Everyone is so excited not to be the one voted off first, they can't shut up about it. They are stunned to find out that they'll be designing this week for actress and model Rebecca Romijn. Now, she happens, at the time when this was filmed, to be quite pregnant. So, they are to design a chic outfit of any kind for an expectant mother, with a budget of $100.
Tim reminds them that their designs are to be beautiful, chic and form-fitting. Lots of freaking out ensues about pregnancy, fabric, everything, life, etc. Malvin "plays around" with "ideas" about "alternative fertility." Y'all, there aren't enough quote marks in he world. He references birds' nests and eggs. ANYWAY. Several of the men can't quite get a grip on how babies are made.
Tim arrives on the second day of work and passes judgments of varying viciousness. When Malvin mentions throwing jodhpurs (FOR GOD'S SAKE) into his chicken and egg design, Tim casts rightful aspersions. Mitchell tries his own hand at the smackdown, suggesting to Ra'Mon that his dress looks like a bowling bag. It sort of does, but Ra'Mon is confident that he has struck a good balance in his design.
The models hit the runway with the most fake-ass looking bellies you could imagine -- the beach ball stomachs are KILLING ME. I can't even tell what these dresses are supposed to look like, because most of them look ludicrous. [With this whole Models of the Runway spin-off, does that mean no special models ever? This week could have used some actual pregnant women. - Zach]
Shirin and Althea's designs, however, are quite beautiful and receive high praise. Mitchell screws up the shorts and T-shirt he's made and gets reamed, and Malvin's chicken sling receives similar bashing. Ultimately, Shirin is in, and Malvin, amazingly, is out. Don't know which came first, but, this week, the chicken and the egg come last.
As if we needed to be reminded, last week Ari was sent home for, just generally, being ridiculous and making clothes suitable only for people from, or traveling to, space. Althea says in an interview that she was really surprised to see Ari go. Girl, are you high? Poor Althea, having to read these lines while she sprays her hair into place for challenge #2. In the boys' chambers, Malvin perches on his headboard and wraps himself in curtains while eating an apple and watching the shirtless Logan stroll around their room. This bird-like pose will strike us as significant later on.Mitchell, we are reminded, sent a girl down the runway last week wearing a sheer, nude dress when his smocking ordeal failed to fit the model. "I'm just really happy, Mitchell, that you're still here," Nicolas says, sweetly. Mitchell laughs and says yes, the first thing America will learn about him is that he sent a naked lady down the runway. "With a gorgeous collar!" Nicolas adds, and they all laugh. Frankly, that collar was kind of cool. Mitchell says he thinks he deserves to still be there and wants to "rekindle" his dream. Rekindle it from last week?
At the runway, the designers are greeted by Heidi, resplendent in a cougar-printed mini dress and ankle boots. She tells them all that this week, they'll be designing for "a soopamottle" who is also a film and television star. "Initially," Irina interviews, "I was thinking 'is Heidi talking about herself?'" Heidi continues that this mystery person "has a biiiiiig surprise" for them. Behind the scrim at the top of the runway, we see the pregnant profile of none other than Rebecca Romijn-Stamos-Romijn-Connell. "Oh, shit," Nicolas says in an interview, "ooohhhh, shit! Pregnancy challenge! I have never done a pregnancy outfit in my life." Of course he hasn't.
Rebecca comes out and the designers act like 1) they have never seen a pregnant woman, and 2) Rebecca Romijn is the most famous person in the world. She is one of those things, at least, and she is gorgeous. Heidi says she looks so good, she first thought to have Rebecca come out in a swimsuit, Sports Illustrated-style. "You wish," Rebecca says, shaking her head, revealing that she is actually pregnant with twins. "My life definitely doesn't stop just because I'm pregnant," she says. She says that means that the designers are challenged to design something that she will be able to wear to any type of event. Can I slip in, here, that RR-S-R-C, while totally stunning, talks kind of superloud? She says that the outfit they design can be something she might wear to a lunch, a party or a meeting. "As a woman, you still want to celebrate your shape [while pregnant]," she says, "so I'm looking for something that has a beautiful silhouette."
In the workroom, the designers find they have each been given big fake stomachs (I hate the word "bellies" but I know I am going to have to use it, so I am just avoiding it, okay?) to tie on to their dress forms and work with. Later, the models will have to wear them. "Booyah," Epperson says, slipping one under his shirt. I sort of love him for that, especially since he looks far more like an actual pregnant woman with his on than any of the models will look.
A few of them can't quite figure out exactly where to tie the pillows and Gordana, who has been pregnant twice, helpfully explains where the bump (UGH!) generally begins. "Right below the boob area," she says. PS? I love Gordana. She is normal (so far) and nice to everyone. That's what happens when you don't want to be deported back to a bomb-scarred country where people weave their clothing from potato skins. You refrain from acting like a dumbass on TV.
This abdominal confusion is only the beginning of the general cluelessness on how women's bodies work or where babies come from. "She looks like she's in the beginning of her early second semester," Ra'Mon says. Hi, you went to medical school? Heee. Actually, it was just a slip of the tongue, and he and Gordana laugh heartily as Tim Gunn strolls in.
He reviews the project, and reminds them that it must be chic and, as Rebecca requested, form-fitting. They get to sketchin'. "Designing for someone that's pregnant is definitely a challenge for me," Logan says, adding that he has not had a lot of pregnant women in his life. "That's not really my deal," he adds. "Babies kind of scare me, I guess." Yeah. Malvin says that after the first round, he thinks he understands what the judges want from him, specifically: for him to "combine concept with construction that is very wearable and fashion-forward." Malvin seems to have some really good sketching skills, which makes it a shame that he is apparently sketching something that looks like a woman wearing a sack stretched sideways over a basketball. Ra'Mon feels that because he was in the top three last week, he has really to push himself this week and do the unexpected.
Tim arrives and takes them off to Mood, giving them each a $100 budget. Shirin feels good about her design of a dress and a coat, especially as most of the other designers seem to just be making dresses. Carol Hannah says she's made one maternity dress before, but it was a bridesmaid's dress. "That's a whole 'nother can of worms you don't want to open," she says, laughing. May I translate? "Whole nother," down here in the hinterlands, means "altogether separate." I don't know why we have to add the "N," okay? Whole another? A-whole-nother? It makes no sense, but we all say it, so whatever. Qristyl is stressed out, big-time, but not as stressed as I am, trying to make sure I spell her name correctly every time. WITH A Q? Really, Qristyl's mom? A Q and a Y? She's running around grabbing stuff, and Tim has to tell her to "just... deep breaths, deep breaths." Hee.
Back at the workroom, Irina is amazed how much fabric it takes to cover a pregnant abdomen. However, she feels like there shouldn't be that big of a difference between style for pregnant women and non-pregnant women. Agreed. The thing is... is this a new concept? Not really. Since the slavering obsession of the last eight years or so with pregnant women and "baby bumps," maternity fashion has gone really mainstream. Hell, you can buy a maternity dress at Old Navy! Ra'Mon anticipates that everyone else will be about draping and being goddess-y and "pea in the pod." What he wants to do is keep everything to his aesthetic of being tailored and refined. Althea's concept is to use ribbon to create a bodice, but she's kept the bottom jersey, so that the pregnant lady will remain comfortable. Good idea. Off to the side, we hear Qristyl say she is already changing her mind about her idea. I gasp in horror, afraid she has caught the Johnny disease, but no, Q-Y is not going down like that. Meanwhile, though he is immunized, Christopher is really feeling his design. "It doesn't matter what," Gordana says about his immunity status. "You always want to produce something you're proud of, you know?" Gordana is awesome.
Louise has decided to create a 1920s-ish negligee-inspired cocktail dress that includes hand-dyed lace, something she is apparently "known for." I am not sure who knows about this, and where, but people know it and here she is, at it again. I imagine like, five people in the Deep Ellum section of Dallas watching this and going "Oh, Louise!" I like her, though, and it's cool that she is dyeing the lace. Look, I delayed it as long as I could, but we have to get to Malvin. His concept "revolves around the idea of fertility." He's playing around with images (in his head, obviously, since we see nothing of the kind) of birds' nests, eggs, etc. He appears to be using pretty much the same fabric we saw last week -- it looks like natural muslin, or something. So, this week his model will look like a pregnant mummy. Hey! Mummy! See what I did there? "Basically," he interviews, nodding to the camera, "this look is called The Mother Hen." Oh, Malvin.
Elsewhere, after such a strong start last week, Ra'Mon is melting down a little. He tells Althea that all he can hear in his head is Nina commenting that
he played it a little bit safe on his red carpet dress. So, he's repeating over and over to himself that he shouldn't play it safe. Okay, this is a tragedy -- first of all, he didn't play it overly safe last week, his design was good, as all the judges agreed. Yes, the color he used may have been safe, but no matter what, even if that was good advice, this week designing a maternity dress for a woman pregnant with twins is the time to play it safe. Classic case of overthinking, Ra'Mon, which they should have taught you about when you studied the brain. He is really tripping, saying he has to continue his momentum from last week and thus must win this challenge.Back from commercial, Shirin is bent over her very pretty deep berry-colored fabric, sewing. "Are you lattice-smocking?" Johnny asks, coming over with Qristyl to take a look. "Oh, how fun!" It does look fun, but Shirin says the problem is that it takes a long time. "All good things... take a while?" Shirin says. "Is that the saying?" Not really, girl, but you are tired, so it's okay.
Althea says in an interview that it looks like there are some really interesting designs going on, and that she is particularly fascinated by Malvin's. She thinks the whole egg thing is "supercool," in fact. "He's definitely someone I'm really looking forward to seeing the end result." Hmm. Thus far, what he's making looks like a sling you'd carry an actual baby in, not like a garment you'd wear prior to the baby being born.
Althea also stops in on Mitchell, who appears to be making casual shorts and a sweater. Because the sweater fabric, he says, is a tiny bit sheer, he also bought t-shirt fabric. "I'm not taking any chances!" he says, laughing. "That would be hilarious," Althea says. "They'd be like, 'what is your obsession with nudity?'" Poor Mitchell is now so afraid of going out on a limb, he's trying to play it way safe. Except, you have to wonder what his problem is, however, because the shorts... y'all, they are big enough to fit Biz Markie. Wow, I just hit the wayback button, I know, but he is the first enormous man that came to mind. Celebrities of these modern times aren't allowed to be fat -- I had to go all the way back to '89! ANYWAY, the shorts. "What? What is that?" Carol Hannah tries to ask through her tears of laughter. The shorts are so big, Louise and Shirin can get in them, together, one in each leg. What is wrong with him? He intends to gather them but... basically he is constructing booty pantaloons.
The morning, the designers take stock of the project before heading back to work. "I just want to finish it," Irina says, adding in a disgusted tone that "it's strange working with like, a big belly." Logan asks Malvin if he thinks the producers are about to throw a spin at them. "I don't think they will," Malvin responds, pensively eating his yogurt. "For them to do anything like that, we'd all be... I mean, I don't even have pants." As weird as he is, Malvin is cute.
Tensions are running high back in the workroom. Even Gordana is feeling the pressure, and Mitchell somehow forgot how to use a sewing machine, if indeed he ever knew. "You have to thread this," Epperson explains with patience. Across the room, Ra'Mon says he is interested to hear what Tim will say about his design, the concept of which is "playing with perspective." He'll have to wait, because Tim starts with Althea. Her dress is still unfinished, but what Tim sees does not say "daytime" to him, as she was concepting it. He seems generally pleased with what he sees, though, as he does with Louise's hand-dyed lace. However, when Louise is worried her dress looks too much like a nightgown (it does), he has to agree. "When your viscera says 'uh-oh,'" he tells her, chin in hand, "it's probably true." Viscera. I love him.
When visiting Mitchell's station, he seems a little confused about the short-shorts and the t-shirt concept, but agrees that this time, Mitchell better be sending a fully-dressed woman down the runway. Shirin shows him her very pretty dress, and tells him of her plans for the lined jacked she'll have with it. He's very impressed with her work so far, and says it will show she's "stepping up and out." However, he warns, whatever jacket she puts together just has to be the "right" jacket.
Finally, he comes to Malvin. The concern is evident early on. The jingly theme music of "isn't this guy a weirdo" begins as Malvin tries to explain his concept. He's whipped together this awkward, feathery jog-bra-looking thing for the top and his egg sling drapes over and tucks under it. Tim is already confused when he says he'll be adding jodhpurs for pants. "Does it come away from the hip like it shows in the drawing?" Tim asks, trying to control his nausea. "What woman would want her hips to look bigger?" Malvin shrugs, saying it's more for the concept, you know, "like, chicken thighs?" HAHAHA! Tim Gunn's façade actually visibly cracks. "OH, Malvin," he says. "Can you imagine yourself saying that on the runway, to Rebecca?" Malvin is starting to realize the error of his ways, I can see it in his eyes. Kindly, Tim cautions him to try to keep it from veering into costume-land. "I'm not bored," he adds, and moves on.
Also not boring him is Ra'Mon, whose dress is constructed of various panels that, on the sides, accentuate the hugeness of the belly. They basically function as arrows pointing to the poor woman's navel, and all but say "LOOK AT THIS WHALE." Ramón's concept was to provide a slimming silhouette from the front, and Tim is a bit worried that he is actually creating the opposite effect. "I mean, you said you wanted to celebrate it," he concedes. "I think you are. You're giving it a fanfare." Ra'Mon tells him of the repeated worries about playing it too safe. "Don't!" Tim insists, dramatically. "Don't be safe." However, he cautions, don't go the other way. "Cuckoo has already happened," he says. Ra'Mon: "With me?" Tim says no, not with him, and you know he means Ari, but the camera lunges for poor Malvin and his egg.
Louise has taken to heart Tim's nightgown assessment and is making changes to her design, adding a second layer and making changes to the bodice. Smart. And, in an example of, shall we say, Not Smart, Malvin says in an interview that he is not intimidated the fact that his is not like the other designers'. He thinks being different is good.
Mitchell has slinked over to Ra'Mon's dress to "compliment" him on it. "It's cute," he says. "Let's just hold your bowling bag to it." Oh, SNAP. Ra'Mon's face goes totally dead. "WHAT?" he asks, because surely, though Mitchell is pure evil for saying so, even Ra'Mon has just realized that, yes, the dress totally looks like a bowling ball in a bowling bag. Oh, it so does, and poor Ra'Mon so knows it. "No, it's good!" Mitchell tries to cover his ass. "You'll probably win!" Ra'Mon has to walk out to the crying couches, though, because he genuinely has reason to cry. Mitchell follows him out there, but can't even contain the giggles as he looks straight at the camera and says "No, no! It looks good! It looks a lot better from here!" Ra'Mon, through laughter and tears, notes that the judges don't sit this far away from the runway. Bless his heart -- all he can see now is bowling bag. He laughs it off and goes back in for the model fitting.
So much amusement takes place as the bellies are fitted. "Katie comes over," Christopher says, "the first thing we did was get her pregnant." Har har. "Does it look real?" Louise's model asks and Louise says yes, though the answer is seriously, "hell no." Very few of them look like actual pregnant women -- they don't even look like pregnant supermodels. They might as well have beach balls shoved under there. Carol Hannah's model has been pregnant before and is very pleased with the dress she'll be wearing, which makes CH happy. In the hallway, Johnny is teaching his GORGEOUS model how to walk again. Yeah, she's got it, queen -- she does this for a living. "Y'all didn't know I taught runway classes, did you?" he says to the camera and you know, I kind of did know, just from looking at you.
Tim comes in to dismiss the models and has to snap-snap to Ra'Mon who has taken five extra minutes to fit his bowling bag. Johnny says he's worried that his dress is too drab, and the little jacket he's made for it is too "Easter Sunday." He might be right -- I mean, it might be cute, but it does look kind of old lady. "Rebecca Romijn is not gonna wear that," Qristyl says in an interview. "She won't even dust with that jacket." She laughs, evilly, and adds "that's so mean."
Nicolas cringes through his interview that there are a lot of dresses in that room that are neither fitted, nor chic. "I don't think Rebecca is gonna wear any of that," he says, and I am with him on some of it -- several of the designers seem to have forgotten the mandate they were given to... make things that are fitted and chic.
Before they head back to the workroom the morning, Mitchell jokingly says his farewells. He says he does not know what lies ahead for his day. In the other bedroom, Ra'Mon says he has to put in the zipper and hem and blah blah blah fit the dress closer to the "alien" pregnant belly. Malvin, meanwhile, has begun to feel doubts. "I think... my little egg nest..." he says. "I need to make it more literal." Oh, Malvin. That is the opposite of what you need to do. Everyone vows to stay focused and heads to the workroom where they all seem worried about what they're doing and how they'll finish, except, strangely enough... Ra'Mon. Somehow he has worked it out in his mind that the drapey-flowy stuff on one side of the room and the structured-tailored dresses on the other side are all "hot messes." I mean, he asks, incredulous, has everyone forgotten that they are designing for Rebecca Romijn? I mean, RIGHT? "So, am I really the frontrunner," he wonders, "because nobody's choosing to take that risk?" I'm sorry -- is my man sleep-deprived over here? Because to what risk is he referring? The one where he's picturing Rebecca Romijn down at the lanes eating nachos with a guy named Carl? A few tables away, Logan hammers on something on his table. "There's Stella all of a sudden?" Ra'Mon jokes, referring apparently to a former PR contestant known for her leathah. Finally, Tim comes in and gives them the countdown: they have two hours to fit the models, and complete the looks. Much, much model nudity ensues as they tie these bumps (ugh) on and yank the dresses on and off.
Disasters and successes are revealed. Shirin is very satisfied with how her dress and coat fit her model. Mitchell, on the other hand, is now realizing what a truly hot mess his shorts are -- in trying to make them blousy, but gathered, he's basically made a pair of too large, too short shorts. They look absurd and sloppy. Qristyl's machine needle breaks and Louise hunkers down to do some handwork. Actually, just about everyone is still sewing. Malvin's model looks very non-committal as he explains his concept to her. He had thought, he says, about adding feathers to the pants, too, but didn't want it to look too costumey. OH, MALVIN. Christopher is so confident in his design, which we have not even been able to glimpse as of yet, he thinks he probs has another top spot on his hands. Either way, he snarks in an interview (wearing a ridiiiiculous crocheted hat), "I'm fine, because I have immunity." Christopher! Don't count on getting it every time! You seem overconfident all of a sudden.
Speaking of overconfidence, Malvin seems to have swallowed a big ol' bowl of it. He thinks his design will stand out because it's so different. "I think there are some designers in that room that have something to say," he drones, "I think they just haven't found it, yet. They haven't 'cracked the egg,' so to speak." Am I going to have to create some kind of oh-malvin macro? Because... he won't stop doing and saying things that cause me to type it. Mitchell and Logan are the last ones sewing before time to hit the runway. "I'm just glad my model has clothes on," Mitchell says.
Y'all, I love Heidi Klum. Seriously, I may be IN love with her. Her crazy accent makes me laugh good-naturedly, and she is so beautiful it is like laughing at an angel. I think I feel this way because I have only watched maybe five episodes of this show in the past, so don't disabuse me of my love -- if it's going to end between us, eventually, I don't want to know. Anyway, prior to the runway, she comes out to re-introduce the judges -- this time it's Monique Lhuillier (filling in for Michael Kors), Nina and "the beautiful... and pregnant Rebecca Romijn." Heidi adds that, by the way, all of the judges have been pregnant before, so they really know what they're talking about, especially today. Whatever, here we go.
The ten seconds of Logan's design leads me to believe it is very interesting, but since we can't see it at all, it's hard to say. It appears to be a white dress with a black band at the bottom, and apparently there is some gilded leather element but they show it for .002 seconds.
Shirin says her design came out exactly like she wanted. It is really
a beautiful dress, and the coat is presh. But, heeeee, I'm sorry. The BELLY looks INSANE. I have known oh, two dozen pregnant women in my life. Women of all different pregnancy shapes and sizes. Never has a woman hit the streets with such a basketball belly. It is slaying me to see model after model sex-walk down the runway with this thing bouncing in front of them. They couldn't have thrown in some maternity models for this challenge? Such women do exist!Nicolas is pleased with his black on black ensemble which I do agree is quite chic, but he panics when he notices the back of the girl's skirt riding up as she returns up the runway, especially when he notices Heidi writing something frantically as his model walks by.
Christopher's off-the-shoulder royal purple bubble dress is actually quite cute. He's paired it with leggings, which I think is realistic, and though it is overly satiny, it looks very nice and well-made.
Mitchell tries to rally himself saying he feels like his model looks like a very hip pregnant girl about to go out on a night on the town with her girlfriends in his shorts of doom. Seriously, they look terrible, and only the most ridiculous tabloid-fame-seeking Hollywood teenage mothers would wear them, and even then they would have sewed them themselves.
Qristyl's dress is not bad, honestly. The colors -- a weird terra cotta shade paired with a black band at the bottom -- are all wrong, but the shape is flattering. There's a rope halter neckline and it looks good on the runway.
up, Epperson's... jumpsuit. Now, work with me here, I think that on an actual pregnant model this would look good. On a pregnant regular person, maybe not. And on an un-pregnant model with a melon under her shirt, it looks crazy. Plus, it's white satin... it's hard to say how this would really look in a real situation. It has a jacket with a belt and, as Epperson says, he was going for elegant. I think he might have achieved it, actually, but the thing looks weird to me on this model.
Once again, Louise is happy with her dress. Like last week, she went with a shoulder corsage effect on one shoulder, which maybe is what she will now become known for... The dress does look like lingerie, but it's pretty. She is thrilled with it.
Also happy is Gordana. Her black short top (dress?) over leggings is tasteful, but is perhaps overly youthful? The black makes it seem sophisticated, but then she threw a cardigan over it, which I don't like.
up, Johnny's dress which I love and which we see two seconds of. It's black, appears to be made of some comfortable, natural looking fabric, and has white piping on the sides. It swings and flows and is nice and long, with black and white detailing on one shoulder.
But they can't take time showing you something good, because Malvin's creation is up , and we must all watch as this wreck is paraded before us. He, naturally, loves it, especially because it looks like an egg! "I feel that the pieces are flattering towards a woman's body," he insists, and though he is wrong and got this challenge all messed up in his mind, I cringe as I think of his fate.
Ra'Mon's pretty bowling dress is . I mean, he tried. It's well-made, certainly, and the graphic element would be exciting perhaps if the dress was not maternity. Imagine this in purple and gray. That's the dress. Watching it go by, he risks a glance at the judges' expressions. "They are like, stone-cold," he says, and now he's worried.
Carol Hannah's green dress is nice enough, and she has a little short ruffled silver jacket on top. Both cute, looks bad together. This model, who allegedly was once pregnant herself, is the worst looking fake-pregnant model, ever. Her belly is resting on her knees.
Althea's beautiful long navy dress is , and though the cups of the bodice are a little small for the model, she is pleased with how it turned out. The ribbon element on the top and back looks so nice and tailored, almost sailor-style, but classy.
Irina's light blue number is and it is so lovely and beautifulohwaitthereitgoes. When I watched this last week while visiting none other than Miz Pamie.com, this was her fave. I really wish it got more attention right here, because I'd love to see what looks like gold detailing in the back. The blue is so gorgeous butohnevermindit'sgone. It looks a little short, but the model's gorgeous legs make up for it.Quickly we get to the highest/lowest scores ordeal and the rest of the crew is dismissed. It's a shame, because I'd like to hear the judges' opinions on some of these other designs. I guess there are just too many of them. I would accept less footage of Mitchell swanning around the workroom if it meant I could hear what Nina Garcia had to say about Epperson's jumpsuit. Anyway, those middle-grounders who are safe stroll out and we are left with Shirin, Mitchell, Ra'Mon, Malvin, Althea and Louise. The models return and the disparity is quite obvious. Heidi blessedly points out that all the models look heavily pregnant, like they are all about to give birth week. Agreed.
First to get the grill is Ra'Mon. He tries to explain that he created a cocktail dress, thinking along the lines of what he would create for Rebecca when she was not pregnant. Monique kindly says the dress is "too busy," when she could so easily say "ugggh." Nina wastes no time. She points to her stomach and says "it almost looks like, 'Here Is The Baby.'" Exactly. Everyone laughs, including Ra'Mon. Words like "arrows" and "racing stripes" are bandied about, and poor Ra'Mon says that's definitely not what he was going for. "It's not so easy making pregnancy clothes, is it?" Heidi asks.
They continue with Louise. Her dress is really pretty. Rebecca says it's a little like lingerie, yes, "but... I like that." She says she'd probably wear it on a date with her husband. Heidi gives her a wolf whistle. Monique really likes it, saying there's a lot of good things happening in the design from the lace to the working of the bodice. Nina agrees and gives her a "good job."
Althea's dress, also, is well-received. She took Tim's advice and stuck with an evening look, pointing out that she's never been pregnant, herself, but tried to imagine what she would want if she was. Rebecca loves it. Monique adds that she loves it also, especially the colors and the jersey fabric. She calls the tailoring and the detailing "perfection." It looks really good, but she does point what Althea was worried about -- that the cups might need a little more room. Nina likes the length of the dress, and Heidi loves it, too.
OH, MALVIN is up , and I think he is probably wetting his pants, because he sees now that his chicken/egg game is not going to fly. Rebecca Romijn is not having it and does not bother to conceal her displeasure. Do not anger the pregnant lady! Nina says the top, under the egg part, is so beautiful -- he had done a good bit of feather detailing -- "but what is disturbing is the sling." Yes, it is disturbing, because "it looks like she's had the baby and she's carrying it in the sling!" Oh, Nina is not happy. "Do you really want to look like a chicken who is carrying the egg?" Heidi asks. Malvin admits that he may have been too attached to his concept.
As dumb as the egg is, it actually looks better than Mitchell's shorts. Heidi says that, as a whole, she likes the idea that he had about the cute little shorts to run around town in, but... "I just think, 'wow, how difficult is it to make a pair of shorts?'" Daaaaaamn, Heidi. But, dudes, she's right. Nina: "The shorts are too short in the front; you can see the band; the t-shirt's too tight. It's like she's a mess. She IS a mess." Heidi brings up the rear: "She's a pregnant mess." Mitchell begins his excuse-making in a monotone. He says he had problems with the shorts and had never sewn in a pregnancy band before. Rebecca appreciates, she says, that he went for a cool, urban, look, but that the execution did not work out. These ladies aren't having it, at all. "Just because we sit here, doesn't mean we don't have good eyes," Heidi says, and... that makes no sense, but whatever, she's right.
They blessedly move on to Shirin, who says she was focusing on comfort They all love it, with the coat, and everything. Rebecca specifically compliments the handwork at the waistline. Monique says the dress has no bad angle and that Shirin should get into maternity design. "I'm impressed," Heidi says in her clipped, flat way, and Shirin is thrilled. Nina says it's versatile and "very-nicely done."
The designers are dismissed and the real carrion-picking begins. Poor Ra'Mon, his dress immediately screamed "bowling bag" to Rebecca, as well. The think it might have been okay in all black. Mitchell's shorts disaster is not as bad as it initially looked -- they all love the casual concept, and Rebecca says if they were well-made, she'd wear them. "I would wear them, too," Heidi says, "but they look like I actually sewed them, myself, and I can't sew." Ohhhhh, Maaaaaalviiiiiiiin! Your chicken/egg did not float with these ladies. "He had a concept," Monique says. "You have to, uh... geev eet to him..." Bless her heart. Nina calls it bizarre, and she is correct. I can tell they don't want to boot him, but he's the weirdo of the week, and it doesn't look good.
So much love for Shirin. "I think hers is the most wearable," Heidi says. They also adore Althea's elegant dress. Rebecca again says she would wear Louise's dress, but Nina wonders if you would want to walk around in something that looks like lingerie while you're pregnant. "That's the reason you got pregnant," Monique jokes, and there is much laughing. They compliment the execution of overall design, and it is obvious Rebecca really likes it.
Back on the runway, the final decision is delivered. With maximum suspense, they name Shirin the winner of the challenge. She practically dances off the runway when Rebecca says they loved the dress and that any one of them would choose to wear it, pregnant or not. Louise, Althea and Ra'Mon are also declared in, and sent off the runway. "Mitchell, Malvin," Heidi deadpans in her most vicious Germanic style. "One ov you weel be aut." She says Malvin's chicken/egg look was just not flattering. "It was complicated, but not in a good way," she says. "And, truthfully, it was just too bizarre." She goes on to say that though they liked Mitchell's overall concept, the sloppiness of his sewing and presentation were terrible. "There is really no excuse," she says, "and we're not impressed." The axe swings, incredibly, on Malvin. She says Mitchell just squeaked by, and that he needs to up his game to show them he deserves to be there. Oh, Malvin, I am sorry. I honestly think he is talented, more talented than Mitchell, and it's a shame. As he says in the backroom, "he's too conceptual for America." His fellow contestants, most of which must realize his abilities, all comfort him. He says he's learned how strong he is grounded as designer, a philosopher and a person. Bless his damn heart, I hate to see his weird ass go, but he's got to. Auf wiedersehen!
Discuss this episode in our forums, then see what vlogger Sean Crespo thinks of the designers' sense of self-entitlement in No Prior Knowledge.