The Fashion Show!

Ok kiddies, I've got a longggg one for you today. Since I have missed out on the last couple of weeks of my review on The Fashion Show, I decided to do it now on the day of the season finale...oh Project Runway please hurry and come on. Feel free to read it or pass it by. I did this mostly for fun and wanted to voice my point of view. Anyway, so last review I did was for episode 6. So I've got several to catch up on. Let's get started.

In episode 7 the designers are not only forced to work in pairs, some of them not favorable, but also they find out they are working for one of the most influentual designers in the field. Issac!!!



For the mini challenge, the designers picked spools of thread to see who their partners were. Once partnered they had to redress a gal who stayed out all night and did not want to do the walk of shame. The materials they had to use where the gal's original clothing and extras they found in two boxes they were allowed to loot.

Merlin and Johnny did away with their gal's original outfit and chose to wrap and drape a scarf around her to look like a new top. Her belt? Gone, but that belt buckle stayed and was turned into a brooch. Haven and Anna decided to cut the poor gal's stockings and take them off, add a sweater and a scarf to cover her up and bit and there ya have it, instant working girl...er I mean working girl in an office environment. Oh nevermind. Moving on. Lidia and James-Paul decided to reverse the tank tops their girl was wearing, added a jacket, added a scraf, and added a skirt on top of pants she was wearing making them into leggings...lucky bastards. Reco and Daniella, had very little to work with. But Reco came up with the idea putting a blouse on her and to use a scarf to make a new dress for her since there was a lack of bottoms for their gal. Daniella wasn't really for it, but in the end the judges seemed to like it. In the end Johnny and Merlin won and their prize...a few minutes of Issac's time to get more help on their main challenge, which is designing a piece for Issac's upcoming collection.

Tempers flared as designers squabbled over their designs and what would work with what, but in the end, all the teams finished their outfits and made it to the fashion show. First up was Reco and Daniella. Reco did not like Daniella's work and basically said he'd feed her to the dogs if they didn't win. Daniella felt her items were fine but doubted Reco's blouse. James-Paul and Lidia were next. Lidia was in awe of their design, but James-Paul felt very uneasy about it. He felt Lidia's dress did nothing for the outfit and it ruined the whole look of the outfit. Haven and Anna were both excited about their outfit. It had color and flare and pulled straight from Issac's thoughts. Merlin and Johnny, also very happy. Their look brought in Issac's love, the plaid, and a pop of bright color to match. Judgement time.

Johnny and Merlin along with Haven and Anna were to two top picks of the night. Their use of color and texture won the judges over. However, one team's outfit won them over just a little more.



Haven and Anna were the winners of the night and will get their outfit made into an actual garment for sale. Click on the picture to be taken there.

The remaining teams of Reco and Daniella along with James-Paul and Lidia awaited their fate. The judges didn't like Reco and Daniella's lack of color and creativity. They also disliked the plaid on James-Paul's jacketing saying it lent itself closer to Burberry and the dress was just unexcuseable. The judge conversed and when they returned they inform Reco and James-Paul that they had another week on the show, but Daniella and Lidia had stand they ground. After explaining to the two their mishaps with their clothing and the choices they made with their clothing, the judges told them they made up their mind. Daniella was asked to stay and Lidia was told she'd be going home. I was so sad to see Lidia go. For the most part she had very interestint designs. I think the stress of the competition got to her and caused her to lose her footing. I hope we see more from Lidia in the future.

In episode 8, the designers take a history lesson.



We start the show off with a designer history test. I was actually shocked to see so many of the designers did bad on this test. You would think they would make it their duty, their passion to learn more about the original inventors of fashion. My girl Anna did her homework, and I was very happy to see that. I think that is why she has never been in the bottom two. She knows fashion. She lives it. She breathes it. She eats it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So woo hoo to her for winning. And as her winning prize, she gets to decide who gets to pay homage to who...is that whom to whom? Hummm. Anyway, so she picks one of her favorites for herself, Haven, and Daniella it seems and then with the guys it seems she kind of tries to trip them up...especially Reco, poor thing. So off the designers went to the fabric store for their ammo.

In the sewing room the guys see its male against female in this competition, or at least that's how Merlin sees it. He works to get the other guys on his side and it seems to have worked. Tricky devil. It seems the running theme in the show is for everyone to cast doubt on everyone. Guys are leery of girls, girls are leery of other girls, everyone is leery of themselves. It makes for great drama. Speaking of which, I think the show producers edit this show so much to make it more dramatic than it actually was. But anyway, moving on.

Fashion show time! Haven's outfit was first. The one thing that really upset me about Haven is she pulled the shirt out. I would have left it tucked in. It would have kept it looking more professional and so what if the hemlines didn't meet, I don't think she would have gotten much off for it. I think she screwed herself there. She could have also pulled the whole shirt out and it may have saved her there also. *sigh* And the pantsuit was kind of iffy to me. The pants just didn't look right.

Daniella's next. Loved her outfit. The pop of color was so nice, but I agree with what a judge says later, I would have liked to have seen a little more color with it. But I love what she did.

Anna was up next. Loved this outfit as well. I love the pleating on the skirt and the black and white. And I personally loved the jacket. Judges? Not so much. Oh well, they just don't know good fashion when they see it. ;-)

Reco is up next and his dress...disaster. Seriously, he made the model look horrid. She looked fat in that thing and she had a corseted waist. It was just sloppy and you could tell he didn't have direction with this. They color was lush though.

Johnny is up next. This outfit was very interesting and I liked it, but I feel it was more of his copying. He can repeat very well what he sees. But it doesn't pull away that this is a nice dress. Just wish it spoke more Johnny than versace, you know what I mean?

Jame-Paul is next and I was pleasant surprised. He make a beautiful garment and it didn't have those weirs droopy bags he's become known for. Why can't he produce that kind of work more often? Very nice.

Merlin is next, and I must say, I'm not loving it. It reminds me of a toga. Just seems a but off to me. I mean she's got a great figure but its hidden under mounds of fabric. I don't know, just seems weird to me.

So time to round up the designers and tell them of their fate. Three designers really stood out. Johnny, Daniella, and Anna. The judges thought all their outfits were nice, but felt only two were really good. Johnny and Daniella were the two up for the win.



In the end Johnny snagged his second win. Click on the picture to check out how to purchase this outfit. The three were safe for another week. Merlin and James-Paul were also safe. It was down to Haven and Reco. Haven tried to explain her vision and the untucked shirt while Reco, who was having a mini meltdown, was trying to explain he did the best he could by not knowing who Halston was. In the end Haven's lack of use of color, lack of shape, and just lack of using her knowledge sent her home, leaving a crying Reco hanging by a thread. Bittersweet indeed. We are getting closer and closer to a winner.


Well in episode 9 we get some interesting insight into how this competition is going to turn out.



First up we had the Harper's Bazaar mini challenge where the designers had to design livable lounging wear. The first thing that made me roll my eyes was Johnny. How could he not be more careful with this work? He knew a lot of was riding on this. Its the end of the competition, this is not time to act like you are in week one. He sliced right through his original work and then just so he'd have something to "present" he threw some fabric on the mannequin and called it a day. Just so sloppy. I think he would have gotten farther if he had at least attempted to make something cohesive. Maybe some bloomers or something that could be livable and just explain what happened to the top and that he tried to at least have something well made to show them. If you haven't learned by now, I do not hide the fact that I don't like Johnny or his work. And I don't like that other designers went home before him. The first time he would have said "Send me home." I would have sent his rear packing. Ugh!

Now James-Paul, he's another one that should have gone home already. Ok, maybe I am just not thinking outside the box, but come on!!! His work is just so weird. What woman would be caught dead wearing pants that look like sacks hanging off of them? They say this show is for about fashion for real people, but its truly not. They love what James-Paul puts out and well honestly I could see a celeb wearing it to be different or those of us with deep pockets, but I don't truly see them as "real people". Yes, they put the pants on one leg at a time and *gasp* they have their "irregular" moments, but still they are not "regular" people. Regular people to me are people like you and I who don't have their name on billboards or own 50 yachts. It kind of puts me off that "regular people" are seen as the rich and famous. So what are we then? The common folk? When I look at James-Paul's stuff, that is the only thing I can think is that we are common folk, because I can't see a normal person walking down the street in what he designs. His lounge wear was suppose to represent something his grandmother would wear. I am sure his grandmother would wear normal looking pants and the top is so skimpy I just don't see an elderly lady wearing it. Nope, not seeing it at all.

Merlin's outfit wasn't bad to me. I liked the look and I think its very comfy looking and livable looking. But then again, I am common folk. ;-) No, but seriously, I think it was cute and it looked like a pull back from like the 60s. I could see someone lounging in that. I think the pants gave it a lot of livability because a woman could go out to get her mail...whoops almost typed male but I guess she could do that too lol, she could water her flower on the porch, she could sit by the pool reading and she would be covered and modest while being relaxed and comfortable. So I don't think he deserved the lashing he got.

Reco and Daniella both got it for the jumpsuit. Once again, I think they were livable. Now I didn't really like the shape of Daniella's or the color of Reco's, but they were still nice.

But my favorite did have to be Anna. I am so loving Anna in this competition, minus a few items. LOL! But she is the one I am so rooting for to win this. Her work is stylish and has an old soul twist to it. Loves it.



Her little baby doll top with bloomers was the winner and I have to agree on their choice. I would have bought that in a heartbeat. Its so cute and it looks comfy too. Win-win if you ask me. Yeah Anna! Her garment is going to be sold in Saks Fifth Avenue as a companion to the robe that was the background of this challenge. Impressive!

So next the designers went to a psychic. Johnny was the first to go. LOL! He picked the Six of Swords and was told he'd be travelling. This sent the other designers into a fit of shocked laughter. LOL! Loved it. Can you tell who I hoped was going home? Ok, nothing against him, he's just another person who's "vision" I just can't see and wanted to go home. I don't like any of his work and I think his work is for a select group of people.

Reco and Daniella got some nice fortunes told about them which I thought was right for them. Then James Paul got his reading where she told him he to listen to his inner voice and it will guide him to make beautiful things BUTTTT he needed to be more practical. When she told him this he gave a look like "whatever" while the other designers gave a look like they agreed with the psychic. I don't think he listened to her. Don't you know that you don't go against a psychic's words?!? Or so I've been told. ;-)

Anna got a nice reading as well and I think she's going to be the one to beat in this competition, I really do. But omg, when Merlin pulled the same card as Johnny, and knowing what I know now, omg soooooo creepy. Sooooo creepy. *shivers* This is why I will NEVER go to a psychic. I'm worried she will tell me something horrible is going to happen and well I just know it will come true. So yeah, she told Merlin he was going somewhere too. He did not like that at all. Weird that they start and finish with the same card. They must have edited that because I can't believe for a second it worked out like that. But yeah, very creepy. And when she said everyone would be surprised, she wasn't kidding. I was so angry that Merlin left instead of the one he was up against. I literally gasped in shock. Ahhhh!!! Those judges need to be sent home!!! Oh and I loved Johnny's smug look. Umm hummm, this just proves that you shouldn't toot your own horn when you are no better off than someone else is. Remember that kids.

Ok, so the fashion, the only one I didn't really like was James Paul's outfit. And oh my, could it be, I really liked Johnny's outfit this time. I liked the color combos and I loved the cage on top of the skirt. But I didn't like his out right confessions of knocking off other designers. I know art creates art, but damnit all, make it your own somehow. Don't out right steal another person's design and call it your own.

In the end it was Merlin and James-Paul up on the chopping block. I still think that the judges are smoking something because they kept James Paul and sent Merlin home. How is what James Paul created forgivable? He had two droopy sacks on the woman's shoulders and a big droopy diaper looking sack on the back. I see where he was going with the back part with bustle but he failed failed failed failed failed. Now Merlin's outfit has some issues too. The outfit did have a lot going on, and the shape did lack something in the bottom of the pant. Perhaps he should have stuck with just simple sweatpants but kept the color details. The maybe the jacket would have saved him. I liked the jacket, but add everything else in and it did get complicated. I can tell Merlin has style, just this time he slipped up.



Winner for the week was Anna. Click the picture to see how to purchase this outfit. I must admit I was not sold completely on this dress. I don't really like the circus look that the skirt has, but it seems the circus look is in this year if you look at Erin Fetherston's Fall fashion line. So, who knows. I do like that it kept the woman's figure with the cinched in waist. A version of her outfit is for sale in two different colors. The one from the show in a pink/red combo and one in a blue/green combo.



On to episode 10...and then there were 5. Ok, so jumping right in, we have the Harper's Bazaar mini challenge that ends up being a fabric draping challenge. The designers must use two yards of silk fabric, 12 pins, and their draping skills to make a beautiful outfit. The five designers set forth and pinned their little hearts out. Johnny already knew he wouldn't do good in this because as he said "he doesn't do pretty". What he did wasn't all that bad, but it wasn't draping. James-Paul just seemed to throw the fabric up on the mannequin and pin before it fell off. Reco's was nice I think. It was sexy and I could see it being worn on any lovely lady on the red carpet. Anna's of course I loved as well as Daniella's. I see why Daniella won, she seemed to control the fabric more and it was more form fitting. So I gotta give it to her on that. After this, the designers learn for their main challenge they are going to make a evening gown. But first, we need a little help from our friends. Enter Haven, Angel, Keith, Andrew, and Merlin. These five lovelies were brought back from the fashion dead to help our final designers make their evening gown. Since Daniella won the mini challenge she got first dibs. Red Rover Red Rover send Haven right over. Reco insisted this was a mistake on Daniella's part, but I thought otherwise. Who best to help you complete something than your best bud. The rest of the pairing was Anna/Keith, James Paul/Merlin, Reco/Andrew...for company, and Johnny/Angel. Oh I was so pissed at how he reacted to being paired with Angel. She made some good stuff and the previous week's stuff is the only thing I liked of what Johnny made. Jerk!

Hummm, so Anna is picking a LARGE floral print for her dress, Daniella is opting for gray tones, James Paul is going for a velvet, Reco is using Victoria Beckham as his muse, and Johnny has decided to use a dress he's seen before as his muse.

Now I am kind of upset at Angel. She was there to help Johnny and she didn't when it really counted. She should have told him that he needed to line the dress in silk instead of taffeta. Now I am not sure if this was editing where she said yes to something else and not his lining question. If she was saying yes to something else then I retract what I just said. You just can't tell with these shows, they want to make it seem dramatic so they will edit it how they feel. So Issac comes in to do his look over and he has successfully managed to rattled everyone's nerves. Loves it. :-D And quick question, why does Merlin's hair look like a duck tail? Anyone?

Ok, so morning of the fashion show comes and Kelly calls to tell everyone to look sharp. I feel Johnny and Daniella miss that mark, but I digress. Moving on, fashion show time! Ok the thing that makes me giggle is how before the show Johnny says no can do what he does. LOL! Umm...yeah I'll clear that one up in a bit. So the end of the show, the designers are rounded up to learned their fates. There were two designers that stood out. Anna and Daniella. Their dresses floored the judges, and I must admit they did me too. At first I didn't really like Anna dress, but it grew on me.



Daniella won and will have her dress made into an actual garment. Click to the picture to see how to buy it. Also her and Anna won the first two spots in the final two.

This left Reco, James-Paul, and Johnny standing alone. One designer was quickly put out of their misery. Reco's dress...which Johnny whispered under his breath was ugly, also one a place in the final 4. This left James-Paul and Johnny. James-Paul's dress this time didn't unnerve me as much as his other creations. It seemed actually interesting to me. Perhaps if it was done in a soft fabric it would have flowed better. Johnny's dress was actually pretty, but his statement about no one doing what he does is proven wrong here as the dress is show to be a knock off of a Lanvin original. He foolishly stands there saying he didn't know he was knocking it off. Umm, he used the dress as his muse. He know what he was doing and all through the show he talks about how he knocks off people. I don't like people like that, stealing original thoughts from other people and passing it off as their own. Messed up from the floor up, seriously. And then he started blaming Angel for not telling him it was knock off. Like it was her responsibility to tell him this. I don't think so Johnny my boy. He wants to place blame on anyone but himself. In the end they just weren't buying it and Johnny was gone. James-Paul gave a tearful thank you to the judges, and it was a group hug for the final four. Johnny had some final words for the show. He felt knockoff was a bad word and they it wasn't a knockoff, just a very similar dress. Direct definition of a knockoff: To copy or imitate, especially without permission: knocking off someone else's ideas. Humm...not a knockoff? On to episode 11.



Still with me? Great. Ok last review for now since the final show is TONIGHT!!! I can't wait!!! Ahhhhh!!! Ok, on with the review.

So we start off with our 4 designers returning to NY with their 10 garment collection. Daniella shows up first talking about how she's the youngest and how she feels she deserves to win. Anna follows explaining how she started making clothing in high school and saw this was her passion and she realized she wanted to make nice things for people to wear. Reco showed up next explaining how he was going to win this, he had no doubt in his mind. James-Paul was last saying how he was thinking outside the box when it came to his fashion and he felt that America was ready for his thinking and fashion sense.

Everyone kind of eyed each other's lines with looks of "What were they thinking?" etched across their face. Everyone managed to cast doubt in everyone else's mind. Issac and Kelly stroll in the wish them well and drop the bombshell that America will see 4 fashion shows but will only vote on 3. After the fashion show one person was going home.

Every did their fittings with the models. Reco was the only one who had an issue with his main item, and wedding gown that was to small even for the svelte of the group of models. He began to freak out a bit but did what any good designer does, he tore that bitch up and let it out some.

Day of the fashion show, each designer had there time to shine. First was Daniella. Now I watched this show twice and the first time around I rolled my eyes at her work. I honestly disliked it. But the second watching I saw that her stuff was actually quite nice. Beautiful even. And her song was cute too. I see she put a lot into this and I give her kudos for that. *snap snap*

Reco was next, his stuff was very interesting. I don't think I'd see myself wearing anything of his collection, but they were very nice to look at. I felt his collection was lacking a bit in the Reco. I didn't see a lot of him in there, more just accents of the culture he researched. I think he took a prime opportunity to really shine and put his personal "stink" on it and he just kind of let that go. I think he became a little too overconfident in his work and ability. He knew going into this last fashion that Daniella was a force to reckon with, but he insisted he had this in the bag.

Anna was next, loved loved loved loved loved her work. Though it is true what the judges say later, that there wasn't anything really pulling it together, I loved all her work. The rainbow dress was a big fave of mine. Also the navy blue dress with the wooden accent. She wove that fabric herself for that dress. In awe here. In awe. If she doesn't win tonight, I do hope we see her somewhere in the future. Here and Daniella are the two I am rooting for.

Next was James-Paul, he of course did his eccentric work again. Watching his fashion show was like watching an art show. He work is like art for sure. I do think it pretty, but its not fashion to me. I don't think I'd wear anything he made. One of the judges said they'd wear it in a heartbeat. *head scratch* Huh? No, seriously, huh? His work was just lacking in appeal to me, but he must have something going for him. Why do I say that? Because after the fashion show when it came down to it, Reco was sent home packing.

I think Reco should have stayed because he made fashion. He didn't interpret it. But the judges felt James-Paul had something to offer the world. I think his stuff was poorly done for fashion. Like I said, it was beautiful as art, but as fashion...not so much.

Whew that was a lot! But I loved doing this review for you. :-) So we are down to the final three. Anna, Daniella, and James-Paul. I voted for Anna a few times. I really liked her collection the best. But we will soon see tonight...only 1 more hour to wait for me, who will be the next big fashion designer. Can't wait! But then I will be fashion show less...at least for another couple of weeks. I will soon be reviewing Project Runway for you. So do check back for that. Hope you enjoyed this review, and I hope your favorite wins tonight.



Bravo channel at 10 pm tonight people. Be there!

Loves ya,
Mouse