Did you miss Project Runway All Stars last week? Hopefully you were too busy eating turkey to notice it wasn’t on. Still, it’s nice to get our reality fashion fixture back tonight.
Alyssa meets the 10 remaining designers. The inspiration for this week’s challenge is Paddington Bear, but she’s sending them to Paddington Station in London to hear exactly what the challenge is.
Of course everyone is stoked, especially Gunnar, who has never been out of the country. And to top things off, the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson is with Zanna to meet them there. She tells them that Paddington Bear’s iconic look includes his overcoat so for this challenge the designers have to create an outwear coat that would be suitable for the streets of London.
The Duchess tells them that she will be wearing the winning design. They have the day to tour London on a double decker bus and then they’ll visit a fabric store before heading back to New York where they’ll have one day to finish their designs.
Before they leave London, the designers get a chance to sit down and have tea with the Duchess of York. They have dainty little pastries and she even asks Gunnar how he’s enjoying his first time in London. How cool!
‘Project Runway: All Stars’ Recap: All is Fair in Love and Fashion>>>
Heading Back West
Dmitry is inspired by the London skyline. He doesn’t find what he’s looking for at the fabric store so he settles on neoprene, which doesn’t travel back to New York very well so now he’s dealing with wrinkled fabric. To cover it up, he layers mesh to make it look like a skyline. Zanna doesn’t really like it but Dmitry’s too far into his concept to start over now.
Ben spends the whole London trip bragging about how he used to work in London. He’s such a snob. Then he gets all bent out of shape when Sonjia picks a fabric he likes before him. Nothing’s stopping him from using it too, but he decides on another fabric anyway and then complains about it. He keeps complaining to Zanna about being jetlagged when they’re back in the work room. And on top of all that, he’s making the most basic of coats with what looks like a trash bag collar.
Sam takes to the ornate details around London so she picks something with a subtle print and is going to make an oversized moto jacket. Zanna tells her not to be afraid of supersizing everything, but Michelle points out how there’s no structure to her coat and that gives it very little shape.
When Justin thinks of London, he thinks of a woman on the go so he wants to make it very functional. He’s inspired by the fog so he’s making a gray jacket with a big cowl and pink lining to give it a pop of color.
Jai is making a military-inspired look with lots of layers. He’s tired of being safe and really wants to push to win. His fellow designers like the look but they think he’s over-designing it.
Fabio wants to pair the classic with the modern aesthetics of London for his coat. He says he doesn’t design for royalty, but he hopes the Duchess likes his androgynous coat because that’s what he’s making.
Royal Runway
The judges this week are Alyssa, Isaac Mizrahi, actress Debra Messing and British model and singer Karen Elson.
Top
Justin- Debra loves it but doesn’t love the split in the back that leaves her model’s butt exposed. Karen loves the pink lining and Isaac likes the gray plaid. Alyssa likes how he managed to make outerwear so flattering.
Dmitry- Karen really sees London in his design and says it’s beautiful. Isaac says it’s great and likes how he used tulle. Alyssa thinks there’s something rock and roll about it.
Fabio- Isaac loves his coat and says it has great length and movement. Alyssa says he’s so thoughtful and so creative and this is such a great modern coat.
Bottom
Jai- Alyssa loves the back of the coat but doesn’t love the front. She says there are too many things competing against one another. Isaac thinks the top is fabulous but Debra says it’s too much and needs simplifying.
Samantha- Karen doesn’t feel the London influence in her look. Debra likes the top but doesn’t like the bottom. Isaac says it was a poor fabric choice that looks more like a robe than a coat.
Benjamin- Debra says the skirt at the bottom of the coat is very junior and not an inspired design. Karen hates the pockets and Isaac accuses him of being blah and drab.
Fabio wins his second challenge of the competition and the Duchess of York will wear his coat. It seems like Fabio is really hitting his stride and becoming a front runner.
It’s Benjamin and Samantha in the bottom two and Benjamin is sent home. I can’t say I’ll miss his smug face. I also appreciate the irony that it was the London challenge that sent him home. Cheerio, Ben.
(Image courtesy of Lifetime)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
