-Hosted By The Legendary Snawl-
Project Runway
Panel - Week 5
Well well well. We're down to the final 12. You guys have officially survived 33.3% of this competition! But it only gets more difficult from here. As proven this week, the task was baffling for a lot of you. The most common error made amongst the group is that a lot of you failed to really put your own touch on the outfit, and just did very minor changes. I'll take it as a compliment assuming what you people are trying to communicate is that my designs are absolutely flawless and cannot be tweaked in any way, so thanks! I'm just going to move on because I don't have much to say this week, sorry.
This week you were all asked to upcycle Halloqui, an outfit that is commonly seen on mannequins in my rooms. It was hard enough that you were asked to upcycle a near-perfect outfit, but we uped the ante by restricting the designers to a maximum of FIVE editions! That means anything from changing fabric, colour, adding, removing, etc all counted as an edit, and they weren't allowed to go over 5, or change the design of the shirt. Also, like Week 3, the Set Performance tab will be excluded from this week's judging, bringing the final scores to be dependent on the outfit and the way you presented yourself in the photograph.
With that said, it's time to see who was able to match fashion wits with Snawl, and who got upstaged by a group of inanimate mannequins.
First up this week is Skye
Outfit: Skye, this is saddening for me because I like you as a competitor SO SO much and I want to see you go far and succeed, but this is bad. Really bad. I don't know if it was your intention to make your outfit look platitudinous and vapid in comparison to mine, but that is definitely what it's coming off as. Even if I didn't know you, I could look at this photo and instantly detect that this designer struggles with self confidence, as hinted by the fact that you pushed no boundaries. The definition of upcycling is to improve, and you did the exact opposite. One of the main reasons why Halloqui works so well as an outfit is because every element works together in harmony and nothing is out of place. But in your version, you've littered your head with THREE accessories, practically absorbing valuable editing space that could've been used for more creative purposes. The use of the plaid skirt isn't bad, but it doesn't really elevate the outfit either. In the world of fashon, headpieces are really optional unless they're somehow attached directly, so really the only edition you made on Halloqui was changing the skirt.
Photo: The goal of lining up all of these mannequins was to help the designer stand out in comparison, but in this case you blend right into the army. I look at this picture and I admire the cloned outfits, then I notice yours and it makes me think that the factory machine malfunctioned and produced a messed up, deformed, lesser product of Halloqui. Also I am wondering how your Habbo didn't break her neck in the midst of supporting the weight of all those redundant accessories. All jokes set aside, the pose is decent. I like how you seem to be reverse-thrusting yourself upon the mannequin from behind.
Second up is Valentina
Outfit: Now THIS IS UPCYCLING! I'm still debating whether or not this is practical enough, but regardless this has to be the best thing you've designed for me all competition long. You've kept a lot of original elements of Halloqui so I can instantly tell that they're related, yet you've warped textures to make it into your own original piece. I love how you made the colour in the middle more dense, and I think the frilly norm skirt was a very smart idea. The only thing I am a bit unsure about is the hat, but it's not that drastic.
Photo: I really like this photo because not only do you steal the spotlight completely, but the mannequins look like they're huddling around wondering how they can become as fierce as you. You look like an evil fashion dictator who is ready to lead those mannequins into a complete and utter totalitarian regime!!!!!! or maybe not. What I'm trying to say is that I love this photo.
Thirdly is Kara
Outfit: It's good, but WHAT THE FUCK is up with that blue necklace!? Without it, this outfit has a lovely contrast between the harsh lime green and the black jacket, but now it looks like you got daubed with Silly String. Am I allowed to say Silly String or is that shit copyrighted? Who cares. Your biggest problem is that you don't know when enough is enough. Had you dismissed the necklace, this outfit would've been one of my favourites. Although it is only one accessory, it doles a lot of damage.
Photo: I like how it looks like you're looking over your shoulder and smirking at the outfits, but it doesn't really clarify anything in a sense that you've managed to down-cycle those mannequin so if they could, they'd probably be pointing and laughing at you.
Fourth up is Joseph
Outfit: This is mine & Jordan's first major divide so far. He absolutely hates this outfit, but I am head-over-heels in love with it. I think this is one of the best colour schemes we've seen so far in this competition. I love how you removed the jacket and allowed the orange and lavendar on the shirt to augment off one another, and then the dense purple heels just emphasize the bottom half of the outfit. But foremost I am just amazed that you've managed to obey all of the fucking rules this time.
Photo: I am a little confused why you chose to isolate yourself afar and look pissed off, but I guess a true fashion shot is the one that looks abnormal and makes you want to sit down and think. At the end of the day you're selling the clothes so I think this is a solid redemption from your slew of bottom and near-bottom performances. Congratulations Joseph, you're no longer the shittiest contestant in the game!
Fifthly is Joel
Outfit: I think the punkish look is interesting, but I am not loving it at all. While I applaud bravery and risk-taking, I think you missed the whole point of the task which was to put your own twist on a versatile classic outfit. Why must you be so inconsistent? Why is it so hard for you to deliver two good outfits in a row instead of flipping and flopping harder than VaIentine's longterm Apprentice? There's far too much black in this outfit and although Halloqui has a prominent amount of black with grey toning, it is brought together with harmony and every section is utilized. But on YOUR outfit, it honestly looks like you just slapped on black in any location that you weren't sure of. You look rough, overdressed, and at the end of the day this doesn't at all look like a fashion piece.
Photo: I like the pose but there's no connection to the manequins or the set in general. But I will attest that your modelling is slowly getting better.
Up next we have Kayllah
Outfit: This is one of your best performances yet, but it's not flawless. I am loving the baggy pants, I think they're very underrated amongst Habbo fashio and they do a really good job at adding silkiness and feel to the outfit. They help you look more runway suitable. I think the choice of using pink was very unique and it definitely works in your favour. However, I do not like the pink stripes against the black shirt. I think it destroys any chance of cohesiveness the black and grey were going to have. It's a little difficult to look at because you got rid of a lot of the grey elements. If you had an extra slot, you could've toned the heels grey and I think it would've made a big difference. Perhaps you should've dropped the earrings.
Photo: Really cool pose! But like Joel, I don't see any connection with the set or the mannequins. However you still remain as one of the strongest in terms of modelling and being photogenic.
Arriving next is Bri
Outfit: The outfit's colours and hues are so bright that it doesn't look like it resembles Halloqui one bit. That being said, I think taking a colour blocking approach was very intrepid and it pays off because I like it a lot. It looks like some underground foreign outfit from an Asian country. I really loved what you did with the hat and shoes and how you provided a base for the colours. You definitely win the award this week for taking the 5 edit slots, and warping the outfit into looking like it is from a parallel universe.
Pose: I think the pose is very fierce and intriguing, but it doesn't really uphold any relevance to the mannequins or set. Nevertheless I think the whole photo works as an ad.
Up next is Vicky
Outfit: I think this is one of the best of the week in terms of understanding the task and actually trying to upcycle the outfit by building straight from the foundation. As much as I like it, there's something about it that I can't quit put my finger on. The idea of using the plaid skirt with the slanted jagged belt looks very rough and almost... pretentious? I hate using that word. I admire your boldness and creativity but to me this just comes off as someone trying to say "Hey look, I can be experimental too!" and I mainly blame the designers of Habbo who seem to think EVERYTHING needs to be Avant Garde or have some form of fucking shock value to be considered fashion. With the rant out of the way, this is actually a pretty good outfit. It almost has an ombre hue extending from the top. This captures what this task was truly about.
Photo: I think it's very captivating and picturesque. I think you did as well as you could with a dark outfit posing with a bunch of other mannequins who were also wearing dark outfits.
Next is Jade
Outfit: The colours are a bit engrossing, and I really liked how you let the bottom half of the outfit remain untouched so you get that sense that they're somehow connected... But I am still not completely in love with this either. Sometimes harsh contrast works and sometimes it clashes; this time it definitely clashes. Overall the uncomfortable agitation I get from this outfit's colours makes it fall flat and seem a bit medicore, and that just simply isn't going to cut it.
Photo: I like the photo. Even though you're not directly looking at, or standing near the mannequins, I still do see an interaction between the two. It looks like you're purposely shunning them.
Next we have Savon
Outfit: When I first saw this outfit, I flat-out hated it and said to myself "Well looks like this is Savon's last week." But I've been studying it for quite some time, and I am actually growing to like it a lot. The biggest problem I have with it are the stripes of grapefruit pink jutting across the torso, but other than that I think everything else comes together quite well. I love the choice of making the coat blue because when I imagine this in my head it makes me think of denim. You've managed to take a pristine, high-fashion outfit, and make it modern without losing any of the fierceness. Great job!
Photo: Despite delivering a really good outfit, your modelling sucked. It was SUPER slow and you tried nothing inventive. This photo above is super boring and I am really annoyed by the same hold pose of doing the rollie and facing the screen diagonally.
Next is Liberty
Outfit: I think this is the worst thing you've designed all game. Jordan and I had a really good laugh over this outfit because with the hat, you honestly look like a drag queen. I appreciate you only using 3/5 of the edition slots, but this outfit is really lifeless. The parts I hate most about it are the hat and that ridiculous spiked belt. They look like they were designed by a prepubescent girl; the only type of person on Earth who would stick tacky accessories on an outfit so grand. At least I can say I like the colour palette?
Photo: The photo is pretty bad too. You're typically a really good model but for some reason, this week you were off your game. Your poses were slow and sloppy. I don't get the whole sitting down method.
Last up is Lauren
Outfit: I like the top, and I like the bottom. However, do I like the top and the bottom together? No. I think the bottom would be much more suitable for some costume-themed task (possible foreshadow) and the top looks more modern Vaporwave. In terms of technical aspects I do like the length, but the combination of the two halves make your Habbo look like she is in her mid 40s, in the midst of a midlife crisis.
Photo: I think you were possibly the WORST model on set this week, and it translated into a silly photo. Your pacing was slow, and you waved for like 2/3 of your shots. As for the photo itself? You're blowing a kiss. What you see is what you get.