Project Runway All Stars 4/28/16--"Prince of Prints" summary

Previously on “Project Runway All Stars”: the usual “avant-garde” challenge asked the designers to be inspired by artwork. As usual no one was really avant-garde but I'm no longer surprised by it. Sam decided to make his dress about gay marriage, and it was horrible. But unlike how it usually goes, when someone doesn't follow directions and tries to make a dress out of their lives for pity points, Sam was not eliminated. Because of course. Ken sort of called him out, but not that well because he was trying to take the tack of “I just don't think you're working to your potential”. Ken himself won by making a dramatic dress with a huge collar that acted like blinders. Emily was sent home for making something boring. Also for not having as much drama as Sam, I'm pretty sure. (click for more)

Also this is an extended episode for some reason. GREAT. Alyssa comes out on the runway in a dress with LED lights on the bodice. So it can scroll words. You will not have to make a dress that lights up though. We're one challenge away from the title, and we're pretending there is no chance the judges won't let all four of them go through to the finale. But we all know that's a pretty good chance. Anyway, here is Nina! Nina, you will notice, is in a fierce black jumpsuit and not a gimmicky dress. Sam has never dealt with Nina so this should be good. Nina talks about tech and Otterbox. Otterbox are the people who make those giant rubber phone cases. Apparently they work with designers so the cases look nice. They will design their own prints, and then do “print on print”. Ken says it's a setup. Dom is super excited. Also you can buy a print at Mood, so that's print on print that you're designing, and then another print you buy. You must design with Otterbox in mind because the winner will get their print produced as a phone case to be sold. Interesting.

Ken doesn't like to work with prints, so he's glad to almost be to the finale but not excited about this challenge. He says the only “prints” he likes to work with is “the one who's going to party like it's 1999.” Aww, now I'm sad. Ken thinks Dom will win, but Kini is also feeling confident. He's making leaves and “deconstructed art” which looks like a kaleidoscope. Dom gives Ken some advice but eventually says she's going to stop helping him. Dom of course has a loud geometric print. I think Ken is going for textures so his print is more like static. Sam draws flowers and then pixelates them because that's “edgy”. They all go to Mood to sketch for some reason. Why don't they sketch in the workroom? The designs look fine, I mean...they're designs. I think Sam bought more of that mesh. Everyone has samples of their print design so they can find things. Dom is going to paint a leather jacket.

Sam brings up his dumb fight with Ken last episode and acts like his choice to not engage is super noble and great. I mean it was fairly mature but then he's like “the best thing is to do my work” when he's spent 90% of his time shittalking everyone else. Ken comes in to where Sam is taking a break and is all “Hi, let's talk about last night”. SIGH. He doesn't want any unnecessary tension. OK well you could have not said anything. Or you could have said the first part and not the “It's bullshit that you're not eliminated but I'm not talking to you so shut up”. Ken's “apology” is that he speaks his mind or whatever, which is only something asshats say to excuse their breaking the social contract by being jerks. “I'm just being honest!” means “I will say whatever I feel like without thinking about how it affects others and I don't care if you're upset!” Ken claims he didn't mean to hurt Sam's feelings (HA) and then Sam is all, well it hurt but now I'm pushing myself and I'm glad you got this off your chest because I think we should be friends. Jesus Christ this is worse that the stupid fight. Then they hug. How does Sam feel better after knowing Ken thinks he's a liar and a fake? Then Sam rolls into the workroom and thinks everyone loves him now. He jokes about Kini, who is not amused. Yeah now you're all fake friends with Ken but not with anyone else.

Ken tells Dom he is not excited to see Nina because it's like your auntie is coming to visit and you have to clean up the house and stuff. Hee. Sam is excited to meet Nina. Because he's better than everyone else. Shut up, Sam. Also I hope Nina destroys you because I enjoy watching her destroy people. Someone suggests Alyssa is going to come in and tell them they have to use each other's prints. Heh. Oh, but then Mondo, Anthony Ryan, Seth Aaron, and Dmitry bust in. WHY. They have the fabric. Actually they're there for advice. Dmitry has good advice for Ken about not being old lady, because Dmitry is the best. Anthony Ryan tells Kini to be sexier. Seth Aaron is paired with Dom and he says she shouldn't care what the judges want, she should make what she wants and be herself. So Sam and Mondo, because Mondo was his mentor on “Under the Gunn”. Mondo thinks Sam's looks have been strong, because everyone is insane. He says the only problem he has is execution, and Sam could win this whole thing. Ugh. None of this advice was super helpful. Dom is painting thin stripes on her leather jacket.

Zanna Time! Kini's print is leaves layered on each other, and he is making a tuxedo bodice with big ruffly sleeves. Sam is making another jumpsuit, and Zanna covers her face and points out how many damn jumpsuits he makes. OK so he's made three, out of 11 episodes, but he's also using the mesh, which he's done three times. And there is maybe one overlap so that's over half the episodes where he's done one of the two main design elements here. Not great. Ken hates prints, and right now he needs to make all his prints work together and master his silhouette. Dom loves prints, so they are expecting her to win. She has a lot of work to do.

Ken is still freaking out, and he doesn't want anyone to know. Model fitting. No one has very much to try on. Ken just has sleeves. Kini just wraps fabric under the jacket because he has no skirt. With an hour left Ken is super frantic. Sam interviews that All-Stars makes Under the Gunn look like preschool. Regular Project Runway makes Under the Gunn look like preschool so whatever. Then he says something about always the bridesmaid, but hasn't he won? Ken says something nice about everyone, which is weird. He spent so long complaining about Sam. Is he being eliminated so we're spending this episode on his redemption?

Runway Day. Sam has cut two pant legs for his jumpsuit and that is all. Dom hasn't put her jacket together. Hot makeup guy Scott. Sam thinks that because he goes through fashion blogs every day he knows what is up. He's never seen what he's doing so therefore it must be super new and awesome.

Alyssa reminds them about the Otterbox phone case. Woo. Dom: the leather coat is a white duster-length coat with full elbow-length sleeves, with thin navy lines painted in diagonal patterns. Underneath that is a dress with a pink and black square print. The V-neck is outlined in a strip of black and white, and one side of the skirt is very long and maybe pleated and the other side is knee-length. Her model never takes off the jacket which is too bad because from what I saw in the workroom her dress has cool straps. I don't like the lopsided skirt but the print itself is fun. Ken: top with a V-neck and bracelet sleeves, and a pencil skirt. The prints are all in black and white. The top is the “static” print so it's just mottled, and the skirt is silver and black with a jagged pattern like lightning. It's nice but it's not very exciting. Kini: long mermaid skirt and a jacket with puffy sleeves. This is also in black and white, with the jacket in the “leaves on leaves” print, a deep V and black lapels. The sleeves are elbow length, with big angular shoulders. The way the print is makes the jacket look kind of spiky. I can't see the skirt print that well but it looks like vertical lines. Sam: jumpsuit in a black and white check, with a boatneck. Over this is the blue pixelated flower print he made, in a jacket with the sleeves and the bottom half made of that white mesh he's used before. I'm pleased to see Nina make her unhappy face because Sam is still talking about how he's so so much better than everyone else.

Alyssa claims only three of them will go to the final. Kini made a red carpet look and so the jacket has tuxedo elements. Georgina loves how the model looks super tall and the skirt is well cut and draped. The two ruffles on the bottom of the skirt are maybe too far, but over all a great job. Isaac does think the purchased print is more exciting than the one Kini designed. Nina knew this was Kini's and maybe he could have not put the pockets on the jacket. Alyssa brings up the phone case to make the sponsor happy. Sam talks about his flower print and then says he picked two prints as his “secondaries”. What two prints? The jumpsuit is a print and that's it. Mesh is not a print. Alyssa reluctantly says the two pieces don't go but somehow it works. Georgina doesn't like the print. Not the one he designed and not the checks the whole jumpsuit is made out of. Nor the mesh waistline. But he has “fresh ideas”. Also he gushes about Nina. Stop kissing up. She likes the flower print but not the jumpsuit. It's too slouchy and it doesn't go. Isaac thinks he was inspired by an iPhone case because his print really looks like a phone case. Instead of the phone case being inspired by him. Then he makes a joke about how maybe Sam is being paid off by the neoprene mesh council. Hee!

Dom's print is geometric squares and circles and lines. Nina loves the way the striped jacket is almost a neutral, and the designed print is happy and fun. But the weird asymmetrical length is distracting. And the pleating is on the wrong side? I'm not positive but I think the wrap part of the dress is covering the pleats? Isaac would like the two pieces apart more than together. They love her print. Ken talks about his print which is not terribly exciting. Georgina likes how he always designs for the same woman and he keeps her in mind, but today it's not polished. She wants a bit more. Isaac calls it “a valiant effort” and that the print is not what he notices. Nina thinks the print he bought is more exciting than the one he designed. Also his look is dated. Alyssa loves what he stands for but this particular look is not exciting enough maybe.

OK extended episode, we have 30 minutes left. Sigh. Back in the Scrap Bin they talk about the judging and no one fights. Kini is exuberant which is fun but he also goes maybe a step or two too far. Like the jacket is great and the sleeves, but the lapels are too shiny. Nina likes that he does that because he takes risks and then everything is tailored too. Alyssa says he gives them something to judge, which is a good way to put it. He's been the strongest all season. Dom's look was fabulous, but the asymmetrical skirt bothers people. Georgina doesn't like the print she designed, but she seems to be the odd one out. Ken designs for a specific woman, who is not the most exciting or fashion forward. He played it safe and everyone is offended as they tend to be. Nina labels it an 80's silhouette in a sad print. Georgina tries to disagree but Isaac talks over her. Sam's print was fresh but Nina still hates the slouchy jersey jumpsuit with the 60's (or whatever) jacket. Isaac is really upset about the mesh. Georgina didn't believe the coat because the jumpsuit was so bad. OK so I didn't hear anything good about Sam except his print? I think I heard more good things about Ken? But apparently the judges are torn between eliminating Sam or Ken. Oh Lord, are they about to have one of their one-hour sewing challenges to decide? I hate that shit.

The winner is Dom! Oh good. Kini is also in. Alyssa then says, “For the first time this season, the judges cannot make a decision.” That is COMPLETE BULLSHIT, ALYSSA, because you had not one but TWO non-elims. That's twice before where you didn't eliminate anyone. So this is actually the THIRD time this season you couldn't do your damn jobs. Ken rolls his eyes because he's as annoyed as I am. Then she's like “we need more time so go backstage and we'll call you.” What? You called them out just for that? Why didn't you just finish deliberating and then call them out out then? This is so dumb.

No one in the Scrap Bin is particularly happy. Ken points out that if they're going to just look at this challenge (which they claim to do but which doesn't happen ever) Sam wins. But if they look at the whole season it's not an easy decision. Sam interviews that he pushed himself this week to do something different, which is hilarious. Girl please.

Alyssa reiterates there are only three spots in the finale. Isaac hates both Ken and Sam's looks for different reasons. Georgina doesn't think either of them had a fair shot tonight, and then Alyssa says they're not ready to make a decision so let's bring them out.

OK now that we have 16 minutes left, because we wasted 5 minutes talking about how we weren't making a decision, NOW there are boxes and work tables around. How are you going to have this fucking extra challenge with no time left? Ugh. Anyway, in each box is one winning and one losing look. You must use them both to make a new look in one hour. I seriously hate this shit. Just pick someone to lose. It's not like you've never picked a loser for some bullshit that everyone knew was bullshit.

Ken finds his winning dress from the Baroque challenge, with the cool sleeves and cape, and Mitchell's losing dress with the mullet hem, and he is super glad. Sam finds the fairy tale challenge, Asha's red peplum and pants and Alexander's super boring gown. Ken basically keeps his dress, because it's his model and the dress already fits her. So he takes all the details off and chops it short. Sam takes the lining and bodice from Alexander's dress and uses that with Asha's to make a new jacket. We really saw all of five minutes if that. Dom and Kini are super bored.

Ken: so he just cut the bottom off his dress and put cap sleeves on it and a collar. The stripes are gone and all the cape. Some of the chiffon from Mitchell's mullet skirt ended up as trim. It looks good and the hem looks good too, at least. Sam: the lining of Alexander's gown is now a shapeless minidress, and over this is a jacket made from Asha's and Alexander's bodices. The jacket is really big in the back for some reason. Oh, sorry, it's a “letterman” jacket which I guess is why he put eye black on his model for no reason. Cut that shit out. Anyway, the back of the jacket is the bodice from the gown which is why it looks weird and lumpy. All of this look is lumpy. Georgina claims to like Sam's look but there are a lot of problems. Ken knows when to stop and say “that's enough”. Isaac likes the idea of the jacket but it's not finished. Also he likes how he used both looks which, are they going to still get rid of Ken? Why didn't you just do that in the first place? Why get his hopes up with this shit? Well, then Isaac loves Ken's too, but maybe it's a little too long. This last minute stupid challenge is for when the person you want to eliminate did too well and someone who is supposed to stay did poorly and you have to give them a second chance to fix it. But Ken did the worst, and now he seems to be getting more of the criticism, so what was all this for? Ken's skirt is too long and it's not effortless, and Sam has shit tailoring.

Alyssa announces everyone is writing down their votes like this is Survivor or some shit. Then she eliminates Sam. FUCKING FINALLY. He's all sad but just go already.

Next week: four days to make eight pieces. And then the show is over yay!