Good morning! I'm finally watching the "Inspiration" episode. The "Walk-off" was not really all the drama I imagined it would be. It just seems....sad.... Really sad.
By the way, I was really floored when Heidi said, "Alright Zulema, you picked Tarah, that means Rachael will be now Nick's model." HUH? Anyone else surprised? Of course, now I'm expecting Rachael (and Nick) to show a renewed determination.
Instead, I'm seeing Nick kind of pouting as he goes through the motions of taking his photos. Come on Nick - Suck it up - you've got work to do!
Okay - now everyone hates Zulema - it's like Wendy in the Post Office episode. Zulema is the outcast. Well, what did she expect? She had to know this would upset at least Nick and Tarah. But she did what she needed to do to improve her situation.
Anyway, Tim has come in and announced that the designs have been "Lackluster" up until this point. THANK YOU for saying so, Tim. I've felt the same way.
No, Nick! Don't give up, think of your fans!
Now they're at MOOD - always one of my favorite parts of any episode - Oh hello, that is Austin's fabric, Santino. Didn't you watch the first series? I can't believe that Tim would say something so unkind about Rachael. Wow - that was harsh, Tim.
Now they're in the workroom and I notice that Nick has added a little bit of booty padding to his form...
Awwwww.... Daniel is so sweet. Danny V, where are you?!?!?
Now Zulema is admitting that she would switch models again.
Back in the workroom Santino is doing his Timpression.... Okay, now THIS is my favorite part - the workroom. I LOVE watching the actual cutting, sewing, pinning and draping. Thank you producers for showing more of this than you ever did last year.
Why suddenly does Zulema have problems with "Time Management?" Isn't she the one who emphatically claimed that she "Always met her deadline."
Okay, wait - the three guys are lined up on the couch and Nick says "I wanted to cut her..." THIS is my favorite part. Please watch the bonus video of this entire exchange because one comment is completely out of context. Nick is saying that the MODEL'S attitude on the runway should be "You wanna f*** me? Well, you can't." On the program, it sounds like Nick is saying this about Zulema.
Does Zulema sleep in her clothes? That's okay Zu. Sometimes I do that too.
Wow, models can TALK?!?!? Just kidding. It is really refreshing to hear the model's opinions of things.
Wait?!?! Was that a Timpression? "Andre...your dress doesn't have a back on it!" Excellent!
Of course we have the usual semi-nude shots of the models getting dressed. Always a highlight....
Runway time: Okay, THIS is my favorite part. Andre's dress (gown) is first...FABULOUS! Actually Andre is fabulous. I was really really impressed with him last week. (Did anyone even notice that I didn't post my impressions of last week's episode? I was so concerned with everything else that I never got around to it...) There is a photo of this dress on the Bravo site but it does NOT do this dress justice. Andre is a master of the bias-cut. Wow. And using the photo of gutter-water as the inspiration shows even more brilliance. This design sums up the challenge perfectly. How did he make this in ONE DAY? How is Daniel going to top this? We'll see....
Kara's model has a STUNNING figure.
Santino's design looks a little sloppy and unflattering. And with Austin's design in my head....well....I'm not too impressed with this....sorry.
Okay, Daniel's design is strikingly original. Have I mentioned that I love Rebecca?
Here comes Grace. The fabric looks stiff. I guess when your inspiration is a building - that's to be expected.
Here comes Rachael with her slinky and delicious walk...and even a hint of a smile...for a change. Marshmallow indeed!
Now, Zulema's dress on Tarah. Suddenly I'm more interested in how Tarah is working it than I am in the actual design.... The dress is... red...Tarah looks great and Zulema looks...pleased. Actually I like this dress - and Tarah is gorgeous.
Okay now the judges are agreeing with me on Chloe's dress being "hard." Chloe - you look gorgeous tonight!
Jay?!?! Where's the snark?!?!? Come on?!?!?
Nina is telling Zulema that this is the third time she has seen her designs and every time there is an "execution problem."
Okay it's totally funny how everyone seems so surprised that Santino has used Austin's fabric. Hello? Couldn't anyone see this while he was working on it? Surely the producers knew. Surely Tim knew.
The judges are debating. Michael is a "Full Dan fan!" Love it. How long before Cafe Press comes out with products featuring this line?
Well, you know the rest. Daniel wins and Zulema is out.
Preview of next week - okay THIS is my favorite part.
For the first challenge on Project Catwalk in the UK, the designers had to fashion garments from stuff they found at a flower store. It looks like something similar next week for "Flower Power."
20 comments:
Well, my speculation about Santino's dress being "inspired" by Austin's was totally off the mark!!
laura ... i was thinking the same thing: doesn't anyone notice austin's fabric? of course jay did because he was so immersed in it last year and we do as viewers because how many times have we watched these shows??? i'm thinking that tim sees so much fabric everyday with students that it could slip by ... the producers however aren't going to stop a trainwreck.
as much as i like daniel, andrae should have won this one.
as for kara ... well, unless santino finally goes over the edge next week (or his construcion problems continue), i think she's next to be auf'd.
RE: the twin fabrics--Tim says in his podcast that he informs Santino of this far before the runway, I think perhaps at MOOD when he is actually selecting the fabric? So Santino's surprise on the runway is I think a bit contributed, either for camera or for judges. But it's still interesting it didn't become more of a "scandal." I thought it was heavily irresponsible of a contestant to a) not be sublimely familiar with the entire first season and b) to not really do anything about it after being informed. Ack!
Unless Tim did inform Santino at Mood though, I don't see what Santino could have done...
The fabric is very distinctive and will look rather similar in effect in many designs. He can't go back and get different fabric, so it's a matter of doing the best you can.
This is just in assumption that the conversation didn't happen at Mood...
I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this already, but isn't Jay a guest judge because his BR design was inspired by the Chrysler building? I didn't watch the episode yet, but it didn't seem to be mentioned in the recaps
I didn't realize that Jay was a judge because of his Chrysler building dress last season, but that would make a lot of sense.
Overall I thought this episode had a sad tone to it - there was much less joking around and everyone seemed kind of depressed. I felt bad for Nick and Tarah, but I couldn't believe the way Rachael was treated here.
I've always been a fan of Tim, but I was shocked and disappointed in his "marshmallow" and "gumby legs" comments about Rachael. He was just plain mean and it seemed juvenile and totally uncharacteristic of him.
Anyway, I loved Andrae's and Daniel's dresses, but, like a lot of people have said, I thought it was really Andrae's win. His dress was stunning head to toe. The top of Daniel's dress was great, but the skirt looked really ordinary.
Hopefully everyone will be back to normal next episode!
I think I'm the only person who didn't love Andrae's dress, and wrinkled my nose every time he said "gutter water." haha.
I am glad Zulema got eliminated, she was really a vile person in the past few episodes, and I have to admit I was a little, “Whaaa?” when she said she had time management issues because she was so good at making garments properly. Riiiight.
What was nice is that this episode had genuine drama to it, like a well-constructed play or something. Nick's mid-episode turnaround to get back in the game, Zulema's backstabbing, the conflict over the models... it was like we've been seeing the producers attempt to create drama all season and we finally get to see the designers dealing with actual issues related to their designs.
I'm heartbroken over Tarah. Even if Nick got to choose over again, it's hard to tell if he would go with Tarah, because he loved Rachael so much. Anyway, I loved this episode because so much was going on, even if it was a huge transition from the silly-happy ice skating episode last time.
Kara is a goner. I still stick with Chloe, Nick and either Daniel V or Andrae in the top 3. Though I'd really like the competition to come down to the 35D gays.
First I must say that I was shocked at Tim's snarky comments! Poor Rachel and how humiliating. *bad Tim Gunn bad*
I was so glad Nick rallied as I adore his personality and Tarah truly was his muse, I felt. So sad about Tarah as she was FABULOUS and now she will be out due to Zu, who I never connected with anyway! Nick's dress was lovely and I like the fishtail but he does need to move away from the one-note hem.
Chloe - ummm, pretty and Grace looked fabulous and this was a step away from her usual few notes of "Chloe blue" and slinky dress with some back details - good for her and I do like her craftsmanship - I just want more from her, it seems.
Santino - EGADS!! First I liked him, then I detested him, now I think he is more of an avant garde artist than a fashion designer. I would never been seen in anything he's made since the first episode's babydoll dress. It's all the same "whickety wack" shredded and retreaded. Design something man!
Andrae, at first the dramatic whining irked me but I really felt he was talented, then he began to WOW me!! I love love love his "Social Scene" dress as it was a go-anywhere and sparkle piece of perfection! While this week's "Inspiration" dress didn't wow me as it did others, I felt it was a lovely piece, finely mad and the dramatic twist from gutter-water to catwalk fab was GREAT!
Kara - umm, not much to say. While I loved the black dress, I bet I could find one like it at Macy's and simply sew on my "no trespassing" details. Yawn!
Daniel V. - will you marry me! *grins* I love his work! I am a FULL DAN FAN (isn't that what Kors said?) I love him! His "Social Scene" dress rocked my world!! Yet I felt his "Inspiration" dress was too high fashion for my tastes, still well crafted and well connected to the inspiration.
I miss Emmett!!!
**Tantalize**
Oh and another thing....I saw on Kathy Griffin's show how she made Jay - and called him a total bitch - he was very snarky and sooooo holier-than-thou! Ummm, did the hoopla go to his head? As anyone else seen this or heard of such? I LOVED Jay but I ain't into the "Hype Queens"!!
Rock on Daniel V.!!
**Tantalize**
I feel so sorry for Daniel because he's going to feel responsible for the elimination of everyone's favorite model next week when he decides to keep his own. He's going to feel so bad for Nick but what can he do? I also was surprised Nick didn't at least get to pick between the two remaining models instead of getting stuck with Zulema's.
The judging was so good on this episode! I really agreed with most of the ranking for once. Daniel's was the best; so simple and beautiful, dramatic without being too costumy. Andrae's was second best; very beautiful and great inspiration, but I thought a little too much like his other dresses. Chloe's was pretty nice but not great. I wasn't impressed with Nick's or Santino's and I didn't get their inspiration (it's the same color as the grafiti, so what?). I'm becoming less impressed by Nick and thinking he may be replaced in the final three by Andrea. He seems to keep making those silly fishtail-hem skirts.
Kara and Zulima clearly had the worst designs but I think Kara's was worse and Zulima was robbed. I understand when they keep Santino in because he makes good television but that theory doesn't work with Kara, who is less interesting than Zulima. I don't think Zulima is very good but I do think she has been consistantly better than Kara and deserved to stay another week.
Well, Chloe will be back on her own in the women's apartment soon!
Models: I was not surprised at all with the switch. Heidi has said more than once that the winning designer "can switch". I always took that to mean the designer with the stolen model would not have a choice in the matter.
The process stinks and is unfair to both designers and models.
Designers -
Andrae: absolutely stunning work, his best to date on the show. If he can maintain consistinency he has a better chance at final 3 than I ever thought.
Chloe: Where was she yesterday? Not her best, but still on my Final 3 list. I want to see more of her!
DV: cool as a cucumber, this guy. Amazing poise under pressure. Loved how he propped up Nick. I wasn't thrilled with his top, but he nailed the concept and completely realized the challenge criteria.
Just a few thoughts about the episode:
Santino seems to be spiraling downward. He has lost a lot of his bravado and swagger, it seems, over the course of the last several episodes. I was actually more impressed with the photos he took from his hour walking around NYC than his clothes. For the record, his best piece was the very first one he made!
Andrae did a spectacular job with this project. He followed Tim's advice, he found motivation in the most unusual place and he executed a beautiful gown.
Daniel V has produced the most aesthetically pleasing pieces CONSISTENTLY through the show.
A quick thought about the theme of this episode and the subsequent judging: "inspiration" was the word of the day but when it came to the runway the judges seemed more focused on "translation." How accurately did the desiner "translate" the photograph into a garment? How palpable was the connection between the photo and the garment? Could you look at the photo, look at the dress and say, "yes, this photo led to that dress"? I think it was for this reason (and the beauty of the piece) that Daniel V won. Rebecca was essentially wearing an orchid. But while Andrea's dress was gorgeous the translation from gutter water to gown is not A to B. Had he picked a cleaner body of water (say a fountain) he may have gotten closer to what the judges were thinking. Thoughts?
As for the model drama. I can appreciate both sides: Nick loves his muse, the status quo is everyone sticks with the first person they picked. At the same time, everyone knew that Zulema's model had trouble walking and an usual body shape (not my thoughts, but whatever)-- Zulema said so, Tim said so, and Nick felt the same way. So for this reason it made sense for Zulema to dump Rachel. However, Zulema messed with her own mojo as a result, built pressure among her peers and eventually fizzled on the runway. I won't miss her designs.
My picks: Daniel V, Nick, Chloe in that order.
A question: why do we see very few, if ever, outfits that call for pants/trousers? As a non-sewer I imagine it has to do with the time constraint, and maybe the budgets they are given, too?
Nick: I am really starting to worry about Uncle Nick. I never thought he would crack, and he let the model fiasco take him off his game. My sure shot Final 3 pick doesn't look as certain anymore.
Santino: Now that the quality of competition has been raised, he looks weaker and weaker each week. He is providing much needed comic relief and for that I am grateful.
Kara/Zu: If there was true justice in this world, there would have been a double elimination yesterday. I mean, come on! Is there any doubt that Kara is gone next week? Why make us suffer??
As far as the walkoff is concerned it was way too hyped. I wish that Zu would have taken Grace. She is the worst to me. She is sickly looking and cannot carry off anything low cut. Breast bone and then ill fitted top, always.
I am soooooo upset with Zu because she had to take Tarah down with her, that was just uncalled for. As far as the rest. I wanted to see Andre win that challange. I love his designs and that dress was gorgeous. Daniel V's was amazing too, but I am not really a fan of his style, not that he is not a great designer, He deserves to be in the final 3.
Ah it is only a matter of time till Santino is out. Yeah and Kara should be gone pretty soon too.
I'd like to see Tim cram his backside into a Zulema creation -and see what lovely comments people have to say about him. I couldn't believe that nastiness that came out of Tim's mouth. It was uncalled for.
Poor poor Tarah - but I hope the model Zulema ditched goes all the way! The poor girl had her ass on TV in that nasty sweater dress.
"Of course, now we know that Tarah is the "star" model of PR2 who has secured a brand new Maybelline contract..."
we do? how do we know that?
Phillykat, maybe that Maybelline thing was just a rumor (I read so many boards, I've forgotten where I heard it.) I will edit my post. Diana, you're probably right, and welcome to the asylum!
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