Project Runway All Stars

     This past week's episode, "When I Get My Dress In Lights", was definitely one of the most interesting challenges Project Runway has ever seen. It reflects extremely well, the current state of the world: surrounded by technology. It seems as though every month a new version of some technological device is released, causing everyone to throw away their month-old version and purchase the new one. Hey, at least it's good for the economy.
I have to say, I am not fond of the new host, Angela Lindvall. She does not appear to have much sense of style. What she wears is not fun or fabulous, it's generally normal (a terrible word in fashion), if not unflattering. Her comments on the designers looks are also generally vague and simplistic. They're comments you would hear from any ninny on the street, not a fashion forward, style icon. However, I find Georgina Chapman and Isaac Mizrahi to be excellent, insightful judges. Unfortuantely, much as I may think Joanna Coles is a great editor-in-chief for Marie Claire, she is no Tim Gunn. She does her duty of listening to the designers explain their look, but gives no warning of problem areas, no ideas to push their limits; she just doesn't say much. Now on to the designers and their looks...

< Mondo
Love the stripes and style of them. But I'm not fond of the "thing" on top of her head. I know it pushes the look and gives it an overall look, but I just find it to look odd. Sometimes, odd is good though.

< Kenley
Much as I hate to admit it, I love this look. Generally I'm not fond of Kenley, I especially disliked the previous episode's design, but this one was spot on. The parallel between the hair, jacket, and skirt, the whole flare out look, was fabulous. Kenley also created a great parallel between the plaid tape pattern and the box cutouts, without looking matchy-matchy. The colors were different without clashing, it was just an amzing job. But it was the same thing she always does...

< Jerell
This was... weird... It was too ovet the top in a bad way. He truly needed to take a step, maybe a few, back and edit, edit edit! I like the look of the little neon tutu, and I can even stand the fringe on top, but he didn't pull it together. There obviously needs to be some connection between the top and bottom piece and he just didn't make a good one. And then there was that bizarre velvet maxi skirt on the bottom... no... just no... Not to mention, the model looks like a bug with those glasses.

< Michael
This. Was. Hideous. Ok, that's a bit harsh, it's not hideous, but it went very wrong. Michael shoul have stuck with designing a killet coat (minus the shoulder... things) and got rid of all the other tape. I think he just put too much on. He should have restrained himself with the sleeves, and couple other places could use a little less. On the plus side, he did branch out.

< Austin
S.T.U.N.N.E.R. This was such an ovious win. This look was the most avant garde, in my opnion, and the most ingenious integration of the technology. When you look at the model as a whole, you don't see the lights versus the fabric, it all blends so well together. The amazing thing is how it doens't cross that boundary into costume. It truly is a gorgeous piece of work.

(Haha, what if I wore that to Prom? Some would laugh, some would stare.)