Round two sees our designers getting saucy with swimwear – who swims, and who sinks?

This week our fearless designers were asked to get their feet wet in an area foreign to most – swimwear. Specifically, they were invited to get inspired by our laidback Aussie lifestyle and create a swimwear look that takes you from the beach to the bar. And this time, they had a total of just seven hours to do it in. Game on!

First, the designers had twenty minutes to soak up their beautiful surroundings at Melbourne’s St Kilda beach and sketch their design. They then had 20 minutes and a mere $50 to buy their fabric.

It wasn’t an easy ride for most; with platinum blonde Sophie breaking down completely when she realized her ambitious design simply wouldn’t fit her model. After a few tears, Sophie bravely decided to start all over again, with a little assistance from Helen who had finished early. But helpful Helen’s tendency to help struggling contestants was starting to raise an eyebrow in the workroom…

Plenty of last minute dramas, with Deborah leaving very little time to complete her skirt and Mark’s model Lucy showing up in the nick of time. But the catwalk soon calls: they’ve dreamed it, designed it, so now it’s time to deliver it!

Mark won this week’s challenge with his sophisticated and chic black number, with Petrova and Brent making up the Top Three. Perhaps Helen should have spent more time on her own kaftan-inspired design – she was in the bottom three along with Sophie, but it was Deborah’s poor choice of fabric for her skirt that meant this designer didn’t make the cut.

Tune in next week when our designers put the pedal to the medal and work in teams of two!

Catch-up with Camille This week’s guest judge is the Kaftan queen herself, renowned designer Camille Franks.
Question:	What are the personality traits you’ve seen as being common in a good designer?
Answer:	Hard working, creative and a strong belief that there are no limits.
Question	What are the common mistakes new designers make?
Answer	Wanting to be ‘big’ from the get-go. It takes years of consistency and vision to prove to the industry that you’ve got what it takes.
Question	After seeing the swimwear the top 11 contestants made, which designer were you most intrigued about seeing what they’d do next?
Answer	Petrova Hammond.
Question	What are biggest misconceptions about the fashion industry from those not working in it?
Answer	That it’s glamorous all the time, and that it’s an easy industry to be successful in.
Question	How are Australian designers different to the rest of the world?
Answer	We’re more playful and fun-loving. We love fashion, but don’t take it too seriously.
Question	Your favourite designer, and why?
Answer	Roberto Cavalli – for his originality, and his designs are so sexy and original.
Question	Your career highlight in one sentence:
Answer	Empowering women to feel great about themselves – whether it’s by them gliding around in a Camilla design or helping improve the lives of those that are underprivileged with my ‘Women of the World’ coffee table book in support of UNIFEM.
Question	Overall, how have you found the whole experience being a judge on a reality TV show?
Answer	I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the contestants – they’re all so enthusiastic and passionate about fashion!
The winner of challenge, Mark Antonio
Question:	Congratulations on winning the second challenge! What does winning mean to you?
Answer:	I find winning very humbling. I have a very extroverted personality but the one thing that clams me up is recognition for personal achievement. I tend not to expect victory because when you do end up winning, you savour it all the more. When you don’t and you expect to be, you set yourself up for disappointment.
Question:	What’s your top five current inspirations:
Answer:	Music: I’m inspired when I have something motivating to listen to, be it Enya French pop or Timbaland. Innovative fabrics: I’m not about stagnant and safe design. I push the envelope when it comes to my own design. I love working with fabrics that make for surprising choices. Mundane everyday things: Be it a wilting flower or an insect wing pattern. Colour: I have vague images in my head of designs that spring from particular colours. I then dissect that and hone in on details of the design. People: It’s rare to come across certain people who inspire you to create be it someone with a distinct style or someone you favour.
Question:	If you had the chance to style a film, what would it be like?
Answer:	Something like the Fifth Element leaves so much room creative expression. Sin City: dressing rich and dark characters with a lot of street cred would be fun. Something whimsical like A Midsummer Night’s Dream would also be an indulgence of the senses.