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01x08 - Brand Evolution

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Making the Cut". Aired: March 27, 2020 – August 19, 2022.*

01x08 - Brand Evolution

Post by bunniefuu »

♪ Too fast, too fly, too flirty ♪

♪ Too bad, too high, and we on it ♪

- Oh, hi, Tim.

- Heidi, you are breathtaking.

A local Japanese designer gave this to me.

I'm overwhelmed.

- It's stunning.

- I mean, it took 45 minutes to get into it.

- It was worth every single minute.

- I love it.

- Arigatou.

-Arigatou.

When I think of the kimono,

it has centuries and centuries of history.

- This looks so modern.

- I love it too.

It makes you stand up

just a little bit taller.

- I'm sure.

- Look at my socks.

I love it. It's ready for a flip flop.

Oh, look at his little feet!

- Wow.

- This is gorgeous.

Come on in, guys.

Good morning, everybody.

- Welcome to Ryotei teahouse, everybody.

- Yes.

No elbows on the table.

No hands on the table.

No hands on the table.

Heidi and I learned all the protocols.

Do I need to take off my hat?

Oh, yeah, the hats off.

Now we finally know what's under there.

It feels really amazing

to be in the top four,

but it's becoming

so much more intense now.

All of you have worked so hard

to get to this point,

but not everyone will make it

into our final runway show.

So, we wanted you to have a moment

to feel your Zen

and to reflect upon your journey.

Yeah. So, enjoy.

Please take a bowl by your right hand,

and please make a slurping sound like

That sound tells me you enjoyed it,

you completed it.

Apologies. I haven't mastered my slurping.

- Everyone relaxed?

- Yes.

Well, good.

Because you are facing the most important

and pivotal assignment

you've yet to have.

This last assignment will determine

which three of you four

will make it to the big finale.

To be honest,

I didn't imagine myself getting here.

And now that I'm here,

it feels totally earned.

I have hustled my butt off,

and I deserve a place in the finals.

Weeks ago, your very first assignment

was a brand snapshot.

So, we want to take the experiences

that you've had here on Making the Cut

and infuse them into your next collection.

You need to show the judges

how you've grown and how you've evolved.

You need at least two looks.

You can have as many as four.

Okay.

As a reminder, at least one of your looks

must be accessible.

One of the winning designer's looks

will be available on Amazon

in the Making the Cut store.

I do sort of feel like I'm the underdog,

because I haven't won any assignments yet.

I feel like this is my time.

A very important aspect of being

a successful brand is managing a team.

So, you will each be overseeing

two seamstresses.

- Oh, my goodness!

- In the design studio.

- Oh, they're there with us?

- They will be with you.

Working with the seamstresses,

it's a teamwork, and it's how I usually work.

So, I really appreciate that.

So, you have a fashion show in two days.

And it will be at night,

in the harbor, on a boat.

- Wow.

- So, give no less than a thousand percent.

- This is not a time to hold back.

- Yeah.

Alright, enough of this Zen-ness.

Work hard, everyone.

- Thank you, guys.

- Good luck.

So, we don't have to be inspired

by the turtles or something?

We have to create

a two to four-look collection

that shows how we've evolved

from the beginning until now.

My aesthetic's very different

than the other designers.

It's kind of how it is also for me

in normal life.

It was really difficult sometimes,

because nobody really understood

my design aesthetic or where I come from.

I've always paved my own way in things,

and I think it's important

to have that in fashion.

For this assignment,

I am planning to do three looks,

with the idea of past, present, and future

where I've been, where I'm at,

and where I'm going.

Balancing between accessibility and art

definitely for me was the hardest obstacle,

but it also was one of the funnest things

I've ever done in my life.

Oooh!

I feel like I had a lot to say

when I came here, design-wise.

I wanted people to think

of my looks as modern art

expressed through fashion.

I've never seen

anything like this.

- I'm on the fantasy side of fashion.

- So, you're gonna go there.

b*tch, clearly.

- Well, what do we call this?

- There is no name for it.

We did love your looks,

but they were not really accessible.

First t-shirt I've ever made.

It's a Sander t-shirt.

What has really emerged

is that commercial and artistic

can come together, in your way.

You are the winner today.

I could definitely see you

doing your show in Paris.

For somebody to tell you,

you are what you want to be,

that's something that I will remember

for the rest of my life.

♪ I can feel it ♪

♪ Goin' for it, nothin's gonna stop me now ♪

I think the assignment

is really great,

to really go back to your brand

but include everything we learned.

For this assignment, I will do three looks,

mixing a lot of materials together.

Go really wild with shapes and forms.

Being here and discovering my creativity,

I also discovered my femininity.

So, I would love to go a bit more fluid,

having something which can float in the wind.

♪ Feel it comin' ♪

♪ Got me runnin' ♪

♪ No, I can't stop now ♪

I can see how much I've grown

since the first assignment,

and I want to show the new sense

of femininity in those collections.

So, I'm going to reference

my very first assignment,

which didn't get commented on,

which didn't get any critique.

So, I'm going to challenge myself

to totally transform them.

I'm planning to do three looks.

The womenswear look is my reference,

that first assignment.

The other womenswear look

is something totally new.

And then I'm gonna do a menswear look.

For them to say,

"You're going to the finals,"

like, that's that's my goal.

♪ 'Cause I've got dreams to reach ♪

♪ Got no time for fear to take control ♪

I am so hungry for this opportunity.

At home, I was still designing

for other, larger companies,

and I would love to not have to do that.

There's that saying, like,

you don't want to spend your life

building somebody else's dream;

you want to build your own dream.

So, I'm gonna do three looks

to show more refinement within the brand,

and, you know, a little bit of that edginess

that I've been adding here and there.

In order to win this,

I think I really need to push it.

- Four.

- Four.

I'm looking for a bunch

of different materials

shiny leather,

flat wool, chiffon

Ah, it comes in pieces. Ah, okay.

Not only black,

but maybe a little bit of white

For this assignment,

we just have to give everything

to be in the final three.

The pink, the green, and the black.

It is a little bit Halloween, but I like it.

I think I'm definitely pushing myself again

because now I'm using black,

which I never use.

Look at that poor man

fighting that black felt.

Poor soul.

Hello.

Sander. Nice to meet you.

- Asta.

- Asta?

So, for this assignment,

we have two seamstresses,

and they don't speak English,

so we need a translator.

He's cutting it right now

I've never had to manage a team.

Never been tested on that level.

But I think I'm definitely up for the job.

So, you can start maybe the pants.

If you have questions, I'm there.

Okay? High five?

Hi! Hi! Go!

Ooh, that's amazing.

This is my last opportunity

to prove to the judges that

I deserve to be in the final three.

So, I want to make sure that the fabrics that

I choose look very lux and very expensive

but also edgy and cool.

Ooh, I love this!

I'm so excited!

Something I haven't used before

is crocodile leather!

I was drawn to it.

Let's hope I have enough.

The driving force behind my looks is

my desire to show the judges how much

I've grown in this competition.

In the beginning, I struggled with,

"Will my designs be enough?

Will my aesthetic be enough?"

So, I would tend to overdesign.

I don't want to overdo it. I'd probably put

a beautiful leather thing up here.

Okay.

The collaboration with Jonny

really pushed me.

And having that masculinity and that edge

brings you to a whole different level.

You know what I'm learning here?

That less is more.

You had me at Fly Girl.

I love that top.

This is so fresh

and invigorating.

That's very nice.

She stepped up.

I feel like the growth in me

and my brand is not small steps.

Those looks today I absolutely loved.

Thank you.

It's been giant steps, big.

Big. Clear distinction

from the start to finish.

The silk?

I don't know why I can't get my mind off of,

like, sheer silk material,

which is the hardest to cut

and the hardest to sew.

But I keep on seeing these angelic,

ethereal shapes,

with these, like, big, heavy coats on it,

and so, I'm gonna do it.

Oh, that's it.

I think this is gonna represent

how I can do the feminine,

and I can still do the bad-a*s,

and it can come together into something

that's super marketable.

So, I'm doing a sheer pink silk dress.

Like, where did that come from?

♪ Go ♪

Hey!

♪ Somethin's growing thick in the air ♪

- Hello, hi.

- Hello.

Hi, I'm Jonny.

- Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

So, I just want to have

a little talk.

I will start cutting something really easy,

so that they can quickly

start doing something.

I feel really good with the seamstresses.

I like to work in a team.

It's two layers.

Treat them as one.

Having the connection

is very important to me.

- Thank you.

- Thank you so much.

Are you doing color, Esther?

- White.

- Oh, I love!

Just a tiny touch.

I'm really happy

with the journey I've done here

in the past few weeks.

I was actually not imagining

how intense that journey would be.

Esther, you are the winner.

Thank you, universe!

This is a new way of couture.

You are today's winner again!

I work only with black.

You've been black on black

on black on black on black.

I wish you would have branched out

into color just a little bit.

- Wow!

- Good heavens!

You have a color!

I love the black dress.

The gold one I'm not in love with.

Black will stay the center of my collection.

I respect that you stick to who you are.

I actually think that's

what makes you a strong brand.

The judges saying, "This is exactly

the right thing for you to do,"

that was the biggest milestone in my career.

So, I'll have something

in maybe, like, maybe 20, 30 minutes

to start sewing.

So, I'll bring it. I'm cutting now.

I'm gonna have the seamstresses do

all the hard, tedious work for me,

like zippers and buttons, and have them sew

the main parts of the garment,

and then all the other fashion details

I'll come back in and do.

♪ I just want the funk ♪

♪ They just want the funk ♪

♪ We just want the funk ♪

♪ Give us the funk, the funk

Give us the funk, the funk ♪

That alligator leather's cute!

I was, like, so excited when I saw it.

I was like, "Where is this?

I want all of it."

So, this collection definitely is showing

an evolution of my brand,

especially with the crocodile leather,

'cause that's something

that I haven't really played with.

It kind of works well

against the feminine aesthetic.

I haven't won anything yet,

so I really want to wow them.

I do want to win.

Okay, that coffee's kickin' in

I am going to rush

to cut something right away.

I plan on making two dresses

for the girl models.

And for the guy, I'm gonna make

real leather jogging pants

with a draped wool blazer.

And that is one, two, three,

four, five, six, seven pieces.

Why? Oh, I'd never thought

it was seven pieces until now.

That seems extreme.

So, I'm gonna do three looks.

But I booked four models

two girls and two boys.

Whoever doesn't look good in the fitting,

I'll let that person go.

Can I do a whole entire dress out of this,

or does it look weird to have the pleats

- Did you try to get rid of it?

- No, but I should try.

My approach to design has always been,

like, fashion is armor.

But that was connected

to an older version of me

that needed more protection.

And I was defending myself

against the elements.

I came here expecting to design,

expecting to compete,

expecting to be challenged.

I think you don't understand

the word "couture."

Maybe it is time for you to depart

from that leather jacket

that you've been doing for so long.

The judges kind of pointed out

some things that helped me realize

that my design aesthetic is protecting

something vulnerable and soft

that I wasn't prepared to show.

I feel like there's more inside of you

that you have to bring out.

I grabbed this print.

I want to show some range.

This is the feminine version

of who you are.

It really was so gratifying to see

how much you've evolved.

- Awesome.

- You are the winner today.

I wasn't just catering to the judges.

I was really discovering new colors.

I love the print,

because it kind of made it sweet.

- new femininity

- -Jonny, you just nailed it.

- You are today's winner.

- Thank you.

I'm proud of the designer I've become.

I'm proud of the man I've become

after this journey,

which I did not anticipate having

such a spiritual change, and I have,

and I'm proud of it.

Thank you.

The top of the material is shiny.

We have so much work

to do tomorrow.

But the energy between me

and my seamstresses feels good.

We have a camaraderie between us.

Go team Jonny!

I quite like this open-edged thing.

Esther thinks

wearing it like that is really cool.

Dress still needs to be done

the top still needs to be done

the skirt still needs

to get a fitting Tim Talk

winning million dollars

rich husband mansion.

Done.

Hello?

Uh-huh.

Okay.

I will call you back. Bye.

My plan was to do three looks

two girls and a guy,

but my model,

the girl I'm most excited about,

is not available.

- What happened?

- My model's not available.

- Which one?

- Amani, the one I really wanted.

- Uh-oh.

- So, does anyone have an extra model?

- You need just one girl?

- Yeah.

Do you want the fussy one that I have?

- No!

- Sorry.

No, she's so fussy,

but thank you for offering.

No!

I've learned that in fashion,

we always have to pivot.

I do it all the time.

You have to keep going.

You have to move forward.

You know what I'll do?

I will put the skinny Japanese boy

in a dress.

That could be so cool.

I'm gonna own this situation.

Hi, this is Jonny.

I still have three models booked.

Two of them are boys,

and then we have the one girl.

I'll just keep these three.

Okay. Thank you. Bye.

I'd already overbooked models.

I'd booked four.

So, now I'm doing two boys and one girl.

And I have this idea of just keeping

my outfits the exact same.

I'm just gonna dress the boy in a dress.

I think that will look really, really cool.

I'm talking about my femininity,

I'm talking about gender doesn't matter

Well, prove it.

Show it on the runway.

I'm making this boy a sheer, silk,

pleated Victorian dress.

What the hell am I doing right now?

It's a make or break moment.

It's either gonna seal the deal,

or I'm going home.

So adorbs.

Well, this is a Tokyo

we haven't seen yet.

This is quite phenomenal.

- Sake!

- We should have some sake. Yeah.

- Also, have you ever had sparkling sake?

- No, I've never heard of it.

I think we should go here,

and I think we should try all the sake.

Let's try it.

- Thank you. Here's to Tokyo.

- Mmm.

- Have you learned any Japanese?

- I've learned some Japanese.

- What?

- Can you count?

No.

- You?

- Not even "one"?

I don't know what it is. What is it?

- Ichi

-Ichi

- Like itchy?

- Like itchy

- Ichi

-Ni, san, shi, go

- Rocko.

-Rocko

- Shishi, hachi, kyu

-Kyu

- Ju.

-Ju.

You're getting more sake.

Kanpai.

Kanpai.

What about "My name is Heidi"?

Watashi no namae wa Heidi desu.

Watashi no my won na.

- Nai ma wasu.

-Nai ma wasu. I'm bad.

- No

- I can barely speak English.

I think we need a top-up.

The more we drink, the better we get at this.

How do I say "making the cut"?

Oh, yeah, "making the cut."

- Sin ba tu.

-Semba tu.

Semba zu!

- Cheers to the million dollars.

- Here's Cheers to the million dollars.

I'm getting bombed.

Kanpai.

♪ I'm wakin' up every day

with my head in the clouds ♪

Morning! Yes!

Another day at the office!

So, two times stitch zz zz

For this week's assignment,

we can make two to four looks

to really show our evolution

from the beginning until now.

This is a big deal.

It's nerve-wracking being this close

to the finish line.

You can almost touch it but not quite.

- So, the back

- Up 'til here?

Yeah. The back is very similar, so

the shape.

The pattern is kind of small,

so make it a little bit

Sew it bigger.

The model is a boy.

Boy?

I'm putting a boy in a silk dress.

It just has to be impeccably done.

It really has to work.

- Okay?

- Okay.

♪ Put it on, hold me tight ♪

♪ Tryin' to get a little more me time ♪

♪ I might come back to you ♪

Okay, I told them yesterday,

but you can say it again,

that I'm really happy

with the quality of their work

but we have little time here.

So I want to get them into my boat somehow

and maybe, like, have a chat always,

like, what they think,

how much time they might need,

because then they know

they are part of the process.

Building the team spirit is as important

as having someone doing a good job.

You were working on the jacket?

What do you think?

Do you think, like, one hour?

Twenty minutes.

Really? I love to hear that.

Let's rock it! Okay.

Arigatou gozaimasu.

- Hello, everyone.

- Good morning, Tim.

- How are you all doing?

- Good.

So, Esther, how's it been having a team,

having the seamstresses?

Oh, that's wonderful.

- It's been good?

- Yeah, it's really good, so

You're managing your team well.

Very well.

- Talk to me about what you're doing.

- Um, so, I will do three looks.

The first one is my accessible look.

And this goes with

the white blouse over there.

- Oh, this is going to be white?

- It's, uh

a sleeveless shirt underneath,

and then you have these top layers

floating like this.

This is accessible.

At the same time, it says fashion.

Uh, second look will be

finally, my James Dean

t-shirt.

Sorry.

- What?! Is that funny?

- Yes.

- Well, it's a bit

- "Top three."

- I like it.

- It's hilarious.

- So, it's a bit

- "Top three."

I'm so fed up to make myself smaller

and hold back all the time.

There is so much more inside of me,

and when, if not now,

I can let it out and show it?

So, I'm mixing a lot of different materials.

I'm putting in a lot of femininity.

Everything you just said to me is exactly

what you should say to the judges.

- Okay.

- Exactly.

And with the same amount

of emotion and passion.

Well, I just have to make sure

that I don't start crying.

You know, it may work in your favor.

Okay.

Hi, Sander. What are you doing?

Well, I chose to do three looks,

and I kind of wanted to present the past,

the present, and the future.

Okay.

The first look is a little bit dramatic dress

in a neon green.

Drama, sculpture, where I came from.

And then the present

is a skirt that's twisted,

in a pattern to kind of get the idea

of, like, me trying to figure out

how to do more accessible looks.

And then for my future look,

it's kind of simplicity,

but there's still the cuts in there

to kind of

Oh, this is the

This is the accessible look?

Yeah.

- I'm just perplexed by Can I?

- Yeah.

- pick up one of these?

- Sure.

- This color and this.

- You don't like it together?

This is bold and strong.

It makes a statement.

This is the word I would use

to describe this is "insipid."

- Sweet and weak.

- Oh.

I'm just perplexed by it.

- And you know how much I love your work.

- Yeah.

Introducing this color

just seems so bizarre to me.

He didn't like the pink.

Clearly.

But he doesn't need to wear it.

Hi.

- Are you doing three looks?

- I'm doing three looks.

I'm taking my very first assignment,

and I'm taking the same dress concept

and the boy in like a long motorcycle vest,

and I'm redoing them to show

my progression, my evolution.

So, I think that this is

a really elevated version of what I did.

- So, then where are you going?

- So, I decided to book a boy

and put him in this sheer dress.

So, I just started getting cold feet,

but, uh

Why?

I feel like this can make them go, "Wow!"

or it can make them go, "Eeeh."

That's where you want them to be.

You don't want to play it safe,

and you don't want to go crazy.

- Right.

- You want to be on that precipice.

If I go for it with all my heart,

and I don't make it to the finals,

- at least I went to it with all my heart.

- Yes.

- You just have to execute all this.

- I know.

- So, go, go, go.

- Okay, thanks, Tim.

How's Megan doing?

I wanted to, like, keep it really clean

but play on shapes.

Okay.

So, this actually is the peplum

that's going to go on a blazer.

- On the blazer?

- Yeah.

The seamstresses are sewing

the blazer now, and it has

I found this crocodile leather that I love.

So, the lapel is this.

Where else are you using

the croc-embossed

- Leather?

- Leather.

I was going to make a

belt out of this.

Why the croc?

I thought it added depth,

and I liked the contrast.

- You don't like?

- It just seems so

Arbitrary.

This says to me "hard," "tough,"

and the rest of this says "ethereal."

But you may want to have that yin and yang.

- I do, sort of.

- But then I would say, do more with this.

I think you either bite it off and chew it

- Mm-hmm.

- or you don't bite it.

- Got it.

- You've got to go big.

And I thought about that last night,

but I wasn't sure if

Tell me about your doubts.

The peplum, the sleeve, this bodice

I wanted that to all be croc.

Megan! Go for it.

It's not a time to hold back.

You are the only designer in this room

who doesn't have a winning look.

I know.

- Why the tears?

- Um

- You're struggling, I know.

- Yeah.

I am definitely feeling the pressure

to work my a*s off to win this one.

It will prove to the judges why I deserve

to be in the final three.

I'm going to leave you.

Okay.

- Thank you.

- Do it!

And here I thought the designer

with the weakest work

will be the one who goes home.

None of you have weak work.

You're really

wowing me.

It's a sensational body of collections.

I'm incredibly impressed.

I'm tremendously eager

to see your fashion show.

It's going to be smashing.

I will see you tomorrow.

- Thank you so much, Tim.

- Thank you.

We love you, Tim!

I think the question about my color choice

that Tim asked me is definitely relevant.

So, I might just kick out the pink.

I kind of want to see it

just with two colors.

And I think that's more

of a clear concept for the judges.

♪ More, more, more ♪

♪ I want more, give it to me ♪

I think it's good that Tim said

I need to push it.

This definitely isn't the time to be safe.

I'm pushing it by adding crocodile leather

into all three looks.

If I'm gonna use it,

I need to use it all the way.

♪ I can't get enough, yeah ♪

♪ I like it, I love it ♪

♪ It's true

It's true ♪

My Tim Talk went really well,

but I'm super far behind timewise,

where one and a half piece is completed,

and we have five more to do.

So, it's a lot. A lot.

♪ More, more, more ♪

Whoo!

Yeah.

♪ Baby boom, baby boom ♪

Can you both stay stay with me?

- Stay here?

- Okay.

I want the seamstresses to be next to me

during the model fitting

so that they really see

what they did before,

what we need to change.

We need to take something out here.

Sometimes I don't know in the beginning

how the result will be.

A lot of things happen in the process.

You know what I'm thinking?

It was supposed to be like here

and I saw it hanging like this

and I much more like it.

Maybe the seamstress makes a mistake,

and all of a sudden,

you think like, "Oh no!" but, actually,

this is much better than I thought.

It's beautiful.

This is quite big on you.

Blazer I put it on the model,

and the kid's swimming in it.

To be honest, like, he looks terrible in it.

My other two, I have nothing for them.

And I'm really, for the first time,

kind of freaking out.

Yeah, I'm freaking out.

It's done. I'm so happy.

I basically finished

all the three looks today.

I'm a bit surprised,

because I was always the last.

That's the difference for me working

with seamstresses in a team.

Good job. Good job.

I can now show the experience I have

to build a team

and to make everybody be really happy

working in that team.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

Mmm.

- Are you going to see the show?

- Yeah.

- Yeah?

- Tomorrow.

Oh, cool!

I feel like I'm in the position

where I should be.

I have wonderful people, skilled people,

and the result is, for me, amazing.

Thanks again. Arigatou gozaimasu.

Time is not my friend today.

The clock is just like

It's going to be really difficult

to finish in time.

I have to cut and sew a leather pant,

design, cut, and sew a silk top,

design, cut, and sew a silk dress.

It's a terrifying amount

to get done in one day.

I think I'm going down to two looks.

Can't do it. I can't make three.

I'd rather send two awesome-looking models

down the runway

than three barely-clothed ones.

But I definitely think that if I'm

the only one that didn't do three looks,

it will stand out against me.

This is the decision I have to make.

If I don't deliver, I could go home.

Aaaahh!

♪♪♪

The morning of the show.

I have two hours, no seamstress help.

I've been going back and forth

between three looks, two looks.

If I go down to two,

I know the judges are going

to say something about it,

because everyone else

pushed themselves further.

So, I've decided I'm doing three looks.

I just need to finish a million things

before the runway.

You can sew it on like that,

and I can trim the excess,

or you can just go around the edge.

No, then I go around,

because it's like double.

Esther is finished with her collection

and is ready and willing to help me.

- Yeah.

- Thank you.

You're welcome.

Okay. I mean, don't blame me, you know?

I'm not a seamstress, but

You are a seamstress. Oh, my God.

Angels do wear black.

The fact that Jonny

has Esther helping him

This is a competition.

We're not here to help each other.

Because when we get to the judges,

they don't see that struggle that he has,

and I just don't think it's fair

that I work that hard and

he doesn't.

Angels in heaven rooting for me!

Okay. Let's get you in this dress right here.

- ♪ Dark hair ♪

- Cute, I like it.

♪ Red lips ♪

♪ Somebody call the cops, I'm dangerous ♪

Hello, Sander.

It's time for make-up.

Keep it like this. It's the Rising Sun.

I kind of want to do

like the Japanese influence,

like the dot on the flag

represents the Rising Sun.

But I thought maybe if it was too big,

that they would lose the eyes.

Then it goes like, the past,

the present, and the future.

Like, it rises.

The Sun, as the Japanese flag.

- No, but it's cool like this.

- Okay, thank you, guys.

Thank you.

It's time to rumble!

Come on, guys.

I think my looks will stand out.

I would love that the judges say, like,

"Okay, we are really curious

what you could do for the finale."

It's the happiest I've been

at this stage.

I'm extremely proud of the looks

that I created.

I think they show a lot of range and growth.

I worked hard here,

and I know I deserve this spot.

Today, I could have been stronger.

If they don't like what I'm presenting,

I could be going home.

But I've been consistently strong, so I hope

that they can look at our body of work

and if that's the consideration tonight,

I think I have a strong chance.

The expression of my brand

has become more clear

after, like, I did my changes.

I think it's definitely something that

nobody's gonna see coming what I did.

And I can't wait for it to strut down

that runway

and show it to the judges.

It's a big night.

We have four designers standing.

After tonight's show, we'll have three.

I couldn't possibly be prouder

of the designers,

and I hope they're prouder than I am.

Because they really should be.

Incredible achievements.

I'm very emotional.

Sorry. If I'm getting choked up now,

what am I gonna be like later?

- Hi, everybody.

- Greetings.

Welcome, everyone.

- What an exciting journey it has been.

- It has been, Heidi.

We're down to our final four,

and we are extremely proud

of every one of them.

For this fashion show,

we wanted the designers

to show us what they've learned

from this incredible experience.

They created collections showing

how this global adventure

and competition has evolved their brands.

The winning look will be

immediately available on Amazon

in the Making the Cut store.

Let me introduce you to our lovely judges.

Creative director of Altuzarra,

Joseph Altuzarra.

Digital entrepreneur Chiara Ferragni.

Supermodel and contributing editor

for British Vogue, Naomi Campbell.

Let's start the show.

- How are you feeling?

- Oh, I'm super nervous.

♪ Try to resist it if you like ♪

♪ You're gonna give in

It's just a matter of time ♪

The movement on this is beautiful.

And this is Esther. Wow.

She had a white top.

She's showing us

that she has versatility.

I really like the new take

on the black pants and white shirt.

- Oh, wow, I like this shoe.

- I love that too!

♪ Why should you hide what's underneath? ♪

"Top three."

Well, I just love that she has the confidence

to write that on there,

- and she really wants it.

- Yeah.

♪ Take what you, take what you want ♪

Bilevel accented waist.

I love it.

Wow. Beautiful.

♪ Alright, alright ♪

Oh, my God. Look what you did.

It looks like a dress

on top of a dress.

I'm not into the zipper.

- Oh, this is interesting.

- This feels really nice.

I love that he gives you

that surprise in the back.

Yeah.

I think he did a lot of great pieces

in that short amount of time.

Oh, this is so much better

in the green. Beautiful.

I feel like Sander's grown

from experimental to more

Commercial.

Congrats.

- Thank you, babe.

- Good job.

Thank you.

Hi, Tim.

♪ Simple as can be ♪

♪ I got your hands in mine ♪

So, you did do the crocodile.

Excellent.

♪ You don't have to listen carefully ♪

♪ I'll tell you a thousand times ♪

I love that she's doing tailoring a new way.

It's almost like she's been looking

a little bit at what Esther is making.

Yeah.

♪ Anything you feel, put it all on me ♪

♪ All of your thoughts

I want everything ♪

To me, this looks messy.

There's too much going on.

It looks like leftover fabric.

Yeah, I find it kind of complicated too.

♪ I'll lift you when you're feeling low ♪

♪ I'll hold you when the night gets cold ♪

♪ You'll never have to be alone ♪

♪ And that's all you need to know ♪

This one I like better.

Kind of makes the whole look

if we could cut a bit of that fabric off.

But I still like the dress regardless.

Alright, Jonny.

♪ And that's all you need to know ♪

What do you think about this jacket?

It doesn't fit right.

I mean, I've seen jackets

that are kind of ill-fitting like that,

and maybe that is a trend

when they hang off the shoulder.

I'm personally not a fan of that.

♪ You'll never have to be alone ♪

♪ And that's all you need to know ♪

The execution on this is really good.

I mean, that's a beautiful jacket,

but I have that one.

- You have that jacket?

- I do too. - I have it too.

I feel like it's something

that we've all been wearing for years now.

- He's not showing us something new today.

- Yeah.

But he's showing us what he's good at.

♪ You don't have to listen carefully ♪

♪ I'll tell you a thousand times ♪

♪ And that's all you need to know ♪

Beautiful.

- I do love this.

- Yeah.

- Oh. I like this dress on this boy.

- Yeah. This one is my favorite from there.

- You like the bag with the dress?

- I don't love the bag with the dress.

It doesn't need it.

The dress stands on its own.

I'm just

A tiny bit disappointed, right?

♪ You'll never, ever be alone ♪

♪ And that's all you need to know ♪

Fabulous show, everyone.

Fabulous.

- Tim, get in here.

- Yeah, come on.

Yeah.

♪ And that's all you need to know ♪

- Hello, hello, hello, hello!

- Hey, guys.

Hi.

I'm extremely nervous

to go into this elimination,

but it's not gonna help me to stand up there

and shake like a feather.

I don't think that shows

that you're worthy of a million dollars.

You look tired.

I'm fresh as a daisy. I don't know what

Designers, that was

a fantastic fashion show today.

Thank you.

Three of you will move forward

to the final assignment.

As you know, we're here to find the designer

who can create the next great global brand.

And the designer behind the brand

is just as important

as the fashion that you send

down the runway.

We discussed each of your collections,

and we made some decisions

based on the fashion show we just saw.

But as you know, those decisions

aren't necessarily final,

because you can change our minds.

We are looking for a fashion designer

and an entrepreneur.

So, I have some thoughts

and questions for all of you.

Esther, we want to talk to you.

Esther, how do you think this collection

reflects the growth of your brand?

It was an essential moment to really stand up

for my black universe,

and I've really grown out of that,

and maybe this t-shirt

I was showing you tonight

symbolizes leaving behind the Esther

who's always stepping back,

who is always giving the space to others

but finds like a

No! I'm here, and I want to be part

of the final three.

I loved everything that you sent down.

I mean, I've seen a lot of blouses.

I have not seen one like that.

I mean, it was so beautiful,

and this was not a wind machine.

I mean, being on the boat,

it could have not been more perfect.

Then, second look, this jacket.

You give them a beautiful shape.

I love what you wrote on the t-shirt.

And then this amazing dress in the end.

They look like they came out of a store.

- Absolutely.

- Thank you.

So, how was it managing

the seamstresses for you?

I told them what we have to do

during the whole day

and said we need to work together.

I also had them with me

for the model fitting.

And then we had the changes, and then

they could just take it and go back

- Yeah.

- and knew exactly

- Smart.

- right away what to do.

- And it's also team-building.

- I mean, it shows.

- It was really beautiful.

- Thank you.

Bravo. I see strength,

I see integrity, daring, risk-taking.

Very modern and very chic.

The t-shirt, it's very evocative,

like you really wanted to be

among the top three,

so you were brave enough to not make it

such a subtle message,

but you really put it out there.

It was actually very emotional.

It felt like this whole process

has really solidified

your belief in yourself.

And I do want to address the way

that you worked with the seamstresses,

because you can be a great designer,

but if you don't know how to manage people,

you're just sort of making clothes.

You're not actually, like,

building a business

and building a brand.

Esther, tell us what sets your brand apart

from the others.

I have the feeling I am like

a dormant volcano,

and I'm about to erupt right now,

and hopefully you are just really curious

what will happen next.

- I'm definitely curious.

- Mm-hmm, me too. -We all will be.

Judges, have any of you

changed your mind?

No.

Esther

you are the winner.

- Thank you.

- Esther, your white top and your black pants

will be immediately available on Amazon

in the Making the Cut store.

You're making the cut.

Congratulations.

- Congratulations.

- I can wear it now.

You visualized it.

It's great to be in the final three.

I wanted it really so badly.

And I really pushed myself to get there.

Sander, we want to talk to you next.

Hi, guys.

- Hi.

- Hello, Sander.

Sander, tell us how your collection

reflected the growth of your brand.

Kind of wanted to show the past,

the present, and the future.

The past is how I came in,

which was the first look,

which was a little dramatic,

and then to the present,

which was a look that looks

very wearable from the front

but then it has like

the huge bows in the back.

That's still me trying to figure out

how to make those

And then we have the future look, which was

then the very, like, sleek blazer

and then the pants,

but then with the little cuts in it

to kind of still have that boldness

that will always be part of my brand.

I really, really empathize with the journey

that you've been through,

because when I started, you know,

I was doing leather catsuits

with, like, cone cups and, like, you know

- Really?

- I would wear it.

Yeah. Really, really pushed.

But what I think is so wonderful

is this evolution

from that kind of raw creativity

to something really wearable

and sellable.

That's what I like to hear.

I really loved the hair and makeup as well.

That was, like, very clever.

Very Japan-inspired.

- Yeah, the Rising Sun.

- Yeah.

Your humor has to stay,

'cause that's your signature,

and you get that from your clothes.

You know, the cheekiness

of the back exposed

and that pencil skirt is so elegant.

I don't know if it was like a cut in a bias

in the front.

The idea was to take a regular skirt

and then, like, twist the entire pattern

That's not an easy thing to do.

We manage it.

Your imagination is amazing.

Yeah. I feel like you really are full

of new ideas.

- Yes.

- But how would you describe your brand?

I've taken the creativity

and turned it into accessibility.

It's something new, something fresh.

And I think that's why I don't represent

the now, but I represent the future.

- Wow.

- You do.

Like that.

- Well said!

- That's good.

Sander, congratulations.

You're moving on to the final three.

You're making the cut.

Yes! It feels great to be final three.

Europe!

Whew. That was intense.

Alrighty, then. Johnny and Megan.

We want to speak to each of you

before we decide who's making the cut.

- Megan, we're going to talk to you first.

- Alrighty.

So, how does tonight's collection

reflect the growth of your brand?

Because I've designed

for so many different retailers,

I already knew what women like

and what they want to wear,

and that's why I've been

so successful in my brand.

But I was walking this fine line

between going all the way

and not going all the way.

It was me but it wasn't all of me,

and now, I've, like, put all of this depth

and this refinement into my brand.

I love what I created.

I thought the presentation was

a moment of growth.

And I especially felt that way

about the first look.

And I know this is going to sound

a little bit harsh.

But part of the reason why I think

I liked the first look the most

was because it was much edgier,

and it reminded me

of some of Esther's work, for instance.

- Or Jonny's work.

- Mm.

I don't think it felt as authentic

to who you are.

I agree.

- I don't. I disagree.

- I saw that. I had that same feeling.

I'm so sorry. I disagree.

I don't think that's fair.

For the first look, I had the same feeling,

I have to admit. I did.

Just because it's black?

- No, it was No, it was like

- Why?

- I normally do do suits.

- I had the same emotion.

- It was a suit.

- And I love your suits.

Today, it almost looks

like you experimented too much,

- that it looks messy.

- Oh.

I have to say, like, I agree with Heidi.

The capri leather pants, I think

they didn't fit super well on the crotch.

And I think I would have loved to see

either that or the skirt,

because all together was

too similar to what we saw before,

but messier.

To be honest with you,

I really wanted to go for it.

I wanted to show the growth

and the depth that I have.

And I do feel like you've pushed yourself

in every assignment.

Mm-hmm.

What is missing for me

is that central idea

of what your brand is about.

- You put that in such good words.

- Yeah.

- You do appeal to that everyday woman.

- Mm-hmm.

- And you cover a big age group.

- Yeah.

Megan, why do you deserve to be

in the final three?

This is my time.

I feel like this competition was created

for designers like me

that don't have all these resources

to take you to the next level,

and if you guys put me in the final three,

you won't be disappointed, for sure.

- Thank you, Megan.

- Thank you.

Well said.

Jonny, we're going to talk to you now.

- Let's do it, guys.

- Let's do it.

Tell us how this collection

reflects the growth of your brand.

As a q*eer person,

I've built up a lot of armor

to make it through my day-to-day,

and it's reflected into these silhouettes

that I always deem as fierce

and strong and bold, and those things are.

But what I've discovered on this journey

is how softness can be

just as strong as armor.

And so, my three looks were color,

softness, pleats, you know?

When I look back on it, I'm like,

"Wow, I would have never

ventured this way."

- I didn't get that.

- Mm-hmm.

On the first look, the pants seen 'em.

The tunic I've seen it.

The jacket seen it.

All consumers would want

that jacket, pants all relatable.

But, for me,

I needed something else. Sorry.

- No, thank you.

- And I loved the dress.

It's so feminine, so chic.

I don't like the bag on the dress.

- Okay.

- -You don't need to.

The dress stands on its own.

- It was powerful.

- Okay.

I didn't dislike the belt.

I love that you have a different brand.

So, not SkinGraft anymore.

That was, like, I think

we all agreed on that part.

But was it exciting today?

For me, it was not.

Second look, this jacket,

I literally bought it two years ago.

Chiara has it, Naomi has it.

Its your guys' job to come up with new things

that we don't have in our closet.

- Mm-hmm.

- So, for me, the excitement was missing.

You know?

Because that's why we love fashion.

I hear you.

The pieces are easy to relate to,

because you've seen them before.

- I agree.

- And that's not always a bad thing.

Yeah, but he has to have his twist on it.

And you have had those moments,

where you put your own twist on it.

We know that you make

relatable clothes to the masses.

- We're all saying that, right?

- Mm-hmm.

So, now, with that,

you then put your swag on it.

I hear you all.

Jonny, why should you be

one of the final three?

I came in kind of as an underdog.

Like, I don't really sew,

I have never really pattern-made before,

and at the beginning, I had a slow start.

But not only did I survive this competition,

I thrived.

So, if I can take on the things

that I don't think I could even do,

and I can actually thrive

and do them well,

I am so ready to show you what I'm great at,

which is the big picture.

Give me the opportunity,

and I know I'll make you proud to say

you believed in Jonny before the rest

of the world knew who he was.

- Thank you, Jonny.

- Thank you.

- Megan and Jonny

- Mm-hmm.

one of you will be making the cut,

and one of you will not.

We don't normally do this,

but because this is such a big decision,

I think we should talk amongst ourselves.

- Mm-hmm.

- Okay.

So, designers, I would love for you

to step out for a little bit.

Thank you.

I feel pretty conflicted here,

because I think Jonny is definitely

more of a brand,

and I recognize who he is,

- but he didn't have a great night.

- -No.

Megan has a lot of experience.

She's worked with bigger brands.

She's had to, like,

follow merchandising plans

I think she really has had to hustle.

- She's had to hustle.

- Yeah, for sure.

- She's going through this journey. She's

- Totally.

gone to Paris, gone to Tokyo, I mean

It's like she's gotten out of

the headmaster's rule.

- Yeah.

- And she's now been set free.

But Jonny, I thought, was store-ready.

- Yeah, for sure.

- No, he was

- No, sorry, no.

- Yeah, I agree.

- The dress, the jacket

- No

- Yeah.

- No.

Didn't flatter the guys.

How's he going to flatter a woman?

- The bottom of the shirt

- Compared to hers?

It's really For me, it's 50/50.

But at the end of the day,

you have to go with your gut,

- and my gut tells me

- Well, listen to this.

This is horrible.

Waiting for them to decide

the rest of my life,

I'm like sweating from places

I didn't even know existed.

Alright. Tim and designers,

you can come back in.

Oh, my God, is there gonna be tears!

- Alright, let's go.

- Godspeed.

Jonny and Megan, having to say goodbye

to one of you is not going to be easy.

Tim, how do you feel?

To be honest, I'm a wreck.

I don't envy all of you.

I'd rather be sitting there today.

Megan and Jonny, would you step up here?

Well, before I say anything else,

I want you to know that this was not easy.

Mm-hmm.

One of you will be making the cut,

and one of you will not.

Jonny

you're making the cut.

Thank you.

Megan, I'm sorry,

but you're not making the cut.

Okay.

Well, thank you.

Thank you.

Keep believing in yourself.

You're gonna do super well.

♪ There's no easy way ♪

♪ To find the words to say ♪

♪ When it's time to let go ♪

Don't cry.

You're gonna do so well. You are.

You are.

Me leaving, um

I don't want to cry.

Whoo!

We've all come close to things that we want

and not quite get them.

- Bye, Tim.

- We're going to hear a lot more from you,

and we're going to miss you terribly.

Bye, darlin'.

L.A. girls forever!

- ♪ I'm so sorry that your heart is broken ♪

- Bye, guys.

All the best to you.

- Bye, Megan!

Bye!

♪ And I'm sorry that you're not the one

I'm sorry ♪

I feel really bad for Megan.

She has, to me, one of the biggest growths

of the season.

And I would have liked to see how

she would have slam-dunked that runway.

- Well, congratulations, Jonny.

- Thank you.

- Join the bunch.

- ♪ Come on over ♪

It feels so incredible to be

in the final three with Esther and Sander.

From day one, I was like,

"She's a shoo-in. He's a shoo-in.

I'm fighting for that third spot."

The final three.

Congratulations to all of you.

- Thank you so much.

- Thank you.

Why don't you guys meet

Tim and I in the lounge in 15 minutes?

- Good.

- Alright.

- Thank you.

- We'll see you soon.

- Thank you. See you soon.

- Bye, guys.

Bye, guys. See you soon.

Congratulations.

- I'm kind of excited for the next part.

- I am too.

Do you think these designers know

what's coming next?

- No! I don't think they have a clue.

- I love surprising them!

- Should we do it?

- Let's do it.

Let's.

Next time on Making the Cut

Our final three. Pack your bags.

This is the biggest assignment yet.

You're going to create a pop-up shop.

How is this gonna work?

And you need to create

a 12 to 14-look collection

for a fashion show.

The final assignment is more massive

than I could ever imagine.

This one was supposed to be higher.

The pressure is so intense.

There's gonna be an elimination,

determined by the pop-up shops.

So, only two of you will have

a final fashion show here.

The stakes have never been this high.

♪ It's time to go ♪

♪ Time to jump this ship but you say no ♪

♪ 'Cause you want to blow this ship

out of bounds ♪

♪ Feeling safe even if I'm scared ♪

♪ 'Cause I know ♪

♪ That you're always here ♪

♪ You always said that if we get attacked ♪

♪ You would be the one I'd be wishing for ♪

♪ You said if we ever get attacked ♪

♪ You'd be the one I could count on ♪