The name of the game for PRAS this season is PREDICTABILITY. My bigger issue is that the designers actually seem to be on board with this theme too. Each week, the eliminated designer seems to be all “rainbows and sunshine” about their exit. It’s as if they’ve all signed a contract, which gives them a chance to be on the show again, gain some exposure, a little relevancy. And in return they act their part for a few weeks. However, all but one knows their not truly in the running for the win. Okay, so maybe 2, Dmitry & Sonjia, since they are constantly in the top.
But Jay leaving this week was written in stone, call it signed, sealed, and delivered. Anyone else in the bottom 3 leaving would have cured my predictability doubts, even Fabio despite the fact he is constantly in the bottom. However, it was all predictability this week, Jay out and Sonjia with another win.
But enough venting for the moment, let’s get to the challenge details for the week. Lisa Robertson, program host of QVC, joined Alyssa to deliver the details. This week was all about RTW and fashion forward looks. Each designer was to create 2 looks, a separates (RTW) ensemble, and the other, a fashion forward look that related to the RTW one. Lisa also informed the designers that the winning design, with the separates piece, that it would be manufactured and sold as a part of QVC’s Jilly line. Everyone was then off to Mood to quickly work away for this 1-day challenge with a $300 budget for both looks.
It’s insane that with so much to do and only 1 day to do everything in that the designers had to stop just to watch the PRAS judges ring the closing bell at NASDAQ. They seemed fine with it, but I think a few could have used this extra time! But back in the workroom, both Helen & Sonjia struggled with their initial directions. All while Jay had so many thoughts & looks busting out all over the place — not really grasping his separates look could only include 2 pieces.
Next up, Zanna-time. She urged everyone to focus on the difference between art & commerce. This episode was of course supposed to be all about the business of fashion. Zanna could instantly tell Sonjia hadn’t sketched. It seemed it wasn’t until model fittings that Sonjia found her true direction. Dmitry was having some lack of fabric issues. This week definitely made clear some designer tensions. It seems Dmitry & Fabio have always been in a little head to head competition. But now we have a Sonjia versus Helen battle going on. And Michelle seems to throw shade at everyone so I guess that means it’s Michelle versus the workroom. So funny how she thought Helen should focus on her own work this week, yet how many comments does she constantly have for everyone each week!
It was soon time for the morning of the runway. Jay scrapped his RTW look and decided to make 2 new pieces in 2 hours! Crazy! And we saw some more tense vibes between Sonjia & Helen. This week, the guest judges were Lisa Robertson and top Hollywood stylist George Kotsiopoulos.
Sonjia being in the top and this week’s winner came as no surprise. She had the most positive review from the judges. In fact, they specifically said she was the only one who nailed the RTW challenge. Being that the big prize this week was centered around QVC and RTW, it was a “duh moment” that Sonjia would win. I’m not sure if I would really peg this as RTW. The lace blouse is great and I believe many women could and would want to wear this. I’m not as positive about the geometric cut-out skirt.
And this fashion forward look was not Sonjia’s finest work. I believe it was Georgina who took most issue with this cowl-neck dress, saying it was riddled with mistakes and looked heavy. I agree. Her RTW piece was stronger. But this needed more work!
The pieces did connect. I’m just not so head over heels with these square cutouts. Sonjia took awhile to find her direction this week and I think she lucked out here with her win. She played it too safe and her being in the top made sense, just not sure about the win.
Helen was near the win this week and it was definitely good TV with the dramatic back and forths between her & Sonjia. I thought Helen’s work though was more deserving of the win. I’m not sure if I agreed with George. I think many women could wear this RTW piece. And I think it was way more RTW than Sonjia’s. I think more women would want to and could wear this. It seemed way more commercial.
QVC shout-outs for both looks, loving these awesome heels!
My biggest criticism for Helen was maybe her fashion forward looked lacked a bit of umpf. It’s a great black dress, but I’m not sure how fashion forward it is. But don’t get me wrong, I would wear it in a heartbeat. For Helen not doing RTW and being more of an eveningwear designer, I think she did well with these 2 pieces.
Both looks had class and elegance. They were simplicity at its best, but great attention to detail. Michelle claimed to know all about what women want, but I think Helen made it clear she knew way more!
Dmitry was the final member of the top 3. The judges seemed unclear about which look was fashion forward. I could see that, at least with the jacket here for Dmitry’s RTW ensemble. But a bit of an edgy back cut-out jacket does not alone make the entire look fashion forward. He’s paired it with a basic pencil skirt and made use of some lace applique. Lace is all the rage nowadays, very commercial and I think it makes perfect sense for RTW. I wish though Dmitry had made a blouse instead of the jacket. I think it would have worked better. But the pairing of the jacket with this skirt, something was off for me. It was a bit too much.
Another QVC shout-out, lovin’ these black killer heels too!
Lace overboard here! There could have been a bit more coverage, but how often nowadays are we seeing sheer effects or high slits. Dmitry likely knows this and knows not all women have an issue with it. He also played again with asymmetry, making this look one-shoulder, which is all the rage on the red carpet right now, at the height of awards season.
Chi hair-care shout-out, love this this chic high ponytail!
Dmitry’s looks definitely had a connective thread. I think he too knows what women want and how to dress women who want to feel sexy, and look confident.
I hate to say this, but it pleased me so much to see Michelle in the bottom 3 this week. We are nearing the end of the season and it’s time to start picking who I would want to see win and who I wouldn’t want to see win. Michelle is the latter for me. I’m over her know it all attitude. She claimed to know what women would want to wear. She knew the end goal was to sell on QVC with her RTW look. Yet she goes for this ghastly printed fabric?? It literally makes no sense. Prints can be great, but are very hard to wear. I could see going with a print for maybe the top or the bottom, but then to do it for both, puh-lease! This is not a look that a wide variety of women would want to wear and if Michelle doesn’t see that, something is wrong!
And then what was with this pj-esque dress. I just don’t get out anyone could be so excited over this look. I’m glad the judges were not fooled. I don’t see her being eliminated next week, but I can always hope right!
Michelle & Fabio I believe have a similar problem, They both like to design too much for what they like and would want to wear. They have clear visions and aesthetics, but I don’t think they grasp a mass appeal!
Mary Kay shout-out, love this bold beauty look, dreamy smoky eyes, dramatic burgundy lip, and bronzed cheeks!
Fabio was extremely close to being eliminated this week. Although since it was time in Jay’s predictability contract to be out, he really had nothing to worry about! But I felt as if Isaac was over his artsy, conceptual vibe. Despite his multiple bottom 3 appearances, I guess the majority of the judges still felt as if they wanted to see more art than design. Fabio probably has the clearest designer aesthetic of all the remaining designers. I don’t care for it and it’s definitely not QVC. Unless he does something drastic next week, my guess is he is next out. Especially after hearing Isaac’s deservedly parting words this week. If Fabio lands in the bottom again, outside of another designer sending an unfinished garment or naked model down the runway, Isaac would not allow Fabio to receive yet another chance.
And not sure what universe this tye-dye arts & crafts project could be deemed fashion forward. This was not the challenge to make your own print. Fabio not seeing that, big problem. But the bigger problem is Fabio thought he did some grand thing by splattering paint on white fabric. It wasn’t. It’s tye-dye. I’m sure he had a grander concept, but again, 1 day, 2 looks, this was not the time for going to over the top with art & being conceptual.
His “fashion forward” look actually reminded me of his final collection for his original stint on PR. I was not a fan of that, nor this. Fabio clearly can’t separate being conceptual and wanting to be artistic from what each week’s given challenges are. We shall see if he can pull a rabbit out of his cap next week!
Even if it was time in Jay’s contract, haha, not letting that go, maybe that would explain these crazy pants! I mean, what other explanation could there be! Jay did himself no favors here. I can’t give much kudos to a basic grey tank top so we are left to focus on the pants. That does nothing to help Jay with not being eliminated. Love the QVC accessories though! Also, Chi hair care shout-out, superbly straight & great hair!
But really, these pants on QVC, mass appeal, no way!
And then Jay actually says he has never worked with red??? Hmmmm, doubt that! But if it were true, why would you choose that color then. I’ve heard designers say I don’t do RTW, couture, avant garde, unconventional, but a color?? Come on Jay. And then this look was definitely not without some execution issues.
Great Mary Kay beauty looks!
But just not enough to overcome some not so great looks. Jay clearly spent way to much time on the back and forth with the RTW and kind of let both looks go downhill. Even Georgina said it was as if he had given up — hmmm, makes the mind wonder right!
