Santino
Santino Rice Age: 30 Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Education: Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Biography: Santino Quinto Rice was born and raised in St. Charles, Missouri. At 17, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a fashion designer. Santino graduated from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. School helped him organize his thoughts; however the hands-on experience he gained from working in the fashion industry was his move valuable education. While still in school, Santino began assisting acclaimed artist/designer Tony Duquette. This experience was one of the biggest turning points in Santino’s life. The knowledge he learned from Duquette was invaluable. With a love for the process of making things, Santino was adamant on learning everything he could about dressmaking. Santino became skilled at all the technical aspects of garment construction. When designer positions were not available, Santino could easily keep afloat financially by taking other positions such as “cutter” or assistant designer, due to his knowledge and experience. Working behind the scenes at many Los Angeles fashion companies, Santino became indispensable to other designers. He continues honing his craft to prepare for the day when he establishes his own label. Santino is constantly looking for something he has never seen before. Known for bringing an exotic and handcrafted touch to his garments, Santino believes in the concept of infusing worth and importance to a garment, he does this through handwork and various finishing techniques.

Tim's Take: Episode 1 Santino is declared the winner! His look was stunning: a rich, voluminous confection that incorporated what I saw in Santino when he auditioned. He is a master of detail and a perfectionist with his craft. There was no doubt that he had used the full week for the challenge, and he managed his time well. The deep rich jewel tone of the dye for his muslin, the layering of the muslin to invoke the baby doll effect, and the effortless fit on his model, Heather, all ensured his win. Santino, congratulations! Auction Bid : $ 500.00

Tim's Take: Episode 2 Santino personified the phrase, "How far will you go for fashion?" His favorite leather jacket was transformed into a skirt, and not just any skirt: his design had an 18th century French feeling complete with a modified pannier. That feeling was echoed in the pleated bustier, which was topped with an innovative shrug. Although costume-like, the look was very successful. Furthermore, you can't help but be impressed with Santino's unbridled passion. Auction Bid : $ 152.00

Tim's Take: Episode 3 Santino's look was a top contender for the win and he knew it. His loss to Nick caused him to pout and sulk, and it ignited a rancor towards the judges (more of that to come). I agreed that the look he created was stunning cool, hip, and really enchanting -- but Nick still bested him. Auction Bid : $ 690.00

Tim's Take: Episode 4 TEAM SANTINO Team Santino includes Emmett and Nick. Confident, arrogant, posturing Santino was a hair shy of a nervous breakdown on this one. I believe that the pressure of leading was simply too much for him. Santino's method of designing is very solitary and idiosyncratic. Regarding the latter, he builds his design on the dress form, pins it in essential areas, sews it, and repeats and repeats, constantly adding until our time is up. His is an additive process that would have Chanel quaking in her spectators (a mantra of the seminal designer was, "Never add, only take away!"). During this challenge, Santino was incapable of communicating directions, other than gesturing to his original sketch and to the outfit that he was developing himself. Therefore, Nick and Emmett were very much on their own. To his credit, Nick intuited Santino's vision for this challenge and, consequently, became his spiritual partner. Emmett, on the other hand, struggled. Emmett's design philosophy and point of view are at the opposite end of the spectrum from Santino. So without direction and tangible guidelines, he was understandably at sea. I loved Santino's concept for this challenge, as did Heidi, clearly. "Heidi's Homeland" was ever so tongue in cheek, the designs having a wit that was worthy of Schiaparelli. But the fun stopped there. The concept's implementation was nothing more than a joke and a flat joke at that. (There is a fine line between demonstrating wit and making a joke, wit being by far the more difficult and challenging of the two.) Team Santino's designs looked like marzipan costumes for a Black Forest production of The Nutcracker. It was all made worse and flatter, joke-wise, by the models' hair and make-up: deer? Egads. Worse still was Santino's posture on the runway, spitting venom at Emmett and hurling abuse at Heidi and Nina. He refused to accept responsibility for the design debacle, choosing instead to blame it all on Emmett. Santino, you were the team leader, so the outcome is your responsibility regardless of how you choose to view the circumstances. Had Daniel F. not offered himself up for sacrifice, he may well have been OUT. Santino, you're so lucky to be IN.

Santino really disappointed me this week. His lingerie line is a sick joke. I think Santino hates women. Why else would he design such unflattering lingerie? I don't know if it will be his attitude or his contemptable fashions that will be get him kicked off the show but I don't see him making it to the final.