'The Face' episode 1: 'Game On' (Photos)

"The Face" is a modeling competition where 12 models will compete to be the face of ULTA Beauty. On "The Face" three supermodels will act as coaches, to mentor four hopefuls each. During campaigns the girls will be judged by the actual clients, just as it is in the real world. Then, the coach of the winning team will pick which girl from the two other losing teams will go home. The losing teams coaches have to pick one of their girls to be up for elimination.

Hosting the show is photographer Nigel Barker, who was a judge for many years on "America's Next Top Model." The three supermodel coaches are Naomi Campbell, Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha. Each of them has hand picked four girls for their teams in the one-hour special, "The Face: The Fight to Make the Final 12" which aired last Tue., Feb. 5.

The teams are as follows:

Team Naomi

  • Aleksandra
  • ZiLin
  • Sandra
  • Jocelyn

Team Karolina

  • Madeleine
  • Ebony Olivia
  • Devyn
  • Christy

Team Coco

  • Stephanie
  • Marlee
  • Brittany
  • Margaux

Moving into the model loft

At the beginning of the episode, the girls move into the loft where they will all live together, for good or bad, during the competition. Each team has its own room, and as you would expect, there will be conflicts.

Sandra is definitely going to be "that" girl; the crazy one. Jocelyn introduces herself, saying that her nickname is "Jaws" like the shark. Zi-Lin says she was a pageant winner in 2011 in China, where she is originally from. Stephanie knows she is the underdog, as she has never modeled before.

We find out that there is one big shower, and Devyn complains that she isn't going to shower with anyone else, and that "this isn't 'Bad Girls Club.'" (This is a funny reference, since that show is also on Oxygen.

Sandra pops the cork out of the champagne and everyone gets ready to toast to "let the games begin," when the three coaches come in the room.

Each of the coaches greet their girls, and Naomi admits that she has a lot of strong personalities on her team, but that one of her girls will be the winner of "The Face."

The next day it's time for things to begin. The girls meet Nigel Barker in a studio filled with a variety of clothing and accessories, plus two changing screens in the rear. Nigel tells them that they will be doing "test shoots." He tells them that modeling agencies use "test shoots" to hone the skills of their girls, and in a similar way, this will give the girls in the competition a chance to show they have what it takes to rise to the top.

Test Shoot challenge

The "test shoots" will be done one girl against another, rather than as teams. Each week, they will be doing a different "test shoot," and there will be one coach who will judge the winners. This week, that coach is Naomi Campbell. The theme is "Who Wore it Better." By the way, this is not an elimination challenge.

Each girl will get a clothing theme with specific clothes that are the same, and the difference will be how the girls pair up accessories with the clothing, and pose for a shot.

There will be three rounds, with the winners in the first round moving on to the second round, and the final three will all go against each other for the final winner. And the winner will get a $5,000 shopping spree at Top Shop.com

Round 1

They draw names randomly, and the girl will get to choose who she wants to compete against. Devyn is first, and she chooses Stephanie.

The first trend is "Party Girl." It consists of a black sequined cocktail dress and a feathered bolero jacket. And the winner is: Stephanie.

Next is Marlee, and she picks Sandra. Their trend is: "Business Casual." It consists of a sleeveless, oversized shirt and skinny black pants. Marlee wins.

Next is Margaux, and she picks Aleksandra. Their trend is: "60's Girl." It consists of a plaid, short skirt and a black jacket. And the winner is Margaux.

The next girl to choose is Ebony, and she picks Christy. Their trend is "Army Chic." It consists of a military jacket and a short khaki tank dress. Ebony wins.

ZiLin is next to choose, and she chooses Brittany. Their trend is "City Girl." It consists of a trench coat and python pants. When the girls come out, ZiLin isn't wearing her pants, but carrying them on her arm like an accessory. When Naomi asks her why she isn't wearing them, she says that they are not her size, and she couldn't get them on. Regardless that she is not wearing the item, Naomi still picks her as the winner. I'm sure it has nothing to do with her being on Naomi's team. (Yeah, right!)

Jocelyn and Madeleine are the final two girls to pair off. Their trend is "Biker Chic." It consists of a white sleeveless tank dress with a black, studded leather jacket. When they come out, Madeleine looks like she's been crying. When Naomi asks her if she's crying, she says she isn't. Nigel says it looks like she has been. Madeleine admits that the shoes she chose are way too small. At that Naomi dresses her down about sucking it up, and Madeleine feels even worse. The winner is Jocelyn (again, another one from Team Naomi!)

Round 2

Ebony gets to pick who she wants to pair off against, and she chooses Margaux. Their trend is "Red Carpet." It's a pink flowy dress. The winner is Margaux.

Next is Jocelyn and Marlee. Their trend is "Downtown Girl." It consists of a black skirt, blue short-sleeved top with a denim vest. The winner is Jocelyn.

Their trend is "Hippie Chick." It consists of a patterned shirt dress. The winner is ZiLin.

Round 3

The final three girls are ZiLin, Margaux and Jocelyn. Their trend is "Masculine Chic." It consists of a black collarless jacket with three quarter sleeves and skinny black pants. And, surprise, surprise… ZiLin is the winner. (Another Team Naomi girl.)

W Magazine Campaign

The next day, the girls meet Nigel down at Brooklyn's Navy yard, where they will have their first team challenge. Nigel shows them a story board, which has several scenes filled in. The final scene is blank. Their challenge is to finish the story, which features uptown girls vs. downtown girls. The client is W Magazine. The winning team will be featured in W Magazine, and also have their photo posted on the US Magazine website. Nigel explains that there will be one winning team, and two losing teams. The coaches of the losing teams will have to choose 1 girl to send to the elimination room, where the coach of the winning team will decide which of them to cut from the competition.

The girls will have to choose their wardrobe, and will do so from designs of Phillip Lim. Next, they have to come up with a concept for how they will pose. Team Karolina seems to be getting along fine, with Christy giving some suggestions, and the others agreeing. On Team Naomi, things are not so happy in paradise, as Sandra has some crazy idea of shooting each other and fighting, and the others nix the idea. Jocelyn decides that someone else needs to take the reigns, so she suggest they pose three on one, rather than two by two, which is how they think the other teams will be doing. On Team Coco, the girls try to come up with a concept, and they are worried, as they have Stephanie on their team, who admits she isn't as strong in her posing.

Soon, a limo pulls up and the coaches step out, and we will see the way each of the coaches will lead their girls in the challenge.

Karolina thinks that you get more positive results when you use honey rather than spice, so she is pretty easy with her team.

On Naomi's team, she sees her role as a mother hen, who will discipline her girls and give them tough love. She nixes the idea of three on one, saying she feels they should pose two by two.

Coco asks her girls about their ideas, and they tell her they had the idea of three downtown girls and one uptown girl, and they're beating her down. Coco likes the idea, and suggests they be theatrical. She doesn't want to play it safe.

As the time draws near for the girls to take their turns at posing for the shoot, Nigel introduces them to their photographer, who is none other than Patrick DeMarchelier. The girls are all excited to have the chance to be shot by one of fashion's premier photographers.

Each team takes their turn, and as they do, the other teams don't seem to be too impressed with what the others are doing. When they wrap the shoot, the three judges arrive. They are Stefano Tonchi, editor-in-chief of W Magazine, Claudine Ingenieri, the booking editor of W Magazine, and legendary model agent Bethann Hardison.

The judges take a look at each of the photos and make their choice… Team Karolina.

Now, Coco and Naomi have to choose the weakest girl from the shoot, and send her to the elimination room. Coco chooses Stephanie, and Naomi chooses Aleksandra.

Karolina talks with both girls and makes her decision… she feels that Stephanie has less experience, but she feels she has more passion for modeling that she isn't feeling the passion from Aleksandra, so Aleksandra is eliminated.

Naomi goes ballistic, and goes off into another room and tells the camera to get out, and she slams the door. Later, when Karolina tries to go and talk to her, Naomi goes off on her. A short while later, she finally comes out of the room, and tells Karolina, "I'm very disappointed in your choice, Karolina. And, what I have to tell you is that from now on, it's game on."

Watch Aleksandra's exit interview video on the official page of "The Face."

Be sure to check out a video of the model digs, as shown by Devyn, from the official page of "The Face."

Next week, it looks like the girls will be doing a campaign for sunglasses. And, ramp up the drama, as Team Naomi explodes, with Sandra and Jocelyn.Tune in on Feb. 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET on Oxygen.

Related links for "The Face"

Get more on "The Face" and other Reality TV shows at SirLinksALot's Reality TV page.

If you'd like to receive an email each time I add new content to the site, click on the "Subscribe" link near the top of the page to get added.

Looking to contact me? Feel free to send Shelly an email.

Follow me on Twitter

Advertisement

, The Face Examiner

Shelly Fabian is a freelance journalist, who has been writing online for over 10 years. She's an enthusiastic follower of America's Next Top Model, as well as country music, and now covering "The Face." Contact Shelly

Today's top buzz...