Okay, I incorrectly thought last week that Jerrell was safe to go to Fashion Week. Turns out that along with creating their full collections, the four designers have one last challenge – create a wedding gown that represents them as a designer and goes with their line. At least they won’t have to deal with the drama-llama of having to design for their models a la Season 1.
Tim Gunn starts his home visits by going to see Korto in Arkansas. She’s working in a space called “Park on the River”, and her collection is inspired by nature and her culture. Tim loves her work so far, praising her beadwork and the color palette she’s using. He does critique one ugly green dress, and says she needs to work on making her champagne-colored wedding dress look less ‘award-ceremony’. Korto and Tim then go and chill with Korto’s homies and family (her daughter is too cute). Korto jams out on some African drums while we’re reminded of her family’s flee from Liberia.
With 3.5 weeks until Fashion Week, Tim stops in Portland to visit Leanne. He’s introduced to her boyfriend, and I think the two make a cute little couple. Her collection looks very clean, as she’s only using aquas and whites. As per Leanne tradition, most pieces involve some funky, architectural shapes. I’m not big on the skirt she shows, but I like the white corsety top she’s pairing with it. Her wedding dress reminds me of a fish.
3 weeks in, and its time to visit Jerrell in LA. Jerrell’s gotten a bit scruffy since we last saw him. His outfits so far look fancy, yet disheveled at the same time. Tim doesn’t like the top of his wedding dress, thinking it looks like its just popping off. Jerrell’s family, friends, and his boo are all very supportive and proud of what Jerrell’s accomplished. Jerrell was a cute little kid, and his mom said she knew since he was little that he’d be doing something creative with his life.
Last, and definitely least, Tim visits Kenley with 2.5 weeks until Fashion Week. She says that she really values Tim’s opinions, even though it looks like she doesn’t – I call bullshit on that one. Tim’s liking what he sees with her work, but questions the rope around the neck of one of her dresses. Kenley says she’s into rope – kinky, you sure you wanna admit that on TV, girl? Her wedding dress is ridiculous, and just looks like one giant ball of poof. I would not want to get married looking like a giant poofball, thank-you-very-much. And as no surprise to me, it appears that Kenley has no friends.
Everyone returns to NY with six days to go. Korto and Leanne are thrilled that they were the first two to arrive, leaving poor Jerrell to have to room with Kenley. Korto tells him she’ll be checking on him to make sure he has a pulse, Jerrell comments back that she’ll be checking on him on the couch. Kenley apparently apologizes for her behavior, and champagne is popped.
Surprise! One more challenge! The designers now have a day to create a bridesmaid dress to go with their wedding dress. Jerrell makes a long, straight, greenish-grey dress, and states that he knows its not a pretty dress, but that he doesn’t think bridesmaids have to be super pretty. Kenley’s making a blue, pleated bubble dress, which Tim thinks is ambitious and he likes the flavor of the wedding. He thinks that Jerrell’s dress just looks sloppy. Tim loves how Leanne redesigned her wedding dress, saying it is making music now. He likes the bridesmaid dress, but thinks she needs to shorten it. Tim tells Korto it looks like she’s just made two wedding dresses. The colors are very similar, and they compete for attention. The next day, Korto and Leanne take Tim’s advice and shorten their bridesmaid dresses. This causes Kenley to pretty much whine that they’ve stolen her idea, blah blah blah.
Jerrell’s dresses are first on the runway, and his girl’s hair is a major WTF?! What is with the flowers, plus the dress just looks sloppy overall. The bridesmaid dress has a nice design, but I think it’d look better if the bottom was more flowy. Kenley’s dress looks like something Christian made in his line last year, and still is a poofy mess I’d steer clear from. Korto’s wedding dress makes her girl look fat, and her bridesmaid dress is nothing special. Leanne’s wedding dress makes her girl look like she’s wearing a cupcake, and I think her bridesmaid dress is supercute. I love the length, the color, and the details on the top.
The judges think that Leanne’s dresses are very chic and well-crafted, and she managed to make them modern and romantic at the same time. Kors likes Jerrell’s wedding dress from the waist down, but thinks the top is a hot mess. Everyone thinks the pieces were just too overworked. Kenley’s wedding dress is called out as looking very Alexander McQueen, but the bridesmaid dress is very cute – to which Kenley gives an over exaggerated reaction. You’re a snotty bitch and nearly everyone hates you, deal. Heidi hates Korto’s wedding dress and says she would not want to be the bride there. The wedding dress was too overworked, and the bridesmaid dress was too underworked.
Leanne and Kenley are in and will be showing their collection at Fashion Week. Korto and Jerrell just blew it this week, but they like Korto’s better so she’s in. This ending gives me more reason to believe the season has been rigged. They haven’t had a girl win since Season 2, so they rig an all-girl finale to ensure one will win this year. While I do think Kenley makes much cleaner work than Jerrell, her bitchiness and refusal to follow the challenges should have had her gone.
Kiera Vallone hails from Long Island, NY. She is currently a junior-year Journalism student at SUNY Purchase.
