Under the Gunn: Team Mondo (Episode 3)

OK, quick-style, Team Mondo. The weakest team, but had the winner in it. Let's see the tapes. 

 

 

 Asha

 



I love the back of this dress. I love like the front of it. But it does kinda look like a gown that had the front chopped off of it with scissors. I would like it a lot more as a gown or, preferably, as a cocktail dress. Also lose the weird peplum down into the seaming detail, straighten the hem and make it a short dress in a more expensive, less papery fabric, and you've got something. But as is, it's a middle entry. Also, I am concerned that her aesthetic might just be this sporty, body-baring dress that we've seen before. I guess we'll find out.

 

Camila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really didn't think this was the worst entry, or the least promising. I could see it being in the low scores, although it wasn't in my worst three looks, I hated Nicolas's design more than this. The front is as simple as simple gets, but it's kind of chic. It's a nice silhouette. The back isn't perfectly constructed, but it's the germ of an interesting idea. And I can see her woman, even if I'm not sure it's a red carpet dress so much as a cocktail party dress. But compare it with Michelle and...Rebecca? Stephanie, who were also in the bottom, and it could be a challenge winning look. I don't get why it got Camila sent home, I really don't.

 

Michelle

 

 

 



 

It's a pretty colour. Other than that, all wrong. I've seen the gem-like pleating technique before, and done way better. The back of the top is kind of pretty, but other than that, it's just an ugly, overconstructed mess. And don't get me started on the "diamond in the muff" (it's British slang for lady area, OK? Diamond in the rough? Oh whatever, forget I said anything, she's got a shiny vagina, better?) The whole silhouette is unflattering and I'm a little frightened to ask why she has an ass-flap. It was bottom-two all right, but not quite as bad as Stephanie's so she deserved to stay, although a double elimination wouldn't have been the end of the world. She really needs to step it up in the next challenge. Wait.....she won it, you say? Okay, good.

Sam
 

This was a very good candidate for the win. At the time I said I preferred Shan's, but I have no objections whatsoever to this winning. Strange, because I don't really understand the fashion world's love for jumpsuits, but the thing is, if the right girl came down the red carpet in this, I'd put it on the best-dressed list. And that was my interpretation of what success in this challenge was.  Mix of fabrics is excellent, and the silhouette's modern and flattering. Also styled very well. OK, he's the winner of this challenge. Nice job.

Under the Gunn: Team Nick

So, Team Nick, the most ignored team, with 3 being in the middle and 1 in the bottom. There were some good looks coming from Team Nick, but the problem was.....well, we'll get there. One thing I'll say is, there might be a theme to these critiques.

Isabelle

To me, this was the epitome of a high middle look. Chic, expensive-looking, and with some very nice details, like the cowl neck and the back of the top. I don't like the slit in the skirt, I think I'd rather have a lower side-slit than a high gaping back slit, although it gives the dress nice movement. And the colour, honestly you'd have to have this girl's colouring to wear it. On this particular model's skintone, it sings. But imagine it on a lighter-skinned girl, or even a girl with Beyoncé's colouring. It would be a disaster. And it's kind of mature looking, so it's a weird blend of old and young that's just slightly jarring. It's a pretty dress, and actually a pretty good dress, but it isn't risky enough and nor is it perfect enough to be considered for the win as-is. Also, if you told me Nick had designed and made this himself, I'd believe you.

 

Natalia

It's a very pretty gown, in fact probably among the easiest of all the looks this week to get on a celebrity on a red carpet. Good movement, really nice construction, a decent and red-carpet-appropriate amount of sex appeal and a perfect balance of classic and modern. The gold details are really helping. But if you told me Nick had designed and made this himself, I'd believe you.
 

Oscar

Nice gown. Beautiful colour. But it's too old-fashioned. Between the skirt silhouette, the train and the halter neck it just doesn't feel modern. The hair isn't helping either. The straps in the back are nice, but that's just about the only interesting detail. And the top is either badly cut or pulling to one side. Either way, it's not perfectly constructed. And if you told me this was a Nick reject, I'd believe you.

Stephanie

DISASTER! For the hideous colour and fabric choices, I would have sent her home. Then for choosing this silhouette, I would have sent her home. For overconstructing the hell out of a fabric that really doesn't stand up that well to these techniques, I would have sent her home. And finally, for styling the model for prom, I would have sent her home one more time. This was easily the worst design, and the one that I would have eliminated. There are two words that really spring to mind here. One is dated. The other is prom. Everything about it is saying she's 50 pretending to be 15. There's really nothing here worth saving, and she really has to step it up in the next episode.

As for me saying 3 of them could be Nick's gowns, I'll give him a chance. He is an evening gown designer, so in an evening gown challenge I guess it's kinda to be expected. But I have no sense of who any of these people are as designers, and I got at least a vibe from most of the others. There was a feeling in the episode that Nick was a bit of a heavy-handed mentor, and that could well be the case.

Under the Gunn: Team Anya

OK, I'm back, and were not in New York any more, Toto. We're in LA, and it's TOTALLY NOT what happened when Project Runway saw the success of The Voice. And The Face. And in Britain we have The Taste too. No, it's actually a breath of fresh air, and I've loved the first three episodes. Talent level is good, format needed this shakeup and d'you know, Anya is making a good mentor. Who'da thought? Nick and Mondo were always gonna be popular choices, but it remains to be seen how the mentoring will actually work. They had the first real head-to-head runway in the last episode, and the highest-scoring team, with 2 designers in the top 3 and the other two safe, was team Anya. I'd have to agree. So let's go.

Blake

This leaves me with more questions than answers. Mainly: why do I like this so much? There's something very sweet and ethereal about it, but he was very smart about it, because it's not too sickly. The unfinished edges certainly help, although I wish he'd finished some, because with all the edges raw it doesn't necessarily look deliberate. I love the top, love the silhouette and like the fabric, although girlme would never wear it. The straps in the back are nice, and I like that they give it a little touch of asymmetry which throws the whole look slightly off-balance. A good entry, and a deserved high score.

 Brady

 

OK, it's ambitious and interesting. I think the fabric is what's throwing me, because when I look past the ugly fabric I quite like both pieces. Thing is, I kinda wonder how much he's being inspired by Anya, because a lot of this is very her. That said, the more I look at it, the more I like it. Very relaxed but kinda chic. The bareness works, especially in the back, and I'm starting to like the fabric. But on impact, it's not nearly as good, and red carpet is a lot about impact. A look that grows on you the more you look at it may well end up on the worst-dressed list. And no-one wants that. It's not worthy of the top, but it's not bad.

Nicholas

 

This could have possibly been on the bottom. It's quite sloppy, the silhouette is crazy-unflattering, there's no real construction skill on show here and the dress just isn't that interesting. It's been done, and done better. Also, it's ugly and styled horribly. We done? Good.

 

Shan 

 

(Sorry, still figuring out the kinks in the software, the pictures refused to co-operate.)

 In terms of looking at it once vs. really studying it, this is the exact opposite of Brady's design, also made up of wild-printed separates, but very different. A lot about this really appealed to me on impact. LOVE the print, it's gorgeous. Love the mix of fabrics, it really ups the chicness factor. And the pants are cut beautifully. Construction-wise, it's a mixed bag. The matching of the print is an incredible feat, but then for some reason, he didn't manage to make the black lapels match, which should be the easy part. The tuxedo stripe on her left leg seems to be pulling, which is a bit unfortunate too. Also the jacket is a bit too boxy. I wish it had been sleeker, and it doesn't hang perfectly in the back. At first I was sure it was the winner, but I'm happy to see it in the top. It's a huge risk that mostly paid off for him, and I think he's the one to watch.

 

 Next up, team Nick.