Project Runway Season 16 Finale

Do you want to know how much I love you guys? It's my birthday and I have a cold and I still got up early to get this recap done. Well, I got up early because it's hard to sleep while coughing, but still.

Well folks, we're finally there, the most important episode of the season--the last one. And it only took 46 short weeks to get here. Ok, it just felt like it took that much time, what with being annoyed by the Annoying Twins for more than half of them, then several weeks in a row when the Top Five finalists remained the Top Five because they were so good that the judges didn't have the heart to auf any of them until they absolutely had to. Now finally, in mid-November, we get to see the NY Fashion Week shows the designers presented in early September (although if you read this blog, you were able to see photos from the shows weeks ago).

The episode starts off with the designers entering the workroom to get the last bits of hemming and doo-dad-attachment done. Kentaro is chanting "cohesive" over and over again. He feels like he's already lost the competition, so he is free to do what he likes with his collection. However, he will try to work on cohesiveness a little. At the very least, he's getting rid of the white dress with the hairy tumor and replacing it with something less weird.

Margarita is resentful of the judges comments that her looks are too "Miami" and says that one can't the tropical out of the girl. She's also worried about her parents who are still in Puerto Rico which at the time was being clipped by Hurricane Irma. 

Meanwhile, Brandon is so confident in his collection and has so few things to do, he's stretched out on the couch in the lounge, snoring.

Tim comes in to give everyone (except for Brandon who obviously doesn't need one) a pep talk and advises them all to stay the course, 1000 points of light, etc. He tells Margarita not to undermine her integrity by dumbing down the tropical aspect of her collection. After Tim leaves, Margarita calls her parents to find they've lost power, but are doing their best to make it to NY to see her show. Their flight hasn't yet been cancelled, so they're hoping for the best. Margarita's mom is heard saying that they'll swim to NY if they have to. Personally, I'd have already left for NY and enjoyed a little vacay with my family for a few days, but then I love NY. Maybe Margarita's family doesn't? In any case, fingers are crossed that they'll make it to see their girl at Fashion Week.

The next day, Tim comes in and remarks that he hasn't had a "gather round" all season so it was time for one. He says he's proud of each of them, as well he should be. They are all talented designers, and this is going to be one of the best finale runway shows evarrrr (says the girl who's seen it weeks ago). The designers finish up last minute details before zipping their collections into black body bags and leaving the workroom for the final time.

The designers are up and at 'em at 3:30 am, clothed and made up, and ready to hit the runway. I'm not sure why they need to be up so early, as their show is usually the first of the day, scheduled at 8am in whatever venue is being used that year. (I miss Bryant Park.) We see backstage scenes of the typical controlled chaos of hair and makeup and last minute alterations. Tim tells Margarita that her parents flight was cancelled and they are currently doing the backstroke somewhere east of Delaware. He will keep her posted as to their progress. Drama! Ayana has a ruffle fall off one of her dresses. How that happens is a mystery, but maybe it had only been stapled on? More drama, however mild.

We see the venue is full of curious folks, from fashionistas to fashion bloggers, from former Project Runway contestants to minor celebrities. For some reason, the camera keeps landing on Carly Chaikin, the I, Robot actress who had judged earlier in the season. From what I can tell, she has all the emotional range of Kristen Stewart, but I'm only going by what I see on PR.

The judges enter the arena. Heidi is wearing something so short and sparkly even Barbie would be embarrassed. It looks to be made of many hundreds of purple foil Easter egg wrappers, but not enough wrappers to cover her boobs and legs. Sadly, gravity is affecting even Heidi Klum. The guest judge is Jessica Alba, who has not aged at all. I know she's only 36, but damn she looks so young.

Let the show begin! I love the way they splice in the designers so seamlessly to make them appear to talk to the audience and walk the runway after their models. Because Fashion Week happens so early in the show's airing, it's necessary for the PR show to be completely anonymous. The audience and the designers cannot appear on the runway at the same time. The magic of television, folks!

Margarita is first, introducing her collection as "A Fish Out of Water." I think it's dynamite. Jazzmine gives the audience a "wow look" by whipping off her skirt halfway through the walk. Her plus-sized beauty gets an ovation from many people in the crowd.

The Judges Say: so much energy/passion/color; it's joyous and spectacular. Zac is proud of her. It's fun/sexy/so Latina. Heidi says she's not Latina but may as well be as she loves everything. (Quite a change from last week's critique.) The beaded fish dresses were a lot of work that paid off. The only negative comment came from Nina, who thought the feathers were a bit much.

Brandon tells us his collection is called "Layers of Love." Oh jeez. I am going to gag. But I have to remember that he's only 24 and probably still collects Beanie Babies. His collection is predictably full of oversized button loops and tons of straps and loose strings. The shapes of the pieces are actually interesting in several cases, but the flamingo print is so omnipresent and really rather drab. My favorite thing about the whole collection is the penis on look 8, which I guess is a reminder that he's really a menswear designer.

The Judges Say: Flirty/romantic/cool. Zac thought it was a strong collection but it needed more variation. Brandon says that he was referring to collections that had piece after piece of similar looks, but the judges tell him that those were bigger collections, so while there were several looks in a row that were the same, there were also other looks that were different. In a 10-piece collection, one has to make sure that there's both cohesion and difference. Nevertheless, Brandon is called "an incredibly gifted designer" who gave his peers a run for their money. Liris, who did not look happy while walking down the runway, cries as she tells the judges that this "model diversity moment" means so much for "her community."  (As a fat person myself, I've never felt part of a community. But then I don't like people.)

Kentaro hasn't named his collection, but tells us it's inspired by a dead cat that he buried and who later sang to him his native Japan. It's quirky and striking and goes back to the stuff he was designing before Project Runway. The piece he composed is playing in the background, and the audience is so quiet, it's hard to tell if they're holding their breath or have all just gone to sleep.

The Judges Say: You know people love a collection when they're either noisy or quiet. Heidi says it was so quiet in the room that one could "hear a mouse fart." The collection blew Zac's socks off with the level of experimentation, textures, and color, though he wasn't into the two red dresses in a row. One would have been enough.

Finally, Ayana's "Evolution" documents her personal journey. I'm not sure how that works, but the collection goes from more athletic looks to pants to dresses and finally a gown. She's also put head scarves on several of the models, but ones that are somewhat more elaborate than those she herself normally wears. I really love this collection in photos, but less so when I see it walking down the runway. The first three looks especially don't walk well.

The Judges Say: They love her gown, think it is stunning. The looks are hip and seductive. Nina wanted to see more color. The tailoring is beautiful. Nina liked the skirt/pant combo (which is something Ayana herself wore during the show), and Heidi wasn't into the first three looks. They all love the distinctive headwear.

The judges do a little more nitpicking before choosing a winner. It seems that Nina is in favor of Brandon winning, because she keeps reminding the others that he has a real point of view, but I think overall his collection was disappointing in its sameness.

They call the designers back out on the runway. Margarita is auf'd first. When she goes back to the green room, she finds that her parents have finally made it to NY, though they had not been shown in the audience. Brandon is sent home next; he goes backstage and cries like a baby. Again, he's only 24. I think all of the various wins during the competition went to his head so he felt that he could not lose. And with that kind of thinking, it's possible to get lazy.

It was down to Ayana and Kentaro. I was pretty sure Ayana had the win in the bag, but surprise! Kentaro is declared the winner. Thank heavens. The whole season looked like one big fix for Brandon, but it seemed that the judges actually chose the winner on the merits of the final collection. Kentaro showed range, he showed growth, he showed himself. And he definitely deserved the win.

Now how does JC Penney translate his fabulous garments into a capsule collection to be sold on the cheap? 

This one's not so bad, I suppose, though it looks cheap and stiff. The tank has more modest straps and why is it black? The look definitely needs the belt.

This one is nothing like the original. The shirt looks sloppy, and what's going on with the crotch on those pants? WWMKS (What Would Michael Kors Say?) about the model's "polterwang?"

In any case, congratulations Kentaro!

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Project Runway Season 16 at Fashion Week

I've been terribly remiss in not posting the images from the Project Runway show at New York Fashion Week. The show took place on September 9th, and included six designers. That means three decoys, although I don't know why they would even bother with decoys when at that point there were 12 designers left and there was no way they could show the faces of the participants. In any case, I think it's pretty obvious whose collections are whose. My guesses are, in order - Michael, Kenya, Ayana, Brandon, Kentaro, and Margarita. I think this is one of the best runway shows we've seen in years--definitely better than last year.

My favorites are 3, 5, and 6 (my guesses are Ayana, Kentaro, Margarita). Which do you like, if any? Which do you think belong to the final three? And who wins?

I am guessing that Ayana, Brandon, and Margarita are the final three. As far as I can tell, each of their collections use two models from the competition; the others three designers don't appear to have used any of them. It might be coincidence, but maybe not.

Click on each collection to see a larger image.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Posted by theminx on Opalescentminx.com Because of past content theft, I am forced to add this statement to the end of my posts: If you're reading this post anywhere other than the Opalescent blog, OpalescentMinx.com (also http://minxbeads.blogspot.com) then this content has been stolen. Please do not support this thief!

Project Runway Recap - Season 16, Episode 4

Sorry that this recap is so late - I made a quick trip to NYC to see a couple of shows for New York Fashion Week. While the big Project Runway finale show wasn't one of them, I did get to see the team up between Mychael Knight and Korto Momolu. More on that in a separate post.

Episode 4 begins with Heidi and Tim strapping on backpacks to introduce the next challenge. Heidi is wearing the same black floral minidress she was wearing for the runway show in Episode 3, so I can only assume that this intro bit was filmed immediately thereafter. Otherwise, Heidi should have had time do something more interesting with her hair. This week's challenge is to design sleepwear for Heidi Klum Intimates new line of sexy pjs using textiles that the contestants create themselves by hand. Why the designers are always excited about the Heidi challenge are beyond me. For one thing, she's getting free labor. For another, the design is offered for a limited time. The PR designs are always much more interesting and intricate than the usual basic stuff that Heidi offers, so the production costs are likely higher. But she can only charge so much for the piece, because the price point should fit with the rest of her line. So if she's not making $$$, there's no point in putting the winning design into real production. And of course none of that cash is going to the person who designed the garment. Does anyone actually remember the winner of any of the previous Heidi challenges? Was it a launching pad to their success?

The way some designers react to things, I have to wonder if they've ever watched Project Runway in the past. Why are they always surprised that the very first challenge of the season starts within minutes of all the designers meeting for the first time? Why are most of them shocked and dismayed at team challenges, or unconventional materials challenges, or any challenge at all that is somewhat...challenging? Or are they directed to feign surprise/shock/dyspepsia?

Sorry for my aside (though you should be used to them by now)...back to the show. The inspiration for today's Heidi Klum Intimates challenge is to be found at the Empire State Building, where the designers will be spending the night. The backpacks that were distributed by Heidi and Tim contained rather sheer (cheap? Heidi Klum collection?) pajamas and a dossier of each designer's new model.

The designers are shown parading down 5th Avenue to the iconic Art Deco building while wearing their matching jammies. Ya know, I've been to NY dozens of times, and recently have been staying at hotels very close to the Empire State Building, but I've never been in it. Certainly not while in my jammies. I suppose I should rectify that situation at some point, but the $34 dollars it costs to ride the elevator to the top could buy a nice dinner, even in New York.

The Annoying Twins are freaking out over the idea of sleeping on the top of the Empire State Building. OMG! It's so high! Good thing they're only sleeping on the 86th floor, because being up on the top floor--the 103rd--would probably cause heart attacks. Lucky for them, there's no room for that sort of nonsense all the way up there.

The designers get a few minutes to sketch before sleepy-bye time. Kenya wants to do a romper using the motifs found in the ceilings of the ESB, but she's worried that she's never decorated fabric before. Michael is inspired by the Chrysler Building, which isn't the same as being inspired by the ESB, but it's part of the view so I suppose it counts. Kentaro was dinged for using black last week so he's vowing to decorate his maxi dress with neon colors.

Early the next morning, the designers are awakened by Tim, bearing paper sacks of breakfast sandwiches. Did they come from the Panera in the next block, or the Maison Keyser a couple blocks north? Were they still warm after the 86-floor elevator ride? Did Tim have to pay the $34? Inquiring minds need to know. I also would like to know how much bird poop they had to scrape off those sleeping bags by morning.

After breakfast, the designers head to the studio. They will have fabrics chosen by Heidi to work with, so a trip to Mood to visit Swatch is not in order. Besides working on patterns for their garments, the designers need to get started on fabric decoration as early as possible, in order for things to dry thoroughly. There are lots of paint items available, plus tools with which to make stencils and stamps--even potatoes. Good to know those elementary school art classes won't have been for naught!

The models have been switched for everyone again this week; Kentaro gets to work with one of the plus-sized gals. Rather than panic, he seeks fit advice from the two larger ladies in the cast, Samantha and Kenya. Samantha is shown suggesting how the armhole should fit so there's not too much side boob or cleavage, which is very kind of her. She understands that they can help each other out yet still be in competition. Kinda the way the Annoying Twins work, only not annoying.

Heidi comes in pretty early in the day to demoralize the group. She suggests that the Annoying Twins, who have been running around and chattering with each other all morning do more work and less talking. Heidi thinks Hairy's design might be a bit too basic. She's also not getting Baldie's desire to make a jumpsuit, because women have to go to the bathroom frequently during the night. If it takes too long to disrobe, a woman could pee herself. I have one suggestion: trap door.

Deyonté is doing something with wide mitered stripes that Heidi suggests could be a clown costume. Ouch. Also the angle of the stripes point directly to the vajayjay, which is always a no-no in Heidi's book. Kenya, who is struggling, is working on a piece that doesn't look like it could be sleepwear. It's too fitted and has no ease. Amy wants to put the NY skyline on the rear end of a pair of panties, which gets a no vote from both Heidi and Tim. Ayana's look is daringly sheer. She says there's no need to do a modest look for something that's only worn indoors.

After Heidi leaves and the designers stop crying in despair, they rework what needs to be reworked. Then the models come in for their fitting, which causes more reworking. Finally everybody gets to go sleep in their own pajamas in their own beds.

The next day, everyone is sent to the Cosmetics Your Mother Used to Sell Because Your Father Wouldn't Let Her Get a Job Outside the Home makeup studio and the Comb-overs by Donald Trump hair salon. Tim also advises them all to use the JC Penney accessory wall not the usual "thoughtfully," but "carefully." Or maybe not at all because isn't this a sleepwear challenge? Personally, I don't feel the need to accessorize the over-sized Orioles t-shirt I wear to bed, but perhaps I am missing out on a new trend. A new trend that I really don't care about.

Demi Lovato is guest judge this week. Apparently she's also a fashion designer because she's got a line of sports bras and leggings with Fabletics, a sports bra and leggings company owned by Kate Hudson. Hadn't sports bras and leggings already been designed decades ago? How does having her name on these things make Demi Lovato (or Kate Hudson) a fashion designer? Most importantly, I must ask WHY THESE THINGS ARE CONSIDERED FASHION?

The runway show is pretty decent. Well, it certainly could be worse. Pink-haired John Lennon, Kentaro, Michael, Deyonté, Baldie, and Kenya are pulled out of the line up while the rest are declared safe. The judges start on Michael's look, which is really stunning. They compliment the unique neckline, unusual strap placement, and Chrysler Building-inspired decoration on the bodice. They think this "Deco Cleopatra" look  is sexy, sophisticated, and expensive-looking.

Zac appreciates that Pink-haired John Lennon is wearing tighty whities under his frilly sheer yellow bloomers. As are we all. Heidi loves the print he created on his fabric, but the top is shabbily constructed and the shorts (not just the ones he's wearing) are not flattering.

Baldie's jumpsuit with a silver-on-silver print is really pretty nice, considering she made it. The judges used a lot of the same adjectives that they used for Michael: sophisticated, sexy, elegant. They also thought it could be worn out on the town with heels and a leather jacket.

Deyonté's look didn't seem like sleepwear to the judges The shape was "nothing," boring, and not sexy. It was definitely not flattering. He had a plus-sized model this week and he took an Omar the Tentmaker approach with his baggy pieces. And who wears a top and a long skirt to bed? A skirt? Really? And this man has slept with women before!

Kentaro also had a plus-sized model, but his flowy gown was obviously sleepwear and obviously gorgeous. Samantha had given him good advice about the placement of the straps and armholes (she could have taken the opportunity to sabotage him, but I have a feeling that she's just a really nice person) and the end result was adorable and charming, fresh, quiet, modern, ambitious, and happy.

Kenya clearly struggled through the entire challenge, which was disappointing. I think she's super talented and she's one of the designers I want to see in the finale. Heidi said she would pee her pants before being able to undo the hook-and-eye closure on Kenya's short jumpsuit. (Heidi must have a tiny bladder.) Kenya cries a little. Zac tries to be nice by praising the colors she used, though it really was kind of a hot mess.

Michael is declared the winner of this challenge. You can buy Michael's winning design at Heidi Klum Intimates.

Deyonté is out. He really looked to have some great potential after winning the first challenge of the season, but fizzled out pretty quickly after that. Too bad - I liked him.

Next week, the designers go on a road trip to a fancy house, but they don't get to sleep there.

Posted by theminx on Opalescentminx.com Because of past content theft, I am forced to add this statement to the end of my posts: If you're reading this post anywhere other than the Opalescent blog, OpalescentMinx.com (also http://minxbeads.blogspot.com) then this content has been stolen. Please do not support this thief!

Project Runway Season 16, Episode 1

It's been a long time since I've recapped Project Runway: The Mothership--November 2009. That's eight years and ten seasons ago! I did recap All-Stars last year, and that was fun. I figured I'd try again and if I hated it, or even worse, if you hated it, I'd give up for good. But let's get on with the show, shall we?

This season there are sixteen competitors, only five of whom are white. That's a huge shift from previous seasons. Another big change this season is the models, who range from size 2 to size 22. Models will be randomly assigned throughout the season so everyone will get a chance to work with a bigger girl and not exclusively with someone tall, leggy, and hip-less. Yaaaas! Big is beautiful! It's about time that the fashion world recognizes that the average American female is a size 16, with curves, or if more like me, shaped somewhat like a tree trunk. In either case, we are not wire hangers and typical size 0-2 models do not represent us.

The new contestants meet up in what looks to be a large garage-like facility. There's a bartender shaking up creamy coffee-looking drinks that everyone is holding but few seem to be drinking. Possibly because those drinks contain Grey Goose vodka and it's only 8am. Still, that's good vodka and I probably wouldn't turn one down even that early in the morning.

We meet Kenya, a plus-sized woman herself with bold lipstick and a shaved head. She says she is coming to "murder you up...in a good way." I instantly like her. Two of the white girls this season are identical twins Shawn and Claire Buitendorp. Shawn's the "edgy" twin, as evidenced by her shaven head. She says the way to tell them apart is "Shawn shaved, Claire hair." They both have nose rings and matching hot pink lipstick and occasionally speak in unison. Five minutes into the show I am already completely annoyed by them.

The rest of the cast has unfamiliar-sounding names that will take me a week or nine to remember: Kentaro; Batani-Khalfani; Kudzanai; Amy. Brandon seems immediately lost and full of self-doubts. He's 24, and has only designed womenswear once. Once. He won't last long in these here parts. Aaron has long bleached hair with pink roots and looks like a cross between Dr Drew and John Lennon, so I'm probably going to refer to him as Pink Hair John Lennon when I can't remember his name is A-A-Ron. Or maybe even if I do remember. I liked Samantha, Margarita, Ayana, and Deyonté immediately--they were full of enthusiasm but not full of themselves. Sentell and Michael didn't make much of an impression of me at all. And then there is ChaCha from Taiwan, who is 24 going on 7. His name is really Vincent, but everyone calls him ChaCha, which means "annoying little bird." Right on the money. I determined he would be the first to be aufed simply by reading his bio on the Lifetime web site. When asked what his weakness was as a designer, he replied,"I’m bad at fitting!" Welp, kiddo, Nina and Zac don't play that. And after so many seasons, it's getting more and more rare to find a cast member who doesn't have good sewing skills. Thankfully.

There's a bit of "getting to know you," during which Shaved Twin acts like she's the fucking hostess of the party, greeting every new person who walks through the door with her hand outstretched, "Hi! Who are you?" Once everybody is in the room, garage doors open at one end of the space to let in a huge tour bus. Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn emerge and share awkward double-cheek kisses. Tim appears to be uncomfortable during the exchange, which seems odd after so many years of doing the show together.

They introduce the first challenge, which is to design a red carpet look that showcases "who you are as a designer." The designers seem pleased that the first challenge isn't particularly challenging, but then Heidi says, cryptically, "expect the unexpected." On cue, models emerge from the bus. Some contestants feign pleasure at the variation in size, but others just plain freak out. Like poor menswear designer Brandon, who is assigned the biggest girl of the bunch. I briefly reconsider my prediction that ChaCha will be the first out, but only briefly.

The models get a feature this season called "Model Mirror" when they gaze upon their reflection in a full-length mirror and talk about how they are feeling at the time. What we see looks like a standard to-the-camera confessional, but with an added overhead angle showing the models and the mirror. I don't understand the point, but whatever.

The designers get a budget of $300 for this one-day challenge and are quickly whisked to Mood to purchase fabric, after which time they are introduced to their work space.

There are so many designers in the beginning the show tends to concentrate on the ones who are most likely to be in the top or bottom. Brandon is getting a loser edit because he is so concerned about designing for a plus sized woman. ChaCha is also getting a loser edit, because, well, he deserves it. He calls his model fat, then switches to "oversized." Nice. But his model is not what I would consider "plus sized." While sketching, ChaCha said he would purposely emphasize her "big butt" with a snug dress, but what he's actually fabricating looks more like a big bag of cotton candy.

They did let the camera linger briefly on Sentell, as his story is somewhat interesting. After working as a dancer for 12 years, he was tired of the struggle. So he went to a medium who insisted he should be a designer. That's not to say he has any talent, but I guess we'll see as the season progresses.

The photos we see of Batani's pre-Runway portfolio show a strong African influence and she herself is wearing a fun patterned dress with matching head wrap and huge earrings. She says she loves to use bold colors and wanted something colorful for her model, but then settled on a drab gray stretch material, claiming that it would be "best on her body shape," because she wants to "tuck her in." Right there that sounds like she sees having a plus-sized model as being a problem.

Tim comes in for his consultation with the designers and except for ChaCha's bag of cotton candy, doesn't seem to have any overly serious issues with what they're creating.

The models come in for their fittings and everything goes fairly well there, too. Brandon still seems a bit lost, and his model hopes that he can deliver something that's figure flattering. What I'm seeing mid-creation looks completely unflattering. The skirt is too voluminous, and the blouse is boxy, with some weird tie detail on the left sleeve. It's still in the muslin state at this point though, so perhaps once it's created in the actual fabric he plans to use it will be good. But the fabric turns out to be a brown and peach camo. Errr...I have issues with camo. I think it belongs in the military or in the forest on a person hunting deer, otherwise, it's ugly. But hey, that's my opinion. I have a lot of them, and it's fine if you don't agree.

The day ends and the designers are tired, but they still have some commuting to do. Their lodgings for this season are in the Box Hotel. While that sounds like a euphemism for a cardboard appliance casing somewhere on Broadway, it's actually a real hotel...in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I suppose it's not that far, but still at least a 20 minute ride. I can imagine the designers will be getting pretty punchy during their evening commute by mid-season. Hopefully we get to watch them snipe at each other in a moving vehicle.

The next day they have two hours to finish their red carpet looks, plus send their models to the Avon Beauty Lab and get their hair did at what sounded like "our" beauty salon. I couldn't tell if there was a sponsor for hair at all this year. And accessories....oy. They are furnished by JCPenney.

...and accommodations in Jersey City.

Tim seems more concerned than usual about over-accessorizing. I don't blame him.

Designers and models are soon herded to whatever faraway venue they use for the runway show these days, perhaps on Staten Island. Heidi, Nina, Zac, and guest judge Olivia Munn are awaiting the potential shitshow, but I think by the end they're pretty pleased overall. It's not a bad group of designers this year...apart from one or two.

Since there are so many designers at this point, I'm just going to talk about the top and bottom three looks.

Batani talked a good piece about doing colorful African-inspired garments, but then she put out this drab, stretchy, mess. When she was talking about using the lace applique as a motif, I thought it would be really pretty, but she just tacked it on to basically hide her model's big tummy, and then added a drape on top of that. Her gal had a great curvy shape and deserved better than that.

I thought for sure poor Brandon was on the bottom, but the judges loved his look. Maybe they felt sorry for him? But they called it strong, sassy, and fabulous, so maybe they actually liked it. I don't think the colors were very red carpet-like, but it really wasn't a bad outfit if you're into athleisure, despite the camo.

Predictably, ChaCha's clown costume was on the bottom. Who knows what he was thinking? The outfit was made with a fabric that the judges seemed to think was beautiful close up, but the overall look with the ridiculous ruffles looked like a "dance recital costume," a "scrunchie," and a "clown/unicorn" mashup.

Deyonté's floral two-piece gown was magnificent. Though Tim usually has issues with large floral prints, he loved it, and the judges loved it too. the draping was perfect, and the colors really went well with his model's coloring. So lovely.

Kenya's look was "white hot," definitely white but not at all wedding gown-ish, which is a usual complaint heard when a designer chooses to use all white. It was sexy, elegant, clean, and well-made, although she got dinged for using a fabric that perhaps didn't offer enough support to a bustier. Still, gorgeous.

Bald Twin's look had promise until you got to the tacky silver leather shorts. I think if they had been tight hot pants, it could have worked, but the floppy boxer short look was just tacky. It was too "club kid," too "hooker-y" for the judges.

I think Deyonté's look just edges out Kenya's for the top spot; I would have been happy with either. Predictably the annoying little bird was sent home. Told ya so.

What did you think? Did my recap suck? Hopefully not. Leave me a comment or two so I know if I should continue on or not.

Posted by theminx on Opalescentminx.com Because of past content theft, I am forced to add this statement to the end of my posts: If you're reading this post anywhere other than the Opalescent blog, OpalescentMinx.com (also http://minxbeads.blogspot.com) then this content has been stolen. Please do not support this thief!