DNTM: Beyond The Runway EP 1

Welcome to DNTM: Beyond The Runway. Tonight, your journey begins. DNTM: BEYOND THE RUNWAY – EPISODE 1 #DNTM4 Guests: Seong (Season 3 – 2nd Place) + Lewis (Season 3 – 6th Place) As you know, our first eliminated contestant, Nick, was supposed to join us tonight. Unfortunately, Nicky couldn't make it...and let's just say he's still recovering from the shock of being the first person eliminated. Please welcome... SEONG + LEWIS! Let's start! Seong, What was your first reaction when you saw the new cast of this season? SEONG: I was jaw-dropped to see someone who used to judge us joining the competition. Aside from Marilise, other people caught my attention—not all of them in a good way—but I confess I'm curious to see how everyone is going to perform... Lewis, What was your first reaction when you saw the first elimination of this season? LEWIS: Nick had a lot of potential, I wish he had some guidance before entering. I really hoped he’d get another chance but I knew deep down he was the weakest model, so it felt fair. I hope he reapplies for a future season, he’s had a lot of feedback now Alright... now Seong, If you could give one piece of advice to this year’s contestants, what would it be? SEONG: A word of advice? For the girls: STOP wearing generic dresses and relying solely on a sexy concept. It's lazy and frankly, as pretty as it might look, it brings zero credibility, it's boring, and it's NOT innovative at all. For the boys? Have fun! Step away from the obvious, look for concepts, and don't be afraid to innovate. That's amazing, my fellow runner-up icon... now Lewis, what about you? LEWIS: My best advice would be trust your instinct and pretend no one else exists. Try not share your photos with your contestants because it can make you get in your head. Most importantly, have fun always, take it serious but not too serious! I love it! Which challenge from your season do you think would be the most difficult for this new group? SEONG: I believe that not only for them, but also for the people from my season, the basketball hoop challenge [was the hardest], because it left everyone SO limited, and no one was actually able to bring a fresh vibe to the photo. I understand that maybe that was the whole point, but it was a challenge that frustrated me while doing it, even though I managed to get a good ranking LEWIS: I think for this group, the hardest one would be the basketball hoop theme. Hearing from the models about how they struggled with AI, the hoop was a right nightmare and I fear they’d struggle with this! (JUMPS) Oh Lewis... That was amazing but let's continue! Seong, Do you see any contestant this season who reminds you of yourself during your time in the competition? Lewis? SEONG: To be honest? From what I've seen so far in the first challenge, two people really caught my eye: Spacelab and Amandasings04. I believe Space is a competitor who will probably pursue a creative route; from what I can tell so far, he might lack a bit in execution, but I believe that with time and good references, he can improve. Amanda brought some references to the first challenge—I got a major MOSCHINO vibe—and as much as I don't really vibe with her, her photo was the most captivating to me in terms of composition LEWIS: I think Marquis reminds me of myself. The long hair, gender fluid vibe to his model and original avatar.. I truly believe I stood out in my group as unique and Marquis really is giving me this vibe too! I hope he leans into his individuality, I’m excited to see what he gives! Alright! Last two questions, Seong, What do you think has changed the most in the competition since your season? Lewis, Who do you think will be eliminated next? And who are you rooting for? SEONG: I think it's still too early to say what has changed, but we clearly had a shake-up on the judging panel, which might have the biggest impact, since we know how each judge has their own particular taste in certain matters LEWIS: From the first round, I think Manon could be in danger, it’s really important to follow the brief and if you can’t do that on week 1, it’s not looking good. I really hope they lock in though, I like to see all models succeed! I’m rooting for LeQuishaQ, that photo, WOW! For a week one submission it is flawless. I’m a little concerned that when you start so strong it’s always hard to level up and do better, but she is one to watch! What a sensation. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BOTH! See you next ep with Nick! Dimitra Jane ToriMarie