PR All-St★rs 3, Ep 10: The End Is Near!

Finally, the finale. And the Final Three: Korto, Seth Aaron and Elena.

Alyssa Milano meets the designtestants on the runway to tell them that they will have four days to make — soon to be seven — looks based on the idea of their heritage. Apparently, someone at Lifetime or the PR knows someone at the UN and the finale will be filmed at the United Nations so, of course, the theme of the collections will be their countries of origin. Elena must create a collection representative of the Ukraine, while Seth Aaron gets Spain and Korto brings Liberia to the UN.

The Final Three get to meet delegates from their countries — though I’m not sure why — and then they sit and sketch in the room, making me think that all the problems of the world were put on hold for a morning so three designers could draw. Then it’s off to Mood for fabrics and back to the workroom where the complaints about time are heard — and so the show can bring back Viktor, Jeffrey and Christopher as assistants.

Then it’s the twist! Quelle surprise. Alyssa shows up to tell the designtestants that their collections must include a seventh look, at least half of which must be made from scarves they've been provided.

Scarves? That’s a twist? Whatevs. Let’s rip …..

ELENA: Ukraine

WHAT THEY SAID

I love it. I love it. I’m in love with it. It’s me. They’ve been asking for different silhouettes all season and I decided to take the chance and show them.

WHAT I SAID

It’s totally Elena, and the same thing she’s done all season. It’s cutouts and color-blocking and, while she didn’t use neoprene — and I imagine Mood has triple stocked neoprene for the finale — it looks like everything she’s ever done; but sloppier.

That first look, with the cutout; the cutouts don’t match side-to-side; if the two sides of the dress were to be mirror images, then Elena used a funhouse mirror. The cutouts look messy and unfinished.

And the scarf dress — which nearly sent Elena packing until Viktor talked her off the ledge by saying she was drowning in a cup of water … or needed a drink or something — looks completely out of place with the rest of the looks but I actually like it best.

Meaning I don’t like Elena’s collection.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Isaac called the silhouettes sophisticated, and loved the use of the leather and the wool; then he said the pants would be good if they fit, but they don’t, and then he added that the collection seemed to be all over the place. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loved the humor of Look #4 — the yellow-sleeved number — and said the bubble skirts were good, but were deflating because they hadn’t been backed with anything. Guest judge, and Oprah’s husband, Gayle King — since when is she a fashionista? — loved the brightness of the scarf dress, while Alyssa noted that Elena focused too much on the tops of her looks and let the bottoms suffer; the same sleeve, the same shoulder, the same silhouette. Fellow guest judge, The Adorable Zac Posen™ was impressed by the amount of work done in such a short time, but felt it was all too repetitious, saying, “Repetition is reputation.”

WHAT HAPPENED
After a season that seemed hell-bent on making Elena the winner; after a season of the same looks, no matter the parameters of the challenge, Elena goes Third.

And she didn’t threaten to kill anyone, so there’s that.

KORTO: Liberia

WHAT THEY SAID

This has been going home. All the little girls that grew up there. We don’t have designers that are women, in my country, that are known. For them to see me, and I’m doing it, it’s amazing

WHAT I SAID

It is the most feminine of all the collections, and Korto definitely has an eye, but it was kind of all over the place. Flowy dresses and jumpsuit, then structured pieces and peplums; flirt skirts, tight skirt, mullet skirts. It kind of lacked cohesion in that sense.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ called that first dress a breath of fresh air, so flattering, so feminine, but she felt the structured pieces weren’t Korto’s strong suit; she called it effortless but messy. Gayle King liked the yellow and hopes Oprah will buy her the first dress. The Adorable Zac Posen™ thought Korto worked better with the soft fabrics than the more structured fabrics; he loathed the peplum on the white dress; he also was not sure about all the different hemlines. Alyssa said the collection made her want to go to Liberia, and I’m still not sure if that was meant as a compliment, while Isaac called it the most inventive collection, with great vision, though he could have done without the belts.

WHAT HAPPENED
Korto gets Second Place again; she placed Second in her season and on that very special All-Star Challenge episode.

SETH AARON: Spain

WHAT THEY SAID

It’s amazing. It’s so strong. I mean, this represents Spain to me in a modern world. It makes me happy.

WHAT I SAID

It was by far the most Wow collection, though what was the deal with the glasses? Are these women Spanish secretaries? Are they Spanish drag versions of Seth Aaron? I loved all the looks, save for that dress with the scarf top and leather skirt; that seemed like a throwaway. And I didn’t feel a lot of cohesion; that first dominatrix dress with the harness and then that white Nun’s dress and the red Matador coat. Cool, but not cohesive.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ called it exciting, and noted that Seth has a deft hand at draping; she called the red coat superb and loved that he showed it just by itself; she loved the richness of the black dress, but wondered what woman would wear that see-through hoochie pant suit, Isaac loved all the texture and called it a very strong collection, but said it was a styling disaster.  The Adorable Zac Posen™ didn’t like the length of the pants with the peek-a-boo toes — and I agree, they looked kinda creepy — but loved the simple draping of the white dress, he also worried that Seth Aaron could go a little too theatrical if he doesn’t rein himself in. Alyssa loved the scarf dress, and loved that Seth’s collection is architectural and feminine, while Gayle King said the harness alarmed her — and, No, I won’t go into stories about how Oprah makes Gayle wear a harness … Oh, I guess I just did.

WHAT HAPPENED
Seth Aaron wins, making him the first PR alum to also win All-Stars.

MY TAKE

I liked Seth Aaron’s and Korto’s looks, but I really felt Korto’s was better; Seth’s look a little too avant-garde — laser cuts pantsuit, anyone?

And I was stunned that Elena didn’t win after a season of making it seem like she would; after a season of all the same looks. But I knew the minute I saw her collection that she was done.

As for this season, I actually liked Alyssa Milano better than the Not Heidi's of season’s past, but I question the guest judges. Gayle King? Her claim to fame is that she knows Oprah … intimately. Nick Cannon? He sleeps, or at least slept, with Mariah.

Keep it down to designers as judges, or else real fashionistas, not someone who has to plug an upcoming project or whom you just happened to see walking down the street. 

I am so ready for some Under The Gunn!

What did YOU think?