Project Runway All Stars - Fashion's New Superheroes - NO SPOILERS

Project Runway All-Stars can be a pressure cooker. Time to work on designs is minimal and design challenges are maximal. The judges expect fashion that is above the pack, but the precedence of one-day challenges is continuing, leaving no time to breathe or take a break. It's a wonder that any of these talented designers can sleep at night with one-day challenge on top of one-day challenge, followed by one-day challenge. 

The final walk-through of last night's fashions. Two are blocked
off by other models. We'll go through the winning and losing
designs in tomorrow's post. 

     



This week was the fifth week of All-Stars and the challenge parameters were set by working with their make-up and beauty consultants, Rodial. Each designer chose a characteristic from a blind drawing - things such as heat, snakeskin and dragon's blood. These characteristics were to be the foundation for the model as superhero. The challenge will be to pull away from costume and allow the fashion to make its own statement. 

The designers (there are eleven left at this point) have the following challenge focal points:   

     Stanley: smokey
     Amanda: pink diamond
     Anthony: dragon’s blood
     Helen: 24 carat gold
     Marline: magic gel
     Char: bee venoms
     Joshua: concealer
     Edmond: contouring
     Kimberly: illuminating
     Ken: super acids
     Fabio: snake

Apparently this list of odd assignments is facial fashion. Who knew? Apparently these are concepts associated with Rodial's "Hero" products which "encourage women to imagine there is no box". Hmmm .... OK, whatever you say, Rodial. The list doesn't scream "hero" to me at all. 

Each designer needs to create elegant high fashion that celebrate's a woman's inner superhero. The designer needs to design the fashion, but also the backstory of the secret power given to each woman by the focal point assigned. They have a $150 budget and ... you guessed it ... one day for the challenge. 

Words are flung between Anthony and Helen; and Anne's critique, as she goes through each fashion one-by-one, is on-point, but I'm not sensing that she really understands these designers. The three guys - Anthony, Ken and Edmond bond together into a "sisters" clique, helping each other and critiquing each other's work. It's so "cute" watching the boys bond. It won't last - it can't last. As Helen remarks, 'It's a competition and your friend one day is your enemy the next'. (NOT a direct quote.) 

Everyone actually gets to the Runway, although Helen's zipper breaks during final fitting. Still, they arrive and walk and the fashions and decisions will be tomorrow's blog. You've got a day to catch up before I'll be doing my spoilers post on this week's episode. 

Meanwhile, it's effin' COLD here in the Twin Cities. We're giving our Super Bowl visitors the full Minnesota experience - cold, snow and temperature swings like crazy. One thing's for sure - I'm glad I'm not ziplining across the Mississippi River in -22F windchill (yes, that's a minus sign in front of that number). Have a wonderful Friday and I'll be back with Runway results tomorrow.