The designers meet Tim Gunn in Travel Town as inspiration for an avante garde look in the steampunk genre of design. Oh, barf. Tired, overdone, so five years ago. They have two days to complete their garments, and can grab as many pieces of machinery, baubles, and bits that they can carry.

Anya tries to explain Steampunk to Shan, but she doesn’t have the right words other than, “It’s, like, the 1800s?” Both designers and mentors visit Mood for fabrics, and Oscar is freaking out Nick with an idea of a crown, a pole, a mask, and mesh. As if that isn’t enough, he plans to paint the word “revolution” on the back of the fabric. Oof.

In the workroom, lots of people are taking apart lots of clocks. The fact that there are more than one disassembled clock ought to be an indication that this challenge is a snore.

Stephanie has leather cutouts, and it’s blah. Tim and Nick let Oscar know that writing on his dress is unsophisticated. But you shouldn’t have to tell that to a designer, you know? Natalia is trying to build a pulley system for her dress, so that the model can wind up her dress. That’s a gimmick, not a design. And Nick recommends she just show the look already transformed.Mondo’s group is doing well, so we’ll ignore them for the moment. Asha and Tim approach a very dejected Shan. His design is unresolved, and he doesn’t know where to go with what he has, but Tim suggested separates so he’s going to try to bang out a jacket. Another lost soul is Blake, and instead of helping him Anya tells him that she’s frustrated. “Just shut up and sew, Blake!” Nicholas hasn’t even started sewing, so Tim and Anya are befuddled. “You’re making it hard for me to help you, Nicholas. Did you think about me? Huh? Gosh, you’re so selfish, Nicholas.”

Later that day, Tim totally rats out Nicholas and smugly tells Anya that he’s “having a lovely lunch.” WTF, Tim? He’s not allowed to take a lunch break? What kind of sweatshop are you running? Anya intervenes and lets Nicholas know that he made her make a terrible decision to send Brady home and questions whether he made the pieces in his portfolio. “You have to prove to me that I made the right choice.” Me, me, me, me, me. I know most things are, but this isn’t about you, Anya.

With one hour until the runway, Anya’s still busting Nicholas’s chops. He’s got a dress, it ain’t bad, he doesn’t want your help, so leave him alone. Ten minutes left, and she’s still haranguing the poor man.

The judges this week are Jen Rade, Zanna Robers Rassi, Rachel Roy, and guest judge Georgina Chapman. To the runway!

Anya’s Team

Nicholas’s gold leather and charcoal grey jacket dress is…okay? Blake’s dress is too flowy to be steampunk, despite the gears on the belt. Shan’s badass vest and pants are amazing, with an open back and open knees. Open knees! Who knew?

Nick’s Team

Oscar’s dress is much prettier than I thought, but it’s just so costumey. Stephanie’s black pouf dress is okay, but its long lace bottom is confusing. Natalia’s dress mechanism works, but is silly since it reveals nothing good.

Mondo’s Team

Asha’s tartan origami gown is big and bold, but I don’t like the lace underneath. Sam’s big old quilted jacket looks sloppy and confusing. Michellse’s Victorian gown is fairly nice, with a dramatic collar and unexpected tails.

Asha, Sam, and Michelle are safe. That’s Mondo’s entire team, which is weird. The rest are the best and worst.

The judges pretty much hate Stephanie’s dress, to the point where it’s called a Disney costume. Oscar’s dress, however, is not costumey, so who the heck knows what these judges are seeing. They adore his dress…and then he goes and shows them the “revolution” painted on the inside and everyone pretends like they didn’t just see what they definitely saw. Natalia blathers on about time travel, and I’m not sure why the judges are using the words “love” and “brilliant” to describe this dress.

Blake’s bland blah does not impress the judges. Shan’s outfit is a hit, though on closer inspection the craftsmanship seems…off. And finally, Nicholas. There’s some good, and some bad. It’s missing the wow factor, but there’s something nice in the simplicity.

Between Nicholas, Blake, and Stephanie, the judges let Stephanie off the hook. Blake has no taste, and Nicholas has no oomph. The judges let Anya decide, so duh, Nicholas is going home. Big shocker there. Before he leaves, Anya gives Nicholas some advice: Let the potential to change the way you do things actually come to fruition. That doesn’t even mean anything, Anya. You’re, like, missing a verb. Anyway, Shan’s the winner, so congratulations to him.

Next week, its an unconventional materials challenge at the beach.

Reprinted from HauteTalk.com