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TASK 8
PUNK ROMANCE
Welcome to the eight panel of LidlTerm Season 5!
Joining us we have our beloved Harry/Uhu with us who will give his critiques. Harry, it's always a pleasure to have you and I know the remaining designers think so as well.
Hosting five seasons of LidlTerm - I realized there hadn't been been a single task focusing on a fashion punk/rock aesthetic, and I thought it was time we did something about that. For this task, I asked my top seven designers to design a punk or rock inspired outfit which also had a romance theme to it. A very specific order, but I had a vision and these designers have shown that they could realize it.
As the host, I can tell that the energy for this task was very interesting. There was more anxiousness and stress shown in each designer, most likely due to the fact that this was a tricky task, but also the fact that it's getting down to the wire. That doesn't mean the quality of the outfits took a turn - I believe this struggle that most of you had with this task rather resulted in creations that are quite raw in the best of ways.
A double elimination is on the line. Let's find out which five will make it...
Peyton125
Something I was wishing for to come out of this task was a design that looked poisonous and seductive, which is exactly what you're giving me. It's an intriguing dress, bleeding in two different colors, and you're smart in showing only about half of it since it leaves me hungry for more. The more dramatic, bleeding colors are kind of being held down by the softer, almost metallic teal. The feathered cowl is a very scolded item in the PR community but I believe you're using it here as a supporting accessory rather than having it carry the outfit, it works well. It's difficult to incorporate pearls in the context of a rock or punk aesthetic, I believe you pulled it off brilliantly due to the way you've made it look like a tight choker made out of white pearls. That's hot as hell. I think you managed to walk the fine and tricky line of making something that's punk but also makes sense for a runway. I would've liked to have seen you amp up the volume a little bit more, maybe by picking a cooler pair of shoes as these seem like an afterthought or a choice too easy, but overall I think this is very solid work and it hits the spot.
Harry/Uhu said: This is what Theatrical is at its best! It edges on costume, but then you think about punk, and you really do have to take it there, and you did. This is really fun, minus the beard but yes!
Cassandra.Goth
The architectural value of this look is high. This is a look that has many layers to it which is its greatest quality. The gray, leathery texture of the corset that kind of continues onto the cage skirt is also very pleasing to the eye. The jacket/coat is interesting because with the lavender gray top underneath it creates an effect in which it looks like tulle or even feathers. Surprisingly, there are some really delicate details to this look that are only revealed if you study it. Some of the choices you made are not in line with the greatness that's on display here. The hair is on paper suitable for the task, but in relation to the dress I just find it clashing. I believe that hairstyle is for an outfit that looks like it smells of gasoline, similar to a certain rock aesthetic of the 1980s and early 1990s. Your dress is more 2000's rock (think Evanescence), a heartbleeding type of rock that correlates with this task. I also think the belt is not meshing with the dress and I would've liked to have seen a belt that correlates more with the gray leather. This is good work, but there's a double elimination about to happen and ''good'' might not be enough. I'm crossing my fingers this is good enough to get you into the top 5.
Harry/Uhu said: The drama! This is a piece which you'd instantly relate to being on a stage performance. The new skirt stops it from just being Punk Rock, and brings it into this fantasy/romance world. It's not technically the best, but holds it own in character.
doglover
This is painfully beautiful. The slightly unique silhouette that you've constructed makes for an illusion that the garment is in movement, which is always an incredibly fabulous thing to have going for your design, especially when it's in a way that hasn't been previously done. Your model appears to be embraced by a piece, it looks both dangerous and protective, like a shield with long thorns. There's all kinds of references in modern music about how love is a battlefield and you have to be a warrior and all of that - this design envokes that warrior in love (pain) statement without it coming across as forced or cliché. The styling is superb. The black shoes were right for this look since they add to a certain statuesque silhouette that I believe you were going for and the metallic earrings makes the shades of purple even more rich. The oriental influences are clear, but in my opinion it's a case of cultural appreciation. Punk as a music genre often has a rougher exterior and even for a punk musician it can be tricky to be true to the genre while also coming up with a sound that is at the same time so vulnerable and bleeding in a softer sense, which I believe you managed to pull off with this fashion look. I am completely in love with this look and for a punk romance task, that means you aced it.
Harry/Uhu said: I don't know how one could compliment an outfit like this enough... except from the fact that I would want to watch it walk the runway more than once. Every single part of this outfit is crammed with details... but not just crammed, you thought about each placement, each colour. And it all comes together to create this spell bounding story.
Cinthia
In a sense, this is the most punk outfit this week. It looks like stagewear or even an outfit for an album cover for some punk band. It’s whimsical and an event in itself, it grabs your attention and delivers a punk attitude succesfully. There is something that annoys me about this, Cinthia. You have a bit of a class clown personality and something beautiful about you is that you use PR as a way for you to creatively express your inner thoughts and feelings. You have produced designs that go much deeper than this and that’s got more nuance. The theme was punk romance so you just colored a bunch of accessories in the same red. It’s all a bit too easy and I think you’re better than this, you didn’t embrace the challenge. I want it more raw. Another issue I have with this is that this look feels like it’s mostly a bunch of accessories put together: there is no proper base for it rather than a leather corset. I just want more clothes if that makes sense (not necessarily less accessories). My two favorite aspects of this is the dirty pink cage skirt and the red pearls which kind of are making a journey around your model. This look isn’t without fabulosity, but you need to raise your personal bar a little more in order to grow.
Harry/Uhu said: This is what theatrical is at its best! It edges on costume, but then you think about punk, and you really do have to take it there, and you did. This is really fun, minus the beard but yes!
Snawl
Attitude and sex appeal through the roof. I am enamored with this design. It looks as if someone’s heart broke into puzzle pieces and attempted to put them back together but with mixed results. This design has a duality to it; there’s a bit of heartache in it, but also a bit of that joy and euphoria related to romance. The green heels, which are clashing with the dress, was the most punk move you could make for your design. It’s a f*ck you to the rulebook which would state that a more conventional match would be black, blue or pink heels. The sexual energy to this look is immense: it’s got a great deal of feminine energy to it but there’s also some masculinity to it. It’s a little androgynous. That black office collar, now part of a flirty short dress, is something I rarely see and it’s one of those details that makes it come across as if your Habbo actually sewed this together from scraps, with a result that’s perfectly rough around the edges. Spectacular work, Brad.
Harry/Uhu said: Now this... this is an outfit where you have to take a double take.. go into zoom 2.. and even still edge further into your seat to truly appreciate the details. It is the exploration of art in simplicity. Which to me is the most punk thing you can do, is be simple on a task like this. Yeah I love this, congratulations.
LC22
I wasn’t so sure about this look at first. Its qualities took some time to reveal themselves but now I see them clearly. That party girl dress/skirt/top (whatever it is) is quite a notorious retro item and a tricky one to make elevated fashion out of. Through the smart inclusion of your trademark chain, it seamlessly integrates into the vest, making for a uniquely constructed garment. I personally don’t find gold hoop earrings that punk but I’m also not the person to police what is punk and not. The make-up, hair and those clunky shoes help portray what type of person (or punk performer) this is, you understood the finer details hidden within this task. That’s likely due to the fact that your aesthetic and personal taste in music is connected to both rock and punk. That’s why I think you could’ve gone way harder for this task. This is a perfectly edited dress with enough good design work in it to hit most of the marks, but I still believe you could’ve made something that made a louder roar. My best tip to you, if you make it to the semi-final, is that your work needs to be a bit more unapologetic, which I’ve seen you do many times.
Harry/Uhu said: This is more of a subdued design of the week.. it showcases the opposite side of Punk Romance which we don't often see.. something that focuses more on the texture. It is slightly stiff, but incredibly charming.
Player
The graphical composition here is just insane. It’s a literal and incredibly good interpretation of having your heart ripped out. I’m a little bit over those metallic arms by now, they’re one of the best items Habbo has ever released but I feel it’s done it’s duty by now. It must be noted though that you were very creative by utilizing the jumble of textures it has on the lower half: they completely blend in with the other items and the result is an original composition. I’m also intrigued by the greek toga. Its black print extends onto the shorts and I haven’t seen that before. I can’t say I love the shoes, I love an energetic dash of color like that but in this instance they’re calling for an attention which the middle and top area are more deserving of. I don’t even think heels make that much sense with this heavy neo-punk look. Overall, I adore this look. Lately, you keep rising to the top and this is a good time in the competition to do so.
Harry/Uhu said: This is another stand out for me this week.. it OOZES Punk rock, with a splash of romance, like literally... you are pulling your heart out for us... such a well-thought out design to showcase each bit, it's like a layered emotional cake. Truly loved it. Good job.
VERDICT
Congratulations Snawl - you are the winner of the eigth task of LidlTerm Season 5. There were some truly inventive and beautiful looks in the top this week. Yours takes the cake simply because your look hit the brief perfectly. It's got a mix of that 70's London punk and North American rocker chic. Your look is a master class in how a look can be a showstopper even though the silhouette is a simple one. I've seen a lot of great work from you over the years and this is easily in my all-time top 3 of yours. Well done.
doglover and Player - you two produced ridiculously good designs, both worthy of a win. Keep it up and the big win will be yours. Congratulations on making it to the top 3 and the semi-final.
ELIMINATION
Cinthia and Cassandra.Goth - our caged skirt sisters - I'm terribly sorry to announce that you two have been eliminated from LidlTerm Season 5.
Cinthia - as I mentioned earlier, you have a bit of a class clown personality and I say that with love. People have been celebrating not only what you do but also who you are for several years. Through Project Runway, you open up and reveal the world that lives inside of you, more complex and vulnerable than what your personality might hint at during casual chatting. Your winning Season 1 collection is one of the most raw and personal I've ever seen at to this day it remains one of my all-time favorite collections. You didn't win Season 5, but you will forever be the first LidlTerm winner and I celebrate you even to this day. It's clear to me you are the queen of your own life, let it stay that way. Thank you for being you.
Cassandra.Goth - many players in the PR community have come and gone. If we had had you around four or five years ago, you would've shook the boat for everyone. You are a true example of how far a designer can come by designing with love and a light-hearted spirit. I'm not just saying this to be nice - you are incredibly beloved in our community because your fashion is killer and you have a heart of gold. You can look at this elimination in two ways. Either you see it as a defeat, or you can see it as a win (you came very far and you won two tasks). Whichever you choose will have an impact on how you will perform in the next longterm. Thank you for making this season great.
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