The Cut: Episode 3
Stayin' Alive in the Style Forum
Recap By Matt Eickhoff
June 24, 2005
As we begin episode three, we find the contestants returning to their SoHo loft after the elimination of Vlada. Princess is still shaking because, as she says, "I almost got chopped". Wes and Deanna are off to the side talking strategy. Wes says that when picking teams, he doesn't only want the strongest people on his team, but also someone weaker than him so that he won't be the target at the Style Forum. Smart thinking… but if people find out he's playing that way, it could cause conflict. Deanna and Wes classify each other as their "favorite" on the show.
Next we see all the contestants arrive outside of the Cotton Club in Harlem. Tommy Hilfiger (TH) greets them and starts to tell them how important research is to a project. He says that it's important to use a library or the internet to look up about the history of your topic to find the styles, fabrics, designs that have been used through time.
This will play a particularly important role in this challenge. TH is going to give each team one of two clubs. The first, the Cotton Club, was popular during the 30's and 40's for its jazz music. The second is Studio 54, which of course was the place to be in the late 70's for disco dancing. TH refers to Studio 54 as "awesome" and "amazing" saying that he was there. How the heck did he get in? Was he popular back then???
The challenge is for the team to recreate the atmosphere and ambiance of each of these clubs just as it was in its prime. It will include interior design, costume design (for the 40 extras that each team will be given), and most importantly "lifestyle design" as TH puts it. Each team also will be given $7500 and 72 hours to make this all happen.
Now its time to choose teams again. Felix and James and pulled forward as they were the first two picked during the team selection last week. Before choosing teams, they will choose which club they get to redo. A coin is flipped and James is the winner. He immediately chooses Studio 54. So Felix automatically gets the Cotton Club. They will now get to do the picking of teams. Because James's team won on the last challenge, he gets to choose first. The teams are chosen in this order:
Studio 54: (James), Tommy, Chris C., Rob, Chris S., Julie, Jessica,
Cotton Club: (Felix), Wes, Elizabeth, Shauna, Deanna, Princess, Jeff
During selection several comments are made in interview. First, Tommy says that he is in high demand during team selection because he is "oozing talent and style", and that's why he was chosen first. Felix comments that Elizabeth will be a strong asset to the Cotton Club team because she gets the job done "with a touch of class". Chris S. states that he is surprised he has been one of the last people chosen on the challenges so far, but credits that to him being quiet. He says he's going to step up and out of his shell to make more a presence for himself. Jeff, being the last person chosen, said that has never happened to him before… he says that he's usually "the first, the second, or the first person chosen"… (That's not a typo… that's a direct quote).
TH reiterates what he's said about the importance of "the business, the creative and the social aspects". Again this week, he has a challenge to test the social skills of a few of the contestants. He has four invitations, two per team, to a party in the Hampton's at the home of one of TH's friends and fellow designers. TH clarifies that the people that go to the party will not be judges on the club assignment, but WILL be judged on their social skills. He asks James to choose who will go from his team. James, in a surprise move, chooses himself first! Then he picks Jessica because he "wanted an arm charm" for the party. On Felix's team, Jeff and Princess were chosen to go. Right then and there, the limo picks the four of them up to go get ready for the party.
On the limo ride there, James says that he felt guilty leaving his team. The team feels a bit of unrest. Julie says that she's not really sure who the leader is now. I think there will be some juggling of leaders this time around.
The teams make their way to their respective locations. Team Cotton Club (Team CC) enters the club to find it in good condition, but completely bare. Just a stage… no tables, no chairs, hardly any lights! Over with Team Studio 54 (Team 54), the first thing Tommy realizes as he walks in is that there is no VIP room, and "the feng-shui is really bad". Chris C comments that it's a lot smaller than what he expected. Chris S, Mr. Quiet in the first two challenges, is stepping up immediately when brainstorming ideas because he says that he actually did a whole project on Studio 54 in college, so he already knows a lot of the history and design of it.
Team CC starts to brainstorm ideas as well. They all come to the conclusion that they aren't reinventing the wheel, they are just mirroring it. Elizabeth steps up with ideas because she says she just helped coordinate her sister's wedding reception, and the theme for that was a 1930's speakeasy supper club… so she's done lots of research already on the topic. One of the biggest things that Elizabeth insisted on was that the tables needed to be in a horseshoe shape. She said that all the clubs back in that day had their tables in a horseshoe shape. Shauna, Deanna and Wes immediately disagree, thinking it will take up way too much space in the small area they have been given. Felix notes that it's almost like they have taken sides already: Shauna, Deanna and Wes vs. Elizabeth and Felix. He's confused on why they would band together and be so forceful towards Elizabeth when they are supposed to be working as a team. Felix, as the leader, says that it's obviously 3-2, so arguing the point is moot. Elizabeth gets frustrated and walks out.
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