This week's challenge, delivered by Macy's and the INC brand, focused on the color blue. Make two blue designs, consistent with INC brand, as a team. Pitch your designs for team leadership. It's a classic PR challenge, but the prize? It was pretty good. The winner gets to design an INC holiday dress for Macy's, to be sold in stores and online. For accessibility and publicity, that's a pretty good perk for these aspiring designers.
From the beginning, the teams, of course, caused a problem. There was a total failure to communicate between Gordana and Irina. Irina's vision governed, but she wasn't giving Gordana much constructive criticism. The mutual back-patting between Christopher and Epperson should have tipped us off that something might have gone wrong. And Shirin and Carol Hannah agreed to make… leggings. Trendy or tacky? We would see.
At judging, Michael Kors was back! Finally, some snark! He was joined by Zanna Roberts of, which magazine? I can't even keep it straight. Marie Claire. We want Nina back, too. And Martine Reardon of INC rounded out the judges. Althea and Logan were the only safe team, despite their suit-skirt sliding up the model's butt. Irina and Gordana, with a romantic striped dress and pretty blouse, were one of the top teams. Carol Hannah and Shirin with their very accessible designs took a top spot too, despite the dangerous choice of leggings. Louise and Nicholas were in the bottom, unsurprisingly, with designs that I am shocked did not get dubbed "hot ruffled messes" because good heavens, they were ugly. And in a surprise turn, Chris and Epperson hit the bottom for their outfits that didn't go together and didn't succeed individually. The editors did a good job, because I definitely didn't see that coming. And I wish it hadn't come– watching Chris bawl on the runway was painful!
The outcome? Irina wins again with a dress that was far and away the best one out there. And Louise went home, for her "loufa rouched" bridesmaids gown. And even though Christopher could have gone home too, he was "in." And then he ugly-cried. Again.
Final thoughts this week? When we saw what Irina actually made as her INC holiday dress– which looked like an asymmetrical black jersey cocktail dress with a butterfly applique– I have to think, that sucks for Macy's because I'm certainly not rushing over there to pick it up. And secondly, as I write this, Bravo is showing last season's PR and I can't help but think about how much better it is. Better personalities, better memorable quotes, better judging. Season 6 sadly seems like a bit of throwaway.
YES! I LOOK FORWARD TO #GROWINGYOUNGER
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Irina – The Winner
Shirin
Carol Hannah
Gordana
Epperson
Nicolas "Lucky to have exemption"
Louise – "You're out!"
In any event, your memorable quotes!
Now I have to delegate to someone else and that's not something I'm used, I've never had anybody work for me. – Carol Hannah
Team challenges are a pain in the neck. – Irina
One of the things I hate the most is ruffles, and a lot of the designers when they get stumped put more ruffles on the dress! So I'm kinda nervous for her now. – Nicholas
She makes really fabulous little noises when she works. – Nicholas on Louise's animal noises.
Logan is full of surprises. – Gordana
Knock their leggings off. – Shirin and Tim
It's a shirt dress, and I love a shirt dress. – Tim
The look Gordana is working on is kind of a disaster. – Irina
I hate ruffles, I've said it before and I'll say it again. I believe that ruffles were created to hide flaws. Ruffles make me sick. – Nicholas
Shiring and Carol Hannah, their stuff looks like it was just bought in a discount store. It's very 10 dollar shirt on sale for 5.99 kind of thing. – Irina
That ruffle thing just looks weird and strange. – Nicholas
No modern girl wants to wear that dress. – Michael to Louise
Maybe you guys thought that was some kind of twist but I think it looks like a table cloth. – Michael on the shirt dress
I wouldn't even say hard to wear, I'd say unwearable. – Heidi on those ruffles
Honestly, I don't know what was worse. The pumpkin disco ball or the shower curtain nightie. – Heidi
Christopher, your two outfits had nothing in common with each other, except how clueless they both were. – Heidi
Until next week!
– Hayley Wells
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