Project Runway All Stars 1/4/18--"Rookies vs. Vets" summary

Previously on "Project Runway All Stars": um...you know what? I don't remember. Dom won? That's basically all I got. (click for more):


Everyone is at MetLife Stadium. Oh, here is Amanda. Sigh. She's already been on two seasons! Isn't she a vet? Char is also here, and she is NOT an All-Star. She should never had made the finale that season. Kimberly from season 9 and Stanley from season 11. I don't really remember these two. Candice from 14. OK she seems familiar. Edmond from the same season. Merline. OK I remember Merline. The only people I remember are the ones that I found annoying. And I should remember everyone, right? This is All-Stars. Also there's a lot of season 14, which is the season Ashley won with her plus-size collection. Plus I just looked it up and at the time, Tim whined that the season was full of slackers and that he hated that season. So why are there four people from that season here? Kelly was the runner up that season and I think she should have won so there's someone I recognize. 

Alyssa Milano is wearing a very weird dress with strings hanging off it randomly. I don't know. She points out that clearly there are only eight of them, so something's up. Oh here are the other eight, which are people who have been on All-Stars before. I feel less annoyed about this gimmick than things like labeling Char an All-Star. Anyway the "vets" are Anthony, Josh (fucking hell), Casanova, Ari, Melissa (who?), Fabio (my favorite), Helen, and Ken. I do not want another season of Josh. Kelly thinks Ken was close to winning. Helen doesn't want to make friends. Josh says something. Shut up Josh. Alyssa points out there are no winners this season, so that's good. The mentor is Anne Fulenwider, who has judged in the past. Ken points out in the last All-Stars she read him for filth. Hee. Isaac and Georgina are also back.

So this is the "Super Bowl of Fashion", which is untrue. Anyway, teams, so rookies vs. veterans, obviously. Alyssa promises no more teams after this week, which I am sure is also untrue. They will need to make either a spring or fall collection. One day, and $1000 per team, but an extra $500 and the choice of the spring or fall if you win the "Quick Stitch" relay race. Sigh.

So there are eight stations set up on this fake-ass field outside the stadium. Fabric, measuring, tracing, cutting, pinning, sewing, buttons, dressing. I guess each person is at one station and you have to get your garment through all eight stations the fastest. I wonder how they picked who went where? There's just a lot of running around and shitty work. I think the rookies are winning? Not by a lot. They seem to just be making a basic top with giant buttons on it. Edmond is supposed to put the belt and shoes and makeup on his model, but he forgets the belt. Which is around his neck. Which he then also forgets and they run all the way back to the station. Meanwhile, Josh is giving his model a piggy-back ride to the finish line, which is actually not a terrible idea, but still, shut up Josh. So the veterans win, and they want to do the spring collection. 

Sketching. The veterans have a destination in mind and seem to be on a good track. This destination is Art Basel in Miami, which is an art fair, I guess. I'm not sure what the rookies are doing. I think maybe "modern 70's". Mood is Mood. Ken notices people are buying stuff the team did not talk about, but he keeps his mouth shut. 

The workroom looks nice but crowded. The benches are much smaller than normal, square instead of rectangular. Also the accessory wall this season is Intermix. I've never heard of them. They seem to be owned by the Gap. I'm not sure where they are, but it's all concrete and metal so it's going to be loud. The teams divvy up fabric and talk about colors. Fabio says Josh is using a fuchsia and is the only one, so it might not go. Josh hates all the blue which is the only other color. He says he'll just make two garments in 11 hours and the team can pick one. Fabio is like, do YOU want to make two garments? Ken says in confessional that his whole team is divas. Yeah pretty much. Josh never answers anyone that we can see.

Edmond talks about having his fashion house and big-name clients. The more he talks the more familiar he seems. Helen bitches about compromising for the sake of the team. Ari says she's ready to launch her new line. Interestingly it sounds like the line was Andy South, and she might keep that as the men's line and then Ari South would be the women's line? Casanova talks about being sexual and being inclined to do swimsuits and underwear. 

Anne Time. She says she is not here to be their friend. Good. First thing she goes to Ken and admits she nailed him during his finale. She tells him a power suit is not really appropriate for their location. Casanova's pants get a concerned sound. He may not have time to get everything done. Sadly she likes Josh's. I don't think she likes the blues, really, and of course she hates Helen's colors that Helen also hates. Kimberly has fun pants? Detachable pants? Char has ridiculous bell sleeves but I think she's keeping it. Candice does not have black and red (like she used to always do) which is nice. Merline is too dowdy and frumpy. Kelly is kicking ass, although maybe it's too 70's. Edmond is too traditional somehow. Anne tells everyone the're playing it too safe.

Everyone has team meetings and no one seems to have fights. Anthony says he has a new company called DPD: Dead People's Dresses. What. He makes dresses for dead people? I don't know, and he can barely keep a straight face so I can't tell if he's serious. Then he tells Kelly she's a little hood but there's nothing wrong with a little hood. Hee. Model Fitting. Oh, look, all skinny tall models. I see you, Project Runway. I mean, whatever, it's "fashion", but after all that shit last season you'd think they'd make an effort to pretend to care about size inclusivity. Edmond makes a stronger shoulder. Still plenty of running around. 

Runway Day. Ken's tried to incorporate part of Helen's look into his look but that has failed. Merline is back to talking to herself. Anthony thinks the rookies are in trouble. Umberto hair and Rodial makeup. AND HOT MAKEUP GUY SCOTT! I miss you, hot makeup guy Scott. Please come back to the regular show. Anthony praises Ari, talking about how good she is, and then says he wants her out of the competition. Heh. They let Josh keep his fuchsia. 

So, they are at "Skylight"? And the runway has a loop at the end? I have no idea. Anyway, guest judge is Michael Costello. Really? That's...unexpected. Rookies up first. Stanley: jacket and long full skirt in white. The jacket has fat lapels and cuffs, and kind of a safari feel. There's a wide belt in beige, and a fedora and wedge sandals. It looks like a 1900's version of "outdoor" clothing for women. You know? Amanda: long sleeved top with a plunging V, and high waisted maroon pants. The top is in white with beige panels along the sides of the torso and parts of the sleeves. The sleeves are tight to the elbow and then loose, and then gathered at the wrist. The pants look pretty good. Char: dress in maroon, with a deep V, long bell sleeves, and a mullet hem. The front ends mid-thigh but the back is maybe to her knees. Over one shoulder is a cape of the same fabric that hangs to her wrist. It fits and moves well, to be fair. I'm not sure why it's with canary yellow pumps, though. Merline: dress with a mullet hem, but longer this time (knee/mid calf). The top is fitted with a high crew neck. and then the sleeves are tacked on weirdly. It's like if she made a sleeveless dress and then laid fabric along the outside of her arm, with two straps to hold the fabric onto her arm, and then a bulky shoulder treatment. 

Kimberly: button down top with short puffy sleeves and a tall collar. You know those kind that are wide but stand up also. Then some shorts, and then under the shorts, wide legged yellow pants. I thought it might be just a long top, but no, I'm pretty sure those are shorts. When they show a closeup, then you can see it's not shorts and pants but there's a zipper, so they're convertible pants with detachable legs. Kelly: jumpsuit in a brown, orange, and white print that looks like ribbons. The V comes all the way down to the waist, and there are side cutouts and one long sleeve. It does fit really well, but it's super 70's and not modern. But to be fair, I think this is how Kelly designs if I remember right. Candice: the top is dark brown, an off the shoulder tube top with one strap from the side of her arm, wrapping around her neck. Then the "skirt" is basically pieces of fabric each attached at one corner to a high belt. So there's the tube top, which is like a bandeau and is not long, then a high belt, then a bunch of skin , then I guess the fabric pieces are sewn together to make a full skirt. The volume and movement are great but above her hips it's weird. Edmond: floor length gown in olive green, with a deep V and stiff shoulders, like there are shoulder pads. Down one side is a squiggley dark brown line design. And a train. The collection goes together pretty well. 

Veterans. Ari: the top is a white yoke piece with cutouts, that I think is leather. It covers the top of her chest and her whole back, and then attached to this is several layers of chiffon in shades of blue. Mullet hem (knee/floor) and under this are dark blue capri leggings. It moves beautifully. Ken: slim pants in a light blue with dark blue side panels and waistband, and then a short sleeved jacket that has one closure at the bottom. There is no shirt underneath and the jacket is cropped so there's plenty of skin. Most of the jacket is the lighter blue and there's dark blue at the sides. It doesn't look great fit wise. Casanova: a sleeveless vest with a zipper, in white, open to under her breasts. The pants are teal but are basically just draped around her legs, so as she walks, they fan out behind her and her whole legs are exposed. The back of the vest has the same leaf cutouts Ari had. Josh: fuchsia jumpsuit with wide gold straps. The top looks like two pieces of fabric draped from each strap, attached in one place below her boobs, and then a giant ruffle to drape down to her knees almost. The pants are like Casanova's, except the opening is at the side, and they're capris. 

Melissa: white pencil skirt and top with cap sleeves and a front panel with cutouts. That's about it. Helen: long pencil skirt and crop top, light blue in the center and dark blue at the sides. There's a ruffle at the top and thin straps. It's not that great but it fits mostly OK. Fabio: long top with cap sleeves. It looks like a regular vest with two panels at the sides that hang down almost to her knees, all in dark blue, then long teal fringe along the sides and back, over light blue. Then knee length wide shorts. I think they're shorts. Anthony: long teal gown, tight, with a V neck and no sleeves. There is long fringe attached all along the neckline, draping over the whole top. Josh's outfit kind of sticks out from the group, but otherwise they're all blue and white so it's fairly cohesive.

I hate the first runway of the season because it always takes so long. The rookies win! Heh. Alyssa calls Char, Merline, and Edmond as the top three. And she tells Ari she had the highest score from the other collection. Ken, Casanova, and Helen are the bottom. Edmond explains the 70's inspiration for the rookies. Isaac thinks the dress has drama but not bling which is great. Georgina likes the idea of the shoulders but this is maybe too much. Michael doesn't like the fit. Yeah, sure. Char wanted to edit, and they like the cape of course. Isaac doesn't like mullet hems, which is possibly the smartest thing he's ever said. It moves really well. Merline likes lines and shapes. Sure. Her arm is sexy because of the skin? But the seaming has some problems. It's strong but also feminine. 

Ken explains the Art Basel thing. The jacket needs to be longer and the thick waistband looks like maternity pants. The power suit has been done to death so Ken needs to make it fresh. Casanova talks about day to night. The top is leather, and together with the chiffon pants doesn't quite work. They've been styled together, but Isaac has seen it. Michael tries to be clever but whatever. Helen immediately starts talking about not compromising. Alyssa loves it, but Isaac and Georgina hate it because it's dated and boring.

Back in the Stew Room, Helen says she's not going to compromise any more or whatever, and someone asks her if she's blaming the group, then. She gets defensive (surprise) and says no, who is she going to blame? Well, if you're saying you compromised to satisfy the group, and now you're in the bottom because of the compromise, then duh. A child could follow that logic. Isaac's favorite was Char, but her sleeve was really baggy. Michael knows she maybe didn't start with that design. Edmond tortured his dress a little bit, but it's an interesting idea. Michael brags about how fast he does things, because he's clearly going to use this screen time as much as possible. Isaac, because he does not live in reality apparently, says that if Char had a happy mistake with the cape, then Merline did not because she set out to do something new and she did. I know I just praised him but come on. She did exactly what Char did, which is to revamp her look after Anne told her it was terrible. Georgina continues to hate on the top looks' construction. Time for the bottom. They agree Helen made a good dress so she's safe. Ken's look had too much skin, but at least you could see where it was going. Casanova had better construction but it's a weird combination. Isaac wonders if they maybe compromised too much, but Georgina is not having it. They've been on this show before so they should know better.

Edmond is in. Merline is the winner. She's very excited. Char is in. Helen is in. Casanova is out. Huh. Ken is in. Casanova is glad they invited them back. He goes back to the Scrap Bin and tries to trick everyone that he got another chance. His mind wasn't really into the challenge.

This season: destruction, cartoons (sigh), The Smithsonian, some guest judges I've actually heard of, Nina, RuPaul, Helen has drama of course, Isaac tries to rhyme.