I wasn't crazy about the assignment at first: take pictures to inspire you and then design an outfit based on one of the pictures.

But I loved the twist of swapping pictures and fabrics with another designer and forcing them to come up with something based on someone else's inspiration.

I just loved how Ben de Lisi said that the problem wasn't the fabric that Fatz wound up with --- but the way she was so stuck with the notion that it was ugly and that she couldn't work with it. He insisted that she needed to learn to see things in a different way.

"If it doesn't look right, then you have to start over again, otherwise the more you handle it, the worse it'll look."

The guy gives really great, constructive advice --- but he's a little too hands on when it comes to giving help. The judges had every right to grill three of the designers on how much help Ben gave them.

I actually really loved Shawla's baby doll dress --- even though she did copy Fatz...and I was a little disgusted by how unabashed she was about it. I mean, you're a designer. Friggin' design something for God's sake, instead of always sticking to what's safe and what you know.

But what really surprised me was how much I loved Wayne's dress, whch was inspired by a picture of an ice cream cone that Monika snapped.

It was just a really pretty dress that I'd love to wear.

Highlights from Julien McDonald for this episode:
"I think she looks hideous. She looks like the Jolly Green Giant. Why'd you make such a hideous thing?!"

He had a great point when he berated Fatz by pointing out that a client could come to you with a hideous fabric, but a good designer would rise above that challenge to make a great dress.

He went on to say, "And I'm just really disappointed that someone with your talent could make something that's such a load of shit."

(Did I mention how much I love this guy?)