Project Runway All Stars 3/29/18--"History in the Making" summary

Previously on “Project Runway All Stars”: Nina showed up, which was nice, but then there was a dumb crossover with Candy Crush, which was not nice. The challenge was to make resortwear. Ken made a bright yellow jumpsuit with a sarong over the top and won. Edmond got “ski resort” and made a black suit and was sent home.

That's about it, you guys. The only other thing that happened is that Alyssa didn't look ridiculous. (click for more)

So everyone gets a trip to Washington DC. Anthony is wearing his coat over his shoulders like a big shot. Actually with his white shirt with the band collar he looks like he's on the set of Star Wars. The boys meet Alyssa at the Smithsonian. The final four are all black men, you guys. That's cool! Anyway, Alyssa says that their final challenge is to make a six piece collection “designed to make your own mark in American fashion history.” Everyone just stares at her for a second and someone curses. They were expecting just a regular challenge and then the finale. Also they get to go to whatever warehouse Mood uses with $2000. And a whole week! They never get a week! It's always like, three days or some shit. Oh and one more thing (someone curses again), their models are here for casting, up on the roof. Group hugs for everyone.

Sketching and looking at exhibits. They look at the original Star Spangled Banner, which is a weird size because people used to cut pieces off to give as awards and stuff. There's an exhibit on the First Ladies too. Fabio says he's got a strong game plan, inspired by his grandmother. Classic and also modern. Stanley is inspired by Jackie O (shocker) and he's apparently going to try to take bits from each exhibit and merge them together. Ken has found Harriet Tubman's bowtie and handkerchief and he's planning some Victorian elements. He wants to be a little less ready-to-wear. Anthony interviews that his collection is telling a story: “Audrey Hepburn lives long enough to become Rihanna.” Only Anthony. Non-traditional eveningwear.

There are a lot of models on the roof. Casting happens, and there is some minor fighting but no one really gets heated. They take turns. Back in New York at the Mood warehouse, which is absolutely huge. Ken gets some brocade that's much lighter than what he usually works with. Stanley buys neutrals. Fabio of course finds a couple of cool prints because Fabio. Anthony finally gets some cobalt blue neoprene that's faced with velvet? And paint.

Day One. Everyone has a big table and a rack to hang all the finished pieces on. This should be plenty of time for everyone. Fabio plans to test his techniques on muslin and worry about fabrics tomorrow. Anthony teases him about his smocking being “cold-blooded”. Ken made the finale the first time he was on All-Stars and he's glad to make it again. Anthony interviews that he wants to win because who wouldn't want to be the first gay black man to win some part of the Project Runway brand duh! Hee. That's it for day one, basically. Ken has all his patterns draped and ready to be cut out.

Day Two. Alyssa is waiting for them, and no one is happy to see her. Also I think she's back to the wide-legged pants. There will be an “exclusive presentation” before the final runway show, for them to show their “signature look”. This look should represent the theme of the whole collection. The judges will give input and then only three of them will present their collections. So basically you took the set-up of the regular show and made sure there was an elimination. Why though? I don't like that set-up, because it's just an excuse to let the judges order people around and then punish them when they don't listen. Also now everyone has one day to make their signature look, because it's tomorrow. To make the look they probably were going to spend the most time on and work on last. Stupid.

Everyone freaks out, obviously. Fabio knows he has to do that smocking, which is going to take forever. Ken I think lucked out because his patterns are done, but he's got to do tailoring. Anthony is going with a gown, even though his collection is going to have more than gowns. But he wants to put his best foot forward. Stanley has a leather collar on his gown.

Anne shows up. Whatever. Stanley has a gown and gloves but Anne doesn't like the gloves. It's just a long dress with a full skirt right now. Fabio made a short skirt with a smocked waist and a crop top in a print that's brightly colored birds on branches. Anne says she wants to see the rest of this collection. Anthony has constructed a sheath dress with a boatneck? It needs to be more fashion forward, because his collection description is so specific, and this dress has no Rihanna in it. Ken appears to have made a gold bustier with puffy sleeves and pants but also a train? He has a specific question about the construction of the train (should it meet in the front or something) and Anne just tells him he should make sure it stands out. Thanks for the help, Anne.

Anthony changes the back of his dress so it's backless but he also might be draping a bunch of stuff. I'm not sure. Ken is struggling with his train, because it's gold brocade and it looks like a costume. Model fittings. Fabio is pulling in his top so it's not a loose crop top but has a shape. The skirt has vertical dark stripes, but then from just under her butt upwards the stripes pull together in a diamond pattern. Ken might remove the puffy sleeves. Stanley has made a wedding gown, which is boring, but also putting loafers on his model makes it special. Not really. Anthony seems OK? He didn't really comment a lot on it. Ken is still futzing, and decides to pin some pale blue organza over the bodice.

Runway Day. Fabio is wearing a romper with knee length shorts, in black and white polka dots. His own personal style is so unique. Lots of working this morning. Anthony has to mold his dress. Ken thinks maybe you might not like his look, but that's part of fashion. That's fair. Sometimes I see something I don't like at all but it's interesting, you know? NOT hot makeup guy Scott because who knows. The hem of Stanley's dress is unfinished. Is that on purpose? Anthony is kneeling on the floor up under the skirt on his model, sewing.

Guest judges are Dita Von Teese and Zanna! I miss you, Zanna. Stanley: white dress, just above the ankle, with several layers in the skirt so it's full. The top has an oval piece, like those old-timey tuxedo shirts. So the top looks like a shirtdress, but without sleeves. There's a black pointed collar, a black stripe down the front of the oval piece and a matching belt. I think these are all leather, and then the dress is white. I guess putting flat oxfords with it is interesting? But this dress is not very interesting. Ken: shiny slim white pants, cropped, and a gold brocade strapless bustier. There is a swath of light blue organza going from one shoulder to the opposite hip, and then hanging down behind her. Like a sash, but not over the shoulder. Just poofing up a little bit. Fabio: knee-length skirt in black and white stripes. The dark stripes are smocked at the waist and over her pelvis, to make a diamond pattern. The top is a short-sleeved shirt in a print that's branches and brightly colored birds. The sleeves are very full and elbow-length, with a high crew neck, but it's not a loose crop top anymore. It's more fitted. Anthony: long cobalt blue gown with a boatneck, but no back. It looks like a tight slim skirt that ends slightly above the ankle, with a long train behind.

Anthony describes his “Audrey Hepburn becomes Rihanna” idea he had. The back is beautiful and Isaac thinks the length is “fresh”. Georgina thinks the fabric is heavy, but it does have drama and presence. The waist is a little off. Everyone loves the straps on the back. The neoprene maybe made Anthony more modern. The train is pulling the waist off so he'll need to think about that. Ken talks about the bowtie and stuff. He should have stuck with “graphic silhouettes and darker colors”, says Zanna. The sash is fussy, and it's all shiny so they want a darker color for contrast. Isaac loves that it's pants, though. The tailoring is perfect, but maybe the organza was a mistake.

Fabio talks about his grandmother and making something modern. Georgina loves the smocking and how his girl doesn't care what others think of her, clearly. Isaac points out that Fabio puts himself together wonderfully, but maybe gets too polite when designing womenswear. He also doesn't like the bird print or these particular flat shoes. “Gauche caviar”. I don't know. Maybe the two pieces shouldn't go together? There's a lot of things, and maybe each piece could be better on their own. Alyssa tells him not to be afraid of his own perspective. Stanley has a bunch of inspirations. The skirt is heavy and maybe has one or two too many layers. Isaac “loves” the black on white, but he also says it's almost the plainest dress in the world. They really like this? Why though? It's so boring. And the skirt isn't hemmed. They ask him to take the collar off the dress and they seem to like it more.

The models leave and just the designers are left. Oh, is it time for “throw someone under the bus by telling everyone who should go with you to the finale”? Alyssa tells them that it's time to adapt to change. What, again? These dumb shenanigans are why this shit is an extra half hour. Alyssa has a surprise. No one is happy. She drags them to the control room...? Why though. Then to some backstage area where the lights are on the fritz and there are tables and fabric covered piles. And their models, only in underwear and not the looks. Shit, I think I see where this is going. Alyssa has a speech about the space they're in, which is I guess a warehouse space they've built sets in, and she's talking about repurposing spaces and being inspired by the previous usage or whatever. They're going to have one of those challenges to make something out of scraps in an hour, aren't they. Goddammit I hate those things. Yeah. There are bins of scraps to make a new look from. Anthony points out that if the scraps are from eliminated designers, they were eliminated so the fabric is probably terrible. Oh and an hour. Fuck this challenge. It's stupid when it's a “tiebreaker” because you can't do your jobs and make a decision and it's stupid now. The only saving grace is this look doesn't have to fit the collection.

Ken dumps everything on the floor so he can find something. Anthony finds a ton of silk Josh used one time. They're saying who used the fabric first but whatever. I mean...honestly I don't care. This is a terrible twist. Ken is going to copy something he's doing in his finale collection. Fabio finds some neoprene he can really make work. Anthony is also using the same color combo Josh used that time. Stanley has a bunch of sequins. You can tell this is All-Stars because these dresses don't look like shit like they usually do. I'm cursing a lot but I want this half hour back and it's not even over yet.

There's no runway, just the models coming out to stand next to the designers. Anthony: long teal silk gown, one shouldered, with a drape down the one shoulder that hangs over her arm. The bodice looks wrapped. It actually looks really good. Down the inside of the arm is an accent of magenta. Everyone followed their instincts and it worked out really well. Isaac only wishes it was the same length as his first dress, a little shorter. It's very glamorous and looks expensive. Stanley: short skirt and top where the front is gold sequins, and the back is silver sequins. There's a black leather piece on the front, like the front of an apron, but ending at the waist. It fits well, anyway. This is the dress that needs the leather pointed collar. It feels finished.

Ken: long black gown with a halter neck and a choker collar. There's a high slit that looks really good. You can see the seams in the skirt and it looks like a lot of work. Then she turns around and there are two ribbons of a lighter fabric, as if the halter neck had a tie on it. It does not look like it was made in an hour, because it's so wonderfully tailored. Isaac says maybe be a little looser. Fabio: off-white shorts, that are baggy and knee-length. Think if you had wide legged trousers you cut off at the knee. The white top is one shouldered and neoprene, and is shaped so it's got a lot of volume in the hips. It's puffy. It's exciting and this is his aesthetic that Zanna was looking for. Isaac can only wish the shorts were shorter. Isaac whines that this is hard and does anyone want to volunteer to quit? Shut up, Isaac.

In the Scrap Bin, it's a big love fest and everyone talks about how much they love the other three. Alyssa reminds the judges that the one hour looks don't have to fit the collections. Isaac insists that they weigh the original runway heavier. The one hour looks are their “essence” but the first looks were about the collections. OK then what in the fuck was the POINT OF THAT CHALLENGE!? Anthony is consistent, but Georgina disagrees with everyone else and hates the fabric. Isaac also whines that his one hour dress was wrinkled. He literally pulled that fabric out of a trash can an hour ago. Whatever. Zanna wants to see his collection because he's evolved. Ken is very meticulous and has wonderful tailoring. They like the pants, and Georgina wants to see where else he goes with it even if that particular look doesn't work. Fabio's pieces didn't go together maybe, but separately they're great. Isaac wants to see the rest of the collection. They argue about the top for a minute. Alyssa says he's the most like an artist. Stanley's white dress (the first look) was apparently perfect and iconic and everyone thinks it's great. What? It's boring. Sigh. The one hour look was disjointed though.

No winner this week. For NO GODDAMN REASON Alyssa tells all of them that since their signature look is finished, the three designers in the finale will have to make another look, for a total of seven. I hate this show. What is the point of that twist? Ugh. Stanley is in. Ugh to this also. Fabio is in. Good. Ken is out. Wow. So Anthony is in. I. didn't expect that. Anthony goes to give Ken a hug and sobs because Anthony. Aww. Ken gets hugs from everyone, not just Alyssa. He says this only pushes him to move forward. He's so calm. I really changed my mind about him.

Next week: finale, eliminated designers “helping”, this show ends.