It's morning at Le Parker Meridien. Johnny reminisces about how ugly it was last week when Reco was dissing people, and then Daniella got all nasty. He reasons that the competitive environment is bringing out the catty side in everyone. Kelly calls Merlin on his cell phone and tells him to have all of the designers meet her at 36th Street and 10th Avenue "as fast as you can." I'm sure she's waiting for them right now. Bravo, who do you think you're kidding?
The designers meet Kelly and Laura Brown at the specified location, which has a picnic table in it. Kelly tells them that, for the Harper's Bazaar Mini Challenge, the designers will be working in pairs. Daniella is mortified, because she's so great. "Can I say the word 'shit'"? No, you can't. George Carlin. Check it out. The designers have to grab a spool of thread and whoever has the matching color of thread will be their partner. James-Paul and Lidia are partners, Merlin and Johnny (Merlin is worried), Anna and Haven, and Reco and Daniella!!!
Laura calls out four Harper's Bazaar "interns." Seriously? Anyway, four girls walk out. Laura says they hit the town hard last night and didn't have a chance to change. Johnny thinks they look cheap. They need to create work-appropriate outfits for the "interns" using the outfits they are wearing and items from the "lost and found" box. Vogue this is not.
Becki Newton! From Ugly Betty! Laura introduces her and says that she has practically patented the walk of shame. She jokes and says that she never walked the walk of shame, especially not in college. Haven interviews that she maybe walked that walk a couple of times, but who cares? She said that. I care. Becki is the guest judge. The winner will get a special advantage that they will find out about later. Kelly assigns an intern to each designing team. They have a half hour.They start digging through the "lost and found" boxes. Out of the gate, Reco and Daniella are having problems. He's thinking Grecian draping and she's thinking...well, she's not thinking Grecian draping, though she won't say exactly what she's thinking. Haven and Anna are thinking about using scarves and shit. James-Paul just talks about the sharpness of the black and yellow that his "intern" is wearing. Johnny thinks of some interesting draping that Merlin seems to like.
Time is up. Becki likes what Merlin and Johnny did. She doesn't even remember what the "intern" was wearing before. She says she would wear it. Haven and Anna cut the punk stockings off of their "intern" and covered up the less demure areas, which Laura and Becki appreciated. James-Paul and Lidia removed the yellow from their girl and created a short skirt to cover the super tight pants -- effectively creating leggings for her. Becki thinks they got lucky in the "lost and found" box. Daniella is totally embarrassed. Becki thinks that the draping is great. Reco interviews that he was RIGHT, HA HA! Becki chooses Johnny and Merlin! Johnny is ecstatic, or so he says.
Kelly says that, for the elimination challenge, they will be working for... Isaac Mizrahi, one of the biggest names in the industry. They're at his studio! They will be designing a complete look for his upcoming collection. For their inspiration, Isaac shows them his mood board. Mine is all pictures of spaghetti and cigarettes and Diet Coke. It works! His is all very Isaac. He loves plaid. Kelly says that they will be staying in their pairs for the challenge. Reco hates it. Kelly says they will only have eight hours to finish! "Shut up," replies Johnny. You're hanging by a thread, buddy. Watch it. The fashion show is the day. Isaac poses and smirks and says that they'd better be good, because his name is on the line. Officially hate him, FYI. He's so fucking coy and disgusting on this show. Wow, that slipped out. Johnny and Merlin, as winners of the Mini Challenge, get a five-minute consultation with Isaac. "Five minutes in heaven with Isaac," says Johnny. No.
While Johnny and Merlin are talking to Isaac, the others look at the mood board. James-Paul likes the fish scales. Daniella likes the mix of plaid and African culture. During their consultation, Merlin asks the age of the woman Isaac designs for. He says to not think of age, but then tells them 35. He's into layering this season and some of his pieces are sheer.
James-Paul and Lidia are going for a fish shape. He's designing the coat, while she is doing the dress. Reco and Daniella are already at odds. He wants to make a big skirt and she wants pants. She interviews that she thinks Reco considers a big skirt "high fashion" while she doesn't. Newsflash, Isaac likes a big fat skirt too. She's a snob. Hate her. Reco is tacky, but he knows some shit. Daniella shows him her pant, but he doesn't seem too into it. Merlin takes issue with Johnny's choice of fabric, but goes with it anyway. Haven and Anna are working really well together.
Back at the workroom, Reco and Daniella are still bickering. She insists on the pants. In all fairness, though Daniella is a huge bitch, it sounds like Reco is having a hard time really explaining why his idea is a winner. He interviews that she's commenting on his upbringing and education, which I'm not sure is true. She's a bitch to everyone. He decides to compromise.
Johnny jokes that though he was joking about the "five minutes in heaven" thing, he would still get with Isaac. Because it would be a great conversation starter. Though it would be like kissing your granny. Ew all around. Haven and Anna seem to be doing really well. Haven thinks that James-Paul and Lidia are in huge trouble. Their outfit looks like a mess.
Their models come in for fittings. Johnny says that he and Merlin are working really well together. Merlin refers to himself in third-person and says that Merlin will do whatever it takes for Merlin to win. Merlin agrees. Lidia is drowning in her fish outfit. James-Paul is worried that she won't finish her outfit.
Lidia is complaining aloud and Daniella says that everyone has decided that she sounds like a pigeon. She does. She's a nice girl though. Everyone hates her now.
The morning, everyone is getting ready. They're all uncomfortable, per Haven. At the workroom, Haven cuts herself and casually asks for a band-aid. Reco doesn't think that Daniella knows teamwork. She says that, she may be making a mistake, but Reco's risks have turned out tacky and she would rather be safe than tacky. She's so hateful. Please tell me you hate her, people. I hate her.
Kelly and Isaac come in to do nothing. They talk to Haven and Anna first and Isaac immediately recognizes the shorts as Haven's. She explains that they are called culottes this time. He's stunned. Haven says that she was inspired by the colors and textures from the mood board, while Anna says that the drapey feeling of the board intrigued her. Isaac tells them that the sweet spot is when a designer is designing something that works for the house but also brings something fresh.
Reco is totally BIG when Isaac talks to him. He and Kelly remark that he is usually done by this point, but he just says that they wanted to add a lot of detail. Isaac asks if he has had to compromise a lot and he says that teamwork means compromise. He interviews that he didn't really feel that way, but good for him for not creating drama.
They talk to Johnny and Merlin and ask who sewed the most. Uh, Merlin. Johnny says that he learned a lot about sewing from Merlin. They ask what fabric Johnny used for the jacket and he says... felt. THEY GO MAD. Seriously, first direct opinion they have given during these little walk-throughs. They hate the felt. Johnny interviews that there is nothing he can do about it now. Why does he do stupid stuff like that?
James-Paul tells Isaac that he copied the pattern from the fish charms on the mood board and transferred it into the pattern of his jacket. Daniella says that the dress is very Lidia and the jacket is very James-Paul, but is any of it Isaac?
Outside, Isaac tells Kelly that judging them each individually though they are working in teams will be "dramatic." The designers head to the show. The models get prepped. Johnny is worried about their design. James-Paul is REALLY nervous, because he never got to see the jacket with the dress because of the time that Lidia took sewing.
People are filing into the audience. There is designer Yeohlee Teng. John Bartlett! His clothes are so gay, but he is one sexy slab of man. I mean that though, his clothes are way too gay. They're like International Male mixed with Brideshead Revisited. There's Lisa Weiss, owner of "Debut New York." Don't know that. Sue Stemp of "Sue Stemp." There is Fern! And guest judge, Veronica Webb! I love her!! Oh God, Veronica, I'm thinking about Oasis and all things '90s right now.
The show begins. Reco and Daniella's look is first. It's nice. A pant with a funky fabric and a coat shaped like a wrap and a pleated top underneath. Daniella is fine with the coat and the pants -- she's only worried about Reco's top. The top is a little too much. Isaac seems to like the shape. is James-Paul and Lidia's dress. No. I like the coat, but the dress is a mess. Fern looks confused. It looks like the sequin, fishy overlay was just ironed on or something. Haven and Anna present culottes, a colorful top, and a black drapey coat. Fern likes the pop from the color of the top. Here's Merlin and Johnny's outfit. The coat, felt or not, is amazing. Big stiff collar and giant toggle buttons. She takes it off and reveals a plaid skirt with a bright yellow belt, which Veronica calls "neon Obi belt." Johnny is proud. Backstage, he says to Merlin, "Delicious."
After the show, Alma G, owner of "Alma Salon NYC" says that she liked Anna and Haven's outfit the best. She didn't like James-Paul and Lidia's dress. She says that you have to be very tall and assless to pull that off. Yeohlee Teng liked Johnny and Merlin's outfit the most. She found it "very Mizrahi." Handbag designer Matt Murphy found Reco and Daniella's look to be the most successful.
It's judging time. Isaac introduces Kelly, Fern, and Veronica Webb. Isaac congratulates them -- he thinks they did a great job. Kelly brings out the winners of the audience vote. They are Merlin and Johnny's and Haven and Anna's! Kelly tells Haven and Anna that the audience found their design sophisticated and one person said they would buy the jacket. Thanks, Anna's Mom! Veronica LAYS DOWN THE GOODS. Shit, she says that the girls showed three Isaac signatures in their work -- the paper bag waist, tartan or kente, and rainbow. Also, the funnel collar of the jacket. She says that she has never seen his signatures displayed quite like this. I'm dizzy. That was amazing. I love her.
Kelly tells Johnny and Merlin that the audience loved the overall look of their design and loved the mix of materials. Merlin says that Johnny was the head designer and Veronica compliments Merlin on the patterns. Isaac says that he wanted to kill Johnny for using felt, but the shape of the jacket really works with the material. Fern loves the pop of the yellow belt. She thinks that, with the withering economy, something with that kind of color will be the thing to make someone purchase. Veronica says that she is really impressed and would be proud to walk their design down the runway. The other judges are amazed. Haven and Anna are the winners!
Now for the losers. Kelly tells James-Paul and Lidia that an audience member said their dress looked like a "cheap mermaid costume." James-Paul explains his design like a scientist, but Veronica points out that the plaid on the lining looks like a Burberry knockoff. Isaac says that he thought the same thing. Fern says that the sequins on Lidia's dress would be better as a scarf. She takes total responsibility for the dress, though everyone there knows she worked on it, so she couldn't really get away with lying. Veronica doesn't think it would be flattering on any body type.
On to Daniella and Reco. Kelly tells them that someone called the slacks "granny PJ pants." Heh. Daniella looks so confused. Seventy-five percent of the audience said they wouldn't buy the look. Isaac thinks they chose dull colors. He explains that his tactic is to show something that hasn't been seen before -- something that seems like it shouldn't work but makes your head explode. Veronica thinks the styling is really old-fashioned. They ask the model to take the jacket off and everyone LOVES the top. Reco's top! Daniella says that Reco would give up if he didn't get his way rather than help her develop her idea. Reco fights back and says that he was getting kicked down. Kelly just stops them, which was stupid. This was the best thing to happen on this show all week. Thanks, Kelly.
The judges deliberate. To start, Isaac says that he thinks all of the designers up for elimination are very good. Back in the hot seat, Daniella tries to -- I don't know what she's trying. She tells Reco that their wires got crossed when she wanted one thing and he wanted another thing. Reco reminds her that they were supposed to be working for Isaac. She continues that they should have tried getting excited for each other. Well, that would require you not being the smartest fucking person in the world wouldn't it? The judges hated James-Paul and Lidia's look. Fern thinks the lack of collaboration was pathetic, but Isaac says the dress was the ugliest part of the look. Everyone agrees. Isaac thinks that James-Paul is a genius of some sort, but needs to connect to customers. Fern agrees that his description of his fish coat was lovely, but the coat itself had nothing to do with the dress. Isaac found the pants of Reco and Daniella's look to be the most unforgivable thing onstage that evening. They could make a skinny person look fat. They have their answer.
Kelly tells the designers that one of them is going home tonight. Isaac tells James-Paul that he is safe. Daniella... has to stay onstage! Reco is safe. Ouch. Isaac tells Lidia that, as a woman and a designer, she should have some sort of idea about fit. He tells Daniella that she made some damn boring pants. Daniella... is still in the competition. They're not buying Lidia. She's a really good sport. She says she's embarrassed and cries in her interview. She says that she is a survivor and she has a talent to prove.