It’s been a few weeks since the last Project Runway: All Stars. But there are eight designers left and it’s time to get our fashion fix!
Want to Get Away?
While the designers are at a cafe celebrating Michelle’s 36th birthday, they see Alyssa Milano on the cover of USA Today. It leads them to a rooftop pool where Alyssa and a representative from USA Today Travel is there to tell them about their next challenge.
The challenge is for the designers to create an elegant resort wear look suitable for a glamorous getaway. USA Today will publish a photo story with the winning designer and their look as well as send them on a customized vacation to the Caribbean. They also have to design a swimsuit to go under the resort wear.
Alyssa also tells them that they will be re-assigned new models so they don’t get too comfortable. Everyone is disappointed with this because after using the same models for so long, they become more like muses to them.
Their disappointment disappears quite quickly. Because next the designers get to choose the Lycra they want to use from the bottom of the pool. Only the lucky ducks don’t have to fish it out of the pool themselves; there are hot pool boys to do it for them.
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Vacation All I Ever Wanted
Michelle picks the most graphic print to work with for her swimsuit. It’s black and yellow zig zags. Because she’s made swimsuits before, she knows she needs to get plenty of foldable elastic to make her life easier, but she notices none of the other designers are getting it. She’s making a matte-beaded dress to go over a super low plunged suit.
Dmitry originally picks out the same black and yellow fabric, but he changes his mind when he sees Michelle is using it. He opts to use a dark camouflage instead. He’s making a Grecian column dress but he picks out a horrible shiny green fabric at Mood. He tries to ask Michelle for some of her elastic, but she isn’t sharing. And if things aren’t going bad enough for Dmitry, his new model is way taller than his last model and the dress he made doesn’t look good on her. He decides to make a new look at the end of the day.
Helen is a little scared about making a swimsuit. She’s making a lace jumpsuit to go over it though that scares Zanna a bit. She tells her to make sure it looks young.
Sam chose a really offensive bright fabric for her swimsuit. Honestly the swimsuit fabrics they had to choose from weren’t all that great to begin with. She’s planning on making a super high cut suit as an homage to Baywatch with a teal jumpsuit. She makes a mistake sewing the jumpsuit at the end of the day and has to undo a lot of work the next day.
Jay is making a look for a rock and roll lady on a trip to Ibiza. He wants to make it flowy and luxurious. He makes the ill-advised decision of dying his swimsuit the day before the runway so that makes him nervous considering he has no idea how long something like that normally takes.
On the last runway, the judges told Justin his look seemed too commercial. So this time he really wants to make something that looks custom made. He picks a terribly printed lycra as well but when he can’t get it to look expensive, he decides to use the backside of it, which is black. He thinks it will work because with the cut-outs and straps, the suit should be graphic enough.
Sonjia doesn’t sketch for this challenge, she just lets inspiration come to her. She wants to make a high-waisted suit with a lace and denim jumpsuit to go over it. Zanna is worried about the old fabrics and making it look young and fresh.
Joining Alyssa, Georgina and Isaac this week is noted fashion photographer (and former America’s Next Top Model judge) Nigel Barker.
Top
Dmitry- Alyssa loved his combination of camouflage and silk for his look. Isaac thought it was the perfect way to use asymmetry, even though he isn’t crazy about silk charmeuse. Nigel thinks the swimsuit would look great on a magazine cover.
Justin- Georgina loves that Justin’s look is both cohesive and classy. She says she wants to be that woman. Isaac says his model looks like a Grecian goddess but also fresh and modern. Nigel things the back of the suit is close to perfect.
Sonjia- Georgina likes the placement of the lace and Isaac thinks the pants are dynamite. Isaac wasn’t crazy about the denim trimming, although everyone agrees that the cut and design of the swimsuit are amazing.
Bottom
Jay- Georgina loved the flow of his resort dress but Isaac says it has too many pleats and heavy detail around the neck. Nigel says the cut of the swimsuit is off and Alyssa says the print looks like something she’d dress her toddler boy in.
Sam- The judges like the jumpsuit, especially the color, but the swimsuit is just too Flashdance. Alyssa says it’s giving her Who’s The Boss flashbacks and it’s borderline inappropriate.
Michelle- This time the judges agree that Michelle’s swimsuit is the best made suit on the runway. Georgina says it clings to her body nicely and is very creative. They all don’t care for the dress over the suit though. Isaac says the pleats are bad and Georgina says it’s plain unflattering.
Justin is the winner of the challenge and he’s glad to have the exposure in USA Today. He’s also glad to have multiple wins under his belt now.
It’s Jay and Sam in the bottom two. Sam is sent home, which I think isn’t just the right decision for this challenge, but for the competition. I like Samantha, but I don’t think she’s as talented as the rest of the designers left.
Next time: It’s the avant-garde challenge! And Helen goes into a shark tank… literally!
(Image courtesy of Lifetime)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
