Here we are at Le Parker Meridien, where the remaining designers are getting ready for the day. There's Johnny re-creating his soccer-mom-on-Oxycontin ponytail. Anna is applying some eye shadow. Daniella is spraying her hair and saying that Haven would love that it's so big. She interviews that this is the last challenge. It will all come down to one mistake or one advantage. Scary. Reco says that he is sorry to see Merlin go, but he really needs to win this competition. He needs a car and money to pay off loans. I hear ya, bud. James-Paul, who appears to be wearing a Kaballah bracelet, says that it sucks to be in the bottom, like he was last week. He says that he really needs to show the judges something special. Just try something pretty and humane, as opposed to your obsessive geometric creations. Really, JUST TRY. For the hell of it. Burn it later if you want, but for the love of Valentino...try. He cries in his interview, saying that fashion design is the only thing that he knows how to do. Bless his heart. Seriously. Still, I don't understand how he's so passionate about it when he seems to have no regard for the actual humans who would be wearing his creations.
Kelly and Isaac greet the designers at the workroom. Isaac points out that the group is very small now. Kelly adds that this challenge is what stands between a designer going home or showing their collection in the final fashion show. "No pressure," jokes Isaac. The designers look like they want to shoot him. Oh my God, did y'all know that James-Paul is the tiniest person EVER? He's a good four inches shorter than Daniella, who is the shortest person. Tiny. [I guess with Lidia and Merlin gone, he's no longer in the shorty majority. - Zach]
It's time for the Harper's Bazaar Mini Challenge. Isaac says that it's the ultimate test. They will be draping, which Isaac says is how fabric relates to the body. He says that it's the most important part of design. His example is this strapless number on a mannequin beside him that he says was used with one piece of fabric and a few pins. Nice. He takes the pins out one at a time. Six pins. They will have two yards of silk charmeuse and 12 pins. Kelly introduces the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar, Glenda Bailey. You can hear Johnny say "Oh my God" as she walks out. Also, Kelly introduces Isabel Toledo, who designed Michelle Obama's freaking awesome inauguration day ensemble. I loved that. Reco freaks when he sees Isabel. He's excited that "fashion industry greats" are going to be judging his work. Glenda tells the designers that she and Isabel will be judging them on style and technique. Isabel tells them to "know" their fabrics. They should let the fabric do most of the work. James-Paul, listen up. This might be hard for him. Kelly barks that the designers will have only 20 minutes to "blow [them] away" with their draping. Shut up, Kelly.
The designers begin and, immediately, Johnny is interviewing that he doesn't drape. He doesn't "do pretty." Yes you do. What you apparently don't do is work with your hands. Everything he does is sort of girly and pretty, right? I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff, but last week's design was definitely pretty. Maybe I don't know shit, because James-Paul tells us that he's been draping his entire life. He cut down his mom's curtain to make clothes. [Yeah... remember that later. - Z] I totally took him for a Gone With The Wind fan. You just know when you see one. He says that draping with silk is difficult, because it's like water and slides in your fingers. Daniella says that her first idea was pleating, which doesn't work well with silk. So, she just "let it happen."
Time's up and the designers bring their mannequins to the judges. Glenda says that Reco looks like he was taking a lesson from the "Joan Collins School of Drapery." That's to the "Linda Gray School of Drunk Sexy Yelling." It's the best in the world. Isabel says that she likes the line in the front of the dress. Glenda says that the wearer would definitely need to use a corset, which sounds like a criticism. They love the drape in the shoulder of Anna's dress. It's very loose and feminine. They also love the back. They HATE Johnny's. It's yellow and Glenda says it's "banana drama" [I love that band! - Z] and "too scary." Isabel says that it looks like a lot of wrapping and very little draping. Glenda points out that there are so many pinholes in his fabric, it looks like he "assassinated the mannequin." Where has this woman been? Love her! They love Daniella's dress. They appreciate that she listened to the fabric and controlled the volume silhouette. James-Paul made a sack dress, an idea that Isabel says she likes. However, she doesn't think he draped enough. She says that, when draping, you have to consider the body part that will be the source of the draping. That's a very interesting idea.
And the winner is... Daniella! Glenda says it's very youthful and modern. Daniella interviews that she feels amazing. Glenda described it with adjectives that Daniella has been trying to exemplify in her work. Kelly says that Daniella will have an incredible advantage in the elimination challenge.
Isaac says that the challenge is what designers live for -- evening gowns. Tell that to Richie Rich, yo. Kelly says that it will take creativity and sewing skills to make their designs "shine." Then, she and Isaac uncover a table filled with shiny things. There are $30,000 of Swarovski elements on the table. They will need to make whoever wears their gowns feel like a million bucks. I don't believe a thing Isaac Mizrahi says. There's a deadness behind all that hamminess. It's dark and sinister. Anna is freaked out by the crystals, because she has never worked with them. James-Paul finds crystals hard to work with, because they weigh down the fabric. [But they're gemoetric! Shouldn't he love them? - Z] They will have 15 hours to work.
At the fabric store, Kelly has been teleported. "What the hell is Kelly doing at the fabric store?" wonders Reco. She says that they won't be left alone for their biggest challenge yet. Then, Haven walks in! And Angel! And Keith! "This is so emotional," lies Daniella. There's Andrew! So cute. And, finally, there's Merlin, wearing this bellbottomed and midriff-baring get-up. Thank God for the black shirt underneath. "Oh my God," says Daniella with complete honesty. "Hello, bitches," he says. Daniella says that she's freaking out because Merlin looks evil. He looks like he's back for revenge. She's correct. He's utterly frightening.
The designers get to choose an eliminated designer to help them with their evening gown. Daniella gets first pick because she won the mini challenge. She says that she could really use her support, so she's choosing Haven. Haven giggles "First" and trots to Daniella's side. Reco says that Daniella was dumb for picking her, because they're going to be talking the whole time about lipstick and shit. Anna chooses Keith. James-Paul says that Angel is a good friend, but he's choosing Merlin because he knows James-Paul's work process. "Well done, James," replies Merlin with open arms. Reco chooses Andrew. Kelly asks why, and Reco replies that he'll just keep him company. I agree. That leaves Johnny with Angel. He pauses and says, "Um, yeah." Rude. Then, he interviews that Angel's work had been inconsistent [Hey, like Johnny's! - Z] and he feels like they will clash. He would have taken the security guard or the janitor. Unnecessary. She didn't seem like any sort of crazy control freak when she was in the competition. Calm down, Johnny. I think he's just pissed that he didn't get Haven.
Kelly leaves and they start shopping. Each team has $450. With some of the crystals as reference, Daniella starts sketching her gown. She finds a cloudy gray crystal that reminds her of clouds moving before a storm. She mentions that Isaac wants her to use more color, which she'll do -- but not in the gown. Hmm. Johnny is freaking out and Angel is trying to calm him down. He interviews that evening gowns are completely foreign to him. She recommends that he get 6 yards of fabric and he's completely incredulous. Train wreck. Anna fancies this Dorothy Draper sofa print, which makes me weep with happiness. She interviews that she would rather be over-the-top and bad than boring. James-Paul says that he's going to make a simple bustier evening gown in black. Crystals will be sewn onto the top of the neckline. Merlin cheerily interviews that he will do whatever it takes to get James-Paul into the final four. Johnny is still freaking out. Angel asks what she can do to help, but he doesn't really tell her anything. She recommends that he make a floor length gown. He remembers that he loved a leopard print dress by Lanvin that Maggie Gyllenhaal once wore.
Back at the workroom, Reco interviews that his muse is Victoria Beckham. Dear Mr. Jesus, I don't understand. He finds her classy and sophisticated, but with crazy edge. Edge, yes. Other things, no. Anna, who seems a little overconfident right now, tells Keith that she can make a party dress like nobody's business. She's using the same vagina dress detail that she used in the challenge last week, which she acknowledges is a risk. Angel tells Johnny what she is going to do to his gown. The workday is complete.
The morning, they get back to work. Keith approves of Anna's fabric choice. She has decided to do a one-shouldered dress, with the crystals inside the bow. Johnny is making a mess. Angel tells James-Paul that Johnny doesn't know anything about sewing chiffon, or construction in general. Johnny sees them talking and interviews that he doesn't know if her intentions are to help or sabotage. Dude, you're doing all the sabotaging of yourself that needs to happen to make sure you are securely sabotaged.
The models come in for a fitting. James-Paul interviews that he desperately wants to make the final four. He reminds us that he's all conceptual, but acknowledges that he needs to simplify. I'm not sure the evening gown is where he needs to do that. Daniella is worried about the gray, and Haven doesn't make her feel any better about it. She says it looks like a nun. Daniella wonders if Haven is making her over-think, which is a problem she thinks she has.
The models leave and Kelly and Isaac enter to harass them. They talk to Johnny first. Isaac seems excited to see Angel. "Um, process of elimination," is Johnny's response to Isaac's excitement about their teaming. "That's nice," Isaac replies sarcastically. Johnny slowly says that he would have chosen to work with her anyway, but Isaac rightly says that it's too late. For real. Isaac asks Johnny where the crystals are going to be on his design. On the waist. Er. Isaac asks him if he has ever made an evening gown before and he says that he has not. He mentions that it's a "very interesting choice" to choose chiffon, then line it with taffeta. Sounds pretty damning. When they walk away, Johnny asks Angel if they were supposed to line the dress with silk. "Mm-hmm," she replies. Wow, maybe she is trying to sabotage him? Or, maybe she really didn't know that until just now.
They talk to Reco and cute Andrew . The dress is purple with one sliver of vertical pink. "Interesting," replies Isaac and I think he might mean that in a good way, though the music is acting like an alien is about to burst out of someone's gut. Reco says that he doesn't want his gown to look like a pageant dress, so he's going to have a burst of crystals at the bust, then six crystal bracelets (that he made) on the model. Isaac sorts the bracelets and walks away. Reco interviews that he saw Isaac turn his nose up at the two bracelets that he put to the side, so he throws those over his shoulder and says they are out of the question. Finally, Isaac is offering some real guidance.
Isaac and Kelly move to Anna and Keith. Kelly is allowed to speak. She asks Anna why she is using the vagina cups again. She replies that she likes the balance that they give to the voluminous shoulder. Then, Kelly asks if the entire dress is going to be floral print. It is. "I look forward to seeing what that looks like on the runway." Well, well, well. You, Miss Anna, are apparently no House of Dereon. , we see James-Paul. Isaac eyeballs him and says that the dress looks simple. James-Paul gives his spiel about geometry and bullshit and now it's simple. Isaac says that this is a big week for James-Paul and he should use Merlin's advice regarding construction, because he could use it. Why couldn't he have talked like this earlier in the season instead of being all Harold Pinter "I speak with my pauses?"
Here we have Daniella and Haven. Isaac asks her about the gray, which now has another "brighter" gray overlay. Daniella says that she likes it, because it's unexpected. Isaac's face is pinched. He asks Haven what she thinks. "Gloomy," she says. Isaac doesn't agree per se, but says that gloomy is never good. He wishes her luck like she is about to die then walks away. Daniella mutters that, of course it's gloomy, it's a thunderstorm. Touché. She interviews that she just "graduated from University." We don't do that. It's college. Don't be an ass. Anyhoo, she says that this is a big moment for her. She had always imagined that she would make it to the final four, but now she's not so sure.
We see Andrew asking Reco some questions about his design, but he just brushes him off. Reco interviews that Andrew is a sweet guy, but he doesn't want any help on his final design. Merlin notices that Reco is not using Andrew at all. Reco acknowledges that he chose Andrew because he's cute. Inspiration! Merlin, who is seriously mental, screams in his interview that Andrew is relaxing and ENJOYING THE VIEW. HA! HA! HA! He is so frightening.
Early the morning, James-Paul gets a phone call at Le Parker Meridien. It's Kelly and, in the most adorable sleepy voice ever, he says, "Hey, Kelly!" She reminds the designers that this is a very big day for them and she tells James-Paul that she wants them to dress to the nines. He delivers Kelly's orders to everyone. Reco interviews that he's from Chattanooga (a place I love! Summer camp!), and he has a lot to prove.
At the workroom, the designers apply their finishing touches. Daniella has returned to her vision of an entirely charcoal gray number. Haven tells her that, if they hadn't tried the extra color, they wouldn't have been convinced of the original concept. She interviews that she wants Daniella to win the challenge. Daniella interviews that she loves Haven, but she needs to follow her own intuition right now. Merlin says that he will be devastated if James-Paul doesn't make it to the final four, because he is a true designer with originality and style.
Isaac enters and takes the helpers away. They all scramble like mad before it's time to dress their models. Backstage at the show, they start getting their girls in hair and make-up. The crowd is arriving! Anna says that she's nervous because her dress is more eccentric than a lot of the other designers. There's Fern on the front row! And Glenda Bailey is the guest judge. Designer Ann Watson is in the audience, as well as designer Christina Minasian. That lady is adorable. Daniella interviews that she is intimidated by the bright colors of Johnny's and Anna's designs. She would be mortified if her color choice what was what cost her a place in the finals. Johnny says that he's original and nobody can do what he can do (copy a Lanvin gown?). The mean guy who drags the models away isn't so mean this time. He wishes the designers good luck.
The show begins with Johnny's dress. It's length is just below the knee. The color is green leopard, which looks very hip. It drapes diagonally from the left hip. It's one-shouldered with a large ruffle along the top. It's pretty. There's a black sash with crystals on it. He says that it's feminine but edgy. Isaac gives it a perplexed look. Glenda says that she's fascinated by it.
James-Paul's gown is . It's a simple thick-strapped bodice in black, with a floor-length skirt that has a lovely swirl. There's a bronze taffeta peaking from beneath, with bronze crystals at the bodice and a thin stripe of bronze at the waist. I think this is pretty awesome. There's a pocket on the right hip. Here's Anna's dress. I love it. It's floor-length, with a high slit on the left leg. There's a large bow on the one shoulder, with crystals inside of the bow. The back has the cups that she used before, which create a sort of bustle. Fern wasn't crazy about her placement of the crystals.
Here's Reco's gown. It's purple with a stripe of pink on the left side. There's a strapless bust, with a body-hugging ruching from the top of the bust to the bottom of the booty. Then, it's free flowing and translucent. There's some peacock beading at left side of the bust. I think it's kind of tacky, but Kelly says that she would wear this onstage. Reco says that he is fashion and will not lose. Johnny interviews that no woman would want to wear Reco's dress because it would make her look like a rectangle. [Only when standing perfectly still. Besides, is looking like a rectangle worse than looking like a nauseated leopard? - Z] Finally, we have Daniella's gown. Rad. It's a gray column, with a cinched waist. At the neck, crystals of black and blue and gray climb around and end on the other shoulder, creating a really interesting serpentine quality. She says she's petrified. It's the end of the show and all of the models come out one last time. I have to say, this is a pretty strong group of dresses.
Ann Watson says that Anna's was her favorite dress. It made her gasp when she came onstage. Christina Minasian liked Daniella's dress. She loved the way the crystals were incorporated and thought the dress was well constructed. Designer Treana Peake, who was also in the audience, loved Reco's dress. She thought it was perfect for the red carpet, because it had lots of movement.
It's judging time. Johnny is wearing sweats. He didn't get Kelly's memo. Isaac introduces the judges, including Glenda. Kelly announces the looks most loved by the audience. The first is Anna's! Kelly congratulates her for making it to the final four! The is Daniella's! The other designers look pissed. Isaac says that he liked the way they both used the crystals. Daniella's are visible while Anna's aren't entirely. Kelly tells Anna that an audience member said her dress was elegant, while another said it was perfect for a weekend Hamptons party. Fern compliments her for the cut in the front of the dress. The openness gives space, which makes it balanced and more appealing. Glenda commends her for her bravery in using a print. Isaac says that she has made a real gesture and congratulates her. Kelly says that she has come a long way and should be proud of herself. This isn't about you, Kelly. "Come a long way." She wasn't untalented before she got here. Anna gets teary and her model pats her back. Kelly tells Daniella that 82% of the audience said they would buy her dress. And one audience member said that they could see Kate Winslet wearing the dress. Daniella explains that she went with her gut. The dress is what she intended. Fern says that the neck of a woman is sensuous and the neck of her dress accentuates the neck very nicely. Glenda loves gray. She loves the simplicity of the dress. She adds that simplicity is the root of elegance, which makes Isaac giggle (I'm assuming in agreement). Isaac says that it was a close decision, but Daniella is the winner! She's thrilled that she was "hand-picked" by the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar. Anna, still teary, says that she has worked hard for a long time and is just glad to be on the trajectory that she is on.
The remaining designers return to the stage. The design of the designer who is safe returns to the stage. It's Reco's!! Johnny shakes his head and whispers, "It's so ugly," which Reco hears. These kids are nasty. He leaves the stage and hugs Anna. James-Paul's and Johnny's designs return to the stage. 80% of the audience said they wouldn't buy James-Paul's gown. Hmm, I was off with that one. I think it's pretty. One audience member said it reminded them of a velvet Elvis painting. Heh. He says that he was going for his 3-D thing that he loves so much. Glenda thinks it looks like Gone With The Wind!! She says it's too much costume drama. Fern says it starts at the top looking like it might be sexy, but there's too much construction at the bottom. Glenda adds that it's dated and looks uncomfortable. She says that velvet is supposed to have grace, but his gown looks tortured. Damn. Isaac asks Glenda what she would do if this dress showed up at her office, and she says she would send it back.
Glenda tells Johnny that his dress is young and modern. He gets really excited. She says that she would love to see it on the red carpet. But... she already has. Daniella and Anna giggle in horror/glee. Isaac asks what influenced him, and he mentions Jennifer Connelly, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Chloe Sevigny. Then, Isaac shows him a picture of the Maggie Gyllenhaal dress that he completely ripped off. It's practically a duplicate. Reco looks at the picture and is clearly shocked at the similarity. He stammers that he feels stupid and should know this and didn't try to knock off the dress, but we see the footage from earlier where he says he liked the Lanvin. The audience also identified the dress as a knockoff. Fern asks him if he really thought that no one would catch on. He says that he's embarrassed and doesn't want to look like a con. Isaac says that he's disappointed in both of them.
The judges deliberate. While they are doing that, Reco tells Johnny that the dresses looked identical. He points out that Johnny bragged about ripping off Dolce Vita. Daniella points out that Johnny was just trying to make it through this challenge and is not really an evening wear designer. Reco persists. Johnny then tries to blame Angel! He said that she should have told him that he was knocking off Lanvin. That's crazy. Now, everyone looks at him like he's an idiot. He says that he feels "deceived." He's a joke. Reco interviews that Johnny is lying, because he heard him joke about knocking off clothes before. Backstage, Isaac says that they need to think of who should be allowed to design an entire collection. Glenda says they committed the two greatest sins of fashion -- an ugly dress and a knockoff. She mentions that you need to have integrity as a designer. Kelly really feels that point. She thinks that Johnny knew what he was doing. Isaac thinks that there is no worse sin than an ugly dress. Fern says that the gold detail on James-Paul's dress made it look Renaissance Faire. They've made a decision.
Onstage, James-Paul and Johnny wait for the verdict. Johnny...they're not buying it! Isaac tells him that the show is about originality, not plagiarism. He hugs everyone and leaves. Kelly congratulates James-Paul. Johnny interviews that this sucks. He insists that he wasn't creating a knockoff. He's done. Kelly tells the designers that they will be going home to work on their final collections. When they return, they will showcase 10 designs for all of America. Then, we will vote! Anna interviews that she's so excited to do her collection. James-Paul says he's going to marvel the world. Daniella thinks she deserves this. Reco says his world is about to change. They all hug each other onstage.
Discuss this episode in our forums, then see how to become a fashion designer using everyday household objects in No Prior Knowledge!
Johnny ripped this weecap off of Jeff Long. He can be reached at jeff.long75@gmail.com.