Project Runway All Stars: Episode 10 Recap

Once again I’m watching this on Friday morning. I’ve had a cold all week and went to bed early last night. Thankfully, I’m feeling quite a bit better today, so let’s get to it.

We’re down to the last challenge before the finale, narrowing down the contestants to the final three, so of course this is going to be a big challenge.

This week they will be designing for a client: Nanette Lepore. The winning design will be produced and sold at Nanette Lepore stores, and it must be manufactured to fit a particular price-point. Interesting. This challenge is a pretty good reflection of “real” designing. I’m not sure if this is a very good final challenge though; it seems a bit odd to expect these designers (who have been encouraged to develop their own styles throughout the show) to create looks based upon and be sold amongst an already established label. It’s a good reflection of what a large portion of fashion school grads will end up doing, but I’m not sure it makes a lot of sense on this show, which hasn’t really placed much of an emphasis on saleability or working with an established company. In fact, it seems to run counter to the persona and personal aesthetic-based quality of the show. This might be a train wreck. We’ll see.

 

The Runway

The guest judge this week, is, of course, Nanette Lepore.

All Images from Rate the Runway on myLifetime.com

 

Austin: The coat starts out looking pretty cute, but when the belt came off, enh. It really needed the shaping of the belt, without it, it looks like a maternity coat. I’m not totally sold on the cranberry color of it. Clearly, the textile is something in Nanette Lepore’s fabric room, but it just doesn’t have the happy exuberance that I think the coat needs. A pinker or more fuchsia color would have really made this coat sing, but as it is, it just looks a bit boring. I also can’t say I’m a fan of the slightly asymmetrical (longer in the back, shorter in the front) hem of the coat. It’s slight enough that it looks more like an error than a purposeful style aspect. All that being said, this coat has a lot of detailing on it, and it was clearly a lot of work, not just another simple dress.

 

Michael: Michael falls back on the same silhouettes over and over when he gets flustered. Yes, this is very much a retread of the gelato challenge in almost every way. It’s like he can’t break out of the techniques and silhouettes he feels like he’s mastered. That being said, he tends to repeat the things that the judges have complimented him on; he’s definitely playing the game. If this dress weren’t an almost exact replica of his previous look, I would probably be a lot more complimentary about it. The textile is very pretty and I think some women would want to buy this dress. I’m not completely on-board with the sleeves; they are a bit awkward in length and shape. Joe does point out that the color combined with the plunging neckline does look quite a bit like Jennifer Lopez’s green Versace from a few years ago. Also, the back is poorly fitted.

 

Mondo: Sorry, Mondo, but no. This is not good. He totally self-destructed this challenge and it shows. The colors are fresh and very much in his wheelhouse, but pretty much everything else about this look is bad. The shape of the dress is way too simple and it doesn’t even fit very well. The sewing looks sloppy along the neckline. The whole thing looks like a pillowcase with head and arm holes cut out. The ruffle at the bottom is the saddest ruffle I think I’ve ever seen; it is so limp and awkwardly attached. This is just a huge pile of fail to me, and it pains me because I have been vehemently rooting for Mondo, and he completely screwed this up.

 

Kenley: As per usual, a very cute dress from Kenley. I agree with Mondo’s “confessional” criticism that it would have been better had she lined up the print better. It does look a bit unfinessed in that regard. I’m also not completely sold on the sleeve treatment; I actually wish they were a bit more fluttery. But really I’m nitpicking. I think this dress would probably sell quite well, it’s one of those dresses that one could just pull on for a myriad of occasions, and the print makes it stand out. Yes, it is a typical Kenley dress, but in this case, it fit the challenge perfectly.

 

My rankings

1. Kenley

2. Austin

3. Michael

4. Mondo

 

The Judges’ Top and Bottom

Mondo: top…?

Michael: bottom

Kenley: bottom

Austin: top

 

The Results

Austin is safe. He’s heading to the finale.

Mondo is…the winner. Whaaaa?! What the heck? His was not good at all. I’ve always been a Mondo fan, but this was really undeserved. I really, really do not understand the judges at all. Whatever.

That means Michael and Kenley are in the bottom.

Michael is…in.

Which means Kenley is out. Enh, I actually thought her dress was saleable this week. This show confuses the crap out of me.