PR All-St★rs 6 Ep12: It's So Twisted

We begin with the Final Four, Fabio, Anthony, Stanley and Ken, looking fine in DC, and headed toward the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to meet Alyssa Milano. She talks a wee bit about the museum, but we really want to know the challenge, which will be creating a six-piece collection showcasing each designtestant’s mark in American fashion history.

A collection? Is this the finale? It must be, because they have a week, and $2,000 to spend, not at Mood, but at the birthplace of all things Mood… the Mood warehouse. Alyssa then mentions that the models are waiting for their casting … on the roof, and she’s gone, allowing the Final Four to tour the museum, gathering inspiration before heading to the roof to pick their girls.

Back in the workroom, The designers each start drafting a game plan of how to complete six looks in seven days and then Alyssa appears in the workroom … this can’t be good … with a Twist; she tells them to “expect the unexpected” and then says they must create a signature look to show the judges who will decide which three will hit The Tents.

Shiz just got real, because all four thought all four would show; let’s dish …

STANLEY

Stanley is inspired by Jackie O, and different snippets from the museum; he wants to play with volume and shape and minimalism. He’s keeping his color palette simple, with whites and cream alongside hints of black leather.

Anne Fulenwider loves the idea of the leather, because the color is so basic—though she says that not necessarily a bad thing—and she loves the idea of the leather, until Stanley mentions gloves. She reminds him that gloves can go costume, and warns him to edit, and edit, and edit.

WHAT HE SAID

It’s so beautiful. All that skirt with a little bit of black.

WHAT I SAID

It’s so simple, but still powerful and easy. I love the bits of black and the simple flat shoe.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loves it, calling it powerful, though the skirt feels like it has one too many layers.

Isaac Mizrahi says the thing he loves more than a black dress with white petticoats is a white dress with a black lining. He loves the simplicity of the dress, calling it close to the plainest dress he’s ever seen … not a bad thing. He is, however, not a fan of the black leather collar.

Guest look, the fabulous Dita Von Teese loves the look, especially the 1950s full skirt; she does somewhat agree with Isaac about the collar, but she feels it’d be better if it was more delicate.

Fellow Guest judge, and former designer mentor, Zanna Roberts Rassi … love her … calls the look Project Runway Allstars Gold, and says it hits past, present and future styles; she loves the innocent white with the naughty black leather.

Alyssa Milano loved the peek-a-boo black lining and called the look cool and simple.

FABIO

Fabio harkens back to his grandmother, who taught him to sew, but wants to take the classics and make them modern by playing with contrast and proportions and color. His signature piece he’ll show the judges features smocking, an old sewing technique he learned from his grandmother; it’s cool because he does it with a stripe that looks a little Americana to me.  

Anne likes his skirt though she has questions about the top and the proportions—something Fabio can fix at the fittings—and says she wants to see more of his hip New York City girl.

WHAT HE SAID

Everything is working so beautifully.

WHAT I SAID

As separates, I love the pieces, though I love the skirt more; they just seem off when put together.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ ‘adores’ the smocking and the striping; she calls it a look for a powerful woman.

Isaac Mizrahi thinks Fabio’s muse should be Fabio; he says Fabio’s own look is put together in a gauche way but he gets too polite when designing for women—“Don’t let those bitches scare you.”—and wants Fabio to bring more edge, and more of this sick length and more, of what I’ll call an Isaacism, “gauche caviar.”

Dita Von Teese loves the modern 50s skirt and the smocking but not the wallpaper fabric of the top.

Zanna Roberts Rassi says Fabio’s aesthetic is ‘folksy couture’ but she thinks this look is too much, too discombobulated.

Alyssa Milano loves it and wants it.

KEN

Ken is moved by a simple white lace tie worn by Harriet Tubman and has chosen to mix things up; he’ll stay with the perfect tailoring but will forego the bold colors for softer hues and fabrics to create a powerful feminine Victorian modern collection filled with romance.

I don’t know if the last challenge is the time to completely mix things up but … Anne sees his design and loves it; she loves the dramatic take on a Victorian sleeve and when Ken suggest a train to add more drama she’s intrigues.

WHAT HE SAID

It’s a full-on look. I love the fit [and] the tailoring.

WHAT I SAID

Where is the sleeve? That sash just seems like a last-second addition.

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Zanna Roberts Rassi misses Ken’s graphic, darker signature style and wants him to stick to that and avoid the whimsy of a sash.

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ wishes the look was black and white because it’s a lot of shiny; she hates the earrings, but loves the proportions, and the way the sash length meets that of the pants.

Isaac Mizrahi, however, adores the pants and the fabrics and wishes the sash had been longer and more dramatic.

Dita Von Teese loves the crisp pant but calls the sash fussy.

Alyssa Milano noted the perfect tailoring and kind of, maybe, sometimes, liked the sash.

ANTHONY

I think Anthony had the best description of his collection: if Audrey Hepburn had lived long enough to become Rihanna. I think it gives a perfect idea of what to expect; classic and simple and modern and bold and, maybe, unexpected.

Anne loves the idea, but, wait. Is this another gown? How does red carpet go fashion forward? And where’s the Rihanna in this look?  Anne warn shim that his look needs to stand out if he expects the judges to want to see more.

And so, Anthony tweaks the look, adjusting the hem and opening the back and adding a swoop.

WHAT HE SAID

It’s drama. It moves beautifully. It’s well-balanced between her train and the open back.

WHAT I SAID

Is it really new, though?

WHAT THE JUDGES SAID

Isaac Mizrahi loved the fresh length, and the flawless back, and the wide straps; he says the fabric is also fresh, but the waist seems unresolved.

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ doesn’t like the heavy fabric and says he needs an ‘understructure;’ to resolve the drooping waist; she does love the silhouette and the length and the drama.

Dita Von Teese loves the ‘Aud-RiRi’ idea and the color, but also notes the wonky waist.

Zanna Roberts Rassi calls it elegant and loves the wide straps; she loves the fabric and the movement.

Alyssa loves the pleating on the side of the dress but also points out that the waist is a little off.

Well, expect the unexpected … because Alyssa has a surprise challenge, for the final four designtestants … who are less than amused,

Alyssa takes the designers through the control room to another workroom where their models away in the underwear. Once there, Alyssa tells them that they must make a whole new look from the scraps of Auf’d designers and they have just one hour to do so. The bell sounds and the dash for fabric scraps begins …

Stanley goes for sequins and faux leather, while Ken reverts to black fabrics; Anthony found a huge trove of fabrics left by Josh and does an Anthony drape, while Fabio starts with a burgundy and then switches it up to khaki shorts and a white draped top.

Back on the runway … from left to right:

Stanley had another hit with all the judges; Isaac Mizrahi called it ‘bling-blocking,’ while The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loved how in control and finished the look seemed; Zanna Roberts Rassi loved the gold and silver sequins and said she would have loved to see the leather collar on this look, and Alyssa Milano called it clever.

Fabio explains his look as being a clash of proportion and fit. The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ said it was easy and exciting while Isaac Mizrahi wished the shorts had been above the knee. Alyssa Milano loved the ‘Boy Scout’ short and chic top and Zanna Roberts Rassi again pointed out that it was perfectly Fabio.

Ken created an elegant black, perfectly tailored dress that gets points for being totally Ken. Alyssa says she couldn’t tell it was a one-hour look, while The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ called chic and powerful and extraordinary. Isaac Mizrahi thought it too controlled and told Ken he should go a little mad. Dita Von Teese loved the perfect seaming and the high slit.

Anthony offered a draped moment that scored with the judges for color and elegance, but notes are made that the fabric is terribly wrinkled. Isaac doesn’t like the length or wrinkles, but The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ loved the flamboyance and control. Dita Von Teese also loved the color and one shoulder detail, while Zanna Roberts Rassi called it a well done splash of color. Alyssa brought it home by saying it was Old Hollywood Glamour.

Now the judges deliberate … 

The Beautiful Georgina Chapman™ called Anthony consistent, and loved the tailored bodice of Ken’s showcase look; she liked Fabio’s look, but not the top, and said Stanley’s was impressive.

Isaac Mizrahi didn’t like that Anthony’s second look was sent out wrinkled, and noted that Ken’s pants weren’t fir tight on the model and hated that he sued black for his second look, calling it a default color. He definitely wants to see more of Fabio and felt that Stanley’s bling dress was a miss compared to the things he’d made all season.

Dita Von Teese loved Ken’s fabrics, and Ken’s tailoring, but liked Fabio’s pieces if they were shown separately. She said Stanley’s look was her favorite.

Zanna Roberts Rassi thought Anthony had really evolved and wants more; she felt Ken’s switch to lighter fabrics fell flat, while she felt Fabio’s second look was a total winner. As for Stanley’s showcase piece, she called it iconic.

In no particular order … Stanley is in, followed by Fabio. It gets down to Ken and Anthony, and Anthony gets the nod, while Ken is sent home.

Seeing grown men, even grown gay men, freak out over rolling dress racks was high-larious!

The One Hour Challenge was unnecessary; the look wasn’t to be used in the collection, and the challenge wasn’t used because the judges couldn’t decide who should go. It was really just a waste of time since the look basically didn’t matter.

I want Zanna back as mentor next time around; Anne Fulenwider is just so stiff and doesn’t seem invested in the designers.

Again, I want to just sit in a room with Isaac Mizrahi and hear him talk. It would totally be better than gauche caviar.

Lines of the Night—as usual—go to Anthony:

On his fabric choice:

“When you sew Silk Faille, it stays. When you sew neoprene, it’s like, ‘We'll see you later.’”

And on draping:

“I describe draping as lovemaking. All parties involved need to be satisfied when it’s over.”

As for The Tents, I seriously would have been happy when any of them; I so hoped they’d give us all four and was sad that Ken was axed. I think his style is cool, but he missed the mark by straying too far from his aesthetic.

As for the winner of the whole shebang, I think it might be Stanley; his looks are so crisp and put together. But I’d love a Fabio win because I love his quirkiness. Anthony makes beautiful gown sand red carpet looks, but that’s kind of one note, a beautiful one note, though.

What did YOU think?