TV Review: 'Making the Cut' Episode 8 Brand Evolution

I am among the last people that anyone would ask about fashion. My wardrobe contains only one tie and it has a zipper in it. So, why am I reviewing the fashion reality series Making the Cut? In all honesty, Amazon sent me a screener and I had nothing better to do. I am a professional film critic by trade and there are currently no theatrical films. I have a lot of time on my hands and the desire to write and be read.

Thus I arrive at reviewing the first episode I have seen of the new Amazon Prime fashion reality competition Making the Cut. Going in, I am aware, through pop culture osmosis, that this is the show that Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn left Project Runway to make. Beyond that, I know that this is the 8th episode of a 10 episode run that Amazon Prime has been releasing twice weekly on Fridays. That’s it, so let’s dig in. If you’re a fan of the show, no worries, no spoilers.

This will be strictly about the personalities and the entertainment factor of the show as a whole based off of this one episode sampling. I won’t tell you who leaves at the end.

Making the Cut episode 8 is set in the high fashion world of Tokyo, Japan. Heidi is first seen rocking a couture kimono made for her by an unnamed Japanese fashion designer. She notes that it took 45 minutes just to put the kimono on. She looks gorgeous but that’s a lot of work for a look that will be on screen less than 2 minutes in this episode. Fair to assume that indulgence is going to be a big part of the aesthetic of Making the Cut.

My bias going in is that I don’t find fashion to be anything important. I find it to be the kind of inessential pursuit that people place far too much importance in. My bias appeared to be confirmed when the theme of the episode is discussed with the four remaining contestants. Each of the four will have to deliver a new look that indicates the evolution of their brand since they started on the show.

Ugh! People talking about their ‘brand’ almost always turns my stomach. The idea of cultivating a brand feels so inauthentic. It’s as if you are admitting that what you are is a creation and not a true reflection of what you stand for. Thankfully, this episode illustrates that my thinking on ‘brand’ is perhaps a little too narrow. Fashion is an art but it is also a business. When it comes to fashion, having a brand makes sense and can, in fact, be reflective of the soul of an artist.

That came through for me most in the portrayal of my favorite competitor, Esther Perbandt from Berlin, Germany. From what I observed in this episode, the judges have been eager to see Esther push herself beyond her normal aesthetic, working with the color black. She’s surprised some with splashes of color throughout. In this episode she found a unique way to be true to her love of black while branching out and showing she can be dynamic and surprising.

That’s the kind of ‘brand’ I can get behind. Esther shows that you can be both a brand in a business sense and have that brand fully reflective of your art. My limited thinking on the idea of brands was challenged and I appreciate that. It’s certainly not something that I expected to experience while watching a fashion based reality show. This demonstrates that Making the Cut has more dimension to it that many other similar competition shows.

The dramatic heart of episode 8 of Making the Cut is designer Jonny from Los Angeles. Jonny hits a snag in the competition when he can’t get the model he wants. Then he begins to struggle with how many looks he wants to present. He appears so flustered at once that it appears he may not get all three of his planned looks on the runway in time. This is classic reality show stuff here but the presentation is top notch.

I love the original music behind Making the Cut. The Greek chorus of pop tunes, which I believe were created for this show, or at least well adopted for the plot, underline the uniquely cinematic aesthetic of Making the Cut. They especially work underscoring Jonny’s unending drama over whether he will finish in time and whether his final designs will be strong enough to help him make the finals.

I also really enjoyed the way the show presented a major turning point in the competition when one of the finalists who completed their collection jumped in to selflessly help Jonny finish. The judgment that comes from one of the other competitors for this move is telling and revealing. It creates a minor villain for the episode and gave a final dramatic flourish that didn’t feel forced. The presentation is strong and it adds to the tension of the final decision.

I may not be a fashion person but I really enjoyed this episode of Making the Cut. I could genuinely enjoy binge watching the full season of the show. The presentation is vibrant and the designers, alongside Heidi and Tim, are wonderful characters. The editing, direction and aesthetic of Making the Cut are all very strong. They make for one of the best presented reality competition shows that I have seen in some time.

Check out the latest episode of Making the Cut, and indeed all previous episodes, on Amazon Prime. Episode 8 “Brand Evolution” debuts on April 17th.