Also, the guest judge should receive a portfolio of each competitor's designs up to that point. Several times a designer has created something strikingly similar to something he or she has already done, but the guest judge doesn't realize it. That isn't fair. Give the guest judge enough information and authority to make a GOOD DECISION. Too often, the guest judges just look foolish because they don't have the same information that the audience has. They deserve better. Treat them with respect.
The regular judges seemed anxious to share with the guest judge that Michael Costello had been sneered by the other designers and they encouraged a vote in his favor just to add to the workroom drama. I would tell you which judge (was it Cynthis Rowley?) and which challenge this was, but frankly, once I begin my fact-checking I begin to feel angry and I just don't want to feel angry about this any more.
BE CONSISTENT.
Here's a comment from suzq: I do feel strongly that if a judge commits to the show, he or she should be there for every challenge. And perhaps, the production costs and timing should be weighed against the judge's availability. If weekends are now off limits, perhaps new folks should be considered.
Many of you disagreed with me about keeping Nina and Michael. In fact this was the point on which we disagreed the most. Many of you would be glad to see them go.
Week after week the black designs were winning or in the top three. Then all of a sudden black was bad and April was off. One week a design is tops because it is "wearable." The next week, "You can find it in any mall" is an insult. Give clear challenges and state what the judges will be looking for. Then judge accordingly.
The audience likes to play along. When we can see excellence in a design and the "experts" confirm it, we feel good. When we can see excellence in a design and the "experts" deny it, we feel like changing the channel.
When choosing finalists, are you looking at only the last challenge in the season, or are you considering the entire body of work for each designer? The answer doesn't matter one way or another, just let us know - and be consistent.
FINALE JUDGING:
Are you looking for something "wearable?" Are you looking for something "editorial?" Are you looking for something that Heidi wants to wear? Are you looking for red carpet gowns? Does a Spring collection HAVE to have a bathing suit? Separates? Are you looking for something that Michael foresees as the future of his own personal brand?
Tropical Chrome puts it this way: It's not so much that they liked Gretchen's final collection best as their rationale fordoing so: awarding the win to her because "it's of the moment" and "women would wear these looks" is a 180 degree turn from the judging not only of past years but of the rest of this season. They dismissed Emilio's collection as too "ready to wear" as their rationale for not awarding him the win last year. So which is it, guys? You cannot have it both ways.
Before you send the designers off to create their collection, let them know exactly what you are looking for. The audience is a little confused right now.
In fact, we are very confused.
Tomorrow we look at Tim Gunn's role in the show...
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