Previously, on Making the Cut...
We want you to create two haute couture-inspired looks.
Wow, Sander!
It's a calm look for today.
It was just fabric that was wrapped around.
Once I found those two new fabrics,
I just wanted to make sure that I could pin it and...
Did you just say "pin it"?
Martha...
I'm sorry, but you're not making the cut.
Jonny, maybe it is time to depart from that leather jacket.
I feel like there's more inside of you that you have to bring out.
I loved both your outfits.
Esther... you are today's winner.
Again!
Congratulations.
###
- Bonjour! - - Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour.
Good morning, good morning.
Welcome to the Pont des Arts bridge.
I just love being in Paris.
Did I say that enough times already since we've got here?
I don't think we can say it enough, to be perfectly honest.
I just love being in Paris!
We're looking over the River Seine,
and we're here because...
this is the setting for your next fashion show.
Right there along the river, on the Quai de la Tournelle.
You all know we're looking for the designer
who can lead the next global brand.
And we need to test you accordingly.
So, designers, a major marketing trend is collaborating with other designers
and fashion brands to create a unique line that blends two aesthetics.
Yes, they are called "collabs," and they're a huge deal in the fashion industry.
We have seen Vivienne Westwood with Burberry,
Supreme and Louis Vuitton,
and so many more.
These collaborations, or "collabs," as you like to say,
can expand your reach and bring in a new audience
and cut through the noise.
- And that's called buzz. - Yeah, it is. buzz?
The directive for your next collection is a collab collection.
I don't collaborate well with others, I have to admit,
but working with others is crucial to running a global brand.
I wouldn't like it either, but we're doing it.
The very basic concept of working with other people and brands
is key to running a successful business.
Heidi and I have paired you up purposefully with another designer
with a very different aesthetic from your own.
Yes. It's also very important for you to be able to work with another designer
without losing your brand identity or your mind.
While you are working as a collab, this is still an individual competition.
You will be collaborating on a three-look mini collection.
One look in your collection must be accessible.
The winners will have their look immediately available on Amazon,
in the Making the Cut store.
The first collab is Jonny...
and Megan.
I love Jonny! Ahh!
Let's see how you feel in another day.
This is going to be a challenge where I don't have 100% of the control,
but I got Jonny.
Our aesthetics... his is an easy blend,
like the hard and the soft, and the feminine and the masculine.
You know, when I work, I like to really have kind of control of how it looks.
But I feel like, it's a collaboration, so this is what we have to work with.
Next, we have Sabato and Sander.
- Woo! - Yeah!
Save me.
I'm very excited.
To really put the young and the old together, bitch.
He's very elegant; I'm more extravagant.
So, if we make those two together, I think it will be fierce.
Will and Esther.
- Yeah! - Yes!
Will is really feminine, really colorful.
I'm all black, very unisex.
And I'm curious to see what comes out.
Our next collaboration is between Troy and Josh.
- Ah, ha ha ha! Love it! - Oh, yeah!
- Such love. - I know!
Then that leaves us with Rinat and and Ji.
The reason that we wanted opposing aesthetics
is because, in this case, one plus one should equal ten.
So, this is meant to ramp everybody up
and stand out amongst the thousands of options customers have.
So... think big.
- Alrighty then. Paris is yours. - Yes.
- Have fun! - Yes!
- Au revoir. - We'll see you later.
Enjoy! Bye-bye!
I really want to do a jumpsuit.
In my vision, we were going to do a jumpsuit.
Okay.
###
Gauzy, textured.
What I do very often is that I just crop a man's jacket, so it's like a short...
Ahh.
So, you have, like, the sleeve and all the details...
Esther's won the first two runways. I've been safe.
So, now, I think this is my moment to kind of come into the spotlight
and show what I've got.
I have a pattern for a men's trouser that I made for myself.
Mm-hmm?
So, I think that could look really relaxed and kind of cool with your jacket.
Yeah.
###
What I would do, one dress, like, structured kind of thing.
But maybe what you want to do, we should do it on the shirt.
- Oh, yeah. - Right?
- Yeah, totally. - Okay.
It's very me and you.
- I love this. I love it! - Yeah, I think it will be good.
- I'm Papi, officially Papi. - And I'm Bébé.
Bébé. Bébé.
- Bébé! - Bébé!
###
I think we need just, like, a bold print.
- Black and white or something like that. - Totally, that'd be awesome.
And because you know how to do jackets and you can nail that,
then you do the real leather.
Okay. Cool, cool, cool.
I got beat up last week by the judges.
I have a choice. It can get in my head, it can slow me down,
or it can give me the fire to, like, show them what I'm capable of.
And then I'll do the gown underneath,
and I'll make it really, like, full and dramatic.
- I can do that. - - I love it. And a high slit.
- Ooh, hot! - And a high-ass, sexy slit!
Ooh, yeah!
Oh my God, this was scary easy to agree on.
You know... I agree.
- Let's do something eccentric. - We could... yeah.
Let's do some suiting, like traditional suiting,
but then Josh pops.
I am stoked to be paired with Troy, because he's going to bring the tailoring,
and I believe that I can bring color print, softness, and story.
- We'll work fast, like a production team. - Okay, yeah.
And you see how I work.
- Dude, I have. Quietly and focused. - Yeah. That's right.
# We can make this work #
So, I'm a professor at Parsons.
I teach certain classes every semester,
and from that, I use to support my brand.
I've always had partnerships, and now, I've finally, like, developed the confidence
to take the blows and, like, step out and make my own decisions.
So, my brand is called Troy Arnold.
My customer is a confident woman. She knows what she likes
and still stands out above the rest.
I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, living with three sisters and a single mom.
No dad, you know.
It was sort of difficult, because we grew up poor.
We'd have to go to church missions and church pantries to get food.
So, when I was a kid, my mom, she was a housekeeper
for a few very wealthy families,
and I would always go with my mom to her different jobs.
So, they would give us hand-me-downs that their kids would wear,
and from that, like, I learned about labels, fashion brands.
I learned there was an attention to detail.
So, from that moment, I knew that fashion was my path.
I've set up my machine.
Okay, and what that's going to do, it's going to make sure I get a nice, straight shoulder.
I teach at, like, one of the best design schools in America,
but yet, still, I'm going back home to the projects in Harlem,
living with my mom, where my studio's, like, literally my bedroom.
It's not about just winning a competition.
This would change my life.
Taffetas, derrière ? Bonjour, Madame.
...oui ?
I'm looking for a bold print that grabs me and bright colors.
This, I don't actually get this, but if you get it, do it.
I have more edge; she has more color and softness.
I will benefit from her... like, her feminine touch,
and she'll benefit with, like, punking it up a little bit.
He's gonna rock it out. He got me some real leather.
- Just the smell is making me all... - I know. He sounds excited.
Black is beautiful.
I know, babe, but we can't do everything black.
I think we should go red or beige.
Or maybe black.
He grabs, like, all black fabrics.
What about this?
Like, Bébé, Papi, no. Put it back.
This one? I like this one. Ooh, it's dark brown.
- Ooh, fantastico. - Yes, this I love a lot.
- Perfecto. - We'll do it for this one.
With the black.
So, we're definitely marrying our two aesthetics together.
Um, Esther's very kind of cool, edgy, with my lux and glamour.
I work only with black,
but Will is somehow in need for another color here...
...and I'm like, "Ooh, okay."
Historically, creative types do not like to work together.
It's very much a "me, me, me" show.
But I think it's important to be able to collaborate with other people,
'cause nobody wants to work with a dick.
- It's gorgeous. - Yeah, I think so.
# Come look #
# Success, I can smell it #
Ha, ha! Another day, another dollar!
Okay, so...
Okay, I'll give you the jacket.
Ah, yeah. And I do the pattern, and you start prepping for the pants?
Yeah.
Alright.
- Okay, bro. I like this. - That print's dope.
But that print you have to use more of, you know what I mean? Like...
This could be the jumpsuit.
That's... I like it.
I'm not going to say I'm a pro at color and print,
but as a creative director, I know fabric.
It's what I do.
I've been working in fashion since I was 22.
Babyghost was founded in 2010 by myself and my business partner, Qiaoran.
We have sales like around 450,000 kuai.
That's not bad for a week of sales.
We sell globally, but 80% of what we sell, we sell in China.
I've been living in Shanghai kind of officially for about a year now.
I grew up in Columbus, Ohio,
so, when I came home and declared fashion design,
I think my parents were a little bit surprised at first.
Generally speaking, people with a lot of tattoos
fall into one of two categories...
criminals and very sensitive people...
and it helps, mostly because people are scared of them,
and they leave you alone.
Phew!
I thought this was a fashion show.
Ahh, just a little bit of leopard.
- Mental note. - Oh, dope!
- Ooh! Yeah. - Oh, these always work.
Nailed it. One hundred...
- Oh! - Ooh!
- Yo, yo, yo! - Hey!
Back in the studio!
So, I'm starting to get the blazer ready to send out,
and then you can get the pant, and then we're good to go.
Great.
- Manschette is cuff? - Yeah.
- I'm gonna learn German by the end of this. - Yeah, you learn German now.
I like that. And then we're adding... It's going to be a string here and here.
Is there enough of both of us in here, do you think, now?
- I think so, yeah. - Or do you think we need more...
It's not my ruler.
I've worked in the fashion industry for 12 years, so,
I'm used to the fast pace and the pressure of delivering under a time crunch.
In the beginning when I started in the industry,
I wasn't aware of how hard it was.
You know, the fact that I'm a woman and that I'm a woman of color.
But I've always used those disadvantages as fuel to my fire.
So, in this competition, I'm doing the same thing.
My goal is to out-work everybody and be the last person standing here.
- Sanderito! - Yes, Babina.
- Why, why...? - Why what?
- It's a little shorter, isn't it? - No, it's just a curve.
Okay.
Not everybody's good at everything. He doesn't have the sewing skill.
I mean, he made this first dress the first episode.
A lot of workload is on my end.
Thank you! Come again!
I love it when he visits the sweatshop.
Ooh, motherf... Oh, bitch. Ughh.
Alright, I set up shop over here.
- Josh. - Yo!
Cut me, uh, about three yards of paper.
Got it.
My pattern making is not very good.
My sewing is very, very rusty.
So, I knew that what I needed to do
was make sure that I could facilitate anything that he needed.
Alright, so let me show you what you got to do.
I always feel like I'm teaching, which is fine.
You can't run from your destiny, bro, like...
It feels a lot like when I was assisting. It...
I've done this before.
He's easy to do it for, 'cause he's a genius, and I don't want to let him down.
It takes humility, but it will get a lot more done.
I feel like we're in our groove.
I feel like we are pleasantly working in harmony.
- Yeah! Right? - Yeah.
This is the first time I've made something in black.
Yeah, I've never seen you make nothing in black.
No. I mean, I've also only known you for, like...
this is the third week, so...
I know, but I feel like I've known you for, like, three years.
Same. You're like the lost sister I never wanted.
I never had a brother.
Ta-da!
- Bébé. - Yeah?
Can you come?
Um, I made a mistake.
What happened?
It just slipped, you know? Look.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
He doesn't sew. He doesn't really make patterns.
Sander, come. I don't get it.
And there's definitely a lot of work to do.
- Right? - No, no. On the fold, like this.
Ah. Bravo. Mm.
The stress is getting to me. Ah.
I can't do this anymore.
Oh, my God.
- Okay. - Okay, prego.
The seamstress is done.
Who knows what he's doing, crying? I don't know.
He's 40 years older than me.
He's not a fresh leaf like me, you know.
If I have to drag this bitch all the way to the finish line,
I will, don't worry about nothing.
I'm not going home for nobody.
What are we doing?
Well, you know, we've been together for... 16 years now?
Yeah, we have.
And I kind of wanted to test you on how well you know me.
Ooh, I'm afraid.
We're getting our caricature painted, but he can't see us.
- You have to describe me... - Oh, good heavens!
- And you have to describe me? - ...and I have to describe... you.
- And here he is. - Oh!
- Bonjour. - Bonjour.
Bonjour, monsieur.
- So, we'll start with Heidi. - Yes.
Heidi is as gorgeous as a model.
She has blonde hair and green eyes...
...and the most broad, captivating, bright, fabulous smile.
And she takes your breath away with her beauty.
- Okay, now it's my turn. - Okay, let's go.
Just say, "Old fart."
He's distinguished. James Bond.
- Ah, okay. - So, the suit is big plaid.
Yeah. Windowpane.
Avec une little, um...
serviette in the pocket.
His hair is kind of gray.
- Kind of? - It's brushed back.
He's wearing glasses.
- Oh, bonjour. - Bonjour.
Well...
Le grand chien taking le grand pee...
...in our honor.
Where'd that dog come from?
###
I'm excited for today.
Yeah, and that feeling of completion is like relief.
Yeah, but then you have the nerves of elimination.
I know!
Are you worried about time, or are you feeling good?
No, it's just that we need to agree on stuff, you know what I mean?
Oh, are you guys having disagreements?
No, but, like, I'm more of a doer, and he's more of a thinker.
I think he's a very smart guy,
but he's the kind of person that lives on a cloud.
He wants to, like, think about everything, ah, the drama,
- and he's... - I mean, he's just a Italian.
I hope me and Miss Sabotage pull through.
# Together isn't always better #
Hey, y'all, let's go.
Oh, wow. Okay, the seamstress stuff is there.
The assignment of this week is to make a mini collection
of three outfits, in a collaboration
with one of the other designers.
And one of those three pieces will be accessible
and online for sale all over the world.
- Hey, hey! - Hey.
Holler at your boy. Ha, ha!
It's like a sequined camo.
Did they do anything?
Oh, here are the sleeves. Not put in.
Oh, this is the entire jacket still?
I don't get it.
So, they didn't do anything, basically.
- Look, nothing. - No, they didn't do nothing. Why?
I don't understand.
It seems like we just have one seamstress.
Mmm.
I start to realize that I made a huge mistake.
We're supposed to have two seamstresses.
So, we're supposed to put this in two different bags.
- Oh, you put it in one bag? - Yeah.
Every team got two seamstresses,
and you're supposed to divide the sewing work in two bags.
And Sabato put everything in one bag, thinking like
they're gonna take it as a team, you know, everything in one bag.
And that's why we just had, like, a half of a pants done.
You know what? I'm just gonna put this jacket together quickly.
And then you cut the base...
It is hard working with people. It's really, really, really hard.
But I can handle myself in a professional manner.
I know that the garment needs to be finished, so I'm going to go finish that garment.
You deal with it. You roll with the punches, you know?
You okay?
I just need to really focus on this, 'cause...
You got this.
...everything got sent wrong to the seamstresses, so nothing is done.
For real?
It is what it is, but... Everybody makes mistakes.
We'll manage.
So, we went for the most opulent...
- Opulent... - ...or, like, eccentric choices.
What we didn't want to do was separate... you make a piece, I make a piece,
style it together... We didn't want to do that.
We wanted to do it 100% together.
Oh! Is this... It's beautiful.
What do you want to be when you grow up, Ji?
- I wanted to be a designer. - You always knew?
Yep. Didn't you?
I always wanted to become a farmer when I was a kid.
But I guess then I realized I was gay as hell,
so, I was like, "Okay, well... I guess I'll get into fashion."
...as gay as hell.
- I used to live on a farm. - Me too.
- I used to live by a farm. - Work.
I used to own a farm.
Everyone is just a farmer.
Show off.
I come from Foggia, south of Italy, Puglia.
I didn't become a designer overnight, you know.
It's been, like, a process, yeah.
I was a quite finished model,
a model for Giorgio Armani and many others.
But then I became a single father.
My son Giulio became the most important person in my life.
So, I switched from modeling to designing,
and I've been designing for more than 30 years.
I started a brand called Sartorial Monk.
It was in beautiful specialty stores all over the world.
The name of the brand today is my name, Sabato Russo.
What I do right now is linked very much into my emotion,
because I want to transform what I feel into a garment.
It's me. I don't know how to express it. It's really me.
That's easy to make. I'm thinking if we put it on that leather...
Oh, mercy. You're killing me.
'Cause now that I'm looking at it, that kind of looks out of place.
- Let's wait 'til he gets here. - Okay.
'Cause we're talking a lot.
I just want to make a decision quick, 'cause we don't have a lot of time.
I'm a control freak.
Yeah, that's something that I work on. I'm definitely a control freak.
And I like to be in control of everything.
I'm used to working quick and making decisions.
It drives me nuts that the outcome of this competition,
the outcome of every assignment, is out of my hands.
It's killing me.
You're putting zippers on this somewhere too, right?
- Not really. - I think you need.
- Girl, you're stressing me out. - Sorry!
You're just having so much mind changing right now.
- Good morning, everyone. - Hi, Tim!
How are the collaborations?
- Great. - Amazing.
Excellent. "Great, amazing." I can't wait to see what you're doing.
- Yes. - Alright.
Gentlemen, how are you?
Thank you for pairing us.
We see women with the same aesthetic.
I think he's in more of the, like, more of the silent part of that aesthetic.
That's a good word, "silent."
And I'm a little more of the louder part of it, you know.
Alright. So, how are you merging those two, the silent and the noise?
This is a double breast pique lapel jacket that we transform into a dress,
and then we do a dramatic collar...
I've convinced him to not use black.
But I think it will complement.
But you don't want two to be quiet and one to be loud.
The cohesion needs to be evident in these three looks.
- Mm-hmm. - Okay.
- Alright, carry on. - Thank you, Tim.
- Thank you, babe. - Alright.
- Ciao. - I'll see you later.
I was like, errrr.
I think it's the red that breaks everything.
Yeah.
But another black silhouette? You know what I mean?
So, let's not take a chance.
I'm gonna have a driver and go and buy some more fabric.
I could finish the looks.
Talk to me.
Look one... going to drape the top so that it kind of flows into the skirt.
But then I want to have a little shirt underneath
with a tie which will be tucked inside.
Okay.
So, this is already like the two of us melded together.
- Okay. - And then we have the men's outfit.
It's this very structured jacket, but then, on the inside,
it's the same merlot.
Alright. What's the third look?
Third look is our accessible look.
So, this skirt will also have a drape which comes from the waistband
and cascades down.
So, what is it about this collection that cuts through the noise?
You can pick apart the pieces that are uniquely Esther
and also uniquely me.
I don't want that to happen, though.
The collaboration between you should allow you to do things
that you wouldn't even conceive of doing individually.
That's really what this is about.
Take more risks. Throw the dice. You want to win.
- Yeah. - Yeah. Thank you, Tim.
- Alright. Thank you. - Thank you.
- Okay. - Okay.
Maybe it's really like the skirt was just a bit too girly.
Either we do like a tiny short, something sexy...
I like the idea of the short.
Did you think about another shirt out of the sheer thing underneath?
- Make like a long tunic shirt? - Shirt dress, basically.
Shirt dress out of the sheer?
- So it's like a dress... - - Yeah.
- ...but it's a tailored shirt. - Yeah.
Esther and I completely scrapped the accessible look,
and we completely started new,
which is a big challenge to take on.
I'm more happy, I think, with this.
Yeah. I agree.
She comes from a more sporty background,
and she told me that I come from a more sexy background,
so we're colliding both worlds together.
What I feel like I'm seeing is more of a Frankenstein approach.
- Mm-hmm. - Okay.
A little bit of this, then we sewed this together,
then we attached this to that.
We think it collides, you know, it meshes good together.
We bring our own elements. I know you called it Frankenstein, but...
Well, at this juncture, I want Frankenstein to go away.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- We got this. - Yeah!
Alright. How's our duo?
- We're good. - Jonny and Megan.
- We're good, we're good. - Yeah?
We are the two designers from L.A., so we're bringing a sense of, like...
- Easy glamour. - Yeah, easy glamour.
But this looks full-tilt Megan, with the exception of this pant.
- Ooh. - It looks full... It looks like you.
That definitely wasn't the plan. Like, I... We're not gonna...
That's not the assignment, so we got to fix it.
- Well, this look right here... - Full-tilt Megan.
- It's... yeah. Totally Megan. - The pant is not.
The pant is something that we really are collaborating on.
Oh, it's still separate, though, right? Yeah. I see what you're saying.
But we're... Well, it's... We're collaborating on it, though...
So, even like this, if this had zippers...
Well, I don't want to be, like, the zipper guy.
I think that we can make the top a little bit more me
and some of my pieces we can bring in...
And is it too early for me to ask what the more accessible look is,
what would go into production?
This would be more of the accessible.
Okay.
But the pant has a lot of detail.
I think that it's a little early to ask. This was our intention.
As we're putting it together, it's becoming quite complex.
The top isn't, but the pant is, definitely.
Okay. We hadn't agreed on that as design partners yet,
and so, I felt a little cornered, like a little embarrassed in front of Tim.
You know, I was like, errr...
You have a lot of melding to do.
- We do. - Mm-hmm.
- I'm going to leave you alone. - Okay.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
We got it. Relax. It's okay.
I'm not... I'm not... I'm relaxed. I'm just like...
- So, I think... - No, wait one sec.
- Okay. Go ahead. - I'm a little bothered.
- Why? - Because you're like...
changing all these things right in front of Tim, and it's like...
But we're both on the same page.
- Okay. - You don't think we are?
Well, I think we're on the same page, I just feel, like, a little... bamboozled.
Oh, is this like an example of what would happen in front of the judges?
Like, am I gonna get thrown under the bus?
I think the stress of the time is getting to you, that we have to finish it, but...
I'm not stressed, baby. I just feel a little... betrayed.
- You do? - Yeah.
- How? - In this conversation.
I don't want to change this so this is the accessible look.
If you want me to tone it down to make it accessible, it's not accessible.
- The top is. - The top is.
We can change the bottom to something that's easier.
What I'm saying is I don't want to change the bottom
so your top can be the accessible look.
And I just feel like all my pieces need to be changed to fit into your thing.
No, they don't.
- Troy? Josh? - Hi, Tim.
- How is our collaborative duo? - We've been having a good time.
- We have a lot of fabric, a lot of print. - Okay.
This sort of Caravaggio velvet jumper.
- It's velvet? - Yeah.
And then this is gonna be a white woven shirt.
- White? - Yeah.
Because we didn't want too much explosion.
Meaning?
What's exciting is the way that these can cross-style,
'cause maybe this would go underneath this, but maybe it wouldn't.
And then if that doesn't go underneath this,
that means that it can go with the silk shorts.
Alright.
Color's extremely personal. It's extremely subjective.
- It doesn't have this richness... - Yeah.
...in these textiles until we get to the white,
and I feel it's a big thud.
It's disappointing.
What if it was pieced?
What if it had white but, like, but the panels...
Why are the two of you so married to the white? Why?
Because it's clean and crisp, you know.
But we might have the white or maybe like a leopard yolk or something.
We'll stand back and try to look at the big picture
and see what else we have.
Alright, I'm going to leave you.
- Okay. - Alright. Thanks, Tim.
Alright, collaborative duos.
There's way too much Frankenstein happening in this room.
There's way too much, "Oh, this is my pant, this is your skirt."
It's got to be married.
For the fashion show, you'll be judged on your collaborations,
but the final judgment will be based on you as individual designers and brands.
So, work hard, and I will see you at our fashion show.
- Thanks, Tim. - See you, boo.
- Bye, Tim. - See you, boo.
- So, what would you suggest? - I think... I don't want to overdo it.
- I think a beautiful leather thing up here. - Okay.
Really crisp and cut.
So, let me finish this, and then I'll bring it to you.
Look.
- Beautiful. - Wow, that's gorgeous, Ji.
- I want to wear that. - You into it?
- Sanderito. - Eh.
This one, 360. And then the black.
We can cut the front panel out of this, and then the big one we can do out of that.
- Great. - Perfect.
- Ciao, bello. - Happy you're back.
- Yes. - Yeah, better.
# This is why you don't mess with me #
# See, I'm technically the best there'll ever be #
# Yes, I'm blessed indeed, so don't test with me #
# I am Hercules I unleash the beast #
I know they're tight, but I will say, they look really awesome.
I added these little pieces of leather,
but then with all the print and flow that Megan brings,
like, it's going to be kind of badass.
- It fits really well, right? - Yeah, it feels good.
A little bit small.
Cool.
We can open here and lay this flat.
We decided to make the jacket into a vest.
It's a lot. It's a lot of changes, though.
Okay, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow. Okay, bye.
How'd it go, baby?
- Oh. In love. - Yeah, I agree.
It looks like you put the two of you together, and like...
Ahh! I love you. You're so honest.
- It looks great. - And beautiful. And happy.
Now, shoes.
It's too risky to get cocky. But I feel really good.
I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch,
but most of the room looks like Bram Stoker's Dracula.
It's going to look like the Red Wedding plus Josh and Troy.
There ya go, Papi.
- Are you okay? Tired? - Yeah.
I know. It's been a long day.
We have 20 minutes left in the day, and we have one more pair of pants to make.
Sure.
So, after this, we just have the shirt, and we're done.
Shh!
I mean...
I think Will and me are struggling the most,
because we are really running out of time with all the changes.
I'm not feeling okay on time.
We have a lot to do.
- I still have to do a whole shirt... - Do you?
- A shirt? - Yeah.
At the moment, I'm not at all confident that we will finish everything in time.
Are you ready to see what we really look like?
One, two, three...
Oh!
Hi!
That's you...
- It doesn't look one bit like me. - No.
Maybe I haven't done a good-enough job describing you.
Actually, it looks like you with my haircut.
Bbbbpth!
And that's you.
What the hell is that? Is that like a Jay Leno chin?
- It's a caricature. - Yeah.
Yeah.
- Norman, merci beaucoup. - Thank you.
- Merci beaucoup. Au revoir. - Bonne journée.
- Now we have to frame these. - Yes.
I think this should be the poster for the show.
# Give me a little more funk #
# All night long, let the rhythm take you #
###
- Oh, they finished that. Okay. - Good. Good!
It's almost perfect.
I think we're in the best place that I've been since we started.
- Shorts are good. - Okay.
For this, I will do the bottom.
Esther and I are definitely still doing final touches.
I'm rushing to get things done.
As we have so little time, we cannot do any lining,
and I have to glue.
There's so much more to do. We really have to work.
We have to do compromises and finishings.
And this makes me, you know, feel sad for the garment,
because it's supposed to be really great work, and then...
we just glue it up.
Done!
Okay, get it, girls.
See you at the location, girls. Bye-bye. Thank you.
###
- Hey, girls. - Okay.
I'll dress you later when...
Jonny and Megan's girls over here.
We need to still put the drawstring in the bottom of the pants
and just little details here and there that we didn't get a chance to finish.
Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour.
Welcome, everyone.
Welcome to our fashion show.
How amazing is it to be hosting a fashion show
on the banks of the River Seine?
- Very fabulous. - Yes!
If you're going to take off her jacket, take it off slowly and put it on the hanger.
'Cause it's just glued. Slowly.
Okay, let's introduce our lovely judges.
CFDA Award winner and Creative Director of Altuzarra,
Joseph Altuzarra.
The former EIC of Vogue Paris, Carine Roitfeld.
- You got it through, Jonny? - I got one through.
We got to get both through.
Creative Director of House of Harlow 1960, Nicole Richie.
Supermodel and fashion icon Naomi Campbell.
- Enjoy the show, everybody. - Yes, enjoy.
I got this arm. We're walking out. We're walking out.
So, this is Jonny and Megan.
###
# Mirror, mirror on the wall #
# Don't say it, 'cause I know I'm cute Ooh, baby #
She has a sexy walk.
I like that.
I mean, you can always see where Jonny is.
You know? He loves his leather.
# That's cool, baby, so is you That's how I roll #
# If I'm shinin', everybody gonna shine Yeah, I'm goals #
# I was born like this, don't even gotta try #
# It ain't my fault that I'm out here gettin' loose #
# Gotta blame it on the Goose #
# Gotta blame it on my juice #
I'm happy he took our feedback about pushing his leather a little bit.
He did. You can see that.
I'm just hoping that the changes that we made are enough
to make the collection look more cohesive.
###
But this looks like a collaboration.
I think it's really 50/50. You see both of them.
It feels like they had a vision.
Great work.
Here we go.
# It ain't my fault that I'm out here gettin' loose #
# Gotta blame it on the Goose Gotta blame it on my juice, baby #
I would wear the dress.
Heidi, why do you wanna hide your body?
# It ain't my fault that I'm out here gettin' loose #
This one is more structured. I like this one.
# Gotta blame it on my juice, baby #
# It ain't my fault that I'm out here makin' news #
# I'm the pudding in the proof #
# Gotta blame it on my juice #
- I think you really pulled it off. - Thank you.
You did a good job.
- So, it's not Frankenstein, right? - No.
No, I get it.
# Ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee #
# Blame it on my juice Blame it, blame it on my juice #
- You did a great job. - Thank you, Tim.
Thank you.
# Let me take a quick shot Paparazzi of one #
# Yeah, look at me #
# 'Cause I'm so popular #
###
Very strong concept.
For me, it's the first time that I'm showing not only black but mixed with a color,
so, to see it on the catwalk is an exciting moment for me.
Yeah, it certainly came together.
It's very matchy-matchy-matchy-matchy.
# Look at me, look at me Look at me, look at me #
- That was not perfection. - No.
- It's Will and Esther. - No, no, no.
- I'm very disappointed. - Esther's capable of more.
###
- How are you, gentlemen? - Good.
- How are you doing? - Good. Great, great.
# She loves in color #
# She paints the sound #
- What a setting. - I know.
We somehow shot into the garment stores and picked these textiles,
and watching them come down the runway and how the garments move
is sort of, like, magical.
We're both feeling it.
Troy and I both feel like we nailed the assignment.
It's beautiful.
# She loves in color #
Oh, what is that? Wait a minute.
I don't know.
That's just a mishmash.
She is in the wrong fashion show. This doesn't go together.
You know, I've always felt this way about Josh.
I'm like, what is his aesthetic? What is it?
I never understand what it is.
Are we still speaking?
- Yes. - We're totally speaking.
We increased our friendship.
# I didn't believe in love at first sight #
# And now I'm feeling butterflies like a first flight #
# I wish I may, I wish I might #
# Got me beggin' to the stars Can the boy be mine, please #
# Now say it never ends #
###
Oh, this looks beautiful.
Oh, it's a good couple.
Thank God. This is what I envisioned, this is what he envisioned.
- Yes! - It's very dramatic.
- Yeah, well... - Oh, I love it. Love...
That's me and him. Drama.
###
# Feelin' so free #
# Promise we can do this again #
# Never say it's over #
# We're livin' life to no end #
- I love that. - The tailoring is beautiful.
Should have been tapered more at the waist, but it's beautiful.
It's a very strange collaboration, but I think it works very well.
Papi and Bébé. It was a perfect example of a collaboration, I think.
Um, this was a little bit of a roller coaster of a fashion show, I have to say.
There were some really great but also some... mm-mm-mm-mm.
- Thank you so much for watching. - Thank you, everyone.
Going into elimination, I feel the eyes are on me.
If the judges call me up,
it's an opportunity to show them my personality, my ability to be a leader.
Hello there.
Hi.
- Hello, designers. - Hi.
Your three-look collab was a little bit... how can I say?
All over the place.
There were some great ones and some not-so-great ones.
One of the looks from the winning collab
will be available immediately on Amazon, in the Making the Cut store.
While you were working as a collab,
I would like to remind you that this is still an individual competition.
As you know, we're here to find the designer who can create the next great global brand.
The designer behind the brand
is as important as the clothes that you send down the runway.
Based on the fashion show, we have made some decisions.
But they're not necessarily final.
We're looking for a fashion designer and an entrepreneur.
A conversation can change everything.
Jonny and Megan. We want to talk to you.
- Hi. - Hello.
- Hi.
Alright, tell us about your collab.
We wanted to really channel that kind of easy glamour.
My brand is very feminine.
I knew that his hardness and my softness could create something.
There's the black and the white, which is the hard and the soft,
and we wanted to merge them.
I think it represents us collaborating together without losing our own voices.
I think that we still see ourselves in it,
but I think we see ourselves teaming up to do something strong.
I actually think, you know, bringing that femininity into your work
really makes that leather jacket pop,
and having that kind of masculinity and that edge come to you
brings you to a whole different level.
Have you always done black and white?
Well, I do love black and white, but I do have some pretty colorful collections,
and I was pulling out colors,
and I thought that would be amazing, and Jonny got a little scared, so...
Well, I wouldn't use the word "scared." I would say differently inspired
by what we did decide to choose.
I don't use that many prints, and so this felt like
kind of the perfect middle ground for us.
So, we kind of had to find a... We had a "lovers' quarrel," actually.
We had a moment, but, you know, we worked through it.
Yeah, we worked through it, so...
I thought that you guys did a really good job.
I liked listening to your story.
I can definitely see with everything that you're saying,
I can see where that went.
You pulled more out of her. You calmed him down a little bit.
I also think they're all great.
You can all mix and match all of this and wear it over and over again,
in a different kind of way.
- Mm-hmm. - - I think you did a really good job.
- Oh, thank you so much. - Thank you.
You're both making the cut. So, congratulations.
Yay! Thank you.
But before we make our decision on today's winner,
we want to speak to a few more designers.
Thank you, guys.
We're going to talk to Sabato and Sander.
- Hello. - Hi.
Alright, tell us about your collab, please.
It's been a beautiful journey.
We started to visualize fabrics. So, we used three fabrics, two colors.
One organza, then a more morbid, fluid black fabric.
And then we went into a taffeta... it's more colorful...
that reflected more him.
And then our two voices became one.
Sander, who is your customer?
I think the customer is definitely the woman, of course, that appreciates
that elegance and that really looks for that kind of something that stands out
instead of, like, a trend or something.
I have to tell you, I loved your collection.
- Thank you. - - I loved every single piece of it.
They have an ease to them, but there's still a lot of interest to them
that makes them special.
Thank you.
It would be a dream to photograph this outfit in a magazine, honestly.
The wind was really working in your favor, because when that coatdress walked down,
- we were like, "Oh, my God, that is beautiful. - - It's taking off.
- Yeah. - - I would love to also know
who came up with this makeup.
Kind of together.
We didn't want this to look too classic, you know?
- It was very special. - Very cool.
Just the sheer amount of work and the fact that you finished it
and that it looked the way that it did
is hugely impressive from a business perspective as well,
just from, like, a time management...
- It was such a strong showing for you. - Thank you so much.
The fluidity between the three outfits, hands down,
it has a story, you know what type of woman that is.
It explains everything.
You don't have to even sit here and tell us anything.
We get it just from looking at it. That's how it should be.
Judges... has any one of you changed your mind?
No.
Sabato and Sander...
Congratulations. You are today's winner.
Bébé!
You guys really cut through the noise.
Your jacket dress will be available immediately on Amazon.
- Which look? - I'll be getting one.
- Me too. - They're beautiful.
- Thank you guys so, so much. - Amazing. I have no words.
Yes!
I mean, the five icons, they know what they're talking about,
so it was really nice to get their validation that they really see us as designers
and that they really appreciate what we do.
Will and Esther, we'd like to talk to you next.
Please tell us about your collaboration.
So, Esther loves black,
and very refined tailoring, very suited pieces,
very elegant, strong women, and also menswear.
And I come from the school of draping and very feminine eveningwear
and very light fabrics.
So, the pairing of the two of us together was really quite unique.
So, now, looking at this, how does this cut through the noise?
I mean, we had the talk that I'm sexy without showing anything.
So, this time, I went quite sexy with showing a lot of skin, actually.
And then he said, "By the way, let's do a long shirt,"
and I said, "Yeah, but then something short underneath.
- So, it was really a teamwork. - Yeah.
I could definitely see that this was meant to be together,
but, to me, almost too much.
I just don't know why you guys don't step away and think, like,
"This may be a little too matchy-matchy."
I'm still really happy with the... with the collaboration.
Fabric mixing is very tricky,
and it just looked a little bit rushed, like you could feel the stress behind it.
Okay.
You did not present your collaboration well.
If I was a buyer, I would just say, "I don't want that. Not interested."
- Okay. - Thank you.
Between the two of you,
we've obviously come to expect a lot from your work, Esther,
and I think what it really did was it kind of diluted your voice,
which is so strong,
and that's kind of what a collaboration is supposed to do,
but I don't know, Will, that your voice was complementary to Esther's.
As I said, this is an individual competition.
With Esther, here we know who we have.
But, Will, we need to know who you really are
or want to be in this big, overflooded world of designers.
Will, why do you think you deserve to be here?
What will you say to fight for yourself?
I think that I have a very technical, traditional design ability
that people my age don't come correct with.
Judges, based on this conversation, have any of you changed your mind?
- Mm-mm. - No.
No.
Esther...
Congratulations. You're making the cut.
Thank you.
Will...
You've barely made the cut.
We've never spoken to you before.
- No. - But we've got our eye on you now.
Thank you.
- Thank you all. - Thank you.
Josh and Troy.
Hey, guys.
- How are you? - Hello.
Alright. Tell us about your collaboration.
I know Josh's work. It's very colorful, flamboyant, flowy at times,
and my work, it's very structured, tailored, and sort of empowering to the woman.
So, we both... we know real women who wear everyday clothes
who love to look beautiful and not plain Jane.
She's an eccentric. She loves pieces that stand out.
So, Josh and I, we started at the textiles, because...
Yeah, let's... Can you speak now, Josh, please?
- Yeah. - I'd like to hear what you have to say.
Um, we wanted each of the pieces to feel special.
Each of the pieces can also be cross-styled.
I thought it was ambitious, but we managed to get it done,
because Troy knows how to make patterns.
Can you explain this fabric that you chose?
Eclectic.
How did you pick all of these different fabrics?
We wanted to have fabric that would definitely not look like one note
or matched at all.
- Like they're not supposed to go together? - Not at all.
I'm not understanding this.
There is no connection in either of these three outfits.
You seem to like the not matching fabrics.
But I think it's gone to recipe of disaster.
If you're doing clothes for a woman, you have to understand the woman,
what they want, how they want to look.
I would not wear this.
I mean, there are some women who like the explosion
or the clash of different prints or textures.
- But, can I tell you? I love clashing. - Me too.
I love prints. I work with prints all the time.
House of Harlow is a print-heavy brand.
Like, I want to say something positive, but these prints make zero sense.
I really appreciate where you were trying to go.
I just think you have to have a little bit of a lighter touch.
I can put that responsibility more on me than Troy, though.
What?
I mean, like, Troy is a genius, and I've never seen...
I'm talking about what we saw here today. A collaboration.
It was gorgeous, but if the prints are foul, that's on me.
You think it's gorgeous. That's fine.
But we're here to tell you it won't sell.
Josh, why should you stay?
I'm really not sure I should stay, actually.
Hmm?
I think it's... I think... I think it's probably time for me to head out.
But I had a really good time while I was here.
But he should stay.
I mean, we cannot want it more than you, you know?
You need to have some more gusto,
because this is an extremely competitive business.
Okay, Josh. You're not making the cut.
- It was nice to meet you. - It was nice to meet you too.
- I had a great time. - Same.
- All the best to you. - Thank you.
Bye, Josh.
Bye, guys!
I'm not sure what more I can say, other than, A,
I'm not unhappy in any way, shape, or form.
B, I'm extremely proud.
And C, I'm just seriously hoping that they give Troy one more shot out there.
I feel like he's relieved.
He did not want to be here.
I mean, based on the fashion show,
we decided that neither of you are making the cut.
But as I've told you before, a conversation can change everything.
- Do you want to be here? - Yes, I want to be here.
I've been working at this my whole life. It's been my dream.
When people go into retirement, I want to still be doing this, when I'm like 65, 70.
I believe my perspective of who a woman is based on living with women
is my wealth of knowledge.
For me, I'm dressing a power woman.
Like, I see this woman when I go to work. I see this woman when I go shopping.
Like, that's the woman I know.
And my work, it's very tailored.
I'm maybe the only one doing tailoring every assignment, back to back.
That's my passion, dressing that power woman,
and how to make her invincible and taking her forward.
I'm trying to carve out my frame of what I'm going to do with my women.
Like, what I'm going to be known for.
I would like to know from the judges if any of you have changed your mind.
I've changed my mind.
###
# I'm gon' fight for mine #
# I can't see it no other way #
# My life, bam, one big fight It's just another day #
# I got my boots laced, and I'm well-trained #
# I got my suitcase I'm hoppin' on a plane #
# Headed to wherever God take me to #
# Knockin' out haters, sayin' look at what you made me do #
# I'm gon' fight for mine #