It’s electric!

The Challenge: Design an avant garde look using lighting technology for a blacklit runway. 
Guest Judge: Pharrell

AUSTIN SCARLETT, Winner

Honestly? I think it’s conceptually fantastic, but everything looked like it was falling apart on the runway. The pictures are fantastic, because they hide every flaw and you see only the starry galaxy surrounding the model (which is exactly what Austin was going for). But on the runway, you could see too much of the man behind the curtain to appreciate the “magic” on the runway. But Austin’s dress from last week’s episode put him in the bottom, while Kenley’s put her in the top – it made a better zero-to-hero story to give Austin this week’s win rather than Kenley, who deserved it more.

JERELL SCOTT, Eliminated
It’s about time we got rid of Jerell, but the Jerell-ishness of this outfit wasn’t the worst thing about it. That crazy fringe from the fiberoptic lights was actually awesome, even if he overused it and styled it terribly. It was the freaking ankle-length black skirt she was wearing underneath it! What an awful choice. And though I loved the lipstick, everything else happening on and around her head is terrifying. Almost as bad as the shoes.

KENLEY COLLINS, Top 2

I gasped when this hit the runway. The print Kenley made out of glow tape was perfect, and I’m shocked she was the only one who used it. I wasn’t sure if she was incorporated enough lights into her look, until she wove those tiny little fairy lights around that fantastic cut-out fabric. She achieved that sort of effervescent, ethereal glittering that Austin was going for so much better than he did, because it was subtle and expertly executed. Others will say she’s still making ’50s silhouettes, and they’re not wrong by any means. But she and Austin were the only ones who actually put something I considered avant garde down the runway, and hers was bold and brilliant and dramatic while his was… aspirational.

MICHAEL COSTELLO, Bottom 2

Oh, you can’t understand how bad this one was in a still shot. Half the lights on her body were blinking, and the ones inside her giant crazy shoulderpads were going apeshit. It was seizure-inducing, awful to look at, and none of it felt particularly avant garde.

MONDO GUERRA, Top 3

I’d have made a bottom three instead of a bottom two, because Mondo’s look was not deserving of any praise. The boobs were weird, and not in an interesting way. The lighting wasn’t incorporated in a particularly interesting way. And avant garde? He made a strapless cocktail dress. It wasn’t exactly innovative. A disappointing show from Mondo, who can usually run with the crazy ideas and give us something ridiculous and often delicious. This felt a little phoned in.

Judges’ Top 3: Austin, Kenley, Mondo
Diva’s Top 3: Kenley, Austin, Mondo
Judges’ Bottom 2: Michael and Jerell
Diva’s Bottom 2: Michael and Jerell

Need more fabulous in your life? Check out March Fabness 2012 and vote on the best dressed celebs!

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© Democracy Diva, 2012.
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