Mirror, Mirror

S11E10

Ah, bitches everywhere. Layana with her semi-compromised speech talking about how Richard should have gone home instead of Samantha. At like 5 am. And Michelle is agreeing as she’s eating. Seriously, I hate these girls. Michelle seems to think that if it were boys against girls, the boys would be all ego. As if we here anything but shit talking from these girls. WHATEVER. I don’t know if I’ve ever hated a block of people on this program like I hate these women. They just are not talented enough to act like this, but whatever. I need to pull myself together.

They go to the Guggenheim Museum to hear about their challenge. The teams are restructured and they are Stanley/Michelle, Patricia/Richard and Layana/Daniel. Of course, Layana thinks she is too good for her teammate. I hate her so much that I want an installation to fall on her. The challenge is the HP challenge. They are supposed to create wearable art, plus a commercial partner. They are making their own textiles! Please die Layana. She just edits what Daniel is saying and we don’t really hear her offer much except for protests. Stanley and Michelle are on the same page at the beginning. Richard doesn’t really tell Patricia much about what he is going to do, which is of course worrisome for her.

Patricia seems to know where she is going, but Richard doesn’t. That sucks, because I really want him to not lose this one. Tim tells them that the winner will win ten grand. Layana is, of course, super nasty about Daniel. Tim comes in to consult and gets chills from what Stanley and Michelle are making. He is really worried that Richard doesn’t have enough made when he comes in. Tim thinks that Richard is waiting for Patricia to fail, which he insists he is not doing. He thinks that Layana’s look is not enough. Of course she starts crying at any critique, which annoys me.

So, sadly, Richard looks like the weak link. Everyone else seems to be happy, but he’s not really doing much. He feels like he was looking too much for inspiration from Patricia, but that’s really no excuse. She is super frustrated by the time they make it to the runway.

Rachel Roy replaced Zac again and Tracy Reese was the guest judge. On the runway, Richard’s was really the only one that was really lacking. Heidi tells them that the these designs is what the show is all about. Nina thinks that Stanley’s look is perfection. They were not wild about Richard’s look. Daniel got kudos from all of the judges. They could see Layana’s struggles with her look. Layana cried backstage about how she thought that Daniel didn’t give her enough credit for his garment. She should be exiled. She’s the absolute worst. Remember that he gave her her first win. HATE HER. The judges hates Layana’s look when they were conferring. Yay. Ultimately, Stanley wins the challenge and Richard goes home. She’s still with us.

Previously: The designers had to create looks for the Lord & Taylor challenge. Patricia and Stanley butted heads a little bit in the beginning. Patricia said that Stanley "looked like the asshole" and I wonder if she meant that he looked like an actual hole of the ass. I could see Patricia saying that. Daniel and Michelle got into a very weird argument and, though he's not the best at expressing himself in a concise and effective way, I'm glad that it's out in the open that at least someone is going to push back against Michelle's shitty shitty behavior. She's kind of a bully. That said, she won the challenge. Richard and Samantha were in the bottom and Samantha had to go home.

It's very early in the morning at the Atlas Building and Layana is whining to Michelle about how she thinks that it was so unfair that Samantha had to go home, because Richard had been in the bottom three times in a row and Samantha hadn't. That doesn't really matter as much because these are team challenges but whatever, I don't expect her to make reasonable points anyway, just like I don't expect her to have the sense not to sit in a cloche hat in her apartment at 5:30 am in the morning. Michelle, who is wolfing down some cereal, in the dainty way that you would expect from such a beam of sunshine, agrees with Layana. She interviews that Samantha's was the worst garment on the runway, but she would have shown a cooler collection that Richard would. You just don't really know that. She says that, if Richard makes it to Fashion Week, he will be showing twelve jersey dresses. Just like I'm sure Michelle will have at least three Janet Jackson circa Rhythm Nation jackets in her collection.

Layana whines some more about how she hopes that the judges mix up the teams. She doesn't want to work with Richard again. She thinks that the judges should make the teams girls against boys, because then she thinks that the judges would see who deserved to be there. OK, perhaps I'm not remembering something but I'm pretty sure that the only challenge that Layana actually hit out of the park without a lot of help from someone else was the flower/hardware challenge. She did a nice job there, but she's ridiculous to not consider how much help she has gotten from others. I mean, we actually saw her go to another team and ask for help once. I promise you that I know this isn't about me, but I wish someone with my temperament was on this season. I could shut all of this down. It would be ugly, but you would like it. Michelle says that, if the boys were to work together, it would be all about their egos. She must be just searching for something to say, because there has been absolutely zero evidence that that would be the case. In fact, Richard and Daniel have been two of the people that have suffered most frequently from moments of total self-doubt. I feel like that's the same as talking about a group of girls working together and being like, "Uh oh, Mee-Ow." It's lazy and tired. That's really sort of the problem I have with Michelle in a nutshell. There may be some skill to her, but she thinks she is way cooler than she actually is. People just happen to believe her for the time being. [Ed. Note: Also, both Michelle and Layana have repeatedly been down on Patricia's style, so a girls vs. boys team would still give them cause to bitch.] Meanwhile, Stanley says to Daniel that it's time for a change.

At Parsons, Heidi greets our final six designers. She tells them that they should be proud of themselves. Then, she asks why no one is smiling. Aren't they happy? Stanley points to the smile on his face. That doesn't happen a lot. Patricia says that she's feeling pressure to show why she is still on the show. Heidi says that the challenge will give them the freedom to show how creative they really are. Tim is waiting for them at a prestigious museum! Stanley interviews that he imagines this might be some sort of avant garde challenge. Heidi, who I guess maybe you heard was like a hero and saved her entire family and staff from the surf in Hawaii- looking SMASHING the entire time, bids them adieu and leaves the runway because she has more lives to save.

It's the Guggenheim! Patricia employs all of her senses for this challenge. She says that the Guggenheim is music to her ears and she's going to breathe in the moment. I bet she's so excited she can almost taste it! Feel the magic! Can she even believe her eyes? Tim is waiting for them on the ground floor of the awesome spiraled structure. Richard interviews that he wants to absorb this entire opportunity. Tim greets them and we hear words from Daniel about how he is so excited to be in the museum. Jesus, we get it guys. It's a pretty building. Get over it.

Tim tells them that the judges have restructured their teams again and we see a little flashback of the judges talking. There's some sort of cheesecloth filter over the camera so that we know that this happened in the past. Thanks for that. Nina says that she thinks it would be interesting to see Stanley and Michelle work together and Heidi agrees. She thinks that Stanley's chic and Michelle's cool might click. Stanley is excited when he hears that he is working with Michelle because she is the only person the competition he has yet to work with. They actually seem like they could be a very good team. Nina thinks that Richard and Patricia would make a good team because Richard is commercial and Patricia is conceptual. She thinks they could push each other. Richard says that Patricia is very eccentric, but since this challenge is supposed to be about creativity, he's excited to see what she has in store.

That leaves us with Daniel and Layana. Heidi thinks that Layana will bring some cool to Daniel while he might give her a little sophistication. She thinks that it could be a real winning team. I do not agree. I feel like of the teams are going to be mostly a nightmare from this point on and I'm just ready to live with that. Are the final collections going to be team projects? What if the winning prize meant you had to work with your teammate after the competition? That would be exciting and cruel. Layana is such an asshole. She says that she is not happy that Daniel is her teammate, though she likes him as a person, because she feels like it is "his time to go." There's just something so clueless about her. She has a "feeling" that it's his time to go. As if this were all just some sort of popularity contest. Does she remember that she faltered somewhat in the last challenge? Meanwhile, Daniel seemed to learn a little something, though Heidi seemed to really hate his look. I just feel like she's too old to affect this little girl thing.

By Jeff Long

Tim reminds us that the Guggenheim was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This is the HP/Intel Challenge! Aw, shit. We gonna see some PRINTS up in here. He introduces them to an Intel iPad sort of thing. Whatever. Tim explains that each team will be creating a piece of wearable art. He means grand and over-the-top. They will also make a companion piece that is ready-to-wear. Back at the workroom, they will get the chance to create their own textile. Layana is excited because she says that you get an idea for a textile in your head, and then you get to Mood and can't find the thing that is in your head. This way, they will be able to create what is in their heads.

Each designer has a computer and we spend a minute with Michelle talking about how the computer is helping her creativity get out. Then, they have some time to sketch and get inspiration from the museum. Stanley, adorable in a denim shirt and yellow jeans, says that being in the museum alone is like being a kid in a candy shop. Layana is drawn to this sculpture of wires woven in winding shapes. Daniel likes the knobs of wire along the sculpture and wants to make it a part of his design. He tries to describe to Layana a coat. Of course, Layana doesn't like the idea. She thinks that it's just playing with the fabric. She interviews that she has to keep telling Daniel no, but I don't see her offering anything in its place. Finally, Daniel tells her that she can make the art piece and he'll make the ready-to-wear. She suddenly gets excited and tells him that it has to be cohesive. He knows that. He's just saying that he will work with whatever she makes. He interviews that he gave up doing the art piece because of her own insistence. He is just trying to make this work. It's weird how much I don't like her. Seriously, I just spaced out and had an argument with her in my head. Layana says that she feels like this is the best decision because she knows that, with her direction, he can create something very beautiful for the ready-to-wear. Wow.

Michelle and Stanley are inspired by a lot of the work. They seem to be speaking the same language. They are going to work together to make this giant coat and a vase-like dress. They are really working together well. Patricia finds a painting with a lot of geometric shapes that she likes a lot. Patricia is going to make the art piece, while Richard is doing ready-to-wear. He can't seem to tell Patricia what he's planning on doing though. She thinks that he's lost in a modern art setting.

Back at the workroom, there are desktops set up at their work stations. Tim comes in and explains that the textiles they are about to design will show up the day. Also, there are lots of art supplies there to help them with their wearable art. Additionally, they will go to Mood to shop for supplementary fabrics. Stanley and Michelle create this face in green that looks like it's screaming. Michelle interviews that it's reflecting her mood. Of course it is. Because, she's that exciting and artistic. Patricia and Richard are making a textile with a lot of triangles. Patricia interviews that it would take four or more days to hand create the work that they are doing right now on a computer. Daniel and Layana finally figure out a geometrical pattern that they both like.

, they go to Mood. Richard says that he really wants to impress the judges for this challenge. He has decided that he will not be using any jersey knits. He's not even going down that aisle. Patricia is going for something bulb-like with her art piece. I'm not sure I understand it yet. Layana tells Daniel that she is thinking of wool fabric. She interviews that Daniel has had problems making his looks sexy, so she is going to keep an eye on both looks. She says that doing double duty scares her. Stanley and Michelle are looking for a waterproof fabric because Michelle is going to be painting on her dress. That sounds cool. Richard is looking for some fake plastic crystals and Patricia stops him because she thinks that sounds gaudy. He interviews that he's not trying to make his girl look crazy. Daniel is feeling confident. He says that he is making a very structured jacket with leather sleeves. I never really know with him until it's made.

Back at the workroom, Michelle says that she can feel the tension in the workroom. Tim comes in to tell the designers that the winner of the challenge will win a ten thousand dollar cash prize. Well, that's nice. Richard says that he would lose his mind if he wins. Tim leaves and the designers get to work. Michelle says aloud that she is ready to make some art. She interviews that she and Stanley are working together very well. They haven't had any moments where they needed to discuss what direction they were going in because things have just worked naturally. Richard is having a hard time understanding Patricia's concept. He says that their aesthetics are like oil and water. I feel like he's spending too much time trying to figure out how to gel with her. Just make something. He tells her that he's scared because he doesn't understand anything that she's talking about. She interviews that he's glad it scared him because at least he felt something. Whoa there. I don't think we're thinking of the same kind of fear. He's not describing a visceral fear from seeing this evocative piece that you created. He's scared for his position in the competition because he's afraid your team might lose. That said, he still doesn't have any idea what he's doing yet.

By Jeff Long

Tim comes in for his consultation and starts with Stanley and Michelle. He tells Michelle that he has chills after seeing her long painted train, which seems to excite her. I really don't know why I can't stand her, other than her being nasty about everyone. She is obviously talented. Stanley explains his '50s-style silhouette and Layana inserts herself via interview (I know it wasn't her choice to be placed there but it seems like her style) that Stanley is "strong" but his design is "so predictable." I just think she's a moron and should concentrate on her own stuff. She obviously has so much more to say about everyone else's work than her own. Why? Because she doesn't have anything. Tim says that he is a total believer in the Stanley/Michelle project.

Tim doesn't seem to get Patricia's design, mostly because she doesn't know how to explain it. She interviews that no one really gets her, but I don't think that's the problem. Girl needs to learn how to talk about her product. Tim gets even more freaked out when he talks to Richard, because he has nothing done. Tim is seriously apoplectic. He feels like maybe Richard is waiting for Patricia to fail so he can blame her. He insists that he isn't doing that. You know though, he is really acting weird. I'm not sure what is exactly going on with him, but he's not coming from a productive place.

Tim makes his way over to Layana and Daniel. Daniel explains his jacket and skirt and Tim says that he understands the jacket. Stanley interviews that Daniel needs to make sure that he isn't a one-trick pony. How many of them are good at making great jackets though? Do we have too many people who are making great jackets for women? Shut up everybody. Then, Tim looks at Layana's look and asks her what she's trying to do. She says that she was trying to not be too literal re: the cylindrical quality of the Guggenheim. Tim doesn't buy it. He tells her that it's not nearly creative enough, especially compared to everyone else in the room. Daniel offers that he and Layana have been working very well together, but Tim reminds Daniel that he has let Layana make an essentially very boring look happen. Oh, also, Layana cries about how she has been second-guessing herself. Poor thing. I wish she would break her face. Yes, I said it. I don't think there's any coming back for her. She's so dead to me.

So, Layana keeps on crying and Daniel cheers her up. She doesn't give him any credit, but that is no surprise. Seriously, how was he ever supposed to influence her design-wise? She already thinks that she knows everything! Anyway, she thinks that she gets it now.

By Jeff Long

We see Layana make her way over to Patricia and tell her that she has lost her way creatively. I guess the subtext was she was asking for help about what she should do, but luckily Patricia didn't give her anything. She feels like her design is clashing with her print. Um, the print that she designed. Patricia interviews that Layana's design looks like a cake and not very artful. Heh. Layana interviews that she has re-draped her design several times because she wants the prize so badly. It would pay for her student loans. You're preaching to the choir, asshole. Everyone has bills. Daniel notes that he has never seen Layana so vulnerable. He feels like she is not focused. Could she be going home? Could we be so lucky? I'm afraid to even hope for it.

At the workroom, Michelle and Stanley find that one of their looks has wet paint on it. Meaning, the paint that they used to paint their look has not dried. They are worried. Michelle then makes a crazy hat and Stanley tells her to check herself. Patricia is not happy with Richard's skirt. She's pissed but he's just embarrassed.

You know, there are times like these, dark times, when it's nice to just smell the roses. Sometimes there aren't roses around. Luckily, in this case, instead of roses, we have a hot make-up daddy, one Scott Patric. He's around. We can smell him. Seriously, I just made myself sick right now. I know I talk about him too much. You know he smells good though. Stop fucking judging me. I'm just a person.

Michelle is very happy about her look during the challenge. Richard is not happy. Daniel thinks that he should fake it until he makes it. He also thinks that he would have done better had he stuck with knits. That's why you can't listen to the haters! Layana has to add a strap to her look at the last minute because her look is so heavy.

On the runway, Heidi greets the designers. Rachel is subbing for Zac again and we've got our Nina and guest judge Tracy Reese. Tracy is a fashion designer. We begin with Layana's look. She made a pretty straightforward evening gown in her textile with a lot of black tulle on the outside. Daniel's look is a fitted black jacket over a little bubble skirt in the custom textile. The jacket is really chic and low-cut. He's so happy with it.

Patricia's look is . Wow. It's a pleated dress in the custom fabric with a top that holds the model's arms down. Then, there's white tulle over the model's head. It's rigorous art for sure. I'm just not sure it's interesting beyond being basically unwearable. The custom textile, with all of those triangles, looks very interesting with all of the pleats though. Richard's look is and it's a simple white bubble skirt with a lot of pleats and a sleeveless top in the custom fabric. The skirt is not moving very well either. Richard knows that the bottom is not flattering. Patricia is frustrated with what happened.

Michelle's look comes out and she has made this long coat with a really long train. It has a high militaristic neck, like she is so fond of, and a bubble wrap skirt. That skirt is really cool. Stanley's dress follows and it is this A-line dress with tons of body. The custom fabric makes up the entire dress, save for some black at the shoulders. The little faces look so cool all over the dress. There is an underskirt which gives some really beautiful volume and movement to the dress as well. Considering it's the read-to-wear look, this has a lot of drama. They are very happy with their team's output.

Afterwards, Heidi says that the show was amazing and she loved it. I'm not sure it was that great. The models return to the stage. Michelle says that she got a chance to make an over-the-top coat. Stanley takes credit for the idea of the bubble wrap. The judges love the print. Nina thinks that it's perfection. She says that word. Rachel says that the taste level of their team is the utmost. Nina asks who did what and it's interesting to see them parse out their duties.

Patricia says that she was trying to make a print with tribal colors. Nina can see what Richard was going for with the pleats in his skirt, but it looks like he struggled with the fabric. Nina kind of likes Patricia's dress, but she's not a fan of the presentation. Heidi loves Patricia's look, but she doesn't like Richard's.

Layana tells the judges that she was feeling really dark until Daniel and Tim told her to do what was comfortable to her, which is when she started having fun with her look. Daniel says that he was inspired by a sculpture and Layana told him to push the sexiness in his look, which he did. Heidi's says that Daniel's look is her favorite. Nina thinks that it looks great. Rachel thinks that he cut the blazer perfectly. Nina tells Layana that she could see that she struggled with her look. There's too much going on and it looks period. Tracy thinks that Layana's look is very Eliza Doolittle, which is amazing. Rachael thinks that it's Barbie meets Scarlett O'Hara. Heh. Heidi asks who should win from their team and Daniel thinks it should be him. Layana says that she doesn't think that his look would have been as successful without her there.

The designers go backstage while the judges confer. Backstage, it gets crazy. Layana starts bawling and says to Daniel that she can't believe he took credit for the garment that he made when she was just as responsible for it. He reminds her that he gave her lots of credit onstage but she doesn't fucking get it. Where's a falling chandelier when you need one? Is she KIDDING? Didn't she hear the judges talk about how immaculately the freaking jacket was cut? That doesn't belong to her. She didn't make the outfit, she consulted. He reminds her that she took credit for the avant-garde look and she says that was hers. So, she made both looks? He actually asks this and much credit to him for not just folding to some stupid crying girl. "Daniel, I feel so betrayed by you," she cries then gets held by Michelle as if she actually has a reason to cry. I don't know if I can handle her anymore.

By Jeff Long

The designers return to the stage and we hear that the Michelle/Stanley team is the winning team. Stanley is the winner! Awesome. Patricia and Richard are the losing team, which means Daniel and Layana are safe. Patricia is... crying. It's sad to see. Patricia is in. Richard hugs her before she walks offstage. He's totally a good sport about it. He interviews that it's sad to leave so close to Fashion Week. He and Patricia hug before he leaves for the workroom. Layana is the last one to say goodbye to him, which is annoying since she has been shit-talking him for ages. So much bad will for the remaining designers!

Jeff Long is a writer/performer in Brooklyn. He can be reached at jeff.long75@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @jblong.