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TASK 3 HEADLINING FASHION
Tjena tjena, welcome the third panel of LidlTerm Season 3.
This week, the designers faced the first ever unconventional materials challenge in LidlTerm history. The task was to create an outfit utilizing newspaper. This week the designers brought an incredibly high quality in their designs, let's go!
fierce.needles
SnowStorm lounge fashion. You chose to use heavily textured items to further enhance the other textures, the newspaper. The pay off is great. This design isn't just unorthodox and unexpected but it's also fun and weird in the best of ways. I believe you are stretching the limits of PR-fashion here: a lot of people would think this design is too ''Habbo-casual'' and not PR enough but I believe this approach of yours to create cozy and carefree fashion makes this one of the freshest looks we've seen in a long time. Brilliant idea to have a cascade of gorgeous colors at the bottom and have the top be all about the newspaper. Your technique makes the newspaper look frazzled, in one episode of Project Runway (irl) a designer makes a ''fur'' coat out of newspaper and you've managed to recreate this ''paper fur'' effect. The hat and the shoes were a risky choice but because they are so unexpected they work: they're interesting details that don't pull too much focus from the main aspects of the design. There's a certain aesthetic on display here that is very cool and that would be incredibly succesful from a commercial standpoint. The growth you're displaying in this competition is crazy, Jared.
razzing
Last week you were worried your submission was too much drag queen, which makes me laugh as I look at this. This is textbook drag queen. The overstated shoulders, the hair, the make-up, the shoes, the chain. I will always love it when dramatic, bold elements are used in Project Runway and there is nothing wrong with drag, it's an artform I celebrate. On the other hand, this is Project Runway and there are choices one has to make and choices one has to avoid for the look to not go from editorial/experimental to drag queen/costume. Not every aspect of an outfit can have the volume at 100, you have to tone it down in the styling area while maintaining your flair in the clothes themselves. If my point isn't clear: allow the clothes to entertain us, not the hair and make-up. The outfit you've made, is absolutely fantastic, you created your own print which means you embraced the material. Just look at the pants, ugh, they're some of your best work ever. I still stand by what I said in Season 2: the raw talent and creativity within you is at a unique level that money can't buy, but there is still room for improvement. I appreciate the chain and this design exemplifies something I've had on my mind for a while: the aesthetic true to you is a bit Matrix inspired, I don't want you to lose that. Despite the outfit's flaws we are treated to a show here, you know how to bring the fireworks through fashion design.
snawl
You have finally arrived! This is the Snawl we all know, the Snawl who can shut a b*tch up with just an outfit. You have many years of experience doing PR and this is a design that is a strongest testament of that. You decided to include both the rich textures of the newspaper and rich, blue fabrics as well? You greedy bastard. I haven't got a clue how you managed to mix urban street elements with classic romanticism but the result is a success. It's fresh, new and interesting which is high praise after all of these years of PR longterms, which makes it just increasingly harder to be original. The thing about you is that you manage to stick to your aesthetic that isn't so over the top, and yet you always present new designs without having to throw in the kitchen sink. You've utilized two different kinds of blue which makes the look even more impactful, that's masterful. I'm slightly charmed by the fact that you've wanted to utilize those shoes for years (they were only available for purchase at a very limited time) and here you are making your agony justice. I adore how the design looks distressed in a way that just makes perfect sense, when one really studies this design this isn't an outfit that's just ''here is a dress with accessories'', it's actually made up like a puzzle and it's like each part of the design is meant to be with the other. Yeah I'm getting a bit silly with my critiques by now. Bravo!
LC22
This week I told Razzing his submission was a bit too much drag queen and this outfit slightly borders on ''too draggy'', but not to the same degree. A powerful design like this doesn't necessarily need big hair or punk shoes, having said that, that's just a preference of mine and as someone who works with youth, I see teenagers dressed like this everyday. What I'm trying to say is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a certain preference for hair and shoes stylewise, it's just that the design would shine slightly more with more laid back hair and shoes. In all fairness you have previously shown that you know how to perfectly style a design. I am crazy about this design, it's dynamic and sharp, yet there is a lot of heart present. It feels very London 1970's punk scene and as I look at it I hear the song Zombie by The Cranberries. A neat aspect of this design is that you took a generally conventional silhouette and then tweaked all of it which resulted in a more experimental look. The red accessories convey the idea that your heart is bleeding and I can't take my eyes off the left shoulder. It just hit me that this design is a punk take on a kimono style dress which I've never seen or thought of before. The PR community has collectively grown and improved as a group, today the general level of skill is higher than it was 5-6 years ago due to gained experience and new items at our disposal. This is your first longterm ever and I'm so impressed that you are able to keep up with the big dogs that have an advantage over you in terms of experience. Well done!
cinthia
Last week your design was overflowing with inspiration and your love for PR was evident in it. This design is the complete opposite: it looks great but it also feels uninventive. I'm being a bit harsh with you because I know you can be at a 10 when this is just a 6. Behind the scenes, you struggled a lot with this task and you seemed to be very insecure throughout the whole submission process. Now I'm gonna press pause on being a bitch for a second. The bolero looks absolutely incredible and the blue textures are in perfect harmony with the newspaper print. The pants are really hot, they feel very modern while they're also a bit of a throwback to the 90's. I think the true ''Cinthia at her best'' aspect of this design is the choice of teal heels, a fabulous choice which shows that you have a developed understanding of how to style clothes. This design conflicts me because it is fresh and cool, yet it's not as exciting as it could be? I think the problem is that you thought of the unconventional materials as a challenge or an obstacle rather than a possibility for you to further unleash your insane creativity. This is a design that is stylish and that would be a commercial success, it's just that it lacks in conceptuality. It's not that every design has to be an event. It is perfectly fine to have a more ready-to-wear approach to PR tasks, but you have to insert a little more oomph into your designs if you're going to win this season because your competitors are giving it their all to reach the top.
nicrobbo95
You've proven yourself as versatile by this third panel. You've done three different types of outfits (short dress, gown and a jumpsuit). You've also showcased three different styles: rock, folklore and this design right here is urban streetwear. Your concept isn't exactly revolutionary and the PR community have seen a lot of similar looks like this one. What makes this an elevated look is the strong presence of your fashion sense. I can tell that you have an irl passion for fashion, you were super specific regarding how you wanted this edited by me. This jumpsuit is dynamic and it is rendered in a way we haven't seen before. The way you designed the bodice to match with the beige and blue newspaper is absolutely masterful and it shows that you think hardly about achieving certain visuals. The poppy red touches are great because they bring the look to the next level. Without the red details the design would've risked looking slightly too monotone. There is still room for improvement regarding taking risks with your designs, you could push yourself more. Last week we saw you be experimental and I want more of that. The juxtaposition of the different parts of the jumpsuit is neat. Instead of just haing the outfit be a cluster of black and white newspaper, you framed the bodice with various parts of newspaper around the center of the design: the bodice. That is pleasing to the eye. If you maintain your editing eye and your fashion-forward approach you could become hard to beat.
UHU
Uhu at Paris fashion week?! I've seen you do tons of experimental designs and you tend to surprise people, but this is a completely new side of you. It's unique in the Uhu way but it's also at an unusually high editorial level. The European fashion influence in this design is evident. This submission shows that there was a romance between the unconventional materials and your creative process, the blue flowers integrating into the skirt are incredibly chic. I tend to hate that button accessory but in this instance they appear as rather subtle which makes them work for me. You chose a silhouette that is quite to-the-point: nothing overly complicated, and instead rendered it with tons of layered newspaper, which shows that you really thought about the relationship between silhouette and textures. I believe this design represents what you do best. When you apply your unique, avant garde, quirky design aesthetic but filter it through new approaches and when you challenge yourself - that is when you achieve your best work. This is just fabulous, Harry.
ZOETIC
Man, I want to like this but I just don't. This is going to sound a bit harsh but this design summarizes a certain set of trends that have been prevalent in the PR longterm community for the past 2-3 years: layers and layers, huge scarf, Indian dress. I'm sorry to say that nothing in the design is innovative or fresh in any way. There's a high taste level present in this design and you're good at accessorizing, sadly this design is just a jumble, it looks like newspaper that was left on the street and then rained on. I realize I'm being tough on you: this is your first longterm ever and had you played 3-4 years ago with this level of skill you would've easily been a front-runner in any PR longterm. This design is just in desperate need of some structure. I see where your mind was going with this one, to use a white dress as a base to invoke the idea that it's all newspaper. I'm a big fan of you as a designer and I hope I didn't let you down with these critiques, if it makes you feel any better I wasn't accepted into the first longterm I applied to and the second one I applied for I got 14th place out of 14.
buyartpop
When I first saw this design I felt indifferent towards it. When I saw it after it had gone through the paper-photoshop process I changed my mind: this is fantastic. At this point, using those wings have gotten a bit old for me already but in this context they're suitable. The interesting thing about this outfit is that none of it is really that original or innovative (it's actually a take on a rather retro glam silhouette), and yet it's a statement look, it would for example work perfectly for a music video. I believe your success in this task is due to the fact that you really understood the visual effect that would take place once the newspaper was applied. We've seen that skirt and belt combo a thousand times and yet I can't stop looking at it here, you really brought out the full potential in those two items and we'll probably never see them rendered this greatly again. The shoes are a bit unexpected but their unusual shape is quite interesting and helps push the overall message with the design: it's a mixture of old times and new times. I really like that you're able to bring flair through your designs (in this case with the bunny bandana) without it ever being tacky or cliché.
GNGE
Interesting ... when you first submitted this, pre-photoshop, I thought the ideas on display were incredible. The purple fabrics with the gold touches focused on the bottom half is gorgeous and it shows that you have a certain confidence in your approach to design: you understand that not every element has to be everywhere. One of the best ideas I've seen this week. After the photoshop process I was a bit surprised, for good and bad. Your submission now looks like something a magician or a circus ringmaster would wear, perhaps in a Blockbuster movie. I believe it's because of the jacket's particular shape in combination with the playful colors of the bottom. There is nothing wrong with that, but I doubt that's what your original vision was. A different jacket would've done a big difference. By experience, you sometimes take critiques a bit harshly and you mustn't let this slightly unfortunate event ruin your so far amazing trajectory in this longterm. Even despite the circus ringmaster thing, it's a great design and it's something I've never seen before. The choice of shoes is also on point: I love that it's almost an ombre effect.
joelings
The idea with the blood is cool, it shows that you tried to do something with the newspaper other than to just utilize it: you tried to alter the materials which I applaud. I also fancy how layered the skirt looks. I never watch Twin Peaks but that is what this design makes me think of. Overall it's a bit basic and unimaginative. Sure, you had a couple of great ideas but they're just not enough to rely on in this case, the design seriously needs more oomph. The choice to rely heavily on a jacket and a backpack with that pose isn't creative in the year of 2022. I really want to like this more than I do, it just feels like you played it a bit too safe with the base structure of your design. I'm being harsh with you and that's because the level of submissions this week is insanely high so I have to split hairs. This is by no means a bad outfit, I enjoy it in many ways, it's just that the other submissions this week have a certain spark and a passion to them that is sadly lacking in yours. You showed it last week but unfortunately not this time.
alydaman
The drag queens really jumped out this week! Just a joke, you can't blame me as Iris Van Herpen was your main inspiration and she is perhaps the #1 inspiration for drag queen fashion. You always bring something new and that is something you should never, ever lose. This design is dramatic, fun and vivid - large as life. I am in love with the turquoise trim of the bodice, it matches with the upper blue parts in a very beautiful way. I appreciate that the bottom is earthy because it suits the overall aesthetic of the bodice as well as helps balance it. Here is the slight issue I have: it makes a lot of noise without saying much, if that makes sense. In both 2021 and 2022 you have shown that you love to design voluminous outfits and big silhouettes, and you've made a name for yourself in the PR community. I would just like to see a design from you that makes a statement with a little less items, if that makes sense - I'd love for you to just once take a minimalistic approach and yet not lose your voice as a designer. This is a highly editorial design and you should hold your head up high because of it - it's just that others challenged themselves a bit more this week.
This week was filled with so much creativity and beauty, I am genuinely grateful that I get to host this longterm and that you guys want to be part of it. Deciding on the winner this week was, as usual, very difficult. In a week with so many great designs, I hated the idea of sending home two designers. That's why I decided that only one designer is eliminated this week. The double elimination will instead happen in panel 4.
Well done to Fierce.Needles and Uhu for making it to the top this week, keep designing like this and you will be guaranteed to show collections by the end of the season.
Congratulations Snawl, you are the winner of this task. The win is given to you because you pushed the envelope the most ouf the top 3. You mixed urban street fashion with romanticism, which was a risky thing to do - and it paid off. As a reward, you have been given immunity for panel 4, meaning you can't be eliminated. You have also been granted to eliminate someone from the bottom two.
The bottom two consists of Joelings and Zoetic.
verdict
snawl's decision
- Joel, you know how much I respect you as a designer. Your outfit is really basic and you & I both know it doesn't reflect your creativity. Zoetic tried something interesting & edgy, so for that reason alone I have to save him. I hope you can understand where I am coming from, and forgive me.
Joelings, it pains me to see you go. You should be proud with your iconic track record: bottom, top 2 and then eliminated? That's a ride. You showed us a new you as a designer this season and I'm really grateful you took part, you're a great contestant to work with. All the best to you!
Task 4 is now available
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