Fit for Fashion: Episode 1 Recap

In this, the premiere episode of “Fit for Fashion” on Star World, we are introduced to the six (6) men and six (6) women who will undergo a ten-week transformational challenge to see who has what it takes to be the US$100,000.00-winning top contestant who can come up with the best version of themselves after the show is over.

With all of them secluded inside Malaysia’s Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu, a series of extremely demanding physical tests will be laid down week after week. If that’s not enough, they also need to look good for all the fashion-related tasks where getting made-up for photoshoots would be the least of their worries.

Here now are the challengers:

First impressions last, or so a lot of people would say. Getting bits and pieces of infos about the participants – plus seeing how they register and express themselves on the small screen – did give this writer a pretty good idea of how they will interact and establish their personalities as the show progresses.

Challenge #1: Build a raft out of materials from a shipwreck, and use the same to row as a group to a ship anchored far from the shoreline. Get the unique prop (with a challenger’s name on it) then return to the starting point.

Divided into two teams of six, Fred led the Green Team and his girlfriend Chelsey took on the Yellow Team. But just when the latter group thought that having ex-Army Officer Rusty would help them make the best raft possible, the members realized the folly of their decision to rely on his knowledge in knots. They came up with a flimsy vessel that collapsed as soon as it touched water.

The Greens, on the other hand, pulled away fast, came up with a good raft, got their props and won without opposition.

Of course, there’s also such a thing as “putting one’s best foot forward” early on, so it still could be tricky if one initially-likeable challenger would turn 180 degrees and show his/her true color once the true reality part kicks in and a survival-of-the-fittest mode takes over. Fil-Am Rusty and Russian model Kristina should be in this category. In the same light, it would really be interesting to see who among the less aggresive (read: weak-looking or soft in impact) qualifiers will turn on the heat in later episodes. Ladies like Ming and Citira belong here.

Their first gym workout with trainers Christine Bullock and Matt Chilson had to do with measuring their biological age against real age. The objective was simple – be younger than one’s chronological years. The tests were very exhausting. And out of the 12, only one – Matty – was declared younger than how old he really is. The rest literally flunked at this point.

And in the important fashion task – a photoshoot on the beach – most of them did well, but a few lagged behind. Photographer Todd Anthony Tyler gave each one of them ten (10) minutes in front of the camera. The ones he thought would shine didn’t, like Cristina. And the ones who thought they messed it up surprisingly did well, like Citira.

Hours after, the first decision of who will leave took place. Green Team took the physical, Yellow Team the fashion part. The bottom performers or attitude-bombers will be up for elimination. Hema brought up the rear for the former, Rusty’s big ego and raft failure pushed him down. Chelsea was named MVP (Most Valuable Player) for the week.

Between the two in the cellar, host Louise Roe announced that Hema is not fit for fashion. She gets the first cut. Rusty is safe.

Off to week 2 with a far more exciting and dangerous challenge in the waterfalls. Drama-wise, Fred and Citira figure out in an argument likely to put a strain in their stay at the fashion bootcamp.

Catch “Fit for Fashion” Thursday nights at 9:45PM (8:45PM in Thailand and Indonesia) only on Star World.

P.S. My favorites so far are Matty and Chelsea. I’m sure things will change in time, but they are the ones who show a lot of promise in terms of personality. Rusty comes off as the least-likeable. But I will cut him some slack for now. ;-)