Fashion News

'Project Runway All Stars' Ep. 1 Recap: The Bold and the Confident

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(Photo: Lifetime)

After wrapping up its 10th season last week (congrats, Dmitry!), Project Runway is back with its second season of All Stars. Our resident critics and PR fans Jill Slattery and Darrick Thomas will be dishing out recaps and sartorial snarkiness all season long.

Darrick: All Stars hits the ground running with a pace almost as purposeful and speedy as Emilio's awkward walk. Here we go, rapid fire introductions. Glad to see Joshua McKinley has been humbled since coming in second on his season, you know, when they "made a mistake" not giving him the win. And why does Suede look so paranoid like he's being hunted down the cops?

Jill: Gotta love how Ivy humbles herself by admitting that she was "the bitch" during her season, but then immediately calls out Casanova as her assistant. Momentary humility negated.

Darrick: I'm more concerned with Casanova's face. Has he had some work done? He looks like a bearded Real Housewife.

Jill: People are really into Wendy Pepper. How many times can everyone say "Wendy Pepper!" in 10 seconds?

Darrick: Almost as much as they say "AMAZING." I think we've found our first two rules in the Project Runway All Stars drinking game. Apparently Heidi Klum is too busy hooking up with her bodyguard with other projects to pull PR double duty. Luckily, blonde supermodels grow on trees.

Jill: Project Runway All Stars has ditched first season host Angela Lindvall and replaced her with a very human-like robot named Carolyn Murphy. Kidding, but seriously Carolyn, loosen up. This isn't CNN's election night coverage. Which…wouldn't election night kind of be better if they let supermodels host it?

Darrick: "The Situation Runway" or something... and she can wear her tin foil/Brillo pad dress. Anyway, PRIZES. I can't remember the exact breakdown, because I was too distracted by Andrae's foppish excitement over one in particular: Wait for it... extra OFFICE SPACE! There were certainly a lot of "oos" and "ahhs" at that fact that the prize package is the "biggest in Project Runway history."

Jill: Immediate team challenge! Well done, Project Runway. The theme is "attitude." Casanova immediately drifts towards provocative, obviously.

Darrick: I love that they gave them a list of "attitudes" just in case they couldn't come up with one on their own. Looks like we have Team Confidence (Wendy Pepper, Casanova, Ivy, Kayne, Uli, Anthony Ryan, and Althea) vs. Team Bold (Laura Kathleen, Emilio, Andrae, Suede, Peach, Joshua). Off to the workroom!

Jill: Normally these team challenges are drama city, but the All Stars seemed to have all mellowed in their old age. Oh wait, Casanova says Kayne's sparkly jumpsuit looks like it's for a drag queen (which…yes, fair enough Casanova). And Laura Kathleen snipes about Andrae asking her for help: "I'll step in and fix sh-- when my sh--'s done."

Darrick: Man, I miss Tim Gunn. Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles as the mentor for the All Stars season is tragic. You don't fool me, Joanna. I remember how cold, mean and out of touch you were as a guest judge. And is it just me or does she look like an insane person? Fire your hair and makeup person, STAT. (Did I mention I miss Tim Gunn, like, a lot?)

Jill: I like that Joanna Coles shows up to critique everyone's work, but really she's there to push forward the whole 'Ivy was a bitch' narrative. Does that mean she's going to be a bitch again? Or are the editors setting her up for some sweet redemption?

It's pretty clear from the very beginning that Peach is struggling. She got mowed over when it was time to choose the attitude word and now she's confessing to Joanna that she only really knows how to make tennis wear.

Which… how do you decide to be a tennis wear designer? Do you love tennis? Do you wish you could be playing tennis at all times and you don't have enough tennis clothes to wear? I'm just saying, maybe it's time to broaden your horizons, Peach. (More on that in a minute.)

Darrick: I'm more worried about Kayne. He's really pushing the definition of "All Star" here. I mean, the guy's coloring his dress in with Sharpie for god's sake. Let's get through the obligatory product placement hair and makeup montage, and head to the runway.

Jill: The "beautiful Georgina Chapman," Isaac Mizrahi, Rachel Roy, and PR All Stars season one winner Mondo Guerra are judging. Team Bold and their royal blue and black palette are first.

Emilio sends down a bandeau bra with a dress around it, Peach's sack dress with blue sleeves is just plain sad, Andrae's futuristic ensemble with a sheer vest-like bodice layered over a dress is all sorts of crazy pants, Joshua's look is boob-tastic, and Suede uses bra cups to make a dress with exaggerated shoulders (which is really all you need to know). Laura Kathleen's blue peplum blouse and flowing pants with sheer panels is interesting without being insane, so naturally she gets the highest score on her team.

(Designers L-R: Emilio | Peach | Andrae | Suede | Laura Kathleen | Joshua)

Darrick: Right away Team Confident's cream and black looks are killing it. Uli's doing her flowy dress Uli thing. Ivy's blazer with lace details is impeccable. Anthony Ryan delivers a wow moment with standard blouse that amps up the sex appeal when the model turns to reveal and all-lace back. Casanova must be learning from Ivy because his taste level is much improved. Even Wendy Pepper is bringing the — OH MOTHER OF GOD! What did Kayne just send out? It's a bedazzled, high-collar, lace jumpsuit monstrosity and it's a total trainwreck. Even Cher wouldn't wear that thing.

(Challenge winner and our favorite: Anthony Ryan)

Darrick: Yay, Anthony Ryan! Now comes the bad news. Sorry, Peach, your misshapen, two-tone sleeves couldn't even beat Suede's bra cup shoulder pads and court jester skirt. Too bad it wasn't a Wimbledon challenge — you would have ruled. Still, yours wasn't as bad as Kayne's.

(Challenge loser, Peach (right), and our vote for worst, Kayne)

Jill: Next time on Project Runway All Stars, someone starts to crack under the pressure and maybe Ivy is a bitch after all. Also, Katie Holmes will guest judge sometime this season. If only PR could have nabbed Suri too.