The 6 remaining contestants seemed uninspired, and the results reflected it.
Left to right, Catherine Malandrino guest judges with Isaac Mizrahi, Georgina Chapman and Angela Lindvall in the eighth challenge of "Project Runway All-Stars."The designers still standing for Challenge 8 of “Project Runway All-Stars” just didn't seem to give a rat's rear about the competition.
Maybe that's overstated. Maybe they just weren't motivated by the challenge to design a dress inspired by one of six national flags offered to them on a field trip to the United Nations. But in an inaugural season of “All-Stars” that is proving just how much better the real “Project Runway” is, you would think the designers closing in on the big prize would be trying harder and getting better.
Instead, the six remaining contestants seemed uninspired, and the results reflected it. The dresses were either safe, overwrought or just plain bad. How lousy were these designs? The judges had a hard time finding any positives in even the ones that they included in the top three:
• Michael Costello was the judges' No. 3 dress this week, yet judge Georgina Chapman said his look was "just screaming beauty pageant."
• Austin Scarlett was passed on to the next challenge with this vote of confidence from host Angela Lindvall: “It's not the worst dress I've seen on 'Project Runway All-Stars.' ”
View full sizeKenley's dress
View full sizeJerell's design• Kenley Collins had the cutest dress, but she does the same thing over and over. She was the runner-up, but received this warning from judge Isaac Mizrahi: "I have one challenge for you, darling, like, try not to do a dress that looks like this next time. You do it again and again, you know, that's my one thing. I mean it."
• Angela's comments on the winner, Mondo Guerra, included, "We have to admit that he did play it a little safe."
The challenge was to design a dress based on one of six nations' flags; each flag's colors and culture were to influence the look. The only defense for the designers' drab results was that whoever chose the flags did the challenge no favor … the flags of Chile, Greece, India, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea and Seychelles were tough to work with.
While everyone was sketching before leaving the UN for Mood, Kenley Collins asked, “How you doing, Austin? Getting inspired?”
The silence from Austin spoke the answer in the language of every member nation of the UN, and for every designer, and here it is in English:
No.
“Mentor” Joanna Coles was really bothered by how few dresses could be worn with a bra. As usual, she made people feel defensive, rather than make them feel like she's helping them. Nobody ever seems to take her words to heart.
And now that we are saying farewell to Mila Hermanovski, it's safe to reveal that she's actually the Romulan subcommander Taris from "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Do click on that link, and you'll see what I mean.
The guest judge was French designer Catherine Malandrino, known for a collection inspired by the American flag.
View full sizeMichael's dress
View full sizeAustin's dressJudges' critiques:
Kenley:
Angela: “... this is the modern, cool girl in Chile.”
Georgina: “I really liked the attitude of this dress ...”
Isaac: “I love the spirit of this dress … ”
Catherine: “I think it's a beautiful, young dress … “
Jerell Scott:
Angela: “I really loved the white stripe down the arm … he's really disappointed me … looks like an Indian Barbie doll ...”
Georgina: “I wonder whether there are too many ideas in this dress ...”
Isaac: “It's almost like Nike in India … that was a little bit of a mess, I have to say ...”
Catherine: “It started with an idea that could have been right ...”
Michael:
Angela: “... I think that bow would look better on a Christmas present.”
Georgina: “It's just screaming beauty pageant … his proportions were off this week ...”
Isaac: “... It would've looked way better without the trim. ...”
Catherine: “... I feel like Georgina, that it was a beauty pageant dress. ...”
Austin:
Angela: “It's not the worst dress I've seen on 'Project Runway All-Stars'”
Georgina: “... I was just concerned about your color use here … there was no clarity of thought here ...”
Isaac: “Is it a terrible dress, no ...”
Catherine: “... it's a dress, it's at the prototype stage …”
View full sizeMondo's dress
View full sizeMila's dressMondo:
Angela: “We have to admit that he did play it a little safe ...”
Georgina: “... you could really see the thought in this dress, and the restraint ...”
Isaac: “... that is a tight black jersey dress … he sold us.”
Catherine: “It's very well cut … the stylings for me was, uh, a mistake there ...”
Mila:
Angela: “I just don't know who can wear that dress or where ...”
Georgina: “.. It just looks schizophrenic ...”
Isaac: “... I get communism from this dress. … it's disturbing to look at in certain ways ... ”
Catherine: “I think that there was no thought process in that dress ...”
Judges' Verdict (listed in order of decree):
Michael: You are safe. You can leave the runway.
Mondo: You are the winner of this week's challenge.
Kenley: We did love your look too, but Isaac did warn you you need to stretch yourself ... but you may leave the runway.
Austin: You're safe, you can leave the runway.
Jerell: You're safe.
Mila: I'm sorry to say, Mila, but you're out.
Mondo on winning:
"I took a risk on this dress, and I think the judges recognize it. I think that they recognize I'm here to challenge myself."
Mila's farewell:
"Overall I'm really proud of everything that I've done on this show. I feel like I've evolved and grown as designer, and I've listened to the judges' criticisms and critiques and tried to use that to make myself a better designer. When I get home, I am definitely going to get back to designing. I ultimately want to design a Fall 2012 collection and show it during New York Fashion Week. Fingers crossed."