Both teams failed this week, and you and Iman basically pumped them full of lead on the runway. Why do you think they botched this assignment?
Well, I guess it's because they kind of second-guessed themselves. I think it has to do a lot with the chemistry between the contestants. Like, Calvin really seems to be getting under everyone's skin. So far, he hasn't really succeeded on the show, but he hasn't failed. That's the thing about Calvin. Somehow he's gotten this far because he manages to work everyone's nerves so much. Because of that, his non-failures come off better than they should.
The Fashion Show is all about teamwork. Is it awkward to criticize Calvin's ability to work with others but then have to praise his clothes?
That's the thing! Yes, it's very awkward. It's no secret that he's impossible. It's no secret anymore. We try to kind of work it a little bit. That's why last week was great when Caroline Manzo slapped him into shape. You know? At some point I said to her, "Will you work with me?" Because she's so great with these difficult personalities. God knows there are lots of difficult personalities to put up with -- but his is particularly difficult.
Do you think the "weekend getaway" aesthetic derailed the teams at all?
We tried to give them something broad enough and defined enough to work within the confines. I will say as a designer, the more problems that are thrown at me, the better I do. The minute you open up something that broadly, it gets difficult. Does that make sense?
Sure. If there aren't enough constraints, there's hardly enough to get a designer's wheels turning.
That's exactly what I'm trying to say. So we gave them this weekend getaway thing, and that should be enough of a constraint to pull something magical out of the hat. Now, Dominique won, but she only won because her thing wasn't as putrid as the other things. It was really controlled and, actually, really good. I thought it was not the most interesting thing color- or texture-wise, but the proportions were great and she solved the thing of finding something and making something wonderful of it. I loved the umbrella dress.
Was it depressing to choose a "worst dress" this week since plenty of entries qualified?
I mean, honestly? It's not the first time it's come up. We had a little bit of that last week too. We watch it week by week, but it's happening all the time. It's this crazy obstacle course from the first day you enter until six or seven weeks later when you're finished. They did hit this lull right in the middle. but next week is great. Wait until you see the clothes. They really heard what we had to say, and they brought it. Next week they really bring it.
Poor David. He tried piling accessories on top of a nothing dress. [Pictured right.]
I'll tell you what: I think where David was concerned, he's a very good example of being only as good as your last moment. He had a few good moments, but he slips. Then it was like, "That's it. We can't have you anymore. This was the third or fourth week we'd considered eliminating you." Whereas Cindy the week before, she was so great and so passionate about why she needed to stay -- so, we just got it. "Oh, she needs to stay." I also didn't think her dress was offensive as David's. David's just felt worse than juniors. It felt like juniors from the '90s. It was passe and bad. For him not to be able to do something chic -- if you're going to go that sort of dull safari-vest route, at least give us a longer skirt or some kind of kooky shoe. Something! And all those accessories on top of it? Ugh! I thought it was just the most offensive.
Was picking a winner an annoying obligation? Or a bittersweet one, I guess, since you didn't like most of the looks?
Actually, it's not as hard to name a winner as it is to eliminate someone. I will say, saying goodbye to David was awfully bittersweet. I think there's something about him that's wonderful. He gave us a terrible look last night, but there is something great about him. I kept saying that to him, and also to Golnessa. I kept saying, "If you could only make clothes that look as good as you do..." -- and I'm not talking about their physical attributes; I'm not talking about that David is a good-looking guy. I think the way he puts himself together is so great. The little bow-tie, the crisp little shirt untucked with the pants that are a little too short, and the Hush Puppies -- it's such a good way that he looks. Then he shows this stuff that is completely unrelated! Somehow he needs to look at that and say, "I need to be more personally involved with this." He's too objectively involved. I remember last season on The Fashion Show, our guest judge Norma Kamali said a brilliant thing: "You should take this personally." If something walks down the runway that you're not proud of, you should be prostrate. You should be absolutely self-loathing about that, you know what I mean?
Cesar, one of the most acclaimed designers this season, was responsible for one well-liked ensemble [pictured below] and two hideous swimsuits. If he'd made just those swimsuits, do you think he'd have been eliminated?
I do. I actually do. His look, the one that he presented, I almost gave that the win. But it was incredible the way he mixed those fabrics to make that look. But those swimsuits? Even though he was mostly responsible for it, we couldn't take him to task because it was the house look. The only way we could take them to task for that was to make them lose. In a way, he put his other teammates in jeopardy. I don't think irony was lost on him.
It also comes back to bite the judges in the ass sometimes. I felt like Cindy should've won last week, but because she was in the losing house, she couldn't. In this case it worked very well. The winning house was definitely in the House of Nami -- the black dress. I also think the losers were in the other group. Cesar's original look came close to being the winner, but it wasn't even close to Dominique's dress. But yes, he was on the chopping block last night.
Let's talk about those crazy patterns on Cesar's look. It was weird, inspired, and kind of fabulous, wouldn't you say?
Usually, when you mix those very disparate elements, it takes a very long time and a lot of trial and error to get it to work. Or, sometimes, it just comes together. You look at it and something about it works. What he did was layer a sheer leopard print over a kooky, kind-of ethnic, chic print. It just looked great. It just fell together. I could've lived without the sweater. I mean, that looked totally wrong. But the prints were so masterfully paired -- it could've even been that he had a good eye, saw them in the bin together, and thought, "That's pretty." That's how it would've happened to me. Usually when you thrust things together, or mistakes, and they look great -- you just need an eye that can pick up on stuff like that. It's a stealthy kind of eagle eye. Oftentimes on the street, I see some old lady who is wearing some crazy things together, and I think, "That's the best thing I ever saw." She's mistaken to wear it, but I can correct her mistake and make it work.
You should tell these women that!
I do! Oh, I always do! There's this woman who -- I swim on 43rd Street, and she looks amazing every day in this crazy way -- every time I see her, I say, "Can I take your picture?" And she's like, "No!" She's very mean. I try to include her in the process, but then I decide, "I'll just have to memorize this."
She should learn to be complicit. Or it's like, "Look, lady, I'm just going to rip you off if you don't."
Totally! I try to tell her that, but she just won't work with me.