(S04E08) Finally, a challenge where the designers really pushed the limits and showed us just how far they could take things. However, I knew things were too good to be true, because the elimination was pretty upsetting. Well, it was upsetting for me, anyway.Also, I thought this was too good to pass up. Heidi dropped this gem of a quote during the runway critique: "If they had executed it in a beautiful way, with beautiful materials, it could have worked." Oh. Oh really, Heidi? I didn't know it was all about the execution and materials. I thought it was just a matter of marvelous post-justifying on the catwalk and sliding a few Lincolns and a Ziploc baggy of M&Ms under Michael Kors' dressing room door.
The challenge initially seemed fun enough. The models sauntered out with wild hair and each designer had to pick one and design a crazy, avant-garde outfit to compliment the 'do. Then, the wacky spin was that the designers were split into randomly chosen teams of two and had to pick one model to work on. Just as the tension started to grow and the designers got into the zone with their work, Tim Gunn walked into the workroom and put yet another spin on their challenge, saying that they had to create a second outfit. This second piece had to be a readymade that still embodied the spirit of the avant-garde piece.
I think I know how the producers came up with this challenge. They were just trying to figure out the meanest way to completely screw over the designers. If they could push it one step further, I'm sure they would have put yet another twist on the challenge: "And now, designers... Let's see which outfit is least flammable!"
Rami and Sweet P: [Rami ALMOST AUF'D] From the start, Rami and Sweet P had trouble agreeing. Rami had taken charge as the team leader and immediately put his draping skills to work. What they ended up with was a weak excuse for avant garde. Even with the wonky, ill-fitting pants, the outfit was a bit too normal for the challenge. Sweet P's contribution, the readymade dress, was actually really cute. If they had ditched the pants and really played up the volume in the big dress, I think they could have won. The two looks tied together really well.
Christian and Chris: [WINNERS; Christian gets immunity] I'm really proud of these two for working so well together and doing something so outrageous. Their massive avant garde dress and... frilly... thing... was obviously very ambitious and it greatly impressed the judges. It also worked with their model's hair perfectly. Their readymade was all right, but the avant garde piece was enough for them to win. I think they could have reflected a bit of the crazy avant garde collar in the readymade. Maybe with a frilly mandarin collar?
Victorya and Jillian: That was a. Totally. Fierce. Jacket. I'm a total sucker for military inspired outerwear and weird post-apocalyptic sci-fi, so to see a coat like that was really wonderful. Oh, and I love plaid, so I also approved of the beautiful lining. However, I really didn't like the readymade piece. The judges didn't say too much about it, because they were busy throwing glowing praise towards that beautiful trenchcoat. I think that readymade was what cost them the win.
Kit and Ricky: [Kit AUF'D] This was really sad, to be honest. The ribbon train in the back was a really cute detail, but it wasn't enough to save the awkwardness of the rest of the dress. As if that wasn't bad enough, the readymade was pretty pathetic. It was for this team that Heidi said that aforementioned quote. I'm still not sure where she was going with that. Anyway, it was very strange to see Rami and Kit, two relatively strong contenders, end up being the one sup for elimination. Looking at the overall situation, I think Ricky should have gone home, but I think Kit was chosen just because she was team leader.
In other news, Ricky teared up a bit on the runway, but it looks like the full-fledged waterworks will return next time. Yeah. Great.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-17-2008 @ 9:12AM
Fred said...
I don't watch the show, and it's a really minor quibble, but shouldn't the title be "En Garde!" with an e?
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1-17-2008 @ 12:31PM
Annie said...
Yeah, I was really tempted to fix it to be "En", but all the guides and listings say the episode title is "On Garde!" Exclamation mark theirs.
1-17-2008 @ 9:33AM
rick cokely said...
LOVED the coat from Vic and Jillian. The ready to wear was crap. This challenge was made for Chris and Christian, so it was not a shock they won.
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1-22-2008 @ 1:30PM
jessie said...
I totally agree with rick c - this challenge was designed specifically for Christian and Chris. They were meant to win this one. Though I wish the win/immunity could have been shared by both team embers. They put together a very cool dress. I loved it, though the couture pose was weird because of design of the dress. The whole hunched over pose can be alluring and fierce, but it didn't work here - for me anyway.
Rami was my favorite - but he has become a one design wonder. OK, your a draper - let's see something new!! I felt bad for Sweet P even though she annoys me with her innocent, don't want to hurt people's feelings attitude. She'd never make it in fashion. People are just too mean. You can't tell me Tyra is as sweet as she appears on ANTM all the time. Even Heidi gets uppity on PR.
I think if Kit and Ricky had used like jewel tones for their dress, it would have gone more avant-garde. The fabrics they picked out reminded me of Pottery Barn sheets.
I did totally love the trench coat done by Victorya and Jillian. Loved it!!
This challenge was the best one so far. I love it when they can go nuts!!
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1-17-2008 @ 1:09PM
I miss my stars! said...
Victorya and Jillian were robbed. That coat is the only thing that looks remotely Avant Garde to me. That thing Christian and Chris made looks like someone rolled the model in 10 bolts of muslin.
Kit and Ricky - what where you smokin'? That dress looks like a homemade prom dress that granny made out of her old sheets. Gawd awful.
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1-18-2008 @ 12:21PM
horsenbuggy said...
Heidi's quote wasn't terrible. I think she meant that the "design" was workable if the materials and execution had been of a higher caliber. That was in direct conflict with Rami's dress. Of course his execution and materials were wonderful, but the design was not "Avant-Garde."
I understood that the judges liked Victorya and Jillian's ready-wear dress. Michael said something like "It's cute. Any woman would love to wear it." In contrast, he said that Chris and Christian's ready-wear top was lovely, but the skirt was a "throw away." I think the design element on the butt really helped the ladies' ready-wear dress have an "edge." I liked it.
I was totally torn between the top two Avant Garde pieces. I honestly couldn't decide between them. In a small way, I may have been rooting for Vic & Jill because they pulled it out. But that's not entirely fair.
I really don't understand the pose Christian made the model use. He said that was supposed to be "the thing" for this style. I thought it made the thing sitting on her shoulder look too heavy, like that was causing her to slump under the weight. And if you look at the pose the other model is using, you can see that it was chosen for a specific reason. Those darts did not work. She is standing so that you can't tell they look funny.
Good episode. I'll miss Kit, but I wasn't too attached to her. I like Jillian, Rami and Christian as designers. I like Chris' personality. I'm over Sweet P, she's out of her league. I like neither Victorya's designs nor her personality. And Ricky is just a complete non-entity in my mind. I guess I would like to see Chris in the fourth spot in the finals, but I don't think he has a chance of beating the other three I mentioned.
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