PROJECT RUNWAY.....Project Runway: Under The Gunn, Episode 6 Recap

Nick Verreos, Getty Villa/J. Paul Getty Museum, Pacific Palisades California--Episode 6 "Pompeii Team Challenge" Project Runway: Under The Gunn

This past week's episode of Lifetime's "Project Runway: Under the Gunn" was the dreaded TEAM CHALLENGE. We're almost halfway through the season and it made sense since each mentor's team of designers were now "even-steven", i.e. three in each. The Challenge was to create a 3-look "mini collection" inspired by the new film...

  "Pompeii" 

...and the surroundings of the Getty Villa/J. Paul Getty Museum in Pacific Palisades:

Gorgeous Pool: Mentors (left to right) Mondo Guerra, Nick Verreos and Anya Ayoung-Chee--Getty Villa/J. Paul Getty Museum--Episode 6 "Pompeii Team Challenge" Project Runway: Under The Gunn

This was my first time ever at the Getty Villa and I was enchanted by the surroundings, and trying to take pictures while we had a break from filming:

Courtyard, Getty Villa/J. Paul Getty Museum

Marbled floors and columns, Getty Villa/J. Paul Getty Museum

Detailed Ceiling: Getty Villa/J. Paul Getty Museum entrance

And now, onto my "Nick's Take"/Inside Dish of the Episode:

-Coming off of last week's episode (it had actually occurred the day before), and all the Isabelle DRAMA, the first thing I wanted to do was make sure to "clear the air" and apologize to Isabelle, direct to camera, for adding my "two cents" when Tim Gunn asked if I had anything to say. At the time, I was in such a hurricane of emotions (as I stated in my last "Nick's Take" HERE) that I just wanted to add a period, as it were, to it all. In hindsight, it wasn't necessary. 

-Secondly, in the beginning of this new challenge, I wanted to make sure to tell my designers before they even began sketching that I apologized to them for having to see their mentor do that to Isabelle and hoped that they wouldn't come to any conclusions that I would do the same to them. Isabelle was a "very special" case and luckily for me--and them--there weren't any more "Isabelle's" on our team. All this occurred off-camera.

Team Nick: (L to R) Designers Stephanie Ohnmacht, Natalia Fedner, Oscar Garcia-Lopez and mentor Nick Verreos--Episode 6 "Pompeii Team Challenge" Project Runway: Under The Gunn

-After we got that out of the way, we had a group hug and began caucusing. To inspire them, I tried to tell them about the city of Pompeii (which I had visited years ago) as well as the glorious surroundings of the Amalfi Coast nearby. I suggested they focus on the beauty before the destruction (of Pompeii). I could tell from the start that all the designers were feeling down and defeated after the whole Isabelle situation. 

-There was also a feeling in the air that we--Team Nick and the designers--were the "Bad News Bears"/the weakest of "Under The Gunn". It made me depressed as well, so I could understand  how Oscar felt. But I figured, now that Isabelle is gone, it's a BRAND NEW DAY. However, the morale was low. 

--It also didn't help that almost EVERY challenge--after Mood trips--Tim always came to the Mentors Lounge--and said "Anya, Mondo, your designers are doing GRRRREAT!"...and "Nick....well, Good Luck Darling! Your designers are a MESS!". This didn't help matters, for sure. It made Anya and Mondo smile but I felt nervous and challenged.

Troubled Threesome: (L to R) Oscar Garcia-Lopez, Stephanie Ohnmacht and Natalia Fedner--Episode 6 "Pompeii Team Challenge" Project Runway: Under The Gunn

-Oscar sensed that both Natalia and Stephanie were not on their "A" game and decided to take charge. It was obvious that he would do the "last" look since Oscar is about drama and if anyone could do a "wow" it would be him. But then where would Stephanie and Natalia fit in? 

-What you saw during my Workroom Visit was the tension of them not coming together and I think their fear of failure. After a bit of "Workroom Therapy", They finally realized that they needed to unite and solve their design problems in order to create a cohesive collection. Instead of isolating himself from the group, Oscar took control and became the "Big Daddy" and wisely so.

 Oscar The Helper: Oscar Garcia-Lopez and Natalia Fedner--Episode 6 "Pompeii Team Challenge" Project Runway: Under The Gunn

Naturally, Oscar was already done with his stunning "Gladiator Princess" look very early on, and so he began helping Natalia, making sure the team was on track to being a success.

Runway Time:

Judges (L to R) stylist Jen Rade, Marie Claire editor Zanna Roberts Rassi, designer Rachel Roy and "Pompeii" Costume Designer Wendy Partridge--Episode 6 "Pompeii Team Challenge" Project Runway: Under The Gunn

Oscar Garcia-Lopez: Simply stunning and oh-so-chic. This was a perfect modern interpretation of an upper class aristocratic, fashion-savvy woman living in Pompeii. I especially loved the back cape that hinted at the Gladiator's capes of the time. Oscar doubled the ENTIRE ensemble, which was a creme colored crepe, and finished it to perfection.

Braid Fab: And by the way, Gregory Patterson (above) and his Blow Pro team did a FABULOUS job on the hairstyles and those braids! Love ya Gregory and Blow Pro!

Natalia Fedner: Originally, Natalia wanted to hand-weave some silk chiffon and create some sort of a mini dress. I didn't agree with her weaving since it came out of nowhere and looked a bit wonky and unfinished. It took some time to convince her to "save her weaving technique for another day and challenge" but she did. I commend her for being a team player and I think the end product was a stunner! This floaty and ethereal dress was gorgeous.

Stephanie Ohnmacht: Originally Stephanie wanted to do big, wide palazzo pants in that printed chiffon. But after everyone decided that Natalia's design would be long and floaty, we all figured that having too long floaty styles would be repetitive so that's how the romper came to fruition. Here's another "Inside Dish": Stephanie wanted to sew that back "mini cape" onto the waist of the shorts; in other words, this wasn't going to be a cape at all, just an over piece in the back. I suggested that in order to give a "hint" of Oscar's Gladiator Princess cape in his final look, she should leave it out, loose. I'm glad she did.

Amalfi Coast Girls: A perfect mini-collection, inspired by Getty Villa and "Pompeii"--and the Winner Is...

Nick's Team!

OMG!!! Look at our reactions--I think our screams of joy almost gave Tim Gunn--and the judges--a heart attack! And I felt as if I just gave birth to a baby after 24 hours of labor!
Congratulations to my designers, well done! After so many weeks of feeling like the "Bad News Bears", this was a welcomed nice feeling.

And...Congratulations to Oscar who was the challenge winner for that gorgeous creme caped pant ensemble. Felicitaciones!