Reprinted with permission from www.hautetalk.com

The final four designers will create collections, but only three of them will show at Fashion Week. They each have $10,000 to create a twelve-look fall collection.

Tim Gunn arrives at Patricia’s home in Taos, New Mexico. There’s a wood burning stove and an insanely delicious feast on the table. She explains that she got her fashion design training by helping the singers and dancers in her family with their costumes. Wind Chime shows Tim her studio, and it’s a huge, amazing space. She’s doing that leather mesh thing again, plus a horsehair cape, and a hand-felted something-or-other, and crazy little doodles sketches. Tim finds some of her work to be too “literal” and “crafty.” They hug it out, and Wind Chime is left worried about her collection.

Polka Dots lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, and for some reason Tim visits her at a restaurant. Polka Dots explains that she didn’t start to follow her dream until a few years ago when she got her own dress form. Her studio space is kind of small and cluttered but the walls are filled with ideas. She starts talking about wolves and hunting and shows Tim a breastplate and a killer hunting coat (no pun intended), and there’s a lot of black and grey and pea green geometry. Tim’s parting words are “just don’t overdesign!”

Next up is Daniel in Austin, Texas. What is on his head? Is that a wig? Where did that giant mop of black hair come from? It’s both all wrong and so very right. When Tim arrives, Daniel introduces him to his sister and a bunch of friends. Daniel’s collection is inspired by Salvador Dali, the planets, and his trip to Berlin. The collection is all cream, red, black, and blue, with some stunning outerwear created out of molded plastics, but it still somehow looks a little Talbots. He has some chick, modern outfits, but they’re overshadowed by the granny designs.

Stanley gets the final visit from Tim Gunn in West Hollywood, California. He meets Stanley’s niece and his partner, Steve, who talks about the Easter dresses that Stanley used to make for the girls. There’s a lot of gold shimmer and too many pieces. He’s got an editing problem, which isn’t the worst problem to have. Then, he busts out an orange dress with a purple and orange coat, and Tim gets confused. In the end, Tim calls the collection “opulent,” so that’s good, right?

Everyone descends upon New York City and Daniel’s hair is back to normal. Tim lets the designers know that before they get to Fashion Week, they will present three looks to the judges. Then, Tim brings in helpers. Hallmarq is helping Stanley, Samantha is helping Daniel, a pregnant Layana is helping Wind Chime, and Amanda is helping Polka Dots.

Samantha tries to sexy up Daniel’s collection while Stanley scrambles to finish his garments. Tim hesitates at Polka Dots’ collection. He doesn’t like the hardware she’s got strapped all over her clothes. Stanley’s collection is so expensive and elegant and “old Hollywood glamour,” but it’s not young, so Tim advises “proportions and skin.”  Wind Chime made a spring collection for fall, and it all involves an insane headpiece. But, it’s just crazy enough to work. Daniel’s very excited about his collection…but it’s kind of plain. Like, all of it. Tim just sort of backs away and hopes for the best.

Mini-Runway! Three will show at Fashion Week, and one will go home. The judges are Zac Posen Kors, Nina Garcia, and Heidi Klum.

Stanley shows a charcoal grey and gold pants suit that’s very Ellen Tracy. Then there’s a gold pleated dress galumphing down the runway with a plunging beaded neckline that a Real Housewife would gladly wear to her son’s bar mitzvah. The last outfit is a slick nude dress with a black rhinestone pattern and leather cape jacket. I like the last outfit, but I doubt it can save the other two. Wind Chime, how do I explain her outfits? She presents a hand-printed flowy little dress thing, a stunning horsehair cape with leather pants, and a sky blue beaded fluttery shift dress with a crazy hair headdress. It’s not a collection so much as a brainstorming session with feet. Daniel sent an all-black collection down the runway which is odd since the pieces he showed Tim had so much color. The first is a skin tight jacket and leather pants, next is a black sweater and tuxedo pant, and finally there’s a black bib maxi dress. I like his clothes, and I would wear his clothes, but I feel like I’ve already worn his clothes. Finally, Polka Dots. There’s a “lone wolf sweater” over a silk blouse with harness chaps, a breastplate and skirt over a silk dress in shades of brown and ochre, and a really cool long coat with clip on bags.

The judges call Polka Dots’ collection kooky, but in a good way. It’s this new thing called Wearable Weird. The judges are less impressed with Daniel. Zac Posen Kors says that he has seen these designs a thousand times already, Heidi is underwhelmed, and Nina calls everything “nicely made” but she’s bored and do not bore Nina!!! Heidi loves Wind Chime’s horsehair cape and is intrigued by the blue fluttery dress, but she’s worried about cohesion. Nina is not buying it and calls it “Dr. Seuss.” Stanley talks about “true American sportswear” and hand beading and building a loom…and Heidi and Zac say there’s no “wow.” Nina calls his looks “rich” and “luxe,” but not “sexy” or “modern.”

So who’s going to Fashion Week? Polka Spots! Also Wind Chime, with a warning that the judges do not want to see a circus. So now it’s between Daniel and Stanley. Huh. I did not expect Stanley to be in the bottom. The judges decide that Stanley can show at Fashion Week, which means Daniel is out.

Next week, Fashion Week!

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