Fashion Forward Friday: Women on the Go

For the challenge tonight, the designers have to create a look for a woman on the go. They must create a single look that is stylish and fashionable, but at the same time it has versatility, it's practical and comfortable. They said this one has to last throughout the whole day, but it has to be their own aesthetic. They have one day for the challenge and a budget of $150.

 The designers get 30 minutes to sketch in Michael Kors store and of course they get to chatting about Andrea leaving. For once, I agree with Gunnar. He calls her a coward for leaving and I so cannot argue with that one. Tim tells them to come up with a story for their client and how they will go throughout the day to help them come up with a design.

Kooan interrupts everyone and says that he is weird and quirky, but he has been thinking about this for three days and...commercial break! Damn you Lifetime! Project Runway comes back and Kooan says that he wants to leave. Christopher and Buffi try to talk him out of it, but he is ready to go home. Nathan than starts crying and says he wants to go home as well, but he won't. Tim then comes in and gathers everyone. He said that Andrea emailed them and said she is fine and is leaving the show. Now Kooan said he is leaving because he wants to do fashion in his own way.

 Needless to say, the mood in the workroom is somber. Everyone is crying and everyone is upset, so this should be interesting to see how they pull it together for this challenge. Well, as a shock to even me, to keep the competition fair they bring back Raul!

 On the Runway:

 Heidi is absolutely smoking in a leopard print dress, her best look of the season. Will she ever age? The guest judges are Hayden Panettiere and Rachel Roy.

Nathan: (I wouldn't wear it)

I don’t like the color—this in black or a better neutral shade could have helped the look. But this girl can use her cape for a nap, so I guess that means the garment is comfortable and versatile? It’s a little odd.

 Sonjia: (I would wear it)

Her gray dress has touches of drama—she gathers the fabric artfully near the shoulder and the waist without making it appear bunchy—but it’s also down-to-earth. Rachel Roy notes that there’s a cute little “peekaboo” hole near the model’s upper arm that will show more clearly after the dress has been washed once or twice. She really listened to the challenge and delivered a very strong look. The dress was well-constructed, wearable, versatile, and looked comfortable. She took a potentially boring fabric and manipulated it into something very interesting. Really well done.

Christopher: (I would wear it)

I love this leather jacket and the dress underneath.  I only wish the model would have taken off the jacket so I could get a better look at the dress.

Dmitri: (I would wear it)

His gray dress succeeds in being gentle enough for daytime wear and it will transition into evening really well.   I love the tasteful weaving across the chest, very impressive.

 Raul: (I would never wear it)

This leisure suit-pantsuit hybrid the world never knew it wanted, because it didn’t. The lapels of his horrid jacket have enough leather to reupholster a Ford Explorer, yet Kors is convinced that Raul “saved it” by removing the belt from his garment during the critique.  I felt it was badly styled, poorly constructed, and disconnected. This look seemed more like an experiment than a fully formed idea. The pockets on those trousers made the model’s butt look lopsided and the proportions of that Golden-Girls-Dorothy-Zbornak vest were completely unflattering.

Michael Kors provides the technical fashion name for the lapels on Raul’s jacket: “Vampyra points.”

Buffi: (I would never wear it)

This dress looks like a Zebra was chewing bubble gum and the bubble exploded. While most of the judges are content to simply pity Buffi, Nina goes in for the kill. “You rely on this shape”—she is charitably referring to the pink sneeze as a shape—“to cover up the fact that your technical skills are not there.” Buffi says that a cover-up isn’t what she intended. Nina slides in the dagger: “Well, then, that’s even more tragic.”

Fabio: (I might wear it)

I like this print and I think his girl’s styling is spot on, but otherwise it’s not a strong look for me. The proportion of the jacket to the dress was off balance and the look as a whole was not very innovative. Comfort? Maybe. Glamorous? Not really.

Christopher on Fabio’s model and her very short dress: “I see her fish whistle from here.” Is this actual slang?

Ven: (I might wear it)

I usually love everything Ven creates but this little beige number is kind of boring to me and I feel the fabric bunches too much on the front of the dress.

Melissa: (I wouldn't wear it)

This look was too costume-y for me. It looked a little Lord of the Ringsvillain meets death eater from Harry Potter. The layers and textiles look comfortable, but I don’t know where this girl is going day or night.

Alicia: (I wouldn't wear this)

This look was ok. I thought there were some interesting design elements in the shirt but the hem on that pant was a little strange. Overall, the look was clean and well-proportioned, but I didn’t feel it translated from day to night as successfully as others.

Elena:(I wouldn't wear it)

That coat is overpowering and it makes this tiny woman look fat and bulky.  I would have loved to see the outfit sans coat.

Gunnar: (I would wear them as separates)

Not a fan of the color palette here. Something is off about that deep purple paired with those brown/tan tones in the skirt. However I love the look. I would wear it in a different color as a whole or as seperates as is.

Conclusion:

The  Winner’s honors go to Sonjia, quite rightly.

Buffi is out

Next week Katie Holmes is the guest judge.