Expert Panel: Erika Stanley on Bravo’s The Fashion Show 107

This week, SeenON! connected with fashion expert Erika Stanley of SNOB Style  to dish about episode 7 of Bravo’s The Fashion Show, discuss the good ol’ “walk of shame” and talk about what it takes to design for a big name in the industry.

SO!: In this week’s Harper’s Bazaar mini challenge, the designers were asked to clean up a “walk of shame” look and create something acceptable for the office. What are some simple tips that you can offer girls in a crunch to help them make the events from the night before not so obvious?

ES: I would say take a few things with you. Incorporate basics into your outfit so that you can “Macgyver it up” to work from day to night or night to day.  Bringing along a scarf or tights can make it more of a daytime look. Layering is definitely key. 

SO!:We saw the designers working in teams again in this challenge and the theme of compromise vs. collaboration came up a number of times. Do you think working with another designer implicitly mean compromise?

ES: There will always be compromise.  Yes, Reco and Daniella had two completely different thoughts going into their design. But what’s important is trying to understand what the other designer is thinking and playing off of the other designer’s ideas. So it’s not so much a matter of “if” but how a designer will deal with compromise.

SO!: Which designers from this episode would you like to have seen paired up and why?

ES: To be honest, I think the designers were all perfectly paired up for entertainment reasons. With the tension between them, Reco and Daniella  made for good TV. Johnny and Merlin were a hilarious pair up, and the people watching want to be entertained. Fashionwise, Johnny and Merlin also complemented each other in their designing strengths and weaknesses.

SO!: Lidia and John Paul’s design didn’t seem to fit the collection and stood out in a very unfavorable way. If you were asked to create a complete look for a big designer’s upcoming collection, what steps would you take to make it a success and what elements would you be sure to incorporate?

ES: Do your research on the designer. Overall, I think James Paul and Lidia’s interpretation of mood board was so off. James Paul had great ideas and understood the inspiration of tribal print with the fishbone, but interpreted it wrong.  I think James Paul and Lidia are missing the business mindset behind design. They created their respective pieces because that’s just what they thought of - they were simply being themselves. They didn’t work as a team and they didn’t consider that they were working for a client.

SO!: Do you agree with winners of this challenge (Anna and Haven) vs. the runners up (Johnny and Merlin)?

ES: Yes! I am totally obsessed with those shorts! When Anna and Haven’s model turned the corner, it was bananas. I loved it! I liked Merlin and Johnny’s design, but I just loved the color wrap of Anna and Haven’s - there was a lot of great balance. When the model took the jacket off, it became a whole new outfit and still looked great. I think that’s a really important consideration for a collection. You should want to wear the ensemble as a whole or by it’s individual pieces.

SO!: Between Lidia and Daniella, do you think the right designer was eliminated?

ES: Totally! To quote Carrie Bradshaw, Lidia was so over that she needed a new word for over. When Veronica Webb asked her what kind of woman her dress was fit for, she looked at Veronica like she had three heads! The number one rule when designing is to consider your target market. Lidia should not have used jersey, because Isaac is not the kind of designer who uses jersey in his collections. And since she did use jersey, it should have been worked to fit a variety of different people - I’m not sure who that piece would look good on. I definitely don’t think Lidia grasps the business mindset behind it.

Check back soon for more exclusive interviews on Bravo’s The Fashion Show!