In "Make it Sell," designers aim for an affordable outfit that can be mass produced on JustFab.com.
This week, the judges could not agree on distinctive high and low scores between the seven designers, and it got out of hand. Their critiques were vastly different with each design, and it seemed as if everyone decided to throw their opinions in about each other’s designs just for added measure.
In the previous recap, I mentioned how this season of Project Runway had yet to do a customer-based challenge. The “Make It Sell,” challenge came close to just that when an accessory-based website, JustFab, creates a clothing line for its shoppers.
The designers were called into a classroom setting with desks and a chalkboard, which has nothing to do with the challenge at all.
There with Tim Gunn is Yuchin Mao, JustFab’s fashion director who presented the challenge. Each designer must create an affordable, fashion-forward look based on one of the personas that JustFab has come up with for its shoppers. These personas are:
Bombshell
Trendsetter
Girl next door
Modern classic
Femme nouveau
The only thing is Candice, immunity holder and winner of last week’s challenge, got to pick her persona as well as everyone else's. She picked trendsetter, and as she picked the categories for everyone else, she reasons that if the designers truly deserve to be here, they will fail on their own based on their design, not on the malicious choice she based off as their weakness.
What a virtue she has. She realizes she has a lot of power in this, but instead she picked them thoughtfully for each designer. Project Runway followers know this high road is rarely taken with an opportunity such as this.
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She assigns the personas as follows:
Ashley – Girl next door
Swapnil – Bombshell
Kelly – Trendsetter
Laurie – Modern classic
Merline – Femme nouveau
Edmond – Bombshell
Everyone was pretty happy with what they were given except for Edmond, who believed trendsetter would have been better for him.
The goal is to create a piece of high fashion at an affordable price. The winner gets to have their piece mass produced for JustFab.com.
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A collective gasp is given after Tim tells them they are only allowed to spend $100 at Mood for fabric. Kelly scoffs at this and said her entire life has been about making outfits works for $20.
However, based on Kelly’s fabric choice, the design looked a little ghetto — crazy prints and even a Cookie Monster-blue wool swatch. Also what was her Fresh Prince of Bel Air jacket?
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Ashley was having trouble with her prints. She's been in a funk and was wandering around Mood as if she were looking for a dog whose name happens to be Swatch.
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The stress was getting to her, and I'm hoping the unconventional materials challenge wasn't her peak. She again addresses her self-confidence problem, which is botching her decision-making. We’ll revisit her fabric choices later.
Already we have Tim Gunn arrive in the work room for critiques, and it wasn't looking great.
Swapnil’s bombshell design was not original with leopard print and a slimming fit. Tim got him to admit it's not original. It could be stubbornness on not changing it, but the designers could see it’s just plain laziness.
Tim was pushing Candice hard to make her better, but all she’s doing is thinking too hard.
Laurie can't take criticism well, and Tim slammed her modern classic mystique — something she claimed is the base for all of her designs.
Edmond tried to use a red, white and black print, but Tim wasn't pleased with the fabric choice let alone the ruching on his dress. It’s not very bombshell of him.
Tim hated Kelly’s fake fur and calls it a “Muppet bath mat,” but he got her concept with these crazy clash of prints. He even gives her the sweetest pep talk. The show spent quite a bit of time establishing a Team Kelly fan base, with her talking about how she’s really discovering herself and going with her gut in her style choices. They’re not wrong to do that because Kelly is more likeable than others. Her spunk is impressionable.
Ashley’s gold motorcycle jacket was spot on, but she was unsure if it’s girl next door-esque. But then Tim admits that even he wears a motorcycle jacket alluding that he is a girl next door. After the laughs though, Tim realizes that Ashley didn't buy much of anything else at Mood. The pattern for her dress, he says, is the equivalent to a hospital gown.
Tim Gunn was killing off these designs one by one and decides to add another component to the challenge.
The designers needed a label for themselves using the Brother garment printer. Cue the product placement again. They must print it on a T-shirt and then wear it on the runway.
The confessionals were pretty narcissistic in this episode. Everyone considered themselves qualified critics, comparing every design every which way. Candice said Edmond’s design was a mess compared to Swapnil’s bombshell. Merline had an imaginary throwdown between her and Candice. The opinions flew every direction attacking character, the pieces and even design aesthetic.
For model fitting, Edmond makes an entire dress with new fabric while his model is wearing it. It's very impressive. For Laurie and Merline, who have to remake a new top, it's not that easy and leave the workroom with a top to create before runway the next day.
The designers create their labels, and the meanings are thought provoking.
Swapnil was confident, until he realized he bought the wrong zipper and now must sew his dress onto the model. He admitted it's karma and a slap in his face that he has not worked hard enough.
Merline told her model to pick up a needle and thread to finish sewing.
Kelly made a good point about Ashley’s jacket being a great selling item for JustFab on its website, and I agree.
Laurie’s model was having boob problems again as the outfit had the back of her bra showing. Yet, she still feels she can judge Merline's unfinished look in the confessional. Do yourself a favor Laurie, and just don't go there.
The designers wore their T-shirts with their personal logos that they created and explained a little bit about what their fashion lines would represent. It was a nice touch.
There were no highs and lows because the judges disagreed so much in the outfits.
It’s the last immunity of the season, and Candice didn’t use it well. She ties multiple lapelles on her model, and it’s looks like a dark blue sailor costume.
Ashley's ended up awesome and so cute.
Heidi Klum and guest judge singer Ciara liked Kelly's and saw a lot of girls wanting to wear it. Nina Garcia hates the styling and says it looks clownish.
Zac Posen said Kelly killed Cookie Monster.
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Nina didn't like Candice’s outfit. They all gave her an A for effort, which is basically a pity comment.
Zac admired the concept — not the final finish — for Merline’s look, but all I see is a really off garden party dress. He's the only one for it.
Heidi sticks up for Ashley’s look and said that it's for the basic buyer. I love it, and I agree. Yes, she could do more, but they all admit that it would sell out online.
The judges reiterate that she needs to speak up and defend her outfit when on the runway.
Heidi was going crazy with giving everyone great and positive criticism, and it’s kind of weird. This includes Edmond’s new solid red outfit that is totally sexy and very much a bombshell. Heidi loved it and goes as far as to say the dress would sell out online like “hot cakes.”
Edmond wins the challenge and will have his outfit that he basically redid ever so quickly mass produced for JustFab.
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Swapnil squeezed by with Merline and Laurie left on the runway as the bottom two. Laurie went home, and I’m not sad in the slightest. She didn’t stick out enough and it’s hard to be in the lower half of the pack for that long.
Project Runway airs on Thursdays at 9 p.m., on Lifetime
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