Bakla Ako, May Reklamo?

The show started with a recap of last week’s challenge where Charette Regala was eliminated. Scenes of Jojie Lloren talking to the designers and telling them that moving forward, only garments sewn by the designers are allowed to be included in the outfits presented on the runway.  This was in obvious reference to the controversy in last week’s episode involving Veejay Floresca and Eli Gonzales.

At the Amorsolo Mansion, the designers were reveling the chance to enjoy some much-needed rest after last week’s challenge. Aries Lagat, who won last week and got immunity was very happy with his victory.

At the Runway, host Teresa Herrera said hello to the designers and noticed their good tan. She also dropped hints about the next challenge.  "Open your eyes," was her teaser but she did not reveal anything at all.  She announced that it was time for the designers to pick their models.

Most of the designers stuck with their models from the previous challenge.  Bo Parcon chose his former model, his "mannequin" Lexxi , to the slight surprise of Jaz Cerezo who picked Jen.  Philipp Tampus was the last person to pick a model but eventually ended up picking Chrismaria.  He found it quite difficult to choose between the two remaining models.  Both have modelled for him in previous challenges.

Teresa, again, said that the challenge was all about "Open your eyes." This made the designers curious and immediately inferred that it must have something to do with garbage.  When they found out that the challenge was going to take place in Cubao, some of them got more worried.  Some thought that it would be something related to ukay ukay (used clothing) while others thought about garbage.

The designers then headed to Cubao eXpo where host Teresa and mentor Jojie Lloren welcomed them all. Teresa handed out "tools" to all designers. The tools were cameras provided by Canon.  Teresa then announced that the challenge was about the designers’ vision.

The Challenge
The challenge for this episode was for the designers to create an outfit that shows your thought process as a designer.

The brief for this challenge involved the designers going around Cubao Expo, cameras at hand, and take pictures of anything and everything they personally liked.  From among their photos, they had to choose one to serve as their inspiration.  The challenge was all about vision.  Jojie further expounded and said that they wanted to see the thought process of the designers.

Jojie advised the designers to use their creatovity and not be too literal.  Jojie adds:

"I don’t want to see flowers because you took a picture of a bunch of flowers.  We want to see the awe, the ambiance.  we want to experience the picture. We want to experience what it is in the picture that captivated you."

Teresa told the designers to make the most out of Cubao Expo for a good two and a half hours.

The designers then headed off in different directions to conquer Cubao Expo.  Mara Reyes, who is a regular at the place said she kind of already memorized it.  It was Winnie Chua’s firts time at Cubao Expo so she did not know what to expect. The individuality of the designers was displayed as they talked about the photos that they took.

Metro Gaisano
The designers were off to Metro Gaisano to shop for their fabrics. (The budget for this challenge was not mentioned in the show).  Ava Paguyo and Eli Gonzales both bouoght spray paint to aid them in the creation of their garment. One designer wanted to get Indian silk but the colors he wanted were not available.  Mara Reyes wanted to go to a hardware store to buy something unique and different like washers and nails but she did not have enough time to do so.

6 Hours Until End of Day 1
The designers headed back to the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA) and started working on their garments.Here’s a list of their photos/design inspirations:

Mara Reyes - odd-looking pillows from the cinema
Eli Gonzales - Antique vase with royal blue painitng
Philipp Tampus - a collage of lights (or something) or a wall
Ava Paguyo - a painting with a lot of circles
Veejay Floresca - a painting of fishes
Ivan Raborar - Philippine Eagle
Winnie Chua - Mural of famous European structures
Aries Lagat - an toy kart with the young Niño Muhlach
Bo Parcon - teardrops design of a store
Jaz Cerezo - Bamboo lamp with red fabric

Eli noticed that most of the designers were creating pants. Winnie admitted that she initially thought her garment was already too ambitious, but when she saw the designs of other designers, she realized that hers wasn’t that ambitious at all.

Towards the end of the day, some of the designers were seen helping each other out with the designs, patterns, and the whole creation process.

Day 2
On the second day, Jojie walked into the workroom and told the designers that they ahd until midnight of that day and the whole morning of the next day to finish their outfits. Before doing the individual consulattions with the designers, Jojie mentioned that the models will arrive shortly for fitting.

On Winnie, Jojie had some issues with her design and the time left.  Jojie seemed to like Mara’s outfit. Bo’s garment, as per Jojie, had to be pressed well for the desired effect to come out.  Jojie didn’t like the finishing on a part of Eli’s garment. When Philipp suggested that he use a red neckpiece as an accessory, Jojie reacted and said that the garment could stand on its own and that adding any accessory was unnecessary as the gown would stand on its own. Ivan’s outfit, which was very evidently inspired by the Philippine Eagle, had some issues with differences in the finishing — the top was very finished and the hemline had fringes. (Jojie:  "Parang jumper na hindi ko malaman."). The bamboo-inspired simple dress designed by Jaz made Jojie smile and tell her that it was simple but nice (or something like that) because it was linear.

2 Hours Until End of Day 2
The designers continued working on their garments. No one seemed truly happy about their designs.  In fact, some of them were quite apprehensive about their designs.  In her interview, Ava Paguyo said: "As of tonight, my clothes still look like crap.  Ngayon, ina-uncrap ko siya." Bo Parcon, in his pocket interview said that he was disappointed with his design.  He also questioned himself because at the onset of the competition, he thought he was gonna emerge as one of the top, but this challenge seemed to prove him wrong.  He further shared that he was wrong in thinking that it was as easy as it appeared on TV.

Day of Runway Show
At the Amorsolo Mansion, some of the designers did not seem too happy and there seemed to be a lack of energy.

Back at SoFA, the designers did their finishing touches on their outfits and had their models styled at the L’Oreal Paris Make-up room and the L’Oreal Professionale Room.

At the Runway, Teresa welcomed the designers back to the runway and gave a recap of the brief and the challenge.  She then announced that the winner of this challenge will not get immunity but will receive a Canon Ixus 80-IS Camera.  She then gave a quick rundown of the prizes for the winning designer of Project Runway Philippines:

Teresa then proceeded to introduce the judges for this challenge:
"fascinating fashion designer Rajo laurel; top model and fashion editor, Apples Aberin-Sadhwani; top fashion photographer, Mr. Jun de Leon, and highly creative fashion designer and milliner Ms. Mich Dulce."

The show started and showed, for the first time, a lot of the designers quite unhappy because of the mediocrity of their creations. Wishful thinking and hope was the common theme of their voice-over comments while their models strutted the designs on the runway.  A few were happy with their outfits, and felt they were going to be safe.  However, none of the designers had that "winning air" abound them.

Question and Answer
Teresa called on the following to step forward: Bo Parcon, Philipp Tampus, Eli Gonzales, Winnie Chua, Ivan Raborar, and Jaz Cerezo.  They were not safe yet and the others who were not called (Ava Paguyo, Aries Lagat, Veejay Floresca, Mara Reyes) were declared safe and were instructed to leave the runway.

Those who were left on the runway represented the highest and the lowest scores.  The models were brought out and the judges started grilling the designers on their creations and inspirations.

On Jaz Cerezo:
Teresa:  I hope I can wear it one day.  It’s beautiful!  Well done!
Rajo:  Well done.  I like the clean lines. I saw the inspiration. I’d just like you to, again, learn from this and perhaps bring it more forward.
Jun:  The hardest part is from inspiration to articulated in a form of art.  But you articulated very well.
Apples: You’ve learned a lot in the past few weeks.  you’re gonna go far.  Keep it up.
Mich: It’s a simple silhoutte, but it still has an edge. Based on the technique that you did on the skirt. Good job!

On Bo Parcon
Rajo: I find it a little bit too literal.  The quality really, is, I have a big problem with the way it’s sewn, and all those puckering.
(Bo:  I was wrong with the material)
Apples:  Maybe you could have diversified a little, to show a little more creativity.
Mich:  Ako, I like it.  But, the quality nga is off.  You should have slashed your seams, and you have to use your iron really well. Kase your iron is your best friend.
(Bo talked about the material)
Apples: Knowing that, shouldn’t you have done a design that will look good in that kind of material. (Bo talked some more). So you can’t blame it on the material.  You should work around it. You acn’t always make an excuse. Owe up to it.

On Philipp Tampus
Teresa:  It’s interesting what you’ve done.  I like your collage inspiration.  It’s very clean work.
Apples:  You know I laud you for your technical skills. I think in that sense, you’re the best in this group. Having said that, you should also learn to edit more.
Jun:  Clearly, you got lost in translation. Even the way you talk about your inspiration, di ko makita.

On Ivan Raborar
Jun:  Looks like a Mulawin costume.  I’m sorry.
Mich:  I thought it was super Ibong Adarna. I mean, what is it, superhero week, diba? See the technique is there, it’s just that you have to learn how to edit. You were saying you were gonna fill it, buti na lang hinde! Kase, kung pinuno mo siya, lilipad na talaga siya!  I swear!
Rajo: What I want you to concentrate on is your taste levels. I want you to open your mind.  Look around you and truly open your mind to the possibility of a refined taste level. Kailangan mo lang talagang isipin kung pano mas magmumukhang expensive, mas mukhang mahal yung damit mo.

On Eli Gonzales
Rajo: You know, the process involved in making something like this should have been more eloquently stated. Right now, you are in a position wherein everybody’s going to be seeing your work and I expect more from you guys, seriously. You know you have the talent, you guys have the guts.  I’m sorry you just disappoint me.
Apples:  The skirt, it’s not very flattering.  It’s just plain wrong.
Mich: It’s puckering, it’s in the wrong place. The proportions are wrong. Ang construction talaga, needs the right work.
(Eli defends his garment.)
Teresa:  To me, it looks rushed.

On Winnie Chua
Jun:  Would you travel in the same outfit?  Honestly, I want an honest answer.
(Winnie is stumped)
Jun: Would you?
(Winnie:  I would travel with coat on it)
Mich:  When I saw the picture, I thought, okay, I don’t know, I don’t feel like it’s for this project.
(Winne defends herself)
Rajo: You know the problem here is that, as people who’ve been judging you and in the real world of fashion, we don’t care if you didn’t finish it on time. We don’t really care to, you know, all the back stories. At the end of the day, we’re looking at what you’ve come up on the runway. And if you’re going to like start showing that jacket draped on that particular bag, I mean, it doesn’t look expensive! it doesn’t look… You didn’t probably think as much, you know Winnie? You really have to step up to the level wherein your competitors are.
Apples:  We expected a lot of creativity from all of you. So if you ask me, I’m a bit disappointed with everyone,a ctually.  Because I expected a lot more considering we’re into, what, our fifth episode? And this is what you’re gonna show us? I can go to the mall and buy something exactly like that. Where’s the vision there? You’re supposed to come up with something different, something unique. I know, the standards are quite high.  but that’s what why we’re here right?  We want to come up with the next best Filipino designer. But if this is what’s gonna happen, and it’s the vision challenge… Come on guys! Rally a little harder.  Show the Philippines what you’ve got.

Teresa closed the Project Runway Philippines Barbecue and Grill House, we mean, question and answer portion and said that they’ve heard what the designers had got to say and sent the designers backstage.

Judges Caucus
During the judges’ discussion, Rajo said that over-all, Bo could have stepped up a bit more. The other judges felt that Bo had problems with selecting which fabric works and which one doesn’t. On Philipp, some judges found him a little tacky and Rajo wished that Philipp would just move away from his Binibining Pilipinas mindset. On Eli, Jun said that Eli was just full of things to say but in the end, "said nothing." The other judges thought that Elis outfit looked like something made by a four-year old. On Winnie, Mich found her too blah.  Apples thought that Winnie did not have a clear point of view. On Ivan, Apples felt sad that Ivan made this garment because in the last challenge, they were so pleased with him and the complete turnaround came as a sad surprise. Rajo noticed that Ivan had started becoming inconsistent. On Jaz, Rajo found it as merely simple and was not convinced with the design.  Was it visionary?  Would it knock his socks off? Mich thought that it may have been simple but it was well-made. Jun added that jaz was good because she could articulate an inspiration.  What Rajo loved about Jaz was that she did not have any excuses.

Elimination
The designers were called back onto the runway.  Normally, Teresa would start calling out names of those who are safe, but in a very untimely twist of events, Teresa announced that before they began, they had a special message for the designers.  Enter, Apples:
I hope that in the next challenges, we will all step up to do better. Because we really believe in you guys. And we want, we’re proud of you. We know it’s not easy.  So let’s fight! LEt’s go and give a good fight.

Teresa then called out the winner of this challenge:  Jaz.  She would not get immunity.

Next to be called: Philipp. Safe.

Next: Bo. Safe.

Next: Ivan. Safe.

Only two designers left: Eli and Winnie.

Teresa:  Eli, let’s start with you. Though your inspiration and elegant, your outfit was not. And looks like it was created by a four-year old. Winnie, last week, we asked you to step it up. We didn’t see it in your outfit.  Your outfit had no point of view and it was blah.

Eli was called.  He abrely made it.  He’s safe.

Winnie Chua is eliminated.

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On Project Runway Philippines Episode 6: Teresa is seen telling the designers that they will enjoy this challenge. There seems to be animosity between one designer and the judges. And looks like a "he" designer is in trouble! Find out next week!