Let the search begin!
The season premiere of House of DVF started off with a bang as Diane von Furstenberg began her hunt for a new crop of brand ambassador candidates!
The designer enlisted her fashion squad, which included season one winner Brittany Hampton, DVF Style Editor Jessica Joffe and Creative Brand Director Stefani Greenfield, to help with the search for seven candidates across both coasts.
First, the team held interviews on the East Coast to find suitable applicants to pitch to Diane. They narrowed it down to Chantal Trujillo, a Vogue jewelry assistant, Cat Wennekamp, a celebrity stylist, and Maytee Martinez, a model and designer.
However, Cat, one of Jessica's choices, was very bold and little controversial in her audition video. "Diane's brand is so classic, but the cool girls are not wearing DVF," she said. "I think that DVF needs me to help them branch into a new demographic." Whoa!
Brittany stepped outside the box and suggested a man, a fashion stylist named Jeremy, for the position. While Jessica and Stefani weren't feeling the idea, Diane was intrigued.
"Well, I think it could be fun," Diane said. "We will experience a man."
"The pressure is on for the candidates today," Stefani said. "They are on the front line, in front of the most important people in the fashion industry."
But while Stefani and Jessica were giving out instructions, Chantal quickly ran away and rushed to the bathroom to throw up!
"Chantal just exited stage left!" Stefani exclaimed. Not good.
"I am mortified," Chantal said. "I wasn't going to throw up in front on them so I had to get out of there."
Jessica and Stefani were understanding of her illness and let her take a break, but when Diane got wind of it, she wasn't exactly impressed.
"Of course health is the most important, but is it stress? This is pressure," she said. "If Chantal can't handle it, this is not for her."
Meanwhile, the other candidates got to work on their task. Cat and Maytee jumped right in and started snapping photos of the models backstage. Jeremy, on the other hand, took a more relaxed approach.
"He's just like in la-la land," Maytee said. "You're not taking any photos. Wake up and smell the coffee! We're here to work!"
After taking a break, Chantal decided to stay and do the assignment even though she still felt ill. She decided to interview DVF's Artistic Director Michael Herz and ask him questions about the collection.
Unfortunately, she couldn't quite get her words across clearly.
"What for you was something really sexy that you put into the clothing?" she asked. Huh?
"That's a really silly question isn't it?" he responded.
In contrast Cat was feeling extremely self-assured in herself and her progress. "I'm on such a high," she said. "I'm having such successful interviews and meeting such great people."
That was the case until she tried to interview Anna Wintour and accidentally referred to Diane as Anna!
"No, I'm Anna. She's Diane," Anna corrected her. Oops.
"I'm pretty confident Anna liked me anyway," Cat concluded.
Later that night, the candidates met Diane at her office to present their day's work. Cat went first and showed Diane a photo she took of her on the runway.
"I looked at you and, in that moment, I wanted to be you," Cat gushed to the other candidates' displeasure.
Chantal was able to redeem herself from her negative first impression earlier in the day with creative photos of the models backstage. But Jeremy's laid-back tactic didn't serve him well as Diane hated his presentation.
"I don't think you got the mood of the show and your pictures reflect it," Diane told him. "So, I don't think you're going to stay."
Diane swiftly handed him a parting gift bag and sent him on his way. And the three girls were officially welcomed into the ambassador program!
Next, it was time to fill the final four slots on the West Coast.
Once again, Brittany, Jessica and Stefani held interviews to find the best of the best for Diane. They ended up choosing Breagan Williams, a clothing designer and single mother, Hanna Beth Merjos, a model and fashion blogger, Alli Davis, a fashion assistant, Cree Nixon, a junior costume director, and Leigh Fidler, a student and fashion intern.
Initially, Diane was concerned with Hanna Beth, who had a very edgy look and vibe.
"I don't think anyone has voiced opinions and been edgy and been different. It's all the f--king same," Hanna Beth said in her audition video. "I'm not afraid to voice my opinion."
"Hanna Beth is a little trouble. I warn you," Diane said.
Cree also distinguished herself from the pack with a unique ability. "I do have a psychic sense. I call myself the fashion intuitive. I always know what's going to work and what's not going to work," she said.
Before Diane made a final decision, she needed to see them in action. She invited all the girls to her store on Melrose to give them a trial run. And their first mission was no joke. They had to pull a look for celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe to wear to an Oscars' party!
Jessica gave them half an hour and the run of the store to pick an outfit. Once the girls started rushing around chaotically, it was every woman for herself. The pressure got to Alli who started sweating profusely in one of DVF's dresses!
"Within 15 minutes a dress is dirtier than it's ever been in its entire lifetime," Jessica said.
When time was up, Diane walked in with Rachel!
The girls took turns modeling their choices before Rachel gave her thoughts. She said she didn't like the jumpsuit Breagan chose because it was too casual or Cree's green mini dress because she never shows her knees.
"Why are you putting her in a green, palm tree, tropical dress for an Oscars event?" Alli said. "If Cree has these psychic powers and abilities, why didn't she see this coming?"
In the end, Rachel chose Hanna Beth as the winner! "You might as well strip," she told her.
Then, Diane had to make the tough decision of who would stay and who would go home. She decided to get rid of Breagan because she thought it would be too unfair to drag her across the country since she has a son. She welcomed the other four to the ambassador program!
"I'm happy with the girls we chose from L.A., now it's time to get started in New York," Diane said. "I want to have a great program."
Watch an all-new episode of House of DVF next Sunday at 10 p.m. on E!