Project Runway All Stars 5/5/16--"New York State of Mind" summary

Previously on “Project Runway All Stars”: the designers were asked to create their own fabrics, with a “print on print” design, and then choose more prints to make something hopefully not crazy. Ken doesn't do prints and freaked out for most of the episode. Dom won, because she has always mixed prints really well. Kini also did fine. Then Alyssa pretended they haven't had two non-elimination episodes this season and made Sam and Ken have one of their stupid one-hour “take these old outfits and make something new” challenges. Ken made a terrible print, it's true, but Sam made another jumpsuit and used that same mesh that he's been using. If you judge just on this episode Ken should have gone home, but if you look at the whole season Sam should have gone home several times over so when the judges decided his lumpy jacket he made in an hour was crap, I'm not sorry he was eliminated. It was long overdue. (click for more)

Ken, Dom, and Kini go to One World Trade Center, to the observation deck. It looks cool up there. Alyssa greets them in a dress that looks like it's got fake nails pasted to the bodice. She says this view is the starting point for their final challenge. Create a collection that “draws on your experiences of New York City”. You will have 4 days to make the collections, and $3000. The models come out and there's some boys in there. Also there are a lot of them. 8 looks each. Bleh. So you want them to spend like, 6 hours per outfit. It's going to be a cluster and that is all your fault, producers. Also one look will be menswear.

Now we waste time on casting, which we haven't done in a long time. Oh, sorry, we aren't really wasting time on casting, just watch all the models walk in a circle and then declare casting finished. Kini is sketching a “Park Avenue Princess” but with some uptown/downtown thing happening. Ken is including a tuxedo stripe in a lot of things. Dom is of course planning a print to represent the chaos of New York. They get an hour in Mood, where Kini buys a purple and pink plaid (brocade I think), Ken buys yellow as an accent to his black and white, and Dom runs everywhere to buy out the store, and also paint.

Day 1. Everyone is super excited about being in the final three. Ken especially points out that he was about to walk home at one point in the season. Dom starts painting. Multiple prints. I hope they turn out. But she's trying a plaid and she's got the fabric hanging up, so it's dripping. But maybe she wants that. Everyone is really productive but also already exhausted. All of a sudden there is a huge crash, and Dom goes out to find that a dress form has fallen over and knocked down her painted fabric. Like the dress form is on top of the fabric. All three designers were in the lounge so how exactly did that happen? Suspicious. They show her picking it up but nothing is said about if the fabric is ruined.

Day 2. Dom wants to make sure she works on multiple things at once, so the whole collection evolves together. Ken is working on his yellow look, the one impact look. Kini really wants it and he's getting emotional about it in confessional. As Ken makes his yellow dress he decides it's not really designed and maybe he'll scrap it.

Zanna Time! Dom was inspired by all the movement and chaos of New York. The painted fabric has a lot of brush strokes, in mostly blues and blacks, and it does look nice. Zanna warns her against making things too shapeless, and she needs to put her stamp on everything. Kini is starting with black and white and leading to a colorful finish. He's got some reversible pieces. He also has denim and brocade for his menswear look and he maybe should pull back some. Ken is focusing on tailoring for an architectural collection. He shows Zanna a coat with a tall collar and maybe a shawl lapel. Also he's got a bunch of pants which is nice. Zanna practically begs him to use the yellow he's got. Then Zanna says this is a lot of work so she's going to call some people to help them. You know it's going to be eliminated designers so whatever.

Dom is pushing her outfits more than she had planned. Her print is swirly and I like it. Asha, Alexander, and Layana show up to help out. Ken puts Layana on cutting pants, Dom makes Alexander drape her shirtdress, and Kini puts Asha on pants too. Everyone is happy with their helpers, right now.

Day 3. Ken is going back to the yellow, I think. Kini is stressed. He is not used to feeling like he won't finish, since usually he's blazing through all the sewing. Dom has Alexander to do menswear because it needs to be done. Model fitting. Kini puts blue plaid pants on his male model. Ken's yellow dress is on an African-American model so it really pops. He has a lot of tailoring to do. Kini yells one hour left and everyone freaks out. The helpers leave and Dom has a ton of work still.

Day 4. Kini cuts an oversized plaid coat for his last look. Layana made some pants with almost no seam allowance, but Ken worries that he can't remake them, so he tears them and adds extra fabric down the sides. Then he gets a phone call home to his best friend. Kini talks to his business partner, and Dom talks to her fiance. That was so nice to distract them on the final day. The day ends and there isn't a lot of talk about people making entire looks tomorrow so that's good. The final three go back to the hotel and head up to the roof for champagne and snacks. They talk about how All-Stars is different from the regular show (duh) and toast each other.

Runway Day. Everyone has a lot of details and trim to deal with. Hot makeup guy Scott. They talk about hair and makeup, but we didn't have to sit through consults this year. So that was nice. Everyone gets done, looks like.

The runway show has little cafe tables and whatever set up so past stars can be here. Fabio! You know I love Fabio. Also Dmitry, and Chris March. Guest judges are Debra Messing (“Project Runway Fan”) and Anne Fulenwider (Editor-In-Chief of Marie Claire). Sure. Also Alyssa's mermaid gown is too tight and it looks like she can't walk.

Dom explains her sensory overload in New York. Her collection has a lot of unusual silhouettes, big dresses, asymmetrical cuts, wide sleeves. Very slim pants in the swirly print with ribbons down the front. The plaid print is very striking, and she used it in the shirt of her menswear look, but also with a ribbon trim (the one from the slim pants) and then black. But the black has a diagonal seam so it looks like the shirt is asymmetrical. There is also an asymmetrical skirt like she's done before, with the one side knee-length and the other to the floor. A top with tight long sleeves, but a swath of fabric wrapped around her arm horizontally. There's a kimono with a floral print over a pinstriped jumpsuit, in black and white, with a red striped ribbon down the tight pants. It's very Fashion. The final look is a crop top in the swirly print and a long skirt with a train in the plaid.

Ken's collection is about architecture. The first look has super wide-legged pants but the model still has a thigh gap somehow. The menswear is a sleeveless vest with a deep V and some tight pants. The looks are fine but nothing is that earth-shattering. You know? Like, a tight black leather dress that hits below the knee is not groundbreaking. Or a little black dress with a deep V and sleeves. There is one great cream wool coat, with the lapels popped, and tight leggings, that is cut really well though. But then his fourth look, the top is so weird and makes the model look like she has shelf boob. He made one yellow top and the yellow dress. But the dress looks great. The bodice looks backwards, where the collar stands up and then the back is open.

Kini talks about gridlines, so I guess that's where all the plaid comes from. He starts with a leather jacket and long skirt in pinstripes, which isn't that interesting. He's done some of that “sheath dress with giant ruffles” that he does. There's also a look with pants, a button-down shirt, and a cropped pink plaid vest. Very “Clueless”. Lots of blue plaid, and also a pink and purple plaid. The final look is a red tight dress with a giant purple coat. Puffy sleeves and big lapels and everything. I kind of want the coat to be floor length though. All the plaids are shiny.

Dom gets critique first, and alone. Her collection is energetic, but Georgina didn't really like the handpainted plaid. The last look isn't anyone's favorite, but they love the first shapeless dress and one of her skirts. Wait, Alyssa loved the last look, though, and at least Isaac liked the top. They really responded well to her inspiration, and while no one thought it was perfect they each have something they love.

Ken is next. Isaac loves the final yellow dress, and the wide pants, and the idea of the cream wool coat. And he points out the weird shelf-boob top. Ken is the most commercial, which is true. Dom was Fashion but not everyone wants to buy Fashion. Georgina likes the same things but the girl in the black leather dress is just not new. They all love the cream coat. Also Isaac does love the stand-up collar. It's commercial but not “wow”.

Kini had fantastic construction. Alyssa says it makes her happy. Isaac loves the cocktail dresses, the ones with ruffles and capes hanging off the back. But he wishes some of them were longer. Debra loves his menswear. His clothes are joyful. I think that when he made his weird voluminous outfits he went so out there that the judges loved the drama and smiled at his looks.

Dom took risks, which means she made some mistakes. But the judges appreciate the risk. They also appreciate her loose silhouettes. She also had the most interesting interpretation of the challenge. Isaac declares her an artist. Ken's collection was tight. But the problem is that many women already have this wardrobe? They love the cream wool coat. Kini's collection made them smile, and he does have a strong point of view. But Debra points out that the same woman wouldn't wear his boring black and white looks, and he should have just gone for plaids everywhere.

The second runner up is Ken. He feels he's redeemed himself. And the winner is...Dom! OMG I actually agree. She was the most creative. Kini is glad to have been there. Dom makes them think which is really exciting. She's so happy.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for...recaps of something. I don't know what right now but over the summer I'll probably find a show to talk about.