Thursday, April 8, 2010

"The Big, Top Designers"

Eenie meanie minie moe, which two designers will be the next to go?

It's morning and Anthony is echoing throughout Lower Manhattan. Anthony is a wee bit pleased that he won the last challenge. Just a tad. Mila is all alone in the women's quarter.

Heidi is sending everyone to a tent..but not a Bryant Park tent (I smell an outdoorsy, lumberjack challenge). Anthony seems to think so.

They arrive at Ringling Bros. Yep. The challenge is not, as I'd hoped, to design a look for a trapeze artist or the bearded lady or a lion tamer. No, the designers are merely to design a runway look inspired by the circus. Certainly leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

A ringleader calls in a host of performers, and Jay is totally focused on the hot, waxed up acrobats in tights. I would be too. There's clowns, motorcycles, tumblers, the whole shebang.

The designers sketch on site, and Emilio is inspired by stripes and polka dots. Mila was mesmerized by the ringleader, so she decided on a coat, a blouse and a pair of pants. Anthony was taken by a spinning acrobat in blue, and Jay is doing a a circus-like jacket and big...clown pants? He does like a loose fit. Seth is doing some kind of a big coat. It's a $300 challenge.

At Mood, Anthony picks a beautiful royal blue. Back in the workroom, the designers are elated to learn that they have 2 days for the challenge. I think this makes 2 2-day challenges for the whole season? Finally! Mila proves why she has grown to be one of my favorite contestants- as Emilio babbles aloud to himself about how he's there to win it all, etc., etc., Mila reminds him that he has mentioned this many times before. Someone needs to puncture that enormous ego Emilio is hiding under his teeny derby hat. She interviews that he doesn't have to gloat as he much as he does. I wonder if E-Sosa is trying to compete with Anthony in the sass department?

Emilio's dress is looking very Mila-ish/color block-esque. Tim enters, and Seth describes his wow factor. Big coat, boning (hehe), a tie, and a top hat...Tim asks Seth to remember that it's not a costume (but isn't everything he does super costumey...like if you dressed up as a vampire prostitute for Halloween). Tim adores Emilio's fabric, and the use of cranberry looks clever to me. Tim and Emilio have a little back and forth about color and its use (or lack) in Emilio's previous designs. Emilio gets lispy and defensive very fast. Of courth I use color! Tim advises Anthony to let his viscera rule. Um, ew, isn't that, like, your guts? Uh, gross. Oh, never ever look for viscera in Google Images. Blarg. If I let my viscera rule, I'd eat Girl Scout cookies and cookie dough ice cream every night. Yet that ain't happening. Moving on: Mila is doing a shiny, black coat. Tim advises that she ditch her proposed ivory panels. Jay is doing an oversized, tweed pant and a detailed coat, and Tim cackles at the suggestion that Jay's jacket is bad bitch. Tim Gunn is so easily scandalized.

And one day is over rather quickly in the workroom. See how fast it goes when there's only five? Anthony is freaking, and I really hope he makes it work. Jay is motivated to push on through. Seth is on the fence about Mila's blingy outfit. Anthony sees costumes whereas he is doing something beautiful. Jay learns that he is making a Michael Jackson coat. Oh, yes, yes indeed.

Last morning, and Mila is feeling contemplative and at peace. Seth is nervous for the first time, and his look is so costumey I'm a bit nervous for him, too. Anthony is having fit issues with his dress. Mila interviews that she thinks Anthony should go for his inconsistency, and Jay for his lack of fashion knowledge. Jay, meanwhile (of course) thinks Mila's not ready for Bryant Park. Plus he just don't like her. Hair, gel, dryers, eye shadow, mascara, montage. Seth is "flippin fuckin out inside" (that's flippin out with a fuck in the middle for those of you keeping score at home). I get a peek at his outfit and it looks cool.

Runway time. Guest judge is Cynthia Rowley.

Jay's look fits his model well (as opposed to last week's butt saga), but it is way too literal. A lion tamer/ringleader? Plus, yeah, Michael Jackson does come into mind.

Mila's look is a hot, bloody mess. I mean, if I had a bloody nose in 100 degree weather, I would not be as much of a hot, bloody mess. Hot pink pants, yellow shirt, mismatched, criss-crossed coat strings. It'd be a shame to see her go on an outfit that is so not her.

Anthony's gown elicited a wow from me. I have never understood why the judges are so hard on him; he manages to do simple elegance very well. The royal blue is lovely, and the dress is just the right mixture of soft and structural. Bravo!

Wow, I have to say, Emilio's dress is awesome. So THIS is why Nina Garcia insisted on keeping him around. The touch of cranberry in the bodice, the lacy touches on the skirt, the stripy skirt- it all contrasts perfectly.

Seth's look goes the same loopy route as Jay's. Oh my. The model has no neck, her sleeves are too long, and she looks overall like the Mad Hatter. Nacht Gut.

What the hell are these judges smoking? I have not understood Seth's design aesthetic all season long, but they like this look? What the Seth? Heidi and Cynthia Rowley like it, but Nina thinks it's a bit costumey, and Kors sees a little crazy crotch. Anthony seems shocked that Nina thinks his look is a complete snooze from the waist down. The judges all notice his dull fabric, and Kors asks to see it up close. They're shocked that he spent $300 on polyester. Touche. Jay's look is nothing without the jacket, according to Heidi. Nina loves the pants. Oh God, please say Jay won't be safe. Kors thinks Mila's look is impactful, bold, not a costume (really?) and is very Mila. Heidi and Cynthia Rowley adore Emilio's dress, and Michael Kors states that it's his favorite garment OF THE SEASON. Watch that ego swell...

Now is the part where every designer is asked why they deserve to go to Fashion Week, and who they would bring with them. Ooh. Seth deserves to go cause of his tailoring, and would bring Emilio and Jay. Jay thinks it means something that he got this far, and he'd bring Seth and would want to share the experience with Anthony, which draws tears from Anthony. Mila says it's the right time for her. She would bring Emilio and Seth. Emilio thinks he deserves to go because he is God's gift to fashion...well okay, because he has a strong point of view as a designer. He'd bring Seth and Mila with him. Anthony tears up as he says that he has made beautiful clothes, and would continue to do so. He'd want to go with Jay and Emilio.

Phew. Bitch-back: Emilio's dress was an overall stunner. Seth's was true to himself, and innovative. The judges are still baffled at Anthony picking an ugly fabric, but they all agree he has talent. Mila caused some debate- Kors thinks her clothes are always made beautifully, but Cynthia Rowley didn't seem too impressed by her. Heidi seems to be iffy on Jay, but Nina and Kors agree that he has good taste and makes modern clothes.

Ooh, such an intense episode. No time to blog the commercials!

Emilio is in, por supuesto. Seth Aaron is in, and seemingly surprised. Anthony is...out. Mila is...in. Yes. Jay is...also in. Of course. One will be eliminated, a la Rami Kashou and Chris March of Season 4. Rami won that showdown, but who dressed Meryl Streep at the Oscars this year, huh? Anthony classily bows out. Bravo, Anthony, you done good.

Next on: drama galore.

Aufwiedersehen, Anthony!

No comments:

Post a Comment