Project Runway All Stars Recap: Episode 7

This may have been my favourite episode this season for two reasons: I'm a huge Broadway musical fan and Mondo's garment was the Business. The Ultimate Business. I had so much love for Mondo this week.

The challenge was to design a costume for a character in Godspell who is rich and ostentatious. The winning designer gets have his or her Broadway debut by getting credit in the program. It's a huge deal and Austin and Mondo seemed the most excited. "Fricken major," was Mondo's exact comment.

Before we get to the runway, I have to send a huge Get Over Yourself, Girl to Kenley. Her comment, "I don't make mediocre, half-assed pieces. I do every piece beautifully with a wow factor. It must be so annoying to those other designers," seemed a bit delusional since she hasn't won a challenge yet. So when she ended up in the bottom three, I was secretly gleeful. (Well, not that secretly, I am writing a blog...).

Guest judge Sutton Foster, a true Broadway star and Tony award winner, gave strong, thoughtful feedback to everyone. Invite her back please!

With only seven designers left, Jerell was safe as the middle man which left Mondo, Michael and Austin in the top and Kenley, Mila and Kara in the bottom.

Michael's dress was very pretty, but I couldn't help but wonder how the actress was going to feel wearing a backless garment. The designers all met her, she was lovely but, like most of us, not model size. A gal needs some support!

Kenley's jacket turned out beautifully, and I was as happy as Joanna that it was her first polka-dotless week (hold the phone -- those are sheer polka dots under that coat, sigh), but overall her "East Village thrift store" inspiration just didn't hit the mark. Georgina was disappointed, rightfully so, because Kenley totally missed over-the-top luxury the character is supposed to convey.



Austin bounced back from last week's snoozefest with a Marie Antoinette-inspired costume that captured the character, although not my imagination, personally. Still, it was a strong piece and landed him a second place finish.



Poor Kara. She seemed to be really struggling this week and her outfit reflected that. It just didn't stack up against the other costumes and she was ultimately sent home.



Mondo was next and did he ever nail the challenge. His costume was so gorgeous and appropriate -- I know that's not the most glamourous adjective but it's the most accurate. The styling! The feathers! The flats! The flow! Even though he struggled with his inspiration and had to go to a "dark place," Mondo really redeemed himself from last week (although I didn't think he needed any redeeming).



Mila's mismatched costume didn't instill any confidence that she can use colours other than black, white and red -- and Sutton Foster said her model looked like a, ahem, lady of the night!

 

 

Although Isaac said that this week was Kara's best work ever -- really? -- she was eliminated and Mondo, of course, was named the winner.

Find out what Kara had to say about being friends with Kenley, whether she thought Mila should've gone home in her place and who she's rooting for now.

Q: Let's talk about your relationship with Kenley. It received so much air time!

Kara: Well, you know the thing is that you're naturally drawn to certain types of people. Kenley and I just really gravitated towards one another and we were really each other's sounding boarod throughout the whole thing. I think Kenley is a really special girl and we were just honest and open with each other as were other designers. We each had someone we connected with, it's not unusual.

Q: Did you know Mila had such a hard time with it? Did she say anything to you?

Kara: No one ever expressed it in our presence. Some people work quiet and some people work louder. It's just different personalities. I think Mila doesn't open up easily. Kenley  and I are just fully spirited, the two of us. Maybe [the other designers] disapproved that we were louder than they hoped. But you can't fine tune the workroom to suit yourself, that's one of the challenges of [the program].

Q: Do you think Mila should've been sent home?

Kara: When I look back on it, Mila's is obviously the worse of the two. I don't know how the back end sort of works and how the judges make that decision. The judging is such a long, in depth process and we get such a small amount of it [on TV]. On the runway I didn't think I was going home and neither did anyone else. No hard feelings, every week it's someone else's turn.

Q: Who are you rooting for now? Kenley?

Kara:  I love Austin and Kenley, we were a tight knit little group of besties. I think Michael, Mondo and Austin are really just very in key with what's going on. They seem to adapt the best in this circumstance. May the best man or woman win.

What did you think of this week's episode? Who are you rooting for? I'm solidly team Mondo, though I'd like to see Jerell to step up his game and push himself. Let's chat in the comments!