This was an unconventional challenge, and the first team challenge of this season. The contestants had to make high end fashion out of - garbage. Literally. Obviously, it was a tough assignment, and unfortunately, the results were mostly clothes that looked like they were made from garbage.
Here were the teams:
Team Wabi Sabi (The contestants didn't get to pick their teams, but were able to choose their names):
Margarita
Kentaro
Deyonte
Kudzanai
Michael
*Deyonte had immunity from winning last week's challenge
Team Tsunami:
Sentell
Samantha
Amy
Shawn
Claire
Team Ballin' on a Budget:
Batani
Aaron
Kenya
Brandon
Ayana
Most of the workroom scenes involved Shawn's and Kenya's breakdowns. The difference was, Kenya pulled it together by herself, and Shawn needed her twin to pull her through emotionally, and all of her team to help finish her garment.
I saw a lot of cohesion within each team's collection. There was a color scheme and a theme in all three. I think many of these designers are very talented. Unfortunately, the materials they were given to work with were extremely difficult. Many of the other unconventional challenges have resulted in jaw-dropping, creative, stunning fashion transformations. This time - not so much. In some of the looks, I could definitely see an attempt at high fashion. But some of the garments simply looked like what they were - trash.
The losing team was Tsunami. "Unfinished and unfashionable" was the pronouncement from one of the judges, and that was a spot on declaration. For all of her hysteria, Shawn's look turned out better than I expected, but that was likely because she had a lot of help. Amy's outfit was worse. What was that poncho about? More about who went home in a minute. But oh my goodness, the twins needed to shut the hell up! They dug themselves such a hole during the critique, complaining about Shawn's model being curvy, when she actually wasn't curvy at all. The judges read her the riot act, then tore Claire up when she tried to echo her sister. Then Sentell led the charge to throw Shawn further under the bus, informing the judges that the team had to step in to complete her garment. The lone bright spot from Tsunami's collection and the judges' comments was Samantha's braided halter top. That was an attractive, innovative, well-designed piece that looked expensive.
Team Ballin' on a Budget was the winning team. It was my favorite collection as well. The garments looked like clothes, and they looked fashionable. Kenya's look was my favorite. The judges liked it too, although I was concerned that they wouldn't, because the puffy sleeves and neckline were probably a bit old-fashioned. I love that silhouette, and I think it was very flattering on the model. I think it was a dress that Kenya would wear herself. I also liked Brandon's look a lot. The wide pant leg and crop top were flattering on his full-figured model. I also liked the pattern he designed, which provided the cohesive element for the team's collection. I think he should have won, but the judges loved Ayana's look. While it was not high on my list, it did look expensive and it was a complex design that made her model look strong and fashionable.
I really wanted Shawn to go home. Besides the fact that she is half of Team Annoying Twins, she has been in the bottom twice, and I just don't see that she has as much talent as some of the other designers. She also doesn't seem to have the emotional fortitude to be on Project Runway, but goodness knows there have been other designers that had breakdowns every week and managed to survive into their seasons (cough Helen cough)
But in the end, Sentell was sent to the workroom to clean up his space. The judges did get it right if you are only looking at this one challenge. His garment was terrible. It looked like a plastic bag. But I wanted to see more from him.
librarianintx
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