The remaining Project Runway All Stars designers visit Marie Claire headquarters where Alyssa Milano tells them, “This week’s challenge is connected to your past, your present, and your future.” Then she introduces someone from all of their pasts, Nina Garcia! Nina tells them their challenge is to “Create a colorful party dress for a celebration that must include your own journey of love and include your past, present, and future relationships.” “No black or white.” Alyssa adds! Then they introduce Scott Davis, from Zales who plugs Zales and says the winner will receive a Zales gift card worth $10,000 and on top of that a custom diamond pendant from their Past Present and Future Collection worth $15,000.
With only $100 to shop at Mood, the designers get lots of red and pink fabrics with the exception of Benjamin who says love is like finding gold so he goes for metallics…
Back in the workroom, the designers all talk about their relationships and personal love stories (that are very typical) so their lives stay private even though they act as if they are revealing something juicy. (yawn…) The idea of an intriguing love story Project Runway All Stars fails, and who cares? Just show me the fashion!
During the workroom critique, mentor Zanna Roberts Rassi asks everyone to push their designs further (she must have been bored, too) and tells them to be vulnerable, just the way a good artist is vulnerable. This is her hint as to what the judges will be looking for on the runway.
Time for the runway, and Alyssa should have worn the same outfit from last week’s episode, which actually she should wear (pants with a strapless top) every day until the baby is born (it was really cute on her!) because this time she looks like the disco ball … at the party … with the party dresses. The judges are Nina Garcia (filling in for Georgina Chapman), Isaac Mizrahi, blogger Danielle Bernstein of WeWoreWhat.com (even though she is too young to really remember) and former Project Runway designer Seth Aaran Henderson (he gets a last name now that he is a judge).
On the runway Nina is making all kinds of faces, usually happy faces with designs with good construction, and she frowns with bad construction. During the runway competition the designers make comments like “I should have…” “I only wish I…” and “I don’t like how…” Can’t they just listen to themselves?? If you think your design is bad – then it is bad! And yes, you are going to be in the bottom three!
After the runway show, Alyssa announces they ALL will get $1000 gift cards from Zales. (OK, OK, very good in-your-face marketing, Zales) and Jay, Michelle, Fabio and Samantha are safe. Phew! Now go buy a diamond pendant from Zales!
The High Scores (aka Nina’s happy face scores):
Helen
They love Helen’s emotional red look, because it was beautifully made and they like the sleeves and the neckline. Helen is the winner!
Sonia
They love Sonjia’s color combination, fabric and the happiness it brings. Nina and Isaac get into which dress between Sonjia’s and Helen’s will they love in 5 years and Nina must have convinced Isaac (and me, too) that it would be Helen’s dress.
Dmitry
Nina loved Dmitrys fire red dress they liken to a Ferrari but Isaac is not as thrilled as the other judges, and said “the back was not doing anyone’s butt any favors.”
Low Scores: (aka Nina can’t hide any of her true feelings with her face scores):
Benjamin
They like the fabric, hate the handkerchief hem, Liken it to disco and Dancing with the Stars. Did I say they hate the handkerchief hem?
Gunnar
Isaac said he used asymmetry without good reason like so many designers, they could not understand the construction of the bottom, but could not even get what he was doing withe the top.
Kate
The judges thought her look was unfinished, the color was not a color and it looked sad. It got a big “No Bueno” from Nina. Kate, who tried to redesign at the last minute and was not finished, was out!
Memorable Quotes:
“Immediately I get a little bit nervous when I see Nina.” – Gunnar
“You know who doesn’t love Nina? – People who suck…” – Dmitry
“Ladies and girls we have 30 minutes!” – Fabio
“When I look at this I’m feeling a little mother of the bride.” – Zanna
“I do look over at Kate’s, and I just think ‘Golden Girls'” – Michelle
“We were holding hands in the incubator” – Kate
“Somehow we always manage to pull this out of our asses.” – Gunnar
“Make it a sexellent dress” – Sonjia
“Dmity’s looks a little bondage-y so I’m kind a curious about what his sex life is like.” – Kate
“I need to find a shoe” – Michelle
“I need to find a clutch” – Jay
“I need to find a husband.” – Benjamin
“It does look chaotic.” – Nina
“The handkerchief hem is very Project Runway 101” – Nina
“This color is less than poor – it is sad!” – Nina
“Midway through your design you decided to go edgie? – Nina
“And the back – that is not doing anyone’s butt any favors.” – Isaac
“I hate handkerchief hems.” -Seth Aaron Henderson
“It screams ‘Dancing With the Stars'” – Alyssa
“It was a Ferrari and I like Ferraris” – Nina
Be sure to check out our other favorite site dedicated to all things Project Runway…Blogging Project Runway!
– Carol Calacci
Photos: Lifetime
