Project Runway All Stars: Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve
November 22, 2014 6:27 AM - Season 4, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Emotions run high as Nina Garcia returns to judge colorful party dresses inspired by the designers' personal relationships.
Seth Aaron was also back to judge. The challenge was to design a party dress based on past, present, and future relationships and NO WHITE OR BLACK ALLOWED.
Seth Aaron was also back to judge. The challenge was to design a party dress based on past, present, and future relationships and NO WHITE OR BLACK ALLOWED.
First off, that was one messed up challenge theme. Obviously the "past, present & future" was lifted from the sponsor's product line and then shoved into the theme of love and then it needed to be a colorful party dress. I think this is a recurring thing where there's a muddied challenge theme and all designers sort of go for the same boring thing (in this case red dresses).
There was not much on the runway that won me over this week. I liked Fabio's, and I guess Justin's was okay too. I wasn't a big fan of Kate's so I'm not too sad to see her go especially with the colorless thing she made (inspired by Florida, pre-school and sexiness!). But I really was expecting Helen to be in the bottom with that sad thing. Just so, so sad.
posted by bjrn at 10:34 AM on November 22, 2014
There was not much on the runway that won me over this week. I liked Fabio's, and I guess Justin's was okay too. I wasn't a big fan of Kate's so I'm not too sad to see her go especially with the colorless thing she made (inspired by Florida, pre-school and sexiness!). But I really was expecting Helen to be in the bottom with that sad thing. Just so, so sad.
posted by bjrn at 10:34 AM on November 22, 2014
Didn't Justin do an "I love you" sign language print during his season?
Also, I liked Helen's dress alright, but I didn't understand the judges obsession with the neckline. They kept saying it was so original, but I feel like I've seen it (or very similar) before.
posted by Bunny Boneyology at 10:34 AM on November 22, 2014
Also, I liked Helen's dress alright, but I didn't understand the judges obsession with the neckline. They kept saying it was so original, but I feel like I've seen it (or very similar) before.
posted by Bunny Boneyology at 10:34 AM on November 22, 2014
I think the challenge had potential because it's All Stars, so these are people we either know a bit of or even care about, but, lord, that was depressingly uninspired. Red? Really? As All Stars, the calibre of stuff is generally better over all, and while I'm admittedly not paying close attention, there's far fewer obvious stinkers, but this challenge made me wonder if they are kinda over it and phoning it in. I already barely remember it, except that I am also so over handkerchief hems (never really under them) and don't really think anything stood out besides the sad ends, like Kate's weird princessy ways I am glad to see go. Can she go do a child pageant collection already?
I don't even remember what Circle Arms did, but I do remember her using the construction guys' vests, which made me think of her recurring bike messenger fantasies, so I'm surprised at the lack of vests and bike shorts in hers.
I wonder what Chris March would have done. Hopefully something both Hedda Lettuce and Meryl Streep could wear.
posted by provoliminal at 3:29 PM on November 22, 2014
I don't even remember what Circle Arms did, but I do remember her using the construction guys' vests, which made me think of her recurring bike messenger fantasies, so I'm surprised at the lack of vests and bike shorts in hers.
I wonder what Chris March would have done. Hopefully something both Hedda Lettuce and Meryl Streep could wear.
posted by provoliminal at 3:29 PM on November 22, 2014
How did Michelle not go home for that raspberry monstrosity? I also didn't like Sanjia's shapeless lace sack. Helen's dress was beautifully made but unflattering. I don't think there was anything I really liked this week. And thank God Kate went home, at last. She has all the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old girl in her design aesthetic. The kids on Threads were making more sophisticated clothes than her.
posted by essexjan at 3:33 PM on November 22, 2014
posted by essexjan at 3:33 PM on November 22, 2014
Once again I fell asleep watching it so I had to go to the website to see that Helen won for her sad sack dress (agree, not original) and not Sanjia. There was something about the interplay between color of the lace and the color of the bottom layer that I loved on Sanjia's dress, but the jaggy hemline was not attractive. I liked the material Fabio used but thought it was over-designed. That's about it.
Most of the designs again were uninspiring but then the challenge concept was lame. It was intended to invoke some strong emotions--it's a reality show after all--and this series has been remarkably drama-free--which we all claim to want--but I want exciting fashion, not heartfelt confessions. Dmitry was the only one who didn't play along. Or maybe Jay? I don't remember seeing Jay at all.
If TLo hadn't already given up on the show, they would've after watching this time. I can hear them saying: "Another boring make-a-pretty-dress challenge!"
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:45 PM on November 22, 2014
Most of the designs again were uninspiring but then the challenge concept was lame. It was intended to invoke some strong emotions--it's a reality show after all--and this series has been remarkably drama-free--which we all claim to want--but I want exciting fashion, not heartfelt confessions. Dmitry was the only one who didn't play along. Or maybe Jay? I don't remember seeing Jay at all.
If TLo hadn't already given up on the show, they would've after watching this time. I can hear them saying: "Another boring make-a-pretty-dress challenge!"
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:45 PM on November 22, 2014
I was so surprised they all made red dresses! Really?! Seriously?!!
It did make me think what kind of dress I would make (me being the least fashionable person ever) that would fit the bill of the challenge. I would have done a spaghetti strap, short (but not as short as all the crotch dresses they seem to make when going short), bright-yellow dress out of medium-length fringe, with like 10% metallic gold fringe scattered in. The hokey thing being a relationship is made out of moments that come together, and even after a relationship is over, we have these small pieces of other people that come together to shape who we are in the present day. And bright yellow because we're such fools for love, always hoping, always keeping optimistic, and a short fringey 20s cocktail dress is super flirty. Do I win anything from Zales?
posted by missmary6 at 6:22 PM on November 22, 2014
It did make me think what kind of dress I would make (me being the least fashionable person ever) that would fit the bill of the challenge. I would have done a spaghetti strap, short (but not as short as all the crotch dresses they seem to make when going short), bright-yellow dress out of medium-length fringe, with like 10% metallic gold fringe scattered in. The hokey thing being a relationship is made out of moments that come together, and even after a relationship is over, we have these small pieces of other people that come together to shape who we are in the present day. And bright yellow because we're such fools for love, always hoping, always keeping optimistic, and a short fringey 20s cocktail dress is super flirty. Do I win anything from Zales?
posted by missmary6 at 6:22 PM on November 22, 2014
You get a $1k giftcard, you get a $1k giftcard, EVERYBODY GETS A $1K GIFTCARD! Do you think Kate gets one even though she got cut?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:38 PM on November 22, 2014
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:38 PM on November 22, 2014
fyi, all the final garments shown together at BPR.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 11:27 PM on November 22, 2014
posted by TWinbrook8 at 11:27 PM on November 22, 2014
I definitely think Kate got a gift card and I can't imagine not taking their stuff, yanking out the stones, and resetting them into some decent looking jewelry. How long do you think it took Nina to regift that to her assistant's assistant or second cousin twice removed in Ohio?
posted by provoliminal at 9:00 AM on November 23, 2014
posted by provoliminal at 9:00 AM on November 23, 2014
By the way, for those of you who don't watch the show and just check the photos, you missed out on some Nina moments. Mostly a bit where she had some disagreement with Isaac. I think she's used to being the boss judge.
posted by bjrn at 10:27 AM on November 23, 2014
posted by bjrn at 10:27 AM on November 23, 2014
I loved Jay's, and I'm sad it didn't get any love, or really even any camera time. In fact, his was maybe the only one that I liked.
posted by likeatoaster at 1:22 PM on November 23, 2014
posted by likeatoaster at 1:22 PM on November 23, 2014
Jay's in the workroom was the only one that had some wow factor, but on the runway it looked flattened out. I didn't hate Helen's but I liked others much more (Fabio, Jay, Justin).
Gunnar was lucky he got to stay. I think he is basically a pretty nice guy but easily offended, and his work is so uneven. But sometimes great!
Dmitri seems somehow less pleasant than before (maybe because he won?), and I must agree his fab construction skills can't hide the fact he still does mostly dance competition type outfits. I think the eyeliner makes him look a bit mean.
Right now I am rooting for Sonjia and Fabio to make it to the finals.
posted by Glinn at 2:23 PM on November 26, 2014
Gunnar was lucky he got to stay. I think he is basically a pretty nice guy but easily offended, and his work is so uneven. But sometimes great!
Dmitri seems somehow less pleasant than before (maybe because he won?), and I must agree his fab construction skills can't hide the fact he still does mostly dance competition type outfits. I think the eyeliner makes him look a bit mean.
Right now I am rooting for Sonjia and Fabio to make it to the finals.
posted by Glinn at 2:23 PM on November 26, 2014
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There's nothing like a shot of Nina to make you not miss Georgina at all.
I have to say I didn't love most of these dresses. I wish Justin's pattern had been all over the dress, or maybe opening up wide down into the skirt - I think it was too close to the spill/pattern line. I get why Sanjia's dress got high marks, but I thought the lace overlay wasn't the right lace. Dmitry's dress was so Dmitry.
While I'm glad to see Kate go, I thought Gunnar's had prebooked a spot on every single "Worst Dressed List" ever made. That back hitch/split alone was criminal.
While I actually was more positive about Helen personally (there's something about kicking a jerky boyfriend to the curb that makes me cheer), I have to say I hated her dress with its sadsack neckline and schlumpy profile. It's a very rare woman who can pull that off, and her gorgeous model wasn't one of them.
posted by julen at 7:37 AM on November 22, 2014