PR 13, Ep 13 & 14: Finally! The Finale!

Well, before we get into the PR Finale, I need to take a moment and say that this post is number :::gulp::: 6,000.

Six-%$&#-ing-thousand.

Even i didn't think I could talk so much, but I just wanna say Thanks for coming along and listening, er, reading and commenting.

It's appreciated.

Now, onto the PR ...

First up, last week ... Tim and Heidi tell the Final Four! Final Four! that they each have $9000 and five weeks to complete a ten-look collection for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week based on a trip to Rome for inspiration; or, a travelogue, maybe , because I didn't get it. I mean, they sightsee, drink wine, and talk about how much they want to win, and then it's back home, back to work, followed by the visit from Tim.

Kini's in Hawaii putting together a "Park Avenue Princess in Rome" collection of denim and structure and pleats; Tim seems happy. He's not so happy in Detroit with Char because he doesn't see cohesion, point-of-view or, perhaps, actual fashion. In Nashville with Amanda, he seems kerfuffled that she's making clothes and jewelry and accessories, and building her own plane to fly back to La Grande Apple; he warns her to tone it down. Meanwhile, Sean is in Brooklyn, creating a collection based on the murder of Caesar. He has some fringe working, and when warned that Nina doesn't want an All Fringe Collection, Sean says, "Nina's not the dictator of fashion! She can't tell me what to do!" Tim might not agree, but he likes Sean's collection, those he wants him to trim out the more ready-to-wear pieces.

Back in NYC, the designers get twisted when they learn hear that the judges want to see a sneak preview of their collections, though they're happy to learn that no one will get a last minute Auf'ing.

So let's rip...

SEAN 

He says his collection is clean and luxurious, and the judges are in love with it. Heidi loves it, and The Adorable Zac Posen™ says it's "exciting." Nina is worried about the fringe: "How much is there?" Sean says, with a sly smile, "Enough."

WHAT I SAID

I like his collection; that freaking jumpsuit fits like a second, albeit fringed skin. But I agree that too much fringe makes Sean a One-Trick Money ... or something. 

CHAR 

She says she's going for a youthful, fresh vibe but Heidi echoes Tim with the lack of cohesion comment. Nina, never one to mince words, tells Char to trash and burn her one-shoulder dress with partial transparency because she hates it. The Adorable Zac Posen™ wishes he saw more of Char's personal style in her designs.

WHAT I SAID

It looks like something you can get at a mall; and not a high-end mall. Char could be good but she needs to turn it up.

AMANDA 

Oh, how she loved the buildings of Rome ... with the graffiti on them. The judges seemed to like her collection, though they loved her jewelry more. Nina thinks the jewelry makes all her clothes look more expensive and tells Amanda to step away from Bohemia a little.

WHAT I SAID

It was all a bit frumpy for me; the colors, except the blue, were drab, and it just said Sad Sacks, to me.

KINI 

Denim and pleats and structure, oh my! Heidi starts off the drubbing with an "I think you're much better than this." She finds it well-made but too dated. Nina tells him to lose his showpiece coat, and The Adorable Zac Posen™ agrees. Then they all pile on about the styling; too much eye shadow, not sexy enough; too old lady; not enough separates.

WHAT I SAID

I liked the coat; sue me. But I did get a little Madame feeling when the looks stood side-by-side.

WHAT HAPPENED

Kini's a wreck; Sean's gonna make one less fringe-y look; Char is headed to the outlet stores in Passaic for inspiration. Amanda is sitting back saying, "They liked my jewels."

Now, the Finale ...

We find the designtestants right where we left them; Kini is at a loss, Char is utterly out of her league; Sean if literally cutting fringe; Amanda’s trying to get out of Haight-Ashbury and up to Nob Hill.

What to do, what to do? Well, for starts they get a Tim Gunn Pep Talk — and he really makes it clear what they need to do — and a trip to Mood with an additional $300 for more fabrics. Only Amanda has enough of her fabric and so she skips Mood and heads to the workroom, while Kini, Sean and Char made a last-ditch buying effort.

Kini rips up his coat and turns it into, well, perhaps four different looks; Char buys more great print and a hideous gold fabric that Tim wants to rip from her hands because it’s old lady. Sean buys an orange silk to make a flowy dress, without a hint of fringe. Amanda chops up a hippie dress and makes a skirt and tunic, and leather pants.

I imagine it’s terrifying to make even one new look — much less four or five … or ten — in a day and a half, but before you know it the thirty-six hours are up and the designtestants are taking stroll on that long, looooong PR Catwalk, and then heading backstage, where the only real drama is when one of Amanda’s models tries to switch out her shoes for something else. I applaud Amanda for not hitting the girl over the head with the shoes since all the girls wore the same ones and this one twig wanted something different.

And so, without much drama, let’s rip…

CHAR

WHAT I SAID

Her clothes are nice, but nice doesn’t win the PR. Char dresses herself so cool and hip and now, and yet makes clothes that aren’t new and hip and now. She was all over the place, with avant-garde puff pieces, and a shirt that said ‘Fly’ on it. Her worst look, for me, was the ‘Fly’ shirt because … really? I loved, though, that two-piece print dress because it was sexy and fun and cool.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

The Adorable Zac Posen™ called her clothes beautifully cut, customer ready, with a cool Solange Knowles vibe; does that mean Elevator Brawl Ready? Asking for a friend.  But he thinks she needs to bring up the fashion.

Inexplicably, Heidi liked the hoodie dress, but not so inexplicably she liked the print midriff-baring two-pierce number. But she felt that some looks were very simple—no fashion—and she hated the long coat of the last look because the fabric—Char said it was upholstery fabric—was so stiff. She did think that the clothes shared Char’s vibe, though.

Guest judge, actress Emmy Rossum, was confused, because she saw two different girls on the runway: a sophisticated and clean look and a sporty resort-wear look.

Nina Garcia liked that Char makes “real” clothes, and said she was good with prints and colors; she did hate the Kleenex dress because it was too much, and warned that Char seems to try being something she’s not rather than being herself.

KINI

WHAT I SAID

His clothes are perfect, but he’s kind of one-note: denim. I missed the color in his collection—that might have amped it up a bit—and felt that the pleated dress seemed stiff; it moved as one-piece while the model walked. And that last number was a Kitchen Sink Dress, with everything going on. Perfect craftsmanship, but he needs to tone that down and think about design. I did not like the Coffee Filter Dress because it was so top heavy, or the last look because it was such a cartoon; I did like the leather shorts and the white top—sexy-riffic.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Emmy Rossum loved the pleated denim dress, and the dress with the coffee filter top, but she hated the boxy belly baring coat; she called his girl the uptown moves downtown girl.

Heidi loved a lot, and loathed a lot; her favorite was the white top and the leather shorts; she wanted more of that young, hip sexy vibe.

Nina loved the used of denim, the sexy use of denim, and was also a fan of the pleated dress. She loved the flirty skirt with Kini’s trademark — or soon to be trademarked — use of horsehair to create the flirt. But she says he sometimes tries to give them too much.

The Adorable Zac Posen™ called his clothes impeccably made, but stylistically he needs work; he pointed out that the last look had a lot going on: fishtail hem, huge shoulders, cinched waist, neoprene inserts and a Madonna pony.

AMANDA

WHAT I SAID

The two looks with the pants? The pants seemed ill-fitting and kind of saggy; I don’t know if that was intentional. I liked her patterns, but her clothes were saggy and baggy and I don’t know the woman who wants to wear a sack, even a good color-blocked sack. I wasn’t really impressed; not awful, not good, just a ‘Meh.’ Her worst look was the sad leather pants in Look One; ill-fitting, very ill-fitting. Her best, for me, was the last look, the blue one; not quite as saggy as others, and the one with the most color.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Nina says the whole thing looked effortless; She loved Amanda’s use of color, and said she thinks Amanda is ready to move up.

The Adorable Zac Posen™  loved her pattern cutting and really loved her jewelry — methinks there might me some AmandaGems in The Adorable Zac Posen™’s next collection? He calls her collection the most original on the runway but says that while not every woman will look at Amanda's clothing and find it easy-going and accessible, he likes her attitude.

Heidi loved the flowy dresses, and the short brown and black number, but felt some were odd fits: like the strapless blue dress beneath the suede cut-out number.

Emmy thinks Amanda's point of view is very clear and that she remains true to herself.

SEAN

WHAT I SAID

Too much fringe; but the fringe that was there was gorgeous. I loved that he had a great color — orange really is the new black — and that his clothes were soft and sexy and structured and flirty. His collection was by far the most Wow collection. I loved that first all white look, and the crisp white shirt over the orange and white fringe number; I was not a fan of the dress with the fringe on the bottom worn over pants — that look, if it’s not yet over, should be.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Nina called it the most editorial of all the collections, and loved softness of fabric and the crispness he brings from his menswear background. But, though she didn’t say it, she is over the fringe and knows Sean can do better.

Emmy was wowed by the all-fringe finale piece, and loved that he had a cohesive, cool, storyline. She said he seemed to be the next great voice, and had a flesh deign aesthetic.

Heidi called his looks sophisticated, and loved the black gown — girl loves her fringe — and loved the way the colors changed throughout the show; she did, however, hate the second look, with the dress over the pants. But she said his collection had the most ‘wow’ moments.

The Adorable Zac Posen™ called Sean “the full package", adding that he put on a great show, with sexy edgy clothes, and he cannot wait to see what Sean does next.

WHAT HAPPENED

Char said she should win because she “eats, breathes, and lives” fashion, but the judges — and me, too — feel she needs to push herself, and find her voice. Char’s Out.

Kini said he’s shown everyone that he is great and speedy at sewing, now he wants to show how he can design. But, Kini needs more time to edit, and find a voice, too, so — and this was a huge surprise — he’s Auf'd.

Amanda wants to build a brand, a huge brand, while Sean wants to tackle his unique voice, and his way with a storyline collection.

Who wins? The one who wants to make a big business or the one who wants to create?

Sean wins.

MY TAKE

I liked that Char, Sean, Amanda, and Kini weren't nasty and bitchy and mean and catty to one one another; for once we had a Drama-Free Finale!

No eleventh look twist as they’ve done in seasons past.

I was truly surmised Kini went third; I wasn’t a huge fan of his looks, but the man can sew.

I think Amanda was just there for the “Bring Her back” attitude. I think she was set for Fashion Week from the get-go, as was Char after the Tim Gunn Save.

As for Sean, yes, I found him adorable — I have a thing for men with accents — but his collection was fresh and new, and, yes, overly fringed, but he does have a different voice.

Next week, the reunion, and Korina is still carrying around her anger and her grudge and her bad attitude, and PR All-Stars!

What did YOU think?

PR 13 Ep 12: To The Tents!

Can you imagine? Tim Gunn strolling into your home and waking you up with those dulcet tones? I think Tim should sell his voice for alarm clacks: Good morning designers, time to Make It Work! And for the record, if anyone comes up with this idea now, I came up with it first!

But, back to the PR. Tim wakes the Final Five! Final Five! and asks them to meet him on the roof for the ceremonial Tossing Of Korina. I kid! Tim’s up top with cutie Brian Bolain, Corporate Marketing Manager for Lexus, to  introduce their final task, and No, it has nothing to do with Lexus other than Lexus is one of the prizes.

The challenge is to design a "street chic" look inspired by New York City — which they will find while touring the streets for about a minute in a … you guessed it … Lexus. It can be a day-wear look, but it has to be fashionable and progressive, and finished in two days for $200.

Oh, and because it’s the PR, there’s a twist once the designers get started. On the second day of the challenge they come into the workroom to find five Auf’d looks from five Auf’d designers. With the Dreaded Button Bag™ Tim tells them they must take an Auf’d look and use that look to make a new look; a new look that need not be cohesive with the street chic look; they’ll have $100 and a second Mood trip.

And that had me wondering, Why? What’s the point?

Korina. Naturally, one of the five Auf’d looks was Korina’s and naturally Char picked it and naturally since the designtestants had so much work, they had help from the original designers of the Auf’d look which meant … you guessed it … Korina would be working with, and for, Char.

Let’s save that and rip ….

SEAN

After tooling around in the Lexus, and oohing all over it as part of the job, Sean steps out onto the streets of the Lower East Side and is instantly inspired by a man win a white caftan because it looks so clean and crisp among the grunginess of a Grande Apple street.

He has this,I think because his idea is different, but then … the Twist; and, because his name is last chosen from the Dreaded Button Bag™ he gets stuck with Sandhya’s Little Doll Ship Captain In Pink look. I would have thrown in the towel, but he tries to make it work.

When Tim comes by for the Critique, Sean has decided to make a white shirt with a green scrubs mesh fabric pant and Tim ain’t playing, He says it looks like a service worker uniform — and not the kind of service worker on the streets of New York but the kind of service worker who brings you Jell-O after surgery. As for the Sandhya Re-do, Sean is making a fringe jacket — because this is The Season of Fringe, remember — over a white dress. Tim hates the cheap looking white dress.

Sean is screwed; he says he can ramp it up, but can he? He scrap the white dress for pink Bazooka Bubblegum Shorts and scraps the green fabric for a crisp white skirt. All seems to be going smoothly in Sean’s world until … Zoinks … the new skirt doesn’t fit the model; through a trick of pre-commercial editing, you got the feeling Sean’s skirt didn’t fit just as they were headed to the runaway but that wasn’t the case. He had plenty of time to add more fabric.

WHAT HE SAID

Look # 1: It looms sharp and clean and exactly what I wanted.

Look #2: So fun and I nailed what I wanted to do.

WHAT I SAID

Look #1: It’s so clean and so crisp, and very edgy, though that back slit is dangerously pornographic.

Look #2: Uh oh. This time I don’t think the fringe will save the look.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Look #1: Heidi starts off with a “What is going on here?” And adorable Sean and I start to sweat until she adds, “It’s fan … tastic!” Huge sigh! She sys Sean’s a genius, and she’s never seen anything like it, and it’s spectacular, and the cutouts and the skirt are amazing — though, yeah, that slit in the back. It’s all love from The Kluminator. Guest judge, Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell says it’s amazing and she loves the cutouts, too, and says it’s tailored to perfect. Nina Garcia says it’s the best thing she’s ever seen on the PR … EVER!! I faint; Carlos revives me and I hear The Adorable Zac Posen™ call it delicious and sublime, modern and original.

Look #2: Nina says it’s out of left field, and The Adorable Zac Posen™ gives it the Flamenco Rodeo Princess title. Heidi said the look was silly before and it’s silly now; she also called it crazy and cheap. When The Adorable Zac Posen™ said Look #2 made you smile and laugh, Heidi said, “Not me! It’s awful.” It appears her fringe phase is over.

KINI

He is all about fire escapes and stairs, and I’ll get to that in a moment. For his second look, he picks Mitchell's red carpet Emmy look; a safe bet because Kini loves gowns.

For his first look he makes a waxed denim trench coat because he’s all about the denim and he won a denim challenge; but then he adds a kind of basic mall shirt under that and a denim skirt with all kinds of frill on it … ♫♪In my Eater bonnet, with all the frills upon it, I’ll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade♪♫ … Sorry I drifted off because that’s all I could think.

At the critique, Tim adores the simplicity of Kini’s reimagining of the red gown, keeping it simple and chic, but he’s worried about the Street Chic look because it’s a lot, with the coat and the frills and the too-cute white shirt; and, he says it reads Michael Kors. Uh oh.

WHAT HE SAID

Look #1: She looks gorgeous … expensive … luxe.

Look #2: I turned that look totally around.

WHAT I SAID

Look #1: Why is wearing the trench over her shoulders? Doesn’t it fit? And the skirt also doesn’t fit with the look because it’s too much and it battles the coat. I see nothing stair-inspired unless it’s a circular staircase.

Look #2: Gorgeous.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Look #1: Heidi had mixed feelings about it; she loved the trench coat but hated the skirt and blouse underneath. Shay loved the coat and the white top—though she called it mature—but said the skirt was just too much. Nina said, “Less is more.” She said the pieces were well-made but there was too much going on. The Adorable Zac Posen™ said Kini needs an edit button because not every look needs every single bell and whistle.

Look #2: The Adorable Zac Posen™ loved the sleek clean lines, saying it was the exact opposite of the Street Chic look. Heidi also loved it, but she didn’t like the use of the horsehair to create the wavy hem—again, too much. Nina said it was the right color and the right fit. Shay loved the dress and loved the wavy horsehair hemline.

AMANDA

On the street Amanda focuses on graffiti and grunge because, well, she always loves graffiti and since this is Street Chic she has this one on the bag; she’s also giddy because she caught a couple making out on the street. Dear god, stop talking! For her second look, she picks Fade’s looks from the avant-garde “Rainway” ensemble because she loves the lines of the piece.

She tells Tim her Street Chic look is Matisse-Mondrian-maxi dress and I want to kick her in the teeth. Quit referencing other art pieces and tell us what you made! Tim loves it, and loves the expanse of volume in the back. As for her second look, she’s still playing with the yellow lines and has no real vision for it.

WHAT SHE SAID

Look #1: I feel very calm and very happy.

Look #2: I should have focused on the second look.

WHAT I SAID

Look #1: I like the color-blocking but it’s so big and baggy it looks like an upscale burlap potato sack.

Look #2: Slutty, and not Boho Chic at all.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Look #1: Nina called it amazing, and loved the way it walked; she said it was totally Amanda, but she loathed the styling, the makeup, the hair, and the accessories. Heidi loved it, and said it perfectly suited Amanda’s Boho Chic aesthetic. The Adorable Zac Posen™ loved it, calling it sophisticated, and somber, with a splash of color; l then he said as much as he wanted to hate it he couldn’t. That’s praise? But he loved what he called the inventive smart draping.

Look #2: Nina said, “Tarzan? Meet Jane.” That summed it up. Shay thought it was too bare and the yellow lines running top to bottom reminded her of Tron. Heidi called it Nightclub Hostess and said she couldn’t see Amanda in the look, either literally or figuratively. And she said the first look saved the second look.

CHAR

I worry about Char because her inspiration was nothing but the window displays in dress shops. Your inspiration is a dress in a window? Then buy the dress, honey! But, she finds on dress that is surrounded by a hundred or so flying paper planes and that gives her an idea: get on a plane and go home.

I kid. For her second look, well, we know she picked Korina’s look, but only because it had a lot of fabric. But, as we know, that means Korina must work with Char until her hissy fit, her tears, her Woe is me I’m so talented attitude gets her out of it, and then sends Tim back to The Gotham to get Alexander out of bed so he can help  Char. And, with no Korina in the workroom, it all becomes fun again.

For her Street Look, she’s creating petals — shades of Korina making petals a few weeks back? — on a simple pencil skirt. She’s added a pocket and Tim worries that the pocket makes it all too much, but Char ain’t listening to Tim and the pocket stays. For her second look, she takes very little of Korina’s fabric and makes an obi out of it for a basic black dress. Tim’s on the fence about it because it’s not much at all.

WHAT SHE SAID

Look #1: Bella looks amazing.

Look #2: I can see the bunchiness in the front.

WHAT I SAID

Look #1: Tim was right about the pocket. :::sigh:::

Look #2: She took Korina’s look because it had all that fabric and she used about a half-yard of it. Senseless.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Look #1: Nina liked Char’s use of color, but she, like nearly everyone, hated the pocket. She said it was too much. The Adorable Zac Posen™ said it was “crotch heavy” but that Char had great ideas, though she needs to execute them better. Shay loved the color and the energy, and called it a vibrant look, while Heidi said she might benefit from more time.

Look #2: Shay liked the simplicity but hated the way the hips looked heavy and wide. Heidi was not loving it or hating it, which is never a good sign, while The Adorable Zac Posen™ played with it a bit, grabbing the model, and making it look a little better.

EMILY

She had it in her head that she wanted to make a hoodie all season and so I don’t think she was inspired by anything other than her need for hoodie. I’m sure she took pictures, but unless they were of people in hoodies, she wasn’t changing her mind.

Emily got first choice of the Auf’d looks, and picked Samantha’s basic blue gown from the Jewelry Challenge.  She was going to keep the top and then make a patterned skirt, turning it into a simple cocktail dress.

Tim had very little to say about the Street Chic look, but he was plenty worried about the second look because he thought it was too ready-to-wear. Emily, all hoodied up, was more concerned with the first look and so the second look never changed.

WHAT SHE SAID

Look #1: She looks awesome, super cool!

Look #2: I should have focused on the second look.

WHAT I SAID

Look #1: It looks like someone who wears Street Chic clothing would wear, around the house when they first get out of bed on a cold day.

Look #2: Sears.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Look #1: Heidi doesn’t “mind” it but says it isn’t a strong look for the challenge that gets you to The Tents. She says the outfit beneath the hoodie looks like pajamas, though when the hoodie is removed, she likes the pajama design. The Adorable Zac Posen™ likes it without the hoodie, too, calling the outfit cool but the hoodie kind of homeless and scary. Nina said the outfit looked a little Cirque du Soleil, while youngster Shay was the only one who liked the Hoodie, though she wished the pajamas were done in all black.

Look #2: The Adorable Zac Posen™ said there wasn’t much to talk about, while Nina said the look was completely missing Emily’s POV; it’s fine, she said, but it’s not Emily. Heidi loved the skirt fabric, but hated the gifty-looking bow in the back.

WHAT HAPPENED

After all five designtestants says why they should move on—each giving the Because it’s what I wanna do and the It’s all I live for and the I could really put on a show stock answers, the judges settle on Kini and Sean.

Emily gets the Aufing and we’re left with Amanda and Char. 

I know, because of how they responded to the Potato Sack, that Amanda’s going — I think I knew that from Ep one — I wonder about Char. In the end I think she shouldn’t go because, while she was good at times he was never really great, but at the end, the judges pick Amanda and Char.

Quelle surprise.

MY TAKE

Enough with the unknown actresses as judges. I don’t care what they wanna wear “on the carpet” I think you need to have fashionsitas — yes, even actress fashionistas — and other designers, buyers, etc, as judges.

Char shouldn’t go. Sorry, I like her, and I like that somewhere Korina is wailing, but I don’t think she’s strong enough.

Amanda will show a modern day version of Gretchen’s Granny Pants Collection and everyone will ooh and ah.

Kini will do too much, and he’ll probably do a collection made entirely of bells and whistles.

That leaves Sean. I think he’s stepped up, and made some very cool, very new, very edgy and modern things. If he can do that again in a 12 pierce collection, he can win this one.

Next week, I won't be recapping because I'm getting married, if I hadn't mentioend that yet. I'll be in Washington, the designtestants are off to Rome! Who knew?

What did YOU think?

PR 13 Ep 11: Storage Wars … or … The Bitterest Loser

Well, well, well, wake up to Heidi! Actually, wake up to the surprise [?] that sometime during the night, while you slept, someone crept into your room and left a Samsung tablet on the counter and that’s where you find Heidi the next day, directing you to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and uttering words like “unlock” and “”doors” and “keys.”

Korina thinks they’ll be making clothes from keys. I know!

At the Brooklyn Navy Yard, they find Tim waiting in front of five storage lockers; five lockers, six designers? Is this like musical chairs and one will be Auf’d before we start? Nope, this is another designer favorite: team challenge! Tim pulls out the Dreaded Button Bag™ and whittles the six into teams of two.

Everyone wants Kini, but Amanda wins him; Emily and Korina are paired, while Sean gets Char — whom he worries about because she can’t sew … “as well as the rest of us.”

Ruh-roh.

Now together, the designers have $500 to bid on any storage container — some may end up with two containers — and use whatever is inside to create two cohesive looks; they have two days to make treasure from trash.

The first container — chairs and couches — goes to Korina and Emily for just $25. The second containers is filled with children’s toys and plastic pool floaties, but Amanda spots a painting at the back — Psychedelic Yeti — and she must have it; for some reason Kini goes along and they buy it for $190. The third bin — which looks like an actual shipping container with a couple of dressers — goes to Sean and Char, while the fourth bin, the biggest thing inside is an old wedding dress, is won by Korina and Emily. The last containers, has all kinds of leather and mesh — bondage bin? — and Sean and Char, who have the most money, get that one.

The designtestants head back to the workroom and gets started … until Tim shows up with a Twist: there must be a third look, created from fabrics purchased at Mood, but still a cohesive part of the mini-collection.

All set? Let’s rip ….

AMANDA AND KINI

Amanda and Kini are thrilled, WELL, Amanda’s thrilled because she has the fastest Sewer on the PR at her side, but one thing they also have is a pair of giant egos, thinking they’ll win because they picked the weird bin and because, well, Kini, who wants to use soccer balls to make a skirt while Amanda seemed laser focused on the painting.

But then Tim comes by and he is less than impressed; he says what they have created is a “lot of look” and that Kini’s soccer ball skirt and fur bomber jacket is “teenage hooker.” As for Amanda’s Yeti dress, he hates the hanging plastic tablecloth pants and seems to think it’s coming off as amateur hour.

Amanda and Kini, so sure they’d win, start over.

LOOK #1 Pink crop top with pants

AMANDA SAID I think this looks super bold.

I SAID It’s cute, and simple, but the directional arrows to the vagina are off-putting, and not just because I don’t swing that way. 

LOOK #2 Soccer ball dress with fur coat

KINI SAID It doesn’t scream teenage hooker anymore.

I SAID You’re right. It screams low-class call girl in a bathmat jacket.

LOOK #3 Graphic top with full skirt

KINI SAID It’s totally glammed up in a funky way.

I SAID It does have drama, but I felt it was a little safe.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Nina likes the collection, and loves the Soccer Ball dress; but she asks to have the bathmat, er, ottoman jacket given to the girl in the pink, and then purrs, So much better already. The Adorable Zac Posen™ dubbed the third look clueless, er, Clueless, as in the movie, meaning he liked its 80s vibe; he, also, loved the Soccer Ball dress. Heidi felt their collection was the most creative, and loved the drama of the evening gown look, Guest Judge, and former PR winner, Christian Siriano, called their clothes young and hip, and said they were the kinds of clothes every young girl would want; he did, however, as I did, note the patterned crotch area.

SEAN AND CHAR

They kind of lucked out, because the bin with the furniture and the mover’s blankets also had dressers filled with fabrics. They instantly decide on sportswear, with Sean creating a Mover’s Blanket and Lampshade Coat, while Char goes for Mesh Bomber Jacket and skirt; their third look, ideas by Sean assisted by Char, is an evening gown with mesh strips and a lampshade bottom — I usually wear the lampshade on my head but that’s another story for another day …

Sean is worried because Char needs a lot of help, but they do seem to work very well together, and when Tim comes by he loves Sean’s coat, bit is worried about some trim details on Char’s jacket and the actual lampshade gown.

Korina chimes in that Char is defensive during the critique, but, Pot-kettle-black, we’ll soon see defensive from Korina.

LOOK #1 Quilted jacket, crop top, and skirt

SEAN SAID She looks cool and it gives the whole collection a sporty vibe

I SAID I like it, I like the design, but it still looks too much like a mover’s blanket.

LOOK #2 Black dress with sheer blue top

CHAR SAID She’s trying to be graceful, but it’s hard for her to walk

LOOK #3 Lampshade dress with racerback

SEAN SAID She cannot walk, but she looks cool.

I SAID Word.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

The Adorable Zac Posen™ called it the most cohesive collection, and loved Sean’s jacket, but hated that two of the model’s had trouble walking. He also loathed Char’s look, calling it a Twerking Walk of Shame. Christian Siriano said the proportions were off; he also loved the coat, but said the idea of mesh was over and he hated the model walk, too. Heidi said the model’s should have worked the walk, and loved Sean’s coat, and loved Char’s idea of placing a blue panel on the back of the gown, but called Char’s look both hoochie and boring. Nina chimed in with more coat love, and more transparency hate, but some cohesion love, too.

KORINA AND EMILY

Korina hates Char; she called her dead weight; she reminded us, again and again that Char has been eliminated once before; she told us that Char isn’t as good as everyone, herself included; she tells us that Char will drag Sean to the Bottom.

Ruh-roh. Korina has also decided to call her team, Team Winner, or Winning Team Winner.

Ruh-roh. Korina and Emily got the furniture bin, and that’s they’re starting point—using furniture as fashion, and, at times, almost too literally. Korina will do a blanket cape, a table runner skirt, and a vinyl blouse with placemat cuffs; Emily is doing seat-cushion vest, and placemats and tablecloths as, well, the rest; their third look is a knit that Korina chose form Mood because it looked like something found in a dumpster.

Ruh-roh. Tim dubs Emily’s look Sponge-Bob because of the weird shoulders, and says Korina’s look might be too much, too many, and the third look is, and here’s Tim’s high praise, “not dull.”

Ruh — okay you get where I’m going.

LOOK #1 Sweater with leather leggings

KORINA SAID I love the sweater, I love the look.

I SAID It’s kind of rocker chick in the 80s … and why a hat?

LOOK #2 Structured jacked with skirt

EMILY SAID I love my look, especially the vest

I SAID It looked a little Bag Lady Dumpster Chic; it’s interesting, but is it fashion?

LOOK #3 High-necked cape with and skirt and hat

KORINA SAID I love the way the cape moves, it looks so polished

I SAID Hats and capes and skirts and thigh-boots, oh my! It’s just too much.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Nina scrunches up her face — which is never good — and says she hates the cape; she hates the hat on the girl in the cape; and she is shocked, SHOCKED, that a designer would go into Mood and by that awful knit. She said it wasn’t contemporary, except for Emily’s, and called Korina’s dated and awful. Heidi, though, did like it, and thought there was a clear concept, while The Adorable Zac Posen™ thought theirs was the most soulful collection; he also loved Emily’s cushion look, and also hated Korina’s cape disaster and the pants she made for the Mood look.

Korina snapped, “At least it’s wearable.” And Sean and Char dug the knives from their chests.

Christian said their collection looks like a woman staying in a ski lodge who hasn’t done anything all day, and Nina chimed in with, She hasn’t done anything in decades. Cristina also called the cape sad, and Nina again chimed in with her distaste for Korina falling back on her Southwestern aesthetic — she’s done it four times!

Korina then tosses more daggers at Sean and Char, saying at least people — though she can’t name a single person — would wear her looks, because they can; even Heidi is getting annoyed with Korina and we all know it’s never a good idea to be a bitch in front of, or toward, the judges.

WHAT HAPPENED

Kini gets another win for the Soccer Ball, and Amanda is also safe. Emily, too, gets a save, and Sean joins her, leaving Korina and Char as the Bottom Two.

One will be in and one will be out, but wait! Heidi decides to throw a curveball: Korina and Char have one hour to design a look that doesn’t need to relate to this challenge, using leftover fabrics from previous challenges; plus, they can have their teammate help.

Char and Sean get to work instantly coming up with a plan to use an easy fabric and make a simple, cool chic design. Korina, though, decides that rather than creating a look she likes, she'll pattern sixteen pieces into one dress and then spend the majority of her time pissing and moaning about how she shouldn’t be in the Bottom because she’s so good and Char’s so bad. She even gets her model to call Char’s new look ugly.

But Char created a sexy, form-fitting, cool blue dress with a chiffon cape that was gorgeous. Heidi loved it, saying it could be worn at any number of events. Nina called it modern, and loved the scarf — kudos to Sean for hemming the chiffon perfectly. Christian loved the lightness of the dress and called it a great fit for Sean and Char’s collection.

Korina’s Redo is something she’ll just “put on the runway” because she knows that will get her the win, even though she didn’t finish it and had to pin her model into it. It’s puckered, and boring, and downright Korina. Heidi noted that Korina rolled her eyes when the model walked and Korina said she hated the look, and that her piece in the mini-collection was a better representation of her work.

Ruh-roh.

Then Korina said, side-eyed, to Nina, With the utmost respect about the Southwestern print comment, I’ve done it ONCE and I won that challenge.

Double Ruh-roh. Don’t.Piss.Off.Nina!

Heidi called the fabric choice bad, Christian hated the puckering, The Adorable Zac Posen™ called it “good” for an hour.

When asked why she should win, Char said because she’s versatile; when Korina was asked why she should win, she went Kenley, and began sobbing that she wanted this.

But the judges didn’t and Korina is out, but not quite down. 

In the waiting room, Char begins to sob, even though she won, because it was so hard. Korina silks back in and demands to know if anyone saw this coming — I raised my hand — and then begins going off on Char because she’d been eliminated once already and she’s no good and she’s she’s she’s Char.

Char countered perfectly with the Yes, I got the save, but there have been five challenges since and I’m still here.

Korina snapped, This isn’t about you Char.

Oh, but it was Korina, it was. It was about how much better you think you are than Char; it’s about your giant ego, your bad manners, your rudeness, and, yes, some really bad designs.

It’s also about you leaving and not hugging a single designer. That says volumes.

MY TAKE

My stomach hurt listening to Korina bitch during the final twist. I kept thinking — as Emily pointed out, and props to her for that — that when you act ugly, you create ugly, and that’s what Korina did and that’s why she was sent packing.

I am still tired of Amanda, and still upper” tired of her continuous use of the word “super” in describing a challenge, a fabric, her looks, or anything at all. Stop it! That phrase is as dated as your aesthetic.

Sidenote: Amanda appeared as an actress on this week’s episode of Nashville, working as a stylist for the Juliette Barnes character; she wasn’t half bad.

I haven’t thought much of Emily this season, and I still think her aesthetic is too old and too wacky, but her comments on Korina is a bitch, oops, I mean karma is a bitch were spot on and very welcome.

Line of the night? Sean, when helping Char with the Twist: “I’m helping a competitor not get eliminated, but if I get her into the Top Five, it’s an easy sheep to the slaughter later.”

I.Loved.That.

Next week, Auf’d designers come back, and, quelle surprise, Korina will have to work with Char, and it won’t be good. Is that Elton in the background ♫ ♪ the bitch is back ♪ ♫

What did YOU think?