###
# It's a beautiful morning #
- Always, with you! - Yay! Finally, it's happening!
I know, isn't this thrilling?
I'm so happy we're together again!
And I don't even care it's raining. It's perfect!
Our new global show, our fabulous designers we hand-picked.
- I can't wait. - And it's all starting now.
How exciting is this, Heidi?
Oh, hi, guys.
So, the designers for our new fashion competition design show
are staying right here, in this New York hotel.
The designers are from around the world, and they've only just arrived.
They have no idea that Heidi and I are here.
No idea, and we're going to surprise them right now.
It's an ambush!
# Nobody does it like we do #
Here we go.
- Alright, let's divide and conquer. - Done.
# ...we do #
# Just so marvelous #
###
Martha?
What's up...
- Surprise! - Oh, my God!
- How are you? - Hi! Hi, Tim.
- So happy to see you. - I'm so good. Hello.
- Esther, from Germany. Oh, hi. - I just said...
She's a little bit on the naked side.
Surprise!
- Oh, my God! - How are you?
- Heidi! - Ciao, amore.
How are you?
- Ciao, nice to see you. - Mwah!
- Oh, that's a surprise. - Nice to see you. Yeah?
- How are you? - I'm great. How are you doing?
- You look fantastic. - Thank you.
Hello, is this Sander from Belgium?
Oh, look at you!
- Meet me downstairs in five minutes. - Okay.
# Nobody does it like we do #
- # Nobody does it like us # - Aaah!
Oh, my God! I'm super excited.
Alright. Got a bunch of coffee...
One more bracelet...
# Nobody does it like us #
- Come in. - Hello!
Hi, everyone! Welcome to New York City, and welcome to Making the Cut.
Yes!
You are all extremely talented designers with existing brands.
We scoured the world to find you.
Heidi and I are here to find one of you
who can truly build the next global fashion business.
Yes. Get ready, designers, because this adventure is going to be like no other.
You will all compete, putting on fashion shows and much more.
And you will never know what's coming next.
Ever.
It's really true.
The winner will receive a mentorship to help grow your business in all facets.
And the winner will get to create a collection that will be sold on Amazon.
I've designed a lot of cool things, but I'll tell you what,
they haven't been accessible worldwide for everyone to buy.
That's thrilling.
This is an unprecedented opportunity.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, okay, okay. Can I talk about the money?
Let's talk about the moola!
Heidi's impatient. She wants to get to this.
Well, you guys better get ready.
One of you...
in this room...
will receive...
Where's my drum roll? Where is it?
...will get one million dollars!
It's a million f... dollars.
Can I say "f... "? It is a million f... dollars.
It is a million dollars.
We can't believe it.
Oh, my God!
I am so hungry for this.
Winning one million dollars can definitely take my brand to the next level.
I would be able to make bigger collections, to get better showrooms.
A million dollars is like,
the capacity to really build something from the ground up.
This is the biggest opportunity of my life.
I can't mess this up.
Your first fashion show will be at night under the lights,
in the heart of the city.
Ooh!
But not this city, guys.
I knew it.
We're going to Paris!
And wait until you see who's going to join us when we get to Paris.
Heidi and an elite panel of experts will judge you.
In fact, your first show will be in front of the Eiffel Tower.
- It doesn't get more iconic than that. - No.
And, finally, for this fashion show and all of them, actually,
the winner will have one of their looks immediately available
in the Making the Cut store on Amazon.
It's amazing. Every assignment is a prize.
Which is like, huge. At the end of the day,
I want people to buy my clothes.
Do you understand now why I'm so excited for you guys?
Yes!
So, everyone, when we see you next, it will be in Paris.
Go, go, go! Let's get this party started!
Let's see who's going to make that cut.
- Let's go to Paris. - Let's go to Paris.
I love Paris.
# I got Paris on my mind #
# I'm reminiscing all the time #
Yass!
I can't believe we're here!
Woo hoo!
Ready for Paris!
I'm freaking out that we're in Paris. This is wild.
I live in Virginia with my husband and two little angels.
My family is completely supportive of me doing this right now.
So, I've always said,
if I could show anywhere, it would be in Paris.
I'm just thinking of my sequins flashing in front of the Eiffel Tower
for the runway show,
and it's like, oh, my God, it is happening.
Little girl from the South, here I go.
Well, going to Paris is always great.
The funny thing is that I have to come all the way to New York to then fly back,
because from my house to Paris, it's like a three-hour drive.
So, it's a very long detour.
The guys at Customs are going to be like, "What the f... is this kid doing here again?"
- Bonjour! - - Woo hoo!
- This is my first time in Europe. - Is it scary?
From Ohio? Yeah.
Everything that I've waited my entire life for
is literally on a plate right in front of me,
but there are 11 other people in between me and that plate.
I am from Paris, Ohio,
so, Paris for me is like population 800 people,
and 8,000 cows.
Harry, Sally, Mindy, Christy.
At one point, I shared a two-bedroom trailer with my mom and my dad,
and now, I'm in Paris to show my garments in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Come on, we're going, Martha.
After fashion school, I began working for 3.1 Phillip Lim.
After Phillip, I went to Oscar de la Renta.
I have spent my entire career building other people's brands,
and now, it's finally my opportunity to do that.
I've literally worked my entire life to get to this point.
- Oh... my... - Yes!
- Oh, this is... Gosh! - Fab! Fab!
I love it so much.
It's what I always imagined a Parisian atelier to look like.
We could live here. We will live here, practically.
The moment I walked into that studio, like, "Okay. Awesome."
Now it's a competition. Time to step it up.
Jonny.
Does your studio space look like this at home?
No! No more cutting fabric on the floor.
This is so dope!
It's beautiful, huh?
I opened my own shop ten years ago,
and it's now time to push my brand to the next level.
Definitely, I'm here to win, like everybody else is here to win.
We're going to be stitchin' and bitchin' over here.
That's what me and Megan's going to be doing in our little corner.
- Stitchin' and bitchin'. - Stitchin' and bitchin'.
Where's Tim?
Bonjour.
- Hey, Tim! - Hey!
Welcome to Paris.
So, for your first fashion show, you will be presenting
two looks that represent your brand identity.
There will be a winner after every fashion show.
The winning designer for each show will have one of their looks sold on Amazon.
Customers from around the world will be able to buy your look immediately.
So, one of your looks must be accessible.
We want you to innovate yet be wearable.
With the other look, push the boundaries there, alright?
My goal is to make my accessible look
innovative and creative, but not too much to where the customer doesn't get it.
As I'm sure you all know,
you are responsible for making the designs that you present.
However, this is not a sewing competition.
This is a design competition.
This is all about building a global brand.
So, you will each be assigned a seamstress,
and that seamstress will work through the night to do basics for you.
There are things that you could certainly do, because they're basics,
but is it a good use of your time?
In the real world, this is how it goes, you know?
It's like, you work with your seamstresses.
I'm not a seamstress.
I haven't been sewing so much in the last 15 years.
So, this is actually quite good.
So, you will be spending your time on that sort of je ne sais quois
that makes you an especially distinctive designer.
Your fashion show will be two days from now.
So, keep in mind, the clock is ticking.
Now, we're in Paris for a reason.
This is an exuberant source of inspiration.
So, you are free to go out onto the streets of Paris as you please.
And I will see you tomorrow.
Thank you.
Much love.
Thank you. Bye-bye.
###
Whoa, bro.
- This is so cool. - This is crazy.
Sander, you're my inspiration.
Whoo!
Oh, my God.
I'm getting, like, teary-eyed, like...
I love Paris.
Paris is my favorite place in the planet.
I'm definitely inspired right here by the metro,
because, I mean, I love the l'Arc de Triomphe,
but, like, the people, the people in and out, that's it.
Lots of different cultures walking around,
and I sort of look at my customer like that.
It's different women from different backgrounds,
and that's my sole inspiration.
When I'm in a foreign city, I always love to be on top
and having the bird's view.
Yeah, and you're in control.
It's like, yeah, you can see, you can breathe.
I like your figurines, because they're like... they're very womanly,
but then, it's very...
Straight, or...?
It's very, like, woman,
but then there's something very masculine about them. They're like...
I always had, actually, the mix of three cities.
Like, Berlin, Moscow, and Paris.
Like, the chicness of Paris and the avant-garde of Moscow
and the rock 'n' roll of Berlin.
The name of my brand is Esther Perbandt. That's my name.
I have no kids, I have no husband.
This brand is my baby.
And I'm the... the queen of black in Berlin.
My collection is the collection for strong personalities.
I'm seen by other people as a very strong woman,
and whenever a woman comes and buys a piece in my store,
they always buy a little piece of my personality,
which is sewn into that garment,
and maybe they buy a piece of that strength,
and when they wear it, they can feel it.
I do see myself as a fashion designer,
but first and foremost, an artist.
Recently, I was thinking about, you know how they put the bodies into frames,
as if they, like, came out of a block?
The first look is a jacket, the next look is a dress,
and the jacket, the model or the body is inside of the frame.
And then the next look is basically to take the frame and put it on top of the dress.
So, now, I just...
...draw like a crazy person.
My God.
Get some feathers, I don't know.
I like this.
I need... studs for fur...
I need everything in black.
I'm looking for cotton, silk, wool.
Everything black is in the back.
Okay. Someone help me.
Oh, my God, I don't know. I thought I was going to be out of here in an hour.
- I know, it's like, everything's in French. - I know.
I might do some of this.
I mean, I feel like I would need this for something.
Mm-hmm.
You need the black, I do not.
Fashion is literally everything to me. I've just always loved it.
And I think my mom would say that from a very young age,
it's just been, Martha has loved, loved her clothes.
My brand, the name is Neubyrne.
Neubyrne means "new you."
It's the whole idea of reinventing yourself and wearing something a little crazy.
My aesthetic is bright and funky and pretty loud.
You know? Why not?
I don't do black, period, the end.
Always be extra.
I showed at New York Fashion Week.
The people that are rocking my stuff, they really love Neubyrne.
But, like, I mean, can you blame them? It's pretty fun.
I'm looking for something to layer under this,
and nothing seems to be working, so I'll have to come up with a second plan.
My first look is a silk gown.
So, I kind of want it to have a sheerness to it
and, like, two shades of green.
I'm a little worried that it'll be too racy, but then, it's also... it's Paris.
So, I think they're definitely, like, different greens, right?
And I feel like this and this, this is like bluer, and this is more like a forest...
- This is definitely... - And it's kind of pretty together.
Yeah. And is this a lining?
No, this is gonna be like a three-ply gown, just sheer stuff.
- It should be fine, right? - Yeah.
Yeah.
- That is already... - Yep. And plus, it's going to be gathered.
- I could even make it two-ply. - Yeah.
Perfect.
How beautiful is this, and how smart of us to choose Paris?
But we couldn't do fashion without coming to Paris.
No, of course not. It totally makes sense.
Yeah, it's the birthplace of fashion. It's the birthplace of style.
Yes. Everything just looks so much better here.
I agree. Everything's very titillating.
Titillating?
- Yes, titillating. - Titillating?
What is "titillating"? This is a new word for me, "titillating."
- I love "titillating." - ...it peaks your curiosity, it's...
It sounds naughty.
That is my word of the day, "titillating."
- Coucou! - - Hola.
- Hi. - - Come stai?
Did you find everything?
I feel good.
We've been assigned to design a two-piece mini collection
which is a snapshot of our brand.
One should be a little bit more runway...
...and then one should be a little bit more accessible.
Okay.
- How's it goin'? - So good. How you doin'?
I'm literally just drinking tea, 'cause I don't know where to begin.
Okay, here we go.
You are ugly, I will not use...
My first look is gonna be a bow blouse and a wide-leg pant.
And then, my second look is going to be a drop-waist dress
in the same pattern, but just a little bit different.
I'm currently working on my more commercial look.
I like to just do a bit of it, like a piece of a garment,
and see how it looks and see what it's asking for,
and then continue to build off from that, so... just building.
My name is Ji Won.
Nobody in my school back in Oklahoma could say it,
so, I had my parents call me Rachel instead.
When I was 6 years old,
my family moved from Seoul, South Korea, to Oklahoma.
I felt so different that I just...
rejected my Korean identity to fit in,
and I never felt like I belonged anywhere.
When I moved to New York and then went to Parsons,
I realized that fashion was really the way that I could express myself.
The fashion industry really embraced me, and it's the best feeling in the world.
I wanted my brand to be all about embracing my Korean identity.
I recently did a collaboration with Adidas Originals.
I've shown at New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week twice.
My drive to succeed just really comes from my parents.
Everything I do, I just want to make them proud
and really take advantage of all the opportunities they've given me.
Beautiful!
I love draping on the form, so...
I'm just, like, cutting, you know, 45-euro fabric and hoping it will work out.
And I think it will. We'll see.
I formed my label at the end of 2015,
and we launched at New York Fashion Week February of 2016.
It's really for the woman who wants pieces that are really freeing to wear.
That's really important to me.
I'm trying to get this thing cut, but I'm terrified.
I really like the design aspect,
and I work very closely with the people that sew my clothes.
But I'm not a seamstress.
I'm just, like, very, very nervous about fabric cutting.
If I cut it and I ruin it, that's it.
This is very nerve-wracking, with all of these talented designers
all around me, cutting their patterns, sewing their things.
And I'm just kind of, like, biting my nails, trying to figure out where to start.
I'm already freaking out.
Martha, like a lot of people that I know, work directly with pattern-making services.
She doesn't make her own patterns.
- I'm just freaking out about cutting it. - No, come on.
So, a lot of trying to figure those things out on her own
is taking a lot of time for her.
- You have to pin it. - Yeah.
I have pattern makers, I have seamstress.
But you still have to know how to put a freaking pin.
I know. I know, I know.
- You're doing separates, yeah? - Yeah.
First one's a... It's not a suit, but it's an ensemble,
including a jacket.
My vision for these two outfits
is, of course, to stick to my DNA.
Esther's stuff is incredible.
She walks in the room, and you're like, "Who are you? I want to know you.
I want to be you."
One look will have trousers, a blouse, and a big scarf.
And the second outfit will be a dress with details,
which are my signature.
- Is it a coat? - Coat, dress, jumpsuit, half of a skirt,
and maybe a legwarmer.
- Wow! - Still a little room for that.
Sander is a freak up here.
Like, he's going to turn out some really cool, freaky stuff.
I feel like I'm at an awesome sleepover with all my besties
that also love designing clothing, I guess.
She's lacking a little bit of confidence.
But you have to believe in yourself.
It will work. It will work.
It's just still hard for me.
But it feels good. It feels good.
This might turn out.
I just finished handing off my cotton pants to the seamstress.
If I can come tomorrow and there's pants made,
I will be in an awesome space.
We're given the assistance of seamstresses at night,
but in order to have that assistance, you have to create a tech pack.
Yeah!
And what a tech pack is, is basically a manual of how to put something together.
So, you're giving them an illustration,
you're giving them any threads, buttons, trims that go into that garment,
and you are literally writing a step-by-step instruction of how to put it together.
So, seamstress pickup is coming really, really soon.
The clock is ticking.
I'm, like, trying to cut these patterns. It's so stressful.
I'm trying to write out all my tech packs
and have enough written down for them to kind of know where to go from there.
I am really feeling so overwhelmed.
I have to hope for the best.
Are you excited to see your stuff?
I want to see my stuff so badly.
Hello, studio.
A-OK!
The first thing I do is grab my tech pack and my garment.
Oh, it's a pair of pants!
The moment of truth.
Oh my God, it worked!
This is good. This is a win.
Love...
Okay...
I'm, like, really not expecting to see maybe anything done at all,
like, maybe it's just still the patterns,
'cause they're like, "Nah, we couldn't do that."
I really didn't know how it was going to come back.
Okay. That is interesting.
I kind of dig it!
And I'll just finish these.
Perfect, and it's long...
I really like what the seamstresses did. It's great.
Thank God! Yes!
- Good morning, everyone. How are you? - Buongiorno!
This is a very different-looking room than when I left you last.
Wow! It really has become Santa's workshop.
And I'm thrilled to see it.
I'm eager to get into my talk with each of you. Okay?
- Hello, Ji. - Hi!
- I'm eager to hear what you're doing. - Yeah.
This is my more commercial piece.
My interpretation of a classic denim jacket.
I really like to work with using different cultures
and meshing them together to create something entirely new,
so I'm using denim as, like, the American part,
because that's, like, where I grew up,
and there are also elements that I was inspired by, like Korea,
to bring it all together...
And I have to say this about it.
It feels very organic, it feels as though it breathes...
- Cool. - It's very beautiful.
- Great. Thank you so much. - What is this paired with?
My big runway piece is going to be all loose straps.
They're going to be sewn onto this overcoat out of this fabric.
It's going to be layered, so, as the model's walking down the runway,
it's going to be incorporating a lot of movement.
And this is one piece?
Yes. I was going to make a jumpsuit to go under, but I think I'm too...
- I don't have time. - No. No, you do not.
This is ambitious enough.
I'm just... I mean, to be blunt, I'm just concerned about your time.
My clothing have so many little, minute details, and...
I did take on a little bit too much.
I am a bit stressed, but I'm super competitive.
- I got this. - Good.
- How's Martha? - Hi, Tim.
- I'm good. - Good.
Tell me about this piece to start.
Okay, yeah. So, this drop-waist dress really came together
because I knew I wanted to go full print,
but then, once I saw this blue with it, I was like, "Wait a second. This."
And I love it.
I've got a bunch of bow patterns cut out.
I'm going to do a big blue guy.
- For where? - For the top.
No? Okay.
I think it will look too prim.
And right now, this has a bit of a retro feeling.
Mm-hmm.
- This has a younger, girlier vibe. - Mm-hmm.
- Yeah. - I would resist.
So, let's move on to this piece. This is a big, wide-leg pant.
Matching top, matching pant. And that would be, like, the look.
Alright. For me...
you're owning sophistication in this look, and it's working.
And I'm concerned that this is going to look like her daughter.
Oh, God.
I wish you had seen it on me.
- Because I feel like... - Why don't you run and put it on?
I feel really strongly about that look.
I like it better than the pant, honestly.
It's so me, it's so cute, and, like,
I know that when I style that on the model, it's going to be good.
Do you see what I see?
Maybe?
I see a lot.
I think one of my issues is the baby blue.
Yeah?
While you were gone, I snooped.
You like the organza with it better.
- Look how it blends in with the print. - Yeah.
I think it's getting more sophisticated.
The potential here is to give it that edge.
- And this has got to be toned down. - Okay.
He doesn't really love the dress.
That's, like, horrifying to me.
Now, I'm kind of just, like, scrambling.
I'm a little bit intimidated. It's a lot.
- This jacket is exquisite. - Thank you.
Quite frankly, I think this is a brilliant solution,
and I don't use the word "brilliant" very often.
- I think this could be a winner. - Let's hope so.
- No, I really mean that. - I'll do my best. Thank you.
The sheen of the silk, that's very seductive.
I love to give the sense and sensuality of the woman,
without showing too much.
It looks as though you took a bottle and just poured it.
Fantastic.
- It's very elegant. - That's a big compliment.
I was a little worried that it was a lot, but, I mean, this is a show.
- It's a show. - And I wanted to push the bar a little bit.
- This is a learning experience... - It definitely is.
...for each and every one of us.
You're able to work with these other dimensions.
Something that's kind of true to the brand,
because it's, like, working with the body as a canvas.
It's like a bag, as like your "emotional baggage,"
as if you're carrying it on you.
- I think it's going to be sensational. - Oh, thank you.
- I'm very excited, Rinat. - Yay, I'm excited that you're excited.
- Yeah, I am. - Thank you, you made my day.
- Alright. - Bye.
So, Esther, tell me how you're doing this.
- I'm super left behind. - Tell me why.
I needed to have one great trousers, because this is important for my brand.
But it's important that it looks the way I want it to look...
- Yes. - ...not that it works the way I want it.
- It's a fake pocket. Does it work? - Perfect. Perfect.
Often, my styles are very complicated.
And I'm not a pattern maker, I'm not a seamstress.
So, this is actually the challenge.
The second look is this dress.
It stays floaty in the back, and then also the belt.
- Still a lot to do. - But I'm a believer.
And I think this can knock everyone's socks off.
I still have my socks on.
So, the challenge for me is to keep the look, see my style,
but then make it happen in these only two days.
What next?
I didn't really want to work from an existing pattern.
I wanted to work in the way that felt truest to myself,
and that's really, like, I love draping.
It's powerful when a woman wears something that's fluid and kind of like...
- Oh, agreed. - ...voluminous, and she really works it.
- So, this is... - More runway piece.
The more runway piece, and not the piece you would put into production.
- No. - So, that is... this piece.
The bones of this dress is one of the dresses that I sell really well.
I'll leave this open...
and then I'll drape it on her back and see where it hits her best.
You know? Because everyone has such different bodies.
I'm so happy to hear you say that, because people try to put people into categories,
- ...and there are three or four of them. - Pear, apple...
- I know, it's ridiculous. - Watermelon, mango...
- We're a mixture of all sorts of things. - Yeah.
Many of the pieces in my collection are...
I call it "size fluid," so, I've seen women from, like, a zero to a 14
wear one of my, like, the same dress, or the same cut.
And somehow, every woman makes it entirely their own.
- Jonny, how are you doing? - I'm okay.
So, this one is going to be kind of a simple dress,
- but it's in this really pretty cotton. - Mm-hmm.
- And he will be in these pants... - So you have a male and a female.
- I have a male and a female. - Excellent.
For him, I'm turning a biker jacket into a long, tailored vest.
I just wonder whether you would be able to take this same silhouette
and just cool it up.
- Because the way this now looks... - Mm-hmm?
I would want to keep him away from her.
She looks very sweet and prim.
- And he's rocking it. - Okay.
It's going to come down to the wire.
- Thank you, Jonny. - Thank you.
I just have to focus...
intensely today.
Everyone, I have to say this, and I say this...
rather emotionally.
After our session today...
the next big global fashion brand...
is absolutely in this room.
- Wow. - Wow!
- Thank you, Tim. - That's really, really cute.
- Thank you. - Aw.
So, congratulations, and I will see you later. Alright?
- Work hard, everyone. - Thank you, Tim!
So, after the Tim talk, I'm rethinking everything,
and I'm starting to spiral out of control.
I'm just so in my head, and I'm just, like, trying to figure out
where to go from here.
Hey!
Mama's here.
Say, "Momma, how's work?"
How was your nap?
Oh, my God, this breaks my... Hey, buddy.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
- Are you okay? - Yeah.
- Have you had your big thing yet? - No, it's tomorrow.
Hey, buddy! Oh, my God, he's bigger.
It's... it's, like, really, really hard to be here and be without them.
I really have to just kind of compartmentalize
that part of my life.
If I think about everything that I'm missing, it's just like... no, I couldn't be here.
- Hey, you been working hard? - Oh, my God.
This is literally so hard.
Have you seen everybody else's stuff?
Yeah, they're really, really good.
I might be home after tomorrow. You really don't know.
- But y'all are good? - We're very good, yeah.
Love you, Mom.
I love you so much, bud.
Bye.
My husband was like, "I've got it all figured out,
and they're going to be just fine."
I just have this clarity come over me, and I'm just like, "You know what?"
"Whatever I put on her is going to be fabulous.
"I'm not going to stress. I'm not going to worry.
I'm just going to get it done."
Martha, what's going on over there?
I'm not doing what Tim suggested.
- Oh, yeah? - I'm just straight up not doing it.
Do you want to tell me what that is, or do you want to not tell me what that is?
Yeah, it means that I'm, like, keeping my dress as-is, because I love it.
Oh, yeah.
What about you? Do you have two yet?
I'm gracefully freaking out.
Yeah, gracefully freaking out?
I'm trying to get stuff ready for my models. That's my first deadline.
I'm excited to get the models in for a fitting.
That really brings everything to life.
Hi, girls. I'm Sabato. Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you!
It has some stretch to it, so...
Sander's royal blue blazer with the stick in the sleeve...
I'm really curious how exactly that's going to look on the runway.
# I'm two steps ahead of ya #
# Two steps ahead of ya #
Look at you!
Do you feel like you step on it when you walk?
- A little bit. - A little bit?
Yeah, I'm gonna make the skirt a little bit longer. It's a little hoochie.
But you look good.
You want to walk really normal.
Yes. Perfect.
Ahh!
Go ahead.
- Thank you. - Okay, nice to meet you.
Bye-bye.
That's how we do it in the street.
It's the end of day 2.
We've prepared tech packs for the seamstress.
This whole time, I've thought Esther would be the greatest competition,
but she seems really behind.
Tomorrow is the show.
I'm handing in the dress to the seamstress.
She can understand, hopefully, what I want.
Can I ask you something?
How would I mention it to the seamstress...
We say in German, like, "in the shadow of the seam."
Do you say it like that, so...?
- We say... I don't know what... - Stitch in the ditch.
- Yeah, stitch in the ditch. - Stitch in the ditch.
Stitch in the ditch.
There's a ditch, and you stitch in it.
Okay. She will understand that?
Bonne nuit, everyone. Good night.
Sayonara.
- See you tomorrow. - See you tomorrow on the runway!
I will write some more instructions on this dress.
If she can't make it, I'm out tomorrow.
I have so much work to do.
- My God. - Yes!
I got it!
I knew it.
It was not finished.
Okay.
When I opened my pouch with the stuff I handed in last night...
...it was not done the way I wanted.
I have to throw away my idea somehow, and completely start all over again.
I have two hours. What can I do in two hours?
I have to reinvent the whole dress.
Esther's in trouble.
She's only got two hours to start from scratch on a brand-new look.
Okay, good, good, good.
Praise Jesus!
It's gonna be... like a side pocket there...
Heh. Oops!
- Hello, everyone. - Attention.
Alright, just quickly...
have you all adequately wrapped your brains around what's about to happen?
You're going to have a fashion show in Paris...
I have chills now just saying it...
in front of the Eiffel Tower!
- Great! - How phenomenal is that?
Now, you have approximately two hours in the design studio,
so, whatever you need to do to finish your garments, do it.
I will see you at the Eiffel Tower.
- Thank you, Tim! - Work hard.
Get back to that sewing room.
So, Victor...
Oh, yeah...
- You okay? - Yeah.
I really have to hurry up now.
I've not much time.
I need to somehow finish three pieces at the same time.
Is this one on?
I was hoping the whole night that my dress will be done the way I want it to.
But it was not.
###
- The hair's got to be like... Wow! - Like...
- Crazy. Like... - You want some cream?
- Yeah. - Okay. Okay.
Oh, my God, I love it!
Just checking in on your progress.
Tell me the time, and I can tell you.
5:27.
- Five twenty-what? - Seven.
We either go necklaces or bow.
Yeah.
Sydney?
What am I looking for?
...more subtle than her. Yeah.
I'm freaking out. Why'd they do this to me?
You are truly one of the most talented people I've ever met.
This is really nice of you. I have a lot of doubts.
I just have to put the collar on,
and then I can worry about all the loose threads and whatnot.
I'll be done, but I'm just worried about the overall look of it, you know.
I need more time.
I will have to ask Rinat to do some hand stitchings.
Otherwise, it's not possible to finish.
- Hey, what do you need from me? - You could sew the hem.
Oh, so you marked it already. Deal. Cool. Go.
- I got it. - You're so nice. Thank you so much.
Anastasia.
- How much time do we have? Thirty minutes? - Less.
You got time. Don't rush it.
Anastasia!
I have a lot to do in 30 minutes, but for the first time in three days,
I'm seeing my looks come together.
It's the best feeling in the world.
Yes! Whoo!
To the runway!
- Let's go! - Thanks, coach!
Now I'm maybe, like, even more nervous.
That is the Eiffel Tower.
This is fierce.
###
Just ten more minutes.
I do feel stressed.
Should we do this?
That's drama.
Do you like it like this? I like this.
- Or what about on the back? - Ooh.
- Oh. - I can't get it on.
Damn it. I don't have enough time to pin it.
Okay.
Okay, I have no time.
Let's not do it. Let's not do it. Just get this.
###
- Hello, everyone. - Hi, everybody.
We are so thrilled to be here.
First, I want to welcome everyone to Making the Cut!
Yes!
And here we are with our first fashion show, in Paris.
- It's staggering. - What a backdrop.
It's surreal, to be perfectly honest.
What is so amazing about being on Making the Cut is,
after every runway show,
the winning look will be produced and sold immediately on Amazon,
which is so amazing for these designers.
And the last one standing will get one... million... dollars!
Incredible. Absolutely incredible.
- Shall we introduce our fabulous judges? - Yes.
An inspiration to fashion designers worldwide,
the Creative Director of Altuzarra... Joseph Altuzarra!
I'm so ecstatic to have you here.
- Yes, thank you for being here. - Thank you so much.
Joseph Altuzarra is f... amazing.
His brand is luxury at its finest, but also still very accessible.
I am stoked that Joseph is here.
And now, the legendary fashion editor and visionary... Carine Roitfeld.
She's truly fashion royalty.
Carine Roitfeld was the editor-in-chief of French Vogue for... so many years.
There is no bigger person in fashion.
There's Anna, and then there's Carine.
Amazed that we have you. Thank you so much.
- Thank you again. - Thank you so much for being here.
And actress and Creative Director of House of Harlow,
Nicole Richie.
Wow!
I'm freaking out.
I see Nicole Richie, and I'm just like... Aah!
She's doing a runway strut.
You look like you've been here before.
Welcome. Thank you for being here.
And last but not least... supermodel...
actor... activist...
entrepreneur...
and true fashion icon...
She's also my friend, and I love her dearly...
Here is Naomi Campbell.
To see that Naomi Campbell was a judge...
is crazy.
- Insane. - It's a big, big deal.
Hi, Naomi. Mwah, mwah!
The fact that these judges are here with all of us,
speaks about how truly amazing this opportunity is.
Let's start the show.
###
Megan, go! Megan, go!
###
I think girls would like that.
A girl who loves print
who wants to have a little bit more fun.
I'm interested in her.
Aaaah!
I would wear more the tailoring than the mini skirt.
And I like the yellow line on the side.
I would wear the top, and I would wear it with jeans.
She did execute the tailoring on the suit.
- Beautiful collection. - My God. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Good job!
Hi, Ji. How are you feeling?
I'm very nervous.
I am too. For all of us.
I see the mirrored walls, and the Eiffel Tower's like peeking through,
and it's getting dark, and the Tower's glowing...
It's just surreal.
And I just feel like, so... like somebody.
Here we go.
Oh my God, it's stunning.
My heart is beating so fast.
Naomi's looking at it.
It's like a chic street.
I love it.
There's too much white line on it.
I don't get it.
This is so good.
Like, I get it. I see who she is.
I want it right now.
# Me rock stars, get up, you stand up #
# And throw your hands up, your hands up #
# Here come the rock stars #
Congratulations.
- Thank you so much. - You did it.
You know, my parents have just, like, sacrificed everything for me.
And I just wanted all of that sacrifice to mean something.
And I think they'd be, like, stoked.
My stuff is in front of the Eiffel Tower, like,
this is the capital of everything to me.
Whoo!
I think this is pretty.
Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.
- Carine just saw my dress. - Yes, she did. She's staring at it.
- I'm getting emotional. - Well, of course you are. I am too.
I like this one. Clean, elegant...
Yeah. I love it.
This is like everything that I ever wanted.
- Congratulations. - Thank you, my dear.
# Here come the rock stars #
# We are the rock stars #
# Here come the rock stars #
# We are the rock stars #
# The rock stars... #
The black dress is way too short.
Oh, good, the slit opened.
I mean, you can tell from a brand perspective who Will wants to be.
Like, they fit together.
You can tell it's sexy.
# Rock stars forever #
That's quite a slit.
Come here, girl!
Aaah!
It's a girl with a gold dress, but it's so cool on the runway, I think.
I'm on top of the world right now.
I'm in front of fashion icons, legends,
people that I've looked up to my entire life, and I...
This is everything. It really is.
# We are the rock stars #
The tailoring could be a little sharpened up,
but I think the lines are there.
- And I love the color. - Same.
# Here come the rock stars #
This work is so beautiful. I know these are happy tears.
Thank you. Yeah.
That two-piece look, you really get a sense of who he is.
Gorgeous.
- Beautiful. - Thank you so much.
- Congratulations. - Thank you so much.
We're all getting emotional here.
- You ready? - Yeah.
###
This dress is a dress that I've sold so many pieces of,
and I've been proud of every iteration of this dress.
I don't know what this is.
She's selling it.
Everything's see-through. I just don't get it.
There's lights.
There's wind.
And, like, it's sheer.
It's, like, really sheer.
And I'm just kind of, like, praying it won't, like, move too much.
No pants?
I see a whole lot I don't wanna see.
There definitely needs to be undergarments.
I like the color. The choice of models was strong too.
That was, like, really naked.
Like, that was just fabric...
- Yeah. - I agree.
...that was, like, tacked together.
The blue one was not a design. There was nothing to design.
Yeah.
Here we go.
###
I like the model.
I like the way she walks.
- Are you happy? - Yeah.
But I don't like the outfit. It's too simple.
# My party chick want Moscato out the bottle #
# My Mary Jane wanna fly like Lois Lane #
# My sober chick just wants some good #
# I got it all, so tell me, how could I complain? #
Two different parties.
I mean, it's supposed to be a little cohesive.
# We gon' dummy dummy with plenty of money to spend #
- # Honey, honey, if you love me... # - Wow.
# ...then bring one of your friends in #
# And let's take shots, no chasers #
# Call it memory erasers, play the blame game #
- And the print is just enough. - Yeah. 'Cause it balances it out.
# Let me see your runway walk #
# Make your heels click, make the runway talk #
# Come on #
The tailoring is beautiful.
Tim, we did it.
You did it. You did it. Congratulations.
This is nuts!
This is so me. It's fun, it's funky, and, like, kooky.
The color and print and style of it all, I just... I love it.
And I'm just... I'm proud.
The sneakers were smart.
- Yeah? We like? - Yeah.
Yes! My angel.
- I kept the blue, I'm sorry. - No, it's fine.
She's onto something with that big, blue bow.
It's not my thing, but I get it.
Look at her!
I'm not in love with this.
I mean, we could all tie a piece of fabric around our busts.
I don't see anything else.
I'm not mad at it.
I think that it's a strong statement.
Hi, Tim!
- How are you feeling, Sabato? - Good. Very good. Very, very good.
Fly, baby.
Come on, baby. Do it.
Do it... Let it go.
Yeah.
I think Sabato is very thoughtful.
I feel good because I think
this is a great representation
of my brand.
I would wear that.
It looks really well made too.
And I can imagine what a 40-piece collection could look like.
I agree.
Gorgeous, Sabato. Congratulations.
Excited. You know why? 'Cause we're in front of the Eiffel Tower.
We've got to look happy.
Okay! Alright!
We got to be excited.
Ooh!
Now, I'm really nervous.
- The stakes are high. - Yeah, clearly. But I'm excited.
I like the blue jacket. But what about the thing sticking out?
Like a flag. I don't get it.
The strap is very cool in the best way,
and I'm here for the drama.
I've never seen anything like this.
It's innovative, it's an interesting idea.
It's really pushed.
- Congratulations. - Thank you so much.
Thrilling.
I couldn't make the encrusted thing. It was not ready. encrusted?
So, I had to make something else.
This entire process is a learning one.
Can you feel my heart beating?
Yes, I can. Right through your arm.
I'm really proud, because I really worked my ass off.
I did everything I can. I was always coping with the situations.
I always reinvented.
I'm actually surprised by what I can do.
- Fantastic. - Thank you.
So, if the judges don't like it, then it's okay.
I proved it to myself.
###
# 'Cause I'll fight for you #
# And you'll fight for me #
# Yeah, we can look back #
# Remember this like a dream #
- How fabulous was that? - Yes!
- Are you feeling like a proud mom? - I do.
I feel like a proud dad.
It's so surreal.
It's not real.
Thank you so much, everybody.
Bye! You did amazing!
I think everybody feels the pressure of the first elimination,
knowing how quickly and how easily
something can slip right out of your fingertips.
It puts everybody on edge.
Bonjour, everybody.
Hi, guys.
- Hola. - Hello.
Hi, Tim.
Hi.
So, I have to know. How was it for you guys?
- Awesome. - Incredible.
- Amazing. - Goosebumps everywhere?
- Totally. - Magic.
And how excited are you guys about all of the judges?
Fantastic.
Designers, we told you that this is going to be a wild ride.
I want you all to know that, as a general rule,
any number of you can be sent home after a fashion show.
If we don't think that you have what it takes,
you're not gonna make the cut.
As you know, we're here to find the designer
who can create the next great global brand.
The designer behind the brand is just as important
as the clothes that walk the runway.
We discussed each of your brand snapshots,
and based on the fashion show, we have made some decisions.
But they're not necessarily final.
So, now we're going to talk to you.
We want to know what you're all about and how you want to run your business.
And I have to tell you guys,
that one conversation can change our minds.
Jasmine... come talk to us.
Hello, Jasmine.
- How are you? - Hi, Jasmine.
Tell us about your brand snapshot.
Jasmine Chong is about, like, quiet luxury
and pieces that feel kind of opulent and light as air,
lots of movement, and having the body being the anchor,
and the clothing kind of moving around different sizes and body types.
Hearing you talking about size inclusivity,
I think it's really moving, and it's a part of who you are.
But I felt like that wasn't really translated in your pieces.
I don't know that I could totally tell you what you are about
or what your brand is about from looking at these two pieces.
I couldn't agree with you more.
I mean, there's a lot of designers here where, immediately,
you know what they're all about, you know what girl they're dressing.
What I did love about the blue,
is I loved your type of model that you asked to wear it.
A lot of women worry about rolls and flesh folds,
and I was like, "I want to show that."
I'm like, "Can you just turn around and show me that little fold?"
And I pinned it right there.
I love that, that you want to, you know, design for women who have more curves,
because there should be more designers that do that, in any case.
But it doesn't reflect to me in both of the pieces
and mainly in the green one, because you see everything.
To me, it just looked really in poor taste.
She was very naked.
I thought that the green was a really good color choice,
but we're thinking about this winning piece, right,
that we want to sell globally,
and you're never going to walk into any store
and be able to sell something sheer off the bat.
It's always going to be your hardest seller.
So, what I would like to know now from the judges is,
have you changed your minds?
- No. - No.
No.
Jasmine...
I'm sorry. You're not making the cut.
I really feel like you have not given the woman justice
that you wanted to dress here, you know, hearing your story.
And we do believe in your brand's message,
so I hope that you still will go full-force forward with it.
Thank you so much.
Jasmine, we know you've got it in you,
and we'll hear a lot more from you and see a lot more from you.
- Much love. - Thank you.
I'm sad to leave, 'cause I feel like we've only just gotten started.
At the same time, I also feel inspired and reinvigorated in the process.
So, designers, I guess it's hard to see someone go.
But as a reminder, more than one person can go at any time.
Okay, Martha.
- I knew it. - Can you come up here and talk to us?
Hi.
We discussed your brand snapshot already.
We were kind of all over the place here.
Not everyone loved what you sent down the runway.
I want to know how those two looks represented you and your brand.
They were just bold, out-there, colorful, unfinished girl-on-the-go, like,
"I got to throw a top on real quick."
So, the unfinished look, that was meant to be? That was intentional?
Intentional in that it had to be that way, and it looked great. Yeah.
But a lot of people could interpret that as not doing your job properly.
Right.
If you put the effort into making tailored pants,
you have to put the effort into the top too.
So, it doesn't really make a full outfit.
So, I wouldn't feel comfortable as a consumer to buy that outfit.
It's not something that I personally would want to buy,
but I do feel like I understand who your girl is.
So, therefore, I feel like there's a place in the market here.
I actually really liked the jumpsuit.
I think that it's very youthful.
I thought that it was fun and celebratory,
and I definitely knew that you were making a bold statement,
and think that that's so important, especially when building your brand.
When you have an idea, you have to go very strong about it.
And I think I would love to have more fantasy,
because I think this is your world, and I think you have to push it more.
And I think it's a bit like missing, not to go all the way.
Seeing you today, I almost wish you had committed more to the second look.
Unfortunately, it just felt... it felt a little sad.
It didn't feel like you were committing as much to that language.
Right, but the pant with the bandeau,
I mean, I feel like you could mix that with a bunch of different stuff.
It's just so flattering on so many different shapes.
I loved my looks. They were fun, they were street style.
- And I stand behind them. - Mm-hmm.
Okay. Have any of you changed your mind?
No.
- Nicole? - No.
Joseph?
No.
What do you think, Naomi?
No.
Okay.
Martha...
Congratulations, you're making the cut.
What?
You'll remain in the competition.
Oh, my God!
- Aw, you guys are so nice! - Thank you!
- Come on, Martha. - Thank you! Mind blown.
I'm, like, really, really happy about making the cut.
If I were to go home, I would be devastated for sure,
because there is so much at stake here.
I want to see this through, just to show my kids,
follow your dreams, and follow them passionately.
Don't give up.
Criticism is hard, but I welcome the feedback at this point,
because it will just make me better.
Ji, come to us, please.
Whew!
- Hi, guys. - Hi, Ji.
- Love that jumpsuit. - This is one of my designs.
I've shown my own collection at New York Fashion Week last September.
- Are you going to show in Paris? - I just did, yep.
Hitting all the cities.
Alright, tell us about your brand snapshot.
I really want to be able to connect my American side and my Korean side,
and for the first look, I took something that is extremely very American,
which is that denim, like a classic denim jacket,
denim pants, and I brought in design elements from my Korean culture.
And the second one?
It's inspired by very classic Korean hanbok,
but it's Westernized, it's modernized.
And I really try to embody both cultures.
- I love both of your looks. - Thank you.
I also feel like I understand who you are as a designer,
and I can't wait to see more.
Thank you so much.
Honestly, I think the first one was not really flattering as a silhouette.
I think, for me, it was a bit big,
and I don't like the opening in the legs in the front.
But I really liked the second one.
I also loved the white dress.
I want one of those. Keep me in mind.
And I can really see your vision.
The black and white one, it's not my specific style,
but I see the young Billie Eilish-loving girls wearing this.
Yes. Yes. Thank you.
My preference is the white and red,
because anyone can wear it.
Yes, exactly.
I put it on female models, but I really do believe it can be both genders,
like, it's not too feminine or too masculine.
It's something that's fashionable, it's in the trend.
Thank you so much, Naomi.
Both looks were really cohesive,
and I think from what you were talking about from your story,
I'm really interested kind of going forward,
to see how you evolve this language over time.
Yes. Okay.
Ji, congratulations. You are making the cut.
But before we make our decision on today's winner,
we want to speak to another designer.
Thank you, guys, so much.
Okay, Esther, will you step up here, so we can talk to you?
My fellow German friend.
Yeah. How are you doing?
Bonjour, messieurs, mesdames.
- Bonjour. Guten Tag. - - Enchantée.
So, how have the last couple of days been for you?
Very, very exhausting.
Tell us about your issues.
Uh, I haven't sewn for 15 years, I think.
So, I was really focusing on getting the dress prepared for the seamstress.
I handed it in, and the next day, it was not done.
So...
I have to start all over again.
Then, I was sort of freaking out.
Do you stay calm when you freak out, or do you freak out, freak out?
No, I didn't freak out. Well, maybe inside...
She freaked out, or no?
- She didn't say a word for two days. - Oh, really?
She didn't say a word for two days?
I mean, what could I do? I just said, "Okay..."
Then I just have to do it myself.
So, do tell us. How long did it take you to make that dress?
About two hours.
I mean, this is pretty incredible.
- I think it's a good thing... - Yeah, actually, I loved it.
I was just so stressed.
It pushed you to a place out of your comfort zone...
- Yeah, definitely. - ...and you actually can do it now.
So, now you know that.
I didn't expect that I could do something like that, actually, so...
See? Sometimes when you get pushed to the limit,
and you see also that million dollar sign right in front of your head,
that changes things.
Possibly.
So, alright, tell us about your brand snapshot.
So, my brand is actually about the inspiration of three different cities...
the rock 'n' roll, the toughness of Berlin,
and then the Russian avant-garde of the 20 of last century from Moscow,
and then Paris, where I wanted to be really classy and chic.
I think you achieved that.
- I think you really did. - Yeah.
I mean, I loved both of your looks.
I liked the pants outfit.
What we saw was amazing.
It looks like such a specific style, right?
And you're like, "I could never dress like that.
It's very cool. I could never do that."
But I'm like, "Oh, I would wear that."
If you have an extra one, send it my way.
I want one too.
Do you sell some of your clothes now in stores, or...?
I have my own store since ten years, in Berlin,
and now I'm selling online since half a year, so...
at the moment, it's exclusively...
Listening to your story was so beautiful, and you can tell how creative you are,
but you're also thinking like a businesswoman.
I mean, it's a really beautiful story.
And when building a brand, you want to be a part of someone's story, you know?
And it's very important in fashion, because we have to be able to do so many things
to be a great designer,
but to be someone that can talk about your collection.
It was a really strong presentation.
And had I not known any of your technical issues,
I wouldn't have been able to tell.
Don't look inside. It's really horrible.
I thought it was fit really well...
- Kudos to you. - Yeah.
Thank you.
Because we do love this dress.
We talked about that very dress for a very long time.
So, judges...
Ji and Esther were our favorites tonight.
We made some decisions before we came here.
Have any of you changed your mind?
No.
Esther...
- You are the winner. - No.
Yes.
You are.
I'm speechless.
Thank you, universe, for the help.
You are the winner today, and your look will be available
on Amazon right now, in the Making the Cut store.
Yeah!
Wow. That was very beautiful.
I'm very humble,
and I'm always very impressed by other people's work, so...
- Good job! - ...I didn't think that I would win.
It's like when you see your career as a big staircase.
I climbed another step.
Designers, for our first round,
I have to say, you guys did a really great job.
Yeah. Congratulations.
To all of you...
for making the cut!
You can be friends in fashion.?
I think it's a new trend in fashion is to be cool, and cool is to be nice.
I started in '94, and I've always done that.
And I'm glad all of you finally caught up.
- Alrighty. Thank you, judges. - Have a lovely night.
Thank you, guys.
# Everybody say, it's okay #
# It's a beautiful life #
# It'll be alright #
# Everybody say, it's okay #
# It's a beautiful life #
# It'll be alright #
# Everybody say, it's okay #
# It's a beautiful life #
# Gonna be alright #
# Ooh, yeah, yeah #