February 2, 2005
It will be impossible for me to ever forget the sight of each designer as she and he exited the elevator into the lobby. First to arrive was Kara Saun. She was woeful about how she looked, in spite of the fact that she had glammed up the stogy uniform &emdash; hat askew and sleeves rolled up to her shoulders. She glanced at her dowdy, yet official, shoe and declared, "This outfit would look so much cuter with a stiletto!" Last to arrive was Austin who wore a pout that well-suited the incongruity of his Bermuda shorts, knee socks and faux fur cap &emdash; Little Lord Fauntleroy 2005.
So, we were off to deliver mail! Our destination was Hoboken, NJ, where we were welcomed and cared for most graciously. Our designers were given a comprehensive orientation, including sorting the mail for their two routes and learning the protocols of mail delivery. Letter carriers are the most visible representatives of the Postal Service and work through all forms of weather and conditions &emdash; "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" &emdash; and have a range of official wardrobe choices depending upon the climate.
Even before hitting the searing pavement, our designers were in the process of reforming their initial design ideas. (NOTE: Although this episode aired in February, have no delusions about the time of year. It was an oppressively hot and excruciatingly humid August day; all the better to give our designers a true taste of the real world of letter carriers!) And after delivering mail to a mere block of houses and apartments, they were all on the threshold of hospitalization. A thoroughly exhausted and drained Kara Saun moaned to herself, "Did I say 'stilettos' this morning? All I want is comfort!"
The activity in the workspace was fevered, intense &emdash; five designers remaining and one OUT after the runway judging...
