hello! the designers have been decided! i was pretty confident in my entries, but didn't win any spots as a designer, so clearly i still have a ways to go. admittedly, delilah and mathilde were a bit last minute since i was too tired to work on them earlier, so i get they're probably a bit lacking. for my entries i tried to keep the designs relatively realistic, dailywear that's clearly coordinated but not too impractical. here were my entries. if anyone has any thoughts on my designs and how they could be improved, please let me know!
Model 1: Moxie Small Town Girl in the Big City
It's Moxie's first semester of college! Away from home for the first time ever, she feels both like she belongs somewhere for the first time ever, as well as completely lost. Of course, an art student has to show off her style, and that's what she's here to do! She vlogs her new life's adventures for the folks back home to see. Can't wait to come home for the holidays! Man, these big city thrift stores are EXPENSIVE.
NOTES: originally i used a hair cutter to make it look like her ponytail was tucked up into her hat, but when i learned hair cutters are usually prohibited i decided to remove it just to be safe, which i think was a bit of a detriment to the design. this was the design i spent the most time on, since it was the first one i did i had more time with it before i ran out of steam.
Model 2: Delilah A Good Day's Work
Roll up those sleeves! For Delilah, a farmer's tan is nothing to fret over. Staying cute while staying busy is the top priority! An overall apron to wipe your hands, some boots for the mud, and an airy dress to keep you nice and cool. A fine fit for the fashionable farmer!
NOTES: my first impression of delilah was that she spent a lot of time in the sun, thanks to her freckles. because of her red hair, i at first assumed she might have a tan too, but after thinking about it for a bit, it's way too red to be natural, so it could really go either way. i'd also wanted to add some adhesive bandages to her legs to make her look a bit more like she'd been working, but couldn't find any that showed well.
Model 3: Mathilde Up to the Imagination
Tonight, Mathilde's rocking a sexy look that shows no skin. Though everything below her head is covered, her form-fitting fashions tempt the imagination, and her oversized jacket keeps it guessing. Ideal for keeping the chill away on a cold winter night in the city, or the mosquitoes from eating you up as you dine outdoors. After all, a lady's outfit has to be both stunning and practical.
NOTES: mathilda's outfit was inspired in part by what i tend to wear out and about, i love skirts and dresses, though i almost always wear tights and long sleeves to protect my sensitive skin from the sun, and just because it's more comfortable to me. i have a couple form-fitting dresses (read: dresses i got from the thrift store that are slightly too small for me) which got me thinking about the irony (i guess? not sure if that's the word for this) of a sexy outfit that shows no skin, which is what this look is based on.
any input is greatly appreciated, thank you!
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 2:12 pm
mechanichan
hello! the designers have been decided! i was pretty confident in my entries, but didn't win any spots as a designer, so clearly i still have a ways to go. admittedly, delilah and mathilde were a bit last minute since i was too tired to work on them earlier, so i get they're probably a bit lacking. for my entries i tried to keep the designs relatively realistic, dailywear that's clearly coordinated but not too impractical. here were my entries. if anyone has any thoughts on my designs and how they could be improved, please let me know!
Model 1: Moxie Small Town Girl in the Big City
It's Moxie's first semester of college! Away from home for the first time ever, she feels both like she belongs somewhere for the first time ever, as well as completely lost. Of course, an art student has to show off her style, and that's what she's here to do! She vlogs her new life's adventures for the folks back home to see. Can't wait to come home for the holidays! Man, these big city thrift stores are EXPENSIVE.
NOTES: originally i used a hair cutter to make it look like her ponytail was tucked up into her hat, but when i learned hair cutters are usually prohibited i decided to remove it just to be safe, which i think was a bit of a detriment to the design. this was the design i spent the most time on, since it was the first one i did i had more time with it before i ran out of steam.
Model 2: Delilah A Good Day's Work
Roll up those sleeves! For Delilah, a farmer's tan is nothing to fret over. Staying cute while staying busy is the top priority! An overall apron to wipe your hands, some boots for the mud, and an airy dress to keep you nice and cool. A fine fit for the fashionable farmer!
NOTES: my first impression of delilah was that she spent a lot of time in the sun, thanks to her freckles. because of her red hair, i at first assumed she might have a tan too, but after thinking about it for a bit, it's way too red to be natural, so it could really go either way. i'd also wanted to add some adhesive bandages to her legs to make her look a bit more like she'd been working, but couldn't find any that showed well.
Model 3: Mathilde Up to the Imagination
Tonight, Mathilde's rocking a sexy look that shows no skin. Though everything below her head is covered, her form-fitting fashions tempt the imagination, and her oversized jacket keeps it guessing. Ideal for keeping the chill away on a cold winter night in the city, or the mosquitoes from eating you up as you dine outdoors. After all, a lady's outfit has to be both stunning and practical.
NOTES: mathilda's outfit was inspired in part by what i tend to wear out and about, i love skirts and dresses, though i almost always wear tights and long sleeves to protect my sensitive skin from the sun, and just because it's more comfortable to me. i have a couple form-fitting dresses (read: dresses i got from the thrift store that are slightly too small for me) which got me thinking about the irony (i guess? not sure if that's the word for this) of a sexy outfit that shows no skin, which is what this look is based on.
any input is greatly appreciated, thank you!
Hi there! You entries are lovely! Sorry you didn't make it this cycle but please try again next cycle if you can, I see so much potential.
In my opinion your entries are a little too simple. You went for realistic looks which is fine and valid, but remember this is a GAIA fashion show, a little unrealistic element to add flare to your entries could have helped for your entries to stand out more from the rest. The outfit is the focus, but a good background(and background elements) to bring the outfit and model to life is also essential.
Your moxie entry is good, but I think it would have benefited by a more interesting background. Competition for that model was tough too, five other to be exact! For Delilah I think the color scheme you chose for her didn't suit her, or maybe it was too much of that color scheme? I'm not quite sure but I do love your concept. I love the colors in your Mathilde entry they really pop. Personally I love this one, but again maybe it was too simple, it needed something more to standout from the competition.
I really enjoyed your entries I think you have immense potential in fact I think all the designers who auditioned do! Competition was tight this cycle and that in no way means you were not in the running. I definitely think Moxie was your strongest but I like where you were going with Mathilde too I think it really just needed some extra detail to make it pop! I loved it actually but we had several really strong contenders for your models! one note I have is the text/mood bubbles I don't think they really added much to the design and felt maybe a tad gimmicky? But thats really the only negative I have on the entries. I recommend picking less popular models especially when you have the benefit of entering closer to the deadline.
But I really hope you aren't discouraged I hope you will join in on our puzzle play competitions which are open to everyone and audition for cycle 8. Also never be scared to ask for an extension a single day or a few hours would have been no problem for us to accomadate!
We are so happy to have you here and thank you so much for asking for critique we love to give advice so you can have stronger entries and grow here!
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2025 8:12 pm
Hiiii I'm not a judge but I just want you to know your Mathilde was actually my guess (I made a list guessing who would get in ha ha) for this cycle, like the realistic and classy put together look just fits Mathilde to a T to me
I will say having BEEN a contestant before, tons of factors go into the judging and the judges collaborate together, so sometimes even really beautiful or unique entries can get beaten out by just a point or two (especially in auditions with the popular models) emotion_heartbroken
I personally love watching the comp but even if you don't stick around to watch and root for your favorites we don't lie when we say you have a great talent for building so we hope you participate in other contests or try again in the coming cycle! emotion_kirakira
(sorry there isn't a critique)(just wanted to chime in!)
Hi lovely!! I know others have given you great answers already, but I just wanted to give my advice/feedback too. heart
You have talent and I hope you don't doubt that. Your Delilah was my favorite of your looks, but we liked other Delilahs more. Which is always one of the challenging parts of auditions. The color scheme and theme of the look you chose are all lovely and work so well together, but I'm not sure they're perfect for Delilah? Her hair stands out almost in a bad way, and the arm pose lifting to her head layers a little odd with it. Which I know is a super small detail! But when the competition is so tight, that's what we have to look for.
You didn't get Mathilde for kind of similar reasons. That skirt color is really a great color for her, and I love the clips you added to the hair. Small detail but big impact. I even kind of liked a more real world outfit take and I got the story from it. I know who your Mathilde is from that design. But what ultimately lost me was the volume that ate her neck and hid part of her mouth. For the auditions being able to see the base features is so important, and I want to see them embraced. Having one kind of obscured just kind of lost me. Again, super small detail, but that is what it came down to. And this look easily could have won in another auditions cycle! It wasn't like yours was the weakest Mathilde or anything. <3
And for Moxie, like the others have said, she was one of the most popular models this cycle and the fight for her was a tough one. I think every single person who auditioned with Moxie was argued to get her at some point in discussions. Your story for your Moxie look is WONDERFUL and I love the idea so much. But I don't know if it is the best idea for an audition. This is a fashion challenge so the outfit is always the most important part of the look. The filming frame cuts off her feet and kind of makes for a weird angle in the lower half. At a glance it's hard to tell if it is a skirt, or pants that puff out and then taper in, or what. But it also just kind of makes her look...blobbish? There's no distinction in the shape to help draw the eye. And this is the kind of risk that can really pay off at times too! This time it just didn't.
I hope this has helped a little, if not to help you for future mini challenges and looking ahead at the next cycle, but just to reassure you that you are a great designer but we had a ton of great designers this auditions cycle so we had to really pick at every look. But I also hope these multiple responses show that the judges and crew all have their own opinions and things they look for. All of these things are subjective and impacted by the littlest things. But I really hope you do audition next time, and participate in the mini challenges! There is going to be a new round of Puzzle Play up soon, and I am desperate for some new outfits so will be posting a challenge for that too and I absolutely trust you to dress me, haha. heart
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 10:35 am
mechanichan
Hello, mechanichan. emotion_bigheart
Seeing as my fellow crew members and our captain here have said their piece, I think it's time for me to chime in on the thread.
I just wanna say that I loved your entries. I loved your Moxie entry the most. The film concept was adorable, and it reads well as intended. As for cutters, cutters in general aren't prohibited, but it is within the "high risk, high reward" category, so if the intention for it was just to cut off the hair that's sticking out of Moxie's hat, then it would be fine, in my opinion. I also think many of my fellow crew members, including our captain, have said it as well, that many designers wanted Moxie as well. It's not that you didn't eat with Moxie, but more so, the others devoured.
For your Delilah, I did notice that you used different poses in the same item. I do understand that you had little time left before the deadline, and as you've mentioned, you were out of steam, hence the item repeat, but, personally, that does dock out creativity points for me. Also, maybe a cooler-toned background would've been nice to see, to help cool down the warm tones of Delilah's hair. But all in all, your Delilah looks darling and adorable.
Your Mathilde looks cool and chic. It is simple, but it's effective. The attention to detail with the accessories and colour scheme made this entry impactful. We love to see that in a designer. I'm a sucker for a good jacket, and that blue jacket is everything to me. However, I am not super into the turtleneck that's covering Mathilde's mouth. But, Mathilde does read covered-up sexy, as you intended it to be.
Overall, I do see huge potential with your entries. And dare I say it, I see it more than my fellow crew members do. I do wish that you stick around the guild, watch the cycle unfold, maybe join in on some mini-contests, and hopefully see you audition in the next cycle. Even if you didn't get in for this cycle, this shouldn't take away from the fact that you are a great designer with a great eye for detail.
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 2:23 pm
BloodAngel95
Your moxie entry is good, but I think it would have benefited by a more interesting background. Competition for that model was tough too, five other to be exact! For Delilah I think the color scheme you chose for her didn't suit her, or maybe it was too much of that color scheme? I'm not quite sure but I do love your concept. I love the colors in your Mathilde entry they really pop. Personally I love this one, but again maybe it was too simple, it needed something more to standout from the competition.
thanks! i'll keep this in mind. i love detailing, so i think i need to invest some more time into my entries and make them a bit less simple. i'd intended to but summer is the worst season for my chronic pain and fatigue so i didn't allocate as much time to it as i had wanted. hopefully i'll get another chance someday! i think a balance is important, the last thing i want is for the avatar to blend into the background, which is why i opted for something simpler. i do struggle with making a background detailed without overtaking the avatar, so i'll try to work on that some more. as for delilah, i think you're right. i wanted her hair to stand out but i think i ended up just not making it match. probably should've thrown some browns in there.
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 2:44 pm
ThoughtsofaDame
I really enjoyed your entries I think you have immense potential in fact I think all the designers who auditioned do! Competition was tight this cycle and that in no way means you were not in the running. I definitely think Moxie was your strongest but I like where you were going with Mathilde too I think it really just needed some extra detail to make it pop! I loved it actually but we had several really strong contenders for your models! one note I have is the text/mood bubbles I don't think they really added much to the design and felt maybe a tad gimmicky? But thats really the only negative I have on the entries. I recommend picking less popular models especially when you have the benefit of entering closer to the deadline.
But I really hope you aren't discouraged I hope you will join in on our puzzle play competitions which are open to everyone and audition for cycle 8. Also never be scared to ask for an extension a single day or a few hours would have been no problem for us to accomadate!
We are so happy to have you here and thank you so much for asking for critique we love to give advice so you can have stronger entries and grow here!
thank you! i think i got too used to runway, where sometimes it feels like sometimes my entries aren't "understood" unless i spell them out with speech bubbles lol. since i can write descriptions here i'll be more careful with them if i'm able to do any more entries. moxie did end up being a popular model, though i started working on her one of the first days i became aware of the event. i had her finished before i made my post, i think, and i wouldn't have been able to make anything else in time. it might help to post it earlier but i didn't because i wasn't sure i'd be able to get all three done, so if i'm able to try again i'll probably end up doing that. i did pick mathilde and delilah closer to the deadline, at the time i started working on delilah i think she only had one other entry. it's nice to know i can request an accommodation and i appreciate it but with how slow i am it wouldn't have made a difference this time. extra time is hypothetically helpful to me but the last thing i want is to ask for it but not be able to use it and then end up holding up judging or something. i'll keep it in mind though! there may be a case where i can use it some other time.
mechanichan
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 2:51 pm
FaithEmblem
Hiiii I'm not a judge but I just want you to know your Mathilde was actually my guess (I made a list guessing who would get in ha ha) for this cycle, like the realistic and classy put together look just fits Mathilde to a T to me
I will say having BEEN a contestant before, tons of factors go into the judging and the judges collaborate together, so sometimes even really beautiful or unique entries can get beaten out by just a point or two (especially in auditions with the popular models) emotion_heartbroken
I personally love watching the comp but even if you don't stick around to watch and root for your favorites we don't lie when we say you have a great talent for building so we hope you participate in other contests or try again in the coming cycle! emotion_kirakira
(sorry there isn't a critique)(just wanted to chime in!)
thanks! even if you don't have any critique i still appreciate hearing whatever you have to say. i wasn't aware they were graded on a point system, so that's helpful info to have. (it's completely possible that's clearly stated somewhere, and i just missed it or forgot, oops) i'm not sure i have the energy to invest into actively participating now that i'm out, but i'll try to take note of new entries to see if i can learn anything from them!
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 3:26 pm
bad wolf bae
Hi lovely!! I know others have given you great answers already, but I just wanted to give my advice/feedback too. heart
You have talent and I hope you don't doubt that. Your Delilah was my favorite of your looks, but we liked other Delilahs more. Which is always one of the challenging parts of auditions. The color scheme and theme of the look you chose are all lovely and work so well together, but I'm not sure they're perfect for Delilah? Her hair stands out almost in a bad way, and the arm pose lifting to her head layers a little odd with it. Which I know is a super small detail! But when the competition is so tight, that's what we have to look for.
You didn't get Mathilde for kind of similar reasons. That skirt color is really a great color for her, and I love the clips you added to the hair. Small detail but big impact. I even kind of liked a more real world outfit take and I got the story from it. I know who your Mathilde is from that design. But what ultimately lost me was the volume that ate her neck and hid part of her mouth. For the auditions being able to see the base features is so important, and I want to see them embraced. Having one kind of obscured just kind of lost me. Again, super small detail, but that is what it came down to. And this look easily could have won in another auditions cycle! It wasn't like yours was the weakest Mathilde or anything. <3
And for Moxie, like the others have said, she was one of the most popular models this cycle and the fight for her was a tough one. I think every single person who auditioned with Moxie was argued to get her at some point in discussions. Your story for your Moxie look is WONDERFUL and I love the idea so much. But I don't know if it is the best idea for an audition. This is a fashion challenge so the outfit is always the most important part of the look. The filming frame cuts off her feet and kind of makes for a weird angle in the lower half. At a glance it's hard to tell if it is a skirt, or pants that puff out and then taper in, or what. But it also just kind of makes her look...blobbish? There's no distinction in the shape to help draw the eye. And this is the kind of risk that can really pay off at times too! This time it just didn't.
I hope this has helped a little, if not to help you for future mini challenges and looking ahead at the next cycle, but just to reassure you that you are a great designer but we had a ton of great designers this auditions cycle so we had to really pick at every look. But I also hope these multiple responses show that the judges and crew all have their own opinions and things they look for. All of these things are subjective and impacted by the littlest things. But I really hope you do audition next time, and participate in the mini challenges! There is going to be a new round of Puzzle Play up soon, and I am desperate for some new outfits so will be posting a challenge for that too and I absolutely trust you to dress me, haha. heart
thank you for your input! i definitely agree on delilah's hair, i think i chose her because she had only one entry at the time i started making an outfit for her, even though honestly that hair isn't ever something i would deliberately choose. probably got too caught up in the idea of playing strategically, i think if i try again i'll stick to what i think i can do best. usually i'm more privy to clipping and layering issues but i must've missed it this time. i'll also make sure not to cover any of the model's features, i thought it'd be fine since you can still see her lips a bit but i'll be more careful about it. it's helpful to know about the frame too, i feel like i thought i needed a strong concept to stand out and tried to make it come across as much as i could, but i didn't foresee it hurting my entry.
mechanichan
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 3:39 pm
iiiFlames
Hello, mechanichan. emotion_bigheart
Seeing as my fellow crew members and our captain here have said their piece, I think it's time for me to chime in on the thread.
I just wanna say that I loved your entries. I loved your Moxie entry the most. The film concept was adorable, and it reads well as intended. As for cutters, cutters in general aren't prohibited, but it is within the "high risk, high reward" category, so if the intention for it was just to cut off the hair that's sticking out of Moxie's hat, then it would be fine, in my opinion. I also think many of my fellow crew members, including our captain, have said it as well, that many designers wanted Moxie as well. It's not that you didn't eat with Moxie, but more so, the others devoured.
For your Delilah, I did notice that you used different poses in the same item. I do understand that you had little time left before the deadline, and as you've mentioned, you were out of steam, hence the item repeat, but, personally, that does dock out creativity points for me. Also, maybe a cooler-toned background would've been nice to see, to help cool down the warm tones of Delilah's hair. But all in all, your Delilah looks darling and adorable.
Your Mathilde looks cool and chic. It is simple, but it's effective. The attention to detail with the accessories and colour scheme made this entry impactful. We love to see that in a designer. I'm a sucker for a good jacket, and that blue jacket is everything to me. However, I am not super into the turtleneck that's covering Mathilde's mouth. But, Mathilde does read covered-up sexy, as you intended it to be.
Overall, I do see huge potential with your entries. And dare I say it, I see it more than my fellow crew members do. I do wish that you stick around the guild, watch the cycle unfold, maybe join in on some mini-contests, and hopefully see you audition in the next cycle. Even if you didn't get in for this cycle, this shouldn't take away from the fact that you are a great designer with a great eye for detail.
thank you! i'm glad you mentioned the multiple poses of the same item, i do feel i relied too much on it, and i'll avoid it if i can. i probably should've spent more time looking for a similar top for mathilde that could do the job better, but i just used the one i already knew of to save myself some time and energy. my favorite avatars i've made in the builder typically take me weeks so i'll have to figure out how to get stuff done a bit faster, if i can. i'd be lying if i said i wasn't generally discouraged but i'm sure it'll blow over by the time i have an opportunity to enter again. in the end it's probably for the best, i'm not sure if i would have the time to dedicate to my entries with college coming up. every time i'm unable to do something, it does have a silver lining because it means i have less work to do, which is a plus for me. even if i can't participate in something, that means more rest for my body. you gotta take what you can get!
