Have You Heard?

And so the real competition begins! Having made it through last week’s final stage of the audition process, the designers must now prepare for their first challenge as contestants; or, as Sarah describes it, the public show of torture of designers.

This week, the designers are introduced to Editor In Chief of Marie Claire Joanna Coles and are given the challenge to create a look that defines the Marie Claire woman. The winner’s design to be featured on a 40 foot billboard smack in the middle of Times Square. Given the high stakes, there is no immunity granted to anyone; luckily, the designers are given one day to complete their looks, which, compared to last week’s time restraints, Tim describes as “a luxury”.

As the designers get busy creating, the workroom is abuzz with chatter and grumbling. After asking AJ for an opinion on the shoulder placement of his garment and being told to create his own pattern, Casanova begins to hound Gretchen, who says that Casanova would be annoying if he weren’t so charming.  They share a bonding moment when Gretchen tells him that he’s her “bosom buddy” (he prefers the term hip buddy). Many of the designers, including Peach, lament that they couldn’t find the fabrics they wanted in Mood. When it’s time for Tim to offer his criticism, the designers don’t seem to take it so well. Jason thinks that he deserves a break for being “a straight man in a gay man’s world”.

 Casanova, who is Puerto Rican and whose first language is Spanish,  seems not to understand what  Tim is trying to tell him about his design, although Nicholas accuses him of “playing the card”. Nicholas’ main grievance, however, is the  large size of his model’s breasts. Once Tim finishes his critique, he reveals that there will be another element to the challenge: collaborating with their models and a Marie Claire photographer on a photo shoot to create a photo that represents the Marie Clair woman. This photo will be taken into consideration by the judges, along with the runway show.

One of the most stunning moments of the episode came immediately after asking the designers to leave the runway, Heidi says to the judges in an almost sinister tone, “The question is, how many of them do we want to send home?”.  When the judges, including guest judge Joanna Coles, announce the top and bottom three, A.J. is so relieved he almost faints. I don’t think anyone doubted that Jason would go home; there was no way his cheesy idea for an “infinity” themed dress that could also be interpreted as an 8 for season 8 of Project Runway or the safety pins he used in the construction of the garment could ever translate onto a billboard.

Nicholas is shocked when the judges tell him that he is eliminated as well, although the front of his blouse is the only part of his outfit that looks good. Poor Peach, also in the bottom three but still in the competition, gets slammed; Michael Kors called her pink and white polka dot dress full on Stepford Wife, while Joanna said that the brown dupioni going up the back of the dress looked like some sort of Animal. What keeps her in the competition is her ability to construct a garment.

Choosing the winner proves to be a difficult decision.

 Valerie’s red dress that was well made and revealing without being obscene screamed cover dress, but Gretchen’s sophisticated, ageless, seasonless jumpsuit embodied the confidence and style of the Marie Claire woman, earning her the winning spot for the second week in a row. Mondo’s tweed, black and white design that evokes Mary Tyler Moore is also a favorite, especially since the Mary Tyler Moore show is  what inspired Joanna to come to America. We get some more time with Gretchen after the judging in finished, getting a peek of her billboard shoot and the look of excitement on her face when discovering that her model is-gasp!-supermodel Coco Rocha. Join the party next week, when Tim takes the designers to a store that is neither Mood  nor any other fabric store!