Vlada has just been eliminated and we see our remaining fashionistas head back to the Soho Loft for drinks and the soaking of feet. Chris C states that the assignments are very clear and they show how you are. According to Wes, Princess is all talk--no action. He realizes now that on his team, he doesn't need all the strongest players--but one or two weaker ones to pick off so he can go further. Wes and Deanna have a bit of therapy about Princess. He thought she was crazy at first, but she is his favorite now.

The next day the teams meet in front of the Cotton Club which was one of the most influential jazz clubs of the 1930's. Tommy is waiting. He explains how in designing collections there might be a theme to it. In researching an era you may have to watch old movies, research in the library or on the internet to learn about that era. Authenticity breeds credibility.

So we have this week's design challenge:

CHALLENGE: Recreate two clubs from two different eras. One team will recreate The Cotton Club, the hippest club of the 1930's. One team will recreate the disco era staple Studio 54. You will have $7,500, 72 hours and 40 extras to recreate the atmosphere.

Tommy said he went to Studio 54. This assignment will combine lifestyle, accessories, apparel, attitude and environmental design.

We have a coin flip between Felix and James who were picked first last week. Felix wins and picks the Cotton Club. James gets Studio 54. James also picks first. Here are the new reshuffled teams:

JAMES: Tommy (who said both teams wanted him because he oozes talent and style. He sashayed over to James.), Chris C, Rob W, Chris S (who is quiet, but values teamwork) Julie and Jessica.

FELIX: Wes, Elizabeth (who exudes class and is very experienced according to Felix) Shauna, Deanna, Princess, and Jeff(who was picked last). He was picked a leftover. This was the first time this happened to him.

Shauna was mostly happy with the team, except for Elizabeth. She and her do not get along.

But there is another social invitation to attend to. Tommy has 4 invitations to a party in the Hamptons with his friend and fellow fashion designer Alex Garfeld (of Garfield and Marks design at http://www.garfieldmarks.com/home/index.cfm). You will not be judged on the design assignment, but will be judged on your social interactions. 2 invitations will be given out per team.

James picks himself and Jessica who he calls "arm candy". Felix picks Jeff and Princess. Princess said she wasn't "feeling" the last assignment. Her social skills will redeem herself. Princess, here is a little reality check. You had the opportunity to meet Fabolous and get to know him, but all you wanted to do was get into his pants. You nearly got your ass sent home last week, and you weren't "feeling" the last assignment?!?! Give me a break. Wes says intelligently, "I am glad she is going...because if she is as half as bad as she was last week, she is gone." Julie wonders who will be running the show now that James is gone. Jame felt guilty about leaving, but he needed to take advantage of this opportunity.

The Cotton Club enters the club and sees there is a lot of work to do.

The Studio Team sees Studio 54 and Chris C sees it as an opportunity to recreate history. Tommy--"The Feng Shui is really bad here!" Chris S said he took a class on Studio 54 on college and he took over as leader. Tommy said he had a lot of ideas and although the space is smaller than the actual club, we can emulate the feeling, the hedonism, the decadence and the "circus sexulous" of the club.

The Cotton Club team says this will put no personal style into this. They have to replicate and mimic the club. Elizabeth's sister just got married and the theme was a 1930's supper club. That may help, she says. Deanna was upset at Elizabeth's insistence on horseshoe tables. Felix notice that Shauna/Deanna/Wes were turning on Elizabeth. She walks out.

60 Hours to go--Deanna and the Cotton Club team go to the prop house to get props. Shauna says Elizabeth is "not my favorite person. She has no clue how to do anything. She "says" she is a designer." The Studio Team gets props. Tommy said he had trouble communicating the era. "These Gen X people have never experienced Studio 54." The theme they decided on a theme of "Steve Rubell's Birthday." (And Chris S...it's ru-BELL, not
RUBE-ell.) Chris C says Chris S is quiet, but has strong ideas.

We switch to Alex Garfield's house. Jessica, James, Princess and Jeff meet Alex Garfield. Alex says to call him Alex, not Mr. Garfield. Wine and toasts abound.

36 hours to go. The Studio Team knows lighting is important.

30 hours to go. Tommy--"Fashion is my forte." So Tommy and Julie go to the costume shop to get 70's clothes. Julie says he is smart, but loses focus. Tommy starts fooling around spouting French phrases describing outfits. They then go to a wig shop where the owner was as gay as Tommy was. Julie sees a wig that the owner calls the "Drag Queen." Julie seems appalled. She explains that she comes from St. Louis, married at 20 and you don't really meet gay people. She hangs with moms and dads. Julie wants to put a wig on Tommy, but Tommy will have no part of it. Tommy tells her not to, but she does anyway. Tommy said she liked to tease me, but her talent was beyond mediocre. They then argue in the taxi. And Julie asks the dumbest question yet:

"Is everyone in this city gay?" (The answer to this question from this native New Yorker: Every other person. :))

Tommy said Julie felt threatened by him. She stated that he was the first gay person she spent an extended time with. And she did have black people she knew.

Back at Alex's house, the party is in full swing. Alex's friends are drinking wine and having a good time. Tommy enters with what looked like his wife (or girlfriend--he is in the process of divorcing or his divorce has happened) and floats around. Princess sees she was keeping it real. He then has a private powwow with Alex. Alex says if he wants the truth, Tommy comes to him.

On Jeff: Alex says he should go home to his family. He is not pompous, he is insecure.
On Jessica: Beauty Pageant Winner, and not real.
On Princess: Too Raw and Gritty. It would take too long to train her.
On James: I love him. He is spiritual...and if you won't hire him, I will!

They hug. Alex said, Jeff is a good guy but doesn't have the goods. Next scene we see Jeff talking to Tommy about their designs. He was being presumptuous.

Then we see Princess doing something incredibly stupid. She sits on the couch and lets fly with a spoken word poem that would have been more appropriate in the "Vagina Monologues." She was bleeped twice and after the performance, all of the people including Alex were dumbfounded. Jeff said she was incredibly loose lipped and hoped that Tommy saw that erotic biography and performance. He hopes she went too far for Tommy.

8 hours to go...Elizabeth oversleeps and then tries to rally the troops. Wes says that she has a lot of ideas, but doesn't see them through. Shauna and Deanna bitch out Elizabeth in the taxi. "I hate her" Shauna says. Deanna says Shauna is so over the top, but she likes that and her.

4 hours to go. Elizabeth was surprised to see so many people in the cramped club. Deanna picked out the clothes for every character extra. 1 hour to go. Chris C is seen giving final instructions. We see the 4 people arriving to each club in chaos. 25 minutes to go. More Chaos. Tommy said Tommy is not concerned with the little things, he wants Tommy to absorb the ambience. Wes says we paid attention to every detail.

8:30PM--It's Party Time. Let's head back into the wayback machine to the 1970's...we have the little people trying to get into the club while Tommy arrives in a 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood Limousine and passes by the "little people" and goes to the recreation of Studio 54. His guest is Andre Harrell, the ex-president of Motown Records and the now president of Nu America music. You see shots of the 1970's party and Tommy goes to the "VIP area" with a throne and Tommy being crowned. He looked like he was having a good time. A stripper comes out of a birthday cake in body paint, glitter, and a PG-13 bathing suit and gyrates for Tommy and Andre. Team members talk to Tommy about the concept. Chris S says he felt like they won. Tommy and Andre leave and step back into the Wayback machine even further...

...to the 1930's. Tommy and Andre arrive in a vintage 1930's Rolls Royce. You see the 1930's Cotton Club. In my personal opinion, they did an incredible job. You see dancers dancing and Princess as a cigarette girl. And Deanna, as the sexy mistress of ceremonies introducing Tommy and Andre. They both liked the attention to detail with the smoke, the menus and the hair. Wes said they brought in hair stylists to recreate the styles of the time.

Back at the loft, everyone is nervous. Tommy said, "I came here to win. I don't know what losing means." Rob has nerves as the enter the style forum. Tommy enters and talks about the Hamptons party first. Tommy called James a real gentleman, and Jessica a real lady. He turns to Jeff who he said talked about nothing but himself. And other people noticed that too. He saved his biggest fire for Princess. He asked about the party and if she spoke with Alex about business. She said that they didn't. He asked about the sexually laced performance. She tried to say that the company had left. Tommy would have none of it. He called it "very inappropriate" and he was very disappointed.

Now about the clubs...first to the Cotton Club team. What did Elizabeth do? She said she did the research and Wes did a "4/5" on a scale of 1-10 in contribution. Deanna, Shauna called it a 8-9 and Shauna asked, "Can I rate Elizabeth too?" with a grin like the cat ate the canary. Felix said Deanna did the least and the two factions of Deanna/Wes/Shauna vs. Felix/Elizabeth got into it. Tommy told them to stifle it and called them a "clearly divided" team.

To the Studio 54 team: Chris C discusses the concept and Chris S. discusses hi college project. Tommy asks if there was any dissent on this team. Julie speaks up and says that she had problems talking with "those people in that way". Tommy asked, "How do you mean?" Julie said, "Oh, like 'What do you want, sugar child?' I freaked out and handed the phone to Tommy. I felt he could handle it better." Tommy says that all people should be tolerant of all different kinds. And Julie says that "I am tolerant of all human life." Tommy H says you HAVE to learn to deal with all kinds of people in this business

Onto the decision. When Tommy walked into the Cotton Club he felt like he stepped back into the 1930's. He didn't get that vibe with Studio 54. He felt the Cotton Club was very authentic. He didn't get the real glamour, energy or big feel of it. The Cotton Club team wins. They celebrate, but he warns Jeff and Princess that they were VERY lucky this week. I tend to agree. Princess is on her 2nd strike.

He calls Julie and Chris S in the pit. He says to Julie that you have to deal with and RESPECT ALL types of people in this business. And by Chris S taking and admitting to having a large contribution to the design assignment... he is out of style and Chris S takes the runway and becomes the 3rd designer cut from the program. Tommy ends the program with this: "I won't tolerate what I heard tonight..."

Next week: the most demanding assignment so far.