Episode Report Card Jeff Long: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Customer Is Always Pink
By Jeff Long | Season 9 | Episode 8 | Aired on 09.15.2011
To the delight of everyone, Tim tells the designers that they will be designing for the wives/girlfriends of the guys they chose. It's a challenge for the guys to see how much they know about what their ladypeeps like to wear as clothing pieces. But, sizes are hard and any smart man would not want to be caught dead guessing a woman's size (or any dumb man for that matter -- or even guessing most PEOPLE'S size, aren't we all touchy?), so the dimensions of each woman has been provided. The women will be walking the runway. Bert is worried about the consultation though, as his experience is that most straight guys don't have a clue.
The guys come in and meet with the designers. Viktor's guy doesn't even know where his lady shops. Anya can't get any answers at all out of her client. She interviews that most guys don't know how to describe color and shape. Gosh, I just have to point out how FUCKING COOL Anya seems right now. She's just got it, that girl. Bert's guy wants his wife's bosom on complete display. He says that she's a "hot piece of toochie." Well, that's sweet, but.... This is not going to be good for Bert. One of the frustrating things about this show and the judging when it comes to these client challenges is the notion that there is a marriage of good taste, high fashion and, I don't know, safe? Pedestrian? Whatever -- like there's this balance that can be met and everyone will be happy. It's not true though. Sometimes the ideas are completely at odds and there really isn't a compromise that will make the judges happy. I've never seen someone come out on that runway and say, "I hate what I'm wearing" and have the judges reply, "Well, it's brilliant. You look great." It's not going to happen. The judges would look like assholes. But, when a designer pleases the client and the judges think it's not fashion-forward and tasteful enough, they insinuate that the designer should have either defied the client or worked harder to find this utopian marriage of wants and needs that I'm telling you sometimes just doesn't exist. Freaking Snooki is not going to be happy with anything Olivier thinks is pretty. At all. Just the truth. It's not happening. Bert is trying to like this boob-obsessed dude, but he's trying. Josh's guy says that his lady likes simple. Heh. This is going to be fun. Josh sees the challenge though. He knows himself and feels that this will be a smart way for him to stretch.
Bryce's guy is adorable. He's going to get so laid when his girlfriend sees how cute he is talking about her style, though he may not have had too much of a problem with that in the first place. Cutesy but elegant but girly, he says she is and he seems kind of flushed with admiration and desire when he says it. Jivan is the cutest. Bryce, however, doesn't seem inspired. Poor guy. I think he has brain freeze or something. That's totally what would happen to me if I were on a show like this. The further we went along, I would just see one design in my head, for everything. Even just as a person dressing myself, towards the end of a particular season, I'll wear the same clothes over and over again. Fall just shocked me back into my cords and that has been welcomed. Socks too. Jivan's girlfriend likes pink, which Bryce says is not his thing. Don't be afraid of color, people. Anthony's client wants to replace a dress of his girl's that he lost.