Good Morning Designers! This week's challenge begins with a brunch hosted by
Tim,
Michael Kors, and a very large luxury boat. Can you say
Resort Wear??? Each designer had to create a resort look, keeping in mind that resort wear can include anything from itsy bitsy bikinis to long flowy evening gowns. A boat ride sketching session with mimosas in hand and flashy Michael Kors sunglasses later, the relaxed designers are not ten minutes back in the workroom when Tim surprises them with the '
catch of the day': The evil velvet bag with the golden rope that Tim presides over like
Professor Dumbledore with a big golden secret, reveals each designer must pair up in teams of two and execute each other's look perfectly, mimicking the designer/sample-maker relationship in the real world of garment outsourcing. And let me gleefully add that Gretchen's pairing with Casanova is made in heaven. He can barely speak English and Gretchen communicates with him using really large pencil drawings...
Tim introduces a guest critic this week and it's none other than
Michael Kors! What a tremendous opportunity it is for the designers to get some real insight from a master, and MK (Michael Kors for short) does not disappoint. Some of his wise observations: Keep it youthful (Gretchen and Casanova). Keep it Modern. It's glammy puss over the top (April). Go with your gut. Move on from the bordeaux and cadet blue (Valerie), and "We judges are hem obsessed!"...
Andy South's bathing beauty
It's Runway time with "stylish American actress" guest judge
Kristen Bell. And that's pretty much all she is. Fashion judge? Hardly accredited, dear producers...Moving on, here are my runway thoughts in a linear fashion cloud:
Michael C- very pretty metallic jumpsuit, very Miami, love that hair
Mondo- I'm all for mixed prints but this looks like Junior Malibu Barbie
Michael D- too dark and goth-like (the roped belt) for my kind of Resort wear..but the judges LOVE it. Whatever
Ivy- blah blah and more blah. Snoooore, hitting the snooze button...
Christopher- also blah, pretty printed top though, hate the shorts
April- "Punky edgy baby doll" look that Michael Kors and the judges LOOOOOVE but I'm so not liking this! Am I missing something here?
Casanova- where the heck iss da beach? Awful career suit, even for career. And where is she going with that handbag?
Gretchen- Hate those colors! And I'm so not feeling the resort
Valerie- construction was poor, camel knits were not my idea of resort, missing sexiness
Andy S- love the silky tied robe and pretty ombre effect, very elegant and flowy, swimsuit is sewn to perfection
Among the judges' wild deliberations this week, they definitely agreed with Casanova's epic struggle between prostitute and grandmotherly visions, and the clear fact that Ivy is just a good seamstress with poor design talent.
The winner of this week's challenge? Monotone April. Again, not sure why the judges went cuckoo over her black widow baby doll thing, but who am I to argue with Michael Kors.
And who is Out? It's CAZZZZZZANOVA!!! After all it was time for the 'dessigner' who tried to "grab New Jork by the balls". Being inspired by your grandmother is sweet, just not when you're designing a look for Resort. And by the looks of the extended emotional Casanova tribute montage at the end, it pretty much confirmed our initial suspicions that the producers kept this rubber-lipped personality around mostly for their entertainment. Until next week, auf-veederzheeeein....!
April's winning design
Casanova is Out
