying so hard to be edgy or interesting.  She's as if a large part of Etsy came to life.

Hester is surely very vulnerable and unsure of herself behind all that manic pixie dream girl schtick, which is why I'm disposed to give her the benefit of the doubt. I think she has talent. After Parsons, she went to Central St. Martins in London, which is highly regarded. (I think Christian himself studied there?) She's looking for her niche. I'm interested. I'm pleased by her friendship with Tess. The others seem to like her quite a bit. So she's out there, and she tries too hard. But I think she has chops. Tim Gunn would caution her about making "clown clothes" but Christian's more freewheeling, openminded attitude could be helpful to her. 

I think Rakan was headed for the auf, but Nadine did herself in with her surliness. Why keep someone who wants to go? 

[chitowngirl]

33 minutes ago, Julia67 said:

Kovid makes me crazy.  The "lilt" of his voice is so grading.

What's with Christian and Marni (?) giving so much direction in the work room??  Has that every happened before.

Hester's outfit was "meh".  Definitely reminded me of a tablecloth.  And she is beyond annoying--almost as annoying as Tessa.

Finally figured out who Hester reminds me of though.

I thought that too, about who Hester reminds me of, but thought no one else would get the reference! 

[BlackberryJam]

I think the judge's made the right call for the win. I loathed Hester's print, but it was the most editorial. It would photograph well and draw the eye. Sebastian's outfit was gorgeous, but it wasn't as editorial.

I'm not sure if I'm seeing a lack of talent this season (it has been 17 seasons....) or if these designers are afraid. Honestly, those were a bunch of apologetic prints. "Oh sorry, please don't notice I'm a print, just squint so I look like a textured solid." Ugh NO. They really should just go for it, which is I think while Garo stayed. His outfit was pure Barbarella, but at least it was bold and he took a chance. 

[sempervivum]

I'm (slightly) surprised that a designer wouldn't know the difference between a 'print' and a woven pattern, like Rakan's. 

What was with all the 'transformation' looks (skirt turns into a shawl, etc.)? It was almost like a bleedover from the first episode. 

Kovid is kind of pitiful, with his (imo) forced 'childlike cuteness' crap, although I'm sure he's feeling liberated after his previous life experiences. 

I haven't gone back to the other episodes yet, but I counted 6 different pairs of glasses on 'Hester' (did she legally change her name? Cuz that can't be real). The only one I could see actual glass in was the round red ones with yellow lenses. 

[Samwise979]

Nadine claimed that she couldn't show her her vision for her garment to the fullest because she got a "plus sized" 🙄 model yet, unless edited out of sequence, she got her model card before sketching her design so.....

@ElectricBoogaloo, great minds! I was going To say the EXACT same thing as you, if i was living with a bunch of people that didn't clean up after themselves I'd be washing my one plate, one bowl, fork, knife, spoon etc. and keep them in my room. And I don't care if that's petty!

I love that Sebastian's model on the runway reminded the judges that part of her outfit was removable and then demonstrated. And also loved the judges asking Nadine's model her opinion on Nadine. Be nice to your models people! 

Why didn't Nadine self evict if she wanted to leave so bad? If she wasn't the eliminated designer this episode would she have continued? If I was the eliminated designer over Nadine on the way out I'd be like, I totally respect your decision and I don't expect this information to save me but this is what Nadine was saying in the backstage lounge... 

Hester might also win or be in the top for the unconventional challenge(s) but besides that, I think she's going to struggle. 

[terrymct]

35 minutes ago, Pepper Mostly said:

Hester is surely very vulnerable and unsure of herself behind all that manic pixie dream girl schtick, which is why I'm disposed to give her the benefit of the doubt. I think she has talent. After Parsons, she went to Central St. Martins in London, which is highly regarded. (I think Christian himself studied there?) She's looking for her niche. I'm interested. I'm pleased by her friendship with Tess. The others seem to like her quite a bit. So she's out there, and she tries too hard. But I think she has chops. Tim Gunn would caution her about making "clown clothes" but Christian's more freewheeling, openminded attitude could be helpful to her. 

It sounded from her comments, though, that she had issues in design school.  They seemed to be pushing her to expand her horizons a bit, but she wanted to stick with what she knows.

[Captain Asshat]

2 minutes ago, Samwise979 said:

I love that Sebastian's model on the runway reminded the judges that part of her outfit was removable and then demonstrated. And also loved the judges asking Nadine's model her opinion on Nadine. Be nice to your models people! 

I had both of these thoughts as well. In the past, I've always hated how some of the designers, and even the judges, treated the models like hangers. 

[heyjupiter]

The editors tried to make Nadine a bit sympathetic by showing her help with the pink/grey thing. 

There were quite a few drab prints but maybe that has to do with filming in winter. This may also explain why the looks are so covered up, too.

The designers seem to be going after ambitious designs. There were no gowns letting the print do all the work. A surprising number of pants and separates for a one day challenge. 

[politichick]

1 hour ago, Pop Tart said:

I'm okay with Hester winning even though I liked Sebastian's design more. What I appreciated about Hester's was the fun of it, as none of the other prints came anywhere close to being happy or as joyous as print can be. Two camo outfits? black and white? white with beige and gray? just variations on neutral for most of them. There was the one with the gray and pink stripes but the pink was a gray-y pink so still fairly bland as a color. Kovid's print had some color thank goodness, but the rest? Like Tessa was actually MAJORLY stressed that she couldn't use black and gray solids? 

Sebastian's was beautiful but the print was also a gray on gray, or perhaps black on gray? Lovely for sure but not exactly a wild print. So I'm okay with the Hester win even as annoying as she is.

My thought on the models is that I think that for each runway they should all have plus size or all thin. I'm a curvy woman (okay could probably be more accurately described as short and round-ish), but it is just true that clothes will look better on a tall, very thin person, basically a hanger with legs. (not slighting models for the work they do, btw). Yes, some designers can come up with outfits that looks phenomenal on a larger woman, Christian being one, but it does add a level of difficulty and when the contestants are in a challenge it's supposed to be level playing field (other than the person who wins immunity and apparently second placer gets to choose their model?). 

I would like it if they would switch off every other week. One week lean models, one week curvy, for everyone. Then see where the chips fall. Oh and maybe throw in male models a couple times in the season.

I completely agree with the all thin/all plus size. It is not a level playing field when there is so much variety. Hester's picnic cloth would not have worked on the larger models. Nor would Kovid's.  I'm not a fan of this model situation at all. Yes, bellies are a real life thing. But I'm trying to flatten my own and I don't want to see that on the runway. Nadine was a bitch, but I do agree with whomever said her model would do better in print. She is SO tall and not very graceful. Only a very few of the things we've seen designed would actually look nice on her, so it kind of limits what they can do and that's not fair. There's such a thing as being too PC sometimes.

[gibasi]

11 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Way too much Kovid on this show.   He needs to be dispensed in much smaller doses.   We get his designs, his back stories, his tears, drama, family history, histrionics....then they cut back to his talking heads....just....too much.   He's too put on for me...when he was with the stylist he came off an disingenuous and fake.   My only hope is that he is getting so much airtime that I hope he gets cuts soon.

I agree! He just doesn't sound very sincere to me. And if he meditates that much why isn't he more Zen? 

I also don't like Hester. So far I see her designing children's clothes and last night's runway didn't change my mind.

I would have given it to Sebastian without question. 

[JenLily]

Nadine really pissed me off this week. She reminds me of those bitchy men who hit on you and then when you politely turn them down say, "Well, you're a stupid fat bitch anyway, fuck you!" and storm off. If you wanted to leave, fuck off and leave then. Sack up, walk out, and tell the judges that you're withdrawing from the competition so you don't have to put your fellow designers through the stress of waiting to find out if they have to leave. Except I'll bet money that if they had cut Rakan, she would've kept her mouth shut and stayed. Because just like those bitchy men, she wants to look like she's too good for what's in front of her. Ugh. Good riddance. Setting aside her heinous attitude, I'm glad she was the one chosen to leave because her design was just sad. Rakan's might have been odd but he had some elements that were interesting so I'm glad he was saved.

My favorite's was Kovid's. I didn't mind Hester's too much but as everyone else has said, the print itself reminded me of a pizza parlor tablecloth so it's not something I would've chosen as a head to toe print. Sebastian's was beautiful and well-executed but Kovid's to me was more joyful and just fun. If someone were to force me to wear a head-to-toe print outfit, his was the one I would've chosen (sans face mask).

I really loved watching Marni and Christian help the designers with their styling. Oftentimes I've watched this show and seen a perfectly acceptable design get derailed by an errant shoe or a weird piece of jewelry. Watching their process was fascinating, and for some designers I think they really helped elevate a good idea to something really special.

[pasdetrois]

I continue to like the direction the show is taking. A better class of designers and production values than on that other channel. I want to see beautiful design.

Which leads me to Sebastian, whose dress was lovely. He and Kovid were robbed by the kook who was brought in for drama Hester. Betsy Johnson pulls off kookiness, but with relatable design. Hester isn't there yet. I thought her look was dreadful.

Close quarters, no sleep, no routine, dirty dishes - Nadine was just over it. She's probably much happier sequestered with a book and a laptop.

[carrps]

14 hours ago, leocadia said:

Speaking of Hester, I couldn't believe that she was expecting sympathy because the fashion school criticized her for "needing too much extra attention" and not having basic sewing skills.   How entitled do you have to be to demand special treatment for no reason whatsoever? She can go anytime now.  Her "quirky" shtick may be a different flavor that Michelle's from PRAS, but it leaves the same bad taste in my mouth.

Reading this I was having flash forwards imagining Hester as Donna Douglas in her dotage. Shudder.

11 hours ago, mightysparrow said:

3 hours ago, little black cloud said:

I would have liked to see any of the designers seek out and use a varied print, one that’s not the same all across the bolt, but one with gradients or flowers here and dots there or variations in scale. You know, something they could have played with across the span of the head-to-toe look. That might be asking a lot, considering how little time they have at Mood, but nobody’s print really rang my bell. 

When I heard it was a print challenge I immediately had a vision of some of the outrageously colorful, gorgeous garments in some recent Valentino shows. What a disappointment! Rakan should have been eliminated just for his fabric choice alone. And he was so sullen about it. He made me angrier than Nadine.

But that runway was just one drab, depressing colorless outfit after the other...with just a disappointing amount of color and teeny tiny prints.

I also had the impression that Hester simply didn't have the skill level for her first go at design school. Her outfit was certainly basic enough.

[Fellaway]

7 minutes ago, carrps said:

I also had the impression that Hester simply didn't have the skill level for her first go at design school. Her outfit was certainly basic enough.

When they were having the up close and personals with the designs, didn't one of the judges comment on the basic level of sewing skill in Hester's design?

[dleighg]

12 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

He's too put on for me...when he was with the stylist he came off an disingenuous and fake.

(re: Kovid) Oh I totally agree. When he said "you're like a flower and I'm like a bumblebee" Give me a f'ing break. That was ridiculous.