Friday, October 25, 2013

PR All-St★rs 3, Ep 1: Good Luck, And Go Punk It Up

So, we're back for another go-round of Project Runway All-Strs with some of the usual suspects — Christopher is still a preening prissy pisser — and some new faces — Ari South is the former Andy South after having transitioned from male to female. Elena and Irina, the Dueling Bitches; Seth Aaron and Jeffrey, the Avant-gardists; Mychael Knight and Melissa Fleiss — he does it in white and she does it in black; Daniel Esquivel, giddy and hairy, and Korto, who seems to be okay with playing it safe this time around, and Viktor, who’s sometimes too much but he’s always finished.

In Bryant Park, the designtestants meet new host Alyssa Milano — And why is she the host of a fashion competition, you ask? She "designs" clothes for a sports themed line. Yeah, I know, I don’t get it either, but I guess Not Heidi was busy — and she tells them that Isaac Mizrahi and The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ are back as judges, with Marie Claire's Zanna Roberts Rassi taking over for Brit Bitch, and my personal fave, Joanna Coles, as mentor.  We also learn that there is no immunity so everyone is up for elimination every week. Ouch.

And now, the challenge: create an updated 2013s punk look that might be worn by Guest Judge Debbie Harry. And the Monkeywrench? The designtestants will have to shop at Mood, create at Mood, and sew at Mood, because that’s Punk: edgy, unknown, and plugging Mood.

Let’s rips ….

THE SAFES
CHRISTOPHER Again with the look that is long on one side, and short on the other side, and done in muted tones of grays and blacks? Someone isn’t advancing in their aesthetic.

DANIEL Neon Pampas grass screams punk to Daniel. I’d be inclined to scream something else. With the Capri pant it looks like Punk Carnival Cruise wear.

IRINA It’s cute, but just because you run studs along the seam doesn’t make it punk.

KORTO This is so Ladies Who Lunch and so not punk. The length? Oh honey no.

MYCHAEL It’s white; even updated to 2013 punk is not white. And adding safety pins just means you’re trying too hard.

THE BOTTOMS
MELISSA
WHAT I SAID
The vest is good, well-made, but again, white doesn’t say punk, especially not your basic white leather. The last minute dress was cute, though it read more “Last minute Dress” than punk, and had she cut a couple — just a couple — of holes in the fishnets, this look might have pulled together.

WHAT THEY SAID
Isaac Mizrahi says it was kind of trashy — which is good — but that he’s seen the vest before, which is a polite way of saying, Stop! Doing! That! The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loves the look from the back, and loves the simple dress beneath, and thought the whole thing had a good attitude. Debbie Harry says it’s not “obvious” enough, while Not Heidi, Alyssa Milano loved the fishnets.

WHAT HAPPENED
The throw-away dress saved Melissa, proving she should stop trying to impress with leather.

VIKTOR
WHAT I SAID
It’s modern, but not punk. Floral pants aren’t punk, and a grometed tuxedo jacket isn’t either. But, as usual, it’s well-made.

WHAT THEY SAID
Isaac loved the jacket, but thought the whole look was too relaxed and sporty to be punk; it wasn’t enough. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ felt it looked a little conformist, which isn’t punk, either, and while Alyssa loved the pants and the jacket, she didn’t think they worked well-together. Debbie Harry said it didn’t scream punk — and we all know punk screams — and she wanted more grommets; she also felt that the accessorizing with the bag and basic pumps was a mistake.

WHAT HAPPENED
 Viktor missed going home by thatmuch. He needs to bring it, not just make beautifully crafted clothes, but bring some edge and attitude.

ARI
WHAT I SAID
It’s pretty, but is it punk? I mean, just because you cut a pair of pants into shorts and then took the pant legs and made them sleeves doesn’t make it punk. It’s a cute little outfit.

WHAT THEY SAID
The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ said it was a beautiful outfit, and the shorts were incredibly well-made, but it was too perfect to be punk. Alyssa said there was no punk, but there was a buttload of sophistication, while Isaac said it needed to be more visual; I didn’t get that either … ?

WHAT HAPPENED
Ari, who when she competed before as Andy, was one of my favorites, but this time she totally missed the mark. She didn’t give punk, and so she got Punk’d, er, Auf’d.

THE TOPS
SETH AARON
WHAT I SAID
Again with the plaids? That seemed to be his signature fabric his season, as well as his use of hot pinks as accents. I hope he has — and now I’ll channel Dmitry — other rabbits to pull out of his pants because right now he’s a one trick monkey.

WHAT THEY SAID
Alyssa loved the plaid — clearly she didn’t watch Seth Aaron’s season — and said it was absolutely perfect, while The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ said the look exuded attitude and quirk, though it wasn’t so punk. Isaac dubbed it fabulous and loved the proportions, while Debbie Harry thought it a “good interpretation” of punk.

WHAT HAPPENED
Seth Aaron gets The Show, i.e. Third. I think he can do better.

JEFFREY
WHAT I SAID
It’s more Red Carpet than punk and, well, leopard? Really, Jeffrey? I mean, if Park Avenue ladies are wearing leather — and housewives from Akron, too — then is it really punk?

WHAT THEY SAID
The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ said it had great I don’t care attitude, and was very editorial, while Isaac said it looked expressive and make-shift, in a good way, like punk back in the day. Alyssa loved the feminine skirt and the though jacket and she wanted it — maybe that’s why she’s doing the show, to flesh out her wardrobe? Debbie Harry was impressed, and said it was the right fabrics and the right cuts.

WHAT HAPPENED
While the leopard bugged me, and while it looked more evening gown punk, I really thought this should have won, but it came in Second.

ELENA
WHAT I SAID
I thought it was a good idea to flip the jacket and wear it backwards, but, of course, Elena didn’t mention that it was her model’s idea. She owes that girl a Muffin Basket, or, because she’s a model, a tin of Altoids. Still, it was just a jacket over a simple, unseen, barely explained, black dress.

WHAT THEY SAID
Isaac said the jacket recalled a kind of bondage straitjacket look, a sentiment echoed by Debbie Harry. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ was impressed, though she thought the dress was too polished to be punk. Alyssa called the jacket delicious And said it was a clever idea to wear it backwards.

WHAT HAPPENED
Debbie Harry loved it so much that she said she wanted it for herself — just the jacket, though. So, Elena, who never won a challenge during her season, gets the win, for just a jacket, worn backwards because the model suggested it. M’kay ……

MY TAKE
Daniel at Mood saying silk organza was the way to go punk? Lord help him, and lord help him from doing the same Signature Shoulder!

I miss Joanna Coles! Zanna seems bitchier, which could be fun, though ...

What’s with Elena’s false eyelashes? Man, if she ever runs out of black thread, she has a backup plan on her face.

Christopher wants Elena to be the bitch, and knows Irina’s a bitch, so you know he’ll stir up that hornet’s nest.

What happened to Seth Aaron's face/ he used to be kinda hot, but he went wild with the eyebrow tweezing and the ALLEGED nipping and tucking.

Mychael’s jealousy of Jeffrey? I think it’s show biz.


What did YOU think?

6 comments:

  1. Punk is still a thing?
    I thought my boys, in their band, were doing retro-punk and that was... 8 years ago.
    Did anyone notice how all the older men were saying they grew up with punk...?
    I did like the winning outfit because it was cute and young. (To be worn by a cute and young woman... ahem)
    Really wanted to see more of Ari.
    Glad you decided to soldier on and do All Stars :-)

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  2. Anonymous6:11 PM

    Seth Aaron got old. I think he's 40 now, right?

    My money's on Irina when the time comes when Elena and she go at it. I swear I'm going to look forward to PRAS every Thursday night like if it's noon and there's going to be an after school fight at three o'clock.

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  3. Anonymous6:15 PM

    I don't know how in the world Daniel was safe and didn't go home.

    You just know that if Ari told the judges that the sleeves were the pants and if she had left the shorts unfinished she would have been top 3.

    You should catch the reunion show if you haven't. It was great especially when Ken, Ellena and the Russian guy and maybe one more accused the show of playing favorites and picking those who would make the best TV. I imagined you jumping out of your seat and shouting FINALLY!!! Tim did NOT LIKE IT but they didn't back down.

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  4. Anonymous6:16 PM

    I was sorry to see Ari go but did want Viktor to stay longer.

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  5. @Sean
    I loved the reunion when Tim called "Bull shit" on Alexander and Ken's whining!

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  6. Anonymous6:28 AM

    OH! I can't believe i forgot this! How much did you love when Debbie corrected/disagreed/ripped her hair out with The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ ! They did not get along and The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ gave it right back to Debbie. That's what I love Debbie and like TBGC more than I did before.

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