S17.E09: The Stitch Is Back

[cpcathy]

15 hours ago, mightysparrow said:

Garo's costume seemed more appropriate for one of the Commodores or PFunk.  Bishme was more Elton John.

It pisses me off that they chastise everyone else but don't say a fucking word to Hester.

Excellent comparison. I was scratching my head, did he win because he said he does this kind of work all the time? Bishme's was PERFECTION, if even fit beautifully. His model looked amazing.

[caitmcg]

15 hours ago, letusprocrastinate said:

I wonder if with these types of shows where there are two parts to filming and there is a gap of several weeks in between (in this case, this is the part that comprises the weeks prior to Fashion Week), in order to prevent spoilers the eliminated contestants just stick around, but in other nearby locations?  They're just sitting around and the producers give them something to do for an episode?

In the gap between the in-studio competition and fashion week, everyone goes home so no one out in the world knows who was eliminated before the show airs. But while the in-studio filming happens, the eliminated designers are kept together in New York, so no one sees them out and about and susses that they were cut, and so they were all handy for this challenge. I think there has been another instance in past seasons where they brought them back as helpers. It's also a regular feature on Top Chef, which shares Magical Elves as the production company with Bravo PR.

[hoodooznoodooz]

16 hours ago, Jordan Baker said:

Good episode. The top looks were great.

I did laugh when Christian said that the designers could say "I'm still standing," and there were blank looks from a couple of the designers.

I feel old.

The only Elton John song that I don’t like. 

[Deskisamess]

Loved this episode. I saw Elton John in 1976 with my then boyfriend (now husband) He put on a fabulous show. This was during the "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" time period.

Can't wait to see Rocketman. 

Glad Garo won, I'm rooting for him all the way.

I miss Tim. I don't dislike  Christian, but find him weak as water and boring in this role.

[hurrrz]

I hated the way they (TPTB and contestants (assuming it was somewhat forced)) handled the male models. From the porn music when they first entered to the whole objectification and "OMG hot flashes, I am SO distracted" banter. They could never do this with the female models. Why is this OK to do with the male ones? 

[carrps]

29 minutes ago, Deskisamess said:

Loved this episode. I saw Elton John in 1976 with my then boyfriend (now husband) He put on a fabulous show. This was during the "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" time period.

Now, that's the one Elton John (Kiki Dee) song that I can't stand.

I think my two favorite EJ albums are Madman Across the Water and Honky Chateau. I'm really old.

[bobbyjoe]

Quote

Is it okay to sexually harass the male models?

Thank you.  Tessa starts yammering on about how it’s nice to finally be around some straight men and then goes on and on about how good the models smell, etc.

All I could think was if a male contestant on a show where a number of the contestants were lesbians had said “I’m so glad to finally be around straight women” and then starting harping on the female model’s smell and physical appearance he would have been rightly raked over the coals.   I’m not sure how what Tessa did was any less creepy and inappropriate.

[Deskisamess]

52 minutes ago, carrps said:

Now, that's the one Elton John (Kiki Dee) song that I can't stand.

I think my two favorite EJ albums are Madman Across the Water and Honky Chateau. I'm really old.

I don't remembering disliking it in 1976, but I was 16 years old then. I sure don't like it now.

Captain Fantastic and Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player are probably my favorites.

[mwell345]

Maybe OT but since the show was about Elton John, I loved this Christmas commercial featuring him: John Lewis & Partners Christmas Ad 2018 -

[carrps]

3 minutes ago, mwell345 said:

Maybe OT but since the show was about Elton John, I loved this Christmas commercial featuring him: John Lewis & Partners Christmas Ad 2018 -

OMG, that was so sweet! I'm a bit verklempt, here.

In that first dressing room scene, however, I could swear that was Marty Scorsese.😁

[dleighg]

Wow, Christian's comment about Lela's "No waste in the workroom."

Have they mentioned or shown that one single time since she was introduced? I had completely forgotten it.

[TVbitch]

Do not get the Jamal love. He wrapped a bed sheet around a model a couple challenges ago and won. This time he wraps a comforter around a model and gets top 3. And they called it "interesting volume with draping" or some shit.

I actually liked Tessa's a lot.

I hated the judges acting like fucking high school teens giggling and making suggestive comments about the male models. That was inappropriate and juvenile. Only the costume designer guest judge was professional and respectful.   

[njbchlover]

3 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

I’m thinking-doesn’t know how to sew - Especially a hem. 

An interesting twist would have been the helper of the winning design gets back into the competition!

I think that was what Sonia was hoping for, hence, her attitude with Garo about not acknowledging her contributions to his look.  

[Beden]

Quote

All I could think was if a male contestant on a show where a number of the contestants were lesbians had said “I’m so glad to finally be around straight women” and then starting harping on the female model’s smell and physical appearance he would have been rightly raked over the coals.   I’m not sure how what Tessa did was any less creepy and inappropriate.

3 hours ago, Nidratime said:

19 hours ago, Ashforth said:

She had immunity. And the judges told her that she was fortunate that she did.

That's the second time that's happened to her. It seems like she doesn't take this thing seriously. 

Regarding Tessa's comments: no, it was creepy , inappropriate and--at best--astoundingly immature and unprofessional. I wouldn't be surprised if the same had been said about a female model she might well have opted to complain to the producers, her agency and her personal agent. Yes, a job is a job but there are limits.

I agree abut Hester's apathy about this challenge but it's also entirely possible that the win (though nice) isn't the only reason or point for her being there. With the ridiculous attention grabbing clothes she matches to each challenge, her seriously stupid signature beanie hats and her obnoxious personality, I wouldn't be surprised if her goal was simply and largely exposure, getting her face and name out there on national TV.

Kind of the old cliche (which I don't happen to agree with) about there's no such thing as bad publicity. Yes, she's won challenges but she's also crapped out on several; it's a mixed bag. With the removal of immunity, it will be interesting to see how she reacts--as well as the judges reactions should she screw up again.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Beden

[backgroundnoise]

I think what should have tipped it to Bishme is that no one BUT Elton John would have worn it.  Garo's was a more cliqued dazzle-rock outfit that would have also fit a KISS or Elvis challenge.

Bishme's was perfection, IMO.

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

I saw Elton John in 1976 with my then boyfriend (now husband) He put on a fabulous show. This was during the "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" time period.

Me too!  Fourth of July at the Foxboro stadium outside Boston!  The entire audience sang along to Philadelphia Freedom since it was the Bicentennial!!! 

My friend and I even hitchhiked back to Boston.  Safely.

[DaphneCat]

I think Sonia was mostly pissed because the "codpiece" was the first thing they commented on and it was her idea.  I get it, she was trying to collaborate and that wasn't her role but for him not to even acknowledge it wasn't his idea originally probably bit.  She then took a little thing and really blew it up.  That said, I want to see ONE challenge where Garo does NOT do some variation on a corset.  I get having a "signature" but he is veering REALLY close to cliché here.  I keep thinking back several seasons where they have had to design for babies and children.  Would he seriously put a corset on a baby?

The way they were editing Sebastien I originally thought the were going to use it as an excuse to get rid of him because it was obvious he was not in to the challenge from the get-go.  Fortunately, half of Sebastien is still better than all of several of the others.

[Lemons]

Bishme got robbed again.  He captured the 70’s style Elton perfectly. 

[dleighg]

17 minutes ago, DaphneCat said:

That said, I want to see ONE challenge where Garo does NOT do some variation on a corset.  I get having a "signature" but he is veering REALLY close to cliché here. 

Yeah, I rolled my eyes at the beginning of the episode when he said he was doing yet another corset.

[TexasGal]

It's funny to me that these judges are fine with designers having signature designs - Garo's corsets, Sebastian's stitching technique - whereas the prior judges would harp on "we've seen this before from you."

[SuprSuprElevated]

2 hours ago, njbchlover said:

I think that was what Sonia was hoping for, hence, her attitude with Garo about not acknowledging her contributions to his look.  

I find it interesting that the only question asked about a helper was directed at Garo, whose helper was griping in the backroom.  No one else was asked what their helper contributed, right?  Am I forgetting?

If so, seems production is trying to drum up drama.  Again.

[lark37]

4 hours ago, Deskisamess said:

I miss Tim. I don't dislike  Christian, but find him weak as water and boring in this role.

I actually didn't like Christian much during his season, but find him to be so much more of a true mentor than the Tim of later seasons.  Christian actually gives the designers helpful feedback and even a suggestion here and there.

4 hours ago, bobbyjoe said:

Thank you.  Tessa starts yammering on about how it’s nice to finally be around some straight men and then goes on and on about how good the models smell, etc.

All I could think was if a male contestant on a show where a number of the contestants were lesbians had said “I’m so glad to finally be around straight women” and then starting harping on the female model’s smell and physical appearance he would have been rightly raked over the coals.   I’m not sure how what Tessa did was any less creepy and inappropriate.

Seems to me that for whatever reason, the editing of this season has been designed to make Tessa the "bad guy".  I have believed throughout this season that they ask every designer in the "talking heads" what they think of other designer's work, but they are choosing to mostly show Tessa's comments.  And to be fair, Tessa certainly wasn't the only designer saying inappropriate things and acting like a junior high schooler around the male models.  I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I like Tessa's designs for the most part.  Yes, she needs to hem things (which I'm sure she knows how to do, since that's a pretty basic sewing skill), but other than a few designs, I've liked most of what she has designed including this challenge.

Add me to the group that thinks Bishme should have won this challenge.  His outfit screamed Elton John, whereas Garo's looked like an Elvis jumpsuit with boots and a big collar.

[Ashforth]

1 hour ago, DaphneCat said:

I want to see ONE challenge where Garo does NOT do some variation on a corset.  I get having a "signature" but he is veering REALLY close to cliché here.  I keep thinking back several seasons where they have had to design for babies and children.  Would he seriously put a corset on a baby?

You know what, babies are so chubby and roly-poly, they are in desperate need of corsets!

[caitmcg]

28 minutes ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

I find it interesting that the only question asked about a helper was directed at Garo, whose helper was griping in the backroom.  No one else was asked what their helper contributed, right?  Am I forgetting?

If so, seems production is trying to drum up drama.  Again.

I know from past commentary by Tim many seasons ago that the judging sessions go on much longer than what we ultimately see. So it is very possible that they did ask each contestant about their helper's role, but that when the editing happened the producers saw all Sonia's comments and included that part with Garo and the judges because it fit with that narrative. They're not only shaping the season through the challenges and twists, but using the footage to shape a story arc after the fact. In other words, rather than provoking drama among the contestants they're also taking what the designers give them to work with and using it. The drama this season seems pretty low-key relative to the Lifetime years and I don't feel as if the producers were necessarily casting with that in mind. YMMV.

[lovinbob]

3 hours ago, backgroundnoise said:

I think what should have tipped it to Bishme is that no one BUT Elton John would have worn it.  Garo's was a more cliqued dazzle-rock outfit that would have also fit a KISS or Elvis challenge.

I was thinking Bowie. 

[mightysparrow]

7 hours ago, Nidratime said:

That's the second time that's happened to her. It seems like she doesn't take this thing seriously. 

Hester is in this to promote HESTER.  She probably spends more time putting her outfits together than she does actually designing.  I don't believe for a second that she's ever designed anything that someone actually wore.  Hester's going to try and turn her time on this show into her own show or, more likely, YouTube success.

Does the fact that Garo designed something for a Met Gala attendee hint that HE won this thing?

[Ms Blue Jay]

23 hours ago, mightysparrow said:

Is it okay to sexually harass the male models?

Did they?   Correct me because I don't remember someone doing it?

[Ms Blue Jay]

22 hours ago, heyjupiter said:

Christian is so good at saying goodbye to the designers. It's always so personal and touching. 

I 100% agree with you, oh my goodness!  I think about this every week!  He honours each one and he is so.............. respectful.  He treats each with such dignity!!!!

[meowmommy]

6 hours ago, carrps said:

I think my two favorite EJ albums are Madman Across the Water and Honky Chateau. I'm really old.

In general, I vastly prefer early Elton John (some great tracks are on Madman Across the Water, including the title track) to later EJ.

My first thought when the models started down the runway was that I was watching a Village People reunion.

Since when do the "helpers" get to stick around for judging after the grunt work is done?  Obviously the producers picked up on the tension in the workroom and wanted to squeeze some more drah-ma out of it.

[Lamb18]

Wow! This is my favorite episode so far. One reason - it was literally so colorful! I love color and the neutrals were starting to bore me. I also liked the imagination behind these looks.

I was hoping Bishme would win but Garos deserved it, too. Both were great looks in different ways. I also thought the guest judge was a good judge. He was so positive and complimentary.  I think he was impressed that the designers could create outfits like that in just 2 - 3 days. I just loved that jacket Bishme had for his. I guess I liked Bishme's better because of all the color in it.

Tessa's was OK but it was't flamboyant. Anything for Elton John needs to be amazingly flamboyant.

Hester's was almost an insult, like she was thumbing her nose at the challenge - same way her pasties outfit was mocking the elegance challenge.

Sonia was a pain, ragging on Garos like that. She was not a co-designer, she was there to assist him. I think there was anger at being eliminated mixed in there, too;, that she was angry she couldn't do this challenge so wanted to insert herself as much as possible into Garos' design.

I liked Cavanagh more. She helped Sebastian without trying to take over his deisgn. Well, really the rest of the helpers were like that. I forgot which person Renee helped - was it Bishme? I would have chosen her first.

Now I'll have to go back and read all your posts.

[Lamb18]

23 hours ago, chitowngirl said:

Tessa will never make it to the final because she doesn’t hem. No one wants to see an unhemmed collection. And it’s easy to decide you want the garment to end at a certain spot and just cut it there as opposed to measuring it and sewing it there. And sewing it there cleanly. Sadly, she doesn’t see anything wrong with how she’s skating by.

The right designer won and the right designer got sent home!

I wouldn't want to wear an unhemmed garment either. It would unravel plus look sloppy.

[Ms Blue Jay]

19 hours ago, violet and green said:

Even no-hem Tessa's look walked well.

I disagree.  I didn't mind the colours whatsoever but the crotch drove me insane.  It didn't fit whatsoever!  Kors would have fainted.

[Ms Blue Jay]

12 hours ago, Jobiska said:

Happy to see Afa whom I love.  

The scenes of him happily working away while everyone else was acting crazy were .... DELIGHTFUL.

[Lamb18]

15 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Hester's cock tuxedo was not nearly as crazy as I thought it would be. It looked really cheap and tacky. I was actually disappointed that she didn't go full on Rainbow Brite covered in glitter for this challenge. I really hated how short the pants were. Loved the rainbow platform shoes though!

Now that I think about it, her costume looked like it was made out of construction paper by an elementary school kid.

[Stats Queen]

16 minutes ago, Lamb18 said:

Now that I think about it, her costume looked like it was made out of construction paper by an elementary school kid.

With a huge giant hand used to trace the turkey

[Madding crowd]

Other people have been in the bottom with immunity but Hester is the first one I heard say “It’s not an outfit, it’s a joke “. I can’t imagine her winning after that and if Tim were still around he would have told her off.

I like Christian but I don’t think the designers pay attention to him like they did Tim.

[Reality police]

8 hours ago, carrps said:

Now, that's the one Elton John (Kiki Dee) song that I can't stand.

I think my two favorite EJ albums are Madman Across the Water and Honky Chateau. I'm really old.

Funeral for a friend and Love lies Bleeding are my favorites. I'm old also. 

[Kdel1079]

I’m so glad there was minimal Kovid and Hester in this episode, since they are both so annoying.

nice eye candy this episode with the male models! 😍

also i was afraid someone might get hurt when they all made a dash for their model cards, luckily there were no injuries. 

I have a feeling Bishme will win the whole competition. Sebastian is my favorite and should’ve been in the top as someone else said, instead of Jamal. My favorite designer never wins though, so if that’s the case, I hope Bishme wins. He has great ideas and great execution.

[meowmommy]

45 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

I can’t imagine her winning after that and if Tim were still around he would have told her off.  I like Christian but I don’t think the designers pay attention to him like they did Tim.

You may be right.  They probably see him more as a peer and a buddy than a mentor. 

Tim would have blasted her with steam coming out of his ears for disrespecting the challenge, the judges, the models, the audience, and the design profession, not once, but twice.  

[Reality police]

2 hours ago, lovinbob said:

I was thinking Bowie. 

I got a touch of Earth, Wind, and Fire also. Just me!

[DaphneCat]

59 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

Other people have been in the bottom with immunity but Hester is the first one I heard say “It’s not an outfit, it’s a joke “. I can’t imagine her winning after that and if Tim were still around he would have told her off.

I really think that was her rather clumsy way of acknowledging that the whole thing was an epic fail.  She had a vision and completely f'ed it up.  She even admitted it was a good thing she had immunity as it was the worst thing on the runway.  I'm not really a fan of her style but I much prefer it if a designer can just admit everything went wrong rather than trying to defend some atrocity.

[millennium]

On 5/9/2019 at 11:34 PM, HappyDancex2 said:

The giggles and pearl clutching for being around a penis instead of a vagina was embarrassing.  Models are models.   It's hard to imagine in that industry that there would be such a chasm in reaction between genders so I was pretty surprised that we couldn't get ourselves away from acting like 12 year olds.   

Guess it's ok for women to be naked and for you to be all up in their cracks (male or female designer) and the models have just learned to deal with it provided there is nothing inappropriate going on.   But god forbid if we have to measure male crotches and chests. 

The snickering and intimations of sexual interest were entirely inappropriate.   The workroom is a workplace. 

"Fed Ex is missing a few packages."

Let's reverse the genders.  Picture designers lewdly joking about the genitals of female models or suggesting their presence makes them distracted or horny.  

Or a designer on the phone with his aging father and dad asks, "Do the models have nice tits?  I like nice tits."

Why can I see the hypocrisy but the show can't?

[millennium]

54 minutes ago, Reality police said:

Funeral for a friend and Love lies Bleeding are my favorites. I'm old also. 

Formerly the only Elton John songs I liked, then I saw "Almost Famous" and added "Tiny Dancer" to my very short list.

[millennium]

6 hours ago, AuntieDiane6 said:

Me too!  Fourth of July at the Foxboro stadium outside Boston!  The entire audience sang along to Philadelphia Freedom since it was the Bicentennial!!! 

My friend and I even hitchhiked back to Boston.  Safely.

Schaefer Stadium back in the day.

[millennium]

21 hours ago, GaT said:

That really struck me too, if they did that to the female models, all hell would break loose, why is it OK to do it to the guys?

I was so irked about it that I posted before I read all the posts.  Glad to see several us recognized the glaring double standard.

Edited May 11, 2019 by millennium

[SemiCharmedLife]

On 5/9/2019 at 7:09 PM, mightysparrow said:

I don't why the film didn't use the actual costumes that Elton John wore back in the day.  

I thought the same thing. I mean, it’s very creative for a new designer to come up with looks for the film, but doesn’t pay homage to the original designers.

[kirklandia]

3 hours ago, lovinbob said:

I was thinking Bowie. 

I was thinking I'll take Space Oddity over Rocket Man any day.

[Corgi-ears]

I agree that the show was very leery towards the models, and then towards the designers for being so thirsty. But I'm not sure the designers were sexually harassing the models, in large part because their comments were made to the camera as confessionals, or to each other. Rewatching the sequences, these are the comments and their contexts:

When the models first arrive for measurements, we get the following: 

• Sebastian talks to the camera about how "the male models, they all are gorgeous," and thus he tells himself not to look but to focus on his work;
• Tessa jokes to her model that she won't make his pants too tight ("because I will make the crotch ill-fitting and insane" is unspoken), followed by her confessing to the camera that she is "starved for straight males," and that the models smell good;
• Lela and Renee ask their model is he's comfy wearing chaps, and Lela titters in front of her model about how measuring guys is different.  

After the models leave, in the sewing room:

• Tessa talks to Sonia about how the latter's (i.e., Garo's) model smelt real good, and asks who he is; Bishme jumps in and jokes about Fedex packages, and Frankie says that they don't need anything "swinging" as the models walk.

The next morning, Bishme and his mom talk about his model's butt. The models then come in for their second fitting, and:

• Tessa talks in a confessional about beginning to enjoy the challenge, though "maybe it's the male models in the room";
• Lela blushingly tells her model that he can keep his underwear on; Renee laughs, and Lela says her bf might kill her;

So based on what we're shown, Lela and Tessa did make comments to their models' faces; for the most part, the other comments were kept between the designers, or the designers and the camera. Of course, this does mean that the models did and would eventually hear the confessionals. Were the intra-designer conversations too lascivious? Probably; the sewing room conversation about dicks was the most egregious. But in all I would say, albeit with some hesitation, that the atmosphere in the workroom while the models were there was fairly professional. 

Edited May 11, 2019 by Corgi-ears

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

I forgot which person Renee helped - was it Bishme? I would have chosen her first.

Renee was helping Lela. She was definitely not comfortable with all the male skin in the workroom. 

5 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I disagree.  I didn't mind the colours whatsoever but the crotch drove me insane.  It didn't fit whatsoever!  Kors would have fainted.

I read this comment on my phone screen and I was kind of skimming as I scrolled down ao I read this as “Kors would have farted.”

[SuprSuprElevated]

6 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I disagree.  I didn't mind the colours whatsoever but the crotch drove me insane.  It didn't fit whatsoever!  Kors would have fainted.

Yeah, he had about a 24" rise, lol.