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TASK 7
MOTH NIGHT!
Bröther give me the lämp
Welcome to the seventh panel of Season 5!
For this task, I asked the designers to take part in Moth Night by designing avant garde creations inspired by moths. There were several sources of inspirations to be found here: their obsession with light, their colors, their textures, their shapes, their big black eyes, their fabulous antennas, their fur, the patterns ingrained on some moths, their wings and their ability to fly, their night life or their love for chewing on clothes, creating holes and frayes in the fabric.
Let's see which designers were able to succeed with this tall order.
Snawl
I instantly fell in love with this look the second I saw it. There's something euphoric to it, sure, you are utilizing actual wings and one could argue that it's a bit too on the nose. Although it's important for me that designers think outside of the box, sometimes the complex things aren't the most impactful. This look just hits you, it's majestic and my absolute favorite thing about it is that you've chosen a set of textures (and complimentary colors) that gives an overall illusion of fur being hit by wind, this design suggests that its in movement. The paestel green is gorgeous to look at: despite the statuesque quality to this look there is something soothing to it as well. I also appreciate that you chose a timeless hairstyle for it, had you chosen some long messy hair then you would've lost the plot. I must also compliment you on the fact that you didn't render it all in the same sand color, there's a bit of variety with the beige which makes the color palette more complex and satisfactory. Is it avant garde? Over the years there's been numerous avant garde works inspired by creatures that can fly (birds, insects) and your design reminds me of a lot of them, having said that I think this look would've been taken to an even higher level had there just been an element of surprise to it. Fantastic work Brad.
Cassandra.Goth
As the competition gets tougher and tougher, it's been necessary for each of you to step it up a notch and that's exactly what you've done here. This is one of the most magnificent creations I've seen you come up with and it is unusually dramatic and theatrical coming from you. Designing avant garde is very tough and plenty of designers, both on Habbo and irl get tangled in their work process attempting it. This looks effortlessly avant garde: it gets to that point without it looking forced or desperate due to all the elements clicking and the fact that the execution lives up to the concept. I am mesmerized by this and I don't want to stop looking at it (like a moth to a lamp), not only due to the fantastic selection of diverse textures on display but also because your design seems to reveal new details the longer you look at it. That's what defines a lot of true, great art. I appreciate that you were able to take an insect/animal theme and create something for it without it ending up cliché or too on the nose. Your design has that wild, animalistic character to it but in a more abstract sense. I believe you took the insect-like attributes and really embraced them, because the insect-like aura here is really clear and even to those who are very afraid of all insect related things, most couldn't deny that there's a beauty to this. I see a lot of harmonious chaos. The shoes are especially charming as it looks like they've got eyes. I've raved enough about this look now, spectacular work Cassandra.
ohku
You told me that your inspiration was the rosy maple moth. I didn't even know such a thing existed and it makes me smile that you made this task your own. There's an extravagance and a charm to this look for sure and in relation to your inspiration you did capture the visual essence of the rosy maple moth. Your downfall in this task is that this is an avant garde task: you unexpectedly pulled off an avant garde look last week and I believed it wouldn't take much for you to do it again. I can't say that there aren't avant garde aspects to this look: the huge yellow top makes the pink suit jacket look incredibly skin tight, which is a funny and impressive effect I haven't seen before. The hat is something I'd call ugly chic as well. I just don't think this is avant garde enough and it lacks substance, it's not impressive to pick two colors and just decide that they take turns as you scan the look from top to bottom. Those shoes are tricky to use as well and in this case they look like socks (not good). The looks that you've come up with in the past have had color palettes that have been quite developed and there's just been more to your other looks, this one doesn't dig as deep. One thing I must note is that all of the fashion you've sported this season has had an essence of fun to it and this is no exception, which I applaud.
LC22
The color palette is just exquisite, one of the best we've seen. It reminds me of the best of fall/autumn when the leaves are all yellow and red. The textural diversity in this look is spectacular. I appreciate that the color story here is a gradient: you're not utilizing the same color (or shade) twice but rather it goes from a deep red down to the yellow shoes. One could call it an ombre effect. I really like the flatter textures of the fishnet skirt against the deeper textures of the feathered cowl and the sparkly jacket, it's quite striking. The hat/headpiece freaks me out a little bit but for this task it's quite appropriate: it's ugly but also cool. I'd define this as an avant garde piece, not because there is an unorthodox silhouette on display or because you're applying some crazy method: I'd say this is avant garde because of how odd yet fashionable it is. The sparkly fabric and whatever that shiny accessory is feel like a tribute to the fact that insects such as moths can have glamorous attributes, such as sparkly eyes and such. I cannot fault this, it's a great concept with an execution that lives up to the potential.
Player
I'm going to say something a bit harsh: I was amazed by this when I first saw it, but the longer I look at it the less of that ''wow'' factor I felt. I believe this is due to you having come up with a striking silhouette, it reminds me of what David Bowie would wear for album covers and such. Putting the cool silhouette aside, the details and textures fall flat a little bit. I'm sure there are people who will think that your model coming out of an egg is a fantastic idea, I'm just not so into it. It is an avant garde idea for sure, I just don't find that it relates to the moth night theme. I think that chopped off hand looks like a chopped off hand, which takes this look down a notch in terms of level of fashion. I also think the textures here are unsuccesful, the pants and the top are very flat and quite frankly a bit ugly, those two items lack a textural richness that I was looking for with this task, instead they look like something one made in MS Paint under stress. The make-up is cool and overall I think you did do well in terms of creating avant garde fashion as this is a spectacularly strange look which makes an impact, but I just feel it could be more fabulous.
Cinthia
You did well in terms of paying homage to your source of inspiration: a moth with an orange and black pattern on it's back. The composition around the arms and the shoulders is outstanding, it looks like several very thin layers are embracing your model and I adore that you were able to come up with that effect, it's something we don't often see. Since you pay tribute to a very specific moth, I have to question the composition of black patterns on the lower half of your model. The moth you chose has a gorgeous symmetrical pattern on the back, so why did you apply a black print that's kind of all over the place? This was not the right time for asymmetry in regards to that. I must say that your make-up is some of the best I've seen this season, I love the gray lip with the red nose and cheeks. I really wish there was an additional color to this composition of yours, it's just so orange. I love orange but I feel like I cannot appreciate it as much as the two orange shades are trying to outshine each other, there's a conflict somewhere in this look that I know wasn't intentional. I think this is kind of avant garde, it's a bit too close to more experimental commercial fashion. Not that commerciality can't go hand in hands with avant garde aspects, but I point it out since you are one of the most avant garde people I know, you pull off avant garde even when the task isn't asking for it. This is unexpectedly toned down for you in terms of drama and flair and I think this was a time in which you should've turned the volume up high.
doglover
When it comes to creating a fully realized look, edited to perfection, you are so ridiculously great. There is something to your creative process that is hard to pinpoint: you are obsessed with certain details and sometimes you do question yourself regarding certain choices, yet one can look at your designs and instantly tell that you made it. I believe it is the impeccable editing skills and your styling skills that help do that, paired with a wide yet clearly defined aesthetic of yours, as I've already said it is difficult to pinpoint but you can just feel it's there. This design is so charming and texturally intriguing. As this look is perfect on it's own, outside of the PR bubble, the problem here is that this is very much a drag queen look. A fashion design can play with fur and hair without it hurting it's fashionability, in this sense the design or dress is secondary and in the spotlight is this big beard. I'm not saying that you didn't make an impact, but I just wish there was more fashion to this, more clothes to see. Instead it is as if the styling and the character is the main focus, those two things are great to have in a look but it can't be all about those two things. Underneath the beard is a beautiful dress I want to look more at and I wish I could see more. Is this avant garde? Mostly, yes. It's an unusual look and I don't think anybody was expecting this. I am always excited to see what you come up with Chris and overall you did a pretty good job.
Peyton125
This look doesn’t have the same instant ”wow” factor that some of your other looks have had this season. Keep in mind though that you’ve set a really high bar for yourself. I find that this is a design that reveleals itself to you the longer you look at it, mainly due to the many gorgeous layers, they make for a sort of gray symphony. It’s a difficult look to describe: it has a darkness to it but not in a depressing or sinister way, it reminds me fo ashes or a flying creature in the night, which means you’ve succeeded with embracing the moth aspect of this task. The silhouette is wonderfully gracious and this design is both conceptual and editorial, but I don’t think it’s as avant garde as it could’ve been: I think you would’ve needed to let go a little bit more and dared to do something unexpected to get there. I want you to keep exploring new sides of you and not get comfortable. To everyone reading this: covering your eyes is starting to become a bit of a cliché. Avant garde is a hard thing to pull off, so it’s not a comment on your skill level, which you have shown is very advanced at this point. My favorite thing about this look is the romantic quality to it, it’s as if the layers are a gray flower opening up. I’d even label this as gothic, high-end fashion. You keep on delivering Peyton.
VERDICT
Congratulations Cassandra.Goth - you are the winner of the seventh task of LidlTerm Season 5, you now have two wins under your belt. Your design represents what this task was all about: an avant garde play on textures and the dark, wild and beautiful sides to the moth. I couldn't have asked for more from you, you really nailed this one. You just keep getting better and better - I hope you design like this each week moving forward.
Well done to LC22 for finishing in second place and to Snawl for finishing in third (as well as his third time in the top). You two came up with avant garde creations that scratched an itch - keep it up!
ELIMINATION
This is one of the toughest eliminations I've had to pull across the five seasons I've hosted. ohku - I'm sad to announce that you've been eliminated from LidlTerm Season 5. There is a lot I like about your look, it just happened to rank at #8 this week, simple as that. You have been a refreshingly unusual PR-contestant, playing this longterm by your own rulebook and never compromizing who you are. As a designer, your charm and a touch of humour has been present in every look you've made and please know that I am a big fan of you. Thank you for taking part.
For full rankings, please visit the Progress page (click here)
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