Project Runway All Stars 3/22/12--"Finale Part 2" summary

Previously on Project Runway: Why is this finale two hours? We dragged it out for a long time, make five garments, twist sixth garment with scraps, eliminated contestant helpers, etc. Let’s do this. (click for more)

It’s the morning of the final challenge/runway show. Austin has a very shiny shirt on in confessional. Actually, in the hotel everyone is wearing dark colors and looks normal. Mondo says he deserves to win (even though he also says Michael deserves to be here). Oh, I lied, Austin is wearing shiny black. Couldn’t get away with regular blah clothes, he wouldn’t be right.

They get to Gotham Hall in the pouring rain. It’s very pretty inside, and they’ve set up a runway just like in the regular show. Mondo says a bunch of stuff about visualizing. Everyone immediately starts working, especially Austin, who is still sewing. As in, there is a sewing machine set up and he’s cursing every other word. Michael seems to have more done, but he always finishes early. Except for one top which for some reason is tight on one arm and loose on the other. How exactly does that happen?

Famous people arrive on a red carpet. Hot makeup guy. OH! Michael shows up and says “Hey Scott” and then describes his makeup look. Is the real name of hot makeup guy “Scott”?? I am distracted. Joanna shows up and asks Austin why there are staples in the dress. Oh, just pins. Still not OK, but it sounds like he’s sending the dress out with pins in it. Michael has to redo a dress because he never got a full fitting and it needs to be taken in six inches. Shouldn’t have bragged about how you were all done. Joanna actually brushes Mondo down with a lint brush so he doesn’t go out with lint. Oo, Nina is here!

Guest judges today are Tommy Hilfiger and Ken Downing, who is the fashion director of Neiman Marcus. Aww, how cute that we’re pretending you didn’t pick the winner already. Austin comes out looking sparkly. He describes his collection: “It’s called ‘Austin Scarlett‘, and it’s the story of a vampire from the 18th century who has lived many hundreds of years, and who now lives in Williamsburg and occasionally borrows clothes from her Hasidic dandy friends.” Wow. The first look is those crazy pink cropped pants, with the super wide hips. It’s like she has vertical loops of fabric all along the outside of her legs. This is paired with a black cropped jacket that is shiny, and a matching pink top. Second girl has a black dress, short, with a big fabric rose or loop or something hanging off the side. It’s cute. Shiny black pencil skirt and a pink v-neck top with ties at the shoulder. On the back of the skirt, at the hem (so…at the back of her knee) is a pink puffy bunny tail thing. Long mermaid gown with a peplum, in a red and black floral print. Actually I think it’s dark pink and black. Lots of ruffles along the neckline and hem and all around. It’s very Austin. Sleek black pleather leggings and halter top. Wedding dress with a ton of tulle. Over the tulle skirt are white fabric petals, a black belt, and black opera gloves.

Mondo talks about looking for inspiration and therapy. Short silver skirt and a cropped blouse in black with silver polka dots. Another short dress with polka dots, and patch pockets on the front. Black leggings and a sleeveless top in a silver print. The top of the bodice, above her boobs, is an animal print. Wide-legged pants in…purple? A really dark shiny purple? Big pocket flaps at her waist, a shirt with an inkblot test on it, and a jacket in black and white checks. The sleeves are ¾ length sleeves and one cuff is red. I don’t know. Knee-length tight dress with an inkblot on the front panel and another red cuff. The back is open. A long dress in a red and silver print, with a slit up the side and what looks like a black underskirt. The front is a deep V. It’s not as colorful as I would have expected from Mondo, although there is a lot of print.

Michael has a safari. Beige pantsuit that is loosely fitted. Is it a print? It’s weird. A baggy sleeveless jumpsuit is not terribly exciting. Short dress in a black and white print. Short black dress with long sleeves and I think a lot of volume in her hips. Shorts and a top with kimono wide sleeves, in a “safari” print. Like, I can’t tell what the print is supposed to be, aside from the fact that it’s supposed to feel “ethnic”. Another pantsuit (actually a tank top and palazzo pants) in black and white. Long draped white dress with a deep V and strappy back. He claims this is his “signature”. It was nice, but also not terribly exciting. None of these really were, but they had under a week, after all.

The judges are apparently going to critique each designer separately. So now there is just Austin and all his models on the runway. They praise him and tell him it’s great he did so much in such a short time. Isaac says he doesn’t view it as a collection but a “best of” collection. The jumpsuit is kind of rock star but the wedding dress is not. The short black dress is lacquered lace and the judges like it. It’s glamorous. Austin is glad he brought a youthfulness to couture.

Mondo is next. This is the most cohesive collection of the three, says Isaac. The one with the pockets has too much going on, but the red dress starts an argument. Angela doesn’t like the lame, but Isaac does. He did a great job mixing prints, as usual.

Michael time. They think the clothes are well made and ready to sell in stores. Sadly, that means it’s a little too commercial, and some of that is the print. The white dress has a weird black vest thing. Isaac warns him about having cheap clothes.

Austin thinks epic thoughts. He is an idea machine. However his collection seemed like it was pulled from a bunch of other collections. They’re feminine clothes, and he could pull off his own boutique. Mondo had dots in every look. He mixes fabrics like no one else. Tommy says “60’s meets 80’s”. He sometimes makes huge pockets, and Angela for some reason says she saw more of him in the previous challenges and he didn’t quite fulfill his promise. Or something. Tommy thinks he needs focus and a new stylist. Michael’s collection was more commercial but very cohesive. And it was all jersey. Isaac doesn’t think it was sophisticated enough. The judges discuss where your ideas should come from, and Angela actually wonders aloud if they should factor in the past challenges in this season. Michael was too commercial, but if you are looking at a section of a store, it needs to be cohesive. Is that worth a win? Or should you reward ideas? In which case, what if the ideas are not sellable? I love that they’re discussing what to base this on.

Angela reminds us of some of the crazy challenges this season, then reminds them of the prize. The losers also get a vacation out of it, to Paris. Now we have to waste time talking about this trip, even though it was unimportant enough that they waited until the last 10 minutes of the show to talk about it. Michael is out. Angela hands him his tickets to Paris and he leaves. He says he is going to be more creative and that he’d do it again. Yeah. And the winner is…Mondo. See, so many people hated that Gretchen beat him on his season. Sigh. Not that he didn’t do a good job. The judges praise him some more and Isaac tells him to have fun and enjoy himself. Why couldn’t he have just won his season? Why did we have to have a whole other season where you decided he should win when you cast him and then you passed him through with things like that horrible sack dress with the stripes? Anyway, congratulations and if you want, you can go to Neiman Marcus and buy stuff. Thanks for sticking it out with me! I’ll be back in about a month to write about food.