The challenge this week was to design an evening gown that would be representative of the collection each designer would want to present on the runway at Olympus Fashion Week. The surprise judge this week was Imam, who promised to wear the winning dress at some red carpet event.
The designers started out with a field trip to see to the offices of Seventh on Sixth, organizer of Olympus Fashion Week and Fashion Weeks world-wide, to visit Executive Director Fern Mallis. Fern Mallis we learn is one of the gate-keepers to the big-time fashion world. Daniel asked Mallis what big mistake should rookie designers avoid, and Mallis encouraged them to "be nice." Daniel on the cut-away interview said that he wanted to look at Santino and say, "See, I told you so."
Let's get one thing straight. Santino was almost out last week because he was too nice and ended up designing and creating two dresses. If anything, Kara should be pouring Santino's coffee, buying him flowers and shining his shoes for her survival last week. Daniel was just upset because his buddy Nick got the axe instead of Santino.
So, of course back in the work room the personalities (and lack of maturity) came out in full flower. Santino didn't help Kara and immediately he's the bad guy. Meanwhile Kara is asking anyone and everyone for help and suggestions. It's clear that she's lost in this challenge.
Later that evening, Daniel and Santino talk. Santino tells Daniel he thinks its interesting that Daniel, Chloe and Kara decided to play it safe. Santino, of course, is going gonzo with his vision. Daniel seems to resent Santino's statement but later Santino would be vindicated by the judges.
Daniel's dress was simple enough: a black evening gown with classic lines design to flow with the movement of the model.Kara's dress was similar in concept, but in the end it was poorly put together, complete with an uneven hem, and never showed anything that was truly unique in vision.
Chloe's dress was not put together well, but the judges cut her some slack because they've seen her do quality work before.
Finally, there was Santino, who presented a completely 
different vision than the other designers. It was over the top, but it was over the top in the Santino way. As Michael Kors commented, it's as if Santino wants to say, "I'm smarter than all of you. I know you're all going to say there's too much s--t on this dress, but I'm going to do it anyway and prove my point."They then asked each of the designers who should be in, and who should be out. Chloe was singled out by the other three for different reasons. Yo, Daniel! What happened to being nice? Kara, was that a dagger you see before you or a pair of scissors that you used to stab Chloe in the back?
In the end, everyone could see the Santino vision. He was in. Kara ran out of other designers who designed worse than her. Kara was out. Chloe survived, and may be a little more cynical for the experience. And Iman, after hoping she would see more creativity than what was presented, decided to go with the safe choice, Daniel. Santino was right about Daniel playing it safe, but Daniel's dress is in Iman's closet.
*Because of the timing of the airing of the shows, Kara was allowed to present a line of dresses at Olympus Fashion Week, too. However, she could not win the grand prize: $100,000 in seed money to help them launch their own line and a 2007 Saturn SkyRoadster, both provided by Saturn. The winner's designs will be featured in a spread in ELLE, photographed by the magazine's world-renowned Publication Director, Gilles Bensimon. They will also receive a mentorship from the Banana Republic Design Team.
