PROJECT RUNWAY.....Project Runway: Under The Gunn Episode 12 RECAP

 Marvel Style: Mentors Mondo Guerra, Anya Ayoung-Chee and Nick Verreos with designers Sam Donovan, Asha Daniels, Shan Keith and Oscar Gracia-Lopez, at Meldown Comics and Collectibles store, Hollywood CA--Project Runway: Under The Gunn "Superhero Fashion" Episode

This past week's episode of Lifetime Network's "Project Runway: Under the Gunn"--was the penultimate challenge of the season-- The designers were to create a look inspired by a Marvel Comics Superhero. All three mentors are still on the show and only four designers are left--Mondo Guerra has 2, Anya Ayoung-Chee has one...

Oscar and Nick: Oscar Garcia-Lopez and Nick Verreos--Meldown Comics and Collectibles store, Hollywood CA--Project Runway: Under The Gunn "Superhero Fashion" Episode

And I also only have one designer, Oscar Garcia-Lopez. For the introduction of this "Supehero Fashion" challenge, we all met up very early in the morning at Meldown Comics and Collectibles store in Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. The reason we were there so early is obvious: the producers wanted to film before the store opened and that early in the morning, curious people walking Sunset Blvd. would not be milling around wondering why Tim Gunn is in the store? (Hello!)

Gunn Superhero: In case you may not remember, about four years ago, Tim Gunn became a Marvel Comics (Fashion ) Superhero when he teamed up with "Iron Man" For "Models Inc. : The Hero Issue" Because of his involvement with Marvel Comics and being a comics superhero of sorts, he thought this subject would make for a fun challenge for "Project Runway: Under The Gunn".

Guardians of the Galaxy: Each designer on the show got to choose a superhero that would be their "muse" for the look they would be creating. There were these huge posters boards with all the Superheroes they could choose from. Oscar--my designer--chose Gamora, who was part of Marvel Comics' Guardians of the Galaxy.

Fierce: Gamora is the adopted daughter of a supervillain and the last of her species. Her powers include superhuman strength and agility and an accelerated healing factor. She's also superchic and besides some of her various "uniforms"/costumes she wears, the one that she was wearing in the poster/board included a red bodysuit with silver metallic body armor. She also had long blond hair and green-colored facial skin. She looked very bad-a** but sexy as well.

So...let's get to my "Nick's Take"/Inside Dish of this Episode: 
Oscar was very conscious of how the judges perceived him--and what I thought was A STUNNING emerald green gown--from the last challenge so he wanted to make sure his muse was young, hot and very very sexy!

In our caucusing session at the store, he immediately told me "NEEEEK! I want to make a suit! A very Fabulous and sexy suit! No Gown! And something 'unexpected' so the judges (Zanna, etc.) can stop saying that all I can do is  a Gown!". I was all for it.

The Workroom:

Workroom Critique: When Tim Gunn and I walked into the FIDM workroom, Oscar had already finished draping his half-muslin of the jacket that would make the "base" of his suit. He was also making a pair of superskinny pants to match the jacket...

Structured and Chic: The jacket included an open back section, structured shoulders, lots of jigsaw-like pattern pieces, a sleeve with the underarm section cut out, and a jutting peplum section. There was a lot going on but I still LOVED it especially since it was so "outside of Oscar's box". I just advised him to not let the design get too tricky with "too mucheey" in the jacket.

I'll Show You: I think that Oscar also wanted to show the judges--and his fellow competing designers--that he could do a fabulous jacket with 85 pattern pieces and do it PERFECTLY! It was a way of "I'll Show You!". I get it, that's exactly what I would have done too! (we're kindred design spirits in that way!).

Coat Suggestion: Right before leaving him for the day, Oscar talked about possibly adding a coat to his outfit since he had A TON of this black felt fabric he had bought at Mood: if he had time, and only IF...we discussed how a coat would "suggest" a Superhero cape without being a cape (and you know how Oscar loves a cape!). As I left him for the night he said "We'll see Nick...only if I have time..."

Runway Way:

Oh No You Didn't: Yes kids, above is a screen cap of my reaction when I walked into the FIDM Workroom and for the first time, saw that indeed Oscar had made a coat and HUUUUNEY, it was this:

Supercoat: I just about fell on the floor with this vision of an asymmetrical, very modern and superchic cloak with high stand-up collar and wraparound self belt. Only Oscar would...
A) take the idea of "Maybe doing a coat" and make a SUPERCOAT, and
B) take $2/yard felt and make a garment that looked like it was worth $4000!

As you can see from the screencap above, I just kept on pushing him and pushing him--as well as smiling, at how talented he was and how he does things 110%. #GoOscar.

A Red Hint: Now, I'm not sure if the viewers and fans of "Under The Gunn" have noticed but Oscar makes it a point EVERY Runway Day to put something in his own personal attire that has something to do with the look he created. And this week was no exception, he cut a bias piece of the metallic red fabric he used on his jacket and pants binding and made a band for his hat (see photo above). And yes, in case you're wondering he had extra time right before the runway to make that. #OfCourseHeDid.

 Runway:

Gamora Couture: Oscar's model Meredith Hennessy looked so fabulous in Oscar's outfit! It consisted of a metallic black/silver jacket and skinny pants with red piping accents and metallic zippers, as well as the aforementioned black felt cloak. You should have been there when she first came out and then stepped in front of the judges to effortlessly slip the waist tie off the coat and voila: Gamora Couture!

This was definitely one of the biggest "Oscar highlights" of the entire season. The judges gasped, I smiled from ear to ear.

 Oscar and his model Meredith in his "Gamora"-inspired look--Project Runway: Under The Gunn "Superhero Fashion" Episode

Worried: During the judges critiques, the judges were mixed--at least at how we saw it--in terms of what they said about Oscar's look--some said "too costumey" (Zanna Roberts Rassi and Rachel Roy) while others LOVED it! (Thank you Jen Rade and Jaime Alexander from "Thor"!).

If you ask Oscar or myself, I think that we felt worried EVERY SINGLE Runway time, because you just never knew how the judges would react.
Every week, it seemed like such a mixed bag and so even if we knew deep in our hearts that he did AMAZING, we were always a bit unsure.

But eventually...Oscar (and I) were "In"! And I cried (again!). We're onto the Finale!

**In case you missed it, watch this week's Full Episode HERE on MyLifetime.com and...

**Don't Miss Next Week's FINALE of "Project Runway: Under the Gunn"--on Lifetime, Thursday April 10 9/8c !!!