The runway show begins with Jerell’s design. From the time his model poses behind the scrim, even her silhouette looks high fashion. Her hair is styled in a very tall ponytail reminiscent of the stylized horse costumes in Equus. The garment itself looks finished and fabulous. She is wearing a plush suede corset and mini skirt. The plush suede fabric is taupe, with accents in black vinyl at its top, middle and sides. The mini skirt is very brief and black. She’s styled with knee length, chunky black pirate boots. She looks chic and this could actually sell as fashion. It does not look like mangled random car parts; it looks purposeful and new. Keith’s outfit is next, and the word that comes to mind for it is: boring. The only other word: beige. The only difference between this and an outfit a secretary might wear to work are the source materials. There is nothing new or interesting there.
Terri’s model is selling her design as hard as she can. Terri has made tight beige pants, a black belt with rings hanging off it, and a black halter top with a fishnet feature across the top. It isn’t shocking or surprising or especially innovative but it is possibly wearable. As the model leaves, we see that the beige pants are backed with black fabric. Terri’s voice over describes this look as “biker beautiful.” Kenley’s model is out next. Laura Bennett smiles as this creation walks the runway. Kenley’s design is a pencil skirt with a pleated peplum topping it. The blouse is sleeveless and black. The model’s hair is vaguely suggestive of the 1940s. The overall look is again, passable.
Leanne’s sleek cocktail dress appears next. The dress is very short in front, with a longer, pointed taper in back. The dress is strapless. A beige, flame motif is incorporated under a ruffle across the top of the bodice. The garment’s selling point seems to be its flawless construction. Leanne’s voiceover pronounces herself “100 percent happy with what I’ve done.” Suede shows a kicky little cocktail dress, with a rubber mat sleeveless bodice and shiny silvery strips shaking in the skirt. It’s fun and flirty. It’s hard to tell whether Korto’s model is laughing with her or at her, as she models that quilted coat dress. It looks like a longer version of a bed jacket. Or, maybe more like a bedlam jacket. The coat is all one color, and skirts this edge of boring and strange simultaneously.
Blayne’s gown strides down the runway. Its ‘car wash’ hem is made up of straggly floppy seat belts. The entire gown is, too. The bodice has them sewn side by side. The hip area is woven. From the thighs down, the seat belts flap in the breeze. This garment looked much better on the dress dummy. Blayne seems to have taken bits of broken shiny plastic and made a bejeweled accent toward the top of the halter bodice. It’s not altogether unsuccessful but has unfortunate elements. For instance the bodice gaps on the sides and I can’t think that was intentional. Detroit “Motor City” Joe’s mini dress strides out next. It’s black, red, and silver. It has a high neck, no sleeves, and a vaguely mod design element suggestive of the early 1970s. A red panel sits in the middle of her chest; silver stripes surround it and flare out to the sides of the dress. The base layer of the dress is black. It’s a nice design but I don’t know that it was the most innovative among the group’s designs.
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