In a rather slow episode, most of the attention was set around the five remaining contestants and their collections. Unlike last year, the contestants received $4,000 and five weeks to come up with six piece collection which would be presented in LA at #FIDM. Also new was the home visit format. Whether due to budget constraints or the fact that the contestants are all minors, Tim Gunn did not fly to hometowns but instead, the participants provided rather shaky first-person videos from homes as well as collections. Though highly produced, the interactions between the participants and their parents made for great television.
The dreaded critiques and panic
Once the contestants made it to #Los Angeles, they were greeted by an emotional Tim Gunn. He seems to have these types of emotions every season, and the producers do a great job of adding soap opera like music in the background. As expected, the main focus of the episode revolved around Hawwaa and Tieler. For those that do not know, in the last episode, the judges came to the unoriginal conclusion that they would pit these two designers against one another to determine the fourth spot. All season long, it has appeared obvious that the judges favored Tieler and wanted Hawwaa out but for some reason, were probably told to amplified up the drama. As Gunn critiques the outfits, Hawwaa explains that her inspiration was the circus and she aimed to have fun.
The entire collection was slightly all over the place, but those types of collections seem to do well in fashion week. #Van Gogh inspired Tieler's collection and as he reveals his outfits, the amount of sheer embroidery would make anyone’s head spin. Gunn tells Tieler that without the embroidery, his collection is quite basic.
Slightly resembling a knock off Tadashi Shoji collection, Tieler's outfits did not wow Gunn. This, of course, causes Tieler to panic and chaos ensues. The other designers spend most of the episode helping Hawwaa and Tieler finish their looks.
A goodbye to a fan favorite
For the runway show, Tieler and Hawwaa were to pick the three looks that best showcase their collection and inspiration to the judges.
As Tieler and Hawwaa stood in front of the judges to show off their collections, it was not clear who was the favorite. Hawwaa’s looks were more daring and innovative while Tieler’s were finished and precise. As Hannah #Jeter began to speak, the music intensified. It was revealed that Hawwaa would be showcasing her looks in the finale. With more lives than a cat, Hawwaa walked off the runway with a big grin on her face. As Jeter said goodbye to Tieler, she welled up with tears and was unwilling or unable to hide her disappointment. Tieler was one of the strongest competitors this season, but it seems as though the judges constantly look for clothes which either feature bold colors or designs.
So Hawwaa is through to the finale. And while she won’t win, it is nice to see someone with her design aesthetic come through.
