A Night at the Movies

This week's PR is about movie-making. Tim and Collier Strong(yes, the man who has the stage presence of Lasagna, but keeps getting force fed to us - I wish he TASTED like Italian)...
Hmm...that sounds dirty.
Anyways, Tim and Collier present this week's challenge - Creating a look inspired by a movie genre. Tim has a pile of cards with five genres: Film Noir (3 cards), and two cards each of Sci Fi, Western, Period Piece, and Action/Adventure. I personally think it might have been more interesting if the genres were assigned randomly, but instead designers got to pick their genres after their names were drawn.
Irina picked first, and the rest went in turn.
There were few exciting quotes this week, and even fewer exciting designs. Seriously, practically every design was hugely derivitive, ugly, or boring.
I found this episode to be lackluster and I didn't agree with the judges' decisions.

The only funny bit = Shirin blathering about western costume. Have you ever seen a western?
Shirin: "We don't even have a cowboy hat, so I decided to go a completely different route and do a saloon girl."
Wow, so you decided to be original and do a Western movie costume of the same type you can buy in a bag for Halloween? You're a genius!
To prove my point, she turns to Carol Hannah and asks should I do pink and black or red and black? I'm pretty sure those are the two saloon girl in bag standard options.
Hey, I just googled Saloon Girl costume:


Busted! Someone has a penchant for slutty bag Halloween costumes.
I find this annoying because Halloween costumes generally suck, and movie costumes generally shouldn't. I don't see using Halloween costume in a bag as your design foundation being a formula for success. Seriously, can't the designers google? or is that cheating?

The judges this week are still a lackluster bunch and I am really starting to miss MK (and NG, to a lesser extent).
John Varvatos - American Designer
Zoe Glassner - Marie Claire blah blah
Arianne Phillips - Costume Designer
She's seriously done some iconic work - and they didn't mention it.
The Crow, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and to a lesser extent Tank Girl.

Althea

Film Noir


Doesn't look noir to me. It looks vampy, and like something Sharon Stone would wear, but it doesn't look filmic and it doesn't particularly interest me - despite being pretty.


Carol Hannah

Action-Adventure


This looks like a crappy bag costume. Very Matrix blah.

Chris

Period Piece


At least it doesn't look shoddy or derivative, but I don't really get why the judges gushed over this. The back is quite nice; however, the front has too much going on for me. It seems schizophrenic.

Epperson

Western

This was hands down my favorite. I think it is fantastic. Obviously western, but also very modern and could translate to a runway show effortlessly. Robbed.
I know I've said it before, but seriously...Matar =
Look at her face!


Gordana

Period Piece


The judges are absolutely right. All hands and no eyes. She is obviously incredibly skilled, but should be a master tailor for a REAL designer. She has no vision. This was pretty, but typical. No spark.

Irina

Film Noir


I don't like this. It's like a stupid lingerie house dress. It looks crappy. The white cape thing blows.

Logan

Action-Adventure


So boring. Tomb Raider much?

Louise

Film Noir


I understand why they brought this down. The others may have been derivative, but this doesn't really say anything. It's not ugly, but it's the wallflower in the room.

Nicolas

Sci Fi


I know, I know...but I like it. It's very Never Ending Story or Labyrinth or something. This is obviously his niche - tacky lingerie-esque 80s chic and he played to his strengths as the Feather Prince. He should make clothes for lady gaga.

Ra'mon

Sci Fi


Oh Ramon. I was sorry to see you go home. I didn't agree that you should go over Louise. This had potential buried somewhere inside, but one look at the back and you were history.

Shirin

Western


It's fine for a Halloween costume.

My Top 3
1.Althea
2.Chris
3.Shirin

Dark Horse(s):
Carol Hannah
Epperson

The Paper

Week 5 of the runway and the first creative materials challenge. I have to say, I liked more of these designs than I have any other week.
Heidi gives another obvious hint for the challenge this week: "The answers will all be in black and white."
Logan, being pretty and dumb, thinks it has to do with old Hollywood movies, as opposed to newsprint.
The gang heads down to the flailing Los Angeles Times facility to meet the LA Times Fashion Editor Booth Moore, so that she could watch the designers snatch and bag papers like ladies at a sale table.
Back in the workroom, Tim informs the designers that they were allowed to use muslin as infrastructure as long as it doesn't show. The designers are also provided with dye, markers, and brushes to pretty up their paper.
I have a question, which designer was NOT inspired by origami? What a creative leap! They're taking clothing made of paper and relating it to the Japanese art of paper folding. Brilliant!
Now I know I've said this before, but this season I just haven't found someone to love. Everyone bugs. But this was the episode for Johnny and Nicolas to really shine (as people who I don't want to watch).
The show opened with a real gem:
"Being in the bottom three is probably the most empty feeling I've ever felt"
-Johnny
Really? Aren't you the recovered meth addict?
...and it's more horrible to be criticized on a reality television show than to face d.i.y. rehab for drug addiction?
Then Nicolas starts in with his rant of bitching about newspaper. I tuned out, but I know he mentioned "I've never sewn with newspaper" like all the other designers sew with newspaper every day. Cry me a river.
I felt a tiny bit bad for Johnny, because it seems like everyone there hates him. There's a whole room full of Johnny smack talkers. It's like high school.
Then Epperson says Johnny must be there for a reason and someone - Nicolas? says "Comic relief" and what timing that at that exact moment, Johnny walks in with his ill fitting pink shirt adjusting his pants like a clownish child.
They really played up the rivalries this week.
Johnny v. Nicolas and Irina v. Althea slinging barbs and giving catty looks. To this I reply: "Meh."
I don't care if they all get stuck on an ice floe and floated out to sea.

Althea


I LOVE the print. Way to use the newspaper without just painting it up. The top of the dress is very compelling.

Carol Hannah


It's almost. She and Christopher were both going for the dramatic gown look and he succeeded. Her design is somewhere between oscar dress and paper in a wind storm.

Christopher


I think the skirt looked amazing on the runway. I'm not entirely sold on the bodice. I would've rather seen it more curve skimming and flattering, but it is interesting. It's def more high fashion than wearable.

Epperson


I love kimono tops and asian inspired fashion - but this just doesn't work. It looks like a costume.

Gordana


I felt bad for her being in the bottom three. This is fine. It is bland, but not heinous by any means.

Irina


She bugs me. In my mind, she's the kind of girl who wears a Juicy tracksuit and heels out to a nice dinner. I HATE that.
Anyways, I do like this coat (I LOVE coats) but it gets my back up at the same time. I feel like the tone of the design is bitchy. It reads Cruella Deville to me.

Johnny


Crap. Stop lying for sympathy.

Logan


I loved this. It was in my top 3. The styling is great too.

Louise


This bugs me. It's well executed, but I hate the design and the styling. It's very Wizard of Oz or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, or something...
Kind of a cross between a Munchkin and the Cowardly Lion, with a dash of Oompa Loompa. It is cute, but in a sickening way. The longer you look at it, the worse it gets.

Nicolas


Punk my ass. I love how his punk flashback picture looked just like him now but with like three layered necklaces.
I don't know how she got cockroach out of this. I don't see it. I also don't care for the design though.

Ra'mon


Gorgeous. I like the front better than the back though. All the edges make the back look a bit messy.

Shirin


I HATED this. Colorless, ridiculous, I really think this should've been in the bottom three over Gordana. They gave her props for taking a risk - but she failed.


So in the end it was between Johnny and Nicolas. In my eyes, they are the same boring, chubby, self-important/untalented designer in different colors. I was crossing my fingers that they'd make an exception and send them both home this week. Rats. Oh well, one to go.

Interestingly, the episode virtually ended with Tim calling out Johnny's lie. It was an interesting choice. I wonder if it was prompted by the producers or happened naturally. It seemed to me like a bit of a compromise for Tim (who's generally nothing but supportive). But the way everyone was acting towards Johnny, maybe he had been asking for a kick when he went down?
I know that addicts are liars extraordinaire, but it makes me wonder if Johnny's lying about the drug addiction in the first place. It's not like he could drum up sympathy for being a compulsive liar.