“You’ve Got Male”

 

After a week off for a holiday where we all become gluttons, it’s nice to be back. Carolyn comes out to give the designers their challenge with a very Annie Lennox-esque look. Not surprising considering the look, the challenge this week is to make a avant garde androgynous look (note to DirecTV– androgynous is spelled wrong in your guide blurb). Laura Kathleen is worried. Kayne is not. Kayne is talking about David Bowie and his sketch definitely congers up visions of the

Goblin King so yeah, I’m thinking his is going to go costumey. Seeing some of the sketches while the designers are in the work room is, um, worrisome. This week is going to be interesting for sure. Some of the fabric and trim choices at Mood do not alleviate that worry.

 

Georgina shows up at the workroom, everyone starts to panic because they know a twist is coming…and oh does it. Male models file in! But she drops the bomb that they’re now going to do two looks which also gives them another day as well as another trip to Mood. Emilio points out in his interview that there are a lot of avante garde woman’s looks but not so much on the androgynous aspect. I agree. Some designers had put their male models into the looks they’d already started which really emphasized, at least to me, the femininity.

 

Dear Kayne “really gorgeous metallic sheer mesh” is a contradiction in terms. It does not mean that it’s avante garde. Not even remotely.

 

Back to Mood, then back to the workroom. Everyone is a bit panicked with what this challenge is entailing. We get to see Joshua modeling Anthony Ryan’s look…and it works. Great bit, I love when we get glimpses of the not so serious side. Joanna shows up to check on everyone’s progress. Uli and Joanna have a fantastic little convo about ball room. Yes, as in room for balls. I totally giggled along with designers that overheard. She’s concerned about Althea’s look, it is costume-y. Kayne says that Chewbaca would wear it. I disagree. A Wookie wouldn’t be caught dead in those shades of purple. Joanna asks Casanova what man would wear gold leather with the implication that none would. Except I know several that would and do. Of course they’re friends that are into drag or cosplay but whatever. Hate to say but the comparison to Gladiator isn’t far off. Holy crap. Kayne is putting flowers (very Angela-esque!) on the leather ruffled collar and a smiley face on the yellow mesh top. The judges are going to eat him alive.

 

Oh thank goodness. Kayne removed the smiley face and Casanova is talking about ball room while wearing his gold leather pants. Once Casanova puts his pants on the female model, he realizes they’re hideous. Lucky for him, Ivy steps in to help. Oi. Male model time and zomg. Kayne has his in houndstooth short shorts and high heels. Honey, this is androgyny not straight up drag. When Joshua tells you that your outfit is too much, you know you’ve gone over the edge. Ivy’s pants at this stage look a little drag to me too. I have a feeling that judging is going to be extra fun this week. Speaking of judges, Robert Rodriguez and Jason Wu are our guest judges this week. Love their clothes! Fun side note – they’re both designers that are taking part in the holiday partnership between Target and Neiman Marcus.

 

Some of the requests in hair and makeup are straight up frightening. Oi. The typical chaos before the show is on. Everyone is checking out each others looks for the first time off the mannequins. I can tell you that this show and round

of judging will be quite interesting.

 Joshua is first out. His looks are…interesting. I don’t know that putting very pleated pants on anyone is flattering and I’m not sure that that makes it androgynous but both looks are hitting the avante garde mark. Uli sends out two very punk (to me at least) inspired looks. They’re not bad if you don’t mind wearing mesh tops or shiny pants which I don’t (well not on me haha). Althea’s coats are very purple. Hey, I’m trying. The bottoms of each look like track pants. So far they’re the most androgynous that I’ve seen but that’s not saying much. Laura Kathleen has doubts about her outfits reading as androgynous. She’s not very wrong. They’re not terrible but not wonderful either. The female is wearing a blazer and the male has on a chiffon top and both outfits have a plethora of cut outs. I am…just. No. Emilio’s models take the runway and finally we see some true androgyny. Both outfits give a nod to menswear with the pin stripes, vests, and tailored pants but are different enough to satisfy the challenge. Kayne is seriously delusional. There is nothing androgynous nor avante garde about his looks. The woman is wearing a houndstooth blazer with the aforementioned leather collar with the leather floret with leather legging while the man is wearing the previously mentioned houndstooth short shorts with a matching blazer – at least he isn’t wearing the heels he had on during the fitting. That is pretty much the nicest thing I can say. Casanova’s gold leather looks hit the runway and yes, they fit beautifully and his craftsmanship is obvious but even he knows they’re not androgynous. Ivy has a thing for chiffon pants and booty shorts this season.

This is not necessarily a good thing (not to mention we’ve now seen this before which means it is not avante garde). Her models have booty shorts, chiffon pants, and a flowy robe of sorts. Anthony Ryan has his female in a light chiffon top with patterned shorts paired with the male wearing the black tunic/dress with pants that match the shorts. Not bad. All of the pieces are actually quite wearable yet not something you’ve seen a thousand times before (not the most avante garde either but definitely not run of the mill). I feel the need to point out that dang were there a TON of chiffon/mesh/see-thru fabrics in this challenge!

 

Althea, Ivy, and Joshua are all safe. Ivy gets called out by Joshua about how she sends out the same style of jacket and how he thinks she should have been eliminated before now. I agree with him.

 

Uli is up first, they love the sophistication of her looks, with the great metallic details like the safety pin detailing and that they’re interchangeable. They are not a fan of Laura Kathleen’s looks – Isaac thinks they look cheap and no one is a fan of the buttons or the cutouts, too many ideas that didn’t get fullfilled. She really struggled and I don’t think being on the bottom was a surprise. All the judges love Emilio’s looks and agree that he really nailed what the challenge entailed. Carolyn says they’re music video ready – I totally see that. Kayne is on the bottom – his looks are cheap and just not interesting. Isaac says they are straight up atrocious. He is not wrong. He can cut well and sew fantastically but dang. The judges like the top on Casanova’s female model…and that’s it. The male is more like an accessory and the pants on the girl are just weird. Nicely made outfits but not androgynous. They very much skew to costume. Anthony Ryan is on the top again – the judges love his looks, that he also really embraced the challenge and hit the mark. He took cheaper fabrics and worked them in a way to make it look new and expensive. Well done sir.

 

My predictions during the commercial? Emilio with the win and Kayne goes home.

 

Ok…winner is Emilio! I love being right. Anthony Ryan and Uli are safe of course. Next designer sent to safety is Casanova. Laura Kathleen is safe which leaves me two for two. Kayne is going home. He’s surprised to be going home but frankly, I’m shocked he lasted this long. I miss having Tim give the kiss and cry speech.

 

Until next week!  

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Tags: Anthony Ryan, Casanova, emilio, fashion, Isaac Miizrahi, Joanna Coles, Joshua, kayne, Laura Kathleen, Lifetime, new york, Project Runway, project runway all stars, Uli