Project Runway All Stars Finale

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After the Project Runway All Stars Finale, I tweeted: "I have such a dysfunctional relationship with @ProjectRunway! You piss me off but I can't let you go!" As I reflected over the last few days, maybe it's not such a bad thing Uli didn't win? Of course, if you were team Anthony, you're happy as heck. I have thoughts I'm going to share with you in a little bit about why it may be for the better that Uli or Emilio didn't win...

The Finale challenge: The three finalists designed, created a collection and produced their own show in just four days. They had a $3K dollar budget and a day of help from past All Stars and then it was show time! 

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If 20th century contemporary artists Mark Rothko and Piet Mondrian had a fashion love child turned designer, it would have been golden boy, Anthony Ryan Auld. He presented a modern collection that would be appealing to many women. Isaac Mizrahi, who I swear has a crush on Anthony, to my surprise, pointed out a flaw in the collection. The hem length varied from dress to dress. And after Mizrahi mentioned that, it was very distracting to see all the dresses lined up on the runway. It's all I could notice! Congratulations on your big win Anthony... now that you have money, please get a haircut!!!

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I've been an Emilio Sosa fan since the beginning of the season but this collection was very disappointing. Emilio conceptualized a powerful vision of interpreting the iconic fashion of the working class African American woman from 1840-1940. Unfortunately Emilio got too caught up in his political  message, bringing out the costume designer in him and suppressing the fashion designer. The collection was to costumey and it felt like a college student's work. It lacked glamour and sophistication. Other than the hot, patterned pant suit, I can't see women running to wear any of the clothes. They felt like costumes, not ready-to-wear. Emilio did not deserve to come in as the runner up. I believe it was a racially cautious decision from an all white judges panel. Project Runway already gets enough flack because minorities never win. Though Mexican-American Mondo was the winner of All Stars last season. Either way, the only thing I care about is the BEST designer winning and nothing else -Something Project Runway doesn't always get right. Remember Anya and Gretchen?!

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Ethereal and surreal. Mystical and magical. Romantic and sophisticated. Modern and edgy. Uli Herzner had all the right ingredients to win Project Runway All Stars. But she didn't and maybe that was a good thing? I don't know this for a fact, but I bet there are contractual details and stipulations keeping the winner tied to Project Runway. Uli doesn't need that. She should be free to do her own thing. Emilio and Uli's position with the show granted them such a heightened level of exposure and visibility that they will undoubtedly be as successful as if they had won. Just not as rich!

Well, the real good news for the rest of us?? An ALL NEW season of the Project Runway kicks off on Thursday!!! Tim & Heidi are BACK!

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