Is Snoop Dog Changing His Name?

Just call him Snoop Lion.
Snoop Dogg, the veteran West Coast rapper, says he underwent a spiritual and artistic rebirth while making a new album in Jamaica last February. He abandoned rap as his preferred mode of expression, wrote more than a dozen songs in a traditional Reggae style and opened up to a documentary film crew about his long and sometimes violent journey from teenage gang member to a middle-aged hip-hop superstar. Along the way, he says, he shed the name and persona of Snoop Dogg and was rechristened Snoop Lion by Rastafarian priests.
“I have always said I was Bob Marley reincarnated,” Snoop told a crowd of reporters at a news conference at Miss Lily’s, a Caribbean restaurant in New York. He added: “I feel I have always been a Rastafari. I just didn’t have my third eye open, but its wide open right now.”
The news conference was to release the first single from the album “Reincarnated,” which was written and recorded over three weeks in Jamaica.
Wearing a Rasta knit cap, sunglasses and a Kobe Bryant jersey, Snoop held forth about positivity, good vibrations and being “called by the spirit” to begin singing Reggae. Now that he had reached the midpoint of his life – he turned 40 last year– he said he wanted to renounce violence and write in the Reggae genre, which he called “music of love.” The new songs, he said, might give him “a chance to perform for kids and grandkids,” something he felt his work as a rapper would not let him do.
Snoop described his decision to do the album as a spiritual revelation, but others involved in the project said it was, in fact, carefully planned and executed.
He brought along the hit-maker Diplo to produce the tracks and hired a team of three songwriters, led by Angela Hunte, who wrote “Empire State of Mind,” the 2009 hit for Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. He also had in tow a group of documentary filmmakers from Vice Media, led by the producer Codine Williams and the director Andy Capper. The album, his 12th, will be released later this year by Vice Records. The film, also entitled “Reincarnated,” will make its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
There was more than a whiff of midlife crisis in Snoop’s remarks. He said he was tired of being a hip-hop artist, of the young man’s macho bluster inherent in the form, and he felt the songs he had done so far did not reflect the wisdom he had gained from being a 40-year-old father of three.
“There comes a point where you say I done it all, or there isn’t much more to do,” he said. “This was like a rebirth for me.”
“Rap is not a challenge to me,” he said. “I had enough of that. It’s not appealing to me no more. I don’t have no challenges. I’m ‘Uncle Snoop’ in rap. When you get to be an uncle, you need to find a new profession so you can start over and be fresh again. I want to be a kid again.”
Yet, when asked, Snoop stopped short of saying he would never make another rap album.
Snoop said he experienced a religious epiphany early on in his trip when he visited a Nyabinghi temple in Scotts Pass, in the Clarendon section of the island. A trailer for the documentary showed him smoking marijuana with Rastafarian priests, who renamed him Lion. There were then more scenes of Snoop meeting local people, smoking weed, climbing in the hills. “This is paradise,” he says on the film.
The rapper said he then set out to make a traditional album of what he called “true Reggae music,” gritty and unpolished, with roots extending back to Rocksteady musicians like Ken Boothe and Alton Ellis. “We wanted it to feel like a record out of a 1970s collection,” he said. “When you look back you give respect and love and that is what this record is all about. It’s about giving homage to those who created Reggae music.”
For the first time, Snoop sings most of the songs on the new album and does very little rapping, Diplo said. The album is also a departure for him lyrically, as he takes a more peace-loving approach to life and politics than he has in the past. One song, for instance, “No Guns Allowed,” is a plea for the banning of handguns, a position he says he has finally come around to.
“I have always wanted to make a song that could really stand for something,” he said. “I could never make a song called ‘No Guns Allowed’ because I was supposed to be a gangsta.”

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Travel Tuesday: Seychelles

Today is Travel Tuesday and I am proud to say that this post marks #100 for my blog.  Maybe I can celebrate in Seychelles.

I would love more than anything to escape here…daydreaming about it right now.  Paradise on Earth

Located far off the coast of Africa, Seychelles is known for its paradise like islands, its white powdery beaches and warm azure water. The Seychelles, the name alone conjures up images of hidden treasure and tropical paradise. The myths still exist; are they just the jewel-like scattered remnants of a forgotten continent, or simply the original ‘Garden of Eden’, and what arcane mysteries are locked inside of those 650 million year old rocks.

 The History

From the end of the 16th century until 1730, the Seychelles remained the secret hiding place for pirates.

1974-1811 Sovereignty of the islands fluctuates between England and France, several times.

1835- The first telegraph cable is laid, between Mahe and Sansibar.

1893- England abolishes slavery on the islands, granting 4000 slaves their freedom.

1903- The Seychelles break away from the Mauritius colony, and become a separate colony under British rule.

1972- Opening of the International Airport, built by the British Government.

1976- On 29th June 1996, the Seychelles became an Independent republic.

1977- Albert Rene seizes power in the coup d’etat.

1982/1983- The atoll of Aldabra and Vallee de Mai are included in the list of World Heritage sites.

1993- The Republic of the Seychelles in made into a multiparty state, and Albert Rene is democratically voted President, having been in office since 1977.

The People

 The people of the Seychelles are the same as their lifestyle, warm and friendly. 200 years ago the islands were still uninhabited, and the staging ground for pirates. The inhabitants of today are a mixture of African, Asian and European.

The official languages in the Seychelles are Creole, English and French. Creole is often spoken amongst the locals, with English being the administrative language.

   The attitude of the inhabitants is very relaxed, enjoying life in paradise to the full, the way life was intended to be spent.

The Climate

 The Seychelles are located just south of the equator providing a tropical climate, meaning all year round high humidity levels and an average temperature between 25 and 30 ^oC.

   The time difference between night and day throughout the year hardly changes. Sunset is between 6:00 and 6:30pm, and sunrise usually around 6:00am. Unlike in the European countries night falls very fast, within a matter of minutes the sun has set and darkness has fallen. The Seychelles are within the southern hemisphere offering a totally different night sky, which will amaze and fascinate any European visitors.

The seasons on the Seychelles are controlled through the wind direction of the Monsoons. Between November and April the Northwest Monsoon is in control, and from May to October it is the turn of the Southeast Monsoon, which brings with it dry air, strong winds and rough seas.

   On Mahe the south-western beaches are effected the most, with the beaches of Beau Vallon being quiet at this time of year. On the south-western beaches of Praslin one must expect large quantities on seaweed which is washed upon the shores at this time of year.

Some beaches, for example those in the Southeast of La Digue, are only suitable for very good swimmers, and because of the strong underwater currents are very dangerous. Such beaches are, as a rule, not the hotel beaches and such locations are usually sign posted warning of the danger. The hotel staff or local people will be able to advice you which beaches are safe and which are not.

   Although the Monsoons bring with them strong winds and dangerous underwater sea currents, the Seychelles lie outside of the Cyclone zone.

If I ever get the chance to visit paradise I would like to stay at The Four Seasons Seychelles



This will be me one day



The fact is, sometimes it’s hard to walk in a single woman’s shoes. That’s why we need really special ones now and then to make the walk a little more fun

Funny that a pair of really nice shoes makes us feel good in our heads — at the extreme opposite end of our bodies.  There is just something about a nice, new pair of shoes.  If you are about to go shopping and indulge in some new footwear but are having trouble deciding which brand, style, color, etc...I give you the new fall trends in footwear.  Enjoy!

FLATS

Alexander McQueen Skull Ballet Flats



Barney's Leopard Calf Hair Smoking Slippers



Charlotte Olympia green kitty cat slipper flats

Loeffler Randall polka dot pony hair flats

Givenchy Leopard Flats

PUMPS AND SANDALS 

Gucci velvet ankle strap sandal

Prada blue suede lace up bootie

Rupert sanderson navy suede pumps

Alexander Wang Lina Yellow-Grey heel

Casadei bronze platform sandals

BOOTS

Fiorentini Baker Motercycle boots

Marc Jacobs Lace up Heel rain boot

Rebecca Minkoff Lizard lace up boots

YSL Brown knee high boot

Henry Beguelin Motorcycle boots

Robert Clergerie Brando Buckle Boot

“My shoes are special shoes for discerning feet.” -Manolo Blahnik

“You put high heels on and you change.” -Manolo Blahnik

“The secret of toe cleavage, a very important part of the sexuality of the shoe; you must only shoe the first two cracks.” -Manolo Blahnik

 “Aidan: Don’t take this the wrong way, but this place could use a little work.

Carrie: I know, but I can’t afford it.

Aidan: You’ve got eight thousand bucks worth of shoes over there.

Carrie: I needed those!” -Sex and the City

“A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.” -Anonymous

“I’ve spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live? I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!” -Sex and the City

Could Your Job Be Killing You?

Studies suggest that Heart attacks are up by 20% on Monday mornings and are most likely to take place between the hours of 4:00 and 10:00 a.m. on Mondays!  It is no surprise there’s a work and job related connection, but what exactly is that connection? Tom Rath and Jim Harter of the Gallup organization try to answer that question in their book, Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements.

“The extreme variation between a good weekend and a bad weekday might explain why heart attacks are more likely to occur on Mondays. This suggests a rough transition from Sunday to Monday that takes a physical toll. So when we transition from a leisurely Sunday, the least stressful day of the week, to Monday morning in a workplace where we are not engaged, it might damage our bodies in the process.”

So what exactly does this mean?

It means that your level of engagement with your work determines your levels happiness at work and even alters your blood and brain chemistry. In a Gallup study, involving 168 randomly sampled people who had to endure heart rate monitoring and daily tests of their saliva (to measure their levels of the stress hormone, cortisol), scientists discovered that employees with low levels of engagement were relatively unhappy throughout the day compared to highly engaged employees. For employees with low engagement levels, happiness increased gradually until quitting time, but even at their happiest, they merely reached the baseline happiness score of more engaged employees.  And not surprisingly, engaged employees were found to have similar happiness levels on working AND non-working days. In other words, they enjoyed their weekdays as much as their weekends!

Is having a good boss just as important as having a good doctor?

According to research, people report the time they spend with their boss as the worst part of their day.  But that’s not all: In a Swedish study of 3,000 workers, those who thought their managers to be the least competent had a 24% higher risk of serious heart problems. For workers who worked with that same manager for 4 years or more, the risk shot up to 39%.  In addition, according to Rarth and Harter: The most disengaged group of workers we have ever studied are those who have a manager who is simply not paying attention. If your manager ignores you, there is a 40% chance that you will be actively disengaged or filled with hostility about your job. If your manager is at least paying attention — even if he is focusing on your weaknesses — the chances of your being actively disengaged go down to 22%. But if your manager is primarily focusing on your strengths, the chance of you being disengaged is just 1%, or 1 in 100.
Actually, we don’t need research studies to tell us that being disengaged or at odds with your work can cause health problems. Stress is something you yourself can feel every day on your way to work; at the weekly department meeting; at the end of the month. Stress is not inherently bad. A certain level of stress is required for you to be energized and engaged with your work. The problem is when you’re close to the stress tipping point and your bloodstream is bathed in nasty stress hormones like cortisol which, instead of facilitating fight or flight, just sit there, slowly corroding your insides.

So what can you do?

If you are a manager:

Start with paying more attention to your actions and be mindful of the stresses you put on your people. Make sure you have 10 pleasant and positive interactions with each team member before that potentially unpleasant interaction (that may sometimes be necessary).

If you have just engaged your employee(s) in heavy bouts of exertion, tell them to go home early or give them a little time off. Let them have a chance to breathe and relax each day. Take them out for a 10 minute walk each day and model healthy behavior for them. Give them a say in how they do their job by setting clear objectives for them and then get out of their way (a.k.a. don’t micro-manage). Praise them frequently, give them details, and do it in public. Don’t make work so serious: encourage laughter and make things more fun.  Encourage an interruption-free environment (or at least designate 1 or 2 hours of the day for focused, interruption-free work). They don’t need 10 meeting a day to be updated so make meetings few and make them interesting.  Make sure you always explain WHY. Why does the company exist? Why does the department exist? Why is their task necessary and important? Note: “To make money” is not a complete answer to the question “Why?”

If you are a worker:

Don’t tolerate unhealthy stress levels at work. Take action!  Don’t stay quiet, talk to your manager about your stress-related concerns. Focus on your desire to be more productive, not less. Stress kills productivity. Develop healthy rituals like taking a 10 minute walk in the morning and afternoon. Take a 5-10 minute break after every 90-120 minutes of highly focused work. Go to the gym and balance your workouts with cardio and strength building. Eat healthy and energizing foods. Foster friendships and close relationships at work because when it comes down to it you see your co-workers more than your family or at least the same amount. Don’t take your work SO seriously by remembering that you are NOT your work. Get more sleep each night.  Engage in anonymous acts of kindness at work.  Develop your gratitude muscles and be thankful for everything you do have. Don’t indulge in complaining, you have the power and response-ability to take decisive action.

Fashion Forward Friday: Candy Couture

"Project Runway is already pulling out the big guns wiht the fan favorite unconventional material challenge.  Some of the unconventional materials from the past have included supermarket items, Times Square Hershey Store Goodies, party supplies, and the last season's starnge stretch: pet supplies (wee-wee pads anyone?).

Designers headed to Dylan's Candy Bar--a candy shop owned by Ralph Lauren's daughter, Dylan Lauren--for this week's sweet and tasty challenge. Designers received $250 to shop at the candy store to buy materials for their garments. Sticky, sugary treats aren't easy to work with, but designers did their best to turn licorice, taffy, and candy dots into true candy couture. Of course, with such difficult and unusual materials, the designers encountered quite a few problems. Cotton candy melted over night, licorice refused to be glued into place, and candy fell off on the runway.

As is usual with this challenge, some designers knocked it out of the park, and some designers fell down climbing the stairs out of the dugout. (It's baseball season, folks!) I was pleased to see most of the designers stocking up on the candy instead of heading for the fabric gewgaws like Lantie did. The minute I saw her go for the umbrellas, I knew that she was toast no matter HOW bad anyone else's was. And there was a lot of ugly going down that runway.

1. Ven Budhu (I would buy this)

Created a structured strapless dress with black outlines made of Twizzlers. He filled the negative space with crushed rock candy to create the illusion of stained glass.  This challenge freed him to use more graphical elements that would take a lot more time if made from real fabric. The asymmetrical V on the back of the skirt was amazingly butt-minimizing (not that his model needed that, but just sayin'), as was the placement of the abstract rose on the front. I loved it.

3. Lantie Foster (I wouldn’t wear this)

 No effort, no vision, no excitement—no nothing! Honestly, this look was kind of disrespectful for the challenge at hand. She pretty much just gave up. The judges had hardly any candy on the garment to judge and she had no one to blame but herself.

4. Andrea Katz (I would not wear this)

The Twister apron with a bustle that Andrea created was really confusing. It wasn’t flattering, the orange “1” on the front was distracting, and the styling felt very matronly. The back of her garment was not harmonious with the front and nothing about the look really said fashion to me.

5. Christopher Palu (I would wear this)

Christopher got immunity last week and even if he haden't he would have been safe.  He was going to go with pants but changed his mind and went with this simple yet cute little number. 

6. Alicia Hardesty (I wouldn’t wear this)

She created one-shoulder overall and tried to use colors to represent the Earth.  I do not like Jumpers or overalls.  She looks like Pebbles from theFlintstones all grown up.

7. Elena Slivnyak (I wouldn’t wear this)

WHOA. That’s what I said as Elena’s design turned the corner. The proportions of this dress made her model seem huge. She looked like a fettuccini football player. It was a very somber, poorly executed look.

8. Buffi Jashanmal (I wouldn’t wear this)

Her look was very costume-y and lacked any sophistication. I’m a big fan of bold colors, but even this was hard to stomach.

9. Dmitry Sholokov (I would buy this)

 I loved that Dmitri was able to capture a sense of movement in his dress. He was very thoughtful about the placement of his candy and I liked the exposed zipper in the back. I loved it.

10. Kooan Kosuke (I wouldn’t wear this)

I don’t think anybody could accuse Kooan of being timid in his designs. There were some really cool elements in his dress—I liked the placement of the candy on the front. But I think that he tried to use too many different types of candy and it became distracting. Sugar overload!

11. Gunnar Deatherage (I might wear this)

 I love a graphic, geometric pattern but there was a moment when I wanted to yell CHECKMATE! Although the silhouette was not the most innovative thing we’ve ever seen, I think that he was ambitious and coped well with the challenge. I would have liked Gunnar to have lined the peplum underneath so it would have been a bit more finished.

12. Nathan Paul (I might wear this)

His silhouette was interesting and there was definitely a sense of playfulness with the way Nathan used his candy. But I couldn’t get over how his model had to carry her skirt the entire time. It gave me a bit of anxiety thinking that this poor girl would lose her skirt mid-runway.

13. Sonjia Williams (I would wear this)

I loved her color palette and how she used the sharks in an asymmetrical swirly pattern that mimicked real sharks circling in the water. It was fresh and fun. The issue I saw was the aqua aprony things fore and aft on the skirt. I figured they would be the factor keeping her from the win.

14. Melissa Fleis (I wouldn’t wear this)

I can already tell that the tedious all-black color palette is going to be her obstacle in this competition. Setting that aside, I still didn’t like this look. The top fit poorly and the exposed stomach was tacky.

15. Raul Osorio (might wear it)

I was confused by the exposed midriff in Raul’s design, then the patchwork of different colors and candy types didn’t work for me. But he did manage to manipulate his materials to the point that it didn’t seem like candy at first glance.

16. Fabio Costa (I would wear this)

This silhouette was very safe and wearable but there were also some special details. I liked the gumball closures on the side and the ombre he achieved on the skirt. I loved the color too.

The judges

Liked:

For Ven, Heidi said he has great taste and it looks like a stunning dress and so flattering to her body.  Nina said it is refreshing and beautiful.  Michael said he loves the asymmetry and kept it clean and chic.  Dylan said he changed the candy and took it to an artistic level.  For Gunnar, Heidi said she likes what he has done and she looks quite chic.  Dylan said you accessorized everything and it is something we would use in our window.  Michael said you thought about it from head to toe and you thought about her body when you made it.  For Sonjia, Heidi said she likes the shape and she created a really pretty dress out of candy.  Dylan likes every angle of this dress and it's fun to look at. Michael said it is really well done.

Not so much:

 For Buffi, Heidi said she over-accessorized too much. Michael said she is like Toddlers & Tiaras gone berserk. Nina said it is a pink explosion of messiness.  For Lantie, Michael said the same problems she had on the last challenge is the same she has tonight. He feels she is a designer.  Dylan said she is disappointed it is not made out of candy.  Nina said at least it is not atrocious. For Elena, Heidi said it reminded her of her kids and it looks like a dress with noodles and it does not look pretty to her. Michael said she looks like Rigatoni Mad Max and it looks like she has no dimension to her body and she looks blocky.  Dylan said it is not creative and she likes color. Nina said it has no spirit and no fun.

Best Lines of the Night:

I don’t have the adequate words to tell you how completely underwhelmed I am by this.” (Tim to Andrea, delivering perhaps his harshest workroom critique ever. He also threw in the ultimate PR insult: “It looks craft project-y”).

“I feel like at this point, Lantie has just dug her own grave and is stepping into the coffin.” (Gunnar, delivering an accurate assessment, which pains me to admit because he’s an awful human being).

“If you saw her wandering down the street, you would put money in her cup.” (Michael on Buffi, whose look I personally kind of liked).

“At least it’s not atrocious.” (Nina on Lantie. This is almost a compliment coming from Nina G.)

“It’s like when you stare at a cloud and start seeing things. Now her boobs are turning into an old man’s eyes.” (Michael on Elena, in an odd-sounding critique that was actually quite accurate).

“She looks like a dude.” (Heidi on Elena. Frau Klum had a point here).

Conclusion:

Winner = Ven

Loser = Ultimately, Lantie got the "auf wiedersehen" from Heidi because her garment was made out of an umbrella instead of candy.

Project Runway

Project Runway is on tonight and I know I'm excited!

Episode 2, Season 10  is on at 9 tonight but in case you missed last week, here is a recap.

The season opener featured a live runway show in the middle of Times Square.

This season the designers were asked to send a look that expressed their desighn aesthetic.  Upon arrival on day one they learn their challenge is to create a companion piece for that look in one day with $100, and show both on the runway.

 1. Ven Budhu (I would buy the companion)

Original: A white suite featuring pleated palazzo pants, a white jacket with pleated sleeves, and a fuchsia bustier draped to look like a rose in her cleavage. (not a fan of Palazzo pants-a bit old for me but the look was beautiful)

Companion: Fuchsia sleeveless dress with flat pleat skirt He's gotten a lot of praise, and I can see why. I'm on the Venwagon.

2. Beatrice Guapo (I would wear the original dress)

Original: Gray knit short sleeve dress with sheer shoulders, pleated back, and patterned aztec-print throw. The gray knot dress wasn't bad...simple, easy, didn't look cheap. Didn’t care for the throw.

Companion: Gary knit skirt. Red sheer tee, big wide belt. Really plain and uninspired. Of course, she cut a hole in her top at the last moment and had to improvise that red tee.

3. Lantie Foster (I wouldn’t wear either)

Original: Lace dress with bolero. With weird waist and neck snakeskin embellishment. It's all very fussy. Just below knee length…not flattering.

Companion: Ack, disaster!! Taupe shift dress with brown tulle over it and a weird snake breastplate. Add in the matchy matchy snake purse, the bump-it hairdo, and the overall poor fit, this was frumpy.

4. Andrea Katz (I would wear the original but not the Companion)

Original: Simple white dress with geometric horizontal stripes in the front, with spaghetti straps. (Doesn’t this model look like a young Jennifer Aniston?)

Companion: Short dress with a black top and big black and white stripe hoop skirt. No, you don't normally see short hoop skirts. Yes, there's a reason why. Beyond the unflattering possibilities, there's also the little problem of how the hoops ride up as you walk. This was awkward.

5. Christopher Palu (I wouldn’t wear either)

Original: A dark gown, with many small pleats. I was surprised no  mentioned that he could have edited down exactly how much skin he was showing. With a mostly backless back and a very high slit, this struck me as on the edge of vulgar.

Companion: Black strapless cocktail dress. A LOT of working with the fabric. Lots of pleating and seaming all over the place. Which was fine, if hard to see on TV. But I'm shocked he wasn't dinged more for this. First of all the big exposed zipper up the back only emphasized that the dress was riding up in the back. Plus there were strings along hem. I thought it was pretty weak, and he could have sacrificed some pleating for some polish. 

6. Alicia Hardesty (I would wear the companion piece I am not a fan of jumpers)

Original: Red capri jumpsuit with hood

Companion: Red/Rust sleeveless top with striped top portion, brown jodphurs-y type pants with exposed buttons.

7. Elena Slivnyak (I wouldn’t wear either)

Original: Black quilted coat dress. The quilted concept is cool, and it was overall well-executed, however, she includes these very wide boxy hips, and the end result is making this tiny model look big and boxy. Not flattering.

Companion: This dress was sort of a anime take on edgy. The dress was black jersey with a white center inset of a curvy figure. There were structured shoulders, and the styling included gloves, and knee socks.

8. Buffi Jashanmal (I wouldn’t wear either)

Original: Black pleather pants with a hot pink one-shouldered top. The top had a chartreuse band peeking out of the top hem. Again, for the piece they had time to work on it was pretty simplistic...could have been bought at Contempo Casuals in the 80s or stolen from Peggy Bundy’s Wardrobe.

Companion: Black mini dress with hot pink neck piece. The dress looked life a Hefty bag. The styling was Working Girl Staten Island 80s girl.

9. Dmitry Sholokov (I might wear the companion piece)

Original: Long black sequin gown with puffy elbow-length sleeves, sheer torso panels and plunging Vs in front and back. The sleeve length was dowdy, and overall this had a Joan Collins on Dynasty feel. But it did look well made.

Companion: Gray one-shoulder knit dress with cutout at waist and sequin-y belt. The fabric seemed like day wear.

10. Kooan Kosuke (I wouldn’t wear either)

Original: Romper onesie shorts with big turquoise circles and pink shoulders. You know, what can you say? This screams Japanese street fashion to me...or perhaps gamer/anime culture

Companion: And then after all the whimsy and drama of his first piece, the second is a silver metallic short sleeved dress with wide portrait collar.

11. Gunnar Deatherage (I’d buy it)

Original: White jacket, Mustard halter blouse with black collar, waist, placket. Nice floral print skirt with yellow and gray.

Companion: Mustard mini-dress with black waist and striped black runway from neck to hem, front and back. Meh. Color blocking 101

12. Nathan Paul (I wouldn’t wear either)

Origional: Hot pink long drapey gown with short sleeves, which is unusual. Cowl neck. Backless. It looked beautiful on the runway. 

Companion: Teal dress. Gathered in front. Draping in back, and in fact the back is most interesting part. I really wish this was just a halter without the sleve cap on one side. I do like the color.

13. Sonjia Williams (I wouldn’t wear either)

Original: Leopard-y pants with a drape-y over skirt-y part..made them look like maternity pants. Brown leathery jacket. Not sure if there was a top underneath, so the jacket seemed to be clipped closed at strategic places. Kind of haphazard looking.

Companion: Short dress with citron and leopard explosions from underneath a brown leathery vest.

14. Melissa Fleis (I’d Wear it)

Original: Black matte leather jacket with asymmetric hook & eye closure and long, long black skirt. All in  black. It's definitely marketable. Not sure it's innovative.

Companion: Black mini dress with one-shoulder/short sleeve and tail in the back. Overall, a simple, clean aesthetic that worked.

15. Raul Osorio (might wear the suit but no way on the dress or top)

Original: I really didn't like this. It was a gray pants suit, neither piece of which was particularly original or even well-fitted. But it was the old lady bowed blouse that you could see her golden bra through that really kind of killed me. Bleh.

Companion: Then he copied Lantie's doily dress approach and made a lace pouf-y halter short dress. In blush. With another very dated brooch at the neck. I'm shocked he wasn't in the bottom, honestly.

16. Fabio Costa (I wouldn’t wear either)

Original: Frumpy black dress with buttons down the front, and no sense of her figure underneath. Lots of weird asymmetry and bagginess. Overall effect=bag lady.

Companion: Dyed ombre short skirt with minimalist short sleeve striped top. While the look has an elegant feel to it I do not like the dye job or the colors.  Looks like a mechanic used that skirt for a hand towel.

The judges

Liked:

Ven: Two pieces worked well together.
Melissa: They know who she is. It's current.
Christopher: Fabric manipulation is well-done. (But MK no likee the styling: too "wedding party".)

Not so much:: 

Lantie: Poor construction. Sad. More styling than design to re-work vintage.
Beatrice: Sad. Too easy, not enough.
Kooan: Don't be a joke, don't be outrageous for its own sake.

Conclusion:

Winner = Christopher

Loser = Beatrice