Episode 2: Fashion Icon on-a-Budget?First of all, I hope everyone is having a nice
Thanksgiving and you are able to celebrate with good friends and family. While you are enjoying all the turkey, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, here is some
"Fashion Gobble Gobble"(sorry, I had to do that!) to hold you stuffed until next week.
Like last time, I will do this week's recap in question form. Ready, set, go...and don't forget to check all my grammatical errors...
1) Was This Episode Boring or Was It Just Me?Following the footsteps of a not-so-memorable First Episode, I was ready for a really good one. I invited friends over (
Andrae stopped by and brought
Gelato--
Yeaaay!) and served Champagne and cookies. We were ready. And all I got was a
"Yawn". Now, don't get me wrong,
I am not looking for drama, especially "Created Drama" (think last season's "Mother's Challenge" or my season's "Take Nick's Model"). I am not a fan of that. But it would be nice to see some "Fashion Drama". This episode had the potential, especially, with the amazing "guest star"
Sarah Jessica Parker and the teaming up of designers. You know if
SJP showed up in my season, I would have screamed so loud and jumped and clapped so much, it would have made my scene with
Olympic Figure Skater Sasha Cohen seem like "chopped liver" in comparison.
Because of previous season's infamous Team Challenges, one expected more discussion amongst the designers, friendly arguments even, and
thoroughly interesting creations as a result. Other than
Sweet Pea and
Elisa's mulling over hand-rolled hems and spitting on the fabric(I bet the cameramen and sound guys just about died and went to heaven after they saw that!), nothing much occurred. In terms of the designs that won and lost, I liked
Victorya's loose tunic of a dress with the cropped vest, but surprisingly, I also liked
Elisa and Sweet Pea's "polymorphic" dress and cape. Great color, fashionably styled, yet wearable. Poor thing,
"Oliver Twist" twin, Marion's design did look, as Michael
Kors stated, like something
Pocahontas would have worn.
Also, I can't help but think how many of the designers did leggings/tights because they were influenced by what
Sarah Jessica Parker was wearing when she met them.
Overall, though, I felt this was a rather uneventful episode with rather unremarkable clothes.
2) Was it Uneventful because of their Budget and the fact that they had to design for BITTEN?So then I began thinking, could it have been the fact that they only had $15 for fabric and trims and had to design for a "budget" yet fashion-savvy line? First, I don't know how they found enough fabric to create an outfit, especially at
Mood, only having $15. The last time I was there, I was hard-pressed to find their
"Dollar Bin". Actually, I never saw one. So how did they do it? I guess poly/cotton jersey is cheap, but even at retail prices, these stores can charge up to $8/yard for it. I would need at least 2 yards to make a top and leggings , and that's it. I have spent all my budget. What about a zipper, lining, or another contrast fabric?
I have a sneaky feeling somebody somewhere sneaked these designers some extra cash... Just saying.
Now, in regards to designing for
Bitten, ponder the following: Would it have been more exciting of an episode if the designers had to create an ensemble for
Sarah Jessica Parker, for the
Black-tie Gala/Opening of a Metropolitan Museum Costume Exhibit, in which she would have worn the outfit? All I kept thinking of was that photo of her with
Alexander McQueen in his "Couture-Tartan" design. I know some people may think that she was a "fashion disaster", but personally,
this was GENIUS! Who else would do that? That's one of the many reasons
I LOVE Sarah Jessica Parker. she takes fashion risks. I think this "fantasy" challenge would have been possibly more fun to watch. But I do understand the tie-in with
SJP and her line.
3) Is the Second Episode of every season going to be an "Ode To Andrae Crying Episode"?
Now, remember, I was watching this episode with the fabulous
Mr. Gonzalo, and he noted
"Why is the second episode going to be about crying? I think I started a second episode trend " I cannot recall if anyone cried in the second episode of Season 3, but if they did, please let me know. But I could not believe all the tears that flowed in this episode. First
Chris, then
Ricky crying so early on in the challenge--he barely had met
Sarah Jessica Parker for goodness sake--made me skeptically think that this was footage from his "exit interview" questionably interjected in the beginning of the episode. Then even
Carmen joined in on the cry fest at elimination. The last straw was watching usually bitchy
"I-am-the-fiercest-thing-since- John Galliano" Christian actually tear up. I swear I saw tears behind those
Alain Mikli glasses of his!
See you next time, and keep on crying...and sewing!
The beautiful Debbie then told me how much she loved my designs and I told her how much I would love for her to wear one of my gowns for a "red carpet" event. We joked in Greek and then we were separated--I had to present the award and, well, she had to host the show, of course. Consequently, a week later, she was asked to host the 2007 Diversity Awards and her stylist asked if I could send over some gowns. To say that I was ecstatic to then find out that my "Miss Greece" had actually ended up wearing one of my designs to host the awards show is an understatement! She looked like a Goddess in my one shoulder, side-draped jersey gown.
It is a style, which I coincidentally titled "Athena" and featured in white for my recent W San Diego Spring 2008 Collection. To illustrate what a class act Debbie is, she sent me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers as a "Thank You". Most times, I am lucky if I get the dress back dry-cleaned from some people! Needless to say, the name of that style will now be changed to "Debbie" thank you very much.
